Now begins one of the busier weeks at Arizona, with both the football and men's basketball teams preparing for a pair of big Dec. 15 games.
Basketball
Before we look ahead to Florida, it's important to look at just what happened on the road Saturday at Texas Tech.
* After the first 10 minutes of the game, the Wildcats looked like a beaten team for the rest of the half and into the midway point of the second half. Play was erratic, long jump shots were settled for and contested, and there looked like very little cohesion on offense.
But on a night Solomon Hill made just 2 of 16 shots, Arizona showed one thing that it missed all of last season - and, ironically, could have used in that game at Florida.
Mark Lyons simply took control of the action.
Make a mental note of that game when you think about turning points and the maturation process of this team. Lyons delivered the type of leadership that the Wildcats need.
His previous two games proved that much, with the ability to put one bad game behind him, display enough confidence to talk about how the next would be different and then back his words up with his performance. Not everyone in the country can do that.
And his teammates feed off his energy and actions. It's important to have guys like Hill, who would much rather let his play speak for itself. But Lyons gives the team a swagger.
Look back to Kaleb Tarczewski jawing back and forth with Devin Booker. The 7-footer showed a side of him that not too many have seen. This team is starting to take on their floor general's personality a bit, and that's not far off from Miller's demeanor, either.
This team also is starting to prove it's a better defensive unit, as a whole. While the opposition's 3-point shooting numbers have been a concern early, the 'Cats find themselves getting out in transition much more - in particular, Nick Johnson. Just look at all of the steals he's had that have led to fastbreak dunks.
In the paint, UA's length is becoming a real problem for teams, and teams are finding it tough to get into their offense and produce easy points. How many times already has an opponent had to reset its offense and force up a shot with the clock running down?
* Now, about Florida …
Both teams will come into the game 7-0 and ranked in the top 10, but the Gators will be 10 days removed from their last game, a Dec. 5 win over Florida State. Arizona, of course, has this entire week between games because of final exams.
Florida's top four scorers are all upperclassmen, with the top three being seniors. Kenny Boynton, Erik Murphy, Mark Rosario and Patric Young each average double figures in scoring. In a lot of ways, the Gators and Wildcats are similar with the balance and depth.
The biggest difference would be the experience. While Arizona has its share in Lyons, Hill, Johnson, Kevin Parrom and Jordin Mayes, there are also the three true freshmen contributors who make up the bulk of the frontcourt. That trio, plus Angelo Chol, will have to contend with Young, who torched the Wildcats for 25 points on 12-of-15 shooting and 10 rebounds in last season's meeting in Gainesville.
Meanwhile, the Gators play just one true freshmen, Michael Frazier, who logs just shy of 17 minutes per game and has been a threat from beyond the arc.
* It will be the first game at McKale between top-10 teams since Arizona hosted Stanford on Jan. 10, 2004, when the fourth-ranked Cardinal topped the No. 3 Wildcats, 82-72.
* The other big news this week came Thursday, when the athletic department received the approval from the Arizona Board of Regents to seek an architect for an estimated $80 million renovation to McKale Center.
Among the proposed upgrades: expanding the arena outward, locker rooms, academic rooms, restrooms, seating and concessions. In its 39 years, McKale has yet to receive a significant facelift.
The fundraising process is underway. The timeline for the renovations to begin is June 2014 and completion by the summer of 2017, all while the arena remains open.
In addition, an $18.5 million South Stadium Parking Structure was approved. The garage will have 900 spaces for dorm residents and fans, and it is expected to be completed by September 2014.
Football
* GOAZCATS.com learned some interesting news from junior running back Daniel Jenkins.
The 5-9 backup redshirted as a true freshman in 2009, so he is a senior academically. Earlier in the week, Jenkins posted a photo of himself alongside a few teammates and athletic director Greg Byrne during a breakfast for graduates.
That's right, Jenkins will have his degree this December. That also means, of course, that he does not necessarily have to play football at Arizona next season and play immediately, if he elects to transfer.
When asked whether he would play football, period, next season, Jenkins pulled back with a smile and simply said, "We'll see, man, we'll see …"
That will be a situation worth tracking as the offseason progresses. While Jenkins did not hint one way or another, there's still the fact that he will be playing behind a much-hyped preseason Heisman contender in 2013.
* The other big news Sunday came from ex-Wildcat and all-time leading passer Nick Foles.
The Philadelphia Eagles rookie, in just his fifth career start, threw a pair of touchdowns in final four minutes - including the game-winning 1-yard strike with no time remaining in a 23-21 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Foles reportedly called his own play on the score, which snapped the Eagles' eight-game losing streak.
Foles, who will be the starter for the remainder of the season, completed 32 of 51 passes for a career-high 381 yards and two scores. He also rushed for a team-high 27 yards and a touchdown.
The 6-6 signal caller became just the third rookie quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least 350 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, joining this year's No. 1 pick Andrew Luck and Billy Joe Tolliver.
Ex-teammate Ka'Deem Carey, who happens to also be an Eagles fan, was ecstatic for both his team and friend.
"I feel like I know what he's thinking out on the field, just being back there last year with him for a lot of reps," Carey said.
* Not to mention, it was a big day for co-offensive coordinator Calvin Magee, who was tabbed FootballScoop running backs coach of the year.
"Coaching the nation's leading rusher, doing a great job with our offense," head coach Rich Rodriguez said of his assistant. "Calvin does a great job every year with the backs. But I think when your back has a year like Ka'Deem, you get a little more attention. But he's well deserving, he's a great football coach."
Carey, meanwhile, has credited Magee with helping him understand the importance of locating the cutback lane.
"Once I start hitting it, that's when I turned into a different back," Carey said. "So I'm definitely always going to remember that."
Carey added that he and Magee have clicked since Day 1. The sophomore recalled the first conversation between the two, with Carey just off his freshman campaign and a confident Magee telling him that it was going to be a "big year."
Little did he know that would translate into first-team All-American honors from various outlets.
"I didn't know what to expect but this is what happened," Carey said.
And it's usually top assistants that are next in line for head coaching jobs or other opportunities at different schools.
In a bit of a surprise, Rodriguez openly discussed how he handles such situations and inquiries from other schools about his assistants.
"As a head coach, you have to have a little bit of attention to it," Rodriguez said. "You've got to be prepared in case one of your guys moves on or gets a head coaching job.
"You always kind of have a few guys in mind (as possible replacements). A lot of coaches keep lists; I have an idea in my mind of some other guys because you don't want to be totally off guard. But, at the same time, if one of your guys gets a head coaching job or moves on to the NFL, you've got to be prepared to find someone."
* Now, about Nevada …
Rodriguez said he has watched the Wolfpack from various points of the season, including a season-opening 31-24 win at Cal on Sept. 1.
Rodriguez said that victory proved their worth, regardless of what conference they compete in. If anything, he added, Nevada will be a tougher opponent now compared to 3 months ago.
"The games earlier in the year I don't think mean as much as the ones later in the year," Rodriguez said. "Normally, you expect if they're going to do things, they're going to do things like they did in the last few games of the year."
* Don't expect the Wildcats to treat this bowl much differently than any regular-season games. Part of that is because of the short wait time between the end of the regular season and Saturday's matchup, which will be the first bowl game of the postseason.
"It's just like a bye week," UA wide receiver Dan Buckner said.
* Outside of the storyline highlighting the nation's top two rushers, there is not a whole lot of juice to this game.
When you look at the roster, the only one with any bit of a tie to New Mexico is Christian Upshaw, who transferred from Western New Mexico. But Silver City is still four hours from Albuquerque.
The closest tie you may be able to find between the two teams is between a pair of Hawaiians. Arizona true freshman linebacker Keoni Bush-Loo and Nevada redshirt freshman defensive back Soni Mailei both list Ewa Beach as their hometowns, although they attended different high schools and competed in separate leagues.
So, what do the others think about New Mexico?
"Never been to Albuquerque," receiver Austin Hill said after thinking about it for a bit. "I don't even know what it looks like."
And when you look at Nevada's roster, you won't find a single Arizona tie as most players are California natives.
* Now, here's the recruiting breakdown from Matt Moreno:
It's a busy time for both the football and basketball programs at Arizona. On the basketball side of things, there is an upcoming visit from 2013 center prospect Kameron Rooks on the horizon along with an important test against Florida, as well.
For Rodriguez and the football program there is also a lot going on. The Wildcats continue to prepare for Saturday's New Mexico Bowl against Nevada and it's the thick of the recruiting season, with National Signing Day now less than two months away. All while that was going on, the program became the first school to earn a commitment from a high school freshman when a 2016 prospect gave the Wildcats his pledge after an unofficial visit over the weekend.
With a lot of activity taking place over the last few days as well as a lot of things coming up, let's get right into it.
Football recruiting
Shea Patterson (right) and Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez on the 2016 quarterback's visit. (Courtesy of Bryan Ehrlich)
* The big news to come out Friday afternoon was the commitment of 2016 - yes, 2016 - quarterback prospect Shea Patterson from Hidalgo, Texas. The 6-foot-1 recruit gave the Wildcats his pledge while on an unofficial visit.
Patterson's commitment, which is believed to be the earliest for a football pledge at Arizona, came as somewhat of a surprise as much of the focus lately has been on finishing up the 2013 class and beginning to work on the 2014 recruiting class.
To give you an idea of how all this came together and how the Wildcats ended up earning a pledge from a high school freshman, here's a look at how it happened:
* The connection initially began earlier this season when Patterson's coach at Hidalgo, Scott Ford, began sending early highlights to college programs around the country and that's when the interest began with the Wildcats.
Because he is so young, Patterson isn't allowed by NCAA rules to interact with the UA staff until he's on campus on a visit. With all the contact happening between the UA staff and Ford, the two parties set up an unofficial visit for this past weekend.
"We kind of wanted to be proactive with that so it didn't become crazy," Patterson's father, Sean, told GOAZCATS.com on Sunday. "Shea's a pretty serious kid, and I don't think he's the kind of kid who wanted a circus. Arizona got the video and they really liked him.
"Coach Ford had conversations with their staff, so we set up a visit to come out here. We just fell in love with the place and coach Rodriguez - and he offered. I told Shea that there's no pressure, but if it feels right then do what you want to do.
"Then he told coach Rodriguez that he was going to be his quarterback for 2016 and he committed on the spot."
For Patterson and his family the decision was a no-brainer for a multitude of reasons.
"Actually, no, I wasn't," Shea Patterson told GOAZCATS.com about if he was expecting to leave Tucson a Wildcat commit. "I was expecting to come up here, see the campus and the coaching staff and what they thought of me. But when he offered it was definitely something I had to take advantage of and take it."
One of the biggest things that stood out about the Wildcats was the job that the staff did recruiting the freshman through the process so far.
"I just think the fact that they offered him - and coach Rodriguez has never offered a freshman - and the importance of that position in his offense, that was pretty much left unsaid," the elder Patterson said about UA being happy with the decision. "By them just having the confidence and they had a couple days to interact with him out here on his unofficial visit. He's a pretty good evaluator of quarterbacks - coach Rodriguez - because we've followed him from West Virginia and obviously Michigan - we're from Ohio and moved to Texas.
"By him (Rodriguez) just having the confidence in offering Shea, that said a lot to us."
Keeping Patterson on board with the Wildcats could end up being a tough task if his career progresses as expected, but the Patterson family doesn't feel there should be any reason to think he won't be in an Arizona uniform come 2016.
"A verbal commitment from Shea is not like a verbal commitment from most people," Sean Patterson said. "He's pretty committed for a 15-year-old kid."
* Patterson is a Team USA quarterback, as is current 2013 Arizona commit Anu Solomon. There is a USA Football camp coming up in the next couple months, so the two future Wildcats could cross paths at that point in time.
* Now with their first commitment from the 2016 class wrapped up, there is still plenty of work to do when it comes to a couple of the earlier classes.
At this point, things are starting wind down for the 2013 class, but there are still two recent visitors who have yet to make their decisions. T.J. Johnson and Aaron Cochran took official visits to Tucson but continue to wait out the process.
Johnson might still visit a couple other schools, including Maryland, but his trip to Arizona went very well and it could only be a matter of time before he pulls the trigger on a commitment with the Wildcats.
Cochran continues to listen to his suitors and his latest in-home visit came with Oklahoma - which is a school that has been making a strong push for the big offensive tackle recruit.
* Getting started on the 2014 class will be the next priority after the 2013 class is signed and ready to go. However, there is still a very good chance that the Wildcats receive a commitment from a current high school junior before that February date.
One recruit to keep an eye on is Peoria (Ariz.) Centennial offensive tackle recruit Layth Friekh. The 6-foot-5, 270-pound prospect has already visited Tucson this season and the plan is to visit once again this winter.
Friekh's father is an alum of Arizona and that could play into his final decision-making process. The Wildcats are doing very well with the three-star prospect and that hasn't subsided in recent weeks.
"Growing up I have been a U of A fan," Friekh said. "U of A is who I am probably looking at the most but ASU and U of A are both about the same right now. The main out-of-state school I am looking at right now is Washington. I have had some contact with USC and UCLA."
Friekh is planning to visit Arizona State again in the near future and he also plans on taking a trip to Washington.
One thing the offensive tackle prospect wants to accomplish is a quick decision, but he also wants to take some visits and go through the process a little bit.
"I think that I want to commit early on but I am not sure of when exactly," Friekh said. "I think I would like to do it early but I know I want to take a few visits before I decide."
Arizona is doing very well with Friekh, so we'll have to wait and see how things develop.
* There was quite a bit of concern when three-star 2013 running back commit Pierre Cormier decided he was going to take some visits. He took one trip and things have been fairly quiet. Cormier is in his senior year at San Diego (Calif.) Madison, but he could still take some visits once the season is over.
From what I've been hearing, Cormier's commitment to the Wildcats seems to be becoming more solid as time moves on. The talented running back is obviously close with his teammate and fellow UA commit Lee Walker, but he has also started to bond with the other Wildcat commits from his area.
"They actually call us the Fab Five of San Diego," Walker told GOAZCATS.com last week. "So we've grown a bond with them and we all plan on going out there together. ... Not everybody is lucky enough to be going to a school that actually cares and is able to go there with somebody you've known for four years now (Cormier).
"Then being able to go there with three other guys who are coming from San Diego, I mean, that's a bonus, too. It feels great to know that and to able to call each other friends."
Basketball recruiting
It's not only a busy time for the football program at Arizona, Sean Miller and his staff also have to recruit while their season is going on as well. The UA staff has made it a point to get out and see quite a few recruits recently, but this weekend the program will have one coming in to visit them.
* 2013 center prospect Kameron Rooks is expected to take an official visit to Tucson beginning this weekend. The 7-footer has continued to pick up offers, with his most recent being from Connecticut. His list of interested schools has continued to grow as well.
At this point it's not likely that the UConn offer changes any of his plans, but it will be a wait-and-see with that one.
The Wildcats have done well so far with the big center prospect, but his visit for Arizona's game with Florida will be a big one. The plan heading into the visit is to make a decision some time shortly after the trip to Tucson.
* On the flip side of that is five-star wing Aaron Gordon. The San Jose (Calif.) Archbishop Mitty prospect is continuing to take his time with the process as he continues to monitor each situation.
Lately, the word has been that the Wildcats have pulled slightly ahead of the other two programs still being considered by the five-star recruit - Kentucky and Washington. At this point, one of the bigger factors in favor of UA has been its record. The Wildcats remain undefeated, and picking a program he'll have a chance to win at is near the top of the list of priorities for Gordon.
At this point it's safe to say that Arizona is cautiously optimistic about Gordon's recruitment. There is still a long way to go until he comes to a final decision, but the Wildcats continue to build momentum as things near the spring signing period.
* Another recruit who the Wildcats have continued to do well with is five-star 2014 wing prospect Stanley Johnson. The Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei prospect is also taking his time with the recruiting process, but Arizona has made an impression on the versatile recruit already.
"Coach Miller has always been straight-forward and genuine with me." Johnson told GOAZCATS.com last week. "I can tell by the look on his face that he's probably one of the only coaches who was being honest with me from the beginning and I like that a lot about him."
Even though he is taking his time right now, Johnson does have an idea of when he wants to make his final choice.
"I'm shooting (to make my decision) by the fall (of 2013)," Johnson said. "Hopefully by next fall I'll have it down."
All three of these recruitments are ones to keep an eye on as the Wildcats continue to do well with all three prospects.
This post was edited on 12/10 3:09 AM by Tracy McDannald
Basketball
Before we look ahead to Florida, it's important to look at just what happened on the road Saturday at Texas Tech.
* After the first 10 minutes of the game, the Wildcats looked like a beaten team for the rest of the half and into the midway point of the second half. Play was erratic, long jump shots were settled for and contested, and there looked like very little cohesion on offense.
But on a night Solomon Hill made just 2 of 16 shots, Arizona showed one thing that it missed all of last season - and, ironically, could have used in that game at Florida.
Mark Lyons simply took control of the action.
Make a mental note of that game when you think about turning points and the maturation process of this team. Lyons delivered the type of leadership that the Wildcats need.
His previous two games proved that much, with the ability to put one bad game behind him, display enough confidence to talk about how the next would be different and then back his words up with his performance. Not everyone in the country can do that.
And his teammates feed off his energy and actions. It's important to have guys like Hill, who would much rather let his play speak for itself. But Lyons gives the team a swagger.
Look back to Kaleb Tarczewski jawing back and forth with Devin Booker. The 7-footer showed a side of him that not too many have seen. This team is starting to take on their floor general's personality a bit, and that's not far off from Miller's demeanor, either.
This team also is starting to prove it's a better defensive unit, as a whole. While the opposition's 3-point shooting numbers have been a concern early, the 'Cats find themselves getting out in transition much more - in particular, Nick Johnson. Just look at all of the steals he's had that have led to fastbreak dunks.
In the paint, UA's length is becoming a real problem for teams, and teams are finding it tough to get into their offense and produce easy points. How many times already has an opponent had to reset its offense and force up a shot with the clock running down?
* Now, about Florida …
Both teams will come into the game 7-0 and ranked in the top 10, but the Gators will be 10 days removed from their last game, a Dec. 5 win over Florida State. Arizona, of course, has this entire week between games because of final exams.
Florida's top four scorers are all upperclassmen, with the top three being seniors. Kenny Boynton, Erik Murphy, Mark Rosario and Patric Young each average double figures in scoring. In a lot of ways, the Gators and Wildcats are similar with the balance and depth.
The biggest difference would be the experience. While Arizona has its share in Lyons, Hill, Johnson, Kevin Parrom and Jordin Mayes, there are also the three true freshmen contributors who make up the bulk of the frontcourt. That trio, plus Angelo Chol, will have to contend with Young, who torched the Wildcats for 25 points on 12-of-15 shooting and 10 rebounds in last season's meeting in Gainesville.
Meanwhile, the Gators play just one true freshmen, Michael Frazier, who logs just shy of 17 minutes per game and has been a threat from beyond the arc.
* It will be the first game at McKale between top-10 teams since Arizona hosted Stanford on Jan. 10, 2004, when the fourth-ranked Cardinal topped the No. 3 Wildcats, 82-72.
* The other big news this week came Thursday, when the athletic department received the approval from the Arizona Board of Regents to seek an architect for an estimated $80 million renovation to McKale Center.
Among the proposed upgrades: expanding the arena outward, locker rooms, academic rooms, restrooms, seating and concessions. In its 39 years, McKale has yet to receive a significant facelift.
The fundraising process is underway. The timeline for the renovations to begin is June 2014 and completion by the summer of 2017, all while the arena remains open.
In addition, an $18.5 million South Stadium Parking Structure was approved. The garage will have 900 spaces for dorm residents and fans, and it is expected to be completed by September 2014.
Football
* GOAZCATS.com learned some interesting news from junior running back Daniel Jenkins.
The 5-9 backup redshirted as a true freshman in 2009, so he is a senior academically. Earlier in the week, Jenkins posted a photo of himself alongside a few teammates and athletic director Greg Byrne during a breakfast for graduates.
That's right, Jenkins will have his degree this December. That also means, of course, that he does not necessarily have to play football at Arizona next season and play immediately, if he elects to transfer.
When asked whether he would play football, period, next season, Jenkins pulled back with a smile and simply said, "We'll see, man, we'll see …"
That will be a situation worth tracking as the offseason progresses. While Jenkins did not hint one way or another, there's still the fact that he will be playing behind a much-hyped preseason Heisman contender in 2013.
* The other big news Sunday came from ex-Wildcat and all-time leading passer Nick Foles.
The Philadelphia Eagles rookie, in just his fifth career start, threw a pair of touchdowns in final four minutes - including the game-winning 1-yard strike with no time remaining in a 23-21 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Foles reportedly called his own play on the score, which snapped the Eagles' eight-game losing streak.
Foles, who will be the starter for the remainder of the season, completed 32 of 51 passes for a career-high 381 yards and two scores. He also rushed for a team-high 27 yards and a touchdown.
The 6-6 signal caller became just the third rookie quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least 350 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, joining this year's No. 1 pick Andrew Luck and Billy Joe Tolliver.
Ex-teammate Ka'Deem Carey, who happens to also be an Eagles fan, was ecstatic for both his team and friend.
"I feel like I know what he's thinking out on the field, just being back there last year with him for a lot of reps," Carey said.
* Not to mention, it was a big day for co-offensive coordinator Calvin Magee, who was tabbed FootballScoop running backs coach of the year.
"Coaching the nation's leading rusher, doing a great job with our offense," head coach Rich Rodriguez said of his assistant. "Calvin does a great job every year with the backs. But I think when your back has a year like Ka'Deem, you get a little more attention. But he's well deserving, he's a great football coach."
Carey, meanwhile, has credited Magee with helping him understand the importance of locating the cutback lane.
"Once I start hitting it, that's when I turned into a different back," Carey said. "So I'm definitely always going to remember that."
Carey added that he and Magee have clicked since Day 1. The sophomore recalled the first conversation between the two, with Carey just off his freshman campaign and a confident Magee telling him that it was going to be a "big year."
Little did he know that would translate into first-team All-American honors from various outlets.
"I didn't know what to expect but this is what happened," Carey said.
And it's usually top assistants that are next in line for head coaching jobs or other opportunities at different schools.
In a bit of a surprise, Rodriguez openly discussed how he handles such situations and inquiries from other schools about his assistants.
"As a head coach, you have to have a little bit of attention to it," Rodriguez said. "You've got to be prepared in case one of your guys moves on or gets a head coaching job.
"You always kind of have a few guys in mind (as possible replacements). A lot of coaches keep lists; I have an idea in my mind of some other guys because you don't want to be totally off guard. But, at the same time, if one of your guys gets a head coaching job or moves on to the NFL, you've got to be prepared to find someone."
* Now, about Nevada …
Rodriguez said he has watched the Wolfpack from various points of the season, including a season-opening 31-24 win at Cal on Sept. 1.
Rodriguez said that victory proved their worth, regardless of what conference they compete in. If anything, he added, Nevada will be a tougher opponent now compared to 3 months ago.
"The games earlier in the year I don't think mean as much as the ones later in the year," Rodriguez said. "Normally, you expect if they're going to do things, they're going to do things like they did in the last few games of the year."
* Don't expect the Wildcats to treat this bowl much differently than any regular-season games. Part of that is because of the short wait time between the end of the regular season and Saturday's matchup, which will be the first bowl game of the postseason.
"It's just like a bye week," UA wide receiver Dan Buckner said.
* Outside of the storyline highlighting the nation's top two rushers, there is not a whole lot of juice to this game.
When you look at the roster, the only one with any bit of a tie to New Mexico is Christian Upshaw, who transferred from Western New Mexico. But Silver City is still four hours from Albuquerque.
The closest tie you may be able to find between the two teams is between a pair of Hawaiians. Arizona true freshman linebacker Keoni Bush-Loo and Nevada redshirt freshman defensive back Soni Mailei both list Ewa Beach as their hometowns, although they attended different high schools and competed in separate leagues.
So, what do the others think about New Mexico?
"Never been to Albuquerque," receiver Austin Hill said after thinking about it for a bit. "I don't even know what it looks like."
And when you look at Nevada's roster, you won't find a single Arizona tie as most players are California natives.
* Now, here's the recruiting breakdown from Matt Moreno:
It's a busy time for both the football and basketball programs at Arizona. On the basketball side of things, there is an upcoming visit from 2013 center prospect Kameron Rooks on the horizon along with an important test against Florida, as well.
For Rodriguez and the football program there is also a lot going on. The Wildcats continue to prepare for Saturday's New Mexico Bowl against Nevada and it's the thick of the recruiting season, with National Signing Day now less than two months away. All while that was going on, the program became the first school to earn a commitment from a high school freshman when a 2016 prospect gave the Wildcats his pledge after an unofficial visit over the weekend.
With a lot of activity taking place over the last few days as well as a lot of things coming up, let's get right into it.
Football recruiting
Shea Patterson (right) and Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez on the 2016 quarterback's visit. (Courtesy of Bryan Ehrlich)
* The big news to come out Friday afternoon was the commitment of 2016 - yes, 2016 - quarterback prospect Shea Patterson from Hidalgo, Texas. The 6-foot-1 recruit gave the Wildcats his pledge while on an unofficial visit.
Patterson's commitment, which is believed to be the earliest for a football pledge at Arizona, came as somewhat of a surprise as much of the focus lately has been on finishing up the 2013 class and beginning to work on the 2014 recruiting class.
To give you an idea of how all this came together and how the Wildcats ended up earning a pledge from a high school freshman, here's a look at how it happened:
* The connection initially began earlier this season when Patterson's coach at Hidalgo, Scott Ford, began sending early highlights to college programs around the country and that's when the interest began with the Wildcats.
Because he is so young, Patterson isn't allowed by NCAA rules to interact with the UA staff until he's on campus on a visit. With all the contact happening between the UA staff and Ford, the two parties set up an unofficial visit for this past weekend.
"We kind of wanted to be proactive with that so it didn't become crazy," Patterson's father, Sean, told GOAZCATS.com on Sunday. "Shea's a pretty serious kid, and I don't think he's the kind of kid who wanted a circus. Arizona got the video and they really liked him.
"Coach Ford had conversations with their staff, so we set up a visit to come out here. We just fell in love with the place and coach Rodriguez - and he offered. I told Shea that there's no pressure, but if it feels right then do what you want to do.
"Then he told coach Rodriguez that he was going to be his quarterback for 2016 and he committed on the spot."
For Patterson and his family the decision was a no-brainer for a multitude of reasons.
"Actually, no, I wasn't," Shea Patterson told GOAZCATS.com about if he was expecting to leave Tucson a Wildcat commit. "I was expecting to come up here, see the campus and the coaching staff and what they thought of me. But when he offered it was definitely something I had to take advantage of and take it."
One of the biggest things that stood out about the Wildcats was the job that the staff did recruiting the freshman through the process so far.
"I just think the fact that they offered him - and coach Rodriguez has never offered a freshman - and the importance of that position in his offense, that was pretty much left unsaid," the elder Patterson said about UA being happy with the decision. "By them just having the confidence and they had a couple days to interact with him out here on his unofficial visit. He's a pretty good evaluator of quarterbacks - coach Rodriguez - because we've followed him from West Virginia and obviously Michigan - we're from Ohio and moved to Texas.
"By him (Rodriguez) just having the confidence in offering Shea, that said a lot to us."
Keeping Patterson on board with the Wildcats could end up being a tough task if his career progresses as expected, but the Patterson family doesn't feel there should be any reason to think he won't be in an Arizona uniform come 2016.
"A verbal commitment from Shea is not like a verbal commitment from most people," Sean Patterson said. "He's pretty committed for a 15-year-old kid."
* Patterson is a Team USA quarterback, as is current 2013 Arizona commit Anu Solomon. There is a USA Football camp coming up in the next couple months, so the two future Wildcats could cross paths at that point in time.
* Now with their first commitment from the 2016 class wrapped up, there is still plenty of work to do when it comes to a couple of the earlier classes.
At this point, things are starting wind down for the 2013 class, but there are still two recent visitors who have yet to make their decisions. T.J. Johnson and Aaron Cochran took official visits to Tucson but continue to wait out the process.
Johnson might still visit a couple other schools, including Maryland, but his trip to Arizona went very well and it could only be a matter of time before he pulls the trigger on a commitment with the Wildcats.
Cochran continues to listen to his suitors and his latest in-home visit came with Oklahoma - which is a school that has been making a strong push for the big offensive tackle recruit.
* Getting started on the 2014 class will be the next priority after the 2013 class is signed and ready to go. However, there is still a very good chance that the Wildcats receive a commitment from a current high school junior before that February date.
One recruit to keep an eye on is Peoria (Ariz.) Centennial offensive tackle recruit Layth Friekh. The 6-foot-5, 270-pound prospect has already visited Tucson this season and the plan is to visit once again this winter.
Friekh's father is an alum of Arizona and that could play into his final decision-making process. The Wildcats are doing very well with the three-star prospect and that hasn't subsided in recent weeks.
"Growing up I have been a U of A fan," Friekh said. "U of A is who I am probably looking at the most but ASU and U of A are both about the same right now. The main out-of-state school I am looking at right now is Washington. I have had some contact with USC and UCLA."
Friekh is planning to visit Arizona State again in the near future and he also plans on taking a trip to Washington.
One thing the offensive tackle prospect wants to accomplish is a quick decision, but he also wants to take some visits and go through the process a little bit.
"I think that I want to commit early on but I am not sure of when exactly," Friekh said. "I think I would like to do it early but I know I want to take a few visits before I decide."
Arizona is doing very well with Friekh, so we'll have to wait and see how things develop.
* There was quite a bit of concern when three-star 2013 running back commit Pierre Cormier decided he was going to take some visits. He took one trip and things have been fairly quiet. Cormier is in his senior year at San Diego (Calif.) Madison, but he could still take some visits once the season is over.
From what I've been hearing, Cormier's commitment to the Wildcats seems to be becoming more solid as time moves on. The talented running back is obviously close with his teammate and fellow UA commit Lee Walker, but he has also started to bond with the other Wildcat commits from his area.
"They actually call us the Fab Five of San Diego," Walker told GOAZCATS.com last week. "So we've grown a bond with them and we all plan on going out there together. ... Not everybody is lucky enough to be going to a school that actually cares and is able to go there with somebody you've known for four years now (Cormier).
"Then being able to go there with three other guys who are coming from San Diego, I mean, that's a bonus, too. It feels great to know that and to able to call each other friends."
Basketball recruiting
It's not only a busy time for the football program at Arizona, Sean Miller and his staff also have to recruit while their season is going on as well. The UA staff has made it a point to get out and see quite a few recruits recently, but this weekend the program will have one coming in to visit them.
* 2013 center prospect Kameron Rooks is expected to take an official visit to Tucson beginning this weekend. The 7-footer has continued to pick up offers, with his most recent being from Connecticut. His list of interested schools has continued to grow as well.
At this point it's not likely that the UConn offer changes any of his plans, but it will be a wait-and-see with that one.
The Wildcats have done well so far with the big center prospect, but his visit for Arizona's game with Florida will be a big one. The plan heading into the visit is to make a decision some time shortly after the trip to Tucson.
* On the flip side of that is five-star wing Aaron Gordon. The San Jose (Calif.) Archbishop Mitty prospect is continuing to take his time with the process as he continues to monitor each situation.
Lately, the word has been that the Wildcats have pulled slightly ahead of the other two programs still being considered by the five-star recruit - Kentucky and Washington. At this point, one of the bigger factors in favor of UA has been its record. The Wildcats remain undefeated, and picking a program he'll have a chance to win at is near the top of the list of priorities for Gordon.
At this point it's safe to say that Arizona is cautiously optimistic about Gordon's recruitment. There is still a long way to go until he comes to a final decision, but the Wildcats continue to build momentum as things near the spring signing period.
* Another recruit who the Wildcats have continued to do well with is five-star 2014 wing prospect Stanley Johnson. The Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei prospect is also taking his time with the recruiting process, but Arizona has made an impression on the versatile recruit already.
"Coach Miller has always been straight-forward and genuine with me." Johnson told GOAZCATS.com last week. "I can tell by the look on his face that he's probably one of the only coaches who was being honest with me from the beginning and I like that a lot about him."
Even though he is taking his time right now, Johnson does have an idea of when he wants to make his final choice.
"I'm shooting (to make my decision) by the fall (of 2013)," Johnson said. "Hopefully by next fall I'll have it down."
All three of these recruitments are ones to keep an eye on as the Wildcats continue to do well with all three prospects.
This post was edited on 12/10 3:09 AM by Tracy McDannald
