After a successful season for Arizona football, head coach Brent Brennan said it's "absolutely critical" to maintain the continuity of the Wildcats' coaching staff.
Brennan said it's imperative for the Wildcats to keep their coaching staff intact, especially defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales and offensive coordinator Seth Doege, who are both in their first season as coordinators at Arizona.Β
Arizona head coach Brent Brennan, left, poses for a photo with new offensive coordinator Seth Doege after a press conference inside Arizona Stadium on Dec. 13, 2024.
"I think leadership is so important," Brennan said. "It's obvious that the world of college football thinks it's important, too, when you look at what has happened over the last two or three weeks. Keeping our staff together is the most important thing I can do right now. That's what we're working really hard at."
Gonzales is one of 15 coaches up for theΒ Broyles Award, which is given to the top assistant coach in college football.Β Β
In Gonzales' first season as Arizona's defensive coordinator, the Wildcats rank in the Top 20 nationally in several defensive categories, including pass defense (fourth), interceptions (fourth) and scoring defense (19th). The Wildcats have held eight straight opponents to fewer than 200 passing yards, which is tied for the longest streak in the Big 12 since Missouri in 2004.Β
Arizona defensive coordinatorΒ Danny Gonzales stands on the sideline during the Wildcats' game vs. Baylor on Nov. 22, 2025, in Tucson.
Arizona's 28 takeaways this season lead the nation. It's the most takeaways by an Arizona team since 2000.Β Arizona has more takeaways (28) than touchdowns allowed (25).Β
Three Wildcats are tied for the second-most interceptions in the Big 12: defensive backs Dalton Johnson, Treydan Stukes and Jay'Vion Cole. Johnson's 97 tackles are the most by a defensive back in the Big 12.
Stukes and Johnson were both named All-Big 12 first-team selections. This year is the first time that Arizona has produced multiple first-team all-conference defensive backs since All-WAC selections Jackie Wallace and Bob White in 1972.Β
Under Doege, Arizona's offense went from averaging 21.8 points (15th in the Big 12) and 354.5 yards of total offense per game (14th in the Big 12) last season to averaging 32.6 points (third in the Big 12) and 404.8 yards of total offense (sixth in the Big 12) per game.
Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Seth Doege watches with a couple of his charges, Braedyn Locke, left, and Noah Fifita, as the Wildcats run offensive drills in preseason training camp, Aug. 9, 2025, in Tucson.
Arizona star quarterback Noah Fifita, who received votes for Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, was named a first-team All-Big 12 quarterback. Fifita became the third all-time Arizona quarterback to earn all-conference first-team honors β the first in 50 years.
Fifita joined Bruce Hill, who was an All-WAC first-team selection in 1975, and Ted Bland, a three-time All-Border Conference selection from 1933-35.Β
Fifita passed for a career-high 2,963 yards, 26 touchdowns and five interceptions in the regular season β a season after tossing 12 interceptions. Fifita's 26 passing touchdowns are a career-high and the fifth-most in a season by a UA quarterback. Fifita needs three more passing touchdowns to set Arizona's single-season touchdown record. He currently owns Arizona's record for the most career passing touchdowns (70), which he set in Arizona's upset win over No. 25 Cincinnati last month.Β
"We're making really good progress of getting Coach Doege and Coach Gonzales here for a long time and I'm excited about that," Brennan said. "They're tremendous coaches, tremendous human beings and we're making progress there."
Gonzales'Β salary will rise from $600,000 to $900,000Β for the 2026 season, which will make him the highest-paid assistant coach in UA history. Doege currently earns $750,000 and is contracted through 2027, according toΒ a list of salaries obtained by the Star in August.Β
Keeping both coordinators long-term is a priority for Brennan this month.Β
"The consistency of messaging, the consistency of process, the consistency of leadership is so important in building high-level organizations β and a football program is no different," Brennan said. "That's one of those things that's critical for us here. ... Consistency matters and (the UA administration has) been so important the last couple of weeks in putting stuff together.
"I like the way we're going right now and I'm optimistic about the future."Β
