There were some notable absences at practice Wednesday morning for Arizona that included starting quarterback Jayden de Laura, as well as receiver Jacob Cowing, who missed his third straight practice.

That resulted in Noah Fifita working with the first team on Wednesday, helping solidify himself as the backup to de Laura.

There were also some big plays made by the defensive side of the ball that included lineman Paris Shand tipping a pass to himself that he intercepted. Defensive line coach Ricky Hunley spoke to the media after Wednesday's practice.

Here are five takeaways from what Hunley had to say:

The big play from Shand resulted in a huge celebration by all of the defensive players. Hunley talked about that play, specifically, as well as what he has seen from Shand who has become a versatile part of the front.

"It shows he is focused on his keys," Hunley said. "The quarterback is throwing the ball. We want him to try to match the hands, have a feel for it because you know that the ball is going to be coming out in under three seconds. As you get in your push and you're trying to get yourself in line where you can get your hands up and match his hands and just like we drill it, it worked in the game."

The Wildcats finished last season dead last in the Pac-12 with four interceptions, a number that figures to take a step forward this season as the team shifts to a different scheme.

Shand's athleticism showed up on his interception, but it isn't something that just shows up on the football field but also the court as Shand used to play basketball. The Toronto native also played soccer as a goalkeeper earlier in his life. Hunley talked about how playing those other sports can help him on the football field.

"Everything helps," Hunley said. "You want to recruit guys that are gym rats. They're always active. They're doing something. They're training different muscles whether it is football, basketball, soccer. Change of direction and speed is a key to having a successful defense."