Arizona Football: Kevin Sumlin era could start with a bang

Khalil Tate isn’t Johnny Manziel but Kevin Sumlin second stop at a Power 5 school could produce similar fireworks for Arizona football in 2018.

Unlike Johnny Manziel’s unforeseen breakthrough 2012 campaign, Khalil Tate enters 2018 with some early Heisman consideration. And for good reason. The junior quarterback ran for 1,411 yards, threw for 1,591 yards and recorded 26 touchdowns — all without earning the full-time starting job til midway during the season.

A player who began the season as the “fill-in” quarterback, went through a meteoric rise. Tate was named the No. 4 player in the country by Sports Illustrated. With Kevin Sumlin calling the shots in Tucson, Tate’s hype could have similar results to Manziel’s heroic year. Those repercussions will go well beyond any potential personal hardware.

Manziel and Sumlin fell to Florida in their first game together in Aggieland then reeled off 10 wins in their next 11 games. If not for playing in the same division as Nick Saban, even though the Aggies beat the Tide in dramatic fashion that year, Texas A&M would have been a bonafide contender for the conference crown. They’d go on to finish 12-2 and be ranked No. 5 in the nation.

Arizona’s last 12 win season came in 1998. The Wildcats won the Holiday Bowl that season and finished No. 4 in the nation. Rich Rodriguez got Arizona to 10-4, but successive mediocre seasons and some off-field issues forced his removal during the offseason. Now, under Sumlin, Arizona is a few good breaks from history.

Next: 5 reasons Khalil Tate can win the Heisman

Arizona get USC, Oregon and Arizona State at home in 2018. Their road trips to Utah, UCLA and Washington State are difficult, but not impossible. Especially when Tate’s theatrics are always on the table. The Heisman Trophy would be a nice prize, but Arizona has much higher hopes in 2018.