Dominic Lolesio Explains Offseason Improvement With Arizona

The spring football season is often a time when we hear about how much certain players have improved and that they "could have a breakout season this fall."

For the Arizona Wildcats, one of those players routinely mentioned this spring has been redshirt junior defensive lineman Dominic Lolesio, who has played briefly in his previous three years with the program. As the Wildcats look to replenish their defense and build on an outstanding 2025-26 campaign, Lolesio will be a huge factor, and according to defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales, he's the most improved player on the unit.

Arizona defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales says edge rusher Dominic Lolesio "is the most improved player on our football team and it ain't even close."
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) April 11, 2026

Lolesio and the Defensive Line

Lolesio's spring breakout may come as a surprise to some, as he has appeared sparingly throughout his career at Arizona. He only appeared in four games as a freshman in 2023, preserving his redshirt, then kicked it up a notch with 26 tackles and a sack in 12 games the following season.

He played quite a bit as a rotational player in 2025, but his numbers dropped slightly. So what's the difference now? And can the Wildcats rely on him to be a playmaker?

"I'm able to play more fast and more physical," Lolesio told the media after Thursday's practice. "I know the scheme inside and out for the most part. We add little tweaks here and there, but just being able to play more fast is really it."

That should help Lolesio tremendously as he transitions from a part-time rotational player to an everyday guy in the trenches, though he'll have to continue earning reps as the offseason continues.

arizona footbal — Aug 30, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats defensive lineman Dominic Lolesio (42) celebrates after a tackle during the third quarter of the game against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Leadership

Lolesio is also now an upperclassman and a leader of the defensive line. There are a couple of seniors and a few fellow redshirt juniors, and the rest are sophomores and freshmen. That's not taking anything away from the younger players, but the older guys have had more time to soak in the defense and prepare to play together with knowledge of how everyone fits.

And that can be a huge advantage as they grow together and reach their respective potentials at once.

"It wasn't just me. It was all the guys around here," Lolesio added. "We come in to work every single day. Coach Joe [Salave'a] always says, 'Blue-collared mindset. Bring your hard hat every day.' So, it's not really me myself. It's the guys around me. ... It's a collective thing, not just one."

That hard-nosed mentality and the veteran experience in the room have Arizona placing much of its faith in the defensive line. With an entirely new backend in the secondary, its effort and success will tell much of the story this season. For it to go the way they hope, new players will need to step up, and a new and improved Dominic Lolesio is at the top of the list.

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