The second week of Arizona’s spring practice schedule is in the books, and the Wildcats have just under three weeks left until the spring game on April 27 at Arizona Stadium.
Just before Arizona held its sixth practice of the spring, some of the Wildcats’ latest transfer-portal additions in offensive lineman Alexander Doost, defensive tackle Chubba Ma’ae, defensive end Tre Smith and offensive lineman Ryan Stewart spoke to the media about their journey to the UA.
Here’s how they ended up in Tucson — and how they fit into Arizona’s roster:
Alexander Doost
Position: Offensive line
Hometown (former school): Phoenix (Northwestern)
The rundown: Doost was brought in by the previous coaching regime, so when offensive line coach Brennan Carroll followed head coach Jedd Fisch to Washington, “it was a stressful week and I was trying to figure out what to do,” Doost said.
“I talked to my brothers, my dad, and I ended up deciding to stay because I want to be close to them,” Doost said. “When I was in Illinois, I didn’t get to see my family a whole lot. I wanted to have that be a part of what I’m doing.”
Doost
The 6-7, 295-pound Doost was a part of the group of UA football players who announced their decision to stay during a timeout break of an Arizona-UCLA basketball game at a sold-out McKale Center.
“It was a crazy experience. I’ve never been a part of something like that,” Doost said. “I felt a part of the group as we were walking in.”
Doost grew up in Phoenix and his dad is a first-generation immigrant from Afghanistan. Doost’s father “wasn’t really into football” and his mother and two older brothers influenced him to play the game.
“He’s definitely gotten more into football since I started playing at the collegiate level. ... It took a while but he’s definitely invested and he loves watching,” Doost said.
Back in his home state, Doost is competing for reps at right guard, along with Stewart, Leif Magnuson and JT Hand. Doost comes from a tackle background, so moving inside is “a little bit of a switch-up, but I love going out there and playing. ... Tackle is difficult and at guard, I’m able to take my technique a lot slower and take time to learn it. I’m liking it,” Doost said.
Playing alongside two-year starter and right tackle Jonah Savaiinaea has made the transition easier for Doost.
“I’ve had to learn a whole new playbook and I’ve messed up a few times,” Doost said. “Luckily he’s been really patient and he’s definitely helped me understand, so does Ryan.”
Chubba Ma’ae
Position: Nose tackle
Hometown (former school): Long Beach, California (UC Davis)
The rundown: Like Doost, Ma’ae (pronounced muh-eye) was recruited by the previous coaching staff.
Ma’ae
“The biggest reason why I stayed is the guys,” Ma’ae said. “Yeah, Coach (Jason) Kaufusi and Coach (Johnny) Nansen recruited me, but the main reason why I stayed is because when I came here on my visit, we were hanging out and some of the guys’ house and it just felt like another Saturday at my cousin’s house. I just felt the love from the players. That’s the main reason why I stayed.”
The 6-2, 347-pound senior was “thrown into the fire” as an underclassman at UC Davis due to so many players opting out from the pandemic. Ma’ae adds much-needed depth to Arizona’s interior that has returning starter Bill Norton, rising redshirt sophomore Isaiah Johnson and redshirt junior Keanu Mailoto, among others.
Tre Smith
Position: Defensive end
Hometown (former school): Mesa (San Jose State)
The rundown: Smith is “a tremendous player, but more importantly he’s an unbelievable guy,” Arizona defensive line coach Joe Seumalo said.
“Just a great dude and easy to coach,” Seumalo added. “He’s a great addition.”
Smith, a 6-5, 255-pound graduate of Mesa’s Red Mountain High School, signed with 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.
Smith
Leading up to Smith “dealt with some personal adversity, and in life, you have the option to either sink or swim and I decided that I was going to swim and make something out of it.”
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.
“Lotta great mentors around me,” Smith said. “Great players and great human beings, so I’m trying to learn anything I can from anybody.”
Coming closer to home and following the staff that developed him into a high-level edge rusher was an easy sell for Smith.
“The biggest reason for me is the coaching staff. I’ve been around them — this will be my fourth year now,” Smith said. “Not only do they develop you into great football players, but they make you great human beings, and I think that’s something overlooked often but it’s very important.”
During Saturday’s practice at Arizona Stadium, Smith was a part of a starting defensive line group that also had Norton, Johnson and junior Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei. Arizona has mixed up its defensive line groups throughout spring practices, but that’s a group that could conceivably start Week 1 against New Mexico.
Arizona still has ways to go in replicating the depth on the defensive line this past season after losing eight players to the NFL or transfer portal. When Smith was at SJSU, the Spartans used “eight to 10 guys” on the defensive line in a game.
“D-Line, you want depth,” Smith said. “On a team in general, you want depth, top to bottom. For D-Line, it’s a lot of work. Sometimes it does get tiring and a fresh guy might be better than you at the moment.”
Ryan Stewart
Position: Offensive line
Hometown (former school): Mokena, Illinois (San Jose State)
The rundown: Stewart started three games at right guard for San Jose State in 2022 before suffering a season-ending injury that also sidelined him from playing in 2023. Following offensive line coach Josh Oglesby from San Jose State to Arizona presented “a great opportunity” for Stewart.
“Coach Oglesby, that’s my guy right there. ... He got me out to California and I was able to follow him here. ... He’s going to get you right,” Stewart said. “In the meeting room, he’ll tell you exactly what to do and where you need to be — and most importantly, why you’re doing it.”
Stewart said he’ll play “wherever they need me, but as of right now it looks like I’ll be at right guard,” one of the most competitive positions available, with starter Raymond Pulido likely becoming the starter at left tackle.
Stewart’s great grandfather, Bill Stewart, is the first American-born coach to win a Stanley Cup championship, when he won with the 1938 Chicago Blackhawks; he was also a Major League Baseball umpire in the National League from 1933-54.
Extra points
Brennan said Arizona will “definitely add a quarterback or two in the group” this offseason to add depth. The Wildcats currently have starter Noah Fifita and backup Brayden Dorman on scholarship, with walk-on Cole Tannenbaum rounding out the group. Said Brennan: “I feel great about what that group is doing. Obviously everyone knows how awesome Noah Fifita is, but Brayden and Cole have done some really good things the past few days — and they’re both young, they’re both freshmen. That group is going to be a lot of fun.”
With the NFL Draft less than three weeks away, former Wildcat Jordan Morgan is losing buzz as a first-round pick, albeit NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein and Eric Edholm have Morgan landing in the first round to either the Baltimore Ravens at No. 30 or the San Francisco 49ers at No. 31. ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. removed Morgan from his mock draft, after initially projecting him to go No. 24 to the Dallas Cowboys, and currently has Morgan rated as the seventh-best tackle in the draft class loaded with offensive linemen.
