Arizona's Joe Salave'a Prepares Defensive Line for Another Dominant Season

Veteran coach looks to build on last year's success with experienced group of returning starters

Apr. 19, 2026 at 11:20am

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting the abstract, geometric forms of college football defensive linemen engaged in intense, overlapping movements on the field.Arizona's veteran defensive line coach Joe Salave'a is molding his experienced group of linemen into a fearsome, disruptive unit that could anchor the Wildcats' defense in the upcoming season.Tucson Today

Arizona defensive line coach Joe Salave'a is working to prepare his group of veteran defensive linemen for another strong season in the Big 12. With most of last year's starters returning, including standouts like Mays Pese, Leroy Palu, and Julian Savaiinaea, Salave'a is focused on continuing to develop the unit's technique and football IQ to be a dominant force up front.

Why it matters

The defensive line is expected to be a key strength for the Wildcats this season as they look to build on last year's success. Salave'a's experience in developing tough, physical defensive fronts will be crucial in Arizona's quest to compete for a Big 12 title.

The details

Salave'a, who is in his second season with the Wildcats, has the luxury of returning most of his starting defensive line from 2025. Veterans like Pese, Palu, Savaiinaea, Tre Smith, and Dominic Lolesio will anchor the unit, while newcomers like Keytrin Harris, Prince Williams, and Victory Johnson have also impressed with their maturity and football IQ. Salave'a is pushing his group to elevate their technique and effort to an even higher level, emphasizing that 'good' is not good enough and they must strive to be 'great'.

  • Arizona wrapped up its fourth week of spring practice on Saturday.
  • The Wildcats have just one more week of spring ball before a break prior to the start of summer training camp.
  • The 2026 season opener is scheduled for August 30th.

The players

Joe Salave'a

Arizona's associate head coach and defensive line coach, who has extensive experience developing tough, physical defensive fronts at multiple stops in his coaching career, including the Wildcats, Washington State, Oregon, and Miami.

Mays Pese

A standout defensive lineman returning for the Wildcats in 2026.

Leroy Palu

A veteran defensive lineman back for another season with the Arizona defense.

Julian Savaiinaea

One of the leaders of the Wildcats' defensive line group, returning for the 2026 campaign.

Brent Brennan

The head coach of the Arizona Wildcats, who has established a strong culture that Salave'a is working to uphold.

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What they’re saying

“We're always gonna evaluate our guys on a daily basis because it's important. The line of scrimmage game is where we're going to win some of these close ones, and we're going to lose some of these hard-fought games.”

— Joe Salave'a, Defensive Line Coach

“We can't bring talent to Tucson here at the University of Arizona if they don't fit the culture that [head] coach [Brent] Brennan has established here. That is the other piece of why we're moving in a very meticulous way and not just getting kids that are better talent. That character's got to supersede the talent because this is not a daycare center.”

— Joe Salave'a, Defensive Line Coach

“Those things have a weird way of filtering through our players and I think coach Brennan doesn't get enough credit for keeping that intact in the last 12 months. With the way collegiate football is, not just for the players, but for the coaches, the turnaround and movement going on, that is probably one of the unique things about our staff and we're able to keep everybody together.”

— Joe Salave'a, Defensive Line Coach

What’s next

The Wildcats will have one more week of spring practice before taking a break prior to the start of summer training camp, where the defensive line will continue to refine its technique and chemistry ahead of the 2026 season opener on August 30th.

The takeaway

Arizona's defensive line, led by veteran coach Joe Salave'a, is poised to be a dominant unit in the Big 12 this season. With an experienced group of returning starters and a focus on developing technique and effort, the Wildcats' defensive front could be the key to the team's success in 2026.