Breaking Down Changes on Arizona's Depth Chart

Arizona wanted to get back on the right track after an underwhelming first season under Brent Brennan, where the team finished 4-8 and missed a bowl game despite preseason high expectations.

Well, after changes were made to the coaching staff and the roster, Brennan seems to have the Wildcats moving in the right direction with the team starting the year with 3-straight impressive wins over Hawaii, Weber State and Kansas State.

However, the Wildcats have gone 1-2 in their last three games, with losses to Iowa State and, most recently BYU at home this past Saturday night.

Oct 11, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats defensive back Dalton Johnson (43) tackles Brigham Young Cougars running back LJ Martin (4) during the fourth quarter of the game at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Arizona (4-2, 1-2 Big 12) was looking to stay on track after an impressive 28-point win over Oklahoma State as the Wildcats faced off against No. 18 BYU, with the game on ESPN2, showcasing two of the better defensive teams in the Big 12.

The forecast called for rain and after an hour weather delay, the game lived up to the billing of a defensive grudge match with both teams coming up with clutch stops and key takeaways to keep the offenses in check.

Oct 11, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Kris Hutson (4) celebrates a touchdown he made during the first quarter of the game against the Brigham Young Cougars at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Arizona put itself in a perfect position in the fourth quarter, up 24-14 with just over 10 minutes left in the game. However, the Wildcats saw BYU tie the game up with 19 seconds left in the game due to two pass interference calls on defensive back Michael Dansby.

In overtime, BYU went on to fight its way to an impressive 33-27 double overtime win over Arizona and keep its undefeated streak alive. The Wildcats had an opportunity to pull off the upset but fell flat in the last minutes of regulation, which led to the overtime loss.

Still, Arizona is in a solid position to make a bowl game with the Wildcats just needing two wins in the last six games to lock up the bowl berth.

Oct 11, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Chris Hunter (11) catches a touchdown pass while Brigham Young Cougars cornerback Jayden Dunlap (29) watches during the second quarter of the game at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Now, Arizona is getting geared up for a Saturday morning game against Houston and has released the depth chart for the game with a few notable changes for the upcoming game.

We at Arizona Wildcats On SI have put together our three takeaways from the latest depth chart.

Three Takeaways

Punter Returner

Oct 4, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Luke Wysong (15) runs with the ball against Oklahoma State Cowboys linebacker Ike Esonwune (25) during the first quarter of the game at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Over the last couple of games, punter returner Jeremiah Patterson has been out due to injuries forcing the Wildcats to use Luke Wysong as a returner. During that time, Wysong has been rock solid with no turnovers and has made smart decisions with the football.

Nov 30, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Jeremiah Patterson (2) against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the Territorial Cup at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Due to his success on the field, Wysong is now listed as the No. 1 punt returner with Kris Hutson as the backup returner. This means, Patterson will no longer be returning punts even when he is fully healthy.

Switch at Cornerback

Arizona has seen a rotation at the cornerback position with Marquis Groves-Killebrew and Ayden Garnes splitting time through the first six games. However, Garnes has clearly had more success on the field and the secondary seems strong when he is playing.

Sep 27, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Chase Sowell (0) is tackled by Arizona Wildcats defensive back Marquis Groves-Killebrew (5) during the second half at Jack Trice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

Now, the Wildcats have switched the two with Garnes listed as the main starter and Groves-Killebrew listed as the “or” option.

Still, at this point both players will play but Garnes is clearly making massive progress his season for the Wildcats.

Edge Rushers

Aug 30, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats defensive lineman Tre Smith (3) tackles Hawaii Rainbow Warriors quarterback Micah Alejado (12) during the third quarter of the game at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Last week, Arizona received the news that it would be losing edge rusher Tre Smith for the remainder of the season due to a surgery ending his year.

This has forced the Wildcats to mix things up on the depth chart and move Malachi Bailey to Smith’s spot and have Dominic Loleso remain on the other side.

Oct 11, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Brigham Young Cougars running back LJ Martin (4) gets tackled by the Arizona Wildcats during the first quarter of the game at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Now, we could see other options as the Wildcats and defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales mix and match throughout a game. However, on paper this is how the team is dealing with the injury.

Please be sure to share your thoughts on the changes the Wildcats have made with the depth chart ahead of the game against Houston. To do so, follow us on our X account by clicking on the link.