Arizona has a turnover sword, and it’s awesome.

The Wildcats had six takeaways last season. It was the fewest among FBS teams. The Wildcats spent all offseason prioritizing defensive takeaways, so when the team completely fell in love with the prop idea and ran with it, the Arizona coaching staff had no interest in stopping them.

“I think it’s fun. I guess whenever it started, four years ago maybe with the turnover chain and then it turned into the turnover throne and then the turnover crown,” coach Jedd Fisch said Monday. “It’s a fun gimmick that seems as if a lot of teams have started to incorporate.

“I appreciate that our guys find something to get excited about. And it’s a way for them to celebrate with the fans, and celebrate with themselves and I think it’s fun. It seems to have worked so far. So hopefully we can continue that tradition of getting the ball away.”

Arizona already has five takeaways in its first two games. Three of those came courtesy of Mississippi State. The defense raced to the sidelines after each one, grabbed the sword, and speared the ball with it.

“We have a big chair up in our meeting room. Whoever the player of the day is, with the most strips, sits there,” defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen said, explaining how the sword came to be. “Well, we have a difficult time taking that on the road. So, I came up with the idea with the sword, and the boys just took it over.

“I just wanted a sword and Lauren (Vossler) went out and got it. There’s a cactus here and I said, ‘Man, that looks cool, it’s different.’ The boys, they love it. We give it to them on a Friday night and they take it over to the game, they bring it over and then to the sideline.”

The Wildcats might love it, but the Mississippi State Bulldogs probably aren’t too fond of the turnover prop. It cost them a number of footballs last Saturday.

“If you want to end it, don’t turn the ball over, so I’m not terribly sympathetic to our side,” MSU coach Mike Leach said on his radio show this week. “I’m a little bit jealous I didn’t think of this.”

Then, in classic Leach fashion, he went on a little rant about wanting to bill the UA for the footballs they lost and the emotional distress caused by the sword.

If the turnovers keep coming, the turnover sword will remain a fixture on the Wildcat sideline, and footballs everywhere will be in danger. Perhaps Leach can keep a running tab for everyone. Fisch might be happy to pay it if the Wildcats keep taking the football away.