When Arizona coach Brent Brennan took over the Wildcats from Jedd Fisch, there was obviously a large to-do list to keep the program moving.
One of those was getting to know his new players. In the era of the transfer portal, things can happen fast. Sometimes, new coaches don’t even get to meet players before they opt to move on.
Quarterback Noah Fifita ensured that Brennan at least got a chance to talk to some of his players before they made those decisions. Actually, not some. It was 25 of them. Fifita led them into Brennan’s new office shortly after he was hired.
Brennan likened that meeting to “speed dating.” But he didn’t make the first move.
“I didn’t ask them anything. I let them ask me,” he said. “I thought it was important I give them an opportunity to get to know me, like who I was, what I was going to be about.”
It lasted two hours, Brennan estimated. By the end of it, he and the players were laughing, asking each other silly questions and getting to know each other. He called it a great “icebreaker,” and it was Fifita who spearheaded it.
Then, to continue with the speed dating analogy, Brennan asked the players if they wanted to do it again. The next day, most of them showed up for another two-hour conversation. With trust established, Brennan — a former Arizona graduate assistant under legendary coach Dick Tomey — was able to dive deeper into what he was hoping to establish as a first-year head coach.
“We had another two-hour conversation just about my philosophy, how I coach, what I believe in, what my family is like, what color cleats we’re going to wear,” Brennan said. “It was all over the map. But it was a really great opportunity for us to get to know each other.”
He also emphasized that his players would have input into their decisions, hence the cleats question.
“At the end of the day, I know those decisions sit with me, but I want them to have input into what kind of program, what kind of culture we’re going to build at the U of A,” Brennan said.
The Wildcats are preparing for their first Big 12 season after being in the Pac-12 since 1978. Under Fisch — who is now at Washington — the Wildcats went 10-3 and 7-2 in Pac-12 play and beat Oklahoma, 38-24, in the Alamo Bowl.
Brennan takes over after leading San Jose State to a 34-48 record. While an assistant coach with the Spartans, he worked under Tomey again, citing him as a major influence in his career.
Thanks to those meetings, Brennan was able to keep some of Arizona’s best players out of the transfer portal, including Fifita and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. Fifita threw for 2,869 yards, 25 touchdowns, and six interceptions, while McMillan caught 90 passes for 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The Wildcats return plenty of experience on the back line of their defense, including linebacker Jacob Manu, who led with 116 tackles.
The Wildcats are at home for their first two games against New Mexico on Aug. 31 and Northern Arizona on Sept. 7. Then, Arizona goes to Kansas State for a non-conference game on Sept. 13 that was scheduled before the Wildcats joined the Big 12.
To open its Big 12 season, Arizona travels to Utah on Sept. 28. Then, after hosting Texas Tech on Oct. 5, the Wildcats go to BYU on Oct. 12. Then Colorado comes to Tucson on Oct. 19 and West Virginia on Oct. 26.
Arizona travels to UCF on Nov. 2, after which the Wildcats host Houston on Nov. 14. Then, after a trip to TCU on Nov. 23, the Wildcats finish the season hosting Arizona State in the Territorial Cup on Nov. 30.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
