Jedd Fisch 'doesn't get wrapped up in' Arizona's PFF grades

Pro Football Focus (PFF) is among the most in-depth analytical football databases available if you’re able to shell out a few bucks and pay for their services.

Between college football and the NFL, the PFF.com team members evaluate every play from every game, record extensive statistics, individually grade players and calculate the details of the sport that many others don’t keep track of, such as average depth of target (ADOT), time to throw (TTT), yards per carry after contact (yco/a) and pass-rush percentage.

It’s a treasure trove of football stats for teams and individual players.

Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch says the Wildcats use the databases to “find information about plays, games, people constantly.

“I don’t pay attention to the grades of Pro Football Focus, but the information that they have is fantastic,” Fisch said. “In our computer systems, we’re able to pull up every play-action pass every team has ever run, pro or college. We’re able to do so many things. I think Pro Football Focus is phenomenal. I just don’t get caught up in their grades.”

Some, like Arizona offensive coordinator Brennan Carroll, claim they “don’t know what PFF is,” but don’t need PFF grades to understand sophomore offensive lineman “Jonah (Savaiinaea) is really, really good.”

Sometimes, PFF can be a head-scratcher. For instance, PFF currently has Arizona as the 121st-ranked defense in college football — ninth in the conference behind Arizona State, Washington State and USC, all defenses that are allowing more points and yards per game than Arizona this season.

Following Arizona’s 27-10 win over UCLA, PFF gave the Wildcats a 67.4 overall defensive grade; they had a 62.2 defensive grade the previous week in the win over Oregon State. The Wildcats have held five consecutive opponents below their scoring average but are considered a bottom-half defense in the Pac-12 in the eyes of PFF.

PFF released its national Team of the Week from Week 10 on Monday, which had Arizona left tackle Jordan Morgan, who has an 88.3 pass-blocking grade this season, along with Arizona State tight end Jalin Conyers, who didn’t even tally a reception in the Sun Devils’ 55-3 loss to Utah; ASU had 88 yards of total offense the entire game and Conyers received a 55 overall grade.

Perhaps Arizona tight end Tanner McLachlan, who set a season-high with 66 yards on five catches, would’ve been a more reasonable choice? Or any other tight end who had a more impactful role than ASU’s rocky offensive showing in Salt Lake City?

Regardless, Fisch eschews looking at PFF’s sometimes questionable player grades and seasonal accolades.

“We grade our own players. I grade them, I know what they look like. Our coaches all grade our players. ... I think a lot of times when you’re grading a player, you don’t necessarily know what their role is on the play,” Fisch said. “You don’t get the playcall when you’re grading them, you’re grading them on how football works sometimes, and sometimes things change. It’s just not something I get wrapped up in.”

Fifita honored again

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Only four players have received Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors four times in a season since the creation of the award in 2019. Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita became the fourth one Monday following his performance in the Wildcats’ 27-10 win over 19th-ranked UCLA on Saturday.

Fifita was also named to the Davey O’Brien Award Great Eight for the second week in a row.

Fifita, in his fifth consecutive start since taking over for Jayden de Laura, who suffered an ankle injury at the end of the third quarter in Arizona’s win at Stanford, completed 25 of 32 passes for 300 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. His 300 yards are the most passing yards UCLA has allowed all season.

Fifita’s only noticeable blemish was his first-quarter interception inside UCLA territory.

“We just misread the play. The play should’ve gone to somebody else, but he snapped right back. ... We all just reset and went to the next play,” Fisch said. “He reset, wound up making great decisions the rest of the game and made some spectacular throws.”

Against UCLA’s elite pass-rushing defensive line on third-and-10 in the second quarter, Fifita escaped from a collapsing pocket, evaded into open space, put his cleat in the turf, juked Bruins linebacker Kain Medrano and ran for 18 yards — the most rushing yards UCLA surrendered on a play all season; it ranks first in the Pac-12 in rushing defense.

All of Fifita’s touchdowns were to Arizona’s starting receiver trio of Tetairoa McMillan, Jacob Cowing and Montana Lemonious-Craig, who scored his first touchdown since the UTEP game.

Since leading the Wildcats to a come-from-behind win at Stanford, Fifita is 3-2 as Arizona’s starting quarterback and has led the Wildcats to three straight wins over ranked opponents — a first in program history.

In 21 quarters as Arizona’s starter, Fifita has completed 140 of 185 passes (76%) for 1,499 yards, 14 touchdowns and four interceptions. His completion rate is the second-highest among college quarterbacks behind Oregon's Bo Nix. 

Extra points

• The kickoff time and television broadcast for Arizona’s home finale against No. 13 Utah on Nov. 18 wasn’t announced on Monday and was assigned to the conference’s six-day window spot. Other games added to the six-day window include Oregon at Arizona State and the UCLA-USC rivalry game. The Wildcats will know their kickoff time vs. Utah no later than Sunday.
• Monday marked the two-year anniversary of Arizona's 10-3 victory over the Cal Golden Bears at Arizona Stadium in 2021. Against a Covid-impacted Cal team, the Wildcats snapped a 20-game losing streak and won the first game of the Fisch era. 
• To celebrate Arizona’s bowl berth, each UA player received a white “2023 Bowl Bound” shirt with red and blue confetti emblazoned on the chest and new Nike “Air Max” shoes.