One Quarterback is Starting to Emerge as Arizona's Primary Backup
When Noah Fifita stayed with Arizona for the upcoming season, despite the departure of previous head coach Jedd Fisch, that gave this program an immediate opportunity to compete in the Big 12.
Viewed as one of the best quarterbacks in the country, and the second-best in the conference, this offense should still be a high-powered unit under new offensive coordinator Dino Babers who is looking to bring some different things to the Wildcats this season.
But while the QB1 position is all figured out, there are still some questions about who will be the backup this year.
Ideally, Arizona won't need to put anyone on the field under center unless there is a massive blowout, but this is football and injuries happen, so having a solid contingency plan in place if Fifita does get hurt could be the difference between playing in a bowl game or having a tough season.
As camp battles rage on, Jason Scheer of 247Sports thinks there is one player who is starting to emerge when it comes to winning that roster spot.
"I have a feeling the backup quarterback job is going to come down to Brayden Dorman and Cole Tannenbaum with Dorman the leader in the clubhouse. [Anthony] Garcia did not have a good day on Wednesday," he reported.
That shouldn't be too surprising for those who follow recruiting.
Brayden Dorman was a four-star prospect coming out of high school, ranked as the No. 24 quarterback in the 2023 class by the 247Sports Composite. He redshirted last season, not appearing in a single game and decided to enter his name in the transfer portal after the year.
He ultimately decided to stay with the program after the Wildcats got their new head coach Brent Brennan, but that doesn't necessarily mean he is going to be handed the job.
Cole Tannenbaum has appeared in only one game during his two years with Arizona, taking one snap to kneel the ball against Arizona State. Since he wasn't a touted recruit, not receiving a ranking by 247Sports in the 2022 class, it seems like he has an uphill battle to beat out the talented Dorman.
Anthony Garcia is a player who followed Brennan from San Jose State to Arizona, so there was some thought he might be able to play his way into consideration for the backup role.
However, as Scheer noted, he hasn't quite found his way groove dealing with a new offensive coordinator, so it could take a bit of time for him to be part of the mix.
It looks like Dorman is going to be the primary backup to Fifita this year if he continues to play well during camp.
BRAD WAKAI