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That won't stop us from doing our own season awards for Arizona football following its 9-3 regular season and five-game winning streak in Brent Brennan's second season as head coach of the Wildcats.

The categories: Offensive MVP, Defensive MVP, Special Teams MVP, Offensive Transfer of the Year, Defensive Transfer of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Most Improved Player. 

So, without further ado, let's honor some Wildcats for their achievements this season.   

OFFENSIVE MVP

Noah Fifita, quarterback

Finalists: Running back Ismail Mahdi, center Ka’ena Decambra, wide receiver Kris Hutson, wide receiver Javin Whatley, running back Kedrick Reescano

The rundown: Only one quarterback has been the starter of multiple nine-win football teams at Arizona, and it's the Wildcats' current starter.

Fifita's push for Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year could potentially fall short, and BYU running back LJ Martin, who leads the Big 12 in rushing yards and is playing in the conference championship against Texas Tech on Saturday, will likely earn the award. However, it was a banner regular season for Fifita, who entered his third offensive system in as many years, with first-year offensive coordinator Seth Doege implementing his uptempo scheme.

Fifita passed for a career-high 2,963 yards, 26 touchdowns and five interceptions in the regular season — a season after tossing 12 interceptions. 

Fifita's 26 passing touchdowns are a career-high and the fifth-most in a season by a UA quarterback. Fifita needs three more passing touchdowns to set Arizona's single-season touchdown record. He currently owns Arizona's record for most career passing touchdowns (70), which he set in Arizona's upset win over No. 25 Cincinnati last month.  

Fifita has the third-most passing yards in the Big 12 behind Baylor's Sawyer Robertson and TCU's Josh Hoover, but has fewer interceptions (5) than Robertson (12) and Hoover (13).

Fifita is the first-ever Wildcat to receive Territorial Cup MVP honors multiple times since the award was first given out in 2001. He joined former ASU star running back Eno Benjamin as players from both Arizona and ASU to earn Territorial Cup MVP honors.

If Arizona wins its upcoming bowl game, Fifita will be the first player to quarterback two 10-win teams at Arizona. The Wildcats currently have four 10-win teams in program history.  

They said it: "I love Noah Fifita like a little brother. I truly value him as family. It's just so fun to coach him. He's probably my biggest motivation coming into work every single day because I want to do good for him." — Doege 

DEFENSIVE MVP

Dalton Johnson, strong safety

Finalists: Defensive back Treydan Stukes, safety Genesis Smith, linebacker Max Harris, linebacker Taye Brown, defensive tackle Deshawn McKnight

The rundown: The three-year starter and fifth-year senior will leave his Arizona career as an all-timer. The fifth-year senior was recruited by the Kevin Sumlin regime and played for Jedd Fisch and Brennan — and four defensive coordinators.

Johnson, who could conceivably earn All-Big 12 first- or second-team honors, has the sixth-most tackles (97) in the conference this season — the most by a defensive back. Johnson, Arizona defensive back Treydan Stukes and UA cornerback Jay'Vion Cole are tied for the second-most interceptions (4) in the Big 12. 

Johnson is on pace to become the first Arizona safety since Darrell Brooks in 2004 and '05 to lead the Wildcats in tackles in back-to-back seasons. Johnson's 97 tackles are more than his season total from last year.

Johnson ended the season earning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors twice. He had 18 tackles in Arizona's home finale against Baylor, the most tackles by a Wildcat since Scooby Wright III in 2014. Johnson also had an interception and forced fumble the following week against ASU in the Territorial Cup. 

They said it: “He’s just one of those guys that continues to show up every day, continues to lead, continues to be a positive voice for the football team, continues to make plays on game day. I can’t say enough positive things about Dalton. He’s an awesome player and an awesome human being." — Brennan

SPECIAL TEAMS MVP

Ian Wagner, kickoff specialist and holder

Finalists: Kicker Michael Salgado-Medina, returner Luke Wysong, punter Isaac Lovison, long snapper Avery Solerno 

The rundown: If it weren't for three unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in the final home game against Baylor, Wagner would likely have a 69-for-75 (92%) touchback rate. Instead, Wagner is kicking touchbacks at an 88% clip. The Wildcats have the second-most touchbacks in the Big 12 this season. 

In addition to booming kickoffs, Wagner has been the field-goal holder, which has been an up-and-down operation, but Wagner's efforts have contributed to successful field goals for Salgado-Medina. 

They said it: "This team loves Ian, and I think he has been such a great player. That gets lost in the shuffle of whoever it is, Noah, Dalton, whoever is playing great. But his impact on the game is tremendous because of the success he has kicking the ball off and hopefully eliminating the potential of a return from our opponent. Also, how great he's been as a holder. He's absolutely one of those unsung heroes, but that is not lost on our football team. Everybody knows how important Ian Wagner is, and we love him." — Brennan 

BEST OFFENSIVE TRANSFER

Kris Hutson, wide receiver

Finalists: Mahdi, Spivey, Whatley, right tackle Tristan Bounds, left tackle Ty Buchanan

The rundown: There's just something about that No. 4 jersey. 

Hutson is 6 inches shorter than former Arizona star receiver Tetairoa McMillan, but he's donning McMillan's number and has become Fifita's top target.

After overcoming injuries that lingered into the first half of the season, Hutson blossomed into the Wildcats' top receiver with 740 yards and four touchdowns on 57 catches — 42 of his receptions resulted in first downs, according to Pro Football Focus. Redshirt junior receiver Chris Hunter had the second-most first-down catches (18) at Arizona this season. Hutson's 55 catches in Big 12 play led the conference.  

They said it: “Hutson is a dude. He’s been a dude since his high school days back in (California), even his youth days. Every time a play needs to be made, (No.) 4 is going to make it. Regardless of what the coverage is, what the route is, he has that belief in himself and we believe in him.� — Fifita

BEST DEFENSIVE TRANSFER

Max Harris, linebacker

Finalists: McKnight, cornerback Michael Dansby, cornerback Ayden Garnes, Cole, linebacker Riley Wilson

The rundown: Harris has the fourth-most tackles (75) at Arizona this season and has played at a consistent level throughout the season alongside Brown, who has 84 tackles.

Harris also has five quarterback hits, which is the second-most by a Wildcat behind linebacker Chase Kennedy. The one-year transfer and college football journeyman — who began his career at Incarnate Word, Louisiana Monroe and Texas State — has also taken on a mentor role for freshman linebacker Myron Robinson and redshirt freshman Jabari Mann. 

They said it: “Max Harris is the epitome of everything you want to find in the transfer portal. One, he’s a damn good player. Two, his leadership skills.� — Arizona defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales

BEST FRESHMAN

Gio Richardson, wide receiver

Finalists: Robinson, defensive end Mays Pese, wide receiver Isaiah Mizell, running back Wesley Yarbrough, safety Coleman Patmon 

The rundown: The former Chandler Basha star has established himself as a mainstay in Arizona's receiver rotation.

Richardson caught his first touchdown in Arizona's blowout win over Colorado last month and was on the receiving end of history in the Wildcats' victory over Cincinnati, when he caught the touchdown pass that gave Fifita the career touchdowns record. Richardson has 19 catches for 271 yards and two touchdowns. His receiving yards are the most by a UA true freshman since McMillan in 2022. 

Arizona will lose Hutson, Whatley and Wysong, but the Wildcats will likely return a promising core at receiver between Hunter, Spivey, Richardson and Mizell. 

They said it: “I’m very happy with where he’s at and he’s going to continue to get coached extremely hard by me, but only because I understand his ceiling and we’re nowhere even close to that. I’m excited that he’s able to take that kind of coaching and he’s still showing up, knowing that he wants to get better.� — Arizona wide receivers coach Bobby Wade

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

Taye Brown, linebacker

Finalists: Kennedy, Reescano, Johnson, left guard Chubba Maae, right guard Alexander Doost

The rundown: After a pedestrian season in his first year as a starter, Brown settled in as a second-year starter and has the second-most tackles (84) behind Johnson. Brown has 16 more tackles than he had all of last season. 

In the first season in Gonzales' defensive scheme, Brown has quietly become one of the Wildcats' most productive defensive players. 

They said it: "It’s been great. We’ve been working so hard since January to build the team chemistry because we’ve had a lot of new transfers coming in, probably like half the team, something like that. It’s just been great, building the chemistry and just showing up on the field." — Brown