Grading The Arizona Defense Overall Through Seven Games

We take a look at the production of the Arizona defense through a 4-3 start to the season.

Sep 6, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Weber State Wildcats quarterback Jackson Gilkey (2) gets tackled by the Arizona Wildcats during the second quarter of the game at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Arizona is officially heading into its bye week at 4-3 overall and 1-3 in Big 12 conference play, coming off back-to-back losses against BYU in double overtime at home and on a field goal as time expired on the road against Houston.

Oct 11, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Brent Brennan celebrate during the second quarter of the game against the Brigham Young Cougars at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

The Wildcats are taking their bye week to get back to the fundamentals, as head coach Brent Brennan noted following last week's game, as well as during his weekly press conference on Monday.

The Wildcats have completely turned their scheme and identity around on the defensive side of the ball this season compared to last year.

Lat season, Arizona finished bottom-five in the Big 12 conference in all of total defense, pass defense, run defense and scoring defense. This year, the Wildcats entered this weekend ranking No. 3 in total defense (292.9) and No. 2 in pass defense (153.1) in the Big 12.

Oct 4, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats defensive back Jay’Vion Cole (8) misses a tackle and defensive back Chase Kennedy (7) watches the play against Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Rodney Fields Jr. (20) during the second quarter at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

They have struggled the past two weeks defending the run, but still rank No. 6 in the Big 12 conference in defending the run.

Under new defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales, the Wildcats have defensively become a lot more physical and much better at tackling in open space. The secondary this year has already recorded more interceptions this year (nine) than they did last year (8), which speaks to the aggressiveness of the defense as a whole.

Grading the Arizona defense this year: B

Among the leaders statistically for the Arizona defense to start the season, defensive back Dalton Johnson leads the team with 52 tackles. Linebacker Riley Wilson leads the way with three sacks, while defensive backs Treydan Stukes and Jay'Vion Cole have each recorded two interceptions. Defensive back Genesis Smith leads the Wildcats with seven pass deflections.

Iowa State Cyclones' wide receiver Brett Eskildsen (9) makes a catch around Arizona Wildcats defensive back Genesis Smith (12) during the second quarter in the Big-12 conference showdown on Sept. 27, 2025, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arizona still has a challenge ahead in its final five games against a pair of mobile quarterbacks in Kaidon Salter with Colorado and Jalon Daniels with Kansas, followed by a pair of games against two top-four total offenses in the Big 12 in Cincinnati and Baylor before taking on Arizona State in the Territorial Cup.

It has been a strong overall season for the Wildcats as a defense, but they still have some things to prove against the top teams in the conference. They were able to show glimpses of it in the game against BYU, holding them scoreless in the second and third quarters, but they still have some things to show over the course of a full game.

Oct 11, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) scores a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

The Wildcats will have that chance to prove themselves the rest of the way as they need to win at least two of their final five games to qualify for a bowl game.

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