Arizona football may not have coach Jedd Fisch next season, but it will have its top offensive playmakers.
Quarterback Noah Fifita and receiver Tetairoa McMillan announced during Saturday’s Arizona-UCLA basketball game that they will continue their college careers in Tucson. With Fisch recently hired as head coach at Washington, Fifita’s and McMillan’s college futures had been uncertain.
This is a tremendous boost for the Wildcats as they head to the Big 12 under coach Brent Brennan, hired last week to replace the departed Fisch.
Fifita and McMillan have been teammates since youth football. They attended high school together and started college together. They’ve made their marks at each stop.
Last season, Fifita helped guide Arizona to its first 10-win season since 2014, and only its fourth in program history. A backup to begin the season, Fifita took over for injured starter Jayden de Laura in Week 4 and became one of the nation’s top young quarterbacks. He will begin his redshirt sophomore season as a fringe Heisman Trophy candidate.
McMillan is among college football’s top receivers. Last season, he had 90 catches for 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns. Arizona still is going through a transition with the coaching change, but Fifita and McMillan’s decisions could help keep other players from departing the program.
With Fifita and McMillan in place, will the Wildcats contend in the Big 12?
Fisch’s departure hit Tucson hard, mostly because of what he built in three seasons. After years of disappointment, he proved that Arizona football can be relevant on a national stage. Fisch remains a big loss, but the return of Fifita and McMillan’s brings stability.
More important, they give Brennan two of the nation’s top offensive threats. At 5-foot-9, Fifita lacks traditional height for a quarterback. But he makes up for it with a strong arm and uncommon poise. Last season, he made the Wildcats a different team, one that ended the year with a seven-game win streak and ranked 11th in the final AP poll. He’ll be better in his second full season.
The Wildcats still have questions. They will be working with a mostly new coaching staff and will have to replace key parts that led to their breakout season. But with Fifita and McMillan, they could be a threat in the Big 12.
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(Photo: Daniel Dunn / USA Today)
2024-01-20 23:20:41
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