Arizona has had BYU on the mind for a long time - and Danny Gonzales hasn’t been shy about it.
The Wildcats’ defensive coordinator said in January, just two days after Arizona’s Holiday Bowl loss to SMU, that he had already told his staff to start breaking down the Cougars. That focus came even with Arizona moving on to other games, including last week’s 35-7 win over Northern Arizona.
“The BYU game plan is done,” Gonzales said in July, according to the Arizona Daily Star.
His January comments made the motivation plain. Gonzales pointed back to last year’s double-overtime loss to BYU and made it clear he wanted another shot.
Arizona visits No. 15 BYU on Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium, where the Cougars are a touchdown favorite.
“Bear Bachmeier had his day last year against us and I can’t wait for Sept. 12,” Gonzales reportedly told the Tucson-based news outlet.
Arizona coach Brent Brennan was asked about Gonzales’ comments on Monday and brushed them off as one coach speaking for himself.
“It was Danny speaking for Danny,” Brennan said, adding that his team was only focused on beating NAU last week.
BYU, meanwhile, is treating the matchup like any other part of its yearly preparation. In his weekly Monday briefing, Kalani Sitake said his staff does not spend the offseason tailoring plans for one opponent over another.
“We respect the game too much to do that,” he said, explaining that once the schedule is released, “we have some prep for our offense, our defense, and special teams to be installed, and those are installed for anybody.”
Sitake added that things always shift once actual game film arrives.
“The game demands too much. … Now, back in spring, we made plans and figured out what we can do.
But that all changes once you get game film. So now that we have one game that we can see from Arizona, against NAU, we will see if we can adjust that a little bit, or if we need to.”
Sitake and offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick both said this week they have a lot of respect for Gonzales, someone they have coached against for years.
“So Danny Gonzales is a really good defensive coordinator,” Sitake said. “I’ve known him for years, and he can do some really difficult things for an offense (to handle), with his defense, and then Seth (Doege) has done a great job with the offense.”
The matchup carries plenty of recent history. BYU has won five straight against Arizona, including last season’s 37-33 win in Tucson.
In that game, Bachmeier scored the winning touchdown on a 7-yard run in the second overtime. He also threw for 172 yards and a touchdown, while being intercepted twice.
Roderick said Arizona’s defense was one of the best in the country a year ago and sees no sign that it has slipped.
“I’ve coached against this defense many times in my career. It’s a really tough scheme, and these guys that run this defense, man, they’re so good at what they do that even when they lose a few players the next year, they’re just as good as they were the year before.
“They play super hard and they know what they’re doing and they just stick to their identity. They don’t change for anybody, and I have a lot of respect for them,” he continued.
“They create a lot of havoc and just play their butts off. They play really, really hard.”
In Other News...
BYU's Arizona Rotations Suddenly Come With Two Big Concerns
BYUs snap counts against the Trailblazers offered a pretty clear look at how the Cougars are trying to manage their personnel as they head into Arizona. The offense leaned heavily on tight ends, using two of them as much as its top wide receivers, while the defensive side kept rotating up front in search of fresh legs and a steady pass rush. It was the kind of game that showed both the depth chart and the game plan, especially with certain players being asked to do a little more in key spots.
Legend Glasker appears headed for a bigger role, but the more immediate concern is how BYU covers for the losses and limitations that showed up in that game. Sione Moa left early because of injury, and Nusi Taumoepeau was on a limited snap count, which only adds to the pressure on the Cougars rotation at a time when they need dependable bodies on both sides of the ball. On defense, the challenge is especially clear: BYU needs enough push from the line to bother the quarterback without having to lean too hard on blitzing. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Fans Will Love Who's Behind Saturday's Pregame Flyover
A familiar show of pageantry is coming to LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday, and this one carries a personal connection for Jimmy Winegardner. The BYU graduate and KC-135 pilot is set to handle the pregame flyover before the national anthem at the BYU-Arizona game, with kickoff slated for 1:30 p.m. MDT, adding a little extra buzz to a matchup already carrying plenty of interest.
For Winegardner, the moment has been years in the making, a chance to combine his military role with a place that still matters to him. The KC-135 crew will spend time on training flights around Utah Valley before approaching the stadium from the south, and for BYU fans, it should be a memorable arrival even before the first snap. [Read more 🡒]
BYU's Arizona Test Could Raise The Stakes Around Kalani Sitake
BYU heads into its game against Arizona with more than a conference test hanging over the night, even as fans are being urged to turn LaVell Edwards Stadium into a blue-and-white Stripe Out. The matchup offers another chance for the Cougars to show they can handle a meaningful early-season check, but it also comes with a familiar backdrop around the program: a coach who has kept the team competitive while navigating a school and sport in transition.
Kalani Sitakes future at BYU remains a live conversation because of the way he has spoken publicly about resources and support, especially after recent administrative changes around the program. In a college football landscape that keeps shifting under everyones feet, the Arizona game feels like more than a standalone date on the schedule, since performances like this can quietly shape how loudly those bigger questions get asked in the weeks that follow. [Read more 🡒]