Spartans star receiver leaving program
Walker enters transfer portal; receivers coach to Arizona
San Jose State’s rough week got even rougher with the news star wide receiver Tre Walker is transferring and wide receivers coach Kevin Cummings has been hired at Arizona.
Walker, a twotime All-Mountain West Conference receiver who had nearly 200 catches and 3,000 yards in his four years at San Jose State, announced he’ll play his fifth and final collegiate season elsewhere.
That news seemed to catch Spar tans quar terback Nick Starkel by surprise.
Walker officially entered transfer over the weekend and it’s not a stretch to believe he could be following his position coach, Cum
mings, to the University of Arizona. New Arizona coach Jedd Fisch acknowledged the hiring of the 30-year- old Cummings as the Wildcats’ new receivers coach Monday.
Coincidentally, San Jose State head coach Brent Brennan was also linked the head coaching job at Arizona.
Brennan and Cummings have done wonders in building the Spartans’ passing attack into one of the better ones in the country. Last year, San Jose State’s offense finished fourth in the nation, mostly
on the strength of Starkel throwing to Walker and fellow all- conference receiver Bailey Gaither.
Walker’s four years in San Jose produced 189 receptions, 2,790 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns,
while Gaither caught 135 passes for 2,227 yards and 18 TDs.
With Walker and Cummings gone, and Gaither weighing a shot at the NFL draft against the NCAA’s offer to all players of an additional year of eligibility because of the pandemic, Brennan and the Spartans have some rebuilding to do. Other Spartans standouts eligible for the extra year are tight end Derrick Deese Jr., safety Tre Webb and tackle Jack Snyder, though 24/7 Sports reports that they may take their chance at the NFL due to age concerns.
And, it’s not as if Brennan and the Spartans are yet over what happened six days ago.