NCAAF News

Home

Teams

Quizzes

Newsletter

Power Rankings

What Does Garnes Bring to Arizona?

Originally posted on Arizona Wildcats on SI
By Nathaniel Martinez | Last updated Aug 18, 2025 10:00 AM ET

There is just two weeks until the Arizona Wildcats take the field on August 30 at home against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors and the defense has kicked up the intensity in preparation for it.

It is almost a completely different unit from last year, save a few veterans from 2024's squad that had an underwhelming season in which Arizona went 4-8 and finished ranked No. 13 in total defense in the Big 12, 104th nationally.

The new look defense lost one cornerback to the transfer portal in Tacario Davis, who is now reunited with former head coach Jedd Fisch at Washington.

Despite the major loss in Davis, the Wildcats gained more experience and depth by signing Jay'vion Cole (Texas), Michael Dansby (San Jose State) and Ayden Garnes.

Garnes, a redshirt senior, has made his way up from the FCS level at Duquesne to the FBS level with the Mountaineers and now hopes to finish his career on a strong note with the Wildcats. He signed with Arizona back in January.

"I chose here because I felt like it was the best spot for me personally," Garnes said. "With the cornerbacks that were leaving and then the cornerbacks coming in, I felt like it was a good spot for me and my family, knowing it was going to be far, just talking to Coach chip and how he came off to me, I knew it was I knew it was a fit."

the 6-foot, 183-pound Philadelphia, PA product stands out as a versatile cornerback that can line up as both slot and boundary, making him a potential key piece of the defensive unit.

Vinney's Stance

Having a multi-faceted player such as Garnes makes Viney "Just excited" to have the option of plugging him in any spot.

Viney added, "When we get into game week, we sit down and start game planning where we're going to start him out. He's a young man, he's highly competitive. He's willing to play anywhere, whether it's inside, outside and he's a young man that I think can really, really bring value to our defense and this team."

Of the two other transfers, Garnes has experience in the Big 12, given his time with the Mountaineers, albeit he only played six games before his season was cut short due to injury.

"I know what comes to win," Garnes said. "We didn't win that much, but these games are going to be fourth-quarter games, and I've been in those. So just knowing that, and being in that, once we get in these fourth-quarter games this year, it's going to be easy.

In that short span, Garnes had 25 tackles, one pass deflection and an interception. In three seasons with both Duquesne and West Virginia, Garnes amassed 109 tackles, 12 pass breakups and four interceptions.

With experience on the field comes the opportunity to take on a leadership role, something that Garnes has fully embraced during his short time at Arizona.

"There's been a lot of guys that have already been here and solidified themselves as leaders," Garnes said. "I do what I can... So just trying to give as much game as I can to those guys (Cole and Dansby) and the younger guys in the room."

Garnes doesn't just possess the makings of a leader on the field, but off the field as well. Over two years ago, while he was still at Duquesne, Garnes donated bone marrow to a mother overseas and went through with the transplant in Boston.

He then helped the National Marrow Donor Program with an event around the Arizona campus after transferring over, called the "Get in the Game Swab Drive". The drive was conducted on April 30.

Many teammates participated in the drive, but so far no matches have been found yet, according to Garnes. He hopes that "in the next couple of months, maybe we can."

Defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales' 3-3-5 defense requires aggressive attacks from the front seven that will leave the cornerbacks on an island with the receiver they're guarding most of the time.

That is a challenge that Garnes understands and feels that he and his teammates have prepared for over spring and fall camp.

"Knowing where our help is at is the biggest thing," Garnes said. "Knowing where our help is at with certain splits and sometimes we are going to be on an island. Obviously, everybody pretty much knows that. But just being confident, that's why we do 1-on-1s, that's why we're in those types of situations right now. So in 13 days, when we are on our island and we do go through those situations, it's going to be like practice."

Be sure to follow our page for more stories and updates from fall training camp leading up to the start of the season. Click the link to find our page on X.

This article first appeared on Arizona Wildcats on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: