Arizona Football Talk: Players of the Game

Hutchison has been covering Arizona for the last seven years, with his coverage spanning all across UA’s campus from football and men’s basketball to Title IX sports. Plus, with so many former Wildcats playing at the next level in their respective sports, there will be moments where he will take a deep dive into the Cats' excelling outside of Tucson.

Arizona wanted to get back on the right track after an underwhelming first season under Brent Brennan, where the team finished 4-8 and missed a bowl game despite preseason high expectations.

Well, after changes were made to the coaching staff and the roster, Brennan seems to have the Wildcats (2-0) moving in the right direction, with the team starting the year with back-to-back impressive wins over Hawaii and Weber State.

Saturday night, Arizona scored 48 unanswered points and saw the game get out of hand quickly, finishing the night with a 48-3 win over Weber State.

Arizona was geared up and ready to start its second game of the season against Weber State. However, a 2-hour-plus lightning delay caused the game to start late. Stool, UA on the opening drive came out swinging and wasted no time marching 75 yards in six plays, capped off by a Noah Fifita touchdown.

The Wildcats were able to get a stop on the Weber State opening drive and struck like lightning on an 85-yard touchdown pass from Fifita to receiver Javin Whatley to give UA a commanding 14-0 lead. Arizona delivered its second win of the year thanks to a lopsided Saturday night.

After struggling throughout the game against Hawaii with only 161 yards on 13 of 23 passing to go along with a touchdown, Fifita was able to have a bounce-back game and exploded in the first half.

Fifita started hot and went 17 of 22, totaling 373 yards and racking up five touchdowns with over seven minutes left in the third quarter.

As of right now, Fifita is sitting on 50 career touchdown passes, which puts him fourth all-time in program history and one touchdown ahead of Anu Solomon. He is seven touchdowns behind Khalil Tate for third all-time.

A lot happened in this game and we at Arizona Wildcats On SI went ahead and put together our three helmet stickers of the game, honoring the top performers of the night.

Helmet Stickers

Rhino Tapa’atoutai

• Throughout the offseason, tackle Rhino Tapa’atoutai had been working hard to get fully back from an ACL tear that he suffered six games into the 2024 season.

• Throughout training camp, we saw Tapa’atoutai working with the training staff and found himself in full pads by the end of the offseason. However, he wasn’t fully ready to go for the Hawaii game.

• Now, he is back on the field playing right tackle for Arizona and helps the Wildcats solidify  the offensive line.

Noah Fifita

• Last game against Hawaii, Fifita struggled to get into a rhythm in the first half and finished going 13 of 23, collecting 161 yards and a touchdown on the night.

• Right off the bat against Weber State, Fifita looked more comfortable in the offensive scheme and connected on a 31-yard TD to Whatley to get things going.

• The very next drive, Fifita made quick work of the Weber State defense hitting Whatley again but this time for an 85-yard touchdown.

• Fifita finished going 17 of 22 and he is clearly finding his groove in the offense and at the right time with KSU next on the schedule.

Genesis Smith

• One of the top players on the Wildcats’ roster coming into the season was safety Genesis Smith, who thus far has lived up to the high expectations and delivered a solid game against Hawaii, where he recorded four tackles and a pass deflection.

• Smith turned up his game against Weber State, recording a team-high seven tackles and coming up with an interception as well.