Arizona names Sawyer Anderson backup QB behind Noah Fifita

During his news conference following Arizona’s 16th training camp practice, UA offensive coordinator Seth Doege declared second-year quarterback Sawyer Anderson as the backup. Anderson edged in-state product and Gilbert native Luke Haugo.

“We’re going to roll with Sawyer,” Doege said. “He’s had a tremendous camp. What separated him was the explosive plays. He had way more explosives than the rest of them. I’m really proud of him, especially where he’s at in his development, because he’s still a young player and a redshirt freshman.”

Anderson, who was recruited by Doege last year, is entering his second season at Arizona following a prolific career at The Parish Episcopal in Dallas. The 5-11, 181-pound Anderson passed for 14,674 yards and 158 touchdowns as a four-year starter in high school, which is a Dallas-Fort Worth record. 

Anderson’s ability to maneuver outside the pocket, throw from different arm angles and acceleration on quarterback-designed runs are akin to Fifita’s skillset.

“The greatest thing about Sawyer is I feel like I don’t have to alter (the playbook) that much,” said Doege. “If he’s in the game, I’m going to call plays Sawyer is good at. That might alter how I call the game. But when we go into a game, he’s going to know the same game plan as Noah, because he (can) handle it. Does he have it as mastered as Noah does? Not yet. That’s where I gotta be really specific with how I call it, but he’ll know it.

“He’s extremely smart and he works really hard at it. Noah is elite at prepping. Sawyer works harder than most backup quarterbacks or redshirt freshman quarterbacks in the country. That dude is here all the time. If Noah is in the film room, Sawyer is in the film room with him. The ability to process a bunch of what we’re doing with Noah, (Anderson) is able to handle it. … I’m confident he’ll go execute anything we call.”

Anderson understudied Fifita and former backup quarterback Braedyn Locke, who had four years of college football-playing experience prior to playing at Arizona, during the 2025 season.

“Listening to Braedyn and Noah go through every day of being the backup and starter, he got a ton of knowledge and a ton of preparation through that experience and it has really paid off,” Doege said. “I want to keep seeing that consistency from him, continue to see him playing at a high level.”

Anderson spent last season learning how to be QB2. Now that he’s Arizona’s QB2, he’s studying how to be QB1. Not only is Arizona’s starter one of the best quarterbacks in program history, but he’s an elite note taker, too.

Fifita’s notes on his iPad, when used during team meetings and offensive meetings, are color-coordinated, “extremely organized and he usually rewrites them.”

Sometimes Arizona’s quarterbacks have late-night meetings at Lowell-Stevens Football Facility during training camp. Whether they’re going over a “certain coverage or a certain look” or Doege is telling a story, Fifita is tapping away on his iPad.

“The whole time a story is going on, I just hear this typing behind me (pretends to type fast),” Doege said. “He’s not taking notes on the story; he’s retyping his notes or reorganizing his notes and they’re incredible. Anytime I talk to an NFL scout, I’m like, ‘Guys, I don’t know how you gotta do it and maybe I gotta do it, but print out one page and see how detailed these notes are.’ If I say something, it’s getting written down.”

Doege said, “The cool thing about Noah that separates him is this beginner’s mindset every day.”

“No matter what we’re meeting about, whether it’s install one or game prep for NAU, the notes are being taken as if he never heard them before,” Doege said. “It’s incredible. It’s elite. I’ve never seen anything like it. I wish I took notes like that, because I would be a better coordinator. Noah challenges me to be better. Sometimes you’re around really good players, and you’re like, ‘Man, that guy was really fun to coach.’

“Noah is extremely fun to coach and I’m grateful to be a part of his journey, but I’m learning just as much from him as he’s learning from me. He’s making me better, too, because it’s a constant challenge to be the very best for him, because he has given me his very best. It’s just incredible. I love that kid and I love that he’s our quarterback.”

Learning from Fifita over the last 18 months “really gave (Anderson) an advantage when it comes to processing the scheme and knowing where to go with the football.”

“Obviously, I knew he was a talented football player, bringing him here,” Doege said. “I really liked the (evaluation) on him, but you never know when they get here, how fast they process things. He has picked it up faster than a lot of kids I’ve been around. The mobility part gives him another dimension to his game, his ability to throw off-platform and create outside the pocket — he’s made some plays this camp where you’re like, ‘Whoa, that’s super impressive.’ And that’s unique to him. I’m excited. I have a ton of confidence in him.”

Last season, Doege brought in Locke out of necessity. If Fifita was unavailable, Doege didn’t want to throw an inexperienced true freshman into the starting offense, especially the season after the Wildcats went 4-8. The UA coaches were more comfortable with an experienced backup while the freshmen, including Anderson, developed and learned Doege’s playbook.

That’s not the case this season.

“Part of the reason why I didn’t bring a transfer in is because I believe in those young guys and I knew one of them was going to separate themselves,” Doege said. “And he’s tough. That’s probably the best thing about Sawyer Anderson, is he’s one of the toughest kids I’ve ever been around. You can coach him hard, he’ll accept the coaching, and he’ll apply it. He never gets too down or gets too up. He battles through injury.

“This kid is tough and that’s exactly what you want in a quarterback, so I’m excited about his growth and him being in that spot. I have a lot of confidence (in Anderson). If we had to play with Sawyer Anderson, we’d be in a good spot to win a Big 12 football game. I’m excited about him. He’s had a tremendous camp. I’m really proud of him and that’s the direction we’re going to go for right now.”