Veteran linebackers Taye Brown and Chase Kennedy have emerged as clear leaders for Arizona as they head into their final season. Both have been vocal and visible throughout spring practice, drawing praise from defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales for stepping into leadership roles with authority. Kennedy described their guidance as organic — the result of time in the program and the trust that comes with it — while both players emphasized the energy they try to bring every day.
The pair has taken responsibility for helping younger teammates adjust, from freshmen to recent transfers. Kennedy said coaches push players to raise their game on and off the field, and he and Brown try to match that by mentoring newcomers and keeping the group engaged. Brown summed up their approach simply: bring energy, enjoy the game and set the standard in how they compete.
Brown enters his third season as Arizona’s starting middle linebacker and came off a career-best campaign with 93 tackles last year, second only to an NFL-bound teammate. The Chandler native (6-2, 228) has accumulated 168 career tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, several forced and recovered fumbles and an interception. Coaches praise his attention to detail and preparation — linebackers coach Josh Bringuel pointed to Brown’s meticulous note-taking and his willingness to teach younger players as examples of why he’s become a model of the program’s process.
Kennedy’s path is different but complementary. A Dallas native who began at Utah and transferred in 2024, he converted from defensive end to an off-ball linebacker/edge rusher last season and produced solid numbers: 42 tackles, four sacks and seven quarterback hurries. Bringuel and Gonzales have highlighted Kennedy’s physical traits, work ethic and the credibility he’s earned through play and preparation. The coaching staff likes how the two leaders balance each other — one may be louder at times while the other leads by example — and how they push teammates and each other to improve.
Arizona’s linebacker room also gained reinforcements via the transfer portal. Everett Roussaw, a 6-2, 235-pound defender who began at UAB and spent a season at Memphis, brings experience and production — he compiled significant tackle and TFL totals across his stops. Cooper Blomstrom, a 6-2, 245-pound pass-rushing threat from Georgetown, offers speed and physicality up front, having produced double-digit sacks over his final two seasons. Coaches and teammates credit both newcomers for quickly integrating, studying the system and bringing an edge that should translate into meaningful roles in the Wildcats’ 3-3-5 looks and four-linebacker packages.
Beyond the leaders and transfers, Arizona returns depth in Jabari Mann, Myron Robinson, Leviticus Su’a and others. Robinson is rehabbing from a season-ending knee injury but has been committed to meetings and preparation as he works toward being ready for September. Freshman Dash Fifita has also drawn attention for his football IQ and quick grasp of the defense — he performed a detailed diagram of the scheme in a position room test to the coaches’ surprise — and he and quarterback Noah Fifita have enjoyed the new experience of being teammates and roommates. Overall, the linebacker room blends experienced voices, incoming talent and high-effort young players as the Wildcats build toward the fall.
