On the same day Arizona announces the hiring of a beloved former player to coach the defensive line a recruit with almost the exact dimensions commits to the Wildcats.
Coincidence? Probably. Or maybe it’s a sign of things to come.
Late Thursday night the UA landed a commitment from junior college defensive tackle Leroy Palu, choosing the Wildcats over offers from Utah State and West Virginia. He will have two seasons of eligibility and is expected to contribute immediately to the interior of Arizona’s D-line.
COMMITTED!!! @ArizonaFBall @CerritosFB @DavyGnodle @GrosfeldDean @CoachJohnson32_ @CoachJsalavea @CoachGonz pic.twitter.com/ceCLT1SoXZ
— Leroy Palu (@PaluLeroy) January 10, 2025
The 6-foot-3, 295-pound Palu spent the past two seasons at Cerritos College in California, and in 2024 he had 39 tackles (13.5 for loss) with 5.5 sacks in nine games. He’ll make for a big addition to a defensive line that will be coached in 2025 by Joe Salave’a, a member of the Desert Swarm teams of the mid-1990s who was hired Thursday.
Palu is the second JUCO defensive lineman Arizona has added this offseason, along with 6-7, 365-pound Australian Zac Siulepa. The Wildcats also signed a trio of prep defensive linemen and three from the NCAA transfer portal, most recently ex-Wyoming defensive end Braden Siders.
The UA will have at least 47 newcomers on its 2025 roster, though that number is expected to grow.