Hansen's Sunday Notebook: Kevin Sumlin in the prime of his career for first season with Wildcats

'As Good As I Once Was'

Kevin Sumlin turned 54 Friday and there’s some significance to that. He is the second oldest first-year head football coach in UA history, dating to Pop McKale’s debut season, 1914.

Pop was half Sumlin’s age, a mere 27.

I had to laugh when part of the soundtrack to the UA’s first training camp workout Friday was Toby Keith’s “As Good As I Once Was.”

“But there was a time, back in my prime …”

Given its investment in football, and more than $100 million in recent and ongoing facilities improvements, Arizona better hope Sumlin is entering his prime, not edging past it.

Arizona has traditionally gone young (or younger) when hiring football coaches. In the modern era, Bob Weber was 35, Jim LaRue 36, Jim Young 37, Darrell Mudra 38, Larry Smith 40, Mike Stoops 43, Dick Tomey, Rich Rodriguez and Tony Mason were all 48. John Mackovic, an outlier, was 57.

Here’s what it means: Nothing.

Sumlin has already won 86 games in his pre-Tucson FBS coaching career, more than any previous UA head coach.

Experience counts.

It’s not that Sumlin is suddenly an old guy; he is the same age as two Pac-12 heavy hitters, UCLA’s Chip Kelly and Washington’s Chris Petersen.

Sumlin doesn’t come off as a guy who will burn himself out doing unnecessary work. He doesn’t appear to be a control freak the way Rich Rodriguez was, insisting on running every conceivable aspect of the operation with a relentless grip.

That’s what can wear you out and lead to careless decision-making.

In Sumlin’s 30 years in the coaching business, he has learned to let go when necessary. One example is that he limits his time at interview sessions. A year ago at Texas A&M, he only made himself available at post-camp practice sessions on Aug. 5, 10 and 19. During the season, he submitted to group interviews only during a weekly press conference and after games.

Traditionally, head coaches are available after every practice, even if there’s nothing new to say. Sumlin is changing that at Arizona. He spoke to reporters Friday night; he’ll do it again Aug. 11. Between now and then, UA assistant coaches will rotate interview assignments.

For better or worse, that’s a trend in college football. Media opportunities are limited, held almost exclusively in group settings, with a brief time limit. Many schools believe that insulates the coach, and players, and provides a protective bubble.

The big unknown in the evolving world of diminished college football media availability is whether it affects game attendance or public interest.

Is less Kevin Sumlin as the face of UA football better than an every-day Kevin Sumlin?

We will have a gauge on Sept. 1 when Arizona opens against BYU.

When the Cougars played at Arizona Stadium to open the 2006 season — the Wildcats were coming off dreadful seasons of 2-10, 3-8, 3-8 — a sellout crowd of 58,450 attended. In those days, UA football players and coaches were routinely available for solo interviews. Training camp was open to the media.

But this isn’t 2006. Last week, the UA announced “Operation Sellout,” a promotion that will run through Aug. 17. For every ticket purchased, the UA will donate another one to an underprivileged  child.

Fans want more than just the same old stuff.

Last year, after quarterback Khalil Tate was four times in succession named the Pac-12 offensive player of the week — after Arizona won four straight and returned home to play 15th-ranked Washington State — the Wildcats only drew 42,822 to Arizona Stadium.

It’s unlikely a few more words and several more videos of Kevin Sumlin talking about punters and left tackles would put 16,000 more people in the seats.

Today, it’s more about start times, Wi-Fi access, in-game entertainment and the opportunity to buy a beer and drink it while watching the game on a TV screen at a people-watching concourse in the end zone.

As much as I ache for a return to the media policies of old — when you were on a first-name basis with QBs like Keith Smith, Tom Tunnicliffe and Jason Johnson — that ship has sailed.

The second oldest head coaching hire in UA football history is a big part of a new way of doing things.

Bobby Dalbec’s home run pace earns promotion

In three seasons at Arizona, third baseman/pitcher Bobby Dalbec hit 24 home runs, including a Pac-12-high 15 during his sophomore year in 2015.

Given the distant dimensions of Hi Corbett Field, Dalbec might’ve hit 10 or 15 more home runs at a power-friendly facility.

But this year at Single-A Salem (Virginia), a Boston Red Sox affiliate, Dalbec hit 26 home runs, one of the highest totals in all of minor-league baseball.

He was promoted to Portland (Maine) last week, and made his Double-A debut, hitting cleanup, Saturday. In the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, he went 2 for 3 with an RBI.

Dalbec has a chance to set the single-season record for home runs by minor-league baseball players from Tucson and the UA.

Former Pueblo High School, Pima College and UA slugger George Arias hit 36 homers in 1998 while with the Triple-A Las Vegas Stars.

Here are the top 10, not including Dalbec:

36: Arias, 1998, Las Vegas. Arias also hit 30 for Midland in 1995.

34: Shelley Duncan (Canyon del Oro High School, UA), 2005, Trenton. Duncan also hit 30 for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2009.

27: Craig Sorensen (UA), 1961, San Antonio.

26: Brad Glenn (UA), 2011, Dunedin.

26: Alan Zinter (UA), 1996, Pawtucket. Zinter also hit 24 for Binghamton in 1993 and 23 for Iowa in 1998.

24: Erubiel Durazo (Amphitheater High School, Pima College), 1999, El Paso/Tucson.

23: Stefen Romero (Sunnyside High School, Pima College), Jackson/High Desert, 2012.

23: Ian Kinsler (Canyon del Oro High School), 2005, Oklahoma City. Kinsler also combined for 20 at Frisco and Clinton in 2004.

22: Wes Clements (UA), 1984, Tucson/Columbus.

20: Nick Hundley (UA), 2007, San Antonio.

Palo Verde product Ben Kern to play in PGA Championship

Palo Verde High School graduate Ben Kern will become just the second golfer from a Tucson high school ever to play in the PGA Championship this week. Rincon grad Michael Thompson is the other. Kern qualified for one of the 20 spots available to PGA pros six weeks ago in California. Since then, he has turned it up a notch. Kern earned $42,500 last week by winning the Texas State Open, shooting rounds of 70-64-62-70, or 14 under par.

Krystal Quihuis making return to tour

Typical of her work ethic, new UA grad Krystal Quihuis, the Pac-12’s 2015 Freshman of the Year, was practicing at Silverbell Golf Course last week when it was 100 degrees and climbing. Quihuis returns to the LPGA Symetra Tour this week after not participating since mid-June. She has fallen to 65th on the money list but said she plans to rejoin the tour as it moves through Wisconsin, Michigan, South Dakota, Arkansas, Alabama and Florida to end the season. The 10 leading money winners earn LPGA Tour cards for 2019. Quihuis is a two-time state champion from Salpointe Catholic High School.

Silverbell course seems to avoid closure

The Silverbell Golf Course seems to be one step ahead of the reaper as Tucson City Golf continues to examine the possibility of closing either the west-side course or Fred Enke golf courses. But Silverbell last week received a fleet of 24 new golf carts, and also refurbished its clubhouse and now has a new kitchen and food service. By contrast, a major subdivision of homes — Silverbell Commons II — is now being built immediately adjacent to the No. 1 and No. 2 holes. Developers connected their sewer lines to those of the golf course. The big question: Will developers someday decide that the golf course — it was a landfill as recently as the 1970s — is worth buying for further home-building?

As Trevor Hoffman enters Hall, Rincon grad takes seat on its board

On the week former UA infielder Trevor Hoffman was inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, Tucson native and Rincon High School grad Arte Moreno — owner of the Los Angeles Angels — was elected to the Board of Directors of the baseball Hall of Fame. Moreno joins Hall of Famers Brooks Robinson, Phil Niekro, Joe Morgan and Ozzie Smith on the board of directors. Hoffman, who played at Arizona in 1988 and 1989, is likely to have a “night” in his honor at Hi Corbett Field during Arizona’s 2019 season. The Wildcats seem sure to retire Hoffman’s UA jersey, No. 15, and put it on display for posterity.

New Pima softball coach Bekah Quiroz lands key support-staffer

New Pima College softball coach Bekah Quiroz scored a major coup in her first few weeks on the job: She hired 1992 Olympian Carla Garrett as the Aztecs’ strength and conditioning coach for softball. Most recently, Garrett, who won the 1989 NCAA shot put and discus championships at Arizona, has been the assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of New Mexico. Garrett filled a similar role at Arizona from 1994-2002. Among other things, Garrett worked for Mike Candrea, training the 2004 Olympic gold medal softball team, and for Dennis Bene and Salpointe Catholic High School’s football team.

Brian Peabody loses assistant from national final team

Pima College men’s basketball coach Brian Peabody, whose team finished second in the NJCAA finals last season, has lost one of the rising names in coaching. Rincon High School grad Dylan Hidalgo last week accepted a graduate assistant coaching position at Grand Canyon University. Hidalgo, who coached two years at PCC, will join former Canyon del Oro High School basketball standout Chris Crevelone on coach Dan Majerle’s staff. Peabody, who lost six players to scholarship offers from four-year schools since the Aztecs’ 31-5 season, hasn’t let up. He has created a 12-team high school basketball tournament at PCC, which starts Sept. 29. Six teams from Phoenix will play Catalina Foothills, Sabino, Sahuaro, Amphi, Tucson High and Salpointe.

Augie Busch lands three swimmers on Team USA

UA swimming coach Augie Busch has placed three swimmers on Team USA for this week’s Pan Pacific championships in Japan. Ordinarily, that would qualify Busch to be part of the USA coaching staff, but he will not be in Tokyo for the meet even though Busch-trained swimmers Leah Smith is ranked No. 2 in the 800 freestyle, Matt Grevers is No. 1 in the 100 backstroke, and newly-crowned 200 butterfly national champion Justin Wright is ranked No. 4 in the world.

Tucson's Alex Bowman a rising star in NASCAR

Ironwood Ridge High School grad Alex Bowman has steadily climbed the ranks on the NASCAR tour. Last week, Bowman signed a one-year extension with Hendrick Motorsports to drive 20 races in 2019. The deal locks him to the Hendricks team through 2020. He earned the pole for the Daytona 500 and has eight top-10 finishes through 21 Cup races. After finishing a career-best third place at Pocono a week ago, Bowman is ranked 15th overall in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series standings; the top 16 qualify for the year-end playoffs. Bowman is only 25.

Ryan Cunningham will ride 1,615 miles for for his brother's foundation

Ryan Cunningham, brother of former Tucson Roadrunner Craig Cunningham, is riding his bike from Castlegar, British Columbia, to Tucson in a fundraising journey for the Craig Cunningham All Heart Foundation. It is a journey of 1,615 miles, in which Ryan hopes to raise $50,000 in what he calls “Pushing the Envelope Trek to Fight Cardiac Arrest.” Ryan, who hopes to arrive in Tucson on Aug. 16, has established a GoFundMe account at gofundme.com/craig-cunningham-all-heart. Craig Cunningham, team captain of the Roadrunners’ first Tucson team, 2016-17, survived after collapsing on the ice with cardiac arrest early in the 2016 season, but had his left leg amputated below the knee on Christmas Eve that year.

My two cents: My favorite Wildcat? Hard to ignore accessible, successful Kyle Fogg

I’ve often been asked to name my favorite Arizona Wildcats basketball player.

The easy answers are Steve Kerr, Damon Stoudamire and Jason Terry. They were a newspaperman’s delight: accommodating, insightful, friendly and available.

But I never finish one of those conversations without naming Solomon Hill and Kyle Fogg. In an era of limited media access and an adversarial approach, Fogg and Hill were stand-up gentlemen, the Kerrs and Stoudamires of a later age.

When Fogg led his Overseas Elite team to a fourth consecutive The Basketball Tournament championship Friday night on ESPN, earning a winner-take-all $2 million for his team, I thought that it couldn’t happen to a better guy.

On a frigid winter night in February 2012, Arizona won a close game at Washington State and Sean Miller hustled his team onto a bus for a midnight drive to Spokane. I was pushing deadline and asked UA media relations chief Richard Paige if it was possible to squeeze in an interview before the bus departed.

Paige invited me to walk outside with him — it couldn’t have been more than 15 degrees — and he boarded the bus. A minute later he returned with Fogg.

“How are you doing, Mr. Hansen?” he asked.

We stood in the cold for three or four minutes, chatting about the game as support staff loaded equipment. As the interview concluded, Fogg — who would be named an All-Pac-12 guard that year — shook my hand and thanked me for the time.

That’s something Kerr would’ve done in 1988.

Fogg’s success in Spain, Finland, Germany and now China — he averaged 35.9 points per game last year while earning close to $1 million — resonates with me every year. If the selection committee of the UA Sports Hall of Fame considers character as well as achievements, Fogg deserves to someday be inducted.