Arizona starts new era in defensive secondary, replaces five NFL DBs

Not only are the Wildcats replacing their All-Big 12 nucleus and a trio that led one of the best defenses in college football in 2025.

Last season, Arizona finished seventh in college football in passing defense and first in turnover margin. The Wildcats had more takeaways (31) than touchdowns allowed (28) and led the Big 12 in interceptions (22), which ranked second nationally. Arizona led college football in takeaways per game (2.5) last season. 

Not only does Arizona have to replace longtime starters in Stukes, Johnson and Smith, the Wildcats are also finding replacements for cornerbacks Michael Dansby and Ayden Garnes. Stukes, Johnson, Smith and Dansby were all drafted by NFL teams, while Garnes made the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent. Garnes discovered he made the Bucs’ roster while he was driving to Olive Garden.

The Wildcats found their five-man defensive secondary. For now.

“They’ve done some really good things in practice,” said Arizona defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales.

Arizona’s starting defensive secondary on Saturday will be fifth-year cornerback Jay’Vion Cole, fourth-year cornerback and Charlotte transfer Dwight Bootle II, Nebraska transfer slot cornerback Malcolm Hartzog, fourth-year strong safety Gavin Hunter and walk-on free safety Quinn Olson.

Cole, who had the second-most interceptions in the Big 12 last season, “is the best corner in the league. There’s a guy at Utah that’s pretty good, but I think Boog is better and we’ll have an opportunity to prove that throughout (the season),” Gonzales said.

Bootle edged third-year cornerback and Wyoming transfer Tyrese Boss and second-year cornerback and Howard transfer Zuri Watson for the second starting cornerback spot.

The successors to the star group of Stukes, Johnson and Smith are Hartzog, Hunter and Olson. Hunter was Stukes’ backup at slot cornerback last season, but is succeeding Johnson at box safety this season.

Hartzog “is one we’ll be celebrating next April (in the NFL Draft),” Gonzales said. The 5-8, 190-pound Nebraska transfer “is going to be a player that our fans fall in love with in terms of his football IQ, his toughness and the plays he’s able to make,” said Arizona head coach Brent Brennan.

The biggest surprise in Arizona’s secondary is the rise of Olson, a quarterback-converted-safety and Iowa native who joined the Wildcats as a walk-on in 2024.

Olson, who is the only walk-on on Arizona’s depth chart, “could be the next Treydan Stukes story at Arizona in terms of a walk-on turning into a really good player,” Arizona safeties coach Brett Arce said earlier in training camp.

“He can cover anybody on our football team and I think we have some of the best receivers in the Big 12 — and further than that, the country,” said Gonzales.

Olson “does a great job with command back there. He’s a freak athlete,” Gonzales said.

Added Brennan: “We’re really excited about Quinn. Quinn is one of those players that has continued to work his tail off. There’s a long history at the University of Arizona of walk-ons that have busted their ass and have developed and have grown and improved and found ways to contribute in a meaningful way on the football field. I’m optimistic Quinn is the next one in a long line of those people.

“If you see how he attacked the offseason — his numbers in terms of how much weight he can move, how fast he can run, how quick he is, how explosive he is, are freakish. Is there going to be a learning curve for him? Of course there is. It’s our first, so there’s going to be a learning curve for everybody. I can’t wait to watch Quinn line up and play.”

Hartzog said the 6-3, 205-pound Olson “has elite ball knowledge. He feels the game and is a smart player.”

Other names on Arizona’s two-deep depth chart going into this week include Oregon transfer Daylen Austin and UConn transfer Lee Molette III behind Hartzog, and Northern Colorado transfer Cam Chapa and USC transfer Matai Tagoa’i behind Olson, and cornerback-safety hybrid Johno Price behind Hunter.

The expectations for Arizona’s defensive secondary are high, but Gonzales understands there’s a learning process. Prime example: Arizona gave up six passes for 189 yards in the loss to Iowa State in Ames last season. After allowing 288 passing yards to the Cyclones, Arizona didn’t allow 200-plus passing yards for eight straight games, the best streak by a Big 12 defense since Missouri in 2004. The streak ended against SMU in the Holiday Bowl.

“We have some bodies that can mix that up,” Gonzales said of Arizona’s defensive backs. “If the front seven is half as good as I think they are, then the secondary won’t be an issue. If the guys in the secondary stink, that’s because we don’t get pressure on the quarterback and that’s my fault, not theirs. We have enough talent. I think we can cover just as good as last year — or better.”

Arizona offensive coordinator Seth Doege, who schemed against the UA defensive backs through spring practices and training camp, said it’s debatable that Arizona “might have better cover guys this year than we had last year.”

“I’m not saying they’re better players, but we might have better cover guys,” Doege said. “From my evaluation, they covered really well in camp.”