Arizona Wildcats Head Coach's Stock Remains Steady Ahead of Biggest Test So Far
The Arizona Wildcats approach their biggest test of the season so far, traveling to Salt Lake City, Utah to take on the 10th-ranked Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium, to officially open Big-12 play.
With Brent Brennan wearing the headset and manning the clipboard in his first season with the Wildcats, they have started the year 2-1, scoring exactly 100 points through their first three games, but losing to their only ranked opponent so far, the Kansas State Wildcats.
It has still been a good start to Brennan's tenure with Arizona, only his second job as the head coach of a football team.
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Morgan Moriarty took a look at all of the first-year coaches throughout the college football landscape and how their stock has faired through the first month of the season.
With 30 first-year head coaches in the college football ranks this year, Brennan's stock for the Wildcats has remained steady.
"Arizona is 2-1 with wins over New Mexico and Northern Arizona," writes Moriarty, "but a 31-7 loss on the road to Kansas State. So, it's hard to draw too many meaningful conclusions through these three games."
Brennan has led his team to victory in the games that they were supposed to win so far, with his only loss being an expected one against a top-25 team.
The schedule does not get much easier for Brennan and Arizona, with their game this Saturday against a top 10 team, and one more game against a team currently in the top 25.
The Wildcats do get a reprieve with some of their toughest opponents traveling to Tucson to play at Arizona Stadium, but there is still a lot of football left to play.
Quarterback Noah Fifita has been a boon to Arizona's season so far, throwing for 863 yards with five touchdowns to only three interceptions across the team's first three games.
Receiver Tetairoa McMillan has been the top target of Fifita this year, already accruing 453 yards and four touchdowns.
Saturday will be a huge indicator of how the rest of the season will go for the Wildcats.
But Brennan should still be given time to build the program to his specifications, something he has already been working toward.
Brennan's 2025 recruiting class is currently ranked 47th overall, and 10th in the Big 12, with a commitment from a four-star receiver, Terry Shelton.
If Brennan is given the time necessary to build the program and recruit, he could help lead Arizona back to prominence in their new conference.
He just needs the time to do so.
TROY BROCK