Grading The Arizona Defense Under Danny Gonzales Heading Into Bye

We take a look at the Wildcats defense as a whole heading into their bye week.

Oct 11, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats defensive back Dalton Johnson (43) celebrates an interception he caught from the Brigham Young Cougars with his team during the third 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.

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.

Oct 4, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys wide receiver Tre’ Griffiths (13) gets in the face of Arizona Wildcats defensive back Swayde Griffin (28) during the third quarter of the game at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

It was a struggle last season for Arizona defensively. It finished bottom-five in the Big 12 conference in all of total defense, pass defense, run defense and scoring defense.

After last year's defensive coordinator, Duane Akina, returned to Texas this season, Brennan decided to stay in-house with the next candidate, as Danny Gonzales was named the Wildcats' next defensive coordinator.

Danny Gonzales speaks on why he is excited to be Arizona's Defensive Coordinator! pic.twitter.com/rEIgo9UTKz

— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) January 10, 2025

Gonzales spent last season as Arizona's special teams coordinator and linebackers coach. His coaching career began in 1999 as a graduate assistant with New Mexico. Before coming to Tucson in 2024, he had spent the previous four seasons as the head coach at New Mexico.

He has also had stints as the defensive coordinator at Arizona State, safeties coach at San Diego State and a safeties and special teams coach at New Mexico.

Grading the Arizona defense under Gonzales this season: B

The Wildcats have seen a massive jump in production as a defense this season under Gonzales. After finishing last year in the bottom five in every major category in the conference, Arizona enters this weekend ranking No. 3 in total defense (292.9) and No. 2 in pass defense (153.1). The pass defense also places Arizona No. 9 in the entire country.

Aug 30, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats defensive lineman Leroy Palu (95), defensive lineman Julian Savaiinaea (41), defensive lineman Mays Pese (99), and defensive lineman Dominic Lolesio (42) all celebrate after they intercept the ball from the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors during the third quarter at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

The big struggle for the Wildcats these past two weeks in a pair of losses has been defending the run. BYU ran for 258 yards and Houston ran for 232 yards on the ground against Arizona in those respective games. It was specifically the quarterback run that gave the Wildcats a lot of trouble in both of those games.

Before those two games, Arizona had ranked in the top 3-4 in the conference defending the run, but they have now dropped to No. 6 defending the run, which still puts them in the top half of the conference.

Sep 12, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats linebacker Jabari Mann (11) tackles Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Avery Johnson (2) during the fourth quarter of the game at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Under Gonzales, the Wildcats' defense has become a lot more physical and much better at tackling in open space. The team 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.

While it has been a strong start, they have still shown some struggles in the games against the top teams in the conference. The best showing against a top team was at home against BYU when the Wildcats held them scoreless in the second and third quarters before BYU came storming back in the final five minutes and eventually came out on top in double overtime.

Sep 12, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Kansas State Wildcats wide receiver Jayce Brown (1) makes a catch while defended by Arizona Wildcats defensive back Dalton Johnson (43) during the third quarter of the game at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-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.

How would you grade Arizona's defense and the job Gonzales has done as the defensive coordinator so far on the season? To let us know, just click the link to find us and be sure to give us a follow while you're there.