Mahdi, Harris rejoin Wildcats as Arizona football awaits clarity on eligibility

Arizona football suddenly has two of its most experienced playmakers back in the fold, giving Tucson fans a reason for renewed optimism while leaving the Wildcats with a major unanswered question. Running back Ismail Mahdi and linebacker Max Harris have rejoined the team after a federal court ruling opened a path for certain 2022 college athletes to compete during the 2026 to 27 season. Their return strengthens two position groups, but neither player yet knows whether he will be available from the opening snap.

Mahdi and Harris appeared at Arizona’s latest fall training camp practice after being added to the roster. Mahdi, the Wildcats’ leading rusher last season, worked with the running backs and new position coach Lyle Moevao on the sidelines at the Dick Tomey Practice Fields. Harris arrived near the end of practice to watch the defense and begin reconnecting with the group. Their presence looked similar to Arizona adding two important transfers, except both players already know the program, the coaches and the defensive and offensive systems.

Head coach Brent Brennan welcomed the players back, pointing to both their production and their character. Mahdi and Harris had transferred to Arizona from Texas State before last season and quickly became important contributors. Mahdi led the Wildcats with 859 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Harris ranked third on the team in tackles, behind former safety Dalton Johnson and current linebacker Taye Brown. Harris has recorded 201 tackles during his college career and played 1,796 defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

Their return became possible because of a recent ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte Sweeney in Colorado. The decision allowed members of the 2022 recruiting class who had not been grandfathered into the NCAA’s new five in five eligibility rule to compete in the upcoming season. That rule generally permits athletes to use their eligibility over five years, with the eligibility clock beginning when they enter college or turn 19. Some athletes who began college in 2022 played four seasons but were not initially granted another year.

The timing put Mahdi and Harris in an especially unusual position. Both had gone through the NFL Draft process after last season and participated in Arizona’s Pro Day, only to go undrafted in April. They had effectively been left between college football and the NFL before the ruling revived their college careers. If the court decision had arrived in January, they might have stayed with Arizona rather than working with agents and trainers to pursue professional opportunities. The change also altered Mahdi’s path away from football, including his involvement as a co founder of a Dickey’s Barbecue Pit on Thornydale Road in Tucson.

For now, however, the NCAA has not clarified whether the players will face discipline for taking part in the draft process. Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter was initially suspended for three games, later reduced to two, after accepting a $427 plane ticket following his declaration for the NFL Draft. Carter repaid the expense in full. Brennan said no one knows whether Mahdi and Harris will be suspended, and Arizona is waiting for decisions being made across college football. That uncertainty matters with the season only a little more than three weeks away.

Arizona is trying to prepare the two players without assuming they will be available for every game. Brennan said the Wildcats must be careful with their practice repetitions while their eligibility status remains unresolved. At the same time, Mahdi and Harris have extensive experience in the system, which makes their reintegration easier than starting over with newcomers. The strength and conditioning and training staffs will also monitor their physical condition. They have been away from Arizona’s regular football routine for about seven months, so their readiness will determine how quickly they can help.

Mahdi’s return creates a particularly interesting competition in a crowded backfield. Arizona has six scholarship running backs, including Mahdi, Kedrick Reescano, Quincy Craig, Marshall transfer Antwan Roberts, Wesley Yarbrough and Cornelius Warren III. Mahdi, Reescano, Craig and Roberts have combined for 6,504 rushing yards, 45 rushing touchdowns, 1,182 carries and 179 receptions, according to Pro Football Focus. Offensive coordinator Seth Doege made clear that Mahdi will not automatically reclaim the top role. Reescano and Craig have spent the offseason building their cases and, in Doege’s view, are playing at a high level.

The linebacker room is similarly deep. Brown and Chase Kennedy are established leaders, while transfers Everett Roussaw Jr. and Cooper Blomstrom are competing for opportunities. Arizona also returns Myron Robinson, Jabari Mann, Leviticus Su’a and Coleman Patmon, among others, and added freshmen Dash Fifita and Jaden Parker. Brennan said Mahdi and Harris first need to reestablish their place on a team that has been working together for eight months. They will not be asked to immediately assume leadership roles, and their playing time will be handled carefully. For Tucson, the payoff could be substantial if both return to their 2025 form, but the Wildcats must first get clarity from the NCAA and determine how these two familiar faces fit into a roster that continued developing without them.