Assessing the contenders in Arizona’s QB battle; Jedd Fisch doesn’t want to let it linger

Such is the state of Arizona’s QB room as the Wildcats resume spring practice this week. Transfer Jayden de Laura, freshman Noah Fifita and returnees Jordan McCloud and Will Plummer are expected to get the majority of the snaps as spring ball proceeds. But UA coach Jedd Fisch doesn’t want a repeat of last year, when he divided the reps almost equally and didn’t name a starter until the eve of the season.

“I don’t think it’s gonna be a bunch of different guys getting different amounts of reps,” Fisch said after Tuesday’s practice, the team’s first since returning from spring break. “We’ll try to start moving forward and figuring out exactly how many reps it’s gonna take to move the ball.

“I don’t imagine it being each day is a different person’s day.”

Based on his résumé and the way the reps were divvied up Tuesday, de Laura is the favorite to start. But quarterback competitions sometimes take unexpected twists, and the situation remains subject to further film review and evaluation.

Most of the participants in the QB derby and decision-making process spoke to the media Tuesday evening. Here’s a look at where each quarterback stands entering practice No. 3 Thursday afternoon:

Jayden de Laura (6-0, 186, So.)

Like McCloud, Plummer and fellow Washington State transfer Gunner Cruz last year, de Laura is tackling a transition to a new and different offensive system. He spent a good chunk of Arizona’s nearly two weeks of downtime studying the playbook.

“I would say I’m pretty comfortable,” said de Laura, who started 15 games at WSU the past two seasons and was named Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2021. “It’s just saying the whole name of the play. That’s the only thing. I’m comfortable with everything (else) –—the routes, what we’re running.”

De Laura said the difference in verbiage is “like day and night. We had way shorter play names. Everything was kind of, I don’t want to say basic, but it was basic.”

Plummer can relate. He recalled days last spring when he’d be sitting at his locker before practicing trying to memorize formations and routes. A year later, he has a much greater understanding of the offense and is able to break down plays and coverages on a deeper level.

Plummer didn’t reach that point until the second half of the season, when he was the last healthy scholarship quarterback and started the final six games. De Laura doesn’t have that kind of time, and the workload he received Tuesday reflected that.

De Laura’s ball placement was slightly off at times, and he again looked a bit hesitant during 7-on-7. But he improved toward the end of practice and was able to connect with receivers downfield during the final 11-on-11 period.

Jordan McCloud (6-0, 185, Jr.)

McCloud is wearing a compression sleeve on his right leg, which was crumpled in a pileup against UCLA last season. Otherwise, you wouldn’t know he was only five months removed from season-ending knee and ankle injuries suffered Oct. 9 at Arizona Stadium.

“My health is good,” McCloud said. “Thanks to the man upstairs that I’m back.”

At the point that he got hurt, the Wildcats were trailing the Bruins by one score in the fourth quarter. McCloud, making his second start for Arizona after transferring from South Florida last June, had completed 21 of 30 passes for 182 yards without a turnover. The Wildcats had the ball near midfield.

It was a sliding-doors moment for McCloud and the program. If he hadn’t gotten hurt, there’s a good chance McCloud would have remained the starter for the rest of the season. If he had performed well, Arizona might not have pursued de Laura via the NCAA transfer portal.

McCloud doesn’t allow himself to think about those what-if scenarios. He has to take advantage of every rep he gets.

“God has a plan for me,” McCloud said. “Whether that was me playing the whole season (or) coming back in the spring, everything’s gonna work out in its own way.”

Will Plummer (6-1, 196, So.)

Plummer had a long day Tuesday. It began in the morning at Arizona’s pro day, where he served as the quarterback for Stanley Berryhill III and three others.

“You get out there, and you’re in front of 28 or 30 NFL scouts,” Plummer said. “That’s what you want to do, though. The first couple snaps you’re like, ‘Oh, damn, here we go.’ But then after that, it’s just football.”

As mentioned, it took Plummer about half of last season to get into that “it’s just football” mode. He described his comfort level with the playbook as “astronomically different” from where it was a year ago.

Despite Plummer’s improved play down the stretch, Fisch and his staff signed de Laura, whom they viewed as a potential upgrade over everyone else in the room. Plummer was neither surprised nor offended. Quarterback movement is the norm these days.

“Quarterbacks are pretty much a cycle nowadays in college football,” said Plummer, a third-year sophomore. “Some guys (come), some guys leave. You gotta embrace that, though.

“Every year there’s going to be six, seven, eight guys on the roster. Whether it’s a new six, seven, eight guys or the same ones from last year, it’s the same principle: You gotta come to work with the same mentality every day.”

Noah Fifita (5-9, 184, Fr.)

Fifita enrolled at Arizona in January, but it hasn’t taken him long to make a positive impression.

“He really should be in the hot-lunch line right now in high school,” quarterbacks coach Jimmie Dougherty said. “Kid’s just got a cool way about him. Nothing really bothers him. He’s pretty unflappable out here. Really impressed with him. It’s what we thought we were getting.”

Fifita has the least amount of experience in the QB room. But he has the strongest arm and an aggressive approach. If he continues to progress, it wouldn’t be surprising if Fifita climbed the depth chart over the course over the season.

“When he steps on the grass, he’s just got a confidence and a comfort on how to play the game,” Fisch said. “You can just see how natural he is.

“He really hasn’t flinched. Guys are running in his face, and he’s stepping up in the pocket and making throws. It was impressive.

“It’s always a big transition, (but) he’s handling it extremely well.”

Extra points

Freshman offensive lineman Jacob Reece has enrolled in school and should be practicing with the team soon, possibly as early as Thursday. Reece attended Tuesday’s practice in street clothes and needs to pass his physical before being cleared.

Another freshman offensive lineman, Jonah Savaiinaea, worked with the first unit at right guard. That shifted Josh Donovan to the left side.

Linebacker Jerry Roberts was a limited participant Tuesday, including one 7-on-7 session. Roberts is working his way back from a broken leg suffered late last season.

Arizona will practice in pads for the first time Thursday, Fisch said.