Cost of keeping Kevin Sumlin is far too great for Arizona Football

As Arizona Football hits rock bottom following their 70-7 loss to Arizona State, the cost for the Wildcats in keeping Kevin Sumlin is far too great.

$7.5 million is what Athletic Director Dave Heeke and Arizona Football would owe head coach Kevin Sumlin, if the school and Athletic Department were to fire Sumlin before January 16, 2021. For a school amid financial ruin, that is substantial.

If Arizona waits until January 16, the payout decreases, as Arizona would then owe him $5 million, which is payable over two years. Certainly more palpable for an Athletic Department still reeling from a sports year that was significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Arizona Wildcats

Under normal circumstances, most Athletic Departments wouldn’t hesitate in parting ways. The school certainly didn’t hesitate when previous Arizona head coach John Mackovic went 10-18 in just two-and-a-half seasons in Tucson, team mutiny and all.

However, as we have all seen this year, these are not normal circumstances and Heeke and Arizona are facing one hell of a decision.

And as the final seconds counted down on what has been a rather miserable and hopefully soon-to-be forgetful season, nothing could be more fitting than capping off an awful 2020 year like a 70-7 loss to Arizona State, the worst in program history.

As the team walked off the field one last time this year, wearing the look of absolute suffering and defeat and no fans in the stands, it was perhaps quite fitting too. As of now, I think you would be hard-pressed to find any fans in Sumlin’s corner.

The program isn’t just ailing, it is unwell, and the longer this program waits to correct things, the worse off it is.

I understand the complexities and financial challenges ahead, but if there is any indication that this program needs help and needs change in a desperate way, it is a 63-point loss to ASU.

We can split hairs on the disparity in talent, and how recruiting has not been great comparatively speaking between the programs, but I do not believe even for one second that the talent gap is so great that Arizona should lose 70-7 ever.

From my observation and opinion, the team quit on Friday evening, and that is a direct reflection of the poor leadership and direction this program is going.

Even amid the financial ruin, at some point, you would think Heeke and Arizona says this is no longer worth it, and to put it bluntly, it is not.

If paying Sumlin $7.5 million is the sacrifice that is needed to turn this around, then you do it. Waiting until January 16 is going to put the next coach even further behind the Eight-ball.

National Signing Day would be just a few days away from that point, and bringing in an entirely new staff with the given time constraint, it would be extremely challenging.

At Zona Zealots, we’re hoping that Arizona can make the right choice and start the healing process for a program that is clearly suffering. As always, Bear Down, Arizona!