Photo: Stacy Revere, Getty Photo: Sam Craft, Associated Press

It’s been nearly seven years and two stops since Kevin Sumlin left the University of Houston.

As scheduling would have it, Sumlin will return to UH in September as the first-year coach at Arizona.

He admits his first trip back since abruptly leaving for Texas A&M “will be interesting.”

The UH fan base has been slow to forgive Sumlin, who was hired by Arizona in January, for his hasty exit following a 2011 run that ended one win shy of a spot in the Bowl Championship Series.

“They say time heals all wounds,” Sumlin said before attending the Touchdown Club of Houston luncheon at the JW Marriott. “We’ll see. I don’t think time has healed that wound.”

Sumlin joked that he may stand on the sideline for the Sept. 8 game in “shoulder pads and helmet."