Last year, Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita changed his jersey from 11 to 1, the number he wore at Servite High School in Anaheim, California.
The jersey number change preceded one of the most memorable seasons by an Arizona quarterback.
Fifita decided to change things up once again, as the Wildcats dive into their spring practice schedule. This time, he removed his braids and cut his hair down to a fade with a fresh lineup — a hairstyle he had in high school.
"To be honest, I just wanted a fresh start," Fifita said.
Wait, fresh start?
Fresh start after becoming the first Arizona quarterback in 50 years to receive first-team all-conference honors?
A fresh start after setting the career touchdowns record in 2025 and now being in a position to break the school's passing yards record in the first half of the season?
A fresh start after a season with a 29:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio?
The fresh start, as his former head coach Jedd Fisch often said, it's personal.
"I was over the process to keep my hair looking good, the shampoo part and having to braid it every week," Fifita said. "It takes an hour of my process. Another hour I get to study game plan and film."
Fifita wanted to get a haircut during Arizona's 9-4 season in 2025, "but part of my superstitions, I didn't want to do it during the season," he said.
"I decided to finish the job with the braids," said the Arizona quarterback. "As soon as a I got back to Tucson after (winter) break, I cut it. I've been wanting to do it for a while. No regrets."
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita passes during the second half of the Holiday Bowl against SMU Jan. 2, 2026, in San Diego.
As the leader and quarterback of the Wildcats, this spring isn't a fresh start for Fifita. It's the first time he's had the same offensive coordinator from the previous season, in the spring since taking over as starter.
After his breakout year in 2023, when he led the Wildcats to the Alamo Bowl and was the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, he had to learn offensive coordinator Dino Babers' scheme following the transition from Fisch to third-year head coach Brent Brennan.
The offense was a disaster. Arizona had the third-worst offense in the Big 12 and the second-worst scoring offense. Babers was replaced by passing game coordinator and tight ends coach Matt Adkins entering Big 12 play; both were let go after the season.
Brennan added up-and-coming play-caller Seth Doege as Arizona's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in December 2024.
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. Arizona had the 42nd-best offense in college football last season.
Fifita went from 2,958 yards, 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2024, to 3,228 yards, 29 touchdowns and six interceptions this past season. Fifita evolved as a runner 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.
Now Fifita, who also had two offensive coordinators in high school, doesn't have to learn a new offense with Doege returning for his second season.
"Being able to have a second year in the scheme is amazing," Fifita said. "But more importantly, having a second year with Coach Doege, the person, the coach that he is, I'm extremely grateful."
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita, left, eyes wide receiver Tre Spivey before throwing the ball during a spring football practice in Tucson on March 24, 2026.
The confidence and comfort in Doege's offense have trickled down to some of the other offensive players.
"He knows in the back of his mind that we have a great grasp of the offense, so he's been able to switch things up and keep us on our toes," Fifita said.
Fifita is "a player that continues to grow and evolve, because he attacks his process with diligence," Brennan said.
Added Brennan: "It's fun to see that relationship with him and Seth in practice. Like today, Noah makes a mistake and he turns around to Seth and is telling him what it was before Seth could even get it out of his mouth.
"That continuity, the consistency of leadership in a football program and a football staff, it's absolutely critical. I'm really grateful that we were able to keep as many of our coaches intact here and move forward together, as we've been able to this offseason."
The relationship between Doege and Fifita "has grown so much" since Doege was hired. Fifita called Doege "my big brother" and said "he's someone you can have a meal with and talk to."
"The relationship we've been able to build outside of the facility, there's a love and a trust there that makes the game so much fun," Fifita said. "He's obviously a smart guy. He's probably the smartest guy I've been around when it comes to schematics.
"He has no ego. He's willing to make his offense the best offense it could possibly be schematically. The talks that we have in terms of scheme, the talks we have in terms of family on a personal level, it's special. ... I'm not an extremely vocal guy and I don't have as much passion in my voice as Coach Doege has, but I've been able to steal a couple of things that he does extremely well. I think he's one of the best leaders I've been around."
Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Seth Doege watches with a couple of his charges, Braedyn Locke, left, and Noah Fifita, as the Wildcats run offensive drills in preseason training camp, Aug. 9, 2025, in Tucson.
The pairing of Doege and Fifita has been one of the most impactful developments for Arizona football in the last year. Brennan doubled down on dubbing Fifita "a Heisman-caliber quarterback" following the Wildcats' first spring practice on Tuesday.
Still, there's always room for improvement, especially for an Arizona offense that lost its top two receivers, but returns a core of receivers in Gio Richardson, Tre Spivey, Chris Hunter and Isaiah Mizell, among others; plus, the Wildcats have a revamped tight ends room with four newcomers.
"Every player has a chance to grow and improve," Brennan said. "If you don't have that mindset, you're playing the wrong game. Noah is going to continue to accelerate that because we have new players on offense. We have new tight ends, new running backs and new receivers. There's a lot of chemistry that needs to be built up there, too."
Fifita and the Wildcats have five months to get the chemistry part down. For Fifita, "a big thing for us and a big thing for me, just focusing on what is here right here and now and having the best spring ball possible to put us in position to have a great summer and fall camp, and eventually reach our goal of the Rose Bowl. That's the standard we live by and everything that we do. ... It's not just about me, it's about this coaching staff and the players.
"What we have is special. What Coach Brennan has been able to build is special. My legacy, I want my legacy to be a Big 12 championship and a Rose Bowl."
Brotherly love
For the first time in their lives, the Fifita brothers are teammates. Fifita's younger brother, linebacker Dash Fifita, is one of several early enrollees this spring after signing with Arizona's 2026 recruiting class.
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita celebrates after a video review upheld a Wildcat interception in the last minutes of the Territorial Cup game against Arizona State, Nov. 28, in Tempe.
The older Fifita said being teammates and roommates with his younger brother "is a blessing, for sure."
"We prayed about it, talked about it growing up and dreamed about it, but we never thought it would be a reality, so that just shows the power of our God," Fifita said. "It shows what faith is able to do for you, if you believe in things. If you speak it, pray about it, anything is possible. I love having him around. I've spent probably every hour of every day with him the last three months. It's everything I could've dreamt of."
The 5-7, 186-pound linebacker is at Arizona following a productive career at Santa Margarita High School (California).
"He's been great at the house," Noah Fifita said. "That's my trash guy. He gets to take out the trash every day any time I need him to. I love having him around. We've been able to golf twice a week all year; we haven't gotten any better. It's been great being with him."
Extra points
– Brennan said he expects receivers Richardson, Mizell and Brandon Phelps "to make a huge jump." Said Brennan: "Obviously Gio had the most production out of those three, but all of them have had outstanding offseasons. ... Our expectations for those three are really high."
– Arizona announced several players having a limited role in the spring: defensive end Tre Smith, offensive tackle Tristan Bounds, cornerback Jay'Vion Cole, running back Quincy Craig, linebackers Jabari Mann, Myron Robinson and Kedrick Reescano, quarterback Oscar Rios, Oregon transfer defensive back Daylen Austin and Northern Colorado safety transfer Cam Chapa. "There's a handful of guys that are going to be limited this spring. We've had some postseason surgeries and cleanup stuff. It's going to take some time for guys to get back."
– Arizona is hosting unsigned 2026 defensive lineman Joseph Peko for an official visit this week. The 6-3, 310-pound Peko, a Westlake Village, California, native, is currently committed to Colorado.
– Brennan said defensive back, tight end, running back and wide receiver are among the most notable position battles this spring: Said Brennan: "That's what spring ball is all about. Spring ball sets the depth chart for the summer, but it doesn't mean anything until you get to fall camp. We go through a very similar process — probably even more intense — in fall camp. We have a lot to learn."
