In 2nd year, Sumlin strives to guide Wildcats’ rebound
Kevin Sumlin enters his second season at Arizona with his sights set on getting the Wildcats back into Pac-12 contention. Arizona struggled during Sumlin’s first season, but he returns key players on both sides of the ball heading into the 2019 season.
Orlando Sentinel college insider Matt Murschel ranked all 130 FBS teams in the country entering the 2019 season. The Sentinel staff will take a closer look at a new team daily, counting backward from No. 130 to our projected No. 1 team.
Today at No. 51: Arizona
Coach: Kevin Sumlin (5-7, entering second season, 91-50 overall)
2018 record: 5-7, 4-5 Pac-12, tied for third in South Division
Look back: Arizona’s 2018 campaign was a mixed bag. The Wildcats dropped their first two games before bouncing back with two consecutive wins, including winning their Pac-12 opener.
The up-and-down season continued heading into the final two weeks.
Needing to win one of the final
2019 schedule
two games to clinch a bowl berth, Arizona got trounced by Washington State 69-28 before losing to rival Arizona State 41-40 in the season finale.
It was just the second time in Sumlin’s coaching career he failed to lead a team to a bowl game.
Offensive starters returning: 7 Offensive starters lost: 4 Defensive starters returning: 7 Defensive starters lost: 4
Key losses: WR Shawn Poindexter, WR Shun Brown, WR Tony Ellison, OL Michael Eletise, DL PJ Johnson, DL Dereck Boles, DB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
Top returnees: QB Khalil Tate, RB J.J. Taylor, WR Cedric Peterson, OL Bryson Cain, LB Colin Schooler, LB Tony Fields II, DB Jarrius Wallace, DB Lorenzo Burns, DB Jace Whittaker
Strengths: The offense returns two of its most important players in quarterback Khalil Tate and running back J.J. Taylor.
Tate is coming off a season in which he threw for 2,530 yards and 26 touchdowns, but his completion percentage dipped from 62% in 2017 to 56% in 2018.
Taylor was a first team All-Pac-12 performer after rushing for 1,434 yards and six touchdowns.
Offensive lineman Bryson Cain returns after missing the final stretch of the season because of an injury and the Wildcats return most of their players up front.
Linebackers Colin Schooler and Tony Fields II make up one of the best tandems in the conference. Schooler racked up 119 total tackles, 21.5 for loss, in 2018.
Weaknesses: The receiving corps took a hit because of graduation and the Wildcats will have to replace numerous contributors.
The defense, still a work in progress under defensive coordinator Marcel Yates, ranked 92nd in total defense last season, allowing 432 yards per game. Arizona has to replace two starters on the defensive line as well.
Outlook: Sumlin has a lot to work with heading into his second season.
The offense returns its quarterback and top running back, while the defense has plenty of contributors back. If Tate can show growth in his second under the coaching staff, the Wildcats’ offense should continue to be among the best in the conference.
The defense has to show remarkable improvement though. It has gotten incrementally better the last few years under Yates but will have to make a jump if the Wildcats want to compete with the rest of the Pac-12.