It is a critical week on many fronts for Arizona, but the early signing period will be the big story of the week as football programs across the country get their first opportunity to officially lock up commitments before the end of the year. The Wildcats currently have 14 known commitments heading into the early signing period but not every prospect will be inking a National Letter of Intent with UA this week meaning the usual National Signing Day festivities are going to be put on hold until the regular signing period in February when the Wildcats will have a more complete class.
In addition to the early signing period going on this week, UA has yet to announce any coaching changes since the end of the season. That could change by the end of this week. We will get into the details of where things stand with that situation plus more about the program.
There is a lot to get to as the week begins. It has been a while, but here is the latest GOAZCATS.com War Room.
Football
Arizona’s football program is at a critical point in the Kevin Sumlin era. The Wildcats just wrapped up their second straight losing season a few weeks ago and there is not a lot of optimism about the direction of the program right now. Sumlin was given another year to continue building up UA football by athletic director Dave Heeke. The additional year will come with a raise for the third-year head coach, but there is much work to be done in the coming months.
Sumlin and the program still have three positions open on the coaching staff including the most important one, defensive coordinator. UA has yet to name its next defensive coordinator after firing Marcel Yates during the season and replacing him with interim defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil. The Wildcats also have to name replacements for departed linebackers coach John Rushing and defensive line coach Iona Uiagalelei.
* We’ll begin with the defensive coordinator search, which has again been kept quiet by Sumlin and UA chief of staff Dennis Polian who are in charge of making the hire. Both UA staff members like to play things close to the vest, so there have not been many leaks or concrete information about potential candidates. There have been various names floated as potential targets such as San Diego State defensive line coach Brady Hoke and Wisconsin linebackers coach Bobby April III among others.
However, there has been no clear frontrunner that has become public. The closest thing Arizona has to that is someone we mentioned would be one of the first to receive a call. Cal defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter has been and remains on the short list for the Wildcats. He is close with the coaching staff and his daughter already worked for Sumlin at Arizona previously before leaving to go to Texas Tech as a member of the recruiting staff there. There is a connection to the program through that relationship that could work in favor of the Wildcats. When it comes to his contract, USA Today’s latest report has the Cal defensive coordinator making around $800,000, which is much more than the $560,000 Yates was making leading UA’s defense. However, there have been some reports that claim the number is closer to $500,000 which would mean UA could give him a pay bump making the move a bit more enticing.
The challenge Arizona is currently facing is that the job is not a desirable one. Just as recruits are hesitant because of the future of the program under Sumlin and his longevity as the team’s head coach, potential assistant coaches have their own reservations about the situation. Right now the feeling is that the job would be a one-year stint considering the shakiness of the situation with Sumlin.
While Heeke did give the UA head coach a third season to get the program going in the right direction, the reality is there is no guarantee Sumlin makes it beyond that point if the losing continues. What it means is UA’s best bet right now is to find a coach who is out of work to bring in as the next defensive coordinator.
It could also simply promote from within although that is not the most likely scenario right now. The door has not been completely closed on Cecil taking over in a full-time capacity and there has certainly been a push from within the locker room for current cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin to take over the defensive coordinator position. At this point it is unclear how realistic that would be as an option for the Wildcats, but he is the lone defensive coach to remain on staff from the start of the season.
Over the last 24 hours or so the intensity has ramped up in terms of a possible hire although no candidate has become the clear frontrunner. The likely scenario is that a new defensive coordinator will be hired by the end of the week taking some of the attention away from what has been an underwhelming lead up to the early signing period. While a decision and announcement could come by the end of the day Wednesday, the chances are better that it happens later in the week.
The plan for UA has always been to make an announcement after the early signing period, and then the program can move forward with making some other moves. There is a chance that more staff changes are made once the early signing period comes to an end, but for now things have settled down on that front. Still, right now the expectation is that the staff will not be totally complete until after the holidays.
The linebacker spot is going to be an interesting one as interim coach Hank Hobson has done a solid job as a more active recruiter in his time since taking over the job. He is a possibility as a permanent replacement at the position, which would allow the program to use some of the extra money saved on that hire to put into its pot for the new defensive coordinator and new defensive line coach.
The picture overall for the direction of Arizona’s coaching staff for 2020 should start to become more clear in the coming days especially now that UA has announced a press conference set for Friday afternoon.
Check back later for a full football recruiting update heading into the start of the early signing period.
In addition to the early signing period going on this week, UA has yet to announce any coaching changes since the end of the season. That could change by the end of this week. We will get into the details of where things stand with that situation plus more about the program.
There is a lot to get to as the week begins. It has been a while, but here is the latest GOAZCATS.com War Room.
Football
Arizona’s football program is at a critical point in the Kevin Sumlin era. The Wildcats just wrapped up their second straight losing season a few weeks ago and there is not a lot of optimism about the direction of the program right now. Sumlin was given another year to continue building up UA football by athletic director Dave Heeke. The additional year will come with a raise for the third-year head coach, but there is much work to be done in the coming months.
Sumlin and the program still have three positions open on the coaching staff including the most important one, defensive coordinator. UA has yet to name its next defensive coordinator after firing Marcel Yates during the season and replacing him with interim defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil. The Wildcats also have to name replacements for departed linebackers coach John Rushing and defensive line coach Iona Uiagalelei.
* We’ll begin with the defensive coordinator search, which has again been kept quiet by Sumlin and UA chief of staff Dennis Polian who are in charge of making the hire. Both UA staff members like to play things close to the vest, so there have not been many leaks or concrete information about potential candidates. There have been various names floated as potential targets such as San Diego State defensive line coach Brady Hoke and Wisconsin linebackers coach Bobby April III among others.
However, there has been no clear frontrunner that has become public. The closest thing Arizona has to that is someone we mentioned would be one of the first to receive a call. Cal defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter has been and remains on the short list for the Wildcats. He is close with the coaching staff and his daughter already worked for Sumlin at Arizona previously before leaving to go to Texas Tech as a member of the recruiting staff there. There is a connection to the program through that relationship that could work in favor of the Wildcats. When it comes to his contract, USA Today’s latest report has the Cal defensive coordinator making around $800,000, which is much more than the $560,000 Yates was making leading UA’s defense. However, there have been some reports that claim the number is closer to $500,000 which would mean UA could give him a pay bump making the move a bit more enticing.
The challenge Arizona is currently facing is that the job is not a desirable one. Just as recruits are hesitant because of the future of the program under Sumlin and his longevity as the team’s head coach, potential assistant coaches have their own reservations about the situation. Right now the feeling is that the job would be a one-year stint considering the shakiness of the situation with Sumlin.
While Heeke did give the UA head coach a third season to get the program going in the right direction, the reality is there is no guarantee Sumlin makes it beyond that point if the losing continues. What it means is UA’s best bet right now is to find a coach who is out of work to bring in as the next defensive coordinator.
It could also simply promote from within although that is not the most likely scenario right now. The door has not been completely closed on Cecil taking over in a full-time capacity and there has certainly been a push from within the locker room for current cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin to take over the defensive coordinator position. At this point it is unclear how realistic that would be as an option for the Wildcats, but he is the lone defensive coach to remain on staff from the start of the season.
Over the last 24 hours or so the intensity has ramped up in terms of a possible hire although no candidate has become the clear frontrunner. The likely scenario is that a new defensive coordinator will be hired by the end of the week taking some of the attention away from what has been an underwhelming lead up to the early signing period. While a decision and announcement could come by the end of the day Wednesday, the chances are better that it happens later in the week.
The plan for UA has always been to make an announcement after the early signing period, and then the program can move forward with making some other moves. There is a chance that more staff changes are made once the early signing period comes to an end, but for now things have settled down on that front. Still, right now the expectation is that the staff will not be totally complete until after the holidays.
The linebacker spot is going to be an interesting one as interim coach Hank Hobson has done a solid job as a more active recruiter in his time since taking over the job. He is a possibility as a permanent replacement at the position, which would allow the program to use some of the extra money saved on that hire to put into its pot for the new defensive coordinator and new defensive line coach.
The picture overall for the direction of Arizona’s coaching staff for 2020 should start to become more clear in the coming days especially now that UA has announced a press conference set for Friday afternoon.
Check back later for a full football recruiting update heading into the start of the early signing period.
