2022 Arizona Wildcats football team

The 2022 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona during the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by second-year head coach Jedd Fisch, and played their home games at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona. It was the Wildcats' 123rd season overall and 44th as a member of the Pac-12 Conference. The Wildcats finished 5–7 overall (3–6 in conference play) and failed to qualify for a bowl game.

Team departures
Over the course of the off-season, Arizona lost 48 total players. 18 players graduated, while the other 28 entered the transfer portal.

Coaching staff departures
During the off-season, Arizona lost 2 position coaches and 1 support staff members. The two position coaches that departed the team were defensive coordinator Don Brown and linebackers coach Keith Dudzinski. Brown took an upgrade by becoming the 30th head coach to return at UMass, while Dudzinski was return to became the defensive coordinator at UMass. Furthermore, Brown and Dudzinski were the final 2 coaches that were under current head coach Jedd Fisch.

Outgoing transfers
Twenty-four players elected to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal during or after the 2021 season.

† Note: Players with a dash in the new school column didn't land on a new team for the 2022 season.

Incoming transfers
Over the off-season, Arizona added nine players from the transfer portal. According to 247 Sports, Arizona had the 27th ranked transfer class in the country. The first transfer was quarterback Jayden de Laura. de Laura transferred from Washington State. On the offensive side, Arizona also added Florida State running back D.J. Williams, UTEP wide receiver Jacob Cowing and New Mexico offensive lineman Jack Buford. However, Arizona only took 5 defensive transfers in UCLA defensive back DJ Warnell and UCLA defensive lineman Tiaoalii Savea, Michigan linebacker Anthony Solomon, USC Trojans linebacker Hunter Echols and Utah linebacker Jeremy Mercier.

2022 recruiting class
Arizona signed 25 players in the class of 2022. The Wildcats' recruiting class ranks 19th in the nation for 247Sports and 22nd in Rivals rankings. Four signees were ranked in the ESPN 300 top prospect list. Arizona also signed walk-ons during national signing day period.

*= 247Sports Composite rating; ratings are out of 1.00. (five stars= 1.00–.98, four stars= .97–.90, three stars= .80–.89, two stars= .79–.70, no stars= <70) †= Despite being rated as a four and five star recruit by ESPN, On3.com, Rivals.com and 247Sports.com, McMillan received a four star 247Sports Composite rating. Δ= Left the Arizona program following signing but prior to the 2022 season.

2022 overall class rankings

2023 recruiting class
2023 overall class rankings

Returning starters
Offense

Defense

Special teams

† Indicates player was a starter in 2021 but missed all of 2022 due to injury.

Spring game
The 2022 Wildcats spring game is tentatively scheduled to take place in Tucson, Arizona on April 9, 2022. The Wildcats were scheduled to hold spring practices on March 2 to April 7, 2022.

Award watch lists
Listed in the order that they were released

Pac-12 Media Day
The Pac-12 Media Day was held on July 29, 2022 at the Novo Theater, LA Live (Pac-12 Network) with Jedd Fisch (HC), Jacob Cowing (WR) and Christian Young (DB). The preseason polls will be released on July 28, 2022. Arizona was picked to finish 11th in the annual Pac-12 football media poll released by the league Thursday.

Preseason All-Pac-12 and All-American honors
First team

Second team

Source:

Awards and honors
Sources: