Just a few years ago, Brent Brennan nearly was Arizona's choice for head coach.
Now that Brennan is atop the Wildcats program, he's working to ensure Arizona keeps momentum and puts key pieces in place for future success -- on and off the field.
To that end, multiple sources tell FootballScoop that Brennan is hiring away Gaizka Crowley from Lance Taylor's Western Michigan program to become Arizona's general manager.
For Crowley, it's an imminent return West after his key work helped overhaul the roster at UNLV before spending the past year helping Taylor set the foundation of his WMU program.
A Florida State graduate with prep coaching experience, Crowley continues to rise rather rapidly through the ranks of collegiate personnel -- in large part because of his excellent background at XOS Digital -- now known as Catapult.
It was with the company now ubiquitous in college football for its video platform that allows in-depth analysis and scouting that Crowley's eye for evaluating personnel began to shine and also when he garnered the attention of college coaches.
Following his time at XOS, Crowley was quickly hired by Southern Illinois to run its personnel department, excelled there to land the UNLV job and then was a key early hire for Taylor as the former Alabama player and top ex-Notre Dame and Louisville assistant filled out his inaugural head coaching staff.
Crowley, now, is returning West for his first opportunity to help guide a Power 5 personnel department.