Arizona head coach Brent Brennan told reporters after the spring showcase that the competition between offensive coordinator Seth Doege and defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales has been really healthy for the team. Doege and Gonzales are both new to their positions.
Gonzales was elevated to defensive coordinator after being the Arizona linebackers coach and special teams coordinator in 2024. Doege comes to Arizona after being the quarterback coach and offensive coordinator at Marshall during the 2024 season.
Doege will build an almost entirely new Arizona offense around quarterback Noah Fifita, who is entering his third season as a starter. Arizona does return second-leading rusher Kedrick Reescano and Chris Hunter, who was second on the Wildcats in receiving yards and touchdown receptions in 2024.
The Arizona defense will be built on its back seven. Safeties Dalton Johnson and Genesis Smith and linebacker Taye Brown all return and were the three leading tacklers for Arizona in 2024. Johnson, Smith and Treydan Stukes set the foundation for what should be one of the best secondaries nationally in 2025.
"Just seeing Danny and Seth go at each other schematically and have fun with it but still keep it super intense and super competitive and where that competitive just never becomes combative, but it's really healthy for our team. Just trying to elevate everything that we're doing...the high level in practice competition, how much pressure can we apply to the players in the practice environment...pushing each of them to elevate their own game so that we can elevate the team collectively."Brent Brennan
Doege and Gonzales are at polar opposite ends of their careers. Marshall was the first time Doege was a coordinator and his inaugural season running an offense. Doege began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Bowling Green in 2024.
Gonzales began his career as a graduate assistant at New Mexico from 1999 through 2002. Before being hired by Brennan, Gonzales was the head coach at his alma mater, New Mexico, from 2000 through 2023. Gonzales was the defensive coordinator at San Diego State in 2017 and 2018 and at Arizona State in 2019.
Doege and Gonzales had to spend the spring building continuity with 25 incoming transfers on the Arizona roster. Arizona added three transfer running backs and five WRs to the 2025 roster. The defensive line and linebacker are the positions Arizona added significantly to on defense for 2025.
The 2025 season is a pivotal one for Brennan after Arizona was 4-8 in his first year in 2024. Brennan hired almost an entirely new staff in 2025, particularly on offense. How well Doege and Gonzales' units perform should have a major impact on Brennan's future.