Arizona's Hunter Embracing Leadership Role Through Spring Camp
In this story:
The Arizona Wildcats are in their third week of spring football, and the team is starting to take shape after the 2025-2026 season, which saw them go 9-4, finish ranked 21st in the AP Poll, and appear in the Trust & Will Holiday Bowl.
Arizona will be looking to build off last season's success and carry that momentum over into the 2026-2027 season. One area in particular that has questions surrounding it is the safety room. Plenty of new faces fill that group, along with returning ones.
Third-year safety Gavin Hunter is one of the returning players and looks poised to see much more time on the field, given Stukes' departure. Hunter filled in for Stukes while he was out and still rehabbing the knee injury that kept him out of the bulk of the 2024 season.
With Genesis Smith and Dalton Johnson also gearing up for the NFL Draft, Hunter might line up in spots other than the nickel back position.
Safety Coach Brett Arce Gives Praise to Hunter
With Smith, Johnson, and Stukes out of eligibility and headed to the draft, the safety room has been left without a clear leader to motivate the group. Transfers Cam Chappa and Malcolm Hartzog have joined the team and are eager to earn their spot, but Hunter, who has been with the Wildcats for two seasons, knows the system.
Safety coach Brett Arce is well aware of Hunter's abilities and believes that he can be the voice that leads the room.
"I'm so proud of Gav [Gavin Hunter] and all the growth he has made on and off the field has been tremendous," Arce said. "I'm super proud of him last year, being the guy early on, and then we had discussions about how we're going to manage [Treydan] Stukes and when the time does come, he was going to take it, and he was all on board with it."
"Gavin is a great student of the game and just seeing how they operate, how Stukes would do things... I'm so proud of Gavin and all his growth, and you know his best football is definitely ahead of him."
Hunter Ready To Take On Leadership Role
Hunter mostly played on special teams last season, but when Stukes was out for the beginning of the season, he filled in and showed flashes of a player who's ready to be a starter. In the first two games of the season, Hunter amassed four total tackles and an interception.
Hunter started in the Holiday Bowl as well when Stukes opted not to play to prepare for the draft and recorded eight tackles and one pass breakup. Now that Stukes is gone, Hunter's opportunity to take the starting job and lead the defense is here.
"It's no secret. We lost three leaders, three team captains, three guys. That was the heartbeat of our team," Hunter said. "So definitely coaches told me, 'You're going to have to step up.' Take that leadership role and I've definitely just been embracing it."
Hunter Helping New Players Adapt to Arizona Football
The Wildcats have seen a handful of new safeties coming in, looking to prove that they can help the team continue to be successful. As one of the returners, Hunter feels it is up to him to help them acclimate to Wildcat football.
"I have a different perspective than the new guys coming in, so I'm able to just help them adapt easier," Hunter said on how his experience helps the new players. "Just being here a few years, knowing how everything goes, knowing how Coach Arce [coaches] and third year with Coach G [Danny Gonzales], Coach Brennan, just everybody."
"Knowing how they are, the standard of Red Line, being able to set the example for all the boys coming in, and I feel like that side of things. The standard I would say up upholding the standard."
Nathaniel Martinez and a set of shoulder pads at 7 years old. He later graduated from Pima Community College in 2023, where he began writing for the Pima Post. He is working to achieve a Bachelor’s in Mass Communication and Media Studies.