Arizona Hires SJSU's Brennan as Head Coach, Timing Wasn't Right for Kasey Dunn

STILLWATER – We never did a story at Pokes Report linking Kasey Dunn with the head coaching vacancy at Arizona but not because we didn’t feel Dunn was qualified. The timing wasn’t right for Dunn because coming off the 10-win season Arizona had and with the talent they were trying to keep out of the portal the move had to be fast. Yes, Dunn was mentioned in national articles as a candidate, but the Cowboys offensive coordinator is on the road recruiting. Arizona, as predicted, moved fast in hiring Brent Brennan from San Jose State.

San Jose State University Athletics

Brent Brennan

Brennan has had back-to-back winning seasons with bow bids at a place where it is hard to do that. The Arizona administration knew Brennan well as he was a candidate whe the departed Jedd Fisch was hired. 

A major key is Brennan coached and coached with current Arizona assistant (wide receivers) Kevin Cummings and it is expected that he will keep Cummings at Arizona. That is expected to be key in keeping the Servite High School alumni trio of Freshman Offensive Player of the Year and Freshman All-American quarterback Noah Fifita, record breaking wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, and linebacker and leading tackler Jacob Mann out of the transfer portal and at Arizona. 

Jerod Hill/OSU Athletics

Kasey Dunn will get his chance.

This situation was a hire that had to happen fast with a known commodity keeping Dunn out of it. Kasey Dunn is an outstanding coach and has the experience that would make him an attractive head coach candidate. This just wasn’t set up right to be his turn. 

Meanwhile, if Brennan can keep Cummings on staff and keep the trio of Fifita, McMillan, and Mann in red, white, and blue then he will have a chance to fulfill the earlier expectation that Fisch and the Wildcats were going to march into the Big 12 as a viable favorite along with the likes of Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Kansas, and Utah to win the first season of the most expanded ever and 16-team Big 12 Conference.

Fifita came in and threw for 2,869-yards and 25 touchdowns after replacing Jayden deLaura as the starting quarterback. deLaura has since gone in the transfer portal and quickly landed at Texas State. McMillan caught 90 passes for 1,402-yards and 10 touchdowns this past season. Mann had 116 tackles with 9.5 tackles-for-loss, 6.5 sacks, and an interception.

Fifita is a red-shirt freshman while McMillan and Mann are both sophomores as they all came together from playing high school at Anaheim Servite High School.