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Kevin Sumlin / Chris Richards photo
Sumlin Era Begins
by Tom Danehy
s the saying goes, it is often better to be In major-league baseball, if a player can get
lucky than good. Even better, though, is a hit three out of every 10 plate appearances,
‘I am humbled and Ato be lucky and good. That is how Kevin he may end up in the Hall of Fame someday.
honored to join the Sumlin came to be the head football coach at the Similarly, if a college football coach can win two
University of Arizona. out of every three games throughout his career,
Arizona family. We will At first glance, it was untimely for Arizona he ought to be seen as a success. But, with the
win championships. We to have a head coaching vacancy. It was early somewhat unrealistic demands for success in
January, during recruiting season and at a time college football, Sumlin’s record turned out not to
will graduate our players when the frenzied college football hiring-and- be good enough for the folks at Texas A&M.
firing coaching carousel had wound to a halt. The football program had, for decades,
and they will contribute But, fortuitously, there was Sumlin. He competed in the Southwest with other Texas
to the university in was unceremoniously cut loose from Texas schools and the likes of Oklahoma and Arkansas.
A&M despite having posted a 51-26 mark in six The school then decided to move over to the
many ways while seasons and (wink, wink) having coached a Southeastern Conference and was placed in
they are here. We will Heisman Trophy-winning mobile quarterback. the same division with perennial national
It’s hard to see how it could have worked out powerhouses Alabama, LSU and Auburn. Even so,
represent Arizona with much better. in his six years on the College Station campus,
Sumlin’s coaching sojourn began after Sumlin’s teams won two out of every three
class and pride. I cannot an outstanding collegiate playing career as games. He was SEC Coach of the Year in 2012.
wait to get started.’ a linebacker at Purdue. He soon caught the It may very well turn out to be A&M’s loss
coaching bug and followed the long and winding and Arizona’s gain. This coming season, Wildcat
— Kevin Sumlin road as an assistant from Washington State to football fans will be treated to the coming
Wyoming and Minnesota, then on to Purdue, together of a well-respected, offensive-minded,
Texas A&M and Oklahoma. winning coach; a Heisman Trophy-candidate
After 20 years on the assistant circuit, he quarterback; a young defense that showed flashes
got his first head coaching job at the University of greatness last year; and a very favorable home
of Houston. In four years with the Cougars, his schedule. This could get very good, very fast.
teams went 35-17 and won two Conference USA
West titles. He was conference coach of the year
in both 2009 and 2011.
48 ARIZONA ALUMNI MAGAZINE
