In this episode of Arizona Highways TV with Robin Sewell, explore the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, a unique blend of a zoo, aquarium, botanical garden, natural history museum, and art institute. Learn about its immersive exhibits, including the hummingbird aviary and the 147-species cactus garden. Meet the animal ambassadors like Knight, a barn owl, and discover the role of education and conservation at the museum. Later, visit Ingo’s Tasty Food in central Phoenix for a gourmet alfresco dining experience, and explore George Aberbeck’s handcrafted glass art in Flagstaff. Finally, stay at the historic Armory Park Inn in Tucson, filled with stories of iconic Arizonans. The episode also touches on the music scene in the valley, including the Zubia Brothers and their journey from mariachi roots to the local music landscape.

When the 2023 Arizona football campaign began last year Jayden de Laura was entering his second season as the starting quarterback, while Noah Fifita was the backup. Fast forward to the Stanford game, de Laura goes down with an injury and Fifita stepped up in his absence. Not only did he step up, Fifita took full reins of the team.

After close losses to Washington and USC, he would lead the Wildcats to seven straight wins, including an Alamo Bowl victory against Oklahoma. Once the offseason hit, Fifita was faced with a similar challenge of bringing his team together after Jedd Fisch left for Washington.

Following Arizona’s hiring of Brent Brennan as head coach, it only took one meeting with him for Fifita to decide to stay. Thereafter, Fifita has only gained momentum as being one of the top quarterbacks in the nation as well as the leader of the Wildcats.

With being named to many preseason awards watch lists, Fifita was ranked 51st by ESPN on its list of top 100 college players. On top of earning rankings and being named to watchlists, he has become popular in the NIL world. Picking up sponsorships with Alerion Aviation, the Tucson International Airport and SuperCuts, it is clear that there is extreme hype around Fifita.

Preseason training camp was one of hard work and fine tuning the little things, which is what got Fifita to be ready when called upon as the backup. Now, he will be leading the team as one of six team captains.

Alongside fellow captains Jonah Savaiinaea, Josh Baker, Jacob Manu, Treydan Stukes, and Gunner Maldonado, Fifita’s leadership is noticed by everyone on the team. Offensive coordinator Dino Babers made it clear that a player such as he is rare to find nowadays.

“He’s not average, the more and more you’re around him you’re just like ‘the guy is special,’ and he needs to be treated as such,” Babers said.

Quarterbacks coach Lyle Moevao gave credit to Fifita for adjusting to new pieces on the offense and the offensive scheme.

“You know the fun thing about Noah is that his mind is always on ‘what’s our plan?’,” Moevao said. “That’s the beauty of working with Noah, he’s always gonna be, you know, one step ahead.”

Being one step ahead goes back to his preparation from last season as a backup, but now going into this season Fifita has to make sure that the entire team is ready to go.

“I think last year it was kind of more about myself and really taking care of what I had to take care of,” he said. “Now this year it is about the team, and kind of having cohesion through all the positions and not just worrying about my responsibilities.”

The nation knows about the Fifita to Tetairoa McMillan connection, but one that is equally important is the center to quarterback connection. Baker’s face lit up earlier this week when asked about his relationship with Fifita.

“It’s been amazing to see a young kid a couple years ago come in with such a professional attitude and such a professional mindset,” Baker said. “Working hard every single day, not missing a beat, able to step up when his name was called, it’s just been amazing to see that.”

Outside of all of the watchlists, rankings, and sponsorships, Fifita knows that in order to be successful, he has to bring the team together as one.

“It’s always about the team,” Fifita said. “That’s the main part and that’s just Coach Brennan, he has referenced that a lot. Coach (Dick) Tomey’s thing is ‘The team, the team, the team.’ so that’s just kind of how we’re built, that’s what we take pride in and if we want to do what we want to do, it’s about the team. About us, not just one individual.”

New Arizona cornerback coach Chip Viney returns to his roots with a power conference program in 2024. Viney played at UCLA and spent seven seasons on the Oklahoma staff in two different stints. Viney is one of several Arizona assistant coaches who coached under head coach Brent Brennan at San Jose State.

The sample size for Viney as a CBs coach is limited to the last two seasons at San Jose State and Nevada in 2017. Viney began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma from 2013 through 2015. In 2016 Viney was elevated to special teams assistant at Oklahoma. Viney left OU for Nevada.

Nevada was 111th nationally in allowing 263.1 passing yards per game, 122nd with permitting 8.8 yards per attempt and a 158.32 passer rating, 104th with giving up 20 touchdown passes, 125th with a 66.9 passer rating against and tied for 89th with eight interceptions. Viney chose to return to Oklahoma after one season with Nevada.

Viney was a defensive and recruiting analyst for Oklahoma from 2018 through 2020. In 2021, Viney was elevated to Director of Player Development and Scouting Analyst for Oklahoma. Brennan hired Vicey as the CBs coach at San Jose State ahead of the 2022 season where he remained for the last two seasons.

San Jose State was 22nd with allowing 217.7 passing yards per game, 63rd with a 130.11 defensive passer rating, 84th with permitting 7.4 yards per attempt, 78th with an opponent’s 60.7 completion percentage, 18th with allowing 15 TD passes and 22nd with 14 interceptions in Viney’s first season in 2022.

In 2023 San Jose State was 39th with allowing 183.0 passing yards per game, 22nd allowing 6.6 YPA, 44th with a 127.44 passer rating against, one spot behind Arizona, 74th with opponents completing 61.0 percent of their passes, 56th with allowing 19 TD passes and 39th with 12 interceptions.

Viney will coach an Arizona CB unit led by preseason All-Big XII Tacario Davis. Transfer Marquis Groves-Killebrew was a four-star prospect who needs to perform at his third school as the other starting CB opposite Davis. Emmanuel Karnley, Demetrius Freeney and Jai-Ayuviann Celestine are the other CBs on the Arizona two-deep.

Arizona probably won’t be tested until week three at Kansas State. New Mexico who Arizona hosts on Saturday had only 173 passing yards in their 35-31 week one loss to FCS Montana State. Arizona hosts FCS Northern Arizona next week. Arizona should be ready versus Big XII opponents after facing elite Pac-12 quarterbacks in 2023.