Dear Arizona Football Fans: Fight for Chuck Cecil to remain Defensive Coordinator

Chuck Cecil should remain as Arizona Football Defensive Coordinator for several reasons, based on his pedigree, his experience, and his character.

Arizona Football interim Defensive Coordinator Chuck Cecil has more credentials than any assistant coach currently on staff and deserves to continue to be the Defensive Coordinator, because he’s probably the only person committed to the University of Arizona, the Arizona fans and alumni.

Cecil is the only coach in NFL history to coach three rookies into the pro bowl, and he knows how to develop all kinds of talent.

Cecil gives the Arizona Football program identity with a swagger and a tough-minded football mentality. He leads by example creating a winning culture on and off the field.

He treats his players truly like his kids, he wouldn’t just recruit “Stars” but young men and he takes that responsibility seriously to represent Arizona Football properly. Every coach will sit in living rooms saying “I will take care of your son,” etc. until he isn’t playing the way you want or need him to. I think we all saw that happen this season.

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RECRUITING

There is no better candidate that can sell Arizona than Cecil. It’s more than a job to him and he can help players to really understand how to develop their craft to the next level because he’s thrived at both the NFL and Collegiate levels.

He’s the only NFL coach in history that coached three rookie DBs into the NFL Pro Bowl; Michael Griffin, Chris Hope, and Cortland Finnegan. Here is what Finnegan had to say about Coach Cecil:

"“Not every coach believes in you,” Finnegan said. “That’s what takes a good player to an excellent player. Like a father, he sees things in you that you don’t see.”"

Coaches say they “care about players,” but Cecil is all about the student-athletes. Like Herm Edwards, dare I make the comparison, when you have a former NFL player and coach recruiting knowing they can teach you what you need to make it to the next level, you listen and you most probably commit. Who better than Cecil can explain to a young man what it means to be an Arizona Wildcat?

IDENTITY

Cecil gives UA a much-needed real brand beyond hashtags and slogans. He brings a swagger and hard-nose football edge to the program while representing the promise of UA football as both a player and coach. From the NCAA to the NFL he raises the bar as a man with class much like a Dabo Swinney, Cecil exudes integrity from the field to the community.

EARNED

Cecil stepped up for Sumlin and UA at the end of the season with three Graduate Assistants as assistant coaches. He tried to overcome the challenges including the inability to change the playbook and having to deal with all the political coaching unrest on the defensive coaching staff on and off the field.

Perhaps Sumlin set Cecil up against two top 10 teams to check the box of trying Cecil out, but in reality, just like with Sumlin, Cecil needs his own time to build the “process,” with his own playbook, plays, recruits, and coaches. To not have Cecil coaching and recruiting for Arizona continues to showcase the dysfunction in the building.

Why he won’t be considered? Is he too powerful in the Tucson community and the Wildcat fan base? Kevin Sumlin doesn’t want the limelight on anyone, it seems. In a program shrouded in issues, in-fighting, and behavioral issues, he has already passed up Cecil when he came to Tucson because he seemed to want an outside guy, not the “best” guy for Arizona.

Watch this and tell me you don’t think he should have a chance to be the Defensive Coordinator for a few years, he needs a chance, it just makes sense.

Due to his pedigree and development of young men and coaching. Dear Arizona Fans, fight for Chuck Cecil. Why? Because he fights for you!