The Arizona Wildcats football program is a college football team representing the University of Arizona that is a member of the Big 12 Conference. The team has had 31 head coaches and two interim head coaches since its founding in 1899. The Wildcats have played in more than 1,100 games in 113 seasons. Arizona's most recent head coach is Brent Brennan, who became the 31st head coach in 2024.
Ten coaches have led Arizona in postseason bowl games: Pop McKale, Mike Casteel, Darrell Mudra, Tony Mason, Larry Smith, Dick Tomey, Mike Stoops, Rich Rodriguez, Jedd Fisch and Brent Brennan. Four of those coaches also won conference championships: Tex Oliver captured two and Casteel one as a member of the Border Conference; and LaRue and Young captured one as a member of the Western Athletic Conference.
McKale is the leader in seasons coached with sixteen. Tomey is the leader in games won with 90. Leslie Gillett is the leader in winning percentage with a perfect 1.00. Mike Hankwitz has the lowest winning percentage of those who have coached more than one game, with 0.143. Of the 14 different head coaches who have led the Wildcats, Mudra has been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Key
Coaches + List of head football coaches showing season(s) coached, overall records, conference records, postseason records, championships and selected awards No. Name Season(s) GC OW OL OT O% CW CL CT C% PW PL PT CC NC Awards 1 1899 — — — — — — — — — — 2 1900–1901 — — — — — — — — — — 3 1902 — — — — — — — — — — 4 1903–1904 — — — — — — — — — — 5 1905 — — — — — — — — — — 6 1908–1909 — — — — — — — — — — 7 1910–1911 — — — — — — — — — — 8 1912 — — — — — — — — — — 9 1913 — — — — — — — — — — 10 1914–1930 — — — — — — — 11 1931 — — 12 1932 — — 13 1933–1937 — — 14 1938 — — 15 1939–1948 — — 16 1949–1951 — — 17 1952–1956 — — 18 1957–1958 — — 19 1959–1966 — — 20 1967–1968 — — 21 1969–1972 — — 22 1973–1976 — — 23 1977–1979 — — 24 1980–1986 — — 25 1987–2000 — — 26 2001–2003 — — — — — Int. 2003 — — — — — 27 2004–2011 — — — — — Int. 2011 — — — — — 28 2012–2017 — — — — — 29 2018–2020 — — — — — 30 2021–2023 — — — — — 31 2024–present — — — — —
Statistical leaders Updated as of January 2024
Most overall wins Dick Tomey – 95 Wins
Most Pac-12 wins Dick Tomey – 60 Wins
Highest overall winning percentage (min. 20 games) Tex Oliver – 0.723%
Highest Pac-12 winning percentage (min. 20 games) Tex Oliver – 0.762%
Lowest overall winning percentage (min. 20 games) Ed Doherty – 0.225%
Lowest Pac-12 winning percentage (min. 20 games) John Mackovic – 0.176%
Pac-12 championships None
National championships None
Notes
References General