The ink was barely dry on Kevin Sumlin’s new deal with the University of Arizona when the Wildcats’ football coach went to work.
His first order of business: meeting with the 16 players who signed with the program in December.
Why would Sumlin waste time with the prospects that are either hard commits or already signed to UA?
Sumlin said it was the right thing to do.
“If you don’t have a relationship with guys, it becomes difficult to start with,” Sumlin said. “There’s always some anxiety when there’s a new coach. For them to be able to have a conversation, whether it’s the student-athlete or the parents, I think it’s important that they know who their coach is.”
Three-star safety Christian Young noticed. The Richmond, Texas, product and 2018 UA signee said he felt comfortable with Sumlin from the beginning — in part because of the coach’s Texas A&M ties.
In fact, Sumlin’s old stomping grounds will be key as he assembles the rest of the 2018 recruiting class and begins to plan for 2019.
Texas players thrived at the UA under former coach Mike Stoops. Trevin Wade was a two-star recruit from Austin who developed into an NFL cornerback. Earl Mitchell was a three-star fullback from Houston who was moved to defensive line in college. He has earned more than $20 million playing for the NFL’s Texans, Dolphins and 49ers.
And then there’s Nick Foles, who will start at quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles in Sunday’s Super Bowl. He was a three-star recruit out of Austin’s Westlake High School who committed to Michigan State before transferring to Arizona.
Last weekend, Sumlin offered scholarship to a pair of Houston high school stars, four-star quarterback Grant Gunnell and three-star wide receiver Chase Lane. The St. Pius X High School teammates have both been committed to Texas A&M’s 2019 recruiting class since June.
The 6-foot-6-inch, 212-pound Gunnell is one of the top pro-style quarterbacks in the country.
And while Gunnell looks more like Nick Foles than Khalil Tate, Sumlin and his staff have shown they can coach both types of players.
UA offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone coached dual-threat standout Kenny Hill and pro-style quarterback Kyle Allen while at Texas A&M. Before that, he coached ASU’s Brock Osweiler and UCLA’s Brett Hundley, and helped the Bruins recruit Josh Rosen.
Mazzone recruited and offered Gunnell at Texas A&M.
Will Sumlin be able to sell Gunnell on Arizona? A top-tier quarterback from Texas could supercharge Arizona’s recruiting in a state that former coach Rich Rodriguez largely ignored.
Young, the UA signee, believes Sumlin will do just that.
“I feel like he is going to recruit Texas heavy,” Young said, “and bring all of the best athletes from Texas to Arizona.”
