Just before 蜜柚直播 held its sixth practice of the spring, some of the Wildcats鈥� latest transfer-portal additions in offensive lineman Alexander Doost, defensive tackle Chubba 惭补鈥檃别, defensive end Tre Smith and offensive lineman Ryan Stewart spoke to the media about their journey to the UA.

Here鈥檚 how they ended up in 蜜柚直播 鈥� and how they fit into 蜜柚直播鈥檚 roster:

Alexander Doost

Position: Offensive line

Hometown (former school): Phoenix (Northwestern)

The rundown: Doost was brought in by the previous coaching regime, so when offensive line coach Brennan Carroll followed head coach Jedd Fisch to Washington, 鈥渋t was a stressful week and I was trying to figure out what to do,鈥� Doost said.

鈥淚 talked to my brothers, my dad, and I ended up deciding to stay because I want to be close to them,鈥� Doost said. 鈥淲hen I was in Illinois, I didn鈥檛 get to see my family a whole lot. I wanted to have that be a part of what I鈥檓 doing.鈥�

The 6-7, 295-pound Doost was a part of the group of UA football players who announced their decision to stay during a timeout break of an 蜜柚直播-UCLA basketball game at a sold-out McKale Center.

鈥淚t was a crazy experience. I鈥檝e never been a part of something like that,鈥� Doost said. 鈥淚 felt a part of the group as we were walking in.鈥�

Doost grew up in Phoenix and his dad is a first-generation immigrant from Afghanistan. Doost鈥檚 father 鈥渨asn鈥檛 really into football鈥� and his mother and two older brothers influenced him to play the game.

鈥淗e鈥檚 definitely gotten more into football since I started playing at the collegiate level. ... It took a while but he鈥檚 definitely invested and he loves watching,鈥� Doost said.

Back in his home state, Doost is competing for reps at right guard, along with Stewart, Leif Magnuson and JT Hand. Doost comes from a tackle background, so moving inside is 鈥渁 little bit of a switch-up, but I love going out there and playing. ... Tackle is difficult and at guard, I鈥檓 able to take my technique a lot slower and take time to learn it. I鈥檓 liking it,鈥� Doost said.

Playing alongside two-year starter and right tackle Jonah Savaiinaea has made the transition easier for Doost.

鈥淚鈥檝e had to learn a whole new playbook and I鈥檝e messed up a few times,鈥� Doost said. 鈥淟uckily he鈥檚 been really patient and he鈥檚 definitely helped me understand, so does Ryan.鈥�

Chubba 惭补鈥檃别

Position: Nose tackle

Hometown (former school): Long Beach, California (UC Davis)

The rundown: Like Doost, 惭补鈥檃别 (pronounced muh-eye) was recruited by the previous coaching staff.

鈥淭he biggest reason why I stayed is the guys,鈥� 惭补鈥檃别 said. 鈥淵eah, Coach (Jason) Kaufusi and Coach (Johnny) Nansen recruited me, but the main reason why I stayed is because when I came here on my visit, we were hanging out and some of the guys鈥� house and it just felt like another Saturday at my cousin鈥檚 house. I just felt the love from the players. That鈥檚 the main reason why I stayed.鈥�

The 6-2, 347-pound senior was 鈥渢hrown into the fire鈥� as an underclassman at UC Davis due to so many players opting out from the pandemic. 惭补鈥檃别 adds much-needed depth to 蜜柚直播鈥檚 interior that has returning starter Bill Norton, rising redshirt sophomore Isaiah Johnson and redshirt junior Keanu Mailoto, among others.

Tre Smith

Position: Defensive end

Hometown (former school): Mesa (San Jose State)

The rundown: Smith is 鈥渁 tremendous player, but more importantly he鈥檚 an unbelievable guy,鈥� 蜜柚直播 defensive line coach Joe Seumalo said.

鈥淛ust a great dude and easy to coach,鈥� Seumalo added. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a great addition.鈥�

Smith, a 6-5, 255-pound graduate of Mesa鈥檚 Red Mountain High School, signed with San Jose State in 2021 before having a breakout season as a redshirt sophomore. In 2023, Smith recorded 66 tackles and 6.5 sacks and was named a first-team All-Mountain West selection.

Leading up to Smith 鈥渄ealt with some personal adversity, and in life, you have the option to either sink or swim and I decided that I was going to swim and make something out of it.鈥�

Prior to his all-conference season, Smith understudied two Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year winners in San Jose State defensive ends Viliami Fehoko Jr. and Cade Hall.

鈥淟otta great mentors around me,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淕reat players and great human beings, so I鈥檓 trying to learn anything I can from anybody.鈥�

Coming closer to home and following the staff that developed him into a high-level edge rusher was an easy sell for Smith.

鈥淭he biggest reason for me is the coaching staff. I鈥檝e been around them 鈥� this will be my fourth year now,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淣ot only do they develop you into great football players, but they make you great human beings, and I think that鈥檚 something overlooked often but it鈥檚 very important.鈥�

During Saturday鈥檚 practice at 蜜柚直播 Stadium, Smith was a part of a starting defensive line group that also had Norton, Johnson and junior Ta鈥檌ta鈥檌 Uiagalelei. 蜜柚直播 has mixed up its defensive line groups throughout spring practices, but that鈥檚 a group that could conceivably start Week 1 against New Mexico.

蜜柚直播 still has ways to go in replicating the depth on the defensive line this past season after losing eight players to the NFL or transfer portal. When Smith was at SJSU, the Spartans used 鈥渆ight to 10 guys鈥� on the defensive line in a game.

鈥淒-Line, you want depth,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淥n a team in general, you want depth, top to bottom. For D-Line, it鈥檚 a lot of work. Sometimes it does get tiring and a fresh guy might be better than you at the moment.鈥�

Ryan Stewart

Position: Offensive line

Hometown (former school): Mokena, Illinois (San Jose State)

The rundown: Stewart started three games at right guard for San Jose State in 2022 before suffering a season-ending injury that also sidelined him from playing in 2023. Following offensive line coach Josh Oglesby from San Jose State to 蜜柚直播 presented 鈥渁 great opportunity鈥� for Stewart.

鈥淐oach Oglesby, that鈥檚 my guy right there. ... He got me out to California and I was able to follow him here. ... He鈥檚 going to get you right,鈥� Stewart said. 鈥淚n the meeting room, he鈥檒l tell you exactly what to do and where you need to be 鈥� and most importantly, why you鈥檙e doing it.鈥�

Stewart said he鈥檒l play 鈥渨herever they need me, but as of right now it looks like I鈥檒l be at right guard,鈥� one of the most competitive positions available, with starter Raymond Pulido likely becoming the starter at left tackle.

Stewart鈥檚 great grandfather, Bill Stewart, is the first American-born coach to win a Stanley Cup championship, when he won with the 1938 Chicago Blackhawks; he was also a Major League Baseball umpire in the National League from 1933-54.

Extra points

Brennan said 蜜柚直播 will 鈥渄efinitely add a quarterback or two in the group鈥� this offseason to add depth. The Wildcats currently have starter Noah Fifita and backup Brayden Dorman on scholarship, with walk-on Cole Tannenbaum rounding out the group. Said Brennan: 鈥淚 feel great about what that group is doing. Obviously everyone knows how awesome Noah Fifita is, but Brayden and Cole have done some really good things the past few days 鈥� and they鈥檙e both young, they鈥檙e both freshmen. That group is going to be a lot of fun.鈥�

With the NFL Draft less than three weeks away, former Wildcat Jordan Morgan is losing buzz as a first-round pick, albeit ’s Lance Zierlein and Eric Edholm have Morgan landing in the first round to either the Baltimore Ravens at No. 30 or the San Francisco 49ers at No. 31. ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. removed Morgan from his mock draft, after initially projecting him to go No. 24 to the Dallas Cowboys, and currently has Morgan rated as the seventh-best tackle in the draft class loaded with offensive linemen.