Are Arizona football fans lost?

The secondary definition of a fanatic is defined as “a person who displays excessive enthusiasm and intense, uncritical devotion to a controversial matter.” The controversial matter for Arizona football fans is the head coach. The hate over Jedd Fisch’s departure has turned to Brent Brennan.

When Fisch left to take the Washington job in January, he was called fraudulent, fraudulent, a liar and a traitor. The hatred toward Fisch was similar to when Larry Smith left Arizona to become head coach at USC after the 1986 season. Fisch and Smith left Arizona to start better programs with much more history.

Fisch led Arizona in 2023 to just its fourth 10-win season in program history. Looking at the news, most Arizona fans seem to have forgotten that they started 3-3 in 2023. Dick Tomey led Arizona to 10-win seasons in 1993 and 1998 and Rich Rodriguez led the Wildcats to 10-win seasons in 2014.

Due to the late timing of Fisch’s departure, the number of candidates for former Arizona athletic director Dave Heeke was limited. Most of the other candidates were hired when the dominoes that caused Brennan to be hired by Arizona began when Nick Saban withdrew from Alabama.

Kalen DeBoer left Washington to succeed Saban. Fisch then succeeded DeBoar, which led Brennan to Arizona. Arizona lost 28 players to the transfer portal. Nine players went to Washington with Fisch as a transfer. Transfers included starters, running back Jonah Coleman and cornerback Ephesians Prysock.

Brennan was able to convince five players who had previously entered the transfer portal to stay. These included starting cornerback Tacario Davis and tight end Keyan Burnett. Davis is a future NFL draft pick. The foundation for Arizona in 2024 was laid when quarterback Noah Fifita and wide receiver Tetaiora McMillan decided to stay.

Fifita has been inconsistent this season. Losing WR Jacob Cowing to the NFL was bigger than expected. No WR has proven to be a secondary option for Fifita over McMillan. Running back Quali Conley ranks second in Arizona in receptions and Burnett is second in receiving yards.

Arizona was ranked 21st in both preseason polls. The 21st ranking meant Arizona would reach a mid-tier bowl with the expanded College Football Playoff. Some projections had Arizona as a CFP sleeper. Utah and Kansas State were the only teams on Arizona’s 2024 schedule in the preseason rankings.

The fanaticism of sports fans has become more prominent with the advent of social media. The immediacy of being able to comment as soon as a piece takes place and the footprint this creates led to social media accounts like Freezing Cold Takes. Every coach deserves respect and must be evaluated beyond half a season.