Did Kevin Sumlin wait too long to fire Marcel Yates?
That was the discussion I heard last night from multiple people who have been around the Arizona program for years.
Another topic of discussion: Are the Wildcats, on a four-game losing streak, not playing to their potential or is this it with them (specifically on defense)? If this is it, then changes in personnel (transfers in and out) must take place fast.
"What Kevin Sumlin said after Arizona’s loss to Oregon State" via https://t.co/8X5mfwh2fw #BEARDOWN #UOFA
— James Clark (@jwclark2342) November 3, 2019
Recruiting must improve, fast. For that to happen, the hiring of people who are proven recruiters must take place between now and and the turn of the year. This is not a wait-until-the-end-of-the-season thing. This is a get on the phone-now-and-make-it-happen by the end of the season thing. Get the wheels in motion now.
The sparse crowd for a homecoming game yesterday is a sure sign that the program is on life support.
What Sumlin does not want after his first two years without a bowl — it certainly looks that way at 4-5 overall and a tough stretch upcoming — is to be known for what he did not do instead of what he did with his management of the program. Did Sumlin wait too long to fire Marcel Yates?
Arizona head coach Kevin Sumlin’s postgame message was focused on making sure his players avoid pointing fingers at one another as the Wildcats close out this season pic.twitter.com/aDOAao2fB0
— Matt Moreno (@MattGOAZCATS) November 3, 2019
Another season without a bowl next year — with a majority of his recruits — will signal even more significant changes at the very top. The decision at that time will be at the desk of athletic director Dave Heeke.
That’s why now is important for Sumlin. Not next week. Not next month. What is he going to do now for the good of the program? And yes, that includes making Grant Gunnell his starting quarterback. What Sumlin does not want to do is waste the potential of Gunnell. Did Sumlin wait too long …
Here is a postgame video chat of yesterday’s game between Troy Hutchison and myself dissecting the game and the team:
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon.
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