Timeline: Highs and lows of Arizona football since hiring Brent Brennan

There were highs and lows — more lows than highs — in Arizona’s first year with head coach Brent Brennan at the helm.

When Brennan was hired exactly a year ago Thursday, he waltzed into the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility at Arizona Stadium with his wife, Courtney, a UA alumna, and a few of his front-office staffers from San Jose State.

Over two decades after joining the late Dick Tomey’s staff at Arizona, Brennan landed his dream job as the leader of UA football. A 4-8 inaugural season and feeling the wrath of disgruntled Arizona football fans throughout 2024 was akin to a nightmare for Brennan.

Brennan said after Arizona’s 49-7 loss to rival Arizona State in the Territorial Cup, “This year was not fun.”

“It was absolute misery,” he said. “There were some fun moments, but not nearly enough. I feel bad, because I feel like I let down these players, I let down this community and I feel like I let down this university.”

Here’s a timeline of the most critical moments for the Arizona football program leading up to Brennan’s hiring and how life has been for the Wildcats since then.

Jan. 10, 2024: Longtime Alabama coach Nick Saban retired after 17 seasons as head coach of the Crimson Tide. Saban had a 206-29 record and won six national championships and nine SEC championships at Alabama.

Jan. 12, 2024: Alabama hired Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer, who led the Huskies to a national championship appearance, as Saban’s successor.

Jan. 14, 2024: After leading the Wildcats to their first 10-win season in nearly a decade, Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch accepted the Washington position after three seasons in Tucson. Fisch, who was “very, very close” to a contract extension at Arizona, signed a seven-year, $54.3 million contract at UW. Washington athletic director Troy Dannen, who is now at Nebraska, posted a video on social media of Fisch signing the UW contract in his Tucson home. Fisch held a team meeting before his departure was reported. He became the first head coach to leave Arizona since Larry Smith in 1986. Multiple Arizona players, including running back Jonah Coleman and cornerback Ephesians Prysock, transferred to UW.

Jan. 16, 2024: Brennan was officially hired as the 31st head coach of the Wildcats following seven seasons at San Jose State, where he posted back-to-back seven-win seasons in 2022 and ‘23. Brennan signed a five-year, $17.5 million deal at the UA.

Jan. 17: Brennan and athletic director Dave Heeke held an introductory press conference at Bear Down Lounge at Arizona Stadium. Said Brennan: “All I can say is that I am incredibly honored to be the head coach at the University of Arizona. This is an amazing moment for me. I’m trying to get to know the team. I absolutely believe we can build a consistent winner here. We have everything you need to do that.”

Jan. 20: Nearly a week after Fisch was named head coach at Washington, Arizona stars Noah Fifita, wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea, among several others, announced their decisions to stay at Arizona with a video during the first timeout break of the UA-UCLA men’s basketball game at McKale Center.

Jan. 21: San Jose State hired Ken Niumatalolo, who was a coaching target for Arizona in 2018, as Brennan’s successor. San Jose State went 7-6 and lost to South Florida in the Hawaii Bowl in Niumatalolo’s first season.

Jan. 23: In the middle of the university’s financial crisis, Heeke was fired after nearly seven years at the UA. Heeke’s last day was on Feb. 2. UA softball coaching legend Mike Candrea served as interim athletic director. Since Heeke was fired without cause, he will be paid his base salary, which totals about $1.05 million, through March 2025.

Feb. 19: Arizona hired Missouri athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois for the same position. Reed-Francois, a graduate of the James E. Rogers College of Law at the UA, was also an athletic director at UNLV. Her first day at Arizona was on March 3.

March 26: UA football kicked off the first spring practice schedule under Brennan.

April 16: The two-week spring transfer portal window officially started. Several Arizona players, including starting nose tackle Bill Norton, entered the transfer portal during spring ball.

April 20: One week before Arizona’s spring game, McMillan suffered a leg injury that required “a little procedure.” McMillan was held out for the rest of spring practices and gradually worked his way back during preseason training camp in August.

April 25: Former Arizona left tackle Jordan Morgan was drafted by the Green Bay Packers at No. 25 overall in the first round of the NFL Draft. Morgan became the highest-selected UA player in the draft since Chris McAlister in 1999. Morgan was the first Arizona offensive lineman to land in the first round since John Fina in 1992.

April 27: Former UA wide receiver Jacob Cowing and tight end Tanner McLachlan were drafted on Day 3 of the NFL Draft. Arizona played its spring game, which was the school’s last live football event on Pac-12 Network before the UA entered the Big 12.

April 30: Arizona star cornerback Tacario Davis, who entered the transfer portal before spring practices, withdrew his name from the portal to play another season with the Wildcats.

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June 16: The Wildcats announced the 16 players they signed in the transfer portal since April.

July 2: Arizona was voted fifth in the 16-team Big 12 media poll. Five players received preseason All-Big 12 nods: McMillan, Savaiinaea, Davis, linebacker Jacob Manu and kicker Tyler Loop.

July 10: Brennan, Fifita, Manu, McMillan and safety Gunner Maldonado attended Big 12 Media Days at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Aug. 12: Arizona entered the season ranked No. 21 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll, the highest preseason ranking for the Wildcats since 1999. It was Arizona’s first time in the preseason AP Top 25 since 2015.

Aug. 31: UA opens the Brennan era with a 61-39 win over New Mexico. McMillan set a program record with 304 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Transfer running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who had 13 carries for 106 rushing yards and a touchdown against his former team, was held out for the remainder of the season due to eligibility concerns.

Sept. 7: Arizona beat in-state rival Northern Arizona 22-10. The Wildcats had a nine-game winning streak dating back to the previous season, which was the longest active winning streak in college football.

Sept. 13: No. 20 Arizona suffered its first loss of the season, a 31-7 loss to 14th-ranked Kansas State in Manhattan. Arizona fell out of the AP Top 25.

Sept. 28: Arizona upset 10th-ranked Utah 23-10 in its Big 12 opener. The win marked the Wildcats’ first win in Salt Lake City in a decade. Davis’ five pass breakups earned him Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week. Arizona tight ends coach and passing game coordinator Matt Adkins took over play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Dino Babers. Arizona defensive back Treydan Stukes suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Oct. 5: The Wildcats lost to Texas Tech 28-22 for the first home loss of the season and the first setback in Big 12 play. Maldonado suffered a season-ending leg injury. Loop set a school record with five field goals and was named Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week.

Oct. 12: No. 14 BYU blasted Arizona 41-19 in Provo. The Wildcats committed four turnovers against the Cougars.

Oct. 19: The Colorado Buffaloes, led by head coach Deion Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, routed the Wildcats 34-7 for homecoming. Manu and left tackle Rhino Tapa’atoutai suffered season-ending knee injuries.

Oct. 26: Arizona lost to West Virginia 31-26 in Tucson.

Nov. 2: UCF clobbered Arizona 56-12 for the “Space Game” in Orlando. It marked the largest margin of defeat for Arizona since the 70-7 loss to Arizona State in 2020.

Nov. 16: After a bye week, Arizona snapped its five-game losing streak with a 27-3 win over Houston in Tucson.

Nov. 23: The Wildcats fell out of bowl contention with a 49-28 loss to TCU. McMillan passed Bobby Wade for the most career receiving yards at Arizona.

Nov. 30: Arizona ends the season with a 42-point beatdown by ASU, which punched its ticket to the Big 12 championship game. McMillan and Savaiinaea, who missed his first game at Arizona with a leg injury, were honored before they declared for the NFL Draft in December. UA finished the season 14th in the Big 12 standings.

Dec. 4: Arizona signed 20 high school and junior college players for Early Signing Day.

Dec. 5: Brennan announced Arizona was moving on from its coordinators. Babers wasn’t retained after a one-year deal. Defensive coordinator Duane Akina returned to coaching Arizona’s defensive secondary, and special teams coordinator Danny Gonzales replaced Akina a month later.

Dec. 9: The transfer portal officially opened. Manu, Davis and defensive lineman Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei transferred to Washington. Offensive lineman Wendell Moe Jr. transferred to Tennessee and Maldonado left for Kansas State. Nearly 30 players transferred from Arizona after the season. Despite entering the portal, Stukes and fellow starting defensive backs Genesis Smith and Dalton Johnson returned to Arizona.

Dec. 13: Arizona hired “innovative offensive mind” and former Marshall play-caller Seth Doege as the new offensive coordinator.

Dec. 18: Fifita “wanted to make amends for what happened” in 2024 and announced his decision to return for his redshirt junior season.

Dec. 28: The transfer portal closed for new entries. Arizona added more players in the following days. The Wildcats currently have 26 newcomers in the transfer portal.

Jan. 9: After announcing Gonzales as the new defensive coordinator, the Wildcats added “Desert Swarm” defensive tackle and UA great Joe Salave’a as associate head coach and defensive line coach.