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That was a noteworthy development.

Since his disappointing first season at the helm of the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ football program, Brennan has attacked every element of the offseason with a greater sense of purpose.

His messaging is more intentional. His objectives are more streamlined. His plan is more focused.

Brennan outlined three main priorities: Cementing culture, personnel and performance.

It doesn’t really matter what they are. What’s important is that Brennan has a clear sense of direction now after a first year that felt discombobulated at times.

Brennan wasn’t a first-time head coach when he arrived in Tucson. But he was entering a new and different situation that had unique challenges.

You’ve undoubtedly heard this before, so forgive me for repeating myself: The circumstances under which Brennan took over the program ramped up the degree of difficulty in Year One.

Start with the when. Brennan officially was hired on Jan. 16, 2024. The transfer portal was basically barren by then — except for the potential outflow of all of ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s best players.

Retaining the roster consumed a disproportionate amount of time and energy. Even after he succeeded in keeping most of the headliners, Brennan still had to proceed with caution lest he rub someone the wrong way and propel them to enter the portal in the spring (a second window that really shouldn’t be a thing).

Defensive tackle Bill Norton was one of a handful of players who didn’t jibe with the new staff. The ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ could’ve used Big Bill’s run-stuffing ability in 2024. Instead, he transferred to Texas.

While Brennan did an extraordinary job in persuading Noah Fifita, Tetairoa McMillan and others to stick around, the head coach made some mistakes. The most notable was hiring Dino Babers as offensive coordinator.

Last year’s offense symbolized last year’s overall lack of clarity. Aside from getting the ball to T-Mac, it was an aimless amalgam. It was never clear what the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ were trying to do.

Brennan changed that by hiring Seth Doege and handing him the keys. It took about five minutes of the first spring practice Tuesday to see what this offense will be about: Utilizing tempo and space to set up speedy playmakers for success.

The ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ offense might actually have an identity this season. The program appears to have one already.

Brennan introduced the concept of “redline� last year. It’s the idea of going all out in all aspects — 100% effort, 100 mph, 100% of the time.

It didn’t resonate as well as Brennan had hoped, at least externally. I don’t think Brennan or the program pushed the idea hard enough or often enough in public spaces.

Brennan’s predecessor, Jedd Fisch, was a masterful marketer. He had a new (or slightly altered) slogan every year. It appeared on T-shirts and social-media posts. It came up in broadcasts.

Fisch repeated those mantras frequently. It’s an effective way to deliver a message.

Brennan brought up redline on the first day of spring practice.

“I just feel like playing with great effort all the time in all three phases can offset some things in a game,� Brennan said. “It can offset a turnover or a mistake, it can offset a talent differential, whatever it is. We are trying to elevate that part of our football team.�

If that’s what the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™ identity is going to be under Brennan — playing as hard as they possibly can all the time — sign me up. Just don’t leave the sales pitch in a folder on your desk.

Fisch also coined the term “Year Zeroâ€� for his first season, an effective way to lower expectations. He could afford to do that, as ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ was coming off a season in which it had zero wins.

Brennan had no such luxury. The ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ won 10 games in Fisch’s final season. Expectations were as high as they’ve ever been.

Brennan didn’t have the benefit of time. He had to win right away. And when he didn’t, the fan base soured on him. You know what they say about first impressions, right?

Brennan has been more intentional about connecting with fans this offseason. I criticized him, as the leader of the program, for failing to do so in the leadup to last season. He didn’t have the support system he has now, but that just seemed like an excuse. He could have done more. The program could have done more. The athletic department could have done more.

They all seem to be in alignment now. Led by Chief of Staff Ben Thienes — who undoubtedly has received guidance from Athletic Director Desireé Reed-Francois — the program has become more outgoing. There’s more outreach and interaction with the media, who remain an important liaison between the program and its followers. There’s a greater . There’s more community activity.

Members of the football team have appeared at UA basketball, baseball and softball games to sign autographs. It’s a simple but meaningful way to form a connection with the community.

Even something as basic as clearly delineating which spring practices are open to the public — unlike the passive-aggressive approach to training camp, when they were all open but we couldn’t publicize it — makes a difference.

The last open practice is the spring game, which has been reimagined as an interactive “Spring Showcase� — a brilliant marketing ploy for a program that needs to sell tickets.

The event, scheduled for the Saturday of Easter weekend, will feature live music; an on-field kid zone with face painting, inflatables and an egg hunt, among other activities; an on-field beer garden; and a postgame movie at ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Stadium. There might even be some football thrown into the mix.

Admission is free, as it should be. You gotta get people in the building.

All these gestures, however small they might seem, add up. They build goodwill. Fans want to know you care. They want to know you’re making an effort.

Brennan and his staff are taking the redline approach to everything now: media sessions, program construction, community engagement. Maybe they didn’t fully grasp the need to do so before. Maybe they didn’t have the resources with so much going on.

Brennan can’t change the past. He can’t remake an unfavorable first impression.

He can, however, make the most of his second chance.