Viney Leads Improved Cornerback Room in Second Season

Chip Viney, now in his second year as the cornerbacks coach, aims to bolster his squad of talented defensive backs, which features a mix of new faces and returning veterans, heading into the 2025 season.

Viney believes that although there is still a way to go before the season, the corners have still shown tremendous talent through spring practice.

"(They're) not a finished product, but I really, really am impressed with how the new guys have come in and picked up the system, our verbiage and how they are transitioning to the Wildcat family," Viney said in a spring football press conference. "Really, really pleased with where we are, but like I said, nowhere where we want to be. The standard is very high. Just the tradition of DB play here at Arizona, that's something that we have introduced these guys to ...Continuing to take advantage of every opportunity that we get every day."

Viney is coaching in a new system that has been set by defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales. Although the system is different, he thinks that there are still some similarities to what Duana Akina ran in 2024.

"I would say that there are some similarities and some differences, but not a ton either way," Viney said. "I would say that it's all going to be based on the play caller and what he calls. I always say coverage is universal. These guys are not in coverages that they've never run before, we just my call it something different. It's like learning a new language, per se. That's the most of it and those guys have adjusted well to it."

Viney has had only good things to say about the cornerbacks that he is coaching this year. In regards to redshirt senior Treydan Stukes, he "wishes there were more like him. I wish we could keep him here forever, but we can't. It's been awesome."

Stukes, a team captain last year, was absent for spring practice as he has been rehabbing a season-ending ACL tear that he suffered in an upset win over Utah on September 28. 2024.

"I think sometimes, things can be a blessing in disguise, where I think being on the sideline, I think we all kind of remember the stories around that Utah week," Viney said. "Here's a young man who knew his knee was blown out and he's fighting off the training staff to get out to help us coach and help lead his team... It's been awesome to have him lead from the sideline, especially with a lot of new faces in the secondary. Once we add him back to the fold, I think we're going to have something special."

Arizona lost a cornerback to the transfer portal in Tacario Davis, who decided to join the Washington Huskies in January to reunite with his former head coach Jedd Fisch.

Arizona nearly lost Marquis Groves-Killebrew to the portal as well, but he ultimately made the choice to stay one more year in Tucson.

"For a lot of these guys, you have to almost let them go see and test the waters a little bit," Viney said. "I know that sounds crazy, but we were confident enough in what we had here that we'd get that opportunity. In that moment, we weren't going to stop the decision that was made."

Arizona has a loaded cornerback room that is filled with talented players. The returners include Groves-Killebrew, Stukes and Gensis Smith.

players added from the transfer portal are Jay'Vion Cole (Texas), Michael Dansby (San Jose State) and Ayden Garnes (West Virginia).

Players recruited include Dajon Hinton, Swayde Griffin, Gianni Edwards and El Camino College transfer Elijah Brown. All players are looking to be a standout as a starter on defense.

Make sure to keep up with our articles by following us on our social media page. Click the link to find us.