Editor’s note: First in a series previewing each team in the Big 12 in 2024
Jedd Fisch slowly built Arizona into a winner over his three seasons in Tucson, taking a declining program over from Kevin Sumlin and turning it around.
After Sumlin, who never posted a winning season in his three years with the program, went 0-5 in 2020, the Wildcats made a change, bringing in Fisch, who was previously the quarterbacks coach for the New England Patriots.
The cupboards were empty when Fisch took over, and it showed in his first season as the Wildcats limped to a 1-11 record in 2021, then improved to 5-7 the year after. But the foundation was being laid through recruiting and the transfer portal, and it all came together for the Wildcats in 2023 as they capped off their first 10-win season since 2014 with a 38-24 win over Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl.
Quarterback Noah Fifita, who took over after Jayden le Laura was injured in Week 4, was sensational, throwing for 2,869 yards and 25 touchdowns over 12 games while being one of the most accurate QBs in the country with a 72% completion rate. Many of Fifita’s passes were to star receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who ranked fifth in the nation with 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Arizona’s high-powered offense looked like it was set for another huge year in 2024.
Then Alabama coach Nick Saban retired and was replaced by Washington’s Kalen DeBoer, and the Huskies tapped Fisch as his replacement. Arizona brought in San Jose State head coach Brent Brennan, who had a 34-48 record at San Jose State, including a 14-11 record in the previous two years. While that isn’t an impressive record, it makes more sense in context — San Jose State is a traditionally tough place to win at, and the Spartans have only had a season with more than seven wins since 2000 two times.
It remains to be seen how Brennan will fare at the Power Four level — his seven years at San Jose State is his only college head coaching experience — but he’s done well in keeping the impact players of the 2023 team together. Star players will go with their coach to his new school the majority of the time, but Fifita and McMillian bucked the trend, staying in Tucson.
“There is all kinds of excitement about the football team we had a year ago, so there’s tremendous momentum. And a lot of those players chose to stay together and move forward together, which I think is rare and one of the best stories in college football this season,” Brennan said.
Helping matters for offensive coordinator Dino Babers, who joins Arizona after eight years as head coach at Syracuse, is a strong offensive line that returns four players that played over 400 snaps last season, including All-Big 12 preseason selection Jonah Savaiinaea.
The question mark on offense is at running back, as the Wildcats’ top three RBs from 2023 are no longer on the team — Jonah Coleman (863 yards, five touchdowns) left for Washington and D.J. Williams (372 yards, five touchdowns) and Michael Wiley (311 yards, three touchdowns) graduated. New Mexico running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (1,190 yards, 17 touchdowns) and San Jose State running back Quali Conley (842 yards, nine touchdowns) will take over rushing duties. Arizona also needs to find a reliable WR2 after Jacob Cowing was drafted.
Even with new starters at those positions, the Wildcats are feeling good about their chances to pick right back up from where they left off in 2023, with an offense that scored 34.6 points per game.
On defense, there was nowhere to go but up for the Wildcats last season after they had one of the worst defenses in all of college football in 2022, allowing 36.5 points per game. Arizona improved that to 20.8 points allowed per game last season.
With key returning starters from last season, including preseason All Big 12 selections linebacker Jacob Manu and cornerback Tacario Davis along with linebacker/nickel Treydan Stukes and safety Gunner Maldonado, the Wildcats are set to continue the defensive improvement from last year.
The big question mark is along the defensive line, as Arizona returns no full-time starters from the 2023 team and brings in Kevon Darton from Syracuse, Tre Smith Jr. from San Jose State and Chubba Ma’ae from UC Davis. Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei, who appeared in all 14 games for the Wildcats with one start, is the lone projected starter with experience at Arizona.
Duane Akina, a 43-year coaching veteran, was promoted to defensive coordinator.
“Defensively we were able to retain Duane Akina and (”star” position coach) Brett Arce and some other pieces there that the scheme will be the same or similar,” Brennan said.
With returning offensive firepower and a core of a much-improved defense, Arizona could be a contender for the Big 12 title this year if the transition to Brennan is smooth. The Wildcats were picked fifth in the Big 12 preseason media poll and received three first-place votes.
Arizona Wildcats 2024 preview
2023 record: 10-3 (7-2 Pac-12).
Local ties: Defensive lineman Chase Kennedy (Utah transfer), defensive lineman Ammon Kaufusi (Highland High), punter Cash Peterman (BYU transfer).
2024 schedule
Aug. 31: New Mexico
Sept. 7: Northern Arizona
Sept. 13: at Kansas State (non-conference game)
Sept. 21: Bye
Sept. 28: at Utah
Oct. 5: Texas Tech
Oct. 12: at BYU
Oct. 19: Colorado
Oct. 26: West Virginia
Nov. 2: at…
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