Arizona coaching search led to Sumlin after Navy’s Niumatalolo declined offer
Jan 14, 2018, 9:45 AM | Updated: 9:56 pm
(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
The Arizona Wildcats’ head coaching search continued Sunday as Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo declined an offer from the school to become the next head coach.
Hours later, the Wildcats named former Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin as their head coach.
Niumatalolo withdrew his name from consideration for the Arizona job and remains at Navy where he has spent the last 10 seasons, FOX Sports’ Bruce Feldman and ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg reported on Sunday.
SOURCE: Ken Niumatalolo is staying at #Navy and no longer considering the #Arizona head coaching vacancy.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) January 14, 2018
SOURCE: Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo had withdrawn his name from consideration for the Arizona job. He will remain with the Mids for an 11th season. https://t.co/Uclu5KVbPj
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) January 14, 2018
Niumatalolo also put out a statement on the matter of his commitment to Navy.
Statement from Coach Niumatalolo: “After much prayer and pondering it has become crystal clear that USNA is a special place with special people and I love it here. Plus, I have unfinished business!”
— Bill Wagner (@BWagner_CapGaz) January 14, 2018
As an offensive specialist who runs the triple-option offense, Niumatalolo’s name created quite a stir on social media when his name was brought up surrounding the Arizona job.
Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate, who led the NCAA in rushing yards by a quarterback and would seem like a perfect fit to run the triple option, posted a now deleted tweet saying that he, “didn’t come to Arizona to run the triple option.”
Niumatalolo has compiled an 84-47 record over his 10 years as Navy’s head coach. The Hawaiian native has climbed the ranks at the Navy program starting as a running backs coach, quarterbacks coach, offensive line coach and offensive coordinator before being hired as the head coach in 2007.
Niumatalolo was similarly close to landing the BYU head coaching job in 2015 but declined because they would not allow him to insert the triple option offense.
