Arizona head coach Brent Brennan discussed what quarterback Noah Fifita means to the program after leading the Wildcats to a 24-20 win over Kansas on Saturday. Brennan went into length about what Fifita means to the program and the university community, as well as being an incredible leader.
Fifita was in the 2022 Arizona class that helped build a foundation for the 10-3 2023 season. Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan was the top 2022 Arizona signee. Fifita is playing his first season in 2025 without McMillan, since they were in youth football.
Fifita led Arizona on an eight-play 80-yard drive that culminated with a 24-yard touchdown run by Quincy Craig with 39 seconds left to put the Wildcats ahead 24-20. The final pass attempt by Kansas QB Jalon Daniels went out of the end zone and Arizona earned its second consecutive win.
Fifita tied Nick Foles and Willie Tuitama for the Arizona career record with 67 TD passes. Fifita completed 16 passes in 31 attempts for 158 yards, two TDs and no interceptions against Kansas. The 158 passing yards for Fifita were his lowest in 2025.
Arizona has wins in the four lowest passing yardage games for Fifita in 2025. In his five highest passing games in 2025, Arizona has two wins and three losses. Fifita affects the success of Arizona more with his leadership than his production on the field.
"Noah Fifita is everything to this program...He is an incredible leader. He's an incredible human being. He's an incredible person in this community. He cares about the U of A. He's loyal....The whole world tried to buy him the last two offseasons. He chose to stay...you rarely see him get emotional on game day...It's happened a couple times in the last three games where you've seen that kind of fire and that energy, but he's normally just like calm and dead even...He's the voice on that last drive when everyone's going crazy, we're huddled right after the missed field goal...there's lots of emotion....he's just he's totally focused on what's ahead. "Arizona head coach Noah Fifita
Fifita chose to return to Arizona during each of the past two offseasons. Arizona has lost 56 players to the transfer portal in the last two years. Fifita would have had many suitors as a transfer but chose to remain loyal to Arizona and help Brennan turn the program around.
After finishing the 2024 season with four wins and eight losses, Arizona has improved to six victories and three defeats in 2025. Arizona became bowl eligible with the win over Kansas. Fifita has had a redemptive season in 2025.
In his first season playing for Brennan in 2024, Fifita completed 60.5 percent of his pass attempts for 2,958 yards, 18 TDs and 12 interceptions. Under new offensive coordinator Seth Doege in 2025, Fifita has completed 63.9 percent for 2,200 yards, 23 TDs and four interceptions.
Fifita is on pace to shatter his career highs in passing yards and TD passes. With 103 rushing yards and three TDs on the ground, Fifita has also set career standards. If Fifita returns for the 2026 season, he would break Foles' Arizona career passing yardage record if he stays healthy.
On a team that has added 55 transfers and signed 43 players in the last two recruiting classes, Fifita has provided Arizona with stability. Brennan knows he can rely on Fifita to provide leadership and help him set the culture for the Arizona football program.