Arizona football’s situation shouldn’t feel this shaky in August. But that’s a harsh reality. A Power 4 program just 11 months after being a preseason Top 25 team, fueled by a 10-win 2023 season, is now hoping just to make a bowl game. Big 12 title aspirations are out the window. Fans are simply hoping for six wins. With the team’s future hinging on QB Noah Fifita, coach Brent Brennan knows the pressure is on. To avoid last season’s 4-8 disaster, Brennan’s already made a significant $750K power move to secure his quarterback’s future and keep Arizona’s season from going off the rails.

Even with some offensive struggles, Noah Fifita did try and gave it his best shot. This included a 61-point explosion against New Mexico with a shaky wide receiver corps. He started all 12 games, throwing for 2,958 yards for a 60.5% completion rate and 18 touchdowns, with 12 interceptions. But those interceptions really made things hard for the team. Knowing this, Brent Brennan is actively working to avoid a repeat of those past inconsistencies in 2025, ensuring the Wildcats maintain their offensive momentum.

His move? Bringing in a $750k weapon in Seth Doege, who’s not just calling plays this offseason but also bringing out the best in Fifita. “Well, if you watch like in practice, like coach (Seth) Doege is like coaching them all the time, right? So, even when you’re in the special teams period, Coach Doege has them off on some other part of the field working on something technical for quarterback play,” Brent Brennan said at the Arizona Football Press Conference. And since spring Doege has been trying to make him a leader that everyone looks up to.

Let’s be real: no one needed Doege more than the Wildcats. Last season was a mess for Noah Fifita, but now he’s driven to correct what he calls an “extremely poor” 2024 season. Losing his 2023 supporting cast didn’t make things easier. With Tetairoa McMillan drawing constant double and triple-teams, no reliable running game, and a battered offensive line, Fifita often faced third-and-long situations.

That’s right. He completed 73.5% of those passes in 2023, but that dropped to 41.4% last year. His average time to throw increased from 2.55 to 3.14 seconds, and bad habits emerged: drifting in the pocket, bouncing around, holding the ball too long, and throwing twice as many interceptions (12). He even led the nation with 37 throwaways. But Doege is making sure it doesn’t happen this season. His move? Watching film and identifying star qualities in Fifita, such as the long pass to T-Mac against New Mexico, a play that Doege says took him “years” to learn as a QB.

The results may already be showing. “You know, I think what we’re doing schematically fits him really well. His ability to get the ball out of his hand quickly and make good decisions and fast decisions is really good. And then you see him playing with that confidence and stepping up in the pocket and still delivering accurate throws. It’s exciting,” Brennan added. But with Doege’s offensive expertise, there’s another leader rising up to help Fifita.

Brent Brennan’s clear verdict on Gio Richardson’s redshirt hype

Freshman wide receiver Gio Richardson is battling to earn a spot in the rotation. After breaking his fibula during Basha’s playoff run last year, which sidelined him for spring ball, he’s finally healthy. Coach Brennan says Richardson is already making a strong push to be part of the team in the fall, with his impressive speed, confidence, and genuine competitiveness.

That’s right. Brennan is nothing but hyped up on Gio Richardson’s massive turnaround. While talking to the media, he said, “Gio had the injury at the end of his high school career, so he was unavailable in spring practice. It’s been great to see him really push and get healthy and start to find ways to get into the mix this fall. My favorite thing about Gio is that he’s a tough, tough a– kid, and you saw that in high school.” But even with all the hype, it’s going to be a battle, as Arizona’s WR room is filled with a lot of talent.

Arizona’s receiver group is stacked after a complete overhaul. Veteran Chris Hunter is back, and transfers Kris Hutson and Luke Wysong are the ones everyone expects to start. FCS standout Javin Whatley is also in the mix, along with 4-star Isaiah Mizzell. Richardson will have to compete with all of them for playing time, but his 10.76-second 100-meter speed and 1,880 career receiving yards in high school suggest he’s up to the challenge. But what about his redshirt year?

Brent Brennan is ready to use him immediately if he adds to the team’s success. “Honestly, if they can help us win, they’re going to play. And so to me, there’s no balance there. The only way there’s a balance is if you don’t think they’re good enough to help us win every week,” Brennan said. Best part? He’s already making an impact this fall camp. Richardson has quickly bonded with WR coach Bobby Wade, who heavily recruited him, and is also learning from Brent Brennan, a former receiver himself.

While earning slot reps will be challenging with Wysong, Whatley, and Jeremiah Patterson ahead, early games against Hawaii and Weber State could offer Richardson some game experience. Brennan has already seen enough in practice to believe he’ll perform beyond his freshman status. The faster he learns, the more playing time he’ll get.