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Coming off a 38-24 win over No. 12 Oklahoma in the Valero Alamo Bowl, it appeared that Arizona might be one of the favorites to win the Big 12 in 2024 with an incredible cast of talent returning for head coach Jedd Fisch. However, the dominoes that fell after Nick Saban left Alabama led to Fisch accepting the job at Washington, and took several members of his roster, staff, and recruiting class with him.
Fast forward to July and the expectations in Tucson are still higher than the Wildcats are typically accustomed to, but under first-year head coach Brent Brennan, folks aren’t nearly as bullish on the Cats as they were seven months ago. You won’t find Arizona inside the top three of any Big 12 preview magazine power rankings, nor will you find them inside the top five of the Big 12 Championship odds.
So, does that mean that Arizona’s 2023 season was more “lightning in a bottle” than it was a program-defining season? How the 2024 season goes will provide the answer to that question, and here’s what you should expect going in.
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita is flying under the radar as one of the Big 12’s best quarterbacks in 2024.
© Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
Arizona Offense: The Fifita-TMac Connection
2023 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Noah Fifita comes into the season as perhaps the most underrated player in the Big 12. After watching him cook Oklahoma’s secondary in person last season, I can attest to the fact that there are not enough people talking about this kid. Fifita completed a program-record 72.4% of his passes last season with 25 touchdowns and six interceptions. He threw for 2,869 yards despite attempting just eight passes through the first three games. Nearly half of those yards came by way of his connection with All-American wideout Tetairoa McMillan, who had 90 receptions for 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns.
After the loss of Jonah Coleman (Washington), UA had to address the running back position and appears to have done so by bringing in a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in Jacory Croskey-Merritt (New Mexico) and b (SJSU), plus Ole Miss transfer Kedrick Reescano. The offensive line returns four starters and despite the loss of NFL first-round selection Jordan Morgan, should be one of the better units in the league with Jonah Savaiinaea leading the way.
Related: ‘Arizona Could Win the Big 12 or Finish Bottom Half’ 
Arizona LB Jacob Manu led the Pac-12 with 116 tackles in 2023.
© Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY SportsArizona Defense: A Loaded Backfield and Questions Up Front
While the offense was certainly dangerous in ’23, it was the Arizona defense that made the Wildcats so different from year’s past. The unit allowed just 21.1 points per game and had a knack for creating turnovers and causing issues for Pac-12 offenses. After losing a whopping nine defensive lineman and All-Pac-12 defensive back Ephesians Prysock, there are some major question marks. However, there’s reason to beleive that they’ll be able to pull it all together.
Jacob Manu led the Pac-12 in tackles (116) a season ago and is back alongside Justin Flowe at linebacker, while All-American CB Tacario Davis returns to the secondary, as do Dalton Johnson, Gunner Maldonaldo, and Treydan Stukes. Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei and Keanu Mailoto return as familiar faces along the defensive line, while All-Mountain West transfer Tre Smith (SJSU), Syracuse transfer Kevon Darton, and Stanford transfer Lance Keneley should help fill some of the holes left by the transfer portal.
Arizona Special Teams: In the Loop
Tyler Loop, a Second-Team All-Pac-12 selection in 2023, returns to assume the placekicking duties for Arizona after going 19-of-24 (L/54) on field goals and 53-53 on PAT last season. Starting punter Kyle Ostendorp is gone, and freshman Michael Salgago-Medina is expected to win the gig as of now.
Predicton: ‘Zona goes 9-3, Just Misses Big 12 Title Game Berth
With 15 starters returning — several of which are legitimate NFL talents — the Wildcats are flying way under the radar when it comes to Big 12 title contenders. There’s not a single game on the schedule that Arizona isn’t capable of winning. That being said, the Big 12 is uber-competitive and road trips to Utah, UCF, and TCU (plus Kansas State in non-con) are going to be tough. The Wildcats will be a Big 12 title contender in ’24, and if Fifita and the offense can win some tough road games, there’s a path to a College Football Playoff appearance.
Related: Predicting Every Game of the 2024 Big 12 Footbal Season 
Source link : https://www.heartlandcollegesports.com/2024/07/23/arizona-football-2024-season-preview-and-prediction/
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Publish date : 2024-07-23 17:52:08
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