Kevin Sumlin addressed an enthusiastic group of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats supporters crammed into the Sands Club at Lowell-Stevens Football Facility on Wednesday night. The newly minted coach was the star attraction at the UA’s “Signing Day Celebration†— except he didn’t talk much about the players who had signed with ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ earlier in the day.
Sumlin joked that everyone in the room had the Internet and already knew everything about the newcomers. There wasn’t much he could add.
The truth is, Sumlin didn’t recruit most of the 20 players who comprise the Wildcats’ 2018 signing class. The UA announced 16 of them on the first day of the early signing period in December, when Rich Rodriguez was still the coach. Four more came aboard Wednesday, but only one, quarterback Kevin Doyle, wasn’t already in the pipeline.
(Another player, transfer Keyshawn Johnson Jr., belongs in the latter category. The former Nebraska receiver, who enrolled at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ in January, was not included in the UA’s list of signees.)
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Sumlin and his assistants — whom he introduced to the crowd Wednesday — are just getting started. Sumlin has been working for ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ for only 3½ weeks. His staff wasn’t finalized until last week. Only two on-field coaches, Marcel Yates and Theron Aych, were retained from the previous regime.
So Sumlin spoke in broader terms Wednesday, touching on a handful of topics. They included:
The importance of in-state recruiting. The Wildcats’ 2018 class includes three players from ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥: quarterback Jamarye Joiner (Cienega) and offensive linemen David Watson (Amphi) and Steven Bailey (Peoria Centennial/Glendale Community College).
Sumlin has talked about ramping up recruiting efforts within ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ since he first met the local media Jan. 16. Sumlin has a positive record in that regard, having pulled quarterback Kyle Allen and wide receiver Christian Kirk out of the Phoenix area while at Texas A&M.
Some Phoenix-area high school coaches have criticized Sumlin for not reaching out to them since he became the UA coach.
“We’ve not had anybody stop by or call,†Scottsdale Saguaro’s Jason Mohns told the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Republic. “Interesting strategy.â€
In Sumlin’s defense, he hasn’t had much time and didn’t have many available scholarship slots. He also prioritized establishing relationships with the players who already had signed or committed, such as Joiner.
“He was kind of sitting on the fence a little bit and didn’t know what was happening,†Sumlin told Pac-12 Networks. “That was one of the first phone calls I made. … That was a guy we had to keep in the fold. I’m glad we did.â€
Sumlin knows that winning in-state recruiting battles is critical and that the recent trend of top ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ players heading elsewhere can’t continue. This year, according to 247Sports’ rankings, 16 of the top 20 players from ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ signed with out-of-state schools. Two (Joiner and Watson) signed with UA, one chose ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ State and another is uncommitted.
You can’t have enough quarterbacks. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ addressed a need by signing Doyle and Joiner. Two of the Wildcats’ backups from last year, Brandon Dawkins and Rhett Rodriguez, could transfer later this year.
If Doyle and Joiner both develop — and Joiner, a top athlete, remains at quarterback — it’s possible one of them will transfer at some point. It might even be likely.
Fifty percent of 247Sports’ top 50 quarterbacks signed from 2011-14 ended up transferring, according to research by longtime college football scribe Stewart Mandel a year ago. Sumlin experienced that firsthand.
Texas A&M signed eight quarterbacks between 2012-17. Four ended up transferring.
Ideally, Doyle or Joiner will emerge as a worthy successor to Khalil Tate, who is entering his junior season. Or maybe both will. It would be a good problem to have.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ needs to add even more size. The Wildcats signed seven linemen — three on offense, four on defense. Their listed measurables bode well for the UA’s ongoing effort to beef up its lines.
Each of the offensive linemen — Watson, Bailey and Donovan Laie — is listed at 290 pounds. Defensive tackles Mykee Irving and PJ Johnson, who already have enrolled, are listed at 320 and 315 pounds, respectively. Defensive ends Adam Plant and Nahe Sulunga are at 240 and 255 pounds respectively.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ loses three-fifths of its starting offensive line from last season and hasn’t adequately addressed that unit in recent recruiting classes. Insufficient size and depth on the defensive front have contributed significantly to the Wildcats’ struggles on that side of the ball in recent seasons.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ continued to address Yates’ desire for length on defense by adding 6-2 safety Dayven Coleman on Wednesday. All nine defensive players in the 2018 class are listed at 6-2 or taller.
As Sumlin and his staff move on to the 2019 and 2020 classes and get a better grasp of the current roster, they’ll figure out what ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s other needs are. Running back is sure to be one of them.
The Wildcats lose Nick Wilson and Zach Green, who combined for 926 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. They signed only one back, Darrius Smith of Pearland, Texas.
Where do they rank?
The websites that tabulate team recruiting rankings don’t think highly of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s 2018 class, which consists almost entirely of three-star prospects.
Rivals ranks the UA 10th in the Pac-12, one spot higher than where 247Sports and ESPN rank the Wildcats. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s national rankings fall between 53rd (Rivals) and 63rd (ESPN).
ASU, meanwhile, closed strong Wednesday, doubling its 2018 haul by signing 11 additional players. The Sun Devils moved up to fifth in the conference per Rivals, sixth per 247Sports. The sites rank ASU 36th and 37th nationally — not a bad outcome for new coach Herm Edwards, whom pundits have mocked for his purported recruiting naïveté.
It’s worth noting that last year Rivals ranked the Wildcats eighth in the conference, and 247Sports had them 10th. That class turned out to be better than anyone expected.
Linebackers Tony Fields II and Kylan Wilborn were season-long starters. Linebacker Colin Schooler was the Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year. Safety Scottie Young Jr., tight end Bryce Wolma and kicker Lucas Havrisik also were major contributors.
Spring stuff
Sumlin announced that spring practice would begin March 19. He said the spring game would be April 14.
