Midseason awards for Arizona football, as the Wildcats enter the second half of season

Through six games, the Arizona Wildcats have an optimistic outlook on the first half of the season.

The Wildcats (4-2) have a Top 15 defense nationally — a feat Arizona defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales vowed to accomplish back in March — and have more of an identity offensively this season than last year.

“We’re a better football team,” said Arizona head coach Brent Brennan. “We’re halfway through the season and we have a lot work on, but we have a lot to feel good about.”

As the Wildcats turn their attention to the second half of the season, which starts on Saturday against the Houston Cougars (5-1) on the road, we’re handing out (virtual) awards. The categories: Offensive MVP, Defensive MVP, Best Transfer, Best Freshman and Most Improved Player.

Offensive MVP: Noah Fifita, quarterback

Finalists: Running back Ismail Mahdi, center Ka’ena Decambra, wide receiver Javin Whatley, wide receiver Tre Spivey, right tackle Tristan Bounds

The rundown: The three-year starter is moving up the ranks as one of the top passers in program history with 7,515 passing yards, which ranks fourth behind Nick Foles, Willie Tuitama and Tom Tunnicliffe. Fifita’s 58 career passing touchdowns are behind Foles and Tuitama, who are both tied for first with 67.

Fifita is third in the Big 12 in passing yards (1,560) and touchdowns (15) behind Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson and TCU’s Josh Hoover. Fifita is on pace for his first 3,000-yard season at Arizona.

Even though all of Fifita’s four interceptions are in Big 12 play, his 15:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio this season is a significant improvement from his 8:9 touchdown-to-interception ratio at the halfway point of last season.

Additionally, Fifita, who is leading the fourth-best passing offense in the Big 12, has a career-high 60 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns this season.

They said it: “At the end of the day, the biggest thing is to win. We’ve had our glimpses, as well. A lot of inconsistencies on our side of the ball, a lot of ups and downs, so we have to be able to find that consistency and be able to grow with each other and grow within the scheme. We’ve taken steps, but I don’t think we’re close to the potential of this offense.” — Fifita

Defensive MVP: Dalton Johnson, strong safety

Finalists: Free safety Genesis Smith, defensive back Treydan Stukes, linebacker Max Harris, linebacker Taye Brown, cornerback Ayden Garnes

The rundown: Johnson is on pace to lead the Wildcats in tackles again, after he had 96 tackles last season in a linebacker-hybrid role.

Arizona defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales said Johnson and Brown “were the two most productive players on our football team last year on that side of the ball.”

In Gonzales’ system, safeties have middle linebacker-esque responsibilities. Smith has the most run tackles (20), with Harris (18), Brown (17) and Johnson (17) just behind him.

Johnson “can play in the deep middle and the deep half,” and Smith “is probably the best post safety in the country, but they can come down and be a linebacker in seven yards and make a majority of the tackles,” Gonzales said.

“Dalton Johnson is super special, because you can’t do that with a ton of safeties,” Gonzales added.

Johnson has also been a spark on special teams, too. In Arizona’s double-overtime loss to BYU, Johnson tackled BYU punter Sam Vander Haar on a fake punt, which was a turnover on downs for the Cougars. The Wildcats scored 17 straight points after Johnson’s tackle on fourth down.

Johnson also intercepted BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier for his first pick since the Territorial Cup in 2023.

They said it: “He’s just one of those guys that continues to show up every day, continues to lead, continues to be a positive voice for the football team, continues to make plays on game day. I can’t say enough positive things about Dalton. He’s an awesome player and an awesome human being.

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“The great thing about who he is, he’s going to be upset about how (the BYU game) ended and he’s going to push the team to go to work and get to fixing it. I can yell and scream all day, but we need the guys in the locker room to say, ‘We’re not letting that happen again,’ and go to work on fixing it.” — Brennan

Best transfer: Max Harris, linebacker

Finalists: Running back Ismail Mahdi, cornerback Ayden Garnes, cornerback Jay’Vion Cole, linebacker Riley Wilson, defensive tackle Deshawn McKnight

The rundown: The Texas State transfer has the fourth-most tackles (32) this season and has turned into the player Gonzales communicates with during games with the coach-to-player communication system in his helmet, which is marked with a green sticker on the back of his helmet.

Whether Gonzales relays a call to him through the coach-to-player system or signals a play with hand gestures on the sideline, “he can get it communicated to everybody and they listen,” Gonzales said.

“You can’t do that with everybody,” said Arizona’s defensive coordinator. “You can screw some kids up by talking to them during a play like that and it cuts off at 15 seconds (on the play clock). You don’t gotta worry about that with him.”

Harris has the second-most quarterback hits (4) for the Wildcats this season, along with a forced fumble and 1.5 stops for loss.

Harris and Brown “are the anchor of what we have inside,” Gonzales said.

They said it: “Max Harris is the epitome of everything you want to find in the transfer portal. One, he’s a damn good player. Two, his leadership skills.” — Gonzales said.

Best freshman: Gio Richardson, wide receiver

Finalists: Defensive end Mays Pese, wide receiver Isaiah Mizell, running back Wesley Yarbrough, safety Coleman Patmon, linebacker Myron Robinson

The rundown: Richardson had several chances for flashy catches earlier in the season, but the timing was slightly off. Richardson finally hauled in a deep ball against Oklahoma State when he caught a 40-yard pass from Fifita.

Richardson has seven catches for 81 yards this season and appears to be an up-and-coming receiver for the Wildcats. After this season, the Chandler native looks to be in a prime position to start for the Wildcats in 2026.

They said it: “I’m very happy with where he’s at and he’s going to continue to get coached extremely hard by me, but only because I understand his ceiling and we’re nowhere even close to that. I’m excited that he’s able to take that kind of coaching and he’s still showing up, knowing that he wants to get better.” — Arizona wide receivers coach Bobby Wade.

Most improved player: Chase Kennedy, linebacker

Finalists: Defensive back Gavin Hunter, right guard Alexander Doost, defensive end Dominic Lolesio, defensive tackle Julian Savaiinaea, left guard Chubba Maae

The rundown: The converted defensive end is tied for second on the team in tackles for loss (4) with Riley Wilson, Kennedy’s edge-rushing linebacker cohort. Kennedy and Wilson have added an edge-rushing dynamic to Arizona’s four-linebacker look alongside Brown and Harris.

Kennedy and Alcorn State transfer defensive end Malachi Bailey are tied for the second-most quarterback hurries by a Wildcat this season, according to Pro Football Focus.

They said it: “If you come watch us practice, Chase is just one of those guys that has really good energy. That part has been fun, to see him continue his developmental process and his maturing process since he got here a year ago. You’re seeing him embrace his role and attack it. ... His willingness to adjust and attack that new role and excel at it is what we’re excited about. I think he’s going to continue to improve. I think there’s more there for Chase.” — Brennan.