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You can't shovel sunshine.

"I got out there in the sunshine, it was beautiful," Brennan said. "Sun was shining and it was 65 degrees. I was in a T-shirt and shorts walking around campus. Why would you not want to go to school here? It's December and half the country is in puffy jackets and beanies. We're walking around in flip-flops and board shorts. Let's go."

It takes more than just pristine weather to land recruits at the UA, but the Wildcats officially inked 20 players for their 2026 recruiting class on the opening day of the early signing period on Wednesday.

Arizona signed 19 high school prospects and one junior college prospectÌý— nine offensive and 11 defensive players. Six of the high schoolers hail from California, five are from Texas, three are Arizona products and Washington, Nevada, Georgia, Utah and American Samoa produced one apiece.Ìý

"Lots of different positions, lots of (players) from all over the place and we feel great about that," Brennan said.

Arizona's 2025 recruiting class currently ranks 35th nationally and fifth in the Big 12, according to . The 87.46 average player grade in Arizona's recruiting class on is the highest in school history. 

It's Arizona's highest-rated class since the 2022 group that was headlined by former UA star receiver Tetairoa McMillan, offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea and current starting quarterback Noah Fifita, among others.Ìý

In similar fashion to 2022, the Wildcats recruited these players coming off a losing season. A driving force was familiarity and recruiting the 2026 recruiting class over 18 months, where the 2025 recruiting class had less than a year to build a relationship with the UA staff.Ìý Ìý

"Recruits choose people, and I think we have incredible people in this building," Brennan said. "Our coaching staff, our support staff, the alignment we have with the administration, the University of Arizona, those things are what people choose. ... I think that part of it is what was the most compelling (part) for these young people to choose the U of A."

Added Brennan: "We've got a great coaching staff here. I think they're great people, they're great recruiters and kids are excited to play for them. I really do. I think we have an awesome institution for kids to go to college at. There's a great vibe here on campus."

Arizona's 9-3 season this year also contributed to potential prospects and committed recruits to buy into the direction of the team under Brennan.Ìý

"The success on the field helps," said Arizona general manager Gaizka Crowley. "It helps when the kids are coming to campus and you're winning games. A really strong home record this year, so there was a lot of victories. It's easier to do that dinner with a recruit after a game when you win. That helps."Ìý

The Wildcats have just as many four-star prospects (six) signed to the 2026 class as the '22 class. Those four-star prospects are Pittsburg, California, wide receiver RJ Mosley, Dallas-area cornerback Xaier Hiler, Phoenix-area offensive tackle Malachi Joyner, Seattle-area tight end Henry Gabalis, El Paso, Texas, offensive lineman Justin Morales and Los Angeles-area quarterback Oscar Rios.

The 6-3, 175-pound Rios ended his career at Downey High School with 8,070 yards, 77 touchdowns and 17 interceptions, along with 2,227 rushing yards and 25 rushing touchdowns.

Rios, who competed at "Elite 11" quarterback event in the summer, is the highest-rated quarterback to sign with the Wildcats since Nic Costa in 2001. Rios joins Dallas product and Arizona freshman Sawyer Anderson as scholarship high school quarterbacks to sign with the Wildcats since the hiring of Brennan and offensive coordinator Seth Doege.ÌýÌý

Brennan said Rios has "this contagious personality" and "he was one of those players, from the first time we met him, you could tell he had juice."

"He had juice with the guys on the team," Brennan said. "The guys on the team liked him, it wasn't just our coaching staff. He had a great way about him. Obviously he's a great player with really big upside, great family. ... I'm so excited about Oscar choosing the University of Arizona. I think that speaks to how much he believes in Coach Doege and how important Coach Doege was in his recruitment."

During Arizona's first bye week in September, Brennan and Doege trekked to L.A. together and watched Rios lead Downey from a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Inglewood High School.ÌýÌý

When Downey trailed by three scores, "all of a sudden, he just starts ripping passes," Brennan said of Rios.ÌýÌý

"With very little time left, he gets flushed out of the pocket and just rips this deep ball and it looks like it's going to be picked and one of the players on his team jumped up, snatches it and scores," Brennan said. "It was amazing because Doege and I were able to see this incredible moment of high school football."

Mosley, a 6-4, 185-pound receiver from the Bay Area, is the highest-rated recruit signed to the UA's 2026 recruiting class. Mosley has 1,928 yards and 21 touchdowns in his three-year career at Pittsburg. Brennan saw Mosley score touchdowns against Los Gatos High School and Scotty Brennan, Brent Brennan's son, who quarterbacked the (ironically) Wildcats last season.Ìý

"He was so impressive," the older Brennan said of Mosley. "This long body that has track times and doesn't move like a 6-3 guy. He's sudden in his movement. His acceleration, he's dangerous with the ball in his hands after the catch. He's a really smart kid, great personality, big smile."Ìý

For the second straight season, offensive and defensive linemen "was a big focus on this recruiting class," Brennan said. Last year, the Wildcats signed 11 offensive and defensive linemen; this year, it was 10, including six defensive linemen. Arizona's lone junior college signee is 6-4, 277-pound Hutchinson Community College (Kansas) transfer Kevin Moorer.Ìý

"Knowing we're going to have to replace high-level production on the defensive line, he was a huge get for us," Brennan said. "What you saw him do at Hutch was very impressive, just getting into the backfield, getting after the quarterback, playing with a physicality and edge that we really like.

"Knowing (defensive line coach Joe Salave'a) and what an outstanding football coach he is and the history of developing great players, I think there was instant trust — instant rapport."

Recruiting relentlessly

Salave'a "has no off button" when it comes to recruiting and "100% of the time, he's about recruiting and it's been great because in lots of ways, he has pushed all of us in that way, because he has no off switch," Brennan said.

"It's very common for me to get 18 text messages while I'm on my 5 a.m. run and they're all from Salave'a and they're going out to recruits all over the country," Brennan said. "If we're going to continue to sign big-time football players and the people we think can impact our program the way we want, we're going to have to continue to be relentless in our efforts in recruiting. I think we're in a great spot right now. ... It's an all-out effort and it doesn't stop."

The "all-out effort" helped Arizona get Las Vegas defensive end Prince Williams and AZ Compass Prep (Chandler) defensive tackle Keytrin Harris. Williams was recently named the Nevada Player of the Year after leading Bishop Gorman High School to its fifth straight state championship. The 6-3, 255-pound Williams had 265 tackles and 34 sacks in his four-year career with the Gaels. 

"Both of those are big-time players," Brennan said of Harris and Williams. "I think the good part about them is that they were identified early as guys we wanted to be a part of our program."

Two of Arizona's six four-star prospects are two offensive linemen in Joyner, who finished his career at Gilbert Williams Field High School, and Morales, who flipped from Kansas State earlier this week.Ìý

"We are trying to add some girth to this football team," Brennan said. "I say it all the time, it's not sexy because I feel great about the skill players we added. You win up front. That played out for us this year in terms of what our D-linemen were able to do and what our offensive line became. That's always a No. 1 order of business for us, making sure we have great people on the offensive and defensive line."Ìý

Star status

Several of Arizona's prospects moved up player rankings on a number of recruiting websites — and four of the six four-star recruits, excluding Rios and Morales, were elevated to four-star status after they committed to Arizona.Ìý

"When they're given an extra star, that's great and we're excited for them and the families, but it doesn't change our perspective on the kid," Crowley said.

However, in the past, a commitment to ÃÛÌÒÓ°ÏñAV or an extra star attached to a recruit's name could "pique up the interest from other teams," Crowley said.

"But the way that we look at it, we want to win the long game in recruiting," Crowley added. "We want to be on the best players. I joke with our staff, if no one is calling your players the night before signing players, you're on the wrong players. We welcome it.

"We knew our guys were going to get calls (Tuesday) night and they did. We were on the phone until the wee hours (of the morning) and then we were back here at 4 in the morning. To us, it's a good thing and not a bad thing."

The one recruit the Wildcats didn't have to sweat about is the one who is extending the Fifita family legacy at Arizona. Three-star linebacker and Santa Margarita Catholic (California) standout Dash Fifita is one of two linebackers in Arizona's 2026 recruiting class, along with Dallas-area native Jaden Parker.Ìý

Last season, Fifita was named Co-Defensive MVP for the Trinity League in Southern California, a conference that also has nationally ranked powers in Mater Dei, St. John Bosco and Servite (the older Fifita's alma mater). Fifita had 195 tackles in two seasons at Santa Margarita Catholic.Ìý

"Dash deserves his own credit," Brennan said. "That's arguably the best high school football league in the country. He needs to get his flowers for that because that is big time. He's tough, physical and whenever you watch him play, he's all over the football field.

"He's so productive, so tough, so fun to watch and you know you're getting this incredible foundation, incredible character, because you know the family so well."

The younger Fifita will spend one season as teammates with Noah Fifita, who will likely return to the UA to end his illustrious career in Tucson next season. It'll be the first sibling duo playing for Arizona since the Savaiinaea brothers, Jonah and Julian, last season. Julian Savaiinaea is currently a reserve defensive tackle for the Wildcats, while Jonah Savaiinaea is in his rookie season with the Miami Dolphins.Ìý

"I'm so excited that Dash is coming, we all are," Brennan said.Ìý

No slowing down in the offseason

Arizona's recruiting formula under Brennan is "we're still going to be developmental" instead of relying strictly on the transfer portal to fill gaps.Ìý

Between the culture transition at Arizona and significant roster turnover with 60 newcomers, "we had a little bit more urgency last year, because we had massive turnover with the merging of the two staffs, the departures and the multiple (transfer) portals," Brennan said.

"Arizona football, when a coach leaves, had to deal with more transition than other programs did," Brennan said. "I think you have a better chance to develop the chemistry and connection that you need to build championship programs, if you can do it with players that have been in your program for two, three, four or five years and then supplementally adding players that can be impactful when you have a need."

Wednesday's signing period was just the start of a busy quote-unquote offseason. The Wildcats are monitoring potential additions from the high school and junior college levels for 2026 — and the transfer portal window officially opens on Jan. 2. Plus, the Wildcats still need to conclude their season with a bowl game that will be announced on Sunday.Ìý

Brennan said "it's about to be the busiest two months in the history of our lives, which sounds just insane coming at the end of a season. But shoot, we're excited about where we're at and we can't wait to get going on what's next."Ìý

For now, the bowl game is the primary focus for Arizona.

"Once we get done with today, everything is going to be 100% focused on winning our 10th game," Brennan said. "That's all that's going to matter in this building. No one is going to be talking about anything else.

"How do we win our 10th game?"Ìý

Extra points

–ÌýThe Wildcats are adding 12 early enrollees to the spring roster. Even though the Wildcats could conceivably have bowl practices in late December, Brennan said Arizona won't add newcomers to practices in the days leading up to the bowl game. Said Brennan:Ìý"The juice is not worth the squeeze for three or four days worth of practice."

–ÌýUtah defensive end Harvie Moeai and Carlsbad, California, offensive lineman Nathan Allen signed with Arizona, but won't join the Wildcats until they've completed their missions forÌýThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Crowley compared their mission service to redshirting without officially beginning their college football clock.

–ÌýTen signees in Arizona's 2026 recruiting class hail from track backgrounds, according to Crowley, who added:Ìý"Fast guys don't run slow. ... If they're not fast in high school, they won't be fast in college. If they're not fast in college, they won't be fast in the NFL."

–ÌýBrennan said discussing revenue-sharing with recruits and their families and agents "has an impact on every single conversation you have. That's always a part of the conversation 100% of the time."Ìý

–ÌýChandler High School safety Hamisi Juma didn't sign with the Wildcats on Wednesday and is expected to sign at a later date.Ìý

–ÌýThree-star Houston-area cornerback Josiah Vilmael said he's announcing his commitment on Friday. The 6-1, 185-pound Vilmael is considering Arizona, Texas, Kansas State, Arizona State and Baylor.

–ÌýThe transfer portal window officially opens on Jan. 2. Brennan said "those conversations haven't started yet" about current UA players entering the transfer portal.ÌýÌý