Arizona promotes Danny Gonzales to defensive coordinator

By The Associated Press

FILE - New Mexico head coach Danny Gonzales walks the field during an NCAA football game against LSU on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton, File)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matthew Hinton]

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona has promoted Danny Gonzales to defensive coordinator and hired former player Joe Salave’a as associate head coach. Salave’a also will serve as defensive line coach. The school announced the moves on Thursday. Gonzales served as linebackers coach and special teams coordinator last season, Brent Brennan’s first as head coach. He previously spent four years as New Mexico’s head coach and was Arizona State’s defensive coordinator from 2018-19, with a stint as San Diego State’s defensive backs coach before that. Gonzales replaces Duane Akina, who shifted to defensive backs coach. Salave’a was a two-time all-Pac-10 player from 1994-97 and played nine seasons in the NFL.