Football team news
Akron linebacker Brian Wagner visited Arizona last week and on Sunday announced that he would transfer to UA. Wagner was the nation’s third-leading tackler this season and he will pursue a master’s degree in biostatistics.
The NCAA allows a player to transfer and play immediately if his previous school does not have a graduate program in his major.
Wagner, who racked up 147 tackles this past season for the Zips, will enroll in school this week. His 13.4 tackles per game ranked second in the nation.
With the lack of depth at the linebacker position, Wagner would almost certainly earn the starting nod in Tucson next season.
Defensive coordinator saga
We spoke with Arizona athletic director Greg Byrne at the Honda Center. While he remained tight-lipped on specifics, he did say that the defensive coordinator position will finally be settled this week.
After West Virginia’s Orange Bowl victory over Clemson, defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel dragged out informing the school of his intentions to leave while, at the same time, WVU was also trying to make a last-ditch effort to make him change his mind. The delay also has helped Casteel exit with as little backlash as possible - unlike the departure of Rich Rodriguez when he left for Michigan under heavy scrutiny.
As a result, that prolonged the wait on signing a contract and making an announcement before the weekend.
After making $400,000 this past season with $50,000 increases due each of the next two seasons at WVU, expect Casteel’s deal to be significantly richer and the highest of any assistant on staff.
Casteel and the 3-3-5 defense
In WVU’s last 11 seasons, Casteel’s defense has ranked outside the top 40 in yardage allowed per game just twice, and the Mountaineers cracked the top 10 in 2007 and 2010.
Rodriguez has yet to decide on a special teams coordinator. While secondary coach Tony Gibson has experience as Rodriguez’ special teams coach in their final season at Michigan, the current vacancy leaves room for the tight ends coach to-be-determined to be someone with experience, as well.
NFL draft stock
The decision to stay in school by both Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones and USC quarterback Matt Barkley has helped record-setting Arizona quarterback Nick Foles.
ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr., has Foles ranked third among the signal callers in this year’s draft pool behind Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III of Baylor and likely No. 1 overall pick Andrew Luck of Stanford.
Kiper Jr., projects Foles to be a late-first or early second-round pick.
Basketball team news
With the loss to UCLA and the way some of the Pac-12’s other top teams like Stanford, Washington and Cal also got knocked off last Thursday, the conference is now fighting to remain a two-bid league for the NCAA tournament.
The Wildcats have zero signature wins and, up until that loss to UCLA, did not have a bad loss. Nobody is a sure thing to win the conference and nobody is really a sure thing for an at-large bid, either.
Here’s where Arizona sits when it comes to early March Madness projections:
ESPN.com: The next four out and on the bubble
SportingNews.com: No. 13 Arizona vs. either Nos. 4 Michigan, Kansas, Florida or UNLV
SportsIllustrated.com: Last four out and on the bubble
After the UCLA loss
UA head coach Sean Miller’s voice could be heard booming through the other end of the locker room door in the Honda Center hallway before he and the players met with the media.
While the team mostly struggled, Miller was happy with the progress Josiah Turner has made both on and off the court. He said that the benching after the Florida game really woke him up.
I talked to another source close to the situation and asked if the departure of Sidiki Johnson also helped Turner realize the changes he had to make. The source said that Johnson’s demeanor and eventual departure was just a more “bizarre” situation and caught the coaches off guard.
Catching up with UA alum Steve Kerr
Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat - even if you are paid to remain neutral.
Steve Kerr, the five-time NBA champion and Arizona alum-turned-basketball analyst, was in Los Angeles to do color commentary Sunday for the Wildcats’ Pac-12 Conference contest against USC at the Galen Center.
Before the game, GOAZCATS.com caught up with Kerr to get his thoughts on the current state of the program and its future, head coach Sean Miller and his own future as it relates to basketball.
Arizona basketball is still at the forefront of Kerr’s mind. While on the road, Kerr made it a point to seek out a TV at the hotel bar to catch UA’s season opener against Valparaiso.
“I watch every game,” he said.
Kerr said “the program is in unbelievable hands” with Miller, in his third year, leading the way. Given the team’s march to the Elite Eight last season and the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation coming to Tucson next season, Kerr said that the school is “lucky to have him.”
“He’s a fantastic coach and brilliant recruiter and handles himself so well,” Kerr added. “He really makes us (alums) all proud the way he represents the university.
“The fact that [Miller] was able to bring all four of those guys (Grant Jerrett, Kaleb Tarczewski, Gabe York and Brandon Ashley) in is really impressive.
“I think the reason Sean took the Arizona job is he knew that he would be able to recruit, especially on the West Coast - where three of those guys are coming from - but also on a national level because of the Arizona brand and the history of the program. He knew the resources, he knew the fan support in Tucson, he knew the line of former players that were in the NBA or are in the NBA - so all that helps build a really strong program. Sean has put it all together and made it happen.”
As for this season, Kerr called it a “bridge year” from the post-Derrick Williams era to the expectations that await in the 2012-13 campaign.
Kerr said that this year’s Wildcats are experiencing the “growing pains” with an undersized team that is inexperienced at point guard.
While talking about junior forward Solomon Hill, the Turner Sports broadcaster caught himself committing a no-no in journalism.
“Solomon’s been our best player … I’m a broadcaster, I can’t say our best player. He’s been their best player,” Kerr said, laughing at his own slip-up midway through his thought.
Back on track, Kerr said that the choice Miller is presented with in Hill’s versatility to play both forward positions and the team’s lack of size on a nightly basis is not an easy one.
“It’s a balance between playing small and scoring versus playing bigger and not maybe being as potent,” Kerr said. “[Miller’s] got a tough coaching job this year.”
Among the other challenges UA is faced with, Kerr said, is the progression of freshman point guard Josiah Turner.
Kerr said that today’s game, in some ways, can be more difficult for the most talented players.
“[Turner] can get anywhere he wants with the ball, so he finds himself in trouble a lot,” Kerr said. “But with more experience as the year’s gone on, he seems to be making better decisions. I think he’s got a really bright future as long as he’s patient and sticks with it and continues to work.”
As for his own talent, Kerr has become one of the game’s best analysts at TNT, working alongside such prominent broadcasters as Marv Albert.
Last season, CBS and TNT completed the first of a 14-year, $11 billion agreement with the NCAA for the exclusive broadcast rights to the NCAA tournament. That opened the window for Kerr to add college basketball games to his slate and earn the prestigious honor to be in the booth for the Final Four.
“I love it, it’s really fun. I travel a lot for a few months - kind of March, April, May, playoff time, NCAA tournament time - but for the other nine months out of the year I’m really home a lot,” Kerr said. “I’m able to enjoy my family and other interests in life. I’m also able to stay involved with the game and see a lot of old friends, travel from one place to another and stay connected.
“I did the NCAA tournament last year, including the Final Four. Talk about an honor, to broadcast the Final Four. Guys like Dick Vitale who have been covering the college game forever, Jay Bilas - those guys haven’t even had the opportunity that I had. So I realize how lucky I am. It’s a result of Turner getting the rights to the tournament and my bosses having faith in me to do the job. It’s been pretty cool.”
There was also a brief period in time when Kerr served as general manager for the Phoenix Suns. He said that “the bug” to get back into the front office - or even the coaching ranks - remains in his system, but Kerr added that he wants to wait until his children “are out from under my roof” to entertain those thoughts.
“Maybe some day,” Kerr said. “The competitive side of it really is intriguing.”
Looking ahead
This week, the Wildcats will host games against Oregon State (Thursday) and Oregon (Saturday) - both teams that knocked off a pair of Pac-12 leaders in Stanford and Cal, respectively, last week.
*And now, for a look at UA recruiting news, here’s recruiting editor Matt Moreno’s news and notes:
Football recruiting:
There’s plenty of football recruiting news now that the staff is becoming settled and the dead period is over, so let’s get right into it.
* The big news late last week was the Wildcats’ latest de-commitment, which came at a position where UA can ill afford to lose too many more players. Quarterback prospect Nathan Sudfeld decided that it would be in his best interest to de-commit from UA and explore other options further after taking time to think about his status over the dead period.
“Well, first, I’m still going to be recruited by them and still talk with them,” Sudfeld told GOAZCATS.com. “At this time I was planning on going somewhere early, but I just felt like I couldn’t go early right now. So I felt the best thing to was to de-commit and open myself up.
“Arizona’s all I’ve ever known, and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know coach Rodriguez. I still really want to keep in touch with them, and keep being recruited by them, but at this time I felt it was best for me to open myself up. Like I said, Arizona is all I’ve ever known, so I want some things to compare it to and that’s kind of where I’m at right now.”
UCLA is one school that has really started to make a big push for the Modesto (Calif.) Modesto Christian star, and he has already planned an official visit with the Bruins.
“Well, I’m going to take an official to UCLA on the 20th of January,” Sudfeld said. “That’s the only one I can confirm right now.”
Sudfeld said that having the time to think over his recruitment during last month’s dead period helped him come to his decision to de-commit.
“It was good to have this time off,” Sudfeld said. “I really enjoyed my official visit, and I really enjoyed getting to know all the coaches and I really liked them. I just had a conviction and I was not fully ready to come early to Arizona. I told them that, I said, ‘I know it’s a business and by me not coming early I know you guys are going to recruit other quarterbacks, and I understand that.’
“I’m definitely still interested, but I just can’t be an early enrollment right now at Arizona. I have to do what’s right for myself, and make sure I go to the right place where I’m very comfortable.”
The three-star prospect said that he’s unsure of when a final decision will come, but he fully expects UA to still be considered in the end.
“Maybe signing day,” Sudfeld said. “But I really don’t have a timeframe right now. I could wait until after signing day. I’m at the point where I just want to make sure I find the right fit. It could be Arizona, it could be UCLA, but I have to find the place where I feel most comfortable and where I can roll up my sleeves and get after it.”
Sudfeld said that he’s unsure of the likelihood of a re-commitment to UA at this time.
“I don’t really know right now,” he said. “I’m just gonna let this play out a little bit and ride it out and see what happens. But I’m not really sure right now.”
At this point it would not be surprising to see Sudfeld end up with the Bruins, as they seem to be making a big push for his services. It would also not be surprising if there is other movement within the current UA recruiting class prior to signing day.
* With Sudfeld deciding to open things up even more, there is a clear need to bring in another quarterback with this recruiting class. Four-star prospect Devin Fuller remains a high-priority for the Wildcats. The Old Tappan, N.J. standout said last week that he remains undecided where he will take his final official visit. As it stands right now, Fuller’s final visit will come down to two schools - Notre Dame and UA.
“Right now I don’t know,” Fuller told Rivals.com. “Both of them talk to me every week and it’s going to be heartbreaking to tell one of them that I’m not coming. I still don’t know, it’s 50-50 right now. But it’s going to be one of the hardest decisions.”
Even though he is undecided as to whether the Wildcats will get an official visit or not, Fuller said that Rich Rodriguez’s system is one that would fit him best. Despite his feelings about the offensive system, Fuller said he wants to be prepared for the next level, so he has to take that into consideration as well.
“[The system that] fits me the best would probably be Arizona or Nebraska,” he said. “But I would like to be taught pro-style things, so that if I were to be good enough to go to the next level at some point I could do that. It’s a learning curve once you get to the NFL, so I would want to be ready if that were the case.”
Fuller added that he feels UA and UCLA would be two programs where he would start sooner rather than later.
The fact remains that the Wildcats will need to get Fuller on campus to have a shot at eventually landing the dual-threat quarterback recruit. He is tentatively planning a trip to UCLA for Jan. 13, so a trip to Tucson will have to come closer to signing day.
* Speaking of the Bruins, one current UCLA commit is receiving strong interest from other programs and is considering a visit to Tucson.
Four-star linebacker prospect Aaron Porter received a visit from UA receivers coach Tony Dews on Wednesday, and the La Habra, Calif., standout said the Wildcats are one of the programs making a strong push right now.
“Well Oklahoma was here [Wednesday], I think they’re interested right now and they might offer in the next couple weeks,” Porter said. “Arizona is one of my top schools, but right now I’m committed to UCLA.”
The outside linebacker recruit said that the coaching change in Westwood had an effect on his decision to look around.
“It kind of changed my perspective a little bit,” Porter said. “It wasn’t too big of a change, but big enough to make me look somewhere else.”
Porter said one thing that has UA sticking out at this point is the ability to play early in his career at the next level.
“I know they have four linebackers there, so they’re in need of a linebacker,” Porter said. “So early playing time is always big, that’s where I see Arizona. I like the campus, I’ve been there once. I like the area, it’s more of a small town unlike Arizona State.”
The state of California’s 34th-best player said that one of the topics discussed with Dews was setting up an official visit to Tucson, and he said there is a good chance he visits UA at this point.
“Yeah, there’s a real likelihood that will happen,” Porter said. “I really don’t know [what date], I just talked to the coach (Dews) about that [Wednesday], and we just tried to figure out a date to come up that would be good for both of us.
“Probably the end of January would be the best for me, so that’s when I’ll probably go.”
Porter added that Oklahoma is a program that has always intrigued him and it’s one that could come into play for his services.
“I’ve been there too, so I really liked it there,” Porter said. “They’ve got great coaches over there, a winning program and it’s a top program in the nation. I’ve always liked Oklahoma, it has always been a big team for me along with UCLA.”
The nation’s 22nd-ranked outside linebacker said that he doesn’t mind going further away from his home in Southern California, but his preference is to stay relatively close to the place he knows best.
Porter said it’s still to early to determine when he will make his final decision and sign his letter of intent.
“I’m really not sure at all on that,” Porter said. “It could be at the beginning of February or could be the last day, but I’m not really sure when I”m going to sign.”
I’m hearing that it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility for Porter to end up with the Wildcats, but it will be important for UA to get him on campus first. Based on what he told me and what I’ve heard from sources, Porter really likes the situation at Arizona when it comes to early playing time and that could be a big factor when he ultimately makes a decision.
Obviously there is still much to be decided when it comes to Porter’s recruitment, but it will definitely be one to keep an eye on - especially when signing day comes around.
* Receivers coach Tony Dews also visited Beau Boyster and Kyle Kelley at last week.
Boyster said that there were around six or seven schools that came to see him the same day that Dews stopped by, but he had to tell them that his recruitment is closed. He added that Oregon is making a strong push once again, but he’s going to remain with the Wildcats now that Robert Anae has been re-hired.
* Here’s a video with Boyster, who talks about his relationship with the new staff and what he’ll be doing to stay in top form before heading to Tucson next season.
* Another big piece of news this week will be the upcoming visits of several UA commits and recruits as Rodriguez hosts his first big recruiting weekend of 2012. There are sure to be some additions, and there could always be changes later in the week, so keep checking GOAZCATS.com to stay up to speed with who will be visiting Tucson this weekend.
Here is a list of the known visitors who have previously planned visits to Tucson for the 13th: Dakota Conwell, Demitrious Davis, Chris Davis, Jarrell Bennett, Josh Kern, Gerron Borne, Kyle Kelley, Jaxon Hood and Moana Ofahengaue.
* As happens this time of year, the Wildcats have extended numerous offers lately. Here are few of the new prospect’s who hold offers from Rodriguez’s program.
Cody Ippolito (2012), Jaxon Hood (2012), Trey Griffey (2012) and Justin Bridges-Thompson (2013).
* On the 2013 front, expect the Wildcats to really start getting offers out to that class once the signing period has died down a bit for the 2012 class. Also as we’ve said before, and the staff has already started to do, expect UA to go after some recruits who might be overlooked by other programs and may be flying below the radar.
There are plenty of under-the-radar recruits out there still and the staff feels they can capitalize on those types of prospects this late in the process to help fill out the 2012 class. Expect for that to continue to happen over the next few weeks as Rodriguez continues to add to his first class at UA.
Basketball recruiting:
* 2013 five-star prospect Aaron Gordoncontinues to show why he is one of the the Wildcats’ main targets for the the upcoming class. He turned in a 35-point performance in the final game of the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic and took home all-tournament honors. UA assistant Emanuel “Book” Richardson was in attendance for a couple of Gordon’s games during that tournament. Meanwhile, Jim Shaw and Paul Fortier from Washington were there on separate days during the tournament. Shaw was situated under the basket during Gordon’s games.
Gordon told GOAZCATS.com that his recruitment is wide-open and that he is open to anybody who wants to recruit him. While it still likely going to come down to a battle between UA and the Huskies, Kentucky has started to make a push for the San Jose (Calif.) Archbishop Mitty standout.
“Right now I’m just kind of forming everything (my game) to where I want it to be,” Gordon said. “By the time I get to college, I just want to make everything as good as possible.
“I’m not too close to committing but I’m hearing from Washington, Arizona, New Mexico, Kentucky - those are just a few of the schools.”
* Three-star recruit Dakarai Allen of Sacramento (Calif.) Sheldon played well enough at the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic to earn all-tournament honors and a scholarship offer from San Diego State. Allen told GOAZCATS.com that UA is one of two Pac-12 schools yet to have extended an offer to him. Richardson was in attendance for Allen’s first two games of the tournament, but the ‘Cats aren’t pursuing the Sheldon standout too hard at this point.
That could change if Allen’s jump shot starts to come around, however, so it is a recruitment to monitor.
* Freshman prospect Brodricks Jones from head coach Reggie Morris’ squad at Playa del Rey (Calif.) St. Bernard said that he only knows of UA pursuing him at this point in his recruitment. He admitted that he doesn’t know too much about the Wildcats program, and he said he’s not too focused on his recruitment right now. Jones is thin and still needs to develop his skills to be a prominent recruit, but he is only a freshman and has plenty of time to improve.
Jones is already at about 6-foot-8 and has long arms, but right now he’s mainly being looked at based on his potential. The Vikings big man is soft spoken and plays with a sense of maturity on the court. He will be one to keep an eye on as he progresses over the next couple of years.
* San Diego (Calif.) Lincoln prospect Tyree Robinson and his twin brother Tyrell have been on the Wildcats radar for some time. The brothers want to attend the same school and both are considering playing football, which makes recruiting a little bit different for them. Book Richardson watched the twins play against DeMatha and Sheldon during the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic and they remain on the Wildcats’ radar.
Tyree said there are plenty of programs in the mix for his services in 2013.
“Arizona’s been recruiting me since Day 1,” Robinson said. “UCLA, a lot of Pac-12 schools, Washington, Oregon. A lot more schools are coming in. Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Miami. I’d like to play basketball and football, so I have dual offers, too.
“Arizona offered me in football, too. They offered me in basketball my freshman year and they offered me in football last year.”
At this point, Robinson said he and his brother are open to the teams recruiting them, and they are going to take their time with a decision.
“Yeah, very wide open,” he said. “I have to really sit down, talk to my family and brother. We’re going to take a couple visits. I’ve been to Arizona, I did like it, there’s nothing bad about it. But I want to take my recruitment real slow.”
The Robinson twins have a good relationship with Sean Miller’s staff , and as part of the Drew Gooden Soldiers AAU program, the brothers know some of the players who currently attend UA or will make their way to Tucson next fall.
“Me and coach Miller have a great relationship - actually, all of the Arizona coaches,” Tyree said. “A lot of players I’ve played with are going to Arizona. My cousin, Jamelle Horne, played at Arizona. He’s just telling me it’s a good school.”
On the football side, Tyree said that he hasn’t heard from Rodriguez or his staff yet.
* 2014 prospect Stanley Johnson of Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei continues to be recruited by UA. After assistant coach Joe Pasternack stopped by to see him earlier this season, the Wildcats once again stopped by to see Johnson Wednesday night when the Monarchs took on Rancho Santa Margarita (Calif.) Santa Margarita.
The following night Johnson was one of a handful of UA targets in attendance for the Wildcats’ contest with UCLA at Honda Center. The four-star recruit doesn’t yet hold an offer from the ‘Cats, but the program continues to show steady interest in him.
Johnson is planning to take an unofficial visit to Tucson for the Wildcats’ home game with the Bruins on Feb. 25. He is being recruited by both programs at this time.
* 2013 recruit Isaac Hamilton, who is in his first season at Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco, has not been too high of a priority for UA as he has continued to make a transition from more of a scoring guard to one who distributes the ball more. However, Richardson was in attendance Wednesday night when the Braves took on San Juan Capistrano (Calif.) JSerra. Hamilton is not considered one of UA’s main targets at this point, but it is certainly a recruitment to keep an eye on going forward.
* There were plenty of recruits in attendance for UA’s loss to UCLA at Honda Center on Thursday night. Tyree Robinson (2013), Tyrell Robinson (2013), Jordan Bell (2013), Shaqquan Aaron (2014), Stanley Johnson (2014) and Gabe York (2012 UA signee) were some of the notable Wildcat targets - and signee - in the crowd during the Wooden Classic.
Aaron, who currently attends Woodland Hills (Calif.) Taft, has not been cleared to play with his school’s team and is still awaiting a response after having a hearing in mid-December. The four-star prospect has a decent-sized list of suitors, but at this point UA sits in a good spot in his recruitment.
2012 commits:
* Four-star prospect Gabe York recently had surgery to remove his appendix and will miss some time. Right now the timetable for his return has been set at six weeks, but there is a chance he could come back sooner than that. Prior to the surgery, the 2012 UA signee had posted three straight 30-plus-point performances in the Orange Holiday Classic for Orange (Calif.) Lutheran.
* Fellow 2012 signee Grant Jerrett told GOAZCATS.com last week that he has been battling a bit of a foot injury, but it doesn’t appear to have hampered him too much. The La Verne (Calif.) Lutheran big man scored 35 points in his team’s final game at the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic and then followed that up with a 25-point performance (in three quarters) against Montclair last Tuesday.
He also posted a 22-point game against Chino Hills, Calif., last Thursday in a Trojans’ win. Jerrett also said that he’s been putting a little more emphasis on his jump shooting this season, and it really showed in the win over Montclair. In that contest Jerrett was hitting jump shots consistently from outside as well as from around 15-feet away from the basket.
Jerrett was in attendance Sunday afternoon for UA’s game in Los Angeles against USC at the Galen Center.
* Brandon Ashley continues to have an impressive senior season with Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep. The nation’s 13th-ranked prospect overall was the star in the Pilots’ last game on Friday night. In that contest with Simi Valley (Calif.) Stoneridge Prep, Ashley was the star with a double-double performance.
The five-star recruit finished the game with 17 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks.
* Kaleb Tarczewski led his team from Southborugh (Mass.) St. Mark’s last Friday with 17 points in a win over Barrington (R.I.) St. Andrew’s.
You can catch Tarczewski on ESPNU at noon MST on Jan. 15 when St. Mark’s takes on Wynnewood (Pa.) Friends’ Central School at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.
This post was edited on 1/9 5:20 AM by Matt Moreno
This post was edited on 1/9 7:41 AM by Tracy McDannald
Akron linebacker Brian Wagner visited Arizona last week and on Sunday announced that he would transfer to UA. Wagner was the nation’s third-leading tackler this season and he will pursue a master’s degree in biostatistics.
The NCAA allows a player to transfer and play immediately if his previous school does not have a graduate program in his major.
Wagner, who racked up 147 tackles this past season for the Zips, will enroll in school this week. His 13.4 tackles per game ranked second in the nation.
With the lack of depth at the linebacker position, Wagner would almost certainly earn the starting nod in Tucson next season.
Defensive coordinator saga
We spoke with Arizona athletic director Greg Byrne at the Honda Center. While he remained tight-lipped on specifics, he did say that the defensive coordinator position will finally be settled this week.
After West Virginia’s Orange Bowl victory over Clemson, defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel dragged out informing the school of his intentions to leave while, at the same time, WVU was also trying to make a last-ditch effort to make him change his mind. The delay also has helped Casteel exit with as little backlash as possible - unlike the departure of Rich Rodriguez when he left for Michigan under heavy scrutiny.
As a result, that prolonged the wait on signing a contract and making an announcement before the weekend.
After making $400,000 this past season with $50,000 increases due each of the next two seasons at WVU, expect Casteel’s deal to be significantly richer and the highest of any assistant on staff.
Casteel and the 3-3-5 defense
In WVU’s last 11 seasons, Casteel’s defense has ranked outside the top 40 in yardage allowed per game just twice, and the Mountaineers cracked the top 10 in 2007 and 2010.
Rodriguez has yet to decide on a special teams coordinator. While secondary coach Tony Gibson has experience as Rodriguez’ special teams coach in their final season at Michigan, the current vacancy leaves room for the tight ends coach to-be-determined to be someone with experience, as well.
NFL draft stock
The decision to stay in school by both Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones and USC quarterback Matt Barkley has helped record-setting Arizona quarterback Nick Foles.
ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr., has Foles ranked third among the signal callers in this year’s draft pool behind Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III of Baylor and likely No. 1 overall pick Andrew Luck of Stanford.
Kiper Jr., projects Foles to be a late-first or early second-round pick.
Basketball team news
With the loss to UCLA and the way some of the Pac-12’s other top teams like Stanford, Washington and Cal also got knocked off last Thursday, the conference is now fighting to remain a two-bid league for the NCAA tournament.
The Wildcats have zero signature wins and, up until that loss to UCLA, did not have a bad loss. Nobody is a sure thing to win the conference and nobody is really a sure thing for an at-large bid, either.
Here’s where Arizona sits when it comes to early March Madness projections:
ESPN.com: The next four out and on the bubble
SportingNews.com: No. 13 Arizona vs. either Nos. 4 Michigan, Kansas, Florida or UNLV
SportsIllustrated.com: Last four out and on the bubble
After the UCLA loss
UA head coach Sean Miller’s voice could be heard booming through the other end of the locker room door in the Honda Center hallway before he and the players met with the media.
While the team mostly struggled, Miller was happy with the progress Josiah Turner has made both on and off the court. He said that the benching after the Florida game really woke him up.
I talked to another source close to the situation and asked if the departure of Sidiki Johnson also helped Turner realize the changes he had to make. The source said that Johnson’s demeanor and eventual departure was just a more “bizarre” situation and caught the coaches off guard.
Catching up with UA alum Steve Kerr
Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat - even if you are paid to remain neutral.
Steve Kerr, the five-time NBA champion and Arizona alum-turned-basketball analyst, was in Los Angeles to do color commentary Sunday for the Wildcats’ Pac-12 Conference contest against USC at the Galen Center.
Before the game, GOAZCATS.com caught up with Kerr to get his thoughts on the current state of the program and its future, head coach Sean Miller and his own future as it relates to basketball.
Arizona basketball is still at the forefront of Kerr’s mind. While on the road, Kerr made it a point to seek out a TV at the hotel bar to catch UA’s season opener against Valparaiso.
“I watch every game,” he said.
Kerr said “the program is in unbelievable hands” with Miller, in his third year, leading the way. Given the team’s march to the Elite Eight last season and the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation coming to Tucson next season, Kerr said that the school is “lucky to have him.”
“He’s a fantastic coach and brilliant recruiter and handles himself so well,” Kerr added. “He really makes us (alums) all proud the way he represents the university.
“The fact that [Miller] was able to bring all four of those guys (Grant Jerrett, Kaleb Tarczewski, Gabe York and Brandon Ashley) in is really impressive.
“I think the reason Sean took the Arizona job is he knew that he would be able to recruit, especially on the West Coast - where three of those guys are coming from - but also on a national level because of the Arizona brand and the history of the program. He knew the resources, he knew the fan support in Tucson, he knew the line of former players that were in the NBA or are in the NBA - so all that helps build a really strong program. Sean has put it all together and made it happen.”
As for this season, Kerr called it a “bridge year” from the post-Derrick Williams era to the expectations that await in the 2012-13 campaign.
Kerr said that this year’s Wildcats are experiencing the “growing pains” with an undersized team that is inexperienced at point guard.
While talking about junior forward Solomon Hill, the Turner Sports broadcaster caught himself committing a no-no in journalism.
“Solomon’s been our best player … I’m a broadcaster, I can’t say our best player. He’s been their best player,” Kerr said, laughing at his own slip-up midway through his thought.
Back on track, Kerr said that the choice Miller is presented with in Hill’s versatility to play both forward positions and the team’s lack of size on a nightly basis is not an easy one.
“It’s a balance between playing small and scoring versus playing bigger and not maybe being as potent,” Kerr said. “[Miller’s] got a tough coaching job this year.”
Among the other challenges UA is faced with, Kerr said, is the progression of freshman point guard Josiah Turner.
Kerr said that today’s game, in some ways, can be more difficult for the most talented players.
“[Turner] can get anywhere he wants with the ball, so he finds himself in trouble a lot,” Kerr said. “But with more experience as the year’s gone on, he seems to be making better decisions. I think he’s got a really bright future as long as he’s patient and sticks with it and continues to work.”
As for his own talent, Kerr has become one of the game’s best analysts at TNT, working alongside such prominent broadcasters as Marv Albert.
Last season, CBS and TNT completed the first of a 14-year, $11 billion agreement with the NCAA for the exclusive broadcast rights to the NCAA tournament. That opened the window for Kerr to add college basketball games to his slate and earn the prestigious honor to be in the booth for the Final Four.
“I love it, it’s really fun. I travel a lot for a few months - kind of March, April, May, playoff time, NCAA tournament time - but for the other nine months out of the year I’m really home a lot,” Kerr said. “I’m able to enjoy my family and other interests in life. I’m also able to stay involved with the game and see a lot of old friends, travel from one place to another and stay connected.
“I did the NCAA tournament last year, including the Final Four. Talk about an honor, to broadcast the Final Four. Guys like Dick Vitale who have been covering the college game forever, Jay Bilas - those guys haven’t even had the opportunity that I had. So I realize how lucky I am. It’s a result of Turner getting the rights to the tournament and my bosses having faith in me to do the job. It’s been pretty cool.”
There was also a brief period in time when Kerr served as general manager for the Phoenix Suns. He said that “the bug” to get back into the front office - or even the coaching ranks - remains in his system, but Kerr added that he wants to wait until his children “are out from under my roof” to entertain those thoughts.
“Maybe some day,” Kerr said. “The competitive side of it really is intriguing.”
Looking ahead
This week, the Wildcats will host games against Oregon State (Thursday) and Oregon (Saturday) - both teams that knocked off a pair of Pac-12 leaders in Stanford and Cal, respectively, last week.
*And now, for a look at UA recruiting news, here’s recruiting editor Matt Moreno’s news and notes:
Football recruiting:
There’s plenty of football recruiting news now that the staff is becoming settled and the dead period is over, so let’s get right into it.
* The big news late last week was the Wildcats’ latest de-commitment, which came at a position where UA can ill afford to lose too many more players. Quarterback prospect Nathan Sudfeld decided that it would be in his best interest to de-commit from UA and explore other options further after taking time to think about his status over the dead period.
“Well, first, I’m still going to be recruited by them and still talk with them,” Sudfeld told GOAZCATS.com. “At this time I was planning on going somewhere early, but I just felt like I couldn’t go early right now. So I felt the best thing to was to de-commit and open myself up.
“Arizona’s all I’ve ever known, and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know coach Rodriguez. I still really want to keep in touch with them, and keep being recruited by them, but at this time I felt it was best for me to open myself up. Like I said, Arizona is all I’ve ever known, so I want some things to compare it to and that’s kind of where I’m at right now.”
UCLA is one school that has really started to make a big push for the Modesto (Calif.) Modesto Christian star, and he has already planned an official visit with the Bruins.
“Well, I’m going to take an official to UCLA on the 20th of January,” Sudfeld said. “That’s the only one I can confirm right now.”
Sudfeld said that having the time to think over his recruitment during last month’s dead period helped him come to his decision to de-commit.
“It was good to have this time off,” Sudfeld said. “I really enjoyed my official visit, and I really enjoyed getting to know all the coaches and I really liked them. I just had a conviction and I was not fully ready to come early to Arizona. I told them that, I said, ‘I know it’s a business and by me not coming early I know you guys are going to recruit other quarterbacks, and I understand that.’
“I’m definitely still interested, but I just can’t be an early enrollment right now at Arizona. I have to do what’s right for myself, and make sure I go to the right place where I’m very comfortable.”
The three-star prospect said that he’s unsure of when a final decision will come, but he fully expects UA to still be considered in the end.
“Maybe signing day,” Sudfeld said. “But I really don’t have a timeframe right now. I could wait until after signing day. I’m at the point where I just want to make sure I find the right fit. It could be Arizona, it could be UCLA, but I have to find the place where I feel most comfortable and where I can roll up my sleeves and get after it.”
Sudfeld said that he’s unsure of the likelihood of a re-commitment to UA at this time.
“I don’t really know right now,” he said. “I’m just gonna let this play out a little bit and ride it out and see what happens. But I’m not really sure right now.”
At this point it would not be surprising to see Sudfeld end up with the Bruins, as they seem to be making a big push for his services. It would also not be surprising if there is other movement within the current UA recruiting class prior to signing day.
* With Sudfeld deciding to open things up even more, there is a clear need to bring in another quarterback with this recruiting class. Four-star prospect Devin Fuller remains a high-priority for the Wildcats. The Old Tappan, N.J. standout said last week that he remains undecided where he will take his final official visit. As it stands right now, Fuller’s final visit will come down to two schools - Notre Dame and UA.
“Right now I don’t know,” Fuller told Rivals.com. “Both of them talk to me every week and it’s going to be heartbreaking to tell one of them that I’m not coming. I still don’t know, it’s 50-50 right now. But it’s going to be one of the hardest decisions.”
Even though he is undecided as to whether the Wildcats will get an official visit or not, Fuller said that Rich Rodriguez’s system is one that would fit him best. Despite his feelings about the offensive system, Fuller said he wants to be prepared for the next level, so he has to take that into consideration as well.
“[The system that] fits me the best would probably be Arizona or Nebraska,” he said. “But I would like to be taught pro-style things, so that if I were to be good enough to go to the next level at some point I could do that. It’s a learning curve once you get to the NFL, so I would want to be ready if that were the case.”
Fuller added that he feels UA and UCLA would be two programs where he would start sooner rather than later.
The fact remains that the Wildcats will need to get Fuller on campus to have a shot at eventually landing the dual-threat quarterback recruit. He is tentatively planning a trip to UCLA for Jan. 13, so a trip to Tucson will have to come closer to signing day.
* Speaking of the Bruins, one current UCLA commit is receiving strong interest from other programs and is considering a visit to Tucson.
Four-star linebacker prospect Aaron Porter received a visit from UA receivers coach Tony Dews on Wednesday, and the La Habra, Calif., standout said the Wildcats are one of the programs making a strong push right now.
“Well Oklahoma was here [Wednesday], I think they’re interested right now and they might offer in the next couple weeks,” Porter said. “Arizona is one of my top schools, but right now I’m committed to UCLA.”
The outside linebacker recruit said that the coaching change in Westwood had an effect on his decision to look around.
“It kind of changed my perspective a little bit,” Porter said. “It wasn’t too big of a change, but big enough to make me look somewhere else.”
Porter said one thing that has UA sticking out at this point is the ability to play early in his career at the next level.
“I know they have four linebackers there, so they’re in need of a linebacker,” Porter said. “So early playing time is always big, that’s where I see Arizona. I like the campus, I’ve been there once. I like the area, it’s more of a small town unlike Arizona State.”
The state of California’s 34th-best player said that one of the topics discussed with Dews was setting up an official visit to Tucson, and he said there is a good chance he visits UA at this point.
“Yeah, there’s a real likelihood that will happen,” Porter said. “I really don’t know [what date], I just talked to the coach (Dews) about that [Wednesday], and we just tried to figure out a date to come up that would be good for both of us.
“Probably the end of January would be the best for me, so that’s when I’ll probably go.”
Porter added that Oklahoma is a program that has always intrigued him and it’s one that could come into play for his services.
“I’ve been there too, so I really liked it there,” Porter said. “They’ve got great coaches over there, a winning program and it’s a top program in the nation. I’ve always liked Oklahoma, it has always been a big team for me along with UCLA.”
The nation’s 22nd-ranked outside linebacker said that he doesn’t mind going further away from his home in Southern California, but his preference is to stay relatively close to the place he knows best.
Porter said it’s still to early to determine when he will make his final decision and sign his letter of intent.
“I’m really not sure at all on that,” Porter said. “It could be at the beginning of February or could be the last day, but I’m not really sure when I”m going to sign.”
I’m hearing that it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility for Porter to end up with the Wildcats, but it will be important for UA to get him on campus first. Based on what he told me and what I’ve heard from sources, Porter really likes the situation at Arizona when it comes to early playing time and that could be a big factor when he ultimately makes a decision.
Obviously there is still much to be decided when it comes to Porter’s recruitment, but it will definitely be one to keep an eye on - especially when signing day comes around.
* Receivers coach Tony Dews also visited Beau Boyster and Kyle Kelley at last week.
Boyster said that there were around six or seven schools that came to see him the same day that Dews stopped by, but he had to tell them that his recruitment is closed. He added that Oregon is making a strong push once again, but he’s going to remain with the Wildcats now that Robert Anae has been re-hired.
* Here’s a video with Boyster, who talks about his relationship with the new staff and what he’ll be doing to stay in top form before heading to Tucson next season.
* Another big piece of news this week will be the upcoming visits of several UA commits and recruits as Rodriguez hosts his first big recruiting weekend of 2012. There are sure to be some additions, and there could always be changes later in the week, so keep checking GOAZCATS.com to stay up to speed with who will be visiting Tucson this weekend.
Here is a list of the known visitors who have previously planned visits to Tucson for the 13th: Dakota Conwell, Demitrious Davis, Chris Davis, Jarrell Bennett, Josh Kern, Gerron Borne, Kyle Kelley, Jaxon Hood and Moana Ofahengaue.
* As happens this time of year, the Wildcats have extended numerous offers lately. Here are few of the new prospect’s who hold offers from Rodriguez’s program.
Cody Ippolito (2012), Jaxon Hood (2012), Trey Griffey (2012) and Justin Bridges-Thompson (2013).
* On the 2013 front, expect the Wildcats to really start getting offers out to that class once the signing period has died down a bit for the 2012 class. Also as we’ve said before, and the staff has already started to do, expect UA to go after some recruits who might be overlooked by other programs and may be flying below the radar.
There are plenty of under-the-radar recruits out there still and the staff feels they can capitalize on those types of prospects this late in the process to help fill out the 2012 class. Expect for that to continue to happen over the next few weeks as Rodriguez continues to add to his first class at UA.
Basketball recruiting:
* 2013 five-star prospect Aaron Gordoncontinues to show why he is one of the the Wildcats’ main targets for the the upcoming class. He turned in a 35-point performance in the final game of the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic and took home all-tournament honors. UA assistant Emanuel “Book” Richardson was in attendance for a couple of Gordon’s games during that tournament. Meanwhile, Jim Shaw and Paul Fortier from Washington were there on separate days during the tournament. Shaw was situated under the basket during Gordon’s games.
Gordon told GOAZCATS.com that his recruitment is wide-open and that he is open to anybody who wants to recruit him. While it still likely going to come down to a battle between UA and the Huskies, Kentucky has started to make a push for the San Jose (Calif.) Archbishop Mitty standout.
“Right now I’m just kind of forming everything (my game) to where I want it to be,” Gordon said. “By the time I get to college, I just want to make everything as good as possible.
“I’m not too close to committing but I’m hearing from Washington, Arizona, New Mexico, Kentucky - those are just a few of the schools.”
* Three-star recruit Dakarai Allen of Sacramento (Calif.) Sheldon played well enough at the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic to earn all-tournament honors and a scholarship offer from San Diego State. Allen told GOAZCATS.com that UA is one of two Pac-12 schools yet to have extended an offer to him. Richardson was in attendance for Allen’s first two games of the tournament, but the ‘Cats aren’t pursuing the Sheldon standout too hard at this point.
That could change if Allen’s jump shot starts to come around, however, so it is a recruitment to monitor.
* Freshman prospect Brodricks Jones from head coach Reggie Morris’ squad at Playa del Rey (Calif.) St. Bernard said that he only knows of UA pursuing him at this point in his recruitment. He admitted that he doesn’t know too much about the Wildcats program, and he said he’s not too focused on his recruitment right now. Jones is thin and still needs to develop his skills to be a prominent recruit, but he is only a freshman and has plenty of time to improve.
Jones is already at about 6-foot-8 and has long arms, but right now he’s mainly being looked at based on his potential. The Vikings big man is soft spoken and plays with a sense of maturity on the court. He will be one to keep an eye on as he progresses over the next couple of years.
* San Diego (Calif.) Lincoln prospect Tyree Robinson and his twin brother Tyrell have been on the Wildcats radar for some time. The brothers want to attend the same school and both are considering playing football, which makes recruiting a little bit different for them. Book Richardson watched the twins play against DeMatha and Sheldon during the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic and they remain on the Wildcats’ radar.
Tyree said there are plenty of programs in the mix for his services in 2013.
“Arizona’s been recruiting me since Day 1,” Robinson said. “UCLA, a lot of Pac-12 schools, Washington, Oregon. A lot more schools are coming in. Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Miami. I’d like to play basketball and football, so I have dual offers, too.
“Arizona offered me in football, too. They offered me in basketball my freshman year and they offered me in football last year.”
At this point, Robinson said he and his brother are open to the teams recruiting them, and they are going to take their time with a decision.
“Yeah, very wide open,” he said. “I have to really sit down, talk to my family and brother. We’re going to take a couple visits. I’ve been to Arizona, I did like it, there’s nothing bad about it. But I want to take my recruitment real slow.”
The Robinson twins have a good relationship with Sean Miller’s staff , and as part of the Drew Gooden Soldiers AAU program, the brothers know some of the players who currently attend UA or will make their way to Tucson next fall.
“Me and coach Miller have a great relationship - actually, all of the Arizona coaches,” Tyree said. “A lot of players I’ve played with are going to Arizona. My cousin, Jamelle Horne, played at Arizona. He’s just telling me it’s a good school.”
On the football side, Tyree said that he hasn’t heard from Rodriguez or his staff yet.
* 2014 prospect Stanley Johnson of Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei continues to be recruited by UA. After assistant coach Joe Pasternack stopped by to see him earlier this season, the Wildcats once again stopped by to see Johnson Wednesday night when the Monarchs took on Rancho Santa Margarita (Calif.) Santa Margarita.
The following night Johnson was one of a handful of UA targets in attendance for the Wildcats’ contest with UCLA at Honda Center. The four-star recruit doesn’t yet hold an offer from the ‘Cats, but the program continues to show steady interest in him.
Johnson is planning to take an unofficial visit to Tucson for the Wildcats’ home game with the Bruins on Feb. 25. He is being recruited by both programs at this time.
* 2013 recruit Isaac Hamilton, who is in his first season at Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco, has not been too high of a priority for UA as he has continued to make a transition from more of a scoring guard to one who distributes the ball more. However, Richardson was in attendance Wednesday night when the Braves took on San Juan Capistrano (Calif.) JSerra. Hamilton is not considered one of UA’s main targets at this point, but it is certainly a recruitment to keep an eye on going forward.
* There were plenty of recruits in attendance for UA’s loss to UCLA at Honda Center on Thursday night. Tyree Robinson (2013), Tyrell Robinson (2013), Jordan Bell (2013), Shaqquan Aaron (2014), Stanley Johnson (2014) and Gabe York (2012 UA signee) were some of the notable Wildcat targets - and signee - in the crowd during the Wooden Classic.
Aaron, who currently attends Woodland Hills (Calif.) Taft, has not been cleared to play with his school’s team and is still awaiting a response after having a hearing in mid-December. The four-star prospect has a decent-sized list of suitors, but at this point UA sits in a good spot in his recruitment.
2012 commits:
* Four-star prospect Gabe York recently had surgery to remove his appendix and will miss some time. Right now the timetable for his return has been set at six weeks, but there is a chance he could come back sooner than that. Prior to the surgery, the 2012 UA signee had posted three straight 30-plus-point performances in the Orange Holiday Classic for Orange (Calif.) Lutheran.
* Fellow 2012 signee Grant Jerrett told GOAZCATS.com last week that he has been battling a bit of a foot injury, but it doesn’t appear to have hampered him too much. The La Verne (Calif.) Lutheran big man scored 35 points in his team’s final game at the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic and then followed that up with a 25-point performance (in three quarters) against Montclair last Tuesday.
He also posted a 22-point game against Chino Hills, Calif., last Thursday in a Trojans’ win. Jerrett also said that he’s been putting a little more emphasis on his jump shooting this season, and it really showed in the win over Montclair. In that contest Jerrett was hitting jump shots consistently from outside as well as from around 15-feet away from the basket.
Jerrett was in attendance Sunday afternoon for UA’s game in Los Angeles against USC at the Galen Center.
* Brandon Ashley continues to have an impressive senior season with Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep. The nation’s 13th-ranked prospect overall was the star in the Pilots’ last game on Friday night. In that contest with Simi Valley (Calif.) Stoneridge Prep, Ashley was the star with a double-double performance.
The five-star recruit finished the game with 17 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks.
* Kaleb Tarczewski led his team from Southborugh (Mass.) St. Mark’s last Friday with 17 points in a win over Barrington (R.I.) St. Andrew’s.
You can catch Tarczewski on ESPNU at noon MST on Jan. 15 when St. Mark’s takes on Wynnewood (Pa.) Friends’ Central School at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.
This post was edited on 1/9 5:20 AM by Matt Moreno
This post was edited on 1/9 7:41 AM by Tracy McDannald
