Can he get his secondary to play like this? Ryan Walters causes a fumble from Arizona State tight end Brent Miller in a 2007 game in Tempe.
Photo by Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE.

When Mike Stoops was hired to coach the Arizona Wildcats after the 2003 season, Ryan Walters was a senior quarterback. In high school.

Now, Walters is Stoops’ secondary coach.

It took a strange set of circumstances to make it happen, but Walters, at age 25, was officially announced Monday as Arizona’s new secondary coach after spending one season as a graduate assistant with the Cats.

“To be able to do this at the age I am is a humbling experience and very gratifying,” he said.

“It speaks a lot to Mike’s confidence in me. I don’t want to let him down, the fans down, the players down. I am working tirelessly to be the best defensive backs coach I can be.”

Walters will be the second youngest assistant coach in the Pac-12, trailing Utah’s first-year quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson, 24.

Walters’ big opportunity comes after Duane Akina, whose resume as a secondary coach might be without peer, spent only a few weeks on the job at Arizona. He left Feb. 14 to return to his old position at Texas.

“When he called me and told me he was leaving, my first response was a little bit of disappointment because I could have learned a lot under him,” Walters said. “But then I was hopeful because this was something I thought I was capable of doing.”

Walters said he thought he was capable of doing the job after the 2010 regular season. That is when Greg Brown, the team’s secondary coach and co-defensive coordinator, left to begin his third tour with Colorado.

Walters calls Brown “his extreme mentor and role model.” Walters played safety for Brown at Colorado, and he followed the coach to Arizona after the 2009 season to begin his coaching career.

After Brown’s departure, Stoops turned the secondary over to Walters in December for the Alamo Bowl. Despite the lopsided 36-10 loss to Oklahoma State, the defense actually played pretty well, holding the Cowboys to a season-low 312 yards. Other than one long scoring play, the secondary largely bottled up Justin Blackmon, the winner of the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best receiver.

“What stood out in Mike’s mind was the way I handled the whole situation,” Walters said.

“Mike and I worked together a lot through that. He saw how I worked and interacted with the guys. He saw my knowledge base there and he saw how eager I was to work with Akina after having not gotten the job the first time.”

Stoops, naturally, jumped at the chance to land Akina when he could. When he had to fill the job again, though, Stoops opted to catch a potential rising star.

“He had concerns with the experience deal and kind of my age,” Walters said. “I felt like I worked hard enough and was mature enough to gain his approval.”

No doubt, Walters will be in the line of fire. The secondary is Stoops’ old stomping grounds. Walters, given his background with Brown, is a believer in man-to-man defense. Stoops is more of a zone guy. Last season was a mix of those philosophies.

Walters

Walters, despite his youth and inexperience, said he won’t have a problem speaking his mind.

“Even last year in game-planning meetings, I wasn’t afraid to speak up and express my opinion,” he said. “And coaches were very receptive of that. All ears are open.”

He does inherit experience in the secondary — senior cornerbacks Trevin Wade and Robert Golden, junior safety Adam Hall — and intriguing young talent. Sophomore cornerbacks Shaquille Richardson and Jonathan McKnight, and sophomore safety Marquis Flowers, will be looking to build upon solid rookie seasons.

Walters said he had the support of the Arizona secondary when he was up for the full-time job as assistant.

“The players have been awesome. They were trying to get Mike to hire me,” Walters said.

“They would call me all the time, saying, ‘What’s going on? We want you to be the guy.’ They were very happy, very excited. Everyone in this building has been awesome.”

Walters, who attended Grandview High in Aurora, Colo., ended up starting 33 games in the secondary for Colorado. He earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors in 2008, finishing his career with 223 tackles and four interceptions.

“After exploring our options I felt Ryan is the best fit at this time for our team,” Stoops said in a press release. “He brings a youthful energy to the staff and solid knowledge of our system. We’re able to continue preparations for spring ball immediately.”

Spring ball starts March 21, and Walters figures he won’t get a day off until then … shoot, maybe not until the end of spring practice on April 16.

“That’s fine with me,” he said. “I love working and love the situation I’m in. I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

NOTES
Arizona announced that former UA quarterback Kris Heavner will take over the offensive graduate assistant position, replacing the departed Matt Rice. Stoops has not yet brought in a defensive graduate assistant to replace Walters. … Walters said he had been working toward a masters degree in educational psychology but will mostly put that pursuit on hold for now.

Mike Tuiasosopo provided Arizona a strong connection to the Polynesian community.
2007 photo by Kirby Lee, Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

Arizona Wildcats coach Mike Stoops will begin interviewing candidates for two open assistant coaching positions this weekend, saying, “It’s never been a problem finding coaches.”

“My phone has absolutely blown up over the last week,” Stoops added. “That’s the crazy part of it all.”

Defensive tackles coach Mike Tuiasosopo and Greg Brown, the co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach, have both accepted jobs at soon-to-be Pac-12 South rival Colorado.

Tuiasosopo has a strong friendship with new Buffs coach Jon Embree, and Brown has strong ties to the area. This is his third stint at Colorado — plus he will be the solo defensive coordinator, a promotion.

With the loss of Tuiasosopo, Stoops figures to need to hire a coach with strong ties to the Polynesian community (Brad Allis of our TucsonCitizen.com sports network partner WildcatSportsReport.com broke down Tui’s value in terms of recruiting.)

“You have to try to find the best coach out there that fits what we’re doing and fits our system,” Stoops said. “We’ve always replaced other great coaches with great coaches. Again, there is no shortage of coaches out there, I promise you.”

Stoops said he will interview candidates this weekend and next weekend, in between practices, recruiting and general preparation for the Alamo Bowl against Oklahoma State on Dec. 29.

“We’d like to have somebody in place, but we’re not going to rush,” Stoops said. “It’s a very demanding time, time-wise, being on the road trying to recruit. We’ll try to use our time wisely.”

In the interim, Stoops will coach the defensive backs, with help from first-year graduate assistant Ryan Walters. Former Arizona defensive tackle Donald Horton, who has been a graduate assistant helping in the weight room, will assist defensive ends coach Jeff Hammerschmidt with the line.

Brown

Colorado, a new member of the Pac-12 starting next season, was hired a new head coach who is interested in bringing back Arizona Wildcats co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Greg Brown, according to the Denver Post.

The hiring of 45-year old Jon Embree is official, and the former Colorado player is bringing in another former Colorado player as offensive coordinator — Eric Bieniemy.

He is the school’s career leading rusher.

According to the story in the Denver Post:

Embree has shown interest in former Colorado defensive secondary coach Greg Brown, now co-defensive coordinator at the University of Arizona, about returning to Boulder as defensive coordinator.

Embree contacted Brown before landing the job, a source close to Brown said, but hasn’t made an offer. It would be Brown’s third stint at Colorado after serving as secondary coach from 1991-93 and from 2006-09.

The Post speculated that, “It’s expected that Brown would accept the offer. His parents still live in the area and his father, Irv, is a prominent radio talk-show host.”

Trevin Wade's best moment of the season came when he picked off this deflected pass and returned it 85 yards for a TD against Iowa. Photo by Chris Morrison, US-PRESSWIRE

Trevin Wade’s banishment to the bench will last only one game.

Arizona Wildcats coach Mike Stoops said Monday morning that the junior cornerback will be back in the starting lineup for Friday’s game at top-ranked Oregon.

True freshman Shaquille Richardson got the start in the last game, against USC, with Wade playing off the bench. The plan is to use those two, plus starting cornerback Robert Golden.

“We’re just trying to rotate all three of them,” Stoops said.

Wade has struggled this season, suffering a thigh injury against Oregon State and giving up too many big plays.

“He’s a got a great attitude,” said co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Greg Brown.

“I mean, he’s come out, he’s practicing hard, he’s into it, going 100 miles an hour, very helpful with Shaquille and Jonathan McKnight, the younger guys. He’s done a great job. My hat’s off to him. His back was to the wall, and he’s come out swinging.”

It will be interesting to see if Arizona follows the model Cal used in slowing down the high-scoring Ducks two weeks ago — and we’re not talking about allegedly faking injuries.

The Bears challenged Oregon by bringing down personnel, spying on quarterback Darron Thomas, crowding the line of scrimmage and playing man coverage on the outside. If Arizona dares Thomas to throw, Wade, Golden and Richardson are going to have to be up to the task.

King James of the Pac-10

Oregon sophomore running back LaMichael James had, by his standards, a modest game in the Ducks’ 44-41 double-overtime win against Arizona last season — 117 yards and no touchdowns on 19 carries.

James leads the nation with 158.0 yards per game.

“His speed and balance is the best I’ve seen,” Stoops said. “I’ve said that since Day 1. I thought he was the best running back we’ve seen in a long, long time.

“You can be in great position, but he is going to make you miss. Guys are going to fall over him. He’s going to keep his feet going. He’s going to break a tackle. And that’s where a lot of issues occur.

“You can play something perfectly and he just finds a little bit of a crease, and he makes a big play out of it.”

James was announced Monday afternoon as one of three finalists for the Doak Walker Award, given to the nation’s top running back. The other choices are Wisconsin’s John Clay and Oklahoma State’s Kendall Hunter.

And, bad news for Arizona, James’ left ankle appears to be just fine.

Simulation approximation

It’s impossible to recreate the speed of the Oregon offense with a scout team, but the Arizona coaches hope they can do something to prepare the Wildcats for the Ducks’ go-go tempo.

“It’s not easy,” Brown said.

He said that when the scouts are ready to go at the line of scrimmage, the defenders will be off the ball, with their backs to the offense so that they don’t see the formation.

“So, they don’t have any clue,” Brown said. “And then we’ll say, ‘The call is x,y, z, ready … break! And, then, our defenders have to turn around and run to the line of scrimmage and locate where everybody is, get lined up and go.

“As soon as the scout team runs that play, then the defenders turn around and run right back to us and do the same thing.”

You are following me on Twitter, right? … @AGWildcatReport

Related: ESPN.com’s Ted Miller: Arizona has a puncher’s shot at Oregon

Erin Andrews won't be there to interview coach Mike Stoops, but ESPN will be on hand for the Arizona-Toledo game/Photo by Kirby Lee, US PRESSWIRE

You’re ready for some football. Of course, you are.

For Arizona, the goal is Pasadena, the time is now.

The season starts tonight with a game at Toledo (5 p.m., ESPN) … so let’s get to it.

Arizona player to watch: RB Nic Grigsby
The senior has feasted on non-conference opponents over the years, including rushing 20 times for 135 yards and three touchdowns against Toledo in 2008.

Throw out Grigsby’s four carries against Nebraska last season, when he shouldn’t even have played because of his injured shoulder, and he has played in eight non-conference games in the past three seasons. His numbers: 135 carries for 919 yards and 10 touchdowns.

That’s an average of 6.8 yards per carry and 114.9 yards per game. Half of his career rushing touchdowns have come in those 10 games.

Toledo player to watch: WR Eric Page
The sophomore is the Rockets’ top weapon — fast, shifty and versatile.

“He’s a nightmare. The guy can play,” said Arizona co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Greg Brown. “He’s not a particularly big guy, but he knows how to play. They are going to get the ball in his hands and see what kind of damage he can do.” Brown knows. When he was on the staff at Colorado last season, Page caught three passes for 138 yards and a touchdown in his second career game.

He’s great in open space (as you can see in the video below) and can impact the game as a returner. The Wildcats’ secondary will especially have to tackle well.

He said it
“I think we’re going to come out and try to pound the ball down their throat.” — Arizona senior left tackle Adam Grant.

Stat watch
Arizona coach Mike Stoops has been cautioning his team about Toledo’s 5-1 record in its past six home games against BCS-conference opponents. It’s an impressive stat, although some of the games took place several years ago (when the Rockets were more dangerous than they are now), and only two of those BCS foes went on to winning seasons. They were 2007 Purdue, which beat Toledo, and 2003 Pittsburgh).

Here is the list:

2009: Toledo 54, Colorado 38
2007: Toledo 36, Iowa State 35
2007: Purdue 52, Toledo 24
2006: Toledo 37, Kansas 31
2003: Toledo 35, Pittsburgh 31
2001: Toledo 38, Minnesota 7

Don’t sleep on …
Toledo’s offensive line. This is an experienced group, including junior tackle John Morookian, who have made a combined 99 starts. Arizona’s expected starting offensive line — with Jovan Hayes at right guard instead of Vaughn Dotsy — has 63 career starts.

He said it, Part II
“We want to make sure speed is a factor in this game. We want to be as fast as we possibly can.” — Stoops

Injury update
Arizona is in great shape. Just a couple of minor questions: Offensive guards Conan Amituanai (knee) and Vaughn Dotsy (back) missed most of camp, so how is their conditioning and how much can they play? FB Taimi Tutogi (ankle) should get some playing time.

He said it, Part III
“I’m starting to get more excited about what we’re doing. I’m starting to see some growth and maturity, and that’s important. It took us a little bit longer to come together, but that’s OK.” — Stoops, on his defense.

Prediction
Arizona will get tough. The Wildcats will use their superior offensive line and depth of tailbacks to control the game against the Rockets. Toledo’s offense will have its moments — and it will be telling how the Wildcats fare against a spread team with a wide-open attack — but Arizona just has too much at the end. Arizona 38, Toledo 21.

What do you think?

This week’s coverage from TucsonCitizen.com:

Would all-white be all right for the Wildcats?

Meet Arizona’s ‘sleeper’

Center Colin Baxter still has a lot to prove (plus notes)

Matt Minkus’ podcast with coach Mike Stoops

Arizona Wildcats football and the Curse of Davy Crockett

Seven crucial questions for the Wildcats

This Week in the Pac-10

Few worries about co-coordinators

The best play in the Arizona football in the the last 40 years is …

Inside the depth chart: Running backs

Inside the depth chart: Quarterbacks

He said it, Part IV

Our Sports Network partner WildcatSportsReport.com uploaded this press conference video of co-defensive coordinator Greg Brown. Good stuff:

This is Arizona coach Mike Stoops’ seventh season with the Wildcats, but the first without younger brother Mark by his side.

Mark Stoops, who had been the defensive coordinator at UA, left after last season to take the same job with first-year Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher.

Early in fall camp, when Arizona’s practices were open, it was clear that Mike was active and fully engaged in his young defense, which is replacing seven starters. Asked what it has been like without Mark this preseason, Mike laughed and said, “I’m more hoarse than I usually am.”

Mark is putting his vocal chords and energy to use with the Seminoles, while Mike created co-defensive coordinator positions at Arizona. Stoops promoted linebackers Tim Kish and brought in Colorado assistant Greg Brown, who also will coach the secondary.

When I asked Brown earlier this month if he would be inclined to use more man-to-man schemes than Arizona was accustomed to under Mark Stoops, he said:

“This has nothing to do with me. This is Mike Stoops’ defense … Make no mistake, this is Mike Stoops’ defense. Mike has had the highest level of success. We’re not going to be changing much, I’ll tell you that.”

We’ll see about that last part, starting Friday at Toledo.

Matt Scott has 'complete understanding of everything that is going on,' according to one UA assistant coach/Photo by Brad Allis, WildcatSportsReport.com

It’s desperate times around the Arizona football program. And we’re not even talking about the state of the defense.

When Saturday’s scrimmage was cut short by lightning, the Meet the Team part of the evening was canceled, which meant a usually generous time for media interviews was reduced to about 10 minutes.

There was no media availability Sunday, none Monday, and, as it turns out, none Tuesday because practice was canceled after storms rolled through Tucson.

What I’m trying to say is that we’re running low on stories.

Sure, most of us plan ahead, but only brief access to the team in the past four days has whittled the inventory of features, themes and ways to say that the defense is still a work in progress.

It’s not just me. Ryan Finley’s story in Wednesday’s Arizona Daily Star about quarterbacks coach Frank Scelfo was from an interview that took place, I believe, last Thursday. I used part of that interview for a story at FoxSportsArizona.com last Friday.

Desperate times.

Anyway, with any luck, the team will practice Wednesday and we’ll all get fresh sound bites and story ideas afterward. In the meantime, let me shake out the notebooks and see what falls out:

***

It was relatively interesting that junior receiver Gino Crump, who emerged in the spring, was not on the two-deep depth chart released last week. I asked outside receivers coach Dave Nichol about Crump’s progress last week.

“Just up and down,” Nichol said. “Gino is a guy who is going to make plays. Right now, he’s a guy who is going to make plays for both teams, and we have to cut that out. He has to make plays for us and not bust. Consistency. It sounds boring, but that is what he has to do.”

***

Coach Mike Stoops has said the quarterbacks and the running backs are the strength of the offense, but I like what quarterback Nick Foles had to say about that:

“Whenever anybody asks me about the offense, I say the strength is the line.”

Smart man.

***

I asked Nichol to shift his perspective a bit and give us a read on what he sees with the progress of backup quarterback Matt Scott.

“Just a lot more confidence,” Nichol said.

“A lot of times, the third year in the program is when it clicks for guys. And that’s where Matt is. Our system is not easy for a quarterback. … He has complete understanding of everything that is going on. That’s my opinion.”

***

Looking for a breakout player? Let me submit redshirt freshman guard Chris Putton.

With starting guards Vaughn Dotsy (back) and Conan Amituanai (knee) out or limited during fall camp, Putton seems to have ample opportunity for playing time in the Sept. 3 opener at Toledo.

If nothing else, Putton is part of the next wave of young Arizona offensive linemen who will have to be ready no later than the 2011 season. Coaches have talked about having one true freshman ready this season along the line. For what it’s worth, Trent Spurgeon was the second-string left tackle during Saturday’s abbreviated scrimmage.

***

New secondary coach Greg Brown has walked into a good situation, with an all-star candidate in junior cornerback Trevin Wade and young talent that includes sophomore safety Adam Hall, freshman safety Marquis Flowers, freshman corner Shaquille Richardson and freshman cornerback Jonathan McKnight.

Asked specifically about Flowers and Richardson, Brown said:

“Mentally, you’re asked to do so many more things that you never would have dreamed possible in high school. It’s like you’re riding a 10-speed bike on a highway and everybody else is going 70 mph in a car.”

***

Bad election news last night for former Arizona All-American safety Tony Bouie. He was running in the Republican primary for state senator in District 4, but finished last in a three-way race. It is the second political defeat for Bouie, who ran for state representative in District 6 in 2008.

***

According to the Arizona Athletics Facebook page, the coaches’ game-day locations will look like this:

Co-defensive coordinator Tim Kish, co-offensive coordinator Seth Littrell, quarterbacks coach Frank Scelfo and the two grad assistants will be in the press box.

Everybody else, including co-defensive coordinator Greg Brown and co-offensive coordinator Bill Bedenbaugh, will be on the sideline.

This is one of the photos new secondary coach Greg Brown is using for his collection of great UA defensive backs. That's Chuck Cecil being mobbed by fans after Arizona's victory over Arizona State in 1986, when he returned an interception 106 yards for a touchdown.
Tucson Citizen photo

Arizona has two new football assistant coaches. They inherited vastly different traditions.

Quarterbacks coach Frank Scelfo takes over a position that hasn’t produced a player who has thrown an NFL pass since Bill Demory in 1973. Scelfo said when he took the job he figured Arizona had a couple of quarterbacks in the NFL.

“There’s none,” Scelfo said. “When someone told me, I was surprised. I really was.”

Meanwhile, secondary coach Greg Brown takes over a position that has produced two Jim Thorpe Award winners (Darryll Lewis, Antoine Cason) and two others who were certainly good enough to win it (Chuck Cecil, Chris McAlister).

In all, Arizona has had five consensus All-American defensive backs — the four mentioned, plus Tony Bouie — through the Pac-10 years. USC also has five in that span; no Pac-10 team has more.

Greg Brown

“I know I would probably be slighting some other schools, but when I think of defensive backs, I have always thought of the University of Arizona,” Brown said.

“When you think of linebacker schools, you think of Penn State. U of A comes to mind to me when you think of defensive backs.”

Brown knows about good defensive back play. When he was at Colorado from 1991 to 1993, he tutored two Thorpe winners — Deon Figures (1992) and Chris Hudson (1994).

Brown, 52, is completely embracing the Wildcats history. He has been acquiring archival photos of the great UA defensive backs to display in his office, perhaps serving as inspiration for his new charges.

He has been showing old game tape of Cecil and Lewis to his secondary, which includes potential all-conference cornerback Trevin Wade and returning starting safety Robert Golden.

“He brings out the film and shows us how they used to play and everything like that,” Golden said. “He is teaching us a lot of technique stuff, so it’s pretty good. It’s really good, actually. We’re applying that to our game.”

Brown has a lot of game film on Lewis, who won the Thorpe Award — given to the nation’s top defensive back — in 1990. Brown was the secondary coach with Tennessee in the NFL in 1997 and 1998, when Lewis was there.

“Terrific person, terrific player,” Brown said.

Brown said he recently spoke with Lewis, who had legal problems after his playing career. Brown said he hopes to have Lewis, who is in Los Angeles, informally visit with the team in the fall.

“I hadn’t talked to him for three or four years,” Brown said.

“I got a hold of him this spring, and he knew I was here. He was excited to hear that I was here. He’s excited to come out this fall and hang out and meet the secondary.”

That would further bring the past to life for the current players, some of whom weren’t yet born in 1990, when Lewis was beating UCLA with a 70-yard interception return and crumpling Oregon quarterback Bill Musgrave at the goal line.

“We’ve been watching him a lot and learning his technique,” Golden said. “And that has been a good thing.”

The tradition lives.

Stoops

Arizona coach Mike Stoops said Wednesday he could have a new offensive coordinator by the end of the week.

Stoops said he has brought in three coaches for interviews.

“We’re close,” Stoops said. “I’d say by Friday we’ll make some kind of decision.”

Stoops must replace Sonny Dykes, who left to become the head coach of Louisiana Tech on Jan. 20 – two weeks before signing day. The Wildcats lost quarterback recruit Matt Brown because of it; Brown signed with TCU.

“I’ve liked everyone I’ve had in,” Stoops said. “There are a lot of unbelievable coaches out there who have great experience and great ideas. We’re trying to find someone who will fit in with our staff the best.”

Even with a new coordinator, there likely won’t be a major shift in scheme as the Wildcats figure to remain a spread team, using plenty of four-receiver sets and the shotgun formation.

“The decision is going to be very difficult,” Stoops said. “I have interviewed three tremendous guys I have taken a liking to. That really is the hardest part of our job sometimes, hiring people and telling other people no.”

The new hire could possibly have a co-coordinator title with Bill Bedenbaugh, the offensive line coach and running game coordinator. Arizona will have co-defensive coordinators next season, with linebackers coach Tim Kish and newcomer Greg Brown, who will be coaching the secondary.

RELATED: Free press conference video from ArizonaWildcats.com

The official Arizona release on its 20-player signing class

SWITCHING POSITIONS
Richard Morrison, who redshirted as a freshman quarterback last season, has moved to a slot receiver position. Morrison, who is listed at 6-0, 180, was a dual-threat quarterback at Royce City (Texas) High School.

DeWayne Peace, who redshirted at receiver last season, will now try cornerback. Peace is 5-11, 180.

“They’re both tremendous athletes that we need to get on the field,” Stoops said. “I have been really impressed with both players.”

UPDATING MATT SCOTT
Junior quarterback Matt Scott, who was a transfer possibility after losing the starting job to classmate Nick Foles after the third game of last season, is back to compete at the position. Arizona also has junior Bryson Beirne.

“There is always the possibility of redshirting,” Stoops said of Scott.

Scott also is athletic enough to play another position.

“We’ll look at all our options, see what Matt feels comfortable doing, where he’s at, how he’s playing,” Stoops said. “All those things we’ll research and prepare for by the season if he’s not the starter.”

OPENER ON ESPN
Arizona announced Wednesday that the team’s season-opener at Toledo has been moved from Saturday, Sept. 4, to Friday, Sept. 3, to accommodate ESPN television.

“It’s going to be great,” Stoops said. “The Friday night before the first football (weekend), playing that game on ESPN, it just continues to give us national exposure … you know, if we play well.

“I think it’s certainly going to get our players’ attention.”

Toledo was 5-7 last season under first-year coach Tim Beckman, and Stoops noted that the Rockets defeated visiting Colorado last season, 54-38.

“I keep reminding Coach Brown about that,” Stoops said of his new co-defensive coordinator. “I think we will be well prepared.”

NEW UNIS
Stoops said Arizona is tweaking its uniforms for next season, and that he wouldn’t rule out using the white helmets, which the Wildcats wore for the first team in his tenure during the Holiday Bowl loss at Nebraska.

“We’re going to have a bunch of different looks that we will be able to accessorize our players with,” Stoops said. “That is kind of the fad we’re in right now with kids and players. We’re trying to keep up with it.

“If it makes them happy, then I’m happy. I really don’t care what we wear.”

Stoops said the uniforms would be “more toward our old look and a little more traditional but still modern” … whatever that means.

At least the colors will stay the same.

NOTABLE
Redshirt freshman defensive end Jackson Powell has left the program, Stoops said. … Stoops on safety recruit Josh Robbins from Canyon del Oro High School: “I think Josh Robbins is kind of a diamond in the rough. He has a huge upside.” … UA officially announced the hiring of Dave Emerick as the assistant director of operations/director of on-campus recruiting. He has spent the past six seasons with Texas Tech, the last two in a “chief of staff” position.