Arizona spring football preview: quarterbacks

The Wildcats — known around the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility as "Team 123" — begin spring practices on Tuesday, March 24, and will cap their month-long spring schedule with a showcase on Saturday, April 25, at Casino Del Sol Stadium. 

Leading up to spring ball, the Star is providing a position-by-position preview. Up first: quarterbacks. 

Position coach: Seth Doege

Returners: Noah Fifita (R-Sr.), Sawyer Anderson (R-Fr.), Luke Haugo (R-Fr.), Mason Bray (R-So.)

Departures: Braedyn Locke

Newcomers: Oscar Rios (Fr.)

The rundown: For the first time since becoming the starting quarterback, Noah Fifita will go through a spring without having to learn a new offensive scheme.

Fifita and second-year offensive coordinator Seth Doege, who recently signed a contract extension through the 2028 season, will build on a productive first year together in Doege's uptempo system. 

Fifita became the third all-time Arizona quarterback to receive first-team all-conference honors — the first in 50 years. Fifita joined Bruce Hill, who was an All-WAC first-team selection in 1975, and Ted Bland, a three-time All-Border Conference selection from 1933-35.

Fifita set the program career passing touchdowns record (73) and the single-season passing touchdowns record (29). He finished third in the Big 12 with 3,228 yards, 29 touchdowns and just six interceptions — two interceptions in the final seven games. 

Fifita needs 829 yards to pass Nick Foles for the most passing yards by an Arizona quarterback — a record he could conceivably set before the Wildcats enter the bulk of Big 12 play this upcoming season. 

Fifita evolved as a runner this past season and rushed for a career-high 216 net rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. He entered the 2025 season with minus-16 net rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. Fifita had 220 rushing yards on designed runs, according to Pro Football Focus. 

Following Arizona's 24-19 loss to SMU in the Holiday Bowl, Fifita said, “We didn't finish how we wanted to, but I love this team. This is probably the most fun I’ve had playing football, just because of the coaches, Coach Brennan, Coach Doege and the players." 

In his news conference earlier this month, Brennan called Fifita a "Heisman-caliber quarterback" entering the upcoming season.  

"I think Noah Fifita is the best story in college football," Brennan said. "He's chosen to stay, he's chosen to not take the money and run, he's shown up for the city of Tucson, for the University of Arizona, for this program, for his teammates and this coaching staff. It's a choice that he makes every day."

In the first season under Doege, who was previously at Marshall, the Wildcats had the third-best scoring offense in the Big 12 and averaged 31.5 points per game — a season after averaging 21.8 points per game, which was second-to-last in the conference in 2024. Arizona had the 42nd-best offense in college football last year. 

Doege being around Fifita for another season, "that's going to be great for (Fifita), the consistency," Brennan said. 

"Also, Seth's coaching style. Him and Noah have a fantastic relationship," Brennan added. "There's a ton of trust built there. You have a chance to really help a player maximize his potential, when there's a lot of trust between the player and the coach. That part of it is going to be really good for him.

"For Noah, he's such a football junkie and it's so important to him. He works so hard and he studies so much. When you combine that with the great coaching Seth and their relationship, you do have a chance for an outstanding season from him." 

The spring period and fall training camp will be essential time for the quarterbacks fighting for the QB2 spot behind Fifita, which was previously held by Braedyn Locke, who transferred to Tarleton State.

Redshirt freshman Sawyer Anderson, who was recruited by Doege, is entering his second season at Arizona following an illustrious 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. 

Freshman and four-star quarterback Oscar Rios is an early enrollee after a productive career at Downey High School in Los Angeles. The 6-3, 170-pound Rios ended his career at Downey with 8,070 yards, 77 touchdowns and 17 interceptions, along with 2,227 rushing yards and 25 rushing touchdowns.

Rios, who competed at the "Elite 11" quarterback event last summer, is the highest-rated quarterback to sign with the Wildcats since Nic Costa in 2001.

Phoenix-area products Luke Haugo and Mason Bray, son of the late Heath Bray, are also a part of the quarterback corps. Bray appeared in the Weber State game last season and completed a 22-yard pass and ran for a 6-yard gain.

Arizona is fortunate enough to know its starting quarterback well before the Wildcats take their first snap. Fifita's backup will likely be determined in the next five months.  

"The best thing he does is that he's one of the guys, every single day, he models the way," Brennan said of Fifita. "How he goes about his work, how he goes about his training, all of those things. Obviously he has played good football, so they look at him like, 'That's a path and if I handle things like Noah does, I can have a chance to play at the level he's playing at.'

"He's the first first-team all-conference quarterback we've had at Arizona in 50 years, and there's been a lot of really good quarterbacks that have played here. ... They all have the benefit of being around Noah and learning from him." 

Even though Doege's system is something that Fifita is familiar with, Arizona's star quarterback spend the spring and offseason months bonding with the new faces in Arizona's offense. 

Former Washington center Zachary Henning will likely be Fifita's third center in as many seasons after working with Josh Baker and Ka'ena Decambra.

The Wildcats will also have a revamped tight ends room with the additions of Illinois transfer Cole Rusk, San Diego State transfer Arthurn Ban, Southern Miss transfer Shane King and four-star tight end Henry Gabalis, and inexperienced returners in Tyler Powell and Kellan Ford. 

Despite returning receivers Tre Spivey, Gio Richardson, Chris Hunter and Isaiah Mizell, the Wildcats added transfers Rodney Gallagher (West Virginia), Jordan Ross (Colorado State) and DJ Jordan (USC), along with four-star freshman RJ Mosley, who's listed at 6-3, 199 pounds. 

After losing Kris Hutson and Javin Whatley — Arizona's top two receivers last season — the top of the Wildcats' order at receiver could shape out in the next several months. Sometimes the receiving rotation won't be determined until the season — like last year, when Richardson was limited in the spring for an injury, but emerged once he became healthy. 

Time will tell who rises to the top as Fifita's pass catchers.