This was supposed to be the year of the seniors for the Arizona secondary. Safety Cam Nelson and cornerback Devin Ross have put together admirable careers during their time at the UA, and this year they were supposed to be the staples of the Wildcat defense.

But it’s actually been Trevin Wade, a sophomore cornerback, who’s been stealing the show.

“”Probably Trevin Wade just being such a standout,”” said defensive coordinator Mark Stoops when asked what’s been most surprising about the defense this season.  “”I mean, he’s really taking it to another level, not only with the interceptions but with his coverage throughout the game.””

Wade has been nothing short of elite this season. His four interceptions are good enough for second in the entire country, a pretty impressive number for a player in his first year as a starter.

“”It feels pretty good,”” Wade said. “”(Because) we’re only in week four, people will be up there (in ranking) one day and gone the next day, so I’m just going to keep playing and making plays.””

The interceptions are nice, yes, but it’s the timing of the big plays that have made Wade stand out. They’ve all come at times when the Wildcats needed them most.

“”Trevin’s been outstanding, it’s unbelievable,”” head coach Mike Stoops said. “”He can make plays, and when our corners play like that and we can get consistent play out of those guys then we can be very effective.””

Being on the receiving end of such high praise from a ususally tight-lipped coach is a sign of just how good Wade has been this year.

Wade, in a perfectionist sort of manner, would rate his performances quite differently.

“”I could be better and there’s room for improvement,”” Wade said. “”I just need to step up and do some more things.””

Improving on his all-around defensive skills is something that Wade worked hard on over the offseason. As a freshman, he was tied for sixth in the Pacific 10 Conference with four interceptions, despite not starting a single game. Although the number of interceptions was impressive, he only registered 12 total tackles.

“”If I can’t get the interception, I do my best to get to the ball and knock it down, and it’s important for me to come up and tackle,”” Wade said.

His quest to become a more complete player has paid off as Wade is currently third on the team with 25 total tackles.

But there’s no way to argue otherwise; Wade knows what makes him best.

“”I try to do everything I can, but my specialty is catching interceptions,”” he said.