Arizona defensive line coach Joe Seumalo said during training camp that the Wildcatsβ goal this season is to find a dozen linemen to rotate in games.
Hyperbolic? Not in Arizonaβs season-opening win over New Mexico on Saturday. Arizona exceeded Seumaloβs expectations and used 13 defensive linemen.
Hereβs who played the most defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus: San Jose State transfer Tre Smith (59), junior Taβitaβi Uiagalelei (56), UC Davis transfer defensive tackle Chubba Maβae (38), redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Isaiah Johnson (27), USC transfer Stanley Taβufoβou (24), Syracuse transfer Kevon Darton (24), former Utah edge rusher Chase Kennedy (23), redshirt junior tackle Keanu Mailoto (21), Stanford transfer Lance Keneley (17), redshirt sophomore Sterling Lane II (16), junior-college transfer edge rusher Cyrus Durham (11), second-year edge rusher Dominic Lolesio (11) and redshirt freshman Julian Savaiinaea (9), brother of UA star right tackle Jonah Savaiinaea.
Arizona made βhockey substitutionsβ against New Mexico and platooned lineups to keep defensive linemen fresh; plus, the defensive linemen rotated in the early portion of the season allows the UA coaches to see whoβs prepared for Big 12 play and the postseason.
Arizonaβs defensive line was responsible for 17 of Arizonaβs 72 tackles and had just 0.5 tackles for loss on Saturday. The Wildcats also didnβt have any sacks for the first time since their loss to USC in 2022.
Stopping the run was a critical component to Arizonaβs defense last season, which improved from one of the worst in FBS to top 30 in one year. New Mexico, led by dual-threat quarterback Devon Dampier, who rushed for 130 yards against the Wildcats, had 211 rushing yards after rushing for 152 against Montana State the week before. Arizona only gave up 200-plus rushing yards twice last season, the regular-season finale against rival Arizona State and Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl.
The last time Arizona surrendered more than 200 rushing yards in nonconference play was against North Dakota State in 2022. Arizonaβs edge rushers struggled to contain Dampier on Saturday, and the UAβs downhill and aggressive approach, a contrast to its gap-filling and big run-preventing duties last season, on the defensive line created lanes for the New Mexico quarterback to use his legs. While Arizona head coach Brent Brennan gave βNew Mexico and (Dampier) a lot of credit, I also think there are some things we can be a little more clean on in terms of our contain and some of those rush lanes,β he said on Monday.
βThatβs something the defensive staff is hard at work cleaning up,β Brennan said. βWeβve been cleaning up (Sunday) and (Monday) and weβll be ready to go this weekend.β
Wildcats working on βselfish penaltiesβ
Arizona had nine penalties for 100 yards against New Mexico, including two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties on defensive backs Tacario Davis and Genesis Smith, who got flagged for taking off his helmet in celebration immediately after intercepting Dampier in the second quarter.
After a first-half personal foul penalty during a kickoff, cornerback Tacario Davis was ejected after swiping at New Mexico receiver Luke Wysongβs helmet after a catch in the fourth quarter.
Brennan said the Wildcats had too many βselfish penaltiesβ that βextended two or three drivesβ on Saturday, which they addressed after the game.
βYou canβt do that and win consistently,β Brennan said Monday. βWe canβt be so emotional that we fall off the cliff. We want to play with an edge and we want to walk up to the edge of the cliff, but we just canβt fall off it; a couple of times the other night, we did.
βWe have to know that as we continue play throughout the season and the stakes get bigger and intensify, we canβt do things that hurt our chances to win. Educating them on that is really important. ... We gotta do a great job in keeping our emotions in check and worrying about whatβs best for the football team.β
Extra points:
- After missing most of training camp with injury, redshirt junior right guard Leif Magnuson played 35 offensive snaps on Saturday. Brennan βthought Leif did a great job.β Added Brennan: βHeβs a really conscious kid. Itβs really important to him and he got in there and did a good job. I was encouraged by that.β
Brennan wore a lei around his neck in Arizonaβs season opener, as did several other UA assistant coaches, which was a gift from the families of a few UA Polynesian players. Brennan also donned a lei during Big 12 Media Days in Las Vegas. Said Brennan, when asked if the lei will be a signature look for the Arizona coaches this season: βItβs a signature look when Noah Fifitaβs grandmother gives you one, and Tetairoa McMillanβs mother gives you the other. Itβs an incredible gesture by them and weβre going to lean into everybodyβs culture on the team. Itβs what makes us unique β makes us special.β