Arizona’s base defensive alignment is a 4-2-5, which it has used for the vast majority of snaps over the past two seasons. But from his first game as defensive coordinator, Johnny Nansen has been willing to mix things up in order to counter different offensive styles.
In the 2022 season opener at San Diego State he used a “joker” package that featured five down linemen in an effort to counter the Aztecs’ run game and a mobile quarterback. SDSU averaged just 4.05 yards per carry.
This season saw the “dollar” package—seven defensive backs, with three down lineman and just one linebacker—get used extensively against Washington and USC, two of the most prolific passing teams in the country.