Arizona revising Desert Swarm era with big defensive improvement in 2025

Arizona has the fourth-most-improved defense in points allowed per drive in 2025 over 2024, per David Hale of ESPN. First-year Arizona defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales has led the significant improvement for Arizona defensively in 2025.

Gonzales is in his second season with Arizona after being the special teams Coordinator and linebackers coach in 2024. Arizona has a 37 percent improvement in points allowed per drive in 2025. Only Texas Tech, with a 61 percent improvement, Miami at 41 percent and Wake Forest at 40 percent are better.

Arizona is 32nd nationally with a stop rate of 67 percent and allows 1.82 yards per drive. Bill Connelly of ESPN, the creator of SP+, defines stop rate as "a basic measurement of success: the percentage of a defense's drives that end in punts, turnovers, or a turnover on downs."

Arizona is 29th nationally, allowing 20.3 points per game, 19th, permitting 306.2 yards per game, 68th with opponents gaining 146.7 rushing YPG and seventh, holding the opposition to 159.5 passing YPG. The Wildcats have improved significantly in every defensive category over 2024.

Arizona defense historical perspective

Arizona was 109th, allowing 31.8 PPG in 2024, 106th permitting 413.0 YPG, 98th with opponents gaining 174.0 rushing YPG and 103rd allowing 239.0 passing YPG. The Wildcats have improved their scoring defense by 36.2 percent, total defense by 25.9 percent, run defense by 15.7 percent and pass defense by 33.3 percent.

The Desert Swarm defense was first nationally in 1992, allowing 8.9 PPG and in 1993, permitting 236.9 YPG. Arizona finished first or second nationally in run defense from 1992 through 1994. That was an entirely different era with more conservative offenses.

"When I said all those things in March about the opportunities that we have to be an elite defense and to chase the moniker of the Desert Swarm, it was because I thought those guys were really talented. And when you get a chance to coach really talented players, they make you a really good coach and you have opportunities. So I can't thank them enough."

Arizona DC Danny Gonzales

Arizona has held five 2025 opponents under 20 points, three under 200 yards, their first five under 120 rushing yards and eight out of 10 under 200 yards passing. Three 2025 Arizona opponents have failed to reach 100 yards passing.

Gonzales should be considered for the Broyles Award that honors the best assistant coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Arizona has improved from 4-8 in 2024 to 7-3 through the first 10 games in 2025 significantly because of their improvement defensively.