As the Arizona Wildcats enter their first game week of the season, the starting units are beginning to take shape including a revamped defensive back group.

With star cornerback Christian Roland-Wallace leading the core, the Wildcats will also welcome back safeties Jaxen Turner and Christian Young in addition to using second year safety Gunner Maldonado as the nickel.

“Well in college football, you see a lot of 11 personnel which is your three wide receivers, your one tight end, your one back and you want to get your skill players on the field,” defensive backs coach DeWayne Walker said on Maldonado being the nickel. “In this scheme, we blitz and play more zone, so you want more of a safety type. In the NFL, the nickel was more of a corner because you want to play more man in most cases in your nickel defense and so really, he’s a scheme fit. He and [safety Jaydin Young] because we want more safety/nickel types versus corner/nickel types.”