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The most recent example of Gonzales' maniacal creativity was in the Wildcats' loss to SMU in the Holiday Bowl in January.Ìý

After Arizona defensive backs Treydan Stukes, Dalton Johnson and Genesis Smith opted out of the bowl game to prepare for the NFL Draft, the Wildcats relied on younger and inexperienced players against an SMU offense that had one of the best passing attacks in college football.Ìý

Arizona freshman safety Coleman Patmon, who's now a linebacker, struggled and slot cornerback Dajon Hinton suffered a leg injury. The Wildcats were in a 24-0 hole in their last game of the season, then Gonzales made the call to install four cornerbacks in Arizona's secondary, with cornerback Jay'Vion Cole at safety.Ìý

The four-cornerback secondary was something Gonzales thought about in the weeks leading up to the Holiday Bowl.Ìý

"It was a thought of his, and he kept it to himself," said Arizona cornerbacks coach Chip Viney. "It was a thought of mine, but I kept it to myself ... We get into the game, and things aren't going the way we'd like. Coach Gonzales is staring into my soul and I'm looking back at him like, 'What's up?' He goes, 'Who are your two best corners?'

"I name them and it was our two-deep (depth chart). 'Alright, this is what we're going to do.' He grabs a grease board, a marker and we're looking at each other like, 'Is he crazy? What are we doing here?' ... When your number is called, you don't ask why, you just do."Ìý

The second-half adjustments led to Arizona clawing back into the Holiday Bowl despite falling 24-19.

In the first season under Gonzales, ArizonaÌýfinished seventh in college football in passing defense and first in turnover margin. The Wildcats had more takeaways (31) than touchdowns allowed (28) and led the Big 12 in interceptions (22), which was second nationally. They led college football in takeaways per game (2.5).Ìý

Arizona didn't allow more than 200 passing yards in eight straight games, which was the longest streak by a Big 12 team since Missouri in 2004. Arizona was tops in college football in passing defense efficiency.

"How about Coach Danny Gonzales in Year 1?" Viney said. "Back against the wall, nobody believed in him. What a freaking awesome leader of men. God-fearing man. I love working for him. Rolling into our second year, it's exciting. It's hard to contain myself because I think we have something special here, starting with the coaching staff from the top to the bottom."Ìý

As the Wildcats enter their second season under Gonzales, with a handful of newcomers in the defensive secondary, "it's very important to keep at the forefront, yesterday's scores don't count in today's ball game," Viney said.Ìý

"This is not a rebuild, but this is who we are, and this is what we do," Viney said. "Danny Gonzales stood in front of the staff and the defense at the start of last year and said we were gonna be good on defense, and we were. That's a man that knows what he wants and knows what he's capable of and knows what his system is capable of producing.

"He stood on that with all 10 toes and we were able to execute. This year is different. We're not going to sneak up on anybody. We have to put in the man hours to get it done this fall."Ìý

Gonzales believes the Wildcats "have the pieces to be better on defense than we were last year, if Chip and (safeties coach Brett Arce) can work their magic and coach the guys we recruited in the secondary, because we have a ton of speed and we have a chance to be good up front."

"We have a good football team coming back, but how do we not let this football team think it's going to be easy?" said Gonzales. "Nothing in life that ever comes easy is good or worth it. That's the biggest challenge because we have a confident group, but we have to maintain and keep them from getting arrogant."

Gonzales spoke to reporters for over half an hour on Saturday following the Wildcats' ninth spring practice. Here are the most pertinent items he discussed.Ìý

What gives you confidence about the potential of the returning defensive linemen?

A: "We took one defensive lineman (in the offseason) that we believe can play in the interior, his name is Kevin Moorer; he'll be here in four weeks. If (Tre Smith) didn't come back, we'd be looking for a D-linemen that could play a three, five or nine (shade) with experience. He was our portal piece. When he hurt his shoulder, I believe God's plans are greater than ours. ... We didn't need that piece.

"Leroy Palu is going to be one of the best nose guards in the Big 12. ... Mays Pese played as a true freshman and is up to 295 pounds and is one of the ones who can power clean over 350 pounds. He's a violent, twitchy, strong, really good football player. Prince Williams, who will be very much like Mays Pese, will give us added depth in those spots. Julian Savaiinaea is getting better and better and better. ... (Dominic) Lolesio is the most improved player on our team and it ain't even close.

"We have some pieces there and I haven't even mentioned Ezra Funa. Zac Siulepa weighed in at 368 pounds this morning. His transformation has been fantastic. Solely because he made the choice to finally do it (and lose weight). ... Porter Patton, he's going to be like one of those D-linemen from Utah. ... We have a ton of depth in the front seven.

"We have four or five guys that are 300 pounds, but those 300-pounders can move. In the Big 12, you better be physical up front. ... Those pieces, I thought they were good enough."Ìý

What improvements would you like to see on defense? Or would you be content with replicating the success you had last season?

A: "I've never finished No. 1 in the country in total defense in my career. ... We want to continue to take the ball away, create turnovers, but where we screwed up last year and where we weren't good enough was run defense. The two games we allowed people to run the football, we lost. They've heard that every day this offseason. We didn't play well against BYU and Houston, and that's why we didn't have a chance to play in the conference championship game. Don't let people run the ball."Ìý

After losing Stukes, Johnson and Smith, who are the players stepping up as leaders of Arizona's defense?Ìý

A: "Tre had a big voice last year, but when he got hurt, that voice disappeared. It doesn't matter how good of a player or how good of a person you are, your leadership skills. If you're not a player, it doesn't matter. You have to be a player. ... Tre has done a phenomenal job in his short time.

"(Safety Gavin Hunter) has been so good in the secondary. ... The middle of our defense — which is probably the most important because the way we signal and call things from the microphone to (linebackers Taye Brown and Chase Kennedy) — those two have really stepped up in an elite manner.

"Taye Brown is one of the best linebackers in the Big 12, if notÌýthe best. I've tried my tail off to out-recruit him, and I can't. That is fantastic. ... If we can stay healthy, we'll have all of those great things we had last year. Last year at this time, we were having to convince them to believe in me. ... Now I don't have to convince them to believe in me. ... I want to be the best defense in the country, and that's the challenge to our football team. There's nowhere to go from there.

"If you have enough pieces and talent and they play hard, why not? Guess what? We'll have a chance to play in the CFP and do all of those fun things everyone in Tucson wants us to do."Ìý

Extra points

–ÌýGonzales said the Wildcats "have just as much speed or more in the secondary." Added Gonzales: "We just have to teach them what to do. We have two of the best defensive backs coach to do it, so it'll be fun."Ìý

–ÌýGonzales said Hunter "will be an elite defensive back and he will leave a legacy here very similar to what (Stukes, Johnson and Smith) left. I can't wait for the next two years with Gavin Hunter. I'm very excited."Ìý

–ÌýGonzales said Arizona has 46 players who can power clean 300-plus pounds and "19 of them that were within 10 pounds of power cleaning 300, so we'll end up with 60 by the time we get to July. That's going to be the strongest damn team in the history of Arizona."Ìý