8 observations on Arizona football as spring practice concludes

As I walked up National Championship Drive to attend the final football practice of spring Saturday, drum practice already was underway on the lawn southeast of Arizona Stadium.

The rapid, rhythmic thumping of the drums reminded me of the soundtrack of EA Sports College Football 25 — which reminded me that college football ’25 will be here before we know it.

What’s in store for the Arizona Wildcats come August? Here are eight observations from the camp-concluding “Spring Showcase” and spring practice overall:

1. The Showcase was well-orchestrated and an unqualified success

The first sign that something was different about this “spring game” could be found at Bear Down Field north of the stadium. That’s where the players were doing their warmups.

Inside the stadium, about a third of the field — from the 25-yard line to the north end zone — was devoted to fun and games. The turf at Arizona Stadium hadn’t seen this much foot traffic since the last field storming in 2023.

Kids played Pop-A-Shot and slid down inflatable slides. Adults enjoyed adult beverages and rocked out to Sophia Rankin & The Sound. Other UA teams — swimming & diving, gymnastics, volleyball — participated in the merriment.

Once practice started a little after 6 p.m., fans could watch from field level.

It was exactly what the UA football program needed — a real opportunity to connect to and celebrate with the Tucson community.

2. Quarterback Noah Fifita can get to another level

Offensive coordinator Seth Doege expressed supreme confidence in Fifita, dubbing him “the best quarterback in the league.”

In order to fulfill that promise, Fifita needs to execute plays within the structure of the offense. I still saw some hesitation in his play during the spring, especially in 11-on-11 work — holding the ball a tick too long or taking plays off script by scrambling out of the pocket.

Fifita has stopped drifting backward — a bad habit he developed last season — and is extremely effective out of structure. He made a neat play Saturday, rolling to his left, pointing toward the sideline to move the defense, then hitting a receiver over the middle.

But it’s essential that Fifita get the ball out of his hand on time, especially in light of the next item.

3. The offensive line remains a work in progress

Doege conceded that Arizona could use another interior offensive lineman via the transfer portal with guard Jordan Brown expected to miss much of the season because of an upper-body injury.

Offensive line is the position that worries me most. But we also haven’t seen the finished product yet.

It wasn’t until late in camp that Chubba Ma’ae moved from defensive tackle to offensive guard. He looks like a natural there. But he has a long way to go in terms of fitness and conditioning to play 75-90 snaps in Doege’s up-tempo scheme.

Transfer Ka’ena Decambra got a long look at center late in camp while Grayson Stovall was sidelined, earning the respect of Fifita, who noted that Decambra primarily played tackle at Hawaii. Is he the answer Arizona is seeking?

Head coach Brent Brennan wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Rhino Tapa’atoutai, who began last season as Arizona’s starting left tackle, moving to the inside when he returns from a knee injury in training camp. As Brennan noted, we still don’t know what the line will look like then. The “best five” could include Tapa’atoutai at guard.

4. RB Quincy Craig could be a pleasant surprise

Craig isn’t as powerful as Kedrick Reescano. Craig isn’t as agile as Ismael Mahdi.

But Craig might be Arizona’s best all-around back.

Nothing is spectacular about Craig’s game, but he does everything well. He’s similar to Quali Conley, last year’s leading rusher, in that sense.

Craig has shown on multiple occasions that he can catch the ball out of the backfield. Saturday he showed shiftiness in tight quarters while running between the tackles.

You never know how a player from a lower-level school will translate, but the Portland State transfer has given every indication that he belongs.

With Reescano, Mahdi, Craig and freshmen Cornelius Warren III and Wesley Yarbrough in the backfield, Arizona should have no trouble overcoming the season-ending injury to Utah transfer Mike Mitchell.

5. Some under-the-radar defensive linemen might be contributors

Barring a major addition, the starting defensive line seems set with Tre Smith, Tiaoalii Savea, Deshawn McKnight (a revelation during spring camp) and Dominic Lolesio.

But the plan is to play between seven and nine linemen. So who else is in that mix?

There are three players I want to spotlight.

The first is defensive tackle Jarra Anderson, who became something of a forgotten man because he missed all of last season after transferring from Memphis. Anderson is relatively undersized at 6-2, 270, but he’s quick and slippery and should carve out a role as an interior pass rusher.

The next is defensive tackle Isaiah Johnson, who’s anything but undersized at 6-1, 322. Don’t let those dimensions fool you. Johnson is an excellent athlete. He demonstrated that Saturday when he leaped over a stack of pads while participating in an “American Ninja Warrior”-style competition during practice and later chased down scrambling quarterback Braedyn Locke in the open field.

The third player is Eduwa Okundaye, who appeared in four games on special teams as a freshman. When Smith or Lolesio rotated out during spring camp, Okundaye usually was the next man up. He’s an ascending young player.

6. Linebacker Leviticus Su’a could crack the rotation

Su’a was among Arizona’s highest-rated recruits in the class of 2023. Two years later, he has yet to play a down for the Wildcats.

Even during practice sessions, Su’a often looked a step slow. Initially I chalked it up to him being a late arrival (summer vs. January) and needing better conditioning. We learned this offseason that Su’a has been battling a back injury.

After sitting out the early portion of spring camp, Su’a started to work his way onto the field. He’s moving better than at any point since he came to Arizona.

I know that Su’a is well-liked by the staff and his teammates. It’d be cool to see him become something here.

7. Portal movement is going to happen.

Brennan, Doege and defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales spoke glowingly of the culture that’s been built this offseason. “We can’t get our kids to leave the building,” Doege said.

But some will leave, and soon. A portion will be politely nudged out. Others will leave of their own volition. There will be at least one shocker. That’s just the reality of college sports the way it’s set up now.

Brennan conceded that he doesn’t know for sure what any given player might be thinking. But he’s made a concerted effort to create an environment where “brotherhood” isn’t just a platitude. Hopefully that will persuade some players who are considering leaving to stick around.

There shouldn’t be a second portal window in spring at all, but that’s another topic for another time.

8. Arizona will surpass its projected win total in 2025.

The current consensus over/under for the Wildcats is 5.5 wins. I’m taking the over.

Arizona will be better coached this season. The Wildcats don’t have the star power they had last year, but they have better depth.

The offensive line remains a concern. Depth is lacking at tight end and cornerback. The kicker/punter situation must be sorted out.

But with a manageable schedule, a hunger to succeed and less pressure to do so, Arizona can get to six wins — which would represent tangible progress for Brennan and his staff.

They’ve strung together a series of wins this offseason, with the Spring Showcase being the latest example.

Winning on the field is harder. But it feels like the Wildcats, at the very least, are headed in the right direction.

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