• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Phoenix Sports Today

Phoenix Sports News Continuously Updated

  • Cardinals
  • Diamondbacks
  • Coyotes
  • Basketball
    • Mercury
    • Suns
  • Soccer
  • Colleges
    • Arizona State
    • Grand Canyon University
    • Northern Arizona
    • University of Arizona

Arizona football: A look at Wildcats’ linebackers entering 2025 training camp

July 26, 2025 by AZ Desert Swarm

arizona-wildcats-football-linebackers-position-preview-preseason-camp-brown-kennedy-wilson-harris
Photo by Christopher Hook/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Arizona will begin its second preseason training camp under coach Brent Brennan on July 30, a month of workouts and practices to get the Wildcats prepared for the 2025 season that opens Aug. 30 against Hawaii

To get you primed for camp, we’re breaking down each position group on the roster. Today we focus on the linebackers.

Players on roster: 12

Projected starters: Taye Brown (Jr.), Chase Kennedy (R-Jr.)

Brown started all but one game last season and has appeared in all 25 contests the past two years. His 69 tackles in 2024 were second-most on the team, and that came with two for loss along with 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. According to Pro Football Focus, his 78.1 tackling grade was third on the team and tops among returners.

Kennedy, who last season played mostly on the edge, will line up a little further back this fall but still be a big part of the pass rush. He had 20 QB pressures and 14 hurries last season, getting five tackles for loss and two sacks while starting eight games.

Top backups: Blake Gotcher (R-Sr.), Max Harris (Sr.), Riley Wilson (R-Sr.)

Arizona went heavy on linebackers in the transfer portal, picking up this trio that each put up big numbers at their previous school. Gotcher led FCS with 162 tackles while at Northwestern State, Harris was among Texas State’s top tacklers and Wilson’s 86.7 overall PFF grade last year at Montana is second-best among returning linebackers in the Big 12.

Newcomer most likely to make instant impact: Wilson

If Arizona at any point goes to a three-linebacker alignment Wilson will be the first man up for that extra spot and has the skill set to surpass both Brown and Kennedy as the top man in the middle of the defense. He could be the Wildcats’ most impactful defensive transfer of the portal era.

Coaching outlook

Josh Bringuel takes over the linebackers role previously held by Danny Gonzales, who was elevated to defensive coordinator. Bringuel has coached in the ACC, Big Ten and Mountain West with his most recent gig at Nebraska, and he was prepared to join longtime colleague Tony White at Florida State before Arizona swooped in and added him.

Next up: Secondary

Filed Under: University of Arizona

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Snake Bytes 7/26: Holding the Line
  • Suns rumored to be considering ridiculous roster change
  • Monti Keeps An Eye Out, And Camp Practice Aftermath
  • Diamondbacks Designate Trevor Richards For Assignment
  • 35 days until kickoff, and Jesus Gomez is looking to take the wheel for Arizona State special teams

Categories

Archives

Our Partners

All Sports

  • 247 Sports
  • ArizonaSports.com - 98.7 FM
  • Bleacher Report
  • Heat Waved
  • OurSports Central
  • The Arizona Republic
  • The Sports Fan Journal
  • USA Today

Baseball

  • Arizona Diamondbacks
  • AZ Snake Pit
  • Last Word On Baseball
  • MLB Trade Rumors
  • Venom Strikes

Basketball

  • Phoenix Suns
  • Amico Hoops
  • Basketball Insiders
  • Bright Side Of The Sun
  • High Post Hoops
  • Hoops Hype
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Last Word On Pro Basketball
  • Pro Basketball Talk
  • Real GM
  • Valley Of The Suns

Football

  • Arizona Cardinals
  • Cardinals Gab
  • Cards Wire
  • Deep Dive
  • Last Word On Pro Football
  • NFL Trade Rumors
  • Our Turf Football
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Football Talk
  • Raising Zona
  • Revenge Of The Birds
  • Words From The Birds

Hockey

  • Elite Prospects
  • Five For Howling
  • Howlin Hockey
  • Last Word On Hockey
  • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Talk
  • The Hockey Writers

Soccer

  • Last Word on Soccer
  • MLS Multiplex

College

  • AZ Desert Swarm
  • Busting Brackets
  • College Football News
  • College Sports Madness
  • Devils In Detail
  • House Of Sparky
  • Last Word On College Basketball - Univ of Arizona
  • Saturday Blitz
  • Zags Blog
  • Zona Zealots

Copyright © 2025 · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in