A huge reason why Arizona is 8-3 and takes a 4-game win streak into the Territorial Cup has been the play of its defense. And the architect of that scheme is up for a prestigious national award.
UA defensive
coordinator Danny Gonzales has been nominated for the Broyles Award, given to college football’s top assistant coach. He is one of 63 candidates, one of nine from the Big 12 Conference.
“That’s a team award,” Gonzales said Tuesday. “Coaches shouldn’t get credit, they should get blame.”
In his first season as coordinator, Gonzales has Arizona ranked 24th nationally in scoring defense (20.0 points per game), 21st in yards allowed per game (309.5), 12th in yards allowed per play (4.59), 6th in pass defense (159.7), 6th in interceptions (16) and 2nd in opponent quarterback rating (97.96).
A year ago the Wildcats was 106th in total defense and 109th in scoring defense, when Gonzales was linebackers coach and special teams coordinator.
Arizona has allowed only 84 points in the second half this season, including 23 during the 4-game win streak. The Wildcats shut out Baylor after halftime on Saturday, going from down 17-14 to a 41-17 victory.
The Broyles Award will be given out in February, but before then there will be three rounds of voting to whittle down the list of candidates and fans are able to weigh in. The first round of voting Tuesday through Sunday, after which semifinalists will be announced. Finalists will be revealed after a second round of voting in early December.
