Arizona can Grow Ahead of its Game Against Weber State

Arizona opened up its season in impressive fashion dominating Hawaii 40-6 to kickoff Year 2 of the Brent Brennan era as the team tries to get back to bowl eligibility after having an underwhelming first season where the Wildcats went 4-8 and lost 7 of their last 8 games.

In comparison to a season ago, both sides of the ball seemed better prepared for the first game with the defense not allowing a touchdown and the offense getting stronger as the game went along.

The changes of Seth Doege as the offensive coordinator and Danny Gonzales as the defensive coordinator seems to be helping the team move in the right direction.

Now, like most first games when you are playing a Group of Five opponent, you are not going to pull out all the stops and keep things simple to not give too much away.

Arizona Wildcats. | Arizona Wildcats Athletics.

Still, Arizona was able to have its way with Hawaii’s offensive line getting into the backfield and raked up five sacks and 10 tackles for loss. In comparison the Wildcats totaled 28 sacks during the 12-game season averaging 2.3 per game.

The chaos in the backfield helped the defense create five turnovers with three interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

Offensively, the WIldcats got stronger as the game went along and were led by the running game that featured three different running backs finding the end zone and four total rushing touchdowns.

Leading the rushing attack for Arizona was running back Quincy Craig, who recorded a game-high 125 yards on seven carries and managed to rip off a 54-yard rushing touchdown.

In all, Arizona totaled 183 yards on 33 attempts averaging 5 ½ yards per touch. The other rushing touchdown came from quarterback Noah Fifita in the red zone area.

Aug 30, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats running back Quincy Craig (24) runs to the end zone during the second quarter against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

In the passing game, Fifita looked better in the second half. However, his 13 of 23 passing with 161 yards and a touchdown is far from his best and shows that he is still getting comfortable with the new offensive scheme.

Still with many players out and a handful of them being offensive skill positions, the performance by Fifita was solid and shows that he could potentially get back to his 2023 form.

Overall Arizona had a good game and any time you can walk away with a 34-point win in your season opener, it is a good night for the team.

Still there is room for growth and we have broken down the three areas the Wildcats can improve at as they start to prepare for game No. 2 against Weber State.

Three Areas of Improvement

Nov 30, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats kicker Michael Salgado-Medina (19) against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the Territorial Cup at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Punt Blocking

On Saturday, Arizona had a successful day on the offensive side of the field. However, the Wildcats still punted the ball four times with Michael Salgado-Medina having three punts and Isaac Lovison recording one of his own.

There were two times where Hawaii almost got to the punter for a block with Salgado-Medina barely getting the ball off and averaging 42.7 yards per punt.

The Wildcats will need to adjust their blocking coverage assignments as the team moves along throughout the season. If they don’t, it is only a matter of time before you see a blocked punt.

Field Vision

Now, we have already stated that Fifita had a solid game but that there was room for him to grow and get more comfortable with the offensive system. One of the things he needs to work on is making the right read.

There were times throughout the night where Fifita missed his open man because he didn’t see it, or he saw the target too late. Still, it was an improvement from his issues during the 2024 season.

Receiver Blocking

I think overall, the Wildcats improved in this area in comparison to what we saw during the 2024 year. The receiving corps looked fundamentally sound in the blocking game which led to big plays for Doege’s offensive unit.

However, there were a handful of times where the receivers were penalized for holding leading to the offense slowing down its attack at times throughout the game.

Please be sure to share your thoughts on the three areas where the Wildcats can improve as the team gets ready for Weber State. To do so, follow us on our X account by clicking on the link.