2025 Fall Camp Preview: Defense and Special Teams
One day closer to football...
Find part one here
Two weeks from Fall Camp, almost five weeks from Week 0, and one day away from another email from SeatGeek imploring me to purchase BYU football tickets because I watched Arizona play at LaVell Edwards Stadium last season. For now, let’s continue with the Camp previews:
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Defensive End
Projected Starter(s): Tre Smith, Dominic Lolesio, Riley Wilson
Position Battle to Watch: Riley Wilson vs Chase Kennedy
Who Arizona needs to step up: Tier 1
Biggest Camp Question: Do any of the Tier 1 options look poised for a breakout season?
I wouldn’t be surprised if you told me any of the Tier 1 defensive end options became Arizona’s breakout defensive player in 2025. And if you told me each of them hovered around their floor all season, I wouldn’t bat an eye either.
It’s perhaps the unit with the widest range of plausible outcomes. There’s enough talent in the room to exceed preseason prognostications, but each player needs to overcome at least one obvious obstacle to take that next step.
Tre Smith passes the ‘bus test’ and has admittedly been fairly productive for someone with such a one-dimensional attack plan. Yet, at the same time, that one-dimensional bull rush mentality also drastically limited his ceiling and led to unmitigated breakdowns in edge containment last season. Better coaching from Joe Salave’a to refine technique and introduce effective counter moves could allow Smith to maximize his potential in his final collegiate season. We’ll have to see it in action, however. Unlearning five years of the ‘just…..go’ approach is easier said than done.
Dominic Lolesio appears to be a player the staff is high on entering his RS Sophomore season, and the Long Beach native has the size and motor to cut at this level. Like Smith though, it takes more than just effort to operate productively against P4 linemen. A bit more muscle, a little more twitch, and a touch more savvy, and Lolesio could become an improved piece.
Whether or not Tre/Dominic do take that next step, it’s still hard to imagine a non-injury scenario where either finds themselves struggling for opportunity. That next group of Malachi Bailey, Chancellor Owens, and Eduwa Okundaye feels to be a sizable degree behind them, at least, on paper. Bailey accumulated wild statistics at FCS Alcorn State, but was out of shape, banged up, anonymous, or all the above during Spring Ball. Meanwhile, Chancellor Owens and Eduwa Okundaye have some impressive physical traits, though both seem a bit too raw for a heavy workload this season.
As a result, the true d-end battle likely occurs between Chase Kennedy and Riley Wilson at the new hybrid edge role in Danny Gonzales’ predominantly 3-3-5 scheme. And that’s where my focus lies this camp.
Both will play to some extent; their athleticism and versatility are too valuable in positions of minimal depth. However, one will likely emerge as a bona fide starter, while the other becomes a utility piece to fill in rotationally.
If Kennedy has finally added weight to augment his impressive speed and bend, he has a genuine chance to break through in 2025. But if not, Wilson’s experience as one of FCS’s best off-ball blitzing linebackers might be suited for the role, despite the jump in competition.
Right now, I’ll give the edge (no pun intended) to Wilson at the moment.
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Defensive Tackle
Projected Starter(s): Tiaoalii Savea, Deshawn McKnight
Position Battle to Watch: Secondary option(s) behind Savea/McKnight
Who Arizona needs to step up: The three JUCO newcomers
Biggest Camp Question: Are the JUCO additions capable of performing at the P4 level straight away?
The interior defensive line is such a unique position to handicap considering just how new everyone is. Hell, even the returners are effectively fresh faces.
Tia Savea is no stranger to Arizona Stadium, but we haven’t seen what post-Texas Tia Savea looks like. Jarra Anderson was a rostered Wildcat in 2024, albeit one that missed the entire season following a broken shin midway through Fall Camp. And Julian Savaiinaea is the sole incumbent piece, yet only featured in sporadic bit roles.
As a result, Arizona enters the 2025 season largely in the same condition as last Summer: replacing the entire interior line. Even with a presumed coaching upgrade, it’s hard not to interpret that fact pattern without a degree of heartburn. It was in this article last year that I wrote something along the lines of “man, we oughta hope Chubba and Isaiah Johnson don’t get hurt.” And well, Chubba went down with a foot sprain four weeks in, while Johnson found himself on crutches following a warmup injury a few games later. The resulting group of interior linemen was undersized, overmatched, or both, resulting in a defense that provided as much resistance as a group of traffic cones.
Now, it’s deja vu. If the Wildcats are to improve in 2025, Savea and McKnight have to stay healthy unless the three JUCO acquisitions, Zac Siulepa, Leroy Palu, and Ezra Funa, hit the ground running in Fall Camp.
That doesn’t ease my heartburn greatly, especially considering Arizona’s less-than-stellar recent track record with JUCOs, and with Palu as the only one to see reps in Spring Ball. And, in fact, I’m not sure Ezra Funa and Zac Siulepa have even made it to Tucson for summer workouts either.
At an absolute bare minimum, each of them is 300 lb+ and offers an alternative to asking undersized linemen like Anderson/Savaiinaea to suddenly become road-graters like Seumalo (foolishly) hoped Darton and Ta’ufo’ou would be last season.
Danny Gonzales doesn’t need all three to hit immediately, but he has to hope at least one or two provide serviceable rotation reps. Otherwise, we could be right back to traffic cone run defense one again.
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Linebacker
Projected Starter(s): Taye Brown, Max Harris
Position Battle to Watch: Leviticus Su’a vs Jabari Mann
Who Arizona needs to step up: Leviticus Su’a
Biggest Camp Question: Can Arizona finally find quality linebacker depth?
Listing Kennedy and Wilson as defensive ends makes this group appear thinner than in reality, but the linebacker depth is still among the most sparse on the team.
It’s easy to momentarily forget amidst offseason optimism: Arizona was a 4-8 squad last season with the roster flaws that constitute a subpar team. Rebuilding the linebacker corps with sufficient optionality is going to be a lengthier process than a singular winter retooling, especially when the room has been a graveyard of underperformance for almost a decade.
Of the potential depth pieces behind Taye Brown and Max Harris, only Northwestern St. transfer Blake Gotcher has game action under his belt, and his fit in the Big 12 is questionable at best. Consequently, with true Freshman Myron Robinson just arriving and RS Freshman Stacy Bey moving around during Spring Ball to find his ideal role, it’s shaping up to be a battle between returners Leviticus Su’a and Jabari Mann to be on deck behind Brown and Harris.
It’s a compelling competition in the sense that Su’a and Mann are very different players. But if you’re an Arizona fan, this is the time to hope Leviticus finally fulfills his four-star potential to win the spot.
The Mater Dei product is teetering perilously on the edge of major bust territory following two years buried on depth charts in underwhelming units. Size and football IQ have never been the issue; Su’a has just struggled to display the requisite mobility and fluidity to make the jump to P4 football. However, earlier this Spring, we learned a nagging back injury was the source of a lost ‘24 season and likely caused the rigidness that characterized Levi’s Arizona career so far. Following a few bright moments in April practices, there is some positivity that his story is not yet written.
On the flipside, mobility has never been Jabari Mann’s issue. The former high school Track athlete moves well in space and spent last year as an emergency RB, but he’s still a little on the slender side for a major role. In that sense, I’d be worried that Mann emerging as the main depth contributor is more a reflection on Su’a’s inability to take the next step rather than Jabari’s readiness - sort of similar to Kolbe Cage three years ago.
For now, though, Craig Naivar praised Mann’s impact on Special Teams, and that’s an area he’s certainly prepared to fulfill in 2025.
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Cornerback
Projected Starter(s): Marquis Groves-Killebrew, Jay’vion Cole
Position Battle to Watch: Third corner
Who Arizona needs to step up: Marquis Groves-Killebrew
Biggest Camp Question: Do any of the freshmen work their way into contention?
Quick housekeeping note: I listed Ayden Garnes at corner despite (presumably) being Treydan Stukes’ primary backup since Stukes isn’t coming off the field barring injury. And as a result, Garnes’ likeliest opportunity for reps might occur at one of the outside positions despite being best-equipped for the Nickel safety spot.
I spent much of the offseason concerned about the cornerback position. But as I look at the tier list now, I’m slowly (emphasis on slowly!) gaining more cautious optimism. And it may not be entirely unrealistic to preserve Michael Dansby’s final year of eligibility for next season when multiple contributors depart.
Jay’vion Cole was a Mountain West standout who spent last year on the periphery at Texas, meaning the Big 12 is likely his appropriate level. And the more I stew on it, the more I believe Ayden Garnes was a shrewd acquisition. By all accounts, the Philadelphia-native had an excellent Spring, exhibits the dexterity to allow Arizona a better matchup against quicker receivers, and may even have another year to play if he acquires his medical redshirt.
If both Cole and Garnes are steady options (assuming Garnes maintains his place above Dansby on the depth chart), a lot rides on what version of Marquis Groves-Killebrew Arizona gets this Fall.
I mentioned a wide range of outcomes with the defensive ends, but MGK can deliver a roller coaster of oscillating outcomes on a play-by-play basis. One moment, he’s all over the field; the next, he’s completely busting coverages. The athleticism is there, and it’s clear why he was a borderline Top 100 prospect in the ‘22 class. I just wish the corner with the highest ceiling didn’t also possess the lowest floor. Hard to see that range narrowing too significantly without Duane Akina’s tutelage, either.
As a result, I think the door is open for a true surprise to emerge within the group. The Wildcats signed three corner recruits in the ‘25 class - four if you include Coleman Patmon, who I listed in the Safety group below - and it’s a position with a lower barrier of entry for first-years. Over the past seven seasons, Arizona has seen freshmen corners play meaningful snaps in Christian Young in 2018, Christian Roland-Wallace in 2019, Treydan Stukes (as a covid Freshman) in 2021, and Ephesians Prysock/Tacario Davis in 2022. With the right camp performance, we could easily see the next one in 2025.
I have my eye on Swayde Griffin based on his frame and impressive high school film, but the staff seems very high on Dajon Hinton as well. Either way, I would be surprised if we didn’t hear reports of a secondary newcomer making waves over the next few weeks.
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Safety
Projected Starter(s): Genesis Smith, Dalton Johnson, Treydan Stukes
Position Battle to Watch: N/A
Who Arizona needs to step up: Genesis Smith
Biggest Camp Question: Can the three clear starters stay healthy?
If the QB room is the most locked-in depth chart on the team, the Safety unit is next in line. There’s just a touch more mobility within the Safety tier list, as someone like Gavin Hunter could easily join his ‘23 classmates in Luttrell and Frausto-Ramos in Tier 2 despite accruing fewer game snaps up to this point.
Otherwise, the starters remain the unquestioned starters. And I could make a strong case that Genesis Smith, Dalton Johnson, and Treydan Stukes are the three best players on the roster.
At this stage, I only have two lingering questions about the group, although neither is likely to be answered by August 30:
Can those three starters stay healthy and string games together? and
How good can Genesis truly become in 2025?
The first question is straightforward - and largely PTSD-induced. Stukes seemed to return to form from minor knocks right before tearing his ACL at Utah. And with position shifts to compensate, I don’t know if we were able to see the best of Genesis and Dalton for the remainder of the season.
However, the second question is more nebulous. Locally, Genesis’ talent is obvious. But 2025 offers hope that he can make waves at a conference-wide and national stage. On a team with no obvious elite talents, #12 is one of the only players capable of exceeding that threshold. As a result, my barometer lies with cementing himself as the best player on the defense. It’s difficult to see Gonzales’ group outpacing the status quo otherwise.
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Projected Starter(s): Michael Salgado-Medina (K), Isaac Lovison (P), Avery Salerno (LS)
Position Battle to Watch: Starting Kicker
Who Arizona needs to step up: Michael Salgado-Medina
Biggest Camp Question: Do the specialists look like liabilities?
No tier list here, just think of the Special Teams phase as one giant open competition.
Michael Salgado-Medina comes off a shaky Spring to compete with Illinois St. transfer Ian Wagner for the starting Kicker job. And if he loses out, expect Salgado-Medina to give incoming Australian punter Isaac Lovison a run for his money for the primary punting spot. Meanwhile, the primary long snapper slot - yes, we talk about long snappers on this site - likely belongs to Jackson St. transfer Avery Salerno, unless true Freshman Broden Molen overtakes him.
It’s a whole lot of new, a whole lot of uncertainty, and a whole lot of ‘boy, this could go terribly wrong’ within that unit.
At the end of the day, Arizona just needs a kicker to make the kicks they're expected to make, a punter with a degree of consistency, and a coverage/return unit that avoids game-breaking errors. But in the college game, none of them are a given.
Replacing Tyler Loop’s production, particularly his long-distance range and exceptional touchback percentage, might be an overwhelming task for this group. Let’s hope a dedicated Special-Teams coordinator can at least make up for some of it.
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