TUCSON, Ariz. – University of Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita guided the Wildcats into title contention and a 10-win season while rewriting the record books to earn FWAA Offensive Freshman of the Year, as announced today by the association.
Fifita headlines the FWAA’s 2023 Freshman All-America Team, a list of 32 players who had standout seasons among their more experienced peers. The FWAA has selected a freshman All-America team since the 2001 season, but this is the first time the committee has split its Freshman Player of the Year Award into offensive and defensive honorees.
Fifita closed his 2023 season passing for 354 yards in Arizona’s 38-24 win over Oklahoma in the Valero Alamo Bowl, the second-best mark in a bowl game in program history. The Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year led the Wildcats to a 10-3 record, Arizona’s first 10-win season since 2014.
The redshirt freshman from Huntington Beach, Calif., earned Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors a conference-record five times, most recently after throwing for a school-record 527 yards in a 59-23 win over Arizona State.
Fifita tied for fourth nationally with a 72.4 completion percentage, tops among all freshmen and second-only to Oregon’s Bo Nix in the Pac-12, and is Arizona’s first quarterback to complete more than 70 percent of his passes in a season. Fifita’s 25 touchdown passes were the most of any FBS freshman this season and his 2,869 passing yards are fifth among all freshmen. Arizona will begin the 2024 season riding a seven-game win streak, its longest since 1998.
Fifita gives Arizona a Freshman All-American for a second consecutive year following offensive tackle Jonah Savaiinaea from 2022 and is the Wildcats’ eighth player to make the team all-time.
Following is the complete 2023 FWAA Freshman All-America Team:
OFFENSE (13)
QB Noah Fifita, Arizona (5-11, 195, RFr., Huntington Beach, Calif.)
RB Jalen Buckley, Western Michigan (5-11, 210, RFr., Aurora, Ill.)
RB Makhi Hughes, Tulane (5-11, 205, RFr., Birmingham, Ala.)
WR Nic Anderson, Oklahoma (6-4, 207, RFr., Katy, Texas)
WR Pofele Ashlock, Hawaii (6-2, 175, Fr., Euless, Texas)
WR Eric Singleton Jr., Georgia Tech (5-11, 173, Fr.,…
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