After making an immediate and significant impact overseeing the defense in his first season on the job, Sun Devil football defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales was promoted to assistant head coach/defensive coordinator in January 2019.
In his first season in Tempe, Gonzales oversaw a Sun Devil defense that allowed the fewest points (332) since the 2012 season. ASU held nine of its opponents under 30 points, including seven consecutive games to start the season. ASU was one of seven teams to accomplish this, a feat that has only been done five times at the school in the Pac-10/12 era.
Despite having one of the nation’s youngest defenses, Gonzales managed to significantly improve that side of the ball. Sun Devil freshmen (true or redshirt) combined for 3,300+ snaps on defense in 2018. Comparatively, freshmen combined for just 918 total defensive snaps played in 2017 and 1,035 in 2016. Only three Pac-12 true freshmen played at least 650 defensive snaps in the regular season and all of them played for Arizona State (linebacker Merlin Robertson/749, cornerback Aashari Crosswell/722, linebacker Darien Butler/690).
Under Gonzales’ tutelage, Robertson was named the Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year after becoming the first Sun Devil freshman to lead the team in tackles since Jason Shivers in 2001. Crosswell also earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention for a campaign in which he led ASU in interceptions (four) and pass breakups (nine) and was seventh in the nation with 127 yards on interception returns.
During the regular season, ASU held opponents to just 3.5 points per fourth quarter, the fifth lowest total in FBS. For comparison, the defense ranked 112th, 124th, and 121st in the same category over the past three seasons. Additionally, ASU allowed just 4.9 points per first quarter in the regular season, moving its national rank from 82nd in 2017 to 36thnationally in 2018. The Sun Devils allowed 25.1 points per game in the regular season, good for 49th nationally compared with 103rd (32.8 ppg) in 2017.
ASU finished the regular season tied for 20th nationally in fewest passing plays over 40 yards allowed, giving up just five. ASU ranked 90th in the category in 2017, allowing 12 such plays and 127th in 2016, allowing 22 passing plays over 40 yards allowed. Additionally, the Sun Devils finished 60th in the regular season allowing 5.63 yards per play this year, moving up over 50 spots from the team's 111th place finish in the category in 2017 (6.33 yards per play). ASU had finished 109th or worse in the category in three consecutive seasons prior to the current campaign.
The 2018 Broyles Award Nominee joined the Sun Devil coaching staff as defensive coordinator in 2018 after seven seasons at San Diego State. Gonzales spent all seven seasons with SDSU as the safeties coach but was promoted to defensive coordinator prior to the 2017 season and helped lead the Aztecs to a 10-3 record and an appearance in the Armed Forces Bowl.
In his first season as SDSU defensive coordinator, the Aztecs finished the 2017 regular season 11th nationally and first in the Mountain West in total defense, allowing just 303.5 yards per game. The Aztecs were ninth in rushing defense (110.4 yards per game) and 27th in passing yards allowed (193.1).
San Diego State held 12 of its last 15 opponents to 375 yards or less of total offense. From Nov. 14, 2015 - Dec. 23, 2017 (includes 32 SDSU games), San Diego State ranked sixth in total offense allowed per game (303.3) and ninth nationally in points allowed per game (18.3).
Prior to the Aztecs bowl game in 2017, in 37 games (since Sept. 26, 2015), opponents rushed 1,225 times for 3,843 yards and 3.1 yards per carry. Over that span, SDSU's defense ranked third in yards per carry (3.2) and third nationally in rushing yards allowed per game (103.9).
SDSU was 19thin red zone defense and first in the Mountain West in 2017 allowing opponents to score just 75 percent of the time while the team allowed the sixth-fewest first downs nationally (199). The Aztecs were second in the nation in allowing opponents to convert just 22.2 percent of their fourth down conversion attempts.
Entering the 2017 season, SDSU's 100 interceptions were the third most in the country since 2011, while its 14 interceptions returned for a touchdown were tied for the fifth most over that span. The Aztecs' 49 interceptions in 2015 and 2016 were the most in a two-year span in FBS play since Boston College had 51 in the 2007 and 2008 campaigns. SDSU led the country in interceptions (26) in 2016.
In 2015, the Aztecs finished among the top 10 in the four main defensive categories, including a tie for second with 23 interceptions, fifth in total defense (287.3), seventh in scoring defense (16.4) and rushing defense (108.7) and 10th in passing defense (178.6).
SDSU produced one of the best defensive efforts in school history in 2014, finishing in the top 20 nationally in nearly every defensive category, including scoring defense (13th) and total defense (16th).
Gonzales coached Nat Berhe and Eric Pinkins, both of whom were selected in the 2014 NFL Draft. Berhe was a fifth-round selection of the New York Giants, while Pinkins went in the sixth round to the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
Under Gonzales' guidance, Berhe became the first Aztec safety in the Mountain West era (since 1999) to garner all-conference accolades three years in a row. Berhe, who landed on the 2013 preseason watch lists for the Jim Thorpe Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy, capped a brilliant collegiate career with first-team all-MWC honors after leading the team with a career-high 99 tackles, including 60 solo stops.
As a team in 2012, the Aztec defense topped the MWC in rushing defense with 133.5 yards per game. SDSU also showed dramatic improvement in that statistic at the national level, climbing from the 78th spot in 2011 to the 28th position in 2012.
Gonzales was part of a staff that saw the Aztec defense finish 2011 with a No. 1 conference ranking in sacks (2.23/g), tackles for loss (6.54/g), interceptions (15) and turnovers gained (28).
He previously was a member of Aztec head coach Rocky Long's staff at New Mexico.
From 2005-08, Gonzales worked with the safeties, punters, kickers and deep snappers at UNM. Under his tutelage, the Lobo safeties combined for 55 pass breakups in 2007-08, and the 2007 New Mexico squad ranked 13th nationally in total defense, 14th in scoring defense and 20th in passing defense.
He coached placekicker John Sullivan to consensus All-America honors. A former walk-on, Sullivan nailed a nation's best 29 field goals in 2007.
Placekickers Kenny Byrd (first-team all-MWC) and James Aho (freshman All-American), and punter Jordan Scott (honorable mention all-MWC) also were honored during Gonzales' coaching stint at UNM.
Gonzales worked with NFL Draft picks defensive back Glover Quin (Houston Texans) and linebacker/defensive back Quincy Black (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) at New Mexico.
Gonzales was the school's video coordinator from 2003-05 and started his coaching career as a defensive graduate assistant for the Lobos from 1999-2002.
Gonzales was a three-year letterwinner at New Mexico, competing as a punter and safety. He earned the team's Chuck Cummings Memorial Award for morale and spirit and the Lobo Club Award for unselfish devotion to the team as a senior.
He was a part of the 1997 Lobo squad that won the Western Athletic Conference Mountain Division championship and competed in the Insight.com Bowl. UNM compiled a 9-4 overall record that year, including a 6-2 mark in league action.
Gonzales earned his bachelor's degree from New Mexico in business administration and general management and a master's degree in physical education and recreation.
He and his wife, Sandra, have four children: Cole, Jake, Chloe and Abby.
In his first season in Tempe, Gonzales oversaw a Sun Devil defense that allowed the fewest points (332) since the 2012 season. ASU held nine of its opponents under 30 points, including seven consecutive games to start the season. ASU was one of seven teams to accomplish this, a feat that has only been done five times at the school in the Pac-10/12 era.
Despite having one of the nation’s youngest defenses, Gonzales managed to significantly improve that side of the ball. Sun Devil freshmen (true or redshirt) combined for 3,300+ snaps on defense in 2018. Comparatively, freshmen combined for just 918 total defensive snaps played in 2017 and 1,035 in 2016. Only three Pac-12 true freshmen played at least 650 defensive snaps in the regular season and all of them played for Arizona State (linebacker Merlin Robertson/749, cornerback Aashari Crosswell/722, linebacker Darien Butler/690).
Under Gonzales’ tutelage, Robertson was named the Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year after becoming the first Sun Devil freshman to lead the team in tackles since Jason Shivers in 2001. Crosswell also earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention for a campaign in which he led ASU in interceptions (four) and pass breakups (nine) and was seventh in the nation with 127 yards on interception returns.
During the regular season, ASU held opponents to just 3.5 points per fourth quarter, the fifth lowest total in FBS. For comparison, the defense ranked 112th, 124th, and 121st in the same category over the past three seasons. Additionally, ASU allowed just 4.9 points per first quarter in the regular season, moving its national rank from 82nd in 2017 to 36thnationally in 2018. The Sun Devils allowed 25.1 points per game in the regular season, good for 49th nationally compared with 103rd (32.8 ppg) in 2017.
ASU finished the regular season tied for 20th nationally in fewest passing plays over 40 yards allowed, giving up just five. ASU ranked 90th in the category in 2017, allowing 12 such plays and 127th in 2016, allowing 22 passing plays over 40 yards allowed. Additionally, the Sun Devils finished 60th in the regular season allowing 5.63 yards per play this year, moving up over 50 spots from the team's 111th place finish in the category in 2017 (6.33 yards per play). ASU had finished 109th or worse in the category in three consecutive seasons prior to the current campaign.
The 2018 Broyles Award Nominee joined the Sun Devil coaching staff as defensive coordinator in 2018 after seven seasons at San Diego State. Gonzales spent all seven seasons with SDSU as the safeties coach but was promoted to defensive coordinator prior to the 2017 season and helped lead the Aztecs to a 10-3 record and an appearance in the Armed Forces Bowl.
In his first season as SDSU defensive coordinator, the Aztecs finished the 2017 regular season 11th nationally and first in the Mountain West in total defense, allowing just 303.5 yards per game. The Aztecs were ninth in rushing defense (110.4 yards per game) and 27th in passing yards allowed (193.1).
San Diego State held 12 of its last 15 opponents to 375 yards or less of total offense. From Nov. 14, 2015 - Dec. 23, 2017 (includes 32 SDSU games), San Diego State ranked sixth in total offense allowed per game (303.3) and ninth nationally in points allowed per game (18.3).
Prior to the Aztecs bowl game in 2017, in 37 games (since Sept. 26, 2015), opponents rushed 1,225 times for 3,843 yards and 3.1 yards per carry. Over that span, SDSU's defense ranked third in yards per carry (3.2) and third nationally in rushing yards allowed per game (103.9).
SDSU was 19thin red zone defense and first in the Mountain West in 2017 allowing opponents to score just 75 percent of the time while the team allowed the sixth-fewest first downs nationally (199). The Aztecs were second in the nation in allowing opponents to convert just 22.2 percent of their fourth down conversion attempts.
Entering the 2017 season, SDSU's 100 interceptions were the third most in the country since 2011, while its 14 interceptions returned for a touchdown were tied for the fifth most over that span. The Aztecs' 49 interceptions in 2015 and 2016 were the most in a two-year span in FBS play since Boston College had 51 in the 2007 and 2008 campaigns. SDSU led the country in interceptions (26) in 2016.
In 2015, the Aztecs finished among the top 10 in the four main defensive categories, including a tie for second with 23 interceptions, fifth in total defense (287.3), seventh in scoring defense (16.4) and rushing defense (108.7) and 10th in passing defense (178.6).
SDSU produced one of the best defensive efforts in school history in 2014, finishing in the top 20 nationally in nearly every defensive category, including scoring defense (13th) and total defense (16th).
Gonzales coached Nat Berhe and Eric Pinkins, both of whom were selected in the 2014 NFL Draft. Berhe was a fifth-round selection of the New York Giants, while Pinkins went in the sixth round to the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
Under Gonzales' guidance, Berhe became the first Aztec safety in the Mountain West era (since 1999) to garner all-conference accolades three years in a row. Berhe, who landed on the 2013 preseason watch lists for the Jim Thorpe Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy, capped a brilliant collegiate career with first-team all-MWC honors after leading the team with a career-high 99 tackles, including 60 solo stops.
As a team in 2012, the Aztec defense topped the MWC in rushing defense with 133.5 yards per game. SDSU also showed dramatic improvement in that statistic at the national level, climbing from the 78th spot in 2011 to the 28th position in 2012.
Gonzales was part of a staff that saw the Aztec defense finish 2011 with a No. 1 conference ranking in sacks (2.23/g), tackles for loss (6.54/g), interceptions (15) and turnovers gained (28).
He previously was a member of Aztec head coach Rocky Long's staff at New Mexico.
From 2005-08, Gonzales worked with the safeties, punters, kickers and deep snappers at UNM. Under his tutelage, the Lobo safeties combined for 55 pass breakups in 2007-08, and the 2007 New Mexico squad ranked 13th nationally in total defense, 14th in scoring defense and 20th in passing defense.
He coached placekicker John Sullivan to consensus All-America honors. A former walk-on, Sullivan nailed a nation's best 29 field goals in 2007.
Placekickers Kenny Byrd (first-team all-MWC) and James Aho (freshman All-American), and punter Jordan Scott (honorable mention all-MWC) also were honored during Gonzales' coaching stint at UNM.
Gonzales worked with NFL Draft picks defensive back Glover Quin (Houston Texans) and linebacker/defensive back Quincy Black (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) at New Mexico.
Gonzales was the school's video coordinator from 2003-05 and started his coaching career as a defensive graduate assistant for the Lobos from 1999-2002.
Gonzales was a three-year letterwinner at New Mexico, competing as a punter and safety. He earned the team's Chuck Cummings Memorial Award for morale and spirit and the Lobo Club Award for unselfish devotion to the team as a senior.
He was a part of the 1997 Lobo squad that won the Western Athletic Conference Mountain Division championship and competed in the Insight.com Bowl. UNM compiled a 9-4 overall record that year, including a 6-2 mark in league action.
Gonzales earned his bachelor's degree from New Mexico in business administration and general management and a master's degree in physical education and recreation.
He and his wife, Sandra, have four children: Cole, Jake, Chloe and Abby.