coaching
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9/11 Arizona Football Notebook: Gonzales on keys to BYU, tackling, personnel usage
- Arizona DC Danny Gonzales identifies stopping BYU's run game as the central defensive test and rates LJ Martin as potentially the best back Arizona will face. In last season's meeting, Martin ran for 162 yards and Bear Bachmeier for 89 as BYU totaled 258 rushing yards; those are historical matchup numbers, not a forecast.
- Gonzales expects repeated quarterback-power tests from BYU. He highlights Bachmeier's ability to fall forward, stay composed after mistakes and operate behind a large offensive line; Arizona's ability to stop that concept is his stated concern entering the matchup.
- On Arizona's NAU opener, Gonzales says tackling and coverage improved as the game progressed. He accepts some initial tackle misses when defenders attack aggressively because he expects multiple teammates to finish; he says Arizona allowed little yardage after contact. This is the coordinator's assessment, not an independent tackling grade.
- Arizona's secondary rotation remains matchup- and practice-dependent: Gonzales views Lee Molette III, Gavin Hunter and Daylen Austin as interchangeable starters, despite Molette starting the opener. Quinn at Bear and Malcolm at Field Cat are his fixed starters. He contrasts Hunter's size/strength, Molette's experience and Austin's coverage ability; the opener does not settle this week's lineup.
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Imperfect NAU win shows why Arizona drills the details
- Arizona lost fumbles by Antwan Roberts and Gio Richardson against NAU, making pressure-point control and protection against defensive punch-outs specific ball-security priorities for Seth Doege's offense.
- Arizona's first-half offense maintained the balance and running-back opportunities Doege wanted, and he believed its four possessions could have produced 28 points without the fumble rather than identifying an inability to move the ball as the main early problem.
- Arizona started the second half poorly on familiar plays, with Doege criticizing players for freelancing instead of following details and assignments while acknowledging he had not fully explained the slowdown.
- Arizona quarterback Sawyer Anderson threw an interception on his first college pass but recovered to establish a rhythm, including a difficult third-down completion to Isaiah Mizell after climbing the pocket, which Doege highlighted as a positive response rather than dismissing the initial decision error.
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- RB/LB: Arizona defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales says L.J.
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Apple Cup
- Intel: Watching the play calling, penalties, fielding a punt on 2 yard line makes me appreciate our coaching staff,
Arizona vs. NAU Notebook: Brennan on stadium upgrades, second-half rhythm and backup reps
- Arizona coach Brent Brennan said the offense moved the ball well in the first half with Noah Fifita on rhythm, effective rushing, and visible team physicality.
- Brennan said Arizona lost some second-half offensive rhythm, but the defense responded with two three-and-outs and special teams produced high-level execution from Chase Ridley.
- Brennan praised Noah Fifita's efficiency after a 22-for-29, 262-yard, two-touchdown game and said Arizona expects that high level of consistency to continue.
- Arizona started Lee Molette over Gavin Hunter, but Brennan said the spot is still day-to-day and week-to-week because multiple players can be trusted there.
- Quinn Olson earned his first career start at safety days after receiving a scholarship and immediately made an interception, while backup quarterback Sawyer Anderson gained valuable fourth-quarter reps.
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