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First-year Arizona coach Brent Brennan speaks during Big 12 media days in Las Vegas, Wednesday, July 10, 2024. Expectations are high for the Wildcats in 2024. | Lucas Peltier, Associated Press
Editor’s note: First in a series previewing each team in the Big 12 in 2024
Jedd Fisch slowly built Arizona into a winner over his three seasons in Tucson, taking a declining program over from Kevin Sumlin and turning it around.
After Sumlin, who never posted a winning season in his three years with the program, went 0-5 in 2020, the Wildcats made a change, bringing in Fisch, who was previously the quarterbacks coach for the New England Patriots.
The cupboards were empty when Fisch took over, and it showed in his first season as the Wildcats limped to a 1-11 record in 2021, then improved to 5-7 the year after. But the foundation was being laid through recruiting and the transfer portal, and it all came together for the Wildcats in 2023 as they capped off their first 10-win season since 2014 with a 38-24 win over Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl.
Quarterback Noah Fifita, who took over after Jayden le Laura was injured in Week 4, was sensational, throwing for 2,869 yards and 25 touchdowns over 12 games while being one of the most accurate QBs in the country with a 72% completion rate. Many of Fifita’s passes were to star receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who ranked fifth in the nation with 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Arizona’s high-powered offense looked like it was set for another huge year in 2024.
Then Alabama coach Nick Saban retired and was replaced by Washington’s Kalen DeBoer, and the Huskies tapped Fisch as his replacement. Arizona brought in San Jose State head coach Brent Brennan, who had a 34-48 record at San Jose State, including a 14-11 record in the previous two years. While that isn’t an impressive record, it makes…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/big-12-previews-coach-brent-232000090.html
Author : Deseret News
Publish date : 2024-07-13 23:20:00
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