Wildcats will replace coordinators Dino Babers, Duane Akina and Danny Gonzales
Dec 5, 2024, 1:21 PM | Updated: 1:37 pm
The Arizona Wildcats announced Thursday that offensive coordinator Dino Babers will not return for the 2025 season, while defensive coordinator Duane Akina and special teams coordinator Danny Gonzales will remain on staff with different titles.
Akina is set to lead the secondary, while Gonzales’ new role is undetermined.
“This season did not come close to meeting the standards that we have as a program and no one is more disappointed than me,” head coach Brent Brennan said in a release. “As the head coach, it is my responsibility to evaluate all areas of the program, and I felt these changes will positively impact the long-term success of the program.
“I want to thank Dino for his hard work (and) dedication to the University of Arizona, our program, and our student-athletes.”
Brennan on a Zoom call after the announcement said that Gonzales, the former San Diego State and Arizona State defensive coordinator, will be considered for the Wildcats’ DC opening.
“We may end up going down the path. But in the short term, I’ve got to look at everything I can,” Brennan said.
At offensive coordinator, Brennan said he wants to make a hire who can help develop quarterback Noah Fifita, who has yet to announce he’s returning. Brennan added he expects the hire to be external.
“How do we help him elevate his game?” Brennan said. “Because we know when that happens it’ll help us elevate ours.
“He has every intention of returning (and not transferring) but I think who we hire has every impact on that. He has to be excited about who we bring in to be the play-caller.”
Michael Lev of the Arizona Daily Star reported Brennan met with first-year athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois on Sunday and while Brennan will get a second season on the job after taking over for Jedd Fisch, other changes were coming as a result of the 4-8 season.
On a one-year deal, Babers lost his playcalling duties following the team’s blowout loss to Kansas State on Sept. 13. Babers spent the first three games as Arizona’s play-caller before tight ends coach and passing game coordinator Matt Adkins stepped into the role during a bye week.
Babers, 63, was the previous head coach at Syracuse from 2016 until 2023 and had worked at Arizona under former head coach Dick Tomey.
Babers served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 1998 to 2000 and also led wide receivers (1995-96) and running backs (1997). He and Brennan were both on the 2000 team’s coaching staff.
Texas State offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich was already named “a person of interest” in the Wildcats’ pursuit of a replacement for Babers, but he has been targeted by Texas Tech to make the leap to OC there, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Duane Akina moved off defensive coordinator role for Arizona Wildcats
Akina worked under Fisch as an analyst in 2023 before taking on a much larger role as DC. He was a long-time defensive backs coach, joining the Wildcats in 1987 in that role before switching to offensive coordinator from 1992-95.
Akina shifted back to DB coach at Arizona from 1996-2000 before a long tenure with the Texas Longhorns (2001-13). There, he led defensive backs and was promoted to associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator (2005-07).
He served as Stanford’s defensive backs coach from 2014-22 before returning to the Wildcats two seasons ago.
“Duane and I sat down and had a great conversation,” Brennan said. “He’s going to go back to producing NFL defensive backs.”
Danny Gonzales’ future up in the air at Arizona
Gonzales appeared to be a strong get last offseason when Brennan hired him as linebackers coach and special teams coordinator.
Brennan said he wants the new hire to be solely focused on special teams.
Gonzales served as San Diego State defensive coordinator in 2017 before he called Arizona State’s defense in 2018. He was even elevated to associate head coach under Herm Edwards in 2019 before taking the head-coaching job at New Mexico from 2020-23.
His background — and undetermined status — puts him in consideration for the defensive coordinator opening if Arizona does not land on an outside hire.
