Wildcats Fall Camp: Five Takeaways From Fifita and Locke
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Day one of fall training camp is in the books as the Arizona Wildcats prepare for their second year in the Big 12 with a revamped coaching staff and a roster that features 54 new players.
Quarterback Noah Fifita has remained a constant in the offense for the last three years. He has made improvements over the offseason to fulfill his role as the leader that the team needs him to be.
Fifita and back up transfer quarterback Breadyn Locke to to the podium to field questions from media members. Here are five take aways from that conference.
Redzone problems being fixed
Arizona converted redzone trips into touchdowns 62.5 percent of the time they were there, putting them at 65th nationally and 11th in the Big 12.
The issue lies in Arizona getting to that area. In the 2024 season, Arizona had the second fewest trips to the redzone in the NCAA.
"Yeah, I really can't speak too much on last year," Fifita said. "I'll take responsibility for a lot of the struggles we had down in the red zones. But this year, I mean, we have a great scheme, we have a great plan down there with Coach (Seth) Doege, and we have playmakers around the field that will make our job easy."
The Wildcats may have lost its biggest wideout threat in Tetairoa McMillan, but it made up for that loss by aggressively attacking the transfer portal and rebuilding the group with four speedy wide outs in Javin Whatley, Luke Wysong, Tre Spivey and Kris Hutson.
"Whether you want to stack the box, we have guys are going one on one outside," Fifita said. "If you guys want to stop the pass, we have an offensive line and a ground and pound game that can help us as well. So really excited about the scheme, really excited about our personnel."
Fifita becoming a vocal leader
Fifita has been regarded as a reserved, stoic leader on the offense. This year, apart from improving his mechanics and decision-making, he has also worked on being more vocal to his teammates.
"I was starting to get a little more comfortable, still not where I want to be, still not where I need to be, still trying to find kind of my identity in that aspect. But like I said before, seeing Coach Doege, seeing Coach Brennan, the way they are in front of the team. They're how genuine they are. It's definitely great to have a role model like that."
Fifita continued to mention Doege's influence on him being more of a vocal leader on the team. He noted that someone needs to step up and be that guy to serve as an inspiration.
"We need to hear the players' voices. So Coach Doege, he has the biggest voice on the team. Everybody respects and everybody listens to him, but there's definitely times where some other guys need to step up."
Braedyn Locke must be just as good as Fifita when called upon
Locke transferred over from Wisconsin this year to be a backup to Noah Fifta, who is an obvious starter on the offense.
When asked why he chose to transfer to Arizona when he could start at any other school, Locke said "A lot is just about timing. Arizona was just kind of a place that it came in at the right time for me. Coach Doege and I had just an established relationship going back to when I was in high school and he was at USC. That had a lot to do with it."
Arizona was riddled with injuries during the 2024 season, which contirbuted to the disappoitning year that was suffered.
Thankfully, Fifita was not catastrophically hurt to the point that his season was cut short. In the case that the 2023 Pac 12 freshman of the year did find himself out of a game, Doege needs the back up quarterback to be just as good as the starter.
Although their styles of play may be different, Locke feels that the offense can be capable of being successful in driving down the field, scoring points and being effiicent.
"Obviously watching Noah, being around Noah, and just being coached by Doege, you try to do a lot of things the same way. I mean, for different players, in some aspects, I mean, his improbability is second to none, in my opinion. And for me, like I wouldn't say I know my limitations, but I just think it's a different style a little bit...The goal is to put the ball in the right player's hands and to score points and then gain yards and create positive plays."
Sawyer Anderson is "attached at the hip" to Fifita and Locke
Third string quarterback Sawyer Adnerson, who hails from Dallas, TX, has been soaking up information from Fifita and Locke durind his short time with the Wildcats.
He has received very high praise from Doege and his peers in the quarterback room for retaining information that will make him a better leader when his time comes.
"Saw's done a great job of just coming in and learning and kind of, like I talked about earlier, just being obsessed," Locke said. "You know, I think he's got a bright future here, and he's doing a lot of things the right way. I know, he's gained the respect of a lot of guys, and he's impressed a lot of people, just whether it's throwing the ball or athletically, or the way that he trains, or just know his job."
Fifita added to what Locke said of Anderson, "Saw's been great the moment he got here. From a personality standpoint, he's someone that everybody loves to be around, and we love to be around. He's a professional, and he's one of the most genuine guys you'll meet. He's the one that's always running around celebrating your success. And then that just makes you, when he has success, you want to celebrate it just as much."
Fifita's "ego"
Fifita has earned himself a reputation as being one of the most humble guys someone could come across. That's saying something as a quarterback, who one would think may have the highest ego on the roster.
Doege stated that even though Fifita seems that way, "If you were to ask which quarterback in the Big 12 is better than Noah. And you asked him that question, just you and him, his answer is himself. That, to me, that's the ego part."
Fifita had a different answer of where his ego is at, which is simply just winning games and heloing the team be as successful as possible.
"Well, my ego is just trying to win it, "Fifita said. "That's all that I care about. All I care about is the team's success, the team winning. So stats, in my opinion, don't matter. Winning's all that matters, and whatever I can do on my part to contribute to that is all that matters to me."
Arizona is set to take on the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors on August 30 at Arizona Stadium.
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Nathaniel Martinez and a set of shoulder pads at 7 years old. He later graduated from Pima Community College in 2023, where he began writing for the Pima Post. He is working to achieve a Bachelor’s in Mass Communication and Media Studies.