Brett Arce enters his sixth season with the Wildcats, and his third in his current role steering the safeties room, in 2026. He was promoted to his current role by head coach Brent Brennan in January 2024. Prior to his promotion from 2021–23, Arce spent three years on the Wildcats staff as a defensive analyst working with the program’s safeties and nickel backs.
Among his many accomplishments, Arce's Arizona career is highlighted by the performances of Treydan Stukes, Genesis Smith, and Dalton Johnson during the 2025 season. The Wildcats safety trio led one of the nation's premier pass defenses in 2025, providing veteran experience in a unit that finished the year ranked second nationally with 22 interceptions, first nationally in pass efficiency defense, and seventh nationally in passing yards allowed. Following the season, all three were selected in the NFL Draft — they were joined by cornerback Michael Dansby, giving Arizona four defensive backs selected and tying an NFL Draft record for most defensive backs taken in a single draft from the same program.
Arce's development led both Stukes and Johnson to earn First Team All-Big 12 honors in 2025, while Smith picked up All-Big 12 Honorable Mention recognition. Stukes was further honored as a Third Team AP All-American.
During his time as a defensive analyst with the Wildcats, Arce helped provide academic, athletic, and interpersonal direction for the Arizona safeties room. Additionally, he assisted with meeting room agendas, on-field drills, practice plan, and game plan development, along with numerous other responsibilities.
Arce helped Arizona make one of the greatest leaps in defensive rankings in the nation from 2022 to 2023, with Arizona improving from 124th in the nation in total defense in 2022 (467.7 yards per game) all the way to 48th last season (357.9 yards per game), an improvement of over 100 yards per game. Over that same span the Wildcats secondary jumped from four interceptions to nine and dropped their passing efficiency defense from 153.02 to 127.31, the latter of which represented a vault of 79 spots in the national rankings.
The Wildcats defensive improvements, particularly in the secondary, were a crucial piece of the team’s Alamo Bowl berth and victory over Oklahoma.
Before his time at Arizona, Arce spent the 2018-20 seasons in a defensive quality control role with USC, assisting with the Trojans safeties and linebackers. He was promoted into the role following two-plus years in a graduate assistant role with USC. Arce’s time with the Trojans included a Rose Bowl win over Penn State following the 2016 season and a Pac-12 Championship and Cotton Bowl berth in 2017.
Across all of his coaching stops, Arce has helped guide eight NFL Draft selections, including first round pick cornerback Adoree Jackson, second round pick outside linebacker Drake Jackson, and All-American and First Team All-Pro selection safety Talanoa Hufunga.
Arce’s coaching career has also included stops at his alma mater, Stony Brook, where he served in multiple roles, and West Hills Community College.
He is a two-time graduate from Stony Brook University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in history in 2011 and a master's in liberal arts in 2012. During his early coaching years, Arce also logged time as an part-time history professor at West Hills Community College.
Brett Arce Coaching History
- 2024–present: Arizona (Assistant Coach - Safeties)
- 2021–23: Arizona (Defensive Analyst)
- 2019–20: USC (Defensive Quality Control Analyst)
- 2016–18: USC (Graduate Assistant)
- 2015: Stony Brook (Assistant Coach - Tight Ends)
- 2014: Stony Brook (Assistant Coach - Wide Receivers)
- 2013: West Hills CC (Football Assistant Coach / Men's Basketball Assistant Coach)
Last updated: May 5, 2026
