​FRISCO, TX — Arizona senior quarterback Noah Fifita isn’t shying away from the narrative surrounding his stature. He embraces it. Standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 186 pounds, he’s smaller than many of the prototypical athletes who populate the spotlight at that position today. Yet he hopes his success helps prove that you can excel at quarterback even if you don’t pass the eye test.
Fifita was among the six Arizona players brought by head coach Brent Brennan to the Big 12 Football Media Days at The Ford Center. As one of six returning quarterbacks in the conference, Fifita also leans on his faith at every opportunity. “I think it’s a blessing because I get to be kind of a testament to what’s possible with God,” he said. “He made me this size so people can be inspired that anything is possible if you believe in Him. So, it’s not about my ability or my doing. I think He’s working through me, and I am an example of that.”
While peers such as Sawyer Robertson of Baylor, Josh Hoover of TCU, Brendan Sorsby of Cincinnati, and Behren Morton of Texas Tech drew headlines for much of the season, Fifita wound up being recognized as the top quarterback in the Big 12 by year’s end, earning first-team all-conference honors at the conclusion of the 2026 campaign. He was also selected to the first team in the preseason ballot conducted by the media at the start of media days.
Last season, Fifita completed 275 of 428 passes for 3,228 yards and 29 touchdowns with only six interceptions. Those numbers represented a personal-best mark for him, even with his top target, Tetairoa McMillan, moving on to the NFL. He already owns Arizona school records for single-game passing yardage (527 yards in the 2023 win over Arizona State), career touchdown passes (73), and most touchdown passes in a season (29 in 2025), and he is closing in on several others. He ranks third in career passing yards with 9,183, narrowly behind Willie Tuitama (9,211 from 2005–08) and Nick Foles (10,011 from 2009–11).
Fifita’s Heisman pursuit is well underway. As players moved around the floor at The Ford Center, staffers from Arizona circulated “Noah Fifita for Heisman” flyers. Brennan’s push for his quarterback continued as he took the stage—the first of eight coaches who spoke that day. The coach underscored what he sees in Fifita: a combination of numbers and character. “We’re incredibly blessed to have a quarterback like Noah Fifita who definitely has a Heisman résumé,” Brennan said. “Some of you can all check that data in front of you—because we’ve handed out résumés to everyone in the building. Noah Fifita is the best story in college football. He’s an incredibly good football player, but he’s also this rare human being who makes the right choices every day.”
Brennan described Fifita as a man of deep faith, a standout teammate, a natural leader, and someone who remains highly engaged in the community. He highlighted Fifita’s involvement off the field, including his nonprofit work, and noted that the quarterback continually seeks opportunities to do good. In short, Brennan sees in Fifita not only the potential for national recognition, but also a leadership example that extends beyond the football field.