Arizona DC Danny Gonzales striving to be in Tucson through 2032 season

Instead, Gonzales signed an extension to stay as Arizona's defensive coordinator through the 2028 season. 

Both Gonzales and UA offensive coordinator Seth Doege inked contract extensions that will earn them $1.1 million in 2026, $1.6 million in 2027 and $1.7 million in 2028. 

But Gonzales has aspirations to stay on head coach Brent Brennan's staff at Arizona "at a minimum 2032," when the Wildcats open the season against the Alabama Crimson Tide on the road, Gonzales said. After 2032, when his youngest daughter graduates high school, Gonzales will reassess his coaching status. He's officially tapping out from coaching football in 2036. 

"Moving jobs is not hard on me, but it's really difficult on my family," Gonzales said. "They have to go to a new school, make new friends. My wife has to find new doctors, new friends, new social life. I go to a football building where I'm working with 10 coaches and 100 football players. I only know learning faces.

"If I can be here through 2032, that means we won a couple of championships and won a bunch of football games or they're going to chase me out of here."

Gonzales, who was previously the head coach of the hometown New Mexico Lobos, said he enjoys "being a defensive coordinator at this level far more than I enjoy being a head coach."

"It would take an unbelievable opportunity (to be a head coach again), because at this point in my career, I want to compete for CFP opportunities and championships," Gonzales said. "That's it. ... I want a chance to play in the College Football Playoff and win championships at the Power 4 level. I'm as happy as I've ever been.

"I work for an unbelievable human being and amazing football coach. Let's just keep winning so we can have this conversation in 2032. ... I want people to talk about 'Desert Swarm 2.0' and it's actually a thing." 

Before Gonzales left for vacation to recharge the batteries for training camp, which starts on Aug. 5, Arizona's defensive coordinator joined The Wildcast (available on Apple, Spotify and Tucson.com) to discuss a plethora of topics, including the UA planning for a Week 2 showdown with BYU, building up the secondary, stopping quarterback runs and Doege's qualifications to be a head coach. 

Here's Part II of our Q&A with Arizona's defensive coordinator.

Last season, Arizona lost to BYU and Houston, and mobile quarterbacks played a key factor. You recently mentioned the Wildcats' defensive front being better this season, so do you think your team is built to stop quarterback runs?

A: "The BYU game plan is done. I wish we played BYU tomorrow. (Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson) ran for 118 yards on quarterback and we couldn't slow him down. The day Brent Brennan came into my office and made me coordinator, I started working on Kansas State that day — and that was December of 2024; that was Game 3.

"All offseason long, it was, 'OK, Avery Johnson ain't going to rush for a freaking yard, boys.' He didn't, he had -16 (yards). Bear Bachmeier had his day last year against us — and I can't wait for September 12. I promise you this, the NAU game plan is done, too. We're not looking past NAU. We're not good enough to do that. We'll take our focus through fall camp like we always do.

"West Virginia, Week 5, they're a fun offense and (Rich Rodriguez) does a great job and he'll have a little something special for the Wildcats. I've already watched every West Virginia game.

"The great thing about the offseason is that you can prepare for these moments, then revert back to your notes because you're not playing a specific game. ... I have a really good feel for our entire league. ... The month of November, we went undefeated last year, if we can do that again, the city of Tucson is going to be going crazy." 

Since the BYU game is Week 2, is that game often discussed around the facility?

A: "I've been talking about BYU since the schedule came out. No disrespect to Coach (Brian) Wright. When we get into game-week mode ... that'll be the focus. ... I don't consider it looking ahead, because right now we're not playing a game. Once the focus becomes NAU, that'll be the focus until that Saturday at midnight, then it's time to move on to Provo." 

How do you feel about the depth in the defensive backs room?

A: "I think we have the best (cornerback) in the Big 12 in Jay'Vion Cole coming back. He's getting back from the Fourth of July (break) and doing everything full speed, and looks fantastic. The other three guys battling at corner are between (Wyoming transfer) Tyrese Boss, (Charlotte transfer) Dwight Bootle and (Howard transfer) Zuri Watson — really four guys with Xaier Hiler, a true freshman, who was here in January.

"One of those four needs to elevate themselves and be the No. 2 guy across from (Cole), because that guy is going to be picked on more because Jay'Vion Cole was such a ballhawk last year and he's such a good player. That No. 2 corner is going to have to play early — and play well early.

"The three inside pieces, Gavin Hunter can play all three, which is uncommon ... but Gavin has the ability to do that. (Nebraska transfer) Malcolm Hartzog was so good during spring practice. We held him out the last week. He had some tightness in his hips and he was just coming off groin surgery.

"He looked really good. ... (Oregon transfer) Daylen Austin, we had him fix his shoulder the week before spring ball, that way we can have him full speed. He's probably two weeks away from being fully released. I'll probably keep him in a red jersey for most of fall camp, so it gets scarred up and ready to go. ... Schematically, we're probably further ahead than we were last year.

"We just don't have the game reps that the three-headed monster (Stukes, Smith and Johnson) had last year. Game reps in any scheme are more valuable than spring practice. If we can play some man coverage like we did in the second half against SMU, we can be damn good on defense. If you ever hear me say, 'We came in with the idea to bend but don't break,' just take me out to the field and put me out of my misery." 

Stukes, Johnson and Smith essentially never left the field in their final season in Tucson. Since there are so many new faces and you're replacing three NFL players, are you planning on playing more defensive backs this season?

A: "At corner, you need a three-man rotation at a minimum. If a ball is thrown 60 yards across the field away from you, the backside corner better be sprinting. It doesn't matter that it's not thrown to him — I don't care. ... With Tyrese, Dwight, Zuri and Xaier, two of those guys need to make themselves that three-headed piece.

"Inside, where those guys never came out, (safety) Quinn Olson is making a name for himself. I don't know if the bullets are live, can he make a tackle? He tells me he will. We'll find out in fall camp and against NAU. 

"Matai Tagoa'i, a linebacker transfer from USC, he looked really good the last three or four practices at safety. Once again, it's about getting him game reps. He played a little bit at USC, but not a ton. We completely moved him to where his natural position is.

"Gavin Hunter, he played outstanding for three weeks — as good as any safety in the Big 12, and then Treydan Stukes comes in, and Gavin hardly sees the field until the bowl and then plays fantastic. We couldn't do what we did in the second half if Gavin Hunter wasn't able to sit in the middle of the field and play safety and boundary safety. ... The sleeper I'm really excited to see that we moved to safety in spring ball is Johno Price.

"Johno Price has been in our program for three years and I couldn't be more proud of that young man for his mature level and fight to get on the field. We have some pieces there. If it takes a rotation, yes. If we get three that can play as consistent as (Stukes, Johnson and Smith), then we'll play them."

Between the gained experience, along with learning from Stukes, Smith and Johnson for the last three years, how can that culminate into a breakout season for Hunter?

A: "He never wavered. He knew the plan going in. 'You're going in, but when Treydan Stukes is healthy, Treydan is going to play.' Gavin played well enough and played at such an elite level, if I was Gavin Hunter, I would've been like, 'We're winning football games and we just beat Kansas State and we gave up 180 yards with me as safety. Why are you taking me off the field?'

"And he never had that attitude, because he understood and was learning from those guys. I couldn't be more proud of Gavin Hunter for his mature factor. Two years ago, I tried to run Gavin Hunter out of here because I didn't think he was mature enough and was going to become one of who we are.

"He was like, 'You ain't getting rid of me. I'm going to play here and make you want me.' And he did. I love Gavin Hunter for his development and maturity. I'm excited to see what 2026 brings to him." 

Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita received All-Big 12 preseason honors, but none of your defensive players were preseason all-conference selections. Do you enjoy that?

A: "I do. It's just like last year. Maybe I have a greater belief than I thought people would have, because of what we did last year. ... The only one who's getting the stuff he deserves is Noah Fifita. The Heisman campaign, it's real. If we're 12-0, I promise you it'll be real. He'll be sitting in New York and the city of Tucson will celebrate him more than he's ever been celebrated." 

Have you seen head coaching qualities in Doege?

A: "Absolutely. Seth Doege is going to be a great head coach. I always try to tell him to not take the first (head coaching offer). Make sure it's the right one. The best way to build a championship program is continuity. It's going to take the right opportunity to get him out of here in that role.

"He's good enough that he can be selective. His leaderships skills are unbelievable. The players love him and he's got them believing that he's got their best interest at heart, which he does. When you do that, they'll do anything for you. Seth will be able to do that with a whole football team and be successful. I can't wait to see and watch his career continue to grow." 

Going into your third season at Arizona, including Year 2 as the Wildcats' defensive coordinator, how is the culture in Tucson nowadays?

A: "You're going to hear it in every single press conference from our players, you'll hear Coach Brennan talk about it: when you say the word 'Redline,' everyone in the program knows what that means. When we got here in 2024, we were trying to hold something together that wasn't able to be held together.

"The horrific year that we had, the most amazing thing for a 4-8 football team, we took 10 steps forward and created the magic of what Coach (Jedd Fisch) and them did in 2023, we probably took 20 steps back in '24 from where that team left off.

"But we were building the culture that Coach Brennan envisioned for the University of Arizona football program. ... We have a chance to build something special."