Arizona football fires DC Marcel Yates following loss to Stanford
Oct 27, 2019, 6:46 PM | Updated: Oct 28, 2019, 2:20 pm
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 26: Simi Fehoko #13 of the Stanford Cardinal catches a touchdown pass while covered by McKenzie Barnes #15 of the Arizona Wildcats at Stanford Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Arizona football team has fired defensive coordinator Marcel Yates and linebackers coach John Rushing on Sunday, as first reported by the Arizona Daily Star’s Michael Lev.
Chuck Cecil will take over as the team’s new defensive coordinator and Hank Hobson will work with linebackers, head coach Kevin Sumlin told the media on Monday.
The move comes after the Wildcats suffered their third straight loss and fourth of the season.
The defense has allowed 44.5 points per game when Arizona loses. Most recently, the team lost to Stanford 41-31 on Saturday.
“My job is to give our team the best chance to win weekly,” Sumlin said Monday. “And our conversation yesterday was one about [allowing] 133 points in three weeks. So I owe it to our players and our fans to give them the best chance. So we moved on.”
Following the loss to Stanford, Arizona dropped to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in Pac-12 play. The Wildcats’ next Pac-12 opponent will be the Oregon State Beavers, who currently hold a 3-4 record and are 2-2 in Pac-12 play.
Although the Wildcats get to play a sub-.500 team, finishing their season on a high-note will be anything but a breeze.
After they host the Beavers, the team will travel to Eugene, Oregon, to play the No. 7 Oregon Ducks, then they will host the No. 9 Utah Utes.
Arizona finishes its season in Tempe to play the Arizona State Sun Devils.
