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Arizona has tapped Kevin Sumlin as its new football coach. Sumlin was 51-26 in six seasons at Texas A&M. Before coaching the Aggies, Sumlin was 36-17 in four seasons at Houston, including a 13-1 record in 2011. "This is a tremendous day for Arizona Football, and I am thrilled to welcome Kevin to our family," Arizona athletic director Dave Heeke said in a statement Sunday night. "He is a proven winner who will have an immediate impact on not only our football program but also on our department and University. "An accomplished coach and an excellent recruiter, Kevin shares our vision and values and fits with who we are and who we want to be. His commitment to academics and to community service are a testament to his character. I have no doubt that Kevin will bring an exciting brand of football to Tucson and that championships will follow." Texas A&M fired Sumlin after the 2017 season, when the Aggies finished the regular season 7-5. Sumlin was replaced by former Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher. "I am humbled and honored to join the Arizona Family," Sumlin said in a statement. "With a strong foundation already in place, we will work quickly to assemble an elite coaching staff and immediately begin the work of establishing our culture, recruiting future Wildcats and connecting with Wildcats past and present. We will win championships. We will graduate our players, and they will contribute to the University in many ways while they are here. We will represent Arizona with class and pride." Sumlin will replace Rich Rodriguez, who was fired earlier this month in the wake of a sexual harassment allegation the university began investigating in October and a recent notice of a hostile-workplace lawsuit to be filed against him. "Congratulations to the University of Arizona and Coach Kevin Sumlin,'' Rodriguez said in a statement. "I have sure he will have great success with the most remarkable group of student-athletes in the country. We have been incredibly blessed to be a part of the Wildcat family and Tucson community for over six years and are fortunate that our children Rhett and Raquel are continuing their education at U of A. Welcome Coach Sumlin.'' A source confirmed to ESPN that former Texas A&M offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone will follow Sumlin to Arizona in the same capacity. In Mazzone's first season with the Aggies in 2016, Texas A&M was one of a handful of FBS teams to average more than 200 rushing and passing yards per game while gaining 467 total yards per game. Those numbers dropped in 2017, as the Aggies averaged just 406.8 yards per game and were held to fewer than 100 yards rushing five times. Sumlin is also likely to retain Marcel Yates as defensive coordinator, a source said. Yates had been Sumlin's co-defensive coordinator at Texas A&M since 2012-13. Sports Illustrated first reported that Mazzone and Yates would join Sumlin at Arizona.
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