Sio Nofoagatotoโ€™a

Defensive lineman Sio Nofoagatotoโ€™a (pictured playing for Indiana in 2021), transferred to Arizona ahead of the 2023 season. He describes his role with the Wildcats as a โ€œdancing bear,โ€ adding that โ€œwe want to be big, but we also want to be light on our feet.โ€

The role as an interior defensive lineman for the Arizona Wildcats is simple: Be a โ€œdancing bear.โ€

The job description for a โ€œdancing bear,โ€ as UA defensive tackle Sio Nofoagatotoโ€™a explains it: โ€œWe want to be big, but we also want to be light on our feet, just being able to change things up.

โ€œWe want to take up double-teams, free up the (linebackers), but also at the same time impact the game any way possible and just being smart enough to know when to make plays and do the right thing,โ€ he said.

Nofoagatotoโ€™a has already changed up one big thing this year: As a transfer from Indiana, heโ€™s part of the overhaul of defenders for the Wildcats in 2023 and is one of five defensive linemen to join Arizona through the transfer portal. Heโ€™s joined by fellow 300-plus-pounders Bill Norton (Georgia) and Tyler Manoa (UCLA), and edge rushers Taylor Upshaw (Michigan) and Orin Patu (Cal). Manoa, Norton and Nofoagatotoโ€™a, among others, are a part of the โ€œdancing bearsโ€ unit looking to assist a Wildcatsโ€™ rushing defense that was a weakness last season.

Arizona defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen spoke to reporters following the Wildcats' training camp practice on Tuesday.

โ€œI was blessed with an opportunity and Iโ€™m just grateful for Coach (Jedd) Fisch, (defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen and defensive line coach Jason Kaufusi) for having me here and giving me this opportunity,โ€ Nofoagatotoโ€™a said.

Added Nofoagatotoโ€™a: โ€œThe knowledge that they have is a blessing for me to come in and take everything in.โ€

The 6-3, 330-pound Nofoagatotoโ€™a, an Iliโ€™ili, American Samoa native, logged 52 tackles and four stops for loss in four seasons at Indiana and started all 12 games for the Hoosiers last season. In the spring, Nofoagatotoโ€™a stayed in Bloomington, Indiana, โ€œand just did drills on my own,โ€ before transferring to the UA.

Now at Arizona, Nofoagatotoโ€™a is โ€œjust coming in and making an impact as a run-stopper and being an asset to the team in any way possible; just win games,โ€ he said.

โ€œI hope the team knows that I can help them in the run, but it also challenges me to work on my pass-rushing skills and just hone in on things that might be my weaknesses and try to make them my strengths,โ€ he added.

Kaufusi said Nofoagatotoโ€™a is โ€œanother guy who played in the Big Ten, great conference ... whether you want to consider it a running league, a physical league.โ€

โ€œHe started two years over there, so he brings that experience โ€” that veteran leadership โ€” that we need with some of our younger guys,โ€ he said.

Nofoagatotoโ€™a said transferring to a program that embraces Polynesian culture โ€” Arizonaโ€™s roster has quite a few Polynesian players โ€” is โ€œpretty big, just coming from somewhere where there werenโ€™t a lot of Polynesiansโ€ at Indiana.

โ€œThe team has adapted to the Aloha mindset, bringing everybody in and loving everybody,โ€ Nofoagatotoโ€™a said.

Unlike his defensive line cohorts, Nofoagatotoโ€™a doesnโ€™t wear gloves while playing. Thatโ€™s a new development where he pays homage to former Polynesian Pac-12 defensive tackles Danny Shelton and Vita Vea, both known for not wearing gloves. Vea and Shelton were โ€œtwo defensive linemen I looked up to as a kid,โ€ said Nofoagatotoโ€™a.

โ€œThey wore no gloves in the Pac-12,โ€ he said. โ€œItโ€™s always good just to get a feel on the O-line.โ€

During Arizonaโ€™s scrimmage Saturday, Nofoagatotoโ€™a was among the defensive linemen rotating every several plays on one drive. Shuttling as many fresh (larger) bodies on the field to keep defensive linemen fresh is a major focal point for Arizona on defense. Norton, Manoa, Nofoagatotoโ€™a, sophomore Taiโ€™taโ€™i Uiagalelei, junior-college transfer Keanu Mailoto, sophomore Jacob Kongaika and Tiaoalii Savea, whoโ€™s missed several training camp practices for an undisclosed injury, are among the most rotated interior defensive linemen. Edge rushers and defensive ends, also with a blend of transfer portal prospects and rising underclassmen, provide Arizona depth it didnโ€™t have a season ago.

โ€œWeโ€™re subbing,โ€ Nansen said. โ€œLike I told the guys, โ€˜If weโ€™re playing more than four snaps, then weโ€™re not doing our jobs as coaches, especially up front.โ€™ The back end of it, I understand they have to stay because itโ€™s a rhythm thing back there.

โ€œBut up front we got to rotate. Itโ€™s a long game, especially now in college football, you average anywhere from 85-90 plays and you have to keep those guys fresh.โ€

Kaufusi said the defensive line rotation โ€œjust depends on the series, how the plays are going on the drive.โ€

โ€œWe like to keep everybody fresh and get a good rotation with guys in and out,โ€ he said.

Finding the ideal blend of players is a recipe Arizonaโ€™s coaching is still trying to figure out.

โ€œBottom line is, weโ€™re just trying to build trust and chemistry,โ€ Kaufusi said. โ€œWe still got this week and next week, then weโ€™ll make some decisions and narrow things down.โ€

Extra points:

Kaufusi said redshirt freshman Isaiah Wardโ€˜s athleticism and length has elevated him in the Wildcatsโ€™ rotation at defensive end. The 6-5, 225-pound Los Angeles-area native has batted down passes in the backfield during team period throughout training camp. Ward received first-team reps on Thursday, alongside Norton, Manoa and Upshaw. Said Kaufusi, on Ward: โ€œIf you look at his pass-rush skillset, thatโ€™s what he brings. At the same time, weโ€™re looking for effort, trust, team chemistry.โ€

Arizona receiver Jacob Cowing was selected at No. 38 in ESPNโ€™s list of top 100 players entering the college football season.

The Wildcats added former Scottsdale Saguaro wide receiver Deric English. The 6-4, 210-pound English was a part of the 2023 recruiting cycle and held offers from Louisville, Penn State, Oregon, Michigan State, Florida State and Utah, among others. English, who hasnโ€™t participated in training camp, is a walk-on for the Wildcats.

Former Arizona wide receiver Stanley Berryhill III was in attendance for Arizonaโ€™s practice on Thursday; he also spoke to the team following practice. Berryhill, who spent his rookie season with the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions, was waived by Detroit in the wake of his six-game suspension for violating the NFLโ€™s gambling policy for placing bets on non-NFL games at the Lions facility. Berryhill was Detroitโ€™s โ€œgunnerโ€ on punt coverage, a role he carved out in his final season at Arizona.


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Contact Star football reporter Justin Spears at jspears@tucson.com. On Twitter: @JustinESports