Piece by piece, Brent Brennan’s first coaching staff at Arizona is coming together. On Tuesday the school announced the hiring of Cullen Carroll as strength and conditioning coordinator, one of what appears to be several former San Jose State staff members coming over with Brennan, and on Wednesday Duane Akina was formally announced as defensive coordinator.
The latest reported addition, though, will bring head coaching experience to Arizona.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel is reporting Arizona will hire Danny Gonzales as its special teams coordinator and linebackers coach. Gonzales was the head coach at New Mexico—whom Brennan will begin his UA tenure against on Aug. 31—from 2020-23 and also served as defensive coordinator at ASU and San Diego State.
Gonzales, 48, would be the second ex-ASU assistant to join Arizona for 2024. Former UA wide receiver Bobby Wade, the school’s career leader in receiving yardage, is set to join as WR coach.
Although no other official hires have been announced, multiple reports indicate Brennan is bringing over four coaches from San Jose to handle similar duties: Alonzo Carter as running backs coach, Matt Adkins as tight ends coach, Josh Oglesby as offensive line coach and Joe Seumalo as defensive line coach.
Unless Akina also handles defensive backs, Arizona still needs to hire someone to coach cornerbacks and safeties. That could be Chuck Cecil, who has coached defensive backs the past three seasons, though he and Ricky Hunley may end up in analyst roles under Brennan.
The Wildcats also need to hire an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
