UA football's Noah Fifita embraces spotlight, chance to be role model

FRISCO, TX — Arizona senior quarterback Noah Fifita doesn't run from the narrative about his stature. He embraces it.

>He's a diminutive figure at 5 feet 10 and 186 pounds, which makes him small by today's standards for a player at that highly visible position. He is hoping his success shows others that you can excel at the position even if you may not pass the eye test.

>He was among the six players Arizona coach Brent Brennan brought here to Big 12 Football Media Days at The Ford Center. Fifita, one of six returning quarterbacks in the conference, leans into his faith at every opportunity.

>"I think it's a blessing because I get to be kind of a testament of 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, as I said, I don't think it's my ability, 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 garnered headlines most of the season, it was Fifita who finished as the best quarterback in the Big 12, evidenced by his selection as the first-team all-conference quarterback at the end of the 2026 campaign.

>He was also picked as a first-team preseason selection in a ballot of the media in conjunction with the start of media days.

>Fifita completed 275 of 428 passes last season for 3,228 yards and 29 touchdowns with just six interceptions. The numbers were better than any previous year, even though his top target, Tetairoa McMillan, departed for the NFL.

>Fifita already holds school records for single-game passing yardage (527 yards vs. Arizona State in 2023), career touchdown passes (73) and most touchdown passes in a season (29 in 2025), and he's inching closer to others. He ranks third in career passing yards with 9,183, narrowly behind Willie Tuitama (9,211 in 2005-08) and Nick Foles (10,011 in 2009-11).

>His Heisman Trophy campaign is already going full throttle. As players milled about the floor of The Ford Center, members of the Arizona staff passed out "Noah Fifita for Heisman" flyers.

>His coach lobbied for his player when he took the stage, the first of eight coaches who did so on the day. Brennan says his player has the numbers and the 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 I think we passed out a résumé to everybody 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 that chooses the right things every day.

>"He's a man of great faith. He's a great teammate. He's a great leader. He's super engaged in our community. He's got a nonprofit. He always finds ways to do extra to give, and that's rare in today's day and age."

>His teammates are fans, too. They praise his leadership and work ethic.

>"Noah's a leader," junior wide receiver Tre Spivey said. "As receivers, just knowing that he has our back, we trust him. He's the best quarterback in the nation; we believe that. First and foremost is his work ethic. He's the hardest-working dude in the whole building, coaches included.

>"Not putting anybody else down, just showing how special he is. We get to the facility, and he's already there an hour and 30 minutes before, so he just has that special want to be good, and then he's super humble."

>While Fifita might be small, someone of his stature excelling at the next level wouldn't be unheard of. Of the current crop, former Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, now at Minnesota, and Carolina's Bryce Young are also listed as 5-10. The shortest quarterback to win a Super Bowl is Russell Wilson, listed as 5-11.

>Asked what advice he would have for any younger players, Fifita said confidence and faith are the keys.

>"I would say just believe in yourself," he said. "Don't listen to what the world says is possible, what the world says is right. If you believe in yourself and you go to work, anything is possible."

>This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: UA football's Noah Fifita embraces spotlight, chance to be role model