When experience accumulates over time, it becomes wisdom.
For Arizona linebackers Taye Brown and Chase Kennedy, their experiences playing college football over the last few years have steered them into leadership roles for their last season.
Brown and Kennedy's vocal leadership has been on display this spring. The leadership "is natural, but we've also been around for a long time," said Kennedy. Arizona defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales said Brown and Kennedy "have stepped up in an elite manner."
"Coaches push you to elevate on the field, but off the field, as well," Kennedy said. "We do the best we can to bring the guys along — young guys, new guys, freshmen and even guys who've been here. The longer you've been in the program, the more comfort and trust you get with people. We try to bring that juice and energy any time we can."
Brown said, "It's natural for both of us, just coming out to bring juice every day."
"That's the type of players we are," he added. "Just go out there and have juice and have fun with it. At the end of the day, it's a game we love."
Brown and Kennedy will take on larger roles this season, especially after the Wildcats lost senior linebackers Max Harris and Riley Wilson. Harris' leadership "inspired me to step out of my shell," Kennedy said.
Brown is entering his third season as Arizona's starting middle linebacker. After a mild sophomore season, Brown had a career-high 93 tackles last season — the second-most tackles behind NFL-bound safety Dalton Johnson. The 6-2, 228-pound Chandler product has 168 tackles, 12.5 stops for loss, four sacks, five pass deflections, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception in his career.
"Taye Brown is one of the best linebackers in the Big 12, if not the best," Gonzales said. "I've tried my tail off to out-recruit him, and I can't. That is fantastic."
Gonzales is "always trying to motivate me and push me to be my best and not let me get comfortable," Brown said.
"It started last year with the guys he brought in," Brown added. "We brought in really good guys, like Max Harris and Riley Wilson. (Gonzales has) pushed me to be my best every day. We brought in some new guys this year, like (Memphis transfer Everett Roussaw and Georgetown transfer Cooper Blomstrom), they're good, as well. He pushes me to be my best or else I'm going to get my spot taken."
Brown "is the ultimate display of process," said linebackers coach Josh Bringuel.
"Taye is a good football player and a good athlete," Bringuel said. "As a good coach, you always want to out-recruit your players. … I haven't been around somebody who's so diligent with day-one notes. When I do day-one notes with the freshmen, he's still there taking front-row notes. He knows this stuff and he's teaching the young guys. … It's beyond just what are we doing, but why we are doing it."
Kennedy, a Dallas native who started his career at Utah and transferred to Arizona in 2024, was a defensive end before switching to off-ball linebacker last season. In his linebacker-edge rushing role last season, Kennedy had 42 tackles, four sacks and seven quarterback hurries.
The 6-3, 230-pound Kennedy "has all the tools to be successful," Bringuel said.
"He has all the physical attributes and the work ethic to back that up," said Arizona's linebackers coach.
The resumes of Kennedy and Brown have positioned them to have a voice to go with their experience.
"Leadership is a funny thing," Bringuel said. "When you're naturally a good football player, and you've made plays, you have a voice on the team. Those are guys who have experience. They have cred on the team, like, 'Hey, you're a good player.' They've also earned that respect with how hard they've been working.
Added Bringuel: "You'll see Chase more vocal one period, Taye the other. There's no one way to lead. You have to find your voice. … They've done a fantastic job of modeling it. They challenge each other, Chase and Taye do. I've been impressed by how much they've stepped into that role and have taken it on.
"It's exciting for them, because they want that. They want that opportunity to lead the way, modeling the behavior and then pulling everyone when it's not right — and challenge each other."Setting the tone for the reinforcements