Pac-10 Position Breakdown: Defensive Line – Arizona Wildcats
Despite breaking in four new starters on the defensive line, the Arizona Wildcats defense preformed pretty admirably in 2008, finishing 33rd nationally in scoring defense, 39th in rushing defense, 23rd in passing defense, and 24th in total yardage defense (giving up 313 yards per game).
The Wildcats ended their decade-long postseason drought with a 31-21 win over BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl. Now they hope to build on last year’s success and move on to bigger and better things in 2009.
Losing Willie Tuitama is certainly a big blow to the offense, but bringing back a defensive line that gained valuable experience last season should make the defense even better this season. Despite the respectable overall defensive numbers, the Wildcats finished tied for 60th in the nation with 24 sacks and tied for 67th nationally with 69 tackles for loss.
The defensive line will have to do a better job getting to the quarterback and disrupting plays in the backfield this year if Arizona wants to crack into the Pac-10’s top tier.
Brooks Reed with a crushing tackle
Defensive End
44 Ricky Elmore, 6-5, 250, Junior
83 D’Aundre Reed, 6-4, 248, Junior
- The defensive end 1-2 punch of Ricky Elmore and D’Aundre Reed both return this season and look to build on last year’s experience. Both players were rivals.com 3-star recruits in the 2006 class, and both possess good speed on the outside.
Elmore played in all 13 games, starting the first six games and the last three. Overall, he finished the season with 25 tackles, including seven tackles for loss and four sacks. Reed also played in all 13 games and started in the four that Elmore didn’t, finishing the season with 24 tackles including 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack.
Allowing both guys to get starting and reserve experience in 2008 should pay huge dividends in 2009. Both are reliable options that should improve this season, and if D’Aundre Reed can do a better job breaking into the backfield this season, he will likely earn himself more playing time.
Ricky Elmore will probably be the primary starter this season, but Coach Mike Stoops has the option of going with the hot hand and knowing he can rely on the other for key depth all season.
Defensive Tackle
49 Earl Mitchell, 6-2, 295, Senior
92 Dominique Austin, 6-4, 292, Sophomore
- Earl Mitchell has finally found a home with the Wildcats; on the defensive line. Recruited as a running back, Mitchell spent 2006 and 2007 playing tight end, before being transferred to the defensive line in 2008 where he was thrust into the starting role immediately.
Despite just making the transition during the spring of 2008, Mitchell didn’t look out of place in his first year on the line. He finished the season with 40 tackles including 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks while garnering All-Pac-10 honorable mention honors.
Even though he put on the weight required to be an effective interior lineman, Mitchell still possesses much of the speed and explosiveness that made him an effective tight end. With a year’s worth of experience at the position under his belt, Mitchell should build on his ’08 campaign and finish off his career with the Wildcats with a very strong season.
Dominique Austin was a rivals.com 3-star recruit and was rated the 17th best weakside defensive end in the class of 2008. After opening camp as an end, he made the transition to the inside of the line, and ended up gaining valuable experience as a true freshman, seeing action in seven games as a reserve. Austin should once again provide depth and work on his craft in 2009.
Nose Tackle
46 Donald Horton, 6-0, 275, Senior
94 Lolomana Mikaele, 6-2, 305, Junior
- Donald Horton enters his senior season having seen action in 30 games over the course of his career. After seeing action as a primarily as a reserve in eight games as a redshirt freshman in 2006 and nine games in 2007, Horton played in all 13 games last season, including six starts.
Horton ended the ’08 season with 21 tackles, including four tackles for loss and one sack. While he is a good athlete, Horton is relatively small for an interior lineman. This works to his advantage against weaker offensive lines that he can burst through, but against the conference’s bigger and stronger O-lines, it could sometimes be a deterrent.
Should Coach Stoops and his staff opt for size, Lolomana Mikaele and Dominique Austin both provide it. Mikaele did not play in 2008 due to an administrative issue, but he did practice with the team. In 2007 he played in all 12 games (with one start), finishing with 13 tackles including 1.5 tackles for loss. It will take a little while to get back up to game speed, but Mikaele should be valuable as a reserve once again when he does.
Defensive End
42 Brooks Reed, 6-3, 255, Junior
58 Apaiata Tuihalamaka, 6-3, 245, Sophomore
Like Earl Mitchell, Brooks Reed is another former offensive player that flourished on the line last season.
Originally recruited as a fullback, Reed was transitioned to defensive end duties in 2007, where he saw limited action as a reserve in the final nine games of the season and tallied seven tackles including half of a sack.
The experience proved to be valuable as Reed was thrust into the starting role in 2008. After getting some early season jitters out of his system, Reed went on to rack up 37 tackles, including 9.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks, and three forced fumbles.
Bringing the speed and physicality of a fullback with him, Reed’s work ethic and tenacity put him over the top. He refuses to be denied and never gives up on the play, making him extremely dangerous to opposing offenses and a great role model for the rest of the guys on the line.
After receiving All-Pac-10 honorable mention honors last season, Brooks Reed should be even better with the experience he gained in 2008 under his belt.
Apaiata Tuihalamaka, one of the three Tuihalamaka brothers on the Wildcats, will look to build on his redshirt freshman season. Originally recruited as a rivals.com 4-star linebacker, Tuihalamaka transitioned to the defensive end position during his redshirt year.
As a redshirt freshman he saw limited action in 12 games and made four tackles and added a fumble recovery. He should once again see time as a reserve in 2009 while continuing to get adapted to the position.
My Take
If you told me the best players on my defensive line were an ex-tight end and an ex-fullback, I’d probably cringe. That is, of course, until you told me it was Brooks Reed and Earl Mitchell, and then I’d feel pretty damn good about it.
In what could have been a disastrous rebuilding season for the line last year, two stars were born. I also love the depth of this line, including the interchangeable Ricky Elmore and D’Aundre Reed.
The only concern heading into the season in my opinion is the nose tackle spot. If Donald Horton continues to get pushed around by bigger O-lines, will Lolomana Mikaele or Dominique Austin be able to step into the spot and shore it up? Neither has starting experience, and with a fairly small group of linebackers as the next line of defense, slowing down rushers up the middle will be essential to the Wildcats’ success this season.
In the end, I think Mike Stoops and his brother Mark will figure it out, and this will be a productive unit in 2009.
Arizona Wildcats
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Apaiata Tuihalamaka, Brooks Reed, D'Aundre Reed, Defensive Line, Dominique Austin, Donald Horton, Earl Mitchell, Football, Lolomana Mikaele, Ricky Elmore
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