Arizona's use of linebackers could be key to more defensive success
One change Arizona has made this season that showed up quite a bit during the win over Texas Tech last Saturday is the use of three linebackers more often. Yes, UA technically still has the stud linebacker position but as that has grown to be more of a defensive end type of role this year it has meant less of a true linebacker approach to that position.
Against the Red Raiders the Wildcats decided to have an extra linebacker become part of the mix with Anthony Pandy playing alongside starters Colin Schooler and Tony Fields II to give the defense a bit of a different look. Pandy has made significant strides this offseason and he has been vocal about wanting to do more than earlier in his career.
The coaching staff has rewarded his work by giving him a bigger role on this year's team. It paid off in a positive way against the Red Raiders as Pandy finished the night with seven tackles and an interception.
It was one of the more noteworthy games of his career and gave the team an interesting look that brought success to the overall group. It is something that could be seen even more as Pandy continues to prove himself as an equal to Schooler and Fields.
"Each linebacker we had on the field tonight, we brought something different to the table," Schooler said after Saturday's win. "So it's not something that they could run a scheme and it would stop everybody. We always had that going on, but with that tempo of an offense there's a lot of tendencies that we saw which was helping us play fast. Basically we played sound defense tonight with that."
It is no secret that Arizona's linebackers are what ultimately make the defensive scheme under Yates' go, and the stats so far this season continue to back that up. Schooler, Fields and Pandy are the top three tacklers on Arizona's defense this season with that group accounting for 54 tackles through the first three games. In the win over Texas Tech that trio accounted for 24 tackles as a group.
The look is not something completely new but it does take proper execution and the right pieces to work correctly. That is where someone like Pandy comes into play because of his versatility. When he was recruited by Yates and the coaching staff there was always going to be some clarity about how he would fit once he arrived on campus. In high school he was used all over the field and when he came to Tucson that is how his role continued.
He is not a player who can be pigeonholed into one particular spot and that has become known now more than ever. The UA coaches like his versatility and it has helped the team have success with the different look with three linebackers on the field.
"Pandy is a really good pass rusher, so you can play with three linebackers because Schooler can run and Tony Fields – they're experienced," UA head coach Kevin Sumlin said. "That three-down can really more into a four-down with Pandy standing up as a real good pass rusher, him and Jalen [Harris].
"So, whether we go with a 4-3 front in a running situation because we're going to play teams that can run at us and we can play all three of those guys in a true 4-3. ... We're trying to get our best personnel on the field. ... Pandy gives us the flexibility to really morph into a couple different fronts and him being a pass rusher and being active really helps us without having to substitute and go dime or do a bunch of different things because of how athletic he is."
Sumlin added that it gives the defensive staff to keep the players fresh as well with Pandy being used as a reserve if the Wildcats stick to a two-linebacker look in certain situations.
The Wildcats are starting to learn more about themselves as the season moves along and now that the team is heading into Pac-12 play the game against Texas Tech showed that the linebacker group is going to be an important piece to how UA makes its way through the conference portion of the season.