Rhino Tapa’atoutai hasn’t let go of last season’s skepticism, and he doesn’t want the Wildcats to forget it either.
The offensive line was questioned before the year started and, in Tapa’atoutai’s view, that outside doubt became fuel. He said Coach O kept hammering that message home, reminding the group daily that plenty of people didn’t believe in them. That criticism, Tapa’atoutai said, is now part of the unit’s identity.
“The whole line had a lot of doubt,” Tapa’atoutai said. “Coach O would remind us every day too.
He would tell us nobody believed in us and there was questioning from all over. The offensive line carries that with a lot of pride.
“Coming into this year, it comes with more pride. We did well last year, but can we do it again?
We have some missing pieces, but can we perform to the standard we have accomplished so far. We all move at redline together.
We try to do everything as a unit because that's what it takes.”
That same unit mindset extends to Noah Fifita, who Tapa’atoutai described as a player the program treats with serious reverence. The coaching staff keeps his importance front and center, and Tapa’atoutai said the line takes protecting him personally.
“We take it like life or death,” he said. “Nobody is going to get in his way, especially after how far he has come and how long I have been with him.
It hits different. Coach O and Noah joke about being like divorced parents because they both host events for the offensive line.
It's like, why are you such a good guy? Now, I want to go kill somebody if he gets in your way.
“That's what makes it so special. Noah will randomly have a game night and we are there 20 deep.
We will play video games or board games and we go to his house and it's family oriented. He will have good there and that's our QB.
We're not going to let anybody touch him and we're going to die trying.”
The return of familiar faces only strengthens that mission. Tapa’atoutai said having Tristan back is a major boost, while the right side also looks settled with Doost, Lado is back, and he feels fully healthy himself.
“It’s huge to have Tristan back, especially after everything he did last year,” Tapa’atoutai said. “The right side is solid with Doost.
I feel 100 percent and then we have Lado back. We keep who we can and if you're not with us, you're not with us.
“Tristan making that choice to come back is a blessing. He could have left.
Honestly, everybody could have left. We have something special here and we're going to follow our leader Noah Fifita and Coach Brennan and we're going to ride.”
Tapa’atoutai also said he has settled in at guard after moving around along the offensive line, and he credited the return of Bounds for giving him more comfort on the interior. He said the inside and outside of the line depend on each other, and that Tristan’s comeback has made a difference.
“I've been feeling good,” he said. “The inside can't do it without the outside and the outside can't do it without the inside.
For Tristan to come back, it was a sense of relief. He's been doing well coming back and put on massive weight and a lot of muscle.
For him to do that in a short time with his injury, that's some good stuff. He is going to do a lot of great things for us and I am excited to see what he does this year.”
In Other News...
Arizona Practice Put A Few Young Wildcats Firmly On The Radar
Recent Arizona practice had the look of a group session with a few younger Wildcats making themselves impossible to ignore. Caleb Smith, Jay'Vion Cole and Jordan Ross all flashed in the same recent stretch, with plays that included touchdowns and an interception, while the team worked heavily in red-zone drills and saw a steady stream of scores from players such as Gio Richardson, Noah Fifita and Luke Haugo.
There was also a quieter layer to the work, with coaches trying to keep players like RJ Mosley from letting mistakes snowball during practice. Sawyer Anderson, meanwhile, has been trending in a way that gives Arizona something to think about as the quarterback room takes shape, and the way he handled those reps has added another layer of interest to a camp that already has several young names pushing onto the radar. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Offensive Line Suddenly Looks Like A Real Team Strength
Arizonas offensive line has been one of the more interesting position groups to watch in camp, and the reason is simple: Josh Oglesby sounds like a coach who thinks he finally has something to work with. The line coach has pointed to a blend of veteran presence and younger talent, and hes spent the summer watching a group that seems to be pushing itself in a way that was not always guaranteed in the past.
Grayson Stovall, Javian Goo, Nate Hale, Sione Tohi, Louis Akpa, Jake Griffin, Malachi Joyner and Matthew Lado have all been part of that competition, with Oglesby noting real progress and growth as the season approaches. For Arizona, the intrigue is no longer just about who can fill spots, but whether the rooms development can turn into a genuine strength once the games start. [Read more 🡒]