Fields made his mark in his first spring at Arizona
Tony Fields. It’s a name that was heard throughout Arizona’s spring practice. The freshman from Las Vegas made the type of statement at the linebacker spot over the 15 practices in February and March that the Wildcats were in need of after losing depth at the position this year.
Fields is unavailable to the media until the fall because he is a newcomer, but his teammates and coaches had plenty to say about him and did the talking for him over the course of the spring.
“For a guy that’s supposed to be in high school right now getting ready for prom or whatever, he’s adapted really well,” Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez said of Fields. “He’s a mature guy, he’s athletic and football is important to him so he’ll contribute as a true freshman, most likely.”
The former three-star recruit graduated high school early in December and gave up what would have been his senior baseball season in order to get down to Arizona and into the weight room with the team in January. Having those spring practices under his belt will make him more seasoned for the fall. And, so far, it’s paid off as he’s impressed the coaching staff and his teammates.
“He stepped up big time,” redshirt senior cornerback Dane Cruikshank said. “I think he’s going to be really, really, really, really good. He’s shown me a lot, to be honest – tackling, athleticism. I mean, he’s a playmaker. I really like that kid.”
Matt Moreno/GOAZCATS.com
Fields went to Desert Pines in Las Vegas, where Arizona continues to build a strong connection. He’ll have familiar faces on the Wildcats with him in fellow Desert Pines alum Edgar Burrola and Tony Wallace. However, even before those players arrive in the summer Fields is already letting his new team know exactly what he’s about.
Where the freshman has been able to make his most noticeable impact is in Arizona’s pass rushing efforts. It’s an area the Wildcats want to improve on from 2016 when the team finished near the bottom of the Pac-12 in sacks.
“Tony Fields has really surprised us,” UA defensive line coach Vince Amey said. “He should still be in high school right now, he’s a midyear. But, he’s leading by example. He’s flying around and for who he is being so young he’s mature for his age, and he’s a mature football player. So, watching him fly around I’ll point that out during film like, ‘look at this kid flying around, this is what we need.’
“This is where we need to be at, so I think seeing that and then once the young guys get here I think we’ll be really good with the pass rush.”
Flying to the ball can be an overused phrase in college football and it’s a simplified way to explain things, but for Fields it might be the only way to describe the type of activity he has already brought to the defense just one semester into his college career. Even though on the other side of the ball have taken notice.
“He’s just a player,” junior receiver Shun Brown said after bringing up that Fields is someone who stood out to him during the spring. “He’s always running to the ball. He tackled me a couple times and it surprised me. That’s one of the young bucks who’s doing it.”
Fields has built himself a solid foundation for contributing as a freshman and potentially being a starter at some point, and for the Wildcats there will be opportunities with so few returners at the linebacker spots.
“There’s a lot of guys that have an opportunity at the will position,” projected starting middle linebacker Brandon Rutt said about who Fields and those who could end up next to him once the season arrives. “... There’s a lot of opportunities to play.”
The summer will be important for Fields to continue his progress, but he has already made the right impression to be a staple of Arizona’s linebacker unit for years to come without even playing a game yet.
Matt Moreno contributed to this story
