There isn’t any Arizona game film on Anthony Mariscal. But throw in his high school highlight reel, and something pops.
It’s the pops — the six-minute video highlighting defense from his senior season is notable mainly for the big hits, with a bunch of pass deflections and forced turnovers mixed in.
This is what the Wildcats knew they were getting when they recruited Mariscal out of Bakersfield, Calif., in 2014.
Things have changed in two years. Arizona’s new defensive coaching staff is focused on recruiting, particularly at safety. Coaches have been adding players with length and athleticism, most of them 6-1 and taller.
Mariscal is not that. He’s only 5-foot-10 and 194 pounds. But size isn’t all the UA coaches are looking for.
Mariscal has the other requirement.
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“When we look at film, we want players who make plays,” said safeties coach Jahmile Addae. “If you’re not making plays in high school, you’re probably not gonna make plays in college.
“Obviously, it looks good to be 6-2 walking off the bus, but he’s a kid that’s big enough and serviceable at what we’re asking him to do.”
Mariscal posted 74 tackles, five tackles for loss, one interception, eight pass deflections and forced two fumbles as a senior at Liberty High School. He also starred on offense as a running back.
It’s that playmaking ability that nearly led Arizona to playing Mariscal right away last fall. Ultimately, coaches decided to redshirt him.
The Wildcats could use some playmakers, though. The team intercepted just 11 passes in 13 games in 2015 and finished with a minus-four turnover margin, their worst since 2011.
Mariscal things he can help with takeaways.
“It’s a big emphasis,” Mariscal said. “We always want the ball. We gotta be greedy with the ball. Coach Addae said ‘I’m gonna be stingy.’ He wants us to get the ball every play, no matter what.
“Every play, every time we get a chance to get our hands on the ball, we gotta take it.”
It’s only spring, but Mariscal has already put himself in good position to, at minimum, have the opportunity to make some plays. At last week’s open practice, Mariscal ran with the first team defense at free safety.
So far, so good.
“Anthony is a worker,” Addae said. “That’s one thing about him. He’s always trying to get in extra work with film or being on the field after practice. He’s dedicated to his craft and that’s half the battle.”
The Star spoke with Mariscal after practice on Wednesday. Here’s what he said:
On approaching his first spring: “To be honest, I was ready. But it was more of a mental aspect because it’s a lot going on, it’s a new defense and I was excited to be contributing this spring.”
On his redshirt season: “It was a good experience. I had a lot of people I could watch like Anthony Lopez, Will Parks, (Tellas) Jones. I had a lot of upperclassmen who taught me a lot.”
On what he did in the year off: “I watched a lot of film, I went to every meeting, I worked on every note. I traveled to a lot of the games and I was always ready. I had the upperclassmen helping me with the coverages and formations.”
On what he accomplished during the redshirt season: “I wanted to get bigger and faster, put on a little bit more weight and mature in the game and get used to the speed of college football. For the most part I think I did, I’m still getting used to the speed.”
