Defensive assistants Jahmile Addae and Vince Amey will not be retained by new Arizona Wildcats coach Kevin Sumlin.
Multiple UA players on Wednesday tweeted thank-you and goodbye messages to Addae, who coached safeties, and Amey, who coached interior defensive linemen. Both were elevated from analyst roles heading into the 2016 season.
Veteran safety Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles tweeted a picture of himself with Addae and wrote the following: “It’s a business, and I completely understand. But you groomed me into something I never (thought) I would see myself being. You my guy, forever.”
It’s a buisness, and I completely understand. But you groomed me into something I never though I would see myself being. You my guy, forever. pic.twitter.com/MfozCkiK9v
— Demetrius Flannigan™ (@Dflann12) January 17, 2018
Veteran defensive tackle Finton Connolly tweeted that the “hardest thing to do is say goodbye. I just want to thank coach Vince Amey for everything that you have done for me and (for) giving me the opportunity to play for you. It's been (an) honor.”
This is a hardest thing to do is say goodbye I just want to thank coach @VinceAmey for everything that you have done for me and giving me the opportunity to play for you it's been and honor #BearDown
— Fin (@Fintonconnolly) January 17, 2018
Addae and Amey were two of Arizona’s better recruiters. Messages left with them were not returned.
Lost of words rn man I know it’s a business but u was the best I’ve had in my career so far it’s more than football when it comes to you looked out for me on and off the field was always someone I can call for advice about anything u will be missed here at U of A @Coach_Addae✊🏽 pic.twitter.com/ttcLIx5hQh
— sheldon (@_scottieoo) January 17, 2018
Dam bro lost my coach, we had already got hella close gone miss pops...
— PJ Johnson (@BONPJ99) January 17, 2018
Sumlin, who was hired Sunday, is keeping defensive coordinator Marcel Yates on staff. The two worked together previously at Texas A&M.
Bruce Feldman of Sports Illustrated and Fox Sports reported that two other ex-Aggies coaches, Noel Mazzone and Clarence McKinney, will join Sumlin in Tucson.
Feldman also reported Wednesday that offensive line coach Garin Justice would not be retained. Justice came to Arizona from Florida Atlantic in late December. The UA fired Rich Rodriguez about two weeks later, leaving Justice in a state of limbo.
