Arizona offensive assistant Lyle Moevao is being promoted to running backs coach, as announced by head coach Brent Brennan on Monday. Moevao is replacing Alonzo Carter who Sacramento State hired as head coach earlier this month.
Brennan and Moevao originally worked on the Oregon State staff together from 2013 through 2016. Brennan was the Oregon State wide receivers coach from 2011 through 2016. Moevao was the offensive quality control assistant coach for RBs in 2013 and 2014 and for quarterbacks in 2015 and 2016.
Brennan hired Moevao as a defensive analyst in 2021 when he was the head coach at San Jose State. Moevao was an offensive analyst for QBs under Brennan at San Jose State in 2022 and 2024. When Brennan was hired at Arizona, he brought Moevao with him as QBs coach.
The hiring of Seth Doege as offensive coordinator and QB coach during the 2025 offseason necessitated the move of Moevao to assistant RBs coach. When Carter was hired by Sacramento State, that left the open position for Moevao to move into.
Brent Brennan on the loss of Alonzo Carter and promoting Lyle Moevao to RB coach: pic.twitter.com/Hsd2YMRkr2
— Troy Hutchison (@THutch1995) December 22, 2025
Moevao is 10th in Oregon State history with 3,410 passing yards. Oregon State was 11-4 with Moevao as the starting QB, where he played from 2006 through 2009. Moevao also coached at Lewis and Clark College, with the San Antonio Commanders of the Alliance of American Football and Northern Colorado.
With Moevao assisting Carter and Doege in 2025, running back Ismail Mahdi was named second-team All-Big XII. Arizona enters the Holiday Bowl against SMU, 77th nationally, averaging 150.42 rushing yards per game. The Wildcats were 12th in the Big XII in rushing YPG.
Mahdi is ninth in the Big XII, averaging 65.92 rushing YPG and 15th in the conference, posting 73.9 scrimmage YPG. Quincy Craig and Kedrick Reescano have eligibility remaining beyond the 2025 season and should provide Moevao and good foundation to work with in 2026.