Seven Arizona Wildcats make Polynesian College Football Player of the Year watch list

Seven Arizona Wildcats made the preseason Polynesian College Football Player of the Year watch list on Thursday. The annual award is given out by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame. 

Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita, wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, linebacker Jacob Manu, right tackle Jonah Savaiinaea, defensive lineman Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei, USC transfer defensive lineman Stanley Ta'ufo'ou and defensive tackle Keanu Mailoto were the players selected. McMillan, Manu and Savaiinaea are also preseason All-Big 12 selections. 

Fifita, who was also the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year and Football Writer’s Association of American National Offensive Freshman of the Year, concluded his first season as Arizona’s starter with 2,869 yards, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 72.4% of his pass attempts. The Huntington Beach, California native is the only UA quarterback in program history to complete over 70% of his passes in a season.

After taking over for the injured Jayden de Laura during Arizona’s come-from-behind win at Stanford to begin Pac-12 play last season, Fifita went 7-2 as the starter, and led the Wildcats on a seven-game winning streak to end the season; the two losses to Washington and USC were by a combined nine points. Fifita stamped his breakout regular season with a school- and Territorial Cup-record 527 yards through the air along with five touchdowns in a blowout win over rival ASU in Tempe.

In Arizona’s win over Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl, Fifita passed for 354 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, the second-most passing yards in a bowl game in program history.

McMillan, who is the highest-rated signee in Arizona football history in the modern recruiting era, will enter his third season as a mainstay in Arizona's offense. 

McMillan ended his sophomore campaign with the second-most receiving yards (1,402) in a season by a UA receiver. McMillan’s career-high happened in the 2023 Territorial Cup game, an 11-catch, 266-yard, one-touchdown performance in a 36-point win over Arizona State. McMillan was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection and received third-team Associated Press All-American honors.

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Manu led the Pac-12 in tackles (116) last season and was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team and Associated Press All-Pac-12 First Team. Manu was the first Wildcat to lead the Pac-12 in tackles since Scooby Wright III in 2014.

The 6-5, 330-pound Savaiinaea, a Tafuna, American Samoa native and likely NFL Draft pick in 2025, started all 13 games for Arizona last season — 12 at right tackle, one at right guard. Savaiinaea received a 70.2 grade by Pro Football Focus this past season. Savaiinaea had an 80.6 pass-blocking grade from PFF following his sophomore campaign in 2023.

Uiagalelei served as a backup defensive lineman last season and recorded 18 tackles, one sack and a blocked field goal. Now a junior, the 6-4, 280-pound Uiagalelei is in line to start on Arizona's defensive line this season.

In 36 games over his five-year career at USC, the 6-2, 274-pound Ta’ufo’ou recorded 55 tackles, 7.5 stops for loss, a sack and three fumble recoveries, including a 23-yard touchdown return against Nevada last season. The sixth-year Ta’ufo’ou will be one of Arizona’s most experienced defensive linemen this season.

After transferring from Mt. San Antonio Community College in Southern California, Mailoto appeared in three games and recorded one tackle. The Auburn, Washington native has been among the list of players rotating on Arizona's interior defensive line. 

No. 21 Arizona kicks off the 2024 season against New Mexico at Arizona Stadium on Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.