What Brent Brennan said after Arizona's 35-7 win over Northern Arizona

Arizona’s 35-7 victory over Northern Arizona gave Tucson fans plenty to celebrate Saturday night, from a high-energy home atmosphere to a balanced offense and a defense that controlled the game for most of the evening. The Wildcats scored on three of their first four possessions, finished with five sacks and four takeaways, and held the Lumberjacks to minus-7 rushing yards at Casino Del Sol Stadium. The win also sent Arizona into its first Big 12 game of the season with momentum, although two lost fumbles and some early uncertainty in the new-look secondary showed there is still work to do.

Brent Brennan said Arizona’s preparation was evident from the opening kickoff. The Wildcats moved the ball efficiently, while the defense repeatedly answered with stops. “Our guys were excited,” Brennan said, crediting the coaching staff for getting the team ready. He described the performance as a night with plenty of positives, particularly because Arizona was able to create separation early rather than allow NAU to stay within striking distance.

The game also marked a significant change in the stadium experience. Arizona played with the visiting team on the opposite sideline, placing NAU in front of the ZonaZoo on the east side. New lighting and a new sound system were used for the first time, and Brennan praised the administration, students and longtime supporters for helping create a stronger home-field environment. He called the atmosphere a major step toward making game days something fans will be excited to attend, while another account described the energy inside the stadium as contagious.

The Wildcats’ first scoring drive set the tone. Fifth-year senior quarterback Noah Fifita connected with senior receiver Tre Spivey III for a 20-yard touchdown, a throw Brennan called nearly perfect. That completion also moved Fifita into second place on Arizona’s career passing yardage list. He finished the night with 22 completions on 29 attempts for 262 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, and now has 9,445 career passing yards and 75 touchdown passes, the latter already a school record.

Fifita’s effectiveness on third down was another central part of Arizona’s offensive success. Brennan pointed to the quarterback’s decision-making, mobility and ability to throw accurately while moving as reasons he is particularly dangerous in those situations. Fifita later found Brandon Phelps for a 21-yard touchdown to put Arizona ahead 14-0 early in the second quarter. After Fifita was stopped just short of the goal line on a run, running back Kedrick Reescano finished the drive with a one-yard touchdown. Reescano scored again from one yard in the fourth quarter and credited the offensive line for making his job easier, saying the linemen were responsible for creating the touchdowns.

Arizona added a 14-yard touchdown run by Antwan Roberts Jr., a fifth-year senior who transferred from Marshall, to make the score 28-0 in the third quarter. Fifita left the game after Arizona’s fifth touchdown, allowing the Wildcats to protect their starting quarterback before turning their attention to BYU. The offense was not flawless, however. Giovanni Richardson lost a fumble on Arizona’s second possession, and the Wildcats had another fumble later in the game. NAU was unable to turn the first mistake into points, and Arizona’s defense repeatedly prevented the Lumberjacks from taking advantage.

The defensive performance was led by pressure up front and a breakthrough from Quinn Olson. The junior safety, a walk-on who received a scholarship earlier in the week, intercepted NAU quarterback Ty Pennington before the end of the third quarter. Olson said he was playing man coverage, recognized his receiver breaking outside, looked back toward the quarterback and cut underneath the pass. He held on to the ball and celebrated by putting it on Arizona’s turnover sword. Brennan praised Olson’s work ethic, character and standing within the team, saying the interception reflected the kind of player and teammate he has become.

Arizona limited NAU’s offense to five sacks, four total turnovers and minus-7 rushing yards, the fewest rushing yards the Wildcats had allowed since giving up minus-6 against Stanford in 2006. Olson said the defensive game plan began with the front, which created quarterback pressure and allowed the linebackers and defensive backs to make plays. Brennan called the production “a hell of a day for a defensive football team.” Still, NAU eventually broke the shutout when linebacker Noble Young-Blackgoat returned an interception 36 yards for a touchdown with a little more than 10 minutes remaining. The Lumberjacks forced another fumble on the next Arizona possession, but the Wildcats stopped the threat.

The night included several connections to Arizona football’s past and to the Tucson area. Treydan Stukes and Dalton Johnson, both former Wildcats drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders, and Genesis Smith, who was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers, served as honorary captains. NAU also featured two players with Tucson ties, Marana graduate Jaelen Collins and Mica Mountain alumnus Nathaniel Bryant. Arizona now travels to Provo for a Saturday game against No. 14 BYU, a rematch of last season’s 33-27 double-overtime loss. Brennan said the largest improvement often comes between the first and second games, and kickoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. on Fox.