Arizona football: A look at Wildcats’ quarterbacks entering 2026 training camp
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Training camp for the 2026 season is set to begin Aug. 5, when Brent Brennan and his staff will try to build upon last year’s 9-4 record with a roster that combines plenty of top returners with talented newcomers. The season opener is Sept. 5 at Casino Del Sol Stadium against NAU.
To get you primed for camp, we’re breaking down each position group on the roster. To start things off we focus on the quarterback room.
Players on roster: 5
Projected starter: Noah Fifita (R-Sr.)
Since stepping in for an injured Jayden de Laura in the second half at Stanford in 2023, Fifita has been the guy and that will continue for one more season. He’s started 34 consecutive games, and last season became the UA single-season and career touchdown passing leader. With another 829 yards he’ll also pass Nick Foles for the career yardage mark.
Arizona’s offense is built around Fifita and what he can do, which last season included being more willing to keep the ball and run. He gained 404 yards (not including sacks) and scored three touchdowns, picking up 31 first downs.
Top backup: Sawyer Anderson (R-Fr.)
Anderson did not see action in 2025, instead working with the scout team and learning the ins and outs of the offense. With this being Fifita’s final season, expect him to get some snaps whenever possible to help prepare him for the future (or if he’s needed to sub in for reasons we don’t want to put out into the universe.
A former 3-star prospect, Anderson was the all-time passing leader for the Dallas area in Texas with more than 14,000 yards along with 158 TD passes.
Newcomer most likely to make instant impact: Oscar Rios (Fr.)
Rios, a 4-star signee from the 2026 recruiting class, is the first quarterback to come to Arizona to not have to worry about retaining eligibility thanks to the new 5-for-5 rule, so if there’s a chance for him to get into a game the Wildcats are going to find a way.
Coaching outlook
The hiring of Seth Doege to run the offense last season was a major reason Arizona won nine games, as it improved its offensive numbers across the board. This was very notable in the passing numbers, as Fifita went from 12 interceptions in 2024 to six in 2025.
Doege, along with defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales, signed multi-year extensions this offseason that upped their salaries over $1 million per year.
Next up: Running backs
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