Considering the other suitors for wide receiver Jacob Cowing, Arizona’s ability to land the wide receiver might just have been the highlight of an already incredible offseason.
The Maricopa native garnered offers from LSU, Florida, South Carolina, Oregon, Mississippi State, Texas Tech, Louisville and Arizona State, among others, after deciding to leave UTEP following three seasons.
He could’ve gone to “The Swamp,” “Death Valley” or Autzen Stadium. He could’ve played in the “Air Raid” offense, heaven for a wide receiver.
Instead, Cowing chose an Arizona program that’s only won one game in the last two-plus years.
Proximity to home was key — though it wasn’t the only factor.
“I have a baby in the Chandler-Gilbert area, so I wanted to be closer to him and spend that time during my last few years of college football, and also my friends and family in the Chandler-Gilbert area as well,” said Cowing, who will lead the Wildcats into their Sept. 3 season opener at San Diego State. “I wanted them to be a part of the last few years. … U of A was also one of my dream schools growing up, so why not go out with a bang for these last few years of college football.”
Cowing’s 2-year-old son, Chase, is named after former ASU standout and current Detroit Lions defensive back Chase Lucas. That’s right: A Wildcat named his offspring after a Sun Devil. And not just any Sun Devil, but one who went 5-0 against Arizona and was part of the 70-7 drubbing in 2020, ending the Kevin Sumlin era.
“It’s kind of a crazy story,” Cowing said, and then he tells it.
“When I was running track my freshman year of high school, there was a guy named Chase who ran for Chandler High School. He was crazy fast, and I kind of wanted to name (my son) after him, and I’ve always liked the name Chase growing up. I always told my parents if I ever have a son, I’m naming him Chase,” Cowing said. “Plus, he’s kind of fast, so people have to chase him, so it was a hand-in-hand type of thing. … I’m not sure if (Lucas) knows, but if he did know that, I think he would find it pretty cool and I think he would appreciate it a lot for sure.”
Upon hearing Cowing’s story, Lucas tweeted “it’s a privilege bro.”
“He’s got a great role model for a father and I cannot wait to see (little) man grow,” Lucas added.
Fatherhood has “taught me a lot about responsibility,” Cowing said. “… It’s taught me to be patient, mature and know I have a responsibility to take care of a little baby boy now and put him first before me.”
When they’re not on the field or in the film room, Cowing his son spend time with Arizona wide receivers coach Kevin Cummings and his toddler-aged daughter, Malia.
“I bring (my son) over to his house and we have playdates, and Coach Cummings invited me to this playground area where we spend time and share that bond with our kids but also as men,” Cowing said.
Cowing has good examples at home, too, His mother, Nycole Parker, and his father, Monte Cowing, have been major influences in his life.
Monte Cowing, a former fullback standout at Long Beach Poly High School in California, worked for Maricopa recreation sports and organized events in the southwest Phoenix area. As young as 5 years old, Jacob was helping his father set up sites for youth events.
“He pushed me to get to where I’m at today and he’s actually the reason why I started playing football,” Cowing said. “Growing up, I had all of this energy and he said, ‘Well, why don’t you put this energy to good use?’ He introduced me to football and ever since then, I’ve just had a love for it.”
Cowing was first introduced to flag football, then escalated to tackle football, where he immersed himself into the sport. At Maricopa High School, Cowing played under head coach Brandon Harris, who saw the potential and raw talent from Cowing despite his short stature. Cowing was quick, but didn’t play attention to detail. He often caught passes with his chest rather than his hands — a huge no-no for receivers.
Cowing blossomed into a gifted route-runner and pass-catcher, but his physical attributes still didn’t jump out.
“I told him in high school, ‘You have to make people look at you and say ‘but’ after your name.’ What that translates to: ‘Jacob Cowing isn’t the tallest receiver, but he’s a great (yards after catch) guy. He’s not the tallest guy, but he can really climb the ladder.’ Things like that,” Harris said. “He took that to heart and honed in on that.”
Cowing’s only scholarship offer out of high school was from UTEP, and the 5-foot-11-inch, 175-pound receiver hauled in 141 catches for 2,595 yards and 13 touchdowns prior to entering the transfer portal. How did an undersized receiver from Maricopa go from a two-star prospect to one of the most highly-touted prospects in a few years? Was he under-recruited, or just a late-bloomer in college?
“A little mix of both,” said Cummings. “But I would say definitely under-recruited, and that’s a chip he holds on his shoulder. But you also don’t know how guys develop. You see it all the time, where you’ll have a quote-unquote two-star athlete who just was young and needed to grow up and needed to hit that growth spurt or whatever the case may be.”
Arizona wide receiver Jacob Cowing speaks during the Pac-12 Media Day late last month.
Cummings added that Cowing can do it all.
“You can be as talented as you want, smart as you want, it’s purely about production,” Cummings said. “He can go deep, he can get you with a short option route, a shallow (route) — he’s tough. … You have to produce, man. You have to produce.”
Cowing will assume the role of former Wildcat and Tucsonan Stanley Berryhill III, who is entering his rookie season with the Atlanta Falcons after leading the UA in receiving yards as the Wildcats’ starting inside receiver.
Joining Cowing is former walk-on Dorian Singer and star freshman Tetairoa McMillan. Other notable receivers for the Wildcats this season include redshirt junior Jamarye Joiner and freshmen Kevin Green, Anthony Simpson and A.J. Jones. UA coaches hope Cowing will deliver more explosive plays to an offense that struggled to score last season.
The Wildcats averaged just 17.2 points per game, last in the Pac-12 and 124th nationally. Only Northwestern, UMass, Temple, Vanderbilt, UConn and New Mexico were worse.
“The key will be for us to extend our passing game vertically, and I think we’ll do a great job at that in particular,” Cummings said.
Last season at UTEP, Cowing averaged 19.6 yards per catch and was sixth in FBS in receiving yards; Arizona averaged just 6.1 yards per pass attempt last season.
“I just wanted to come and help the team as much as I can, bring my skillset and bring that deep threat to the team,” Cowing said. “But honestly, when I got here, knowing I was one of the oldest guys in the receiver room, it shocked me because coming from my old school, I was one of the younger guys, so I’m moving my roles now and becoming that leadership kind of guy. I’m having fun with it, and I wouldn’t change anything.”
Jacob Cowing was among Conference USA’s top wide receivers during his time in El Paso.
If all goes according to plan in Tucson, Cowing — who was named to the Biletnikoff Award and Maxwell Award preseason watch lists last month — could end up in the NFL, a goal he’s had since high school.
Coach Jedd Fisch bills Arizona as the “33rd NFL team” because of what he says is “150 years” of combined NFL coaching experience on the Wildcats’ staff. The program is run like a pro team, and it’s by design.
“That’s one of Coach Fisch’s biggest emphasis, being a pro,” Cowing said. “He’s done everything he can to make sure we’re that 33rd NFL team as far as nutrition, weight room, film study, how many hours we have to put in — it’s exactly like an NFL team. I love it, and it’s getting me ready for the next level.”
Cowing’s new reality once seemed like a pipe dream. Now it’s reality.
“About a year ago, I wouldn’t have told you this was going to happen,” Cowing said. “It’s a crazy story, with what I’ve been going through and the crazy journey, so I’m just happy to be here. I’m super-blessed that I get to play for one of my dream schools and play for Coach Fisch my last few years of college.”
