Arizona football mailbag: Which defensive newcomer will make the biggest impact?

Arizona went fully-padded for the first time this spring on Tuesday, and the Wildcats have just over three weeks left of practices before their annual spring game on April 27 at Arizona Stadium.

With Week 2 of spring ball in full swing, the Star asked readers to submit mailbag questions on X (Twitter). (If non-X users ever want to submit Arizona football-related questions for the future, please email Arizona football beat reporter Justin Spears at jspears@tucson.com with the subject line “Arizona football mailbag.”)

Now ... time to check the mail!

Q: Which newcomer on defense looks likely to contribute early? — @brettdberry

A: It’s hard to tell at this point, because so many of the “new faces” on Arizona’s defense are players who were a part of the team last season, but had limited roles or played mostly special teams.

Notable newcomers for Arizona’s defense include San Jose State transfer defensive end Tre Smith, UC Davis defense tackle Chubba Ma’ae, Louisville cornerback Marquis Groves-Killebrew, Tennessee safety Jack Luttrell and junior-college transfers in edge rusher Cyrus Durham and cornerback Johno Price, who both transferred from College of San Mateo in California.

Everything is subject to change, but none of the 2024 signees are consistently working with the starters on defense.

The defensive player most likely to crack the starting rotation is Smith, or known as “Smitty” by Arizona defensive line coach Joe Seumalo, who coached Smith at SJSU.

“Love him. Absolutely love Tre,” Seumalo said. “He’s a tremendous player, but more importantly he’s an unbelievable guy. Just a great dude and easy to coach. ... He’s a great addition.”

Smith, a 6-5, 255-pound Mesa native, prepped at Red Mountain High School and joined San Jose State in 2021, before having a breakout season as a redshirt sophomore. In 2023, Smith recorded 66 tackles and 6.5 sacks and was named a first-team All-Mountain West selection.

Prior to his all-conference season, Smith understudied two Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year winners in San Jose State defensive ends Viliami Fehoko Jr. and Cade Hall. San Jose State ended the 2022 season ranked fifth nationally, averaging 3.27 sacks per game, Seumalo as the defensive line coach.

A popular defensive line used in Arizona’s spring practices has junior Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei and second-year player Dominic Lolesio as the edge rushers, with Bill Norton and redshirt junior Keanu Mailoto as the interior defensive linemen. Smith could potentially enter the starting lineup and bump Uiagalelei, who can play both inside and out on the defensive line, to a three-technique defensive tackle while Norton anchors nose tackle.

While he’s not here yet, Syracuse transfer defensive lineman Kevon Darton, who was the first defensive player to sign at Arizona since head coach Brent Brennan was hired, is expected to have a role in Arizona’s defensive line rotation. The 5-11, 271-pound Darton logged 110 tackles, 12 stops for loss, five sacks, a forced fumble and fumble return in four seasons at Syracuse.

Q: How much depth does Arizona have on the defensive line? — @pitcherscircle

A: Between the transfer portal and players out of eligibility, Arizona’s defensive line, the unsung heroes of the Wildcats’ defensive improvements in 2023, took a hit this offseason.

Arizona lost eight players that were a part of the rotation, including defensive tackles Tyler Manoa, Tiaoalii Savea, Sio Nofoagatoto’a and Jacob Kongaika, along with edge rushers Taylor Upshaw, who led the team in sacks, Orin Patu and twitchy pass-rushers in Isaiah Ward and Russell Davis II, who both transferred to Washington.

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The number of defensive line additions doesn’t soften the blow of defensive departures, but Seumalo is bullish about his group.

“I like what I see,” Seumalo said. “I’m pleasantly surprised how good that room looks like.”

Seumalo credited former Arizona defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen, now a co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Texas, and former UA defensive line coach Jason Kaufusi, now at Washington, for doing “a good job of putting that room together.”

“Obviously there are some really good players who left, but the ones who are still here, I’m excited,” Seumalo said.

Lolesio and Sterling Lane II, a former four-star recruit from Arizona’s loaded 2022 recruiting class, earned playing time last season and played critical snaps in the Wildcats’ walk-off win over Colorado in Boulder. Durham, an edge rusher who hails from a martial-arts background, has great speed off the line and has quick hands and feet; he logged two tackles for loss on Saturday. Redshirt sophomore Isaiah Johnson, who made his collegiate debut last season, is a rising defensive tackle. There’s potential on Arizona’s defensive line between returning contributors like Norton and Uiagalelei, the newcomers and rising players. However, lack of game experience on the depth chart could spell trouble for Arizona, especially stopping the run, a category they drastically improved for the Wildcats from 2022 to ‘23.

To bolster their depth, the Wildcats could tap into the the transfer portal, which officially opens for business on April 16 and closes on April 30, three days after the UA’s spring game.

Q: Who’s calling the plays, offensive coordinator Dino Babers or head coach Brent Brennan? — @MoPaiaina

A: Yes. Brennan is an offensive-minded coach. He’s coached wide receivers, tight ends and was San Jose State’s offensive coordinator before becoming the head coach of the Spartans. Brennan will have a strong influence on the offense, but he also lets his coaches, well, coach. Babers has been calling offenses since Brennan first started coaching. It’s a collaboration with Arizona’s coaches, with Brennan as the CEO.

Extra points

Defense had a strong practice from start to finish on Tuesday. Junior linebacker Justin Flowe recorded a sack in his first series. Lolesio batted down a pass attempt by quarterback Noah Fifita in the same period. Flowe and linebacker Taye Brown later combined for a sack.

Cornerback Tacario Davis had two interceptions on Tuesday, including one against star receiver Tetairoa McMillan in one-on-one coverage drills; Fifita threw the pass.

Quarterback Mason Bray, son of the late Heath Bray, announced on X Wednesday afternoon that he “earned the opportunity to play” at the UA. Due to NCAA rules, Arizona was unable to comment if the younger Bray will be joining the team as a scholarship player or preferred walk-on. Heath Bray was a defensive back, linebacker, special teams captain, quarterback and wide receiver for the Wildcats from 1988-92 under former head coach Dick Tomey. Bray died over the weekend after suffering a heart attack; he was 54 years old. In two seasons at Scottsdale Saguaro High School, Mason Bray threw for 2,897 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions and quarterbacked the Sabercats to a Class 6A state championship in December.