Arizona’s Mays Pese Reflects on Impactful Freshman Season

The Arizona Wildcats’ football team has many returners from last year’s successful season, including one of their key developmental defensive linemen.

Sophomore Mays Pese is back in Tucson this season after having an impact in his freshman season. In 2025, Pese appeared in 12 games, racking up 24 total tackles and 0.5 sacks as one of the younger guys on the defensive line. He was named a Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year Honorable Mention for his efforts.

Nov 28, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Brent Brennan against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the 99th Territorial Cup at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Wildcats as a whole surprised many by going 9-4 in Brent Brennan’s second season as the team’s head coach. The Wildcats also appeared in the Holiday Bowl, where they lost to SMU. This year, they’ll look to compete for a Big 12 title after a breakout 2025 season.

Nov 8, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats defensive lineman Mays Pese (99) against the Kansas Jayhawks at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Now entering his second season with the program, Pese reflected on what made him as impactful as he was despite his lack of collegiate experience.

“I think it was a great year to learn and develop myself,” Pese said. “I think this upcoming year is where I need to staple my feet on the ground and keep moving forward.”

In the current landscape of college football, it can be tough for inexperienced freshmen to see significant playing time on the field. In Pese’s case, he worked his way into Brent Brennan’s circle of trust very quickly, resulting in the opportunity he was given.

Nov 22, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats defensive lineman Mays Pese (99) and Julian Savaiinaea (41) against the Baylor Bears at Casino Del Sol Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

“Just believing in the work,” Pese said. “When you have nothing, and you need to prove a lot, the motor never goes down. It just keeps going up, and every day you work you feel like there's no limit. The sky is the limit every day. That’s how I felt, and that’s how I was able to prove myself and get on the field this year.”

Pese also commented on the vast number of returners that Arizona has this season, and the impact that it could have going forward.

Nov 28, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Brent Brennan (left) with wide receivers coach Bobby Wade against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the 99th Territorial Cup at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

“I think it’s great having everybody back, and not having to learn every single piece of our defense,” Pese said. “Having vets back helps us move this thing forward faster.”

Jan 2, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Brent Brennan (left) and SMU Mustangs head coach Rhett Lashlee shake hands after the Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Pese will look to take another step forward in his sophomore season. After a strong freshman season that was key to his development, Pese can become one of the top performers in the Wildcats’ defense in a short amount of time if he continues to trend upwards next season and beyond.