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Arizona Vs UCLA: The Linebacker Battle Featuring Eric Kendricks, Myles Jack And Scooby Wright III

By Mike Regalado

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It looks like we’re going to have a linebacker battle of epic epicness for Arizona Vs UCLA at the Rose Bowl for the Brun’s Homecoming this weekend. This Saturday in a crucial Pac-12 South Division fight, a plethora of talented linebackers will be taking the field. UCLA’s Eric Kendricks and Myles Jack and Arizona’s Scooby Wright III are the highlights to defenses that are trying to make a name for themselves in an offense-heavy conference. Aside from the suffocating defense of back-to-back conference champion Stanford, there is not a team that is defined by their defense, though there are several players boosting their defense’s status. I  this Saturday’s game, we have three of the best.

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Both last season and this season, Kendricks has been the Bruin’s leading tackler. This week, he was recognized for his efforts on the field as he was named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award which is given out to college football’s top linebacker. Part of that has to do with the fact that he is not only leading the Bruins in tackles, but the Pac-12 as well. He is posting a conference best 93 (61 solo, 32 assisted) which is 15 more than the second-leading tackler, Scooby Wright III. Kendricks is taking a heavy load this season and is definitely the MVP of the defense so far, but he is not alone in his efforts of trying to lead his team to greatness. The guy that plays right next to him, Myles Jack, is doing a pretty good job as well.

If you don’t know about Myles, then you don’t know Jack. Last season he made a name for himself on defense early on, like his game-saving interception at Utah, but it was the game against Arizona that took America by storm. He is also a legitimate offensive threat. In that game he had 120 total yards, which included a 66-yard touchdown run with eight tackles and a recovered fumble. America took attention alright. The athletic freak that he is, Jack is both power and finesse and has also been asked to do a lot on the field.

This year, like Kendricks, Jack has taken up a bigger load and his efforts have also got him named as a semifinalist for the Butkus Award. He is second on the team in total tackles with 62 and tied with Kendricks in tackles for a loss with five. Where Kendricks plays behind the line, Jack is more of an all-over-the-field type of guy. He is great in coverage with 6 broken up passes (19th in the Pac-12) and has also improved as a pass rusher. He is definitely becoming an all-around player.

Oct 11, 2014; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats linebacker Scooby Wright III (33) against the Southern California Trojans at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Wright is a man that that looks like a combination of both Kendricks and Jack. Not only is he getting more than 10 tackles per game (Kendricks is the only other Pac-12 defender to achieve that) but he is also making a name for himself as a decent pass rusher as he is fourth in the nation with 9 sacks. That is the first thing you notice about him, his speed, but he also has brains and braun to go with those feet. Wright can not only get in the back field in a hurry but can also change his direction in coverage at the drop of a hat. In space he is a great tackler and knows where the ball is at all times. This past week, he was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week for his three sack, three forced fumble performance against Washington State.

Both teams are in the lower half of the conference in total defense statistics, but Kendricks and Jack for UCLA and Wright for Arizona are keeping them competitive in every game. Though their teams may not be consistent, all three of these players are individually effective. With it getting into crunch time, look for all three of these linebacker to excel this Saturday as this game will have an effect on the outcome of the South Division.