The defensive side of football is built on physicality and violence. It’s one thing to preach it and demand it. It’s another thing to put that into action.
Defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales is doing both for his Arizona squad. Whether it’s in drills, meetings or just hanging around the facilities.
Within the first couple days of fall training camp, there is a drill where defensive players tackle a dummy, then a donut-shaped object, and then pounce on a loose ball.
Gonzales says that the drill allows for players to be physical, while also being focused on continuing through plays. For seniors like Dalton Johnson, the drill is a day in paradise.
“It uses our pursuit angles and as well to not break down, you know, just run through the tackle,” the senior safety said. “Get to your feet quick and then go make another tackle.”
More than just technique and violence, the drill brings habit. It also allows players to get up after getting knocked down. It is key to making plays and staying alert.
“Hit that bag as hard as you can, pop up off the ground because it’s okay to get knocked down,” Gonzales said. “It’s a sin to stay down. Everybody can get knocked down, and if you’re playing hard, that’s okay. Get your tail up, find the next thing, hit it too.”
Violence and physicality are two traits that stem back to the ‘Desert Swarm’ days for Arizona’s defense. Now it’s nearly impossible to replicate those days, but Gonzales knows that an improvement for the defense can get them close to those days.
“We have a strong football team,” he said. “We have 34 guys that can power clean over 300 pounds. That’s a damn strong football team that’s explosive. That power clean 300 pounds from the ground is an explosive movement, and it creates violence when you hit somebody.”
The defense might have low expectations from the public going into the season, especially given what happened last season. However, for senior defensive lineman Tre Smith, it’s just added motivation.
“I would say that’s fuel more than anything,” Smith said. “A little bit speaking from a personal standpoint, I come from that type of background. I think in a lot of the guys we’ve added, and the guys that decided to stay, we all can have that mindset that we got to go get something.”
One of the priorities this offseason for the coaching staff was getting bigger and more bodies around Smith. Whether it’s additions from the portals, or evolving the guys already in the locker room.
Some of those guys include redshirt sophomores Julian Savaiinaea and Jarra Anderson. Anderson, a transfer from Memphis, missed last season because of injury.
“Yeah, they’re great, they play a little differently than one another, as pretty much all of us do,” said Smith. “They’ve both been working on getting stronger, and then obviously coach Joe has been helping us with our technique and continuing to develop.”
Thirty days stand between the defense and the opportunity to show improvement against Hawaii. That is more than enough time to continue to be physical and violent as Gonzales wants his squad to be.