Sometimes, goals and aspirations arenβt always achieved according to plan. Jacob Cowing recently discovered that.
After entering the transfer portal as one of the most highly-touted wide receivers following three seasons at UTEP, Cowing committed to play football for the Arizona Wildcats.
One of the primary reasons Cowing transferred to the UA was to be closer to his toddler son, Chase, who lives in the Phoenix area. The other: to prepare for the NFL draft in one season playing at the Power 5 level. Even Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch said he thought Cowing βwas going to be (at Arizona for) one year.β
Among Cowingβs goals for last season: catch 75 passes and have over 1,000 receiving yards.
Check and check.
Cowing finished 2022 leading the Pac-12 in receptions (85) and fourth in receiving yards (1,034) β and helped the Wildcats become the sixth-best passing offense in FBS. He also caught seven touchdowns in 2022, albeit they were all scored in the first five games; he didnβt score the final seven games of the season. Cowingβs 85 catches ranks third in program history for single-season receptions, placing him just behind Bobby Wade (93) and Dennis Northcutt (88).
βHe hit his β letβs call it β football goals,β Fisch said of Cowing.
But it wasnβt quite enough to warrant the slot receiver becoming a Day 1 or even a Day 2 selection in the NFL draft. Cowing was at a crossroad: should he stay or should he go?
Fisch asked Cowing a series of questions.
βWe talked about the aspiration of being a second- or third-round pick,β Fisch said. ββDo you have the aspiration of being a fifth-round pick? Is your aspiration to win a Biletnikoff (Award) or are you OK with just leading the Pac-12 in catches?ββ
Cowing then sought intel from NFL scouts to gauge where he stands in this draft classβ receiver group.
βOne of the conversations we had was about my weight,β Cowing said. βWe both knew that I wanted to get my weight up to show the scouts that I can gain weight for the next level. Thatβs one of the main reasons why I wanted to come back. Also, understanding the game a little bit better, because going from college to the NFL is a higher pace, has smarter people, so I want to be able to feel that and feel the atmosphere with the guys that I came here with last year and try to turn around this program. One of my biggest dreams was to come and play for Arizona football, so I want to fulfill that.
βThey wanted to see my growth in weight, and I completely agree with them on that,β Cowing added.
βThe heavier you get, the better it is to take bigger impact. The coaches just want me to work on my weight.β
Currently, Cowing weighs 175 pounds, but he wants to βabout 8-10 poundsβ to his 5-11 frame. Easy, right?
βIβve always had trouble gaining weight,β Cowing said. βThatβs just always how my body has been. I have a good nutrition plan thatβs heading me in the right direction and gain weight.β
Fisch said Cowing βis on a great nutritional plan here, which he was only on for one year.β
βWe felt like that second year was going to make a big difference,β he said.
Coupled with strength and conditioning coach Tyler Owensβ workout plan in the offseason, Cowing can now feel his body changing β and that goes for several of his teammates too.
βHeβs doing a tremendous job getting guys to where they want to get,β Cowing said of Owens. βA lot of guys are bigger, faster, stronger and are lifting crazy weight, so heβs doing the right thing.β
Aside from gaining weight, Cowing is striving to add more dimensions to his arsenal before bolting for the NFL, and that includes reps on special teams as a punt and kick returner. Last season, Cowing returned seven punts for 56 yards.
βThose are two areas that Iβve been lacking so far in college,β Cowing said. βI havenβt been on punt return and kick return like that, so thatβs gonna be my focus, just making plays on punt return and kick return. β¦ My mindset is changing from last year to this year, and Iβm understanding that this is my last year, so I gotta take in anything that I can out of this opportunity of being here at Arizona. Iβm trying to be the best I can be as an athlete.β
One player who benefitted from special teams reps under Fischβs tutelage was former UA wide receiver Stanley Berryhill III, the Tucson native who played at Mountain View High School before Arizona. Berryhill played βgunnerβ on punt coverage, a role he had with the Detroit Lions as an NFL rookie last season.
More involvement on special teams, along with playing outside receiver now that Dorian Singer transferred to USC, will βincrease (Cowingβs) value as an NFL player,β Fisch said.
βWe didnβt want them to look at him as just a slot receiver,β he said. βI think itβs a responsibility of a head coach in college football to help your player get to the NFL if theyβre capable.β
So, the decision to return to the UA for one last hurrah βdidnβt weigh on me too much.β
βI was looking at the bigger picture,β said Cowing. βIf I come back, I can work on my weight, work on myself as a football player. Most importantly, football ends at some point, so I wanted to come back and get my degree and get that on my back. When football stops for me, I still have a degree and something I can use in life to still provide for my family.β
Cowing wasnβt the only NFL draft-eligible Wildcat to return to the UA: left tackle Jordan Morgan β projected to potentially fall in the first round before tearing an ACL against UCLA late in the season β and starting running back Michael Wiley spurned the draft to return for another season.
The Wildcats are expected to return eight starters on offense, including Cowingβs receiver counterpart Tetairoa McMillan and tight end Tanner McLachlan. McMillan led the Pac-12 at 18 yards per reception while McLachlanβs 456 yards (with two touchdowns on 34 catches) were the most by a UA tight end since Rob Gronkowski in 2008; plus, guard Jonah Savaiinaea, who started every single game in 2022 as a true freshman, will be among the anchors up front for the UA.
βOur team is based off chemistry, and weβve had guys play for a year now, so we know how everyone works,β Cowing said.
βOur chemistry is only going to get bigger, our drive is only going to get bigger and like we always say in the building, βWinning is personal.β Everyone knows that and weβre coming in with a different mindset this year.β
Despite losing Singer, the return of Cowing, Wiley and Morgan βis hugeβ β and it could be the difference for the Wildcats qualifying for a bowl for the first time since 2017.
βWe have guys with potential of going to the next level and showing the world what their talents are all about,β Cowing said. βWe have that coming back to the university for one more year, and weβre going to ride out and do what we always wanted to do and change Arizona football and get that winning confidence.
βItβs an exciting time to be a part of this program. Iβm looking forward to it.β
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Michael Lev column: Arizona receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who made multiple Freshman All-American teams last year, is faster, bigger and strongerΒ βΒ a scary thought for secondaries across college football.
Armond Hawkins played defensive back at Idaho, before having a director of high school relations role at USC and Colorado.Β