J.B. Brown lined up across from Cal tight end Ian Bunting. Brown, a sophomore defensive end for the Arizona Wildcats, expected what he has come to expect on almost every play at his newish position: a violent collision.
Except Bunting didn’t engage Brown. Bunting took a step to the inside, tripped over the left foot of tackle Patrick Mekari and stumbled into a double team of UA nose guard Abraham Maiava. Brown suddenly was presented with a dream scenario: an unabated path to the quarterback.
“So I had to hit him with all my might,” Brown said Tuesday.