Returning to Arizona 'very surreal' for Joe Salave'a

As the airplane carrying Joe Salave’a descended into Tucson on Thursday night, Arizona’s new defensive line coach and associate head coach was overwhelmed with emotions.

Salave’a thought about the influential figures in his life and football career, including the late Arizona coaching legend Dick Tomey, “Desert Swarm” defensive line coach Rich Ellerson and his former UA teammates.

During an introductory press conference for defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales and Salave’a on Friday at Arizona Stadium, Salave’a got choked up when recalling the moment he was about to land in Tucson to help coach the program that recruited him from Leone, American Samoa, and shaped him into an All-Pac-10 defensive lineman and NFL player.

The humbled Salave’a’s return to Tucson “was very surreal,” he said.

“It’s probably going to take a couple of days to sink in,” Salave’a said.

He added: “If exciting is a word to express my thoughts and feelings, it’s an understatement. I’m ready to jump through the roof. I’m super honored to be here.”

Arizona “has always been a place that was close to my heart because of the experience of the folks who poured into me,” Salave’a said.

“When Brennan reached out it was surreal because I can go back to how this place was built and my journey. ... I did not see it coming. I truly did not see this happening. It felt like a whirlwind and then the next thing I know, I’m on my way to Tucson.”

Salave’a replaced former defensive line coach Joe Seumalo, who followed Arizona head coach Brent Brennan from San Jose State to the UA last year. Gonzales succeeds Duane Akina, who returned to coaching strictly Arizona’s defensive secondary after a season as the Wildcats’ defensive play-caller.

“When we go through these things it’s always a challenging process because there’s people you care about on all sides of the equation,” Brennan said. “My job here at Arizona is to make sure that we are doing everything we can to build the best football program we can and I feel like those two decisions have done that for us.”

Salave’a, a Polynesian Football Hall of Fame inductee, was a defensive tackle in Arizona’s Desert Swarm defense from 1994-97 and was teammates with Brennan’s younger brother in former UA wide receiver Brad Brennan. Salave’a was a part of a defensive unit that included College Football Hall of Famers Tedy Bruschi and Rob Waldrop, along with defensive backs Brandon Sanders and Tony Bouie, among others. Despite success at Arizona during the winningest decade in UA football history, “we were the overlooked guys” as recruits, Salave’a said.

“We had a collection of guys who felt like they were slighted. We came here and we didn’t have much compared to what it is now. What made that group special was the collective agreement that we’re going to train and prove people wrong. ... That’s the culture we have to cultivate and it starts with us. Being a part of that crew, we played some nasty defense in those days and part of that was we were well-conditioned and well-prepared, but we wanted it more.

“Those are the things I’m excited about to help develop the mentality that we can and we will get it done. Those are the things I’m excited and I’m humbled by the opportunity to be here. ... Part of this whole experience is making sure that we’re bringing in the right people in the building and they gotta have the mentality that the program was built on. It was a blue-collar mentality. Those things come with respect, discipline and the joy to get to work and come here every day with a smile. Those are the things that I really remember. I’m excited and truly humbled to get that opportunity, so I’m grateful.”

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Brent Brennan first became colleagues with Salave’a in 2008, when the two were assistant coaches for Tomey at San Jose State. Since Brennan started his coaching about a decade, Salave’a was paired up with Brennan on recruiting trips and learned from the Arizona head coach.

“We both had a great respect for Coach Tomey, so there were a lot of times where Joe and I were on the road recruiting together, just taking him around and showing him the lay of the land and introducing him to people,” Brennan said. “I could tell right away he was such a natural. He was a natural with people and such a natural on the field, which is his command and energy.”

Brennan’s favorite memory of coaching with Salave’a at San Jose State was their recruiting trip to the home of linebacker target Sekope Kaufusi in Palo Alto, California, where Brennan was introduced to “Lu Pulu,” a Tongan meal with corned beef and coconut milk wrapped by taro leaves.

“I ate three of them and it was a lot. I wanted to be respectful in the house, but she cooked like 15. The best part about Joe is that he was absolutely there for it,” Brennan joked.

Salave’a added: “You can’t say no. If you go into a Polynesian household, no means yes. Otherwise, you’re not getting through the door.”

After a stint at San Jose State, Salave’a returned to his alma mater to become Arizona’s defensive line coach in 2010 under former head coach Mike Stoops. Salave’a was hired before the Wildcats’ loss to Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl in 2010 and coached at Arizona for Stoops’ last season in 2011, but was not retained by Rich Rodriguez in 2012.

Salave’a held multiple coaching roles at Washington State, Oregon and most recently Miami. Salave’a mentored several All-Americans and NFL prospects at every stop since his brief time in Tucson. Salave’a hopes to evolve Arizona’s defensive line into “trench monsters,” he said on Friday.

“That’s what we’re going to have up front, because of who (Salave’a) is,” Gonzales said. “Now if you want to be a good coach, you get good players. If the talent is equal, that’s where coaching takes a big impact. Having to coach against him and recruit against him, the people in the Big 12 are in trouble. He’s on our side now.”

Salave’a said he’s “paying it forward” by returning to his old stomping grounds.

“I’m truly humbled to be here,” said Arizona’s defensive line coach and associate head coach. “It’s surreal. ... This program is a sleeping giant and we’re ready to go.”

Extra points

• Gonzales said Arizona’s defensive staff will determine the Wildcats’ top 22 defensive players before constructing a base defense. Gonzales, a Rocky Long disciple and former defensive play-caller at San Diego State and Arizona State, is open to three-man, four-man or five-man defensive fronts. Said Gonzales: “A lot of the stuff we did last year, we’ll fine-tune it by personnel. ... We’ll put a product out there that we think will be elite.”
• Gonzales, on the coaching changes this offseason: “We’re going to have a whole bunch of fun together. Coach Akina is the best secondary coach I’ve ever been around. We’ve got an opportunity to do something special here with (offensive coordinator Seth Doege), Coach Brennan and all of the pieces we have on our staff.”
• The Wildcats replaced all three coordinators and their defensive line coach. Brennan said the Wildcats are “still working through” the hiring process for a new special teams coordinator.
• Brennan said, “It’s been a busy six weeks since the end of the season.” Since Dec. 9, Arizona has hosted 57 transfers for official visits, Brennan said on Friday. Added Brennan: “It’s speed-dating but you’re getting married in the end.” The Wildcats have 23 additions in the transfer portal for 2025.
• Brennan, Gonzales and Salave’a began their press conference acknowledging the fires sweeping through Los Angeles. Said Brennan: “To see what’s happening there is so hard and disheartening, so we’re thinking about those people out there in L.A.”