The pieces of Brent Brennan's first staff at Arizona are beginning to fall into place, and the Wildcats took a major step forward in completing the group Wednesday. Brennan and the program announced 10 new members of his staff headlined by the return of Duane Akina as the new UA defensive coordinator.

In all, seven full-time coaches were announced including four of the expected five offensive coaches. Three support staff members were also announced as new additions for the Wildcats.

Akina is the biggest name among the group, and his hiring as defensive coordinator marks a return to Tucson for the longtime college coach. He stepped into a bigger role during the season after arriving to UA as an analyst, but he soon moved on to Texas after the 2023 campaign came to an end.

That move to Austin with former defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen was short lived, however, and he is now back in the mix at UA where he will lead the entire defense in 2024.

Akina has previously been a coordinator at Arizona, and he has deep ties to the program and a connection to its new head coach through Dick Tomey. During the 2023 season, Akina helped the Wildcats' turnaround defensively as the team ranked inside the top 50 in total defense after finishing 2022 at No. 124.

His move back to Arizona was previously reported earlier in the week.

A couple members of Akina's defensive staff were announced Wednesday as well including another in-house hire for the Wildcats. Brett Arce has been on staff at Arizona for three years as a defensive analyst helping in the secondary, particularly the safeties and nickels.

Arce came to UA from USC where he helped the secondary and linebacker groups. Though his name may be an unfamiliar one to many fans, Arce has had a hand in helping the Wildcats bring together their recruiting classes in recent years.

He was one of the staffers tabbed with hitting the road last spring to recruit for UA while Ricky Hunley recovered from knee surgery and was unable to actively recruit on behalf of the Wildcats.

Arizona recently learned that several key defensive backs would be returning to the team when Gunner Maldonado, Dalton Johnson and Treydan Stukes announced their plans to continue their careers in Tucson.

Rounding out the defensive staff announcements Wednesday was Joe Seumalo, who spent the last seven seasons with Brennan at SJSU. The Honolulu, Hawaii native has had an extensive background coaching at several different levels including at Oregon State, Arizona State and UNLV.

He had two separate stints with the Spartans and rejoined the staff in 2017 where he has been the defensive line coach.

Seumalo's biggest task will be retaining the players already on the roster. Two key defensive ends, Isaiah Ward and Russell Davis II, both entered their names into the NCAA Transfer Portal on Wednesday.

Click here to read more about the new UA defensive staff addition.

It was reported Wednesday that Arizona will also hire former New Mexico head coach Danny Gonzalez to lead the linebackers and special teams units under Brennan.

Under its previous staff, Arizona worked to build connections in the Bay Area, and the addition of Alonzo Carter as assistant head coach and running backs coach gives the Wildcats a clear path to that part of the country. A former high school and junior college coach of the Bay Area, Carter has connections in the region and has been on an upward path throughout his career.

He quickly became the recruiting coordinator at SJSU one year into his time on staff and eventually earned the title of assistant head coach for Brennan in 2021. An Oakland native, UA's new running backs coach has worked with several different NFL players from the area including Marshawn Lynch and Keenan Allen.

Click here to learn more about the background of the new UA running backs coach.

Arizona made the hiring of former standout receiver Bobby Wade official Wednesday as well. The former Arizona State senior offensive analyst served as receivers coach in Tempe for two seasons after working as a graduate assistant for the Sun Devils.

The move to Tucson marks a return to a place Wade called home for four seasons as he eventually went on to become one of the most prolific pass catchers in program history.

Wade was selected by the Chicago Bears in the 2003 NFL Draft before embarking on a seven-year career in the league with multiple teams.

Click here to read more about the addition for the former UA star.

Arizona has been able to retain much of its top talent along the offensive line, and the group will get a chance to work with a coach who has gone through some unique experiences during his time in the profession.

Josh Oglesby was officially named to Brennan's staff at UA on Wednesday giving him an opportunity to continue working alongside the new Wildcats coach after spending the last four years together at San Jose State.

The Milwaukee native played at Wisconsin before moving into the coaching ranks as a graduate assistant at his alma mater. He then went on to coach at Oregon State and UTEP as a quality control assistant before coaching tight ends for the San Antonio Commanders of the AAF and the Seattle Dragons of the XFL.

He joined Brennan at SJSU in 2020 and would go on to become the run game coordinator in addition to his work with the offensive line.

Click here to learn more about Arizona's new offensive line coach.

Rounding out the staff for now on offense is Matt Adkins, who will serve as tight ends and pass game coordinator at Arizona after seven seasons on Brennan's staff at SJSU. The Washington native began his time with the Spartans as an offensive graduate assistant in 2017 before moving into a full-time role working with the tight ends.

Adkins has guided multiple players from SJSU to the NFL at the tight end position including Josh Oliver, who was drafted in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Click here for more background on the new tight ends coach and pass game coordinator in Tucson.

Arizona has yet to name an offensive coordinator, but there is one name that continues to gain traction as Brennan works toward completing his first staff. Click here to learn what GOAZCATS.com is hearing about the next UA offensive coordinator.

• Ben Thienes (chief of staff)

• Lyle Moevao (offensive analyst | QBs)

• James Perez (assistant director of strength and conditioning)

Cullen Carroll was previously announced as the new director of strength and conditioning earlier in the week.

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