Big 12 Media Days: Fifita Heisman Buzz, Lewis Controversy, and QB Races Across the Conference

Big 12 Media Days generated a wave of quarterback storylines this week, touching nearly every corner of the conference — from Heisman Trophy speculation to a public controversy at Colorado and unresolved starting competitions at Iowa State and Texas Tech ^[2][3][4][5].

Arizona's Noah Fifita emerged as one of the more prominent figures at the event, drawing Heisman Trophy conversation despite the program never having produced a winner of the award in its history ^[3]. The attention signals a broader expectation surrounding Fifita heading into the 2026 season as Arizona looks to establish itself as a contender in the restructured Big 12 ^[3].

Lewis Remarks Spark Colorado Fallout

Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis arrived at Media Days projecting confidence heading into his second year — citing comfort in the system and a deeper understanding of the game — but one answer during his session ignited controversy and forced a public statement from Deion Sanders' son ^[2]. Lewis's remarks drew enough attention to overshadow much of his otherwise measured messaging about his development and the program's direction ^[2].

At Oklahoma, the quarterback conversation carried a more optimistic tone. Hall of Fame quarterback Sam Bradford weighed in on Sooners signal-caller John Mateer, predicting a breakout campaign driven by increased comfort and growing confidence within the offense ^[1]. Bradford's endorsement adds outside credibility to expectations building around Mateer entering the season ^[1].

In Lubbock, Texas Tech appears to be moving toward clarity at quarterback after a prolonged period of uncertainty. With questions surrounding former transfer target Brendan Sorsby now settled, Hammond has emerged as the frontrunner to start for the Red Raiders in Week 1 ^[4]. The resolution of that situation gives Texas Tech's coaching staff a clearer path heading into fall camp ^[4].

Iowa State head coach Jimmy Rogers also addressed his team's quarterback competition during the week, naming a frontrunner for the starting role as the Cyclones work toward a decision ahead of the 2026 season ^[5]. The moves at both Texas Tech and Iowa State reflect a broader pattern across the Big 12, where coaching staffs used Media Days as an opportunity to provide at least partial answers to questions that had lingered through the offseason ^[4][5].