UCLA Football: 3 takeaways from blown opportunity vs. Arizona
By Dana Becker
2. Who is Grant Gunnell?
A quick look at Grant Gunnell’s profile would lead you to believe he is ready to be a major FBS quarterback. Hailing from The Woodlands in Texas, Gunnell — a sweet name by the way for a gunslinger — stands 6-foot-5 and weighs over 220 pounds.
If you wondered for a second how his numbers were in high school, the Arizona official bio clears any concern up straightaway, calling him “The most prolific passer in Texas state history. Gunnell threw for over 16,000 yards and had 195 touchdowns, setting state records in his three seasons as starting quarterback at St. Pius X in Houston.
Of his 1,471 prep passes, just 28 ended in an interception. He also ran for over 1,600 yards and 28 touchdowns, including a senior year highlighted by 4,752 yards passing, 53 touchdowns, 533 yards rushing and eight more scores.
We’ve always known that Kevin Sumlin can recruit quarterbacks, and he just might have another top-level one in Gunnell. Of course, it remains to be seen if Khalil Tate will be given the job back once healthy after leading the team to back-to-back wins over Texas Tech and Northern Arizona.