Arizona starts new era in defensive secondary, replaces five NFL DBs

Arizona’s football season opener will give Tucson fans an immediate look at how the Wildcats plan to rebuild one of the strongest defensive secondaries in the country. When Arizona hosts Northern Arizona on Saturday, none of the three defensive backs who formed the core of last year’s unit, Treydan Stukes, Dalton Johnson or Genesis Smith, will be on the roster. That marks the first time since 2019, before the COVID era, that Arizona will play without all three.

The turnover extends beyond those longtime starters. Arizona also must replace cornerbacks Michael Dansby and Ayden Garnes, meaning the Wildcats are moving forward without the five defensive backs who played major roles in last season’s success. Stukes, Johnson, Smith and Dansby were selected in the NFL Draft, while Garnes joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent and earned a spot on Tampa Bay’s 53 man roster. Garnes reportedly learned of his accomplishment while driving to Olive Garden.

Those departures leave Arizona trying to match a defense that ranked seventh nationally in passing yards allowed last season and finished first in turnover margin. The Wildcats forced 31 turnovers, more than the 28 touchdowns they surrendered, and produced 22 interceptions. That interception total led the Big 12 and ranked second across major college football. Arizona also averaged 2.5 takeaways per game, the best rate in the country.

For the opener, Arizona’s projected starting secondary consists of fifth year cornerback Jay’Vion Cole, Charlotte transfer Dwight Bootle II at the other corner spot, Nebraska transfer Malcolm Hartzog at slot corner, fourth year safety Gavin Hunter and walk-on free safety Quinn Olson. Defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales said the group has shown encouraging signs during practice, but the Wildcats will begin learning whether that promise translates to games against Northern Arizona.

Cole is the most established member of the group. He had the second most interceptions in the Big 12 last season, and Gonzales has gone so far as to call him the league’s best cornerback, placing him ahead of a highly regarded Utah player. Bootle won the second outside corner job after competing with Tyrese Boss, a third year transfer from Wyoming, and Zuri Watson, a second year transfer from Howard. The competition gives Arizona experienced alternatives if the new starters need help.

Hartzog is one of the most closely watched newcomers. The 5 foot 8, 190 pound transfer from Nebraska is expected to take over for Stukes in the slot, while Hunter moves from his backup role at slot corner into the box safety position Johnson occupied. Arizona coach Brent Brennan has praised Hartzog’s football intelligence, physical style and playmaking ability, and Gonzales has suggested that NFL teams could be interested in him by next spring.

Olson’s promotion is the most unexpected development in the secondary. An Iowa native who arrived at Arizona as a walk-on in 2024, Olson began his college career as a quarterback before converting to safety. He is the only walk-on listed on Arizona’s two deep depth chart, but coaches describe him as an unusually athletic and intelligent defender who has been able to cover the team’s top receivers in practice.

That path has drawn comparisons to Stukes, who also developed from walk-on status into a standout player. Brennan said Olson’s offseason work produced striking gains in strength, speed, quickness and explosiveness, while Arce pointed to Olson as a possible continuation of Arizona’s history of walk-ons becoming meaningful contributors. Hartzog has also praised Olson’s understanding of the game, saying he recognizes plays quickly and has a strong feel for what is happening on the field. Olson’s first start will still come with an expected learning curve.

Arizona has additional options waiting behind the starters. Oregon transfer Daylen Austin and UConn transfer Lee Molette III are listed behind Hartzog. Northern Colorado transfer Cam Chapa and USC transfer Matai Tagoa’i are behind Olson, and Johno Price is available as a cornerback and safety hybrid behind Hunter. Those players could become especially important as the Wildcats navigate injuries, opposing formations and the demands of Big 12 play.

The pressure on the secondary is tied closely to Arizona’s pass rush and run defense. Gonzales said the defensive backs have enough ability to cover as well as, or possibly better than, last year’s group, but he also acknowledged that coverage can break down when the front seven fails to pressure the quarterback. Arizona’s coaches saw that relationship clearly last season. The Wildcats allowed six completions for 189 yards in their loss at Iowa State, and the Cyclones finished with 288 passing yards. Arizona then held opponents below 200 passing yards for eight consecutive games, the best such streak by a Big 12 defense since Missouri in 2004, before SMU ended it in the Holiday Bowl.

Offensive coordinator Seth Doege, who has faced Arizona’s defenders throughout spring practices and training camp, offered a cautiously optimistic assessment. He said the new group might include better cover players than last year’s unit, while stopping short of declaring them better overall defenders. For Tucson fans, the Northern Arizona game will provide the first public test of that distinction. The Wildcats are replacing an unusually productive collection of players, but they also enter the season with returning talent, highly regarded transfers and a walk-on safety whose rise has become one of camp’s central storylines.