We’re buying time with both sports now as news is slow in the middle of summer, but the updated 2011 Rivals150 in basketball gives us something to talk about.
Basketball:
* Rivals.com came out with its updated 2011 rankings on Thursday. Here's where the UA recruits are rated, with our thoughts on where the Wildcats stand with all of them:
12. Josiah Turner: Arizona has kind of hung around Josiah Turner's recruitment, and he could be someone the Wildcats press for following the July Evaluation Period. UA has some connections to Turner, but he's going to have numerous top programs fighting for him. Right now he’s a longshot, which could change if Arizona aggressively pursues him.
23. Quinn Cook: UA has long been one of the top schools for Cook and we expect him to take an unofficial to Tucson in early August. His previous planned unofficial got cancelled due to scheduling issues. He'll be a tough pull considering the elite programs pursuing him, but the Wildcats are seriously involved.
33. B.J. Young: A relatively new name to Arizona's list, this is a tough recruitment to handicap due to Young's academic issues. He's a high level prospect good enough to play almost anywhere, but many schools are proceeding with caution due to his grades.
36. Johnny O'Bryant: This is a huge longshot, but Arizona has been trying to get involved.
43. Amir Williams: Arizona has been involved with Williams to various degrees over the past year. Book Richardson is still recruiting him and UA could get him to campus in August. He's still a definite longshot until further notice, however.
44. Norvel Pelle: Talking to sources close to this recruitment, not many schools have much of a clue where they stand with Pelle. Arizona has tried, but for now there’s not much reason to believe the Wildcats are near the top of Pelle’s list, and perhaps vice versa.
45. Nick Johnson: Without question Arizona's top 2011 target, we still feel that UA is in the driver's seat to land Johnson.
48. Norman Powell: Powell will see his recruitment blow up after schools watch him for the first time in July. Arizona has recruited him pretty heavily but it appears he's open and taking his time. He’s not really naming favorites, but UA is probably one of the top 3-5 schools on his list right now.
49. Jahii Carson: Carson is increasingly becoming a bigger target for Arizona, to the point where UA would love to package him with Nick Johnson and call it a backcourt for 2011. Carson and Johnson are good friends and this is becoming a bigger possibility.
62. Damien Leonard: Arizona is one of Leonard's final five and he unofficially visited UA in June. He's planning on taking an official visit to UA before making a decision, but the question is whether Arizona's other targets will make decisions before then.
65. Amir Garrett: UA offered Garrett after his breakout performance at the Pangos All-American Camp in June. Arizona will get the chance to evaluate him in July and see where he fits into the staff's plans.
67. Sidiki Johnson: Committed to Arizona
82. Kadeem Jack: There's not much left to say on this one. He's been on an official visit to Arizona and took an unofficial visit during the Skills Camp. There's no telling what Jack will decide to do or when.
86. Maurice Harkless: The only player on this list without a firm UA offer, Arizona will evaluate Harkless in July. He recently decommitted from UConn and the Wildcats have been recruiting him ever since.
117. Angel Nunez: A one-time serious UA recruit, Nunez has slipped over the spring and at the end of the day, it will be tough for the Wildcats to make a move on him.
* While that’s a rundown of where UA stands with these recruits now and gives a good idea of where each player falls on the Wildcats’ priority list, it’s important to note that over the next month, the Arizona staff will watch most of these players several times, which will likely mean changes in who is really wanted and who isn’t.
This time last year, Arizona was nearing closer to taking a commitment from Naadir Tharpe, was only somewhat recruiting Rod Odom, Daniel Bejarano was committed to Texas and not on UA’s list, Jordin Mayes was just a player Arizona planned to evaluate, Josh Selby was a recent Tennessee decommitment and someone UA was not much more than looking into and Jesse Perry wasn’t even on the radar.
We could go on, but the point is that a number of Arizona’s current targets are players that the UA staff has only evaluated a handful of times, if at all. A month from now, Arizona’s target list could look a lot different.
* Look for Rivals.com's first expanded 2012 rankings to come out on Friday. We can't release details, but the Wildcats have five serious recruits in the top 16.
* Nick Johnson and Jahii Carson roomed together at the Deron Williams Skills Academy last week and reportedly discussed playing together in college. That’s good news for UA, considering the Wildcats are probably in the best position with each player individually.
The biggest question has been whether the two would be willing to join the same recruiting class and if they would, that makes Arizona’s recruitment of both players an easier sell.
* Back to Young, he talked to Rivals.com about his school list and academic situation.
"I talked to Marquette, Indiana, Louisville, Southern Illinois, Illinois State, Missouri, Xavier, Purdue, Baylor, Virginia Tech, and Arizona," listed Young.
"They are telling me just to keep working on my game and on my grades. My grades are getting better and I just need to raise my ACT score. They all tell me if there is anything that I ever need to call them."
* Quinn Cook will join Sidiki Johnson at Oak Hill next season. That doesn’t really impact Arizona unless UA has room for another guard and Cook waits until the spring. It’s a longshot that both happen.
Football:
Another commitment this week means an updated recruiting breakdown:
Total Scholarships: 25 (14 left to give)
Offense: 12 (7 left to give)
Quarterback: 2 (1 Left, Daxx Garman committed)
Offensive Line: 5 (4 Left, Jacob Arzouman committed)
Running Back: 2 (0 Left, Ka’Deem Carey, Jared Baker committed)
Wide Receiver: 2 (2 Left)
Tight End: 1 (0 Left, Michael Cooper)
Defense: 12 (6 left to give)
Defensive End: 3 (2 Left, Joseph Carter committed)
Defensive Tackle 2 (2 Left)
Linebacker: 3 (0 Left, Jabral Johnson, Hank Hobson, Rob Hankins committed)
Defensive Back: 4 (2 Left, Kerry Swarn, Tra’Mayne Bondurant committed)
Special Teams: 1 (1 left to give)
Punter: 1 (1 Left)
Arizona is filled at running back, linebacker and tight end so all offers out to players at those positions no longer stand.
* There's been rumors that cornerback Dewayne Peace has decided to transfer from Arizona. Talking to sources close to the program, we've been told that Peace's future with the team is still up in the air and he's yet to make a decision, or informed the UA staff about what he plans to do.
If he does leave, it would likely be to a JUCO, which would signify he could be waiting to find out about his academic status before transferring. (JG)
* Jason Scheer’s weekly recruiting breakdown:
* This week Arizona received a commitment from Woodlands (Texas) tight end Michael Cooperhttp://arizona.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=1&pr_key=96587.
"First of all, when we went there, we got along with the coaches really easily; they're all really laid back and we had a great time up there," Cooper said.
"Football wise, playing tight end, I love to catch the ball, and they flex them out and do different things with them and get them the ball 60 times a year and that's a great opportunity.
"I'm planning on going into business, and the business school at Arizona is one of the tops in the country; it was really just a great fit."
Cooper will start off as a tight end, but there is a possibility that he will be a defensive end down the road. Arizona will get him on campus and evaluate his ability before making a decision on where he is better suited.
* Arizona lost out on Moreno Valley (Calif.) Rancho Verde tight end Junior Pomeehttp://rivals.yahoo.com/arizona/football/recruiting/player-Junior-Pomee-90067.
Pomee was very, very close to coming to Arizona after the elite camp and there was a strong feeling that he would be going to UA.
However, he took some time to go home and think about and UCLA worked to get Pomee on campus and the rest is history.
In reality, it shows the work that the staff put in, because the general consensus was always that Pomee was UCLA’s to lose. This really was a difficult decision for Pomee and the UA definitely had a legitimate shot to land him.
While gaining Cooper makes the sting of losing Pomee a little bit less, he was actually going to be used in more of a wide receiver role. We still do not expect Arizona to take a tight end unless an elite player comes along or at least one that causes the coaching staff to feel he can make a major impact at UA.
* Arizona also lost out on Scottsdale (Ariz.) Chaparral offensive lineman Andre Yruretagoyenahttp://rivals.yahoo.com/arizona/football/recruiting/player-Andre-Yruretagoyena-101135.
The only surprising aspect of the decision is the timing. Yruretagoyena’s family connections in Oregon were too much to overcome at the end, which definitely is not a surprise.
"It was a big factor," Yruretagoyena tells Rivals.com. "I'm the first D1 athlete on my dad's side of the family. I might be one of the first to go to college, so it's a real dream come true.
"But my dad lives in Portland with my step-mom and 14-month old brother who I barely get to see. So now that I am going to play in Eugene, they can drive down every weekend and see me play. It'll be a good thing for my brother to be brought up in Oregon football."
Losing out on Yruretagoyena hurts, but the Wildcats and other schools were likely working from behind from the start.
* One player to keep an eye on is 6-foot-2, 190-pound Inglewood (Calif.) wide receiver Patrick Onwuasorhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/arizona/football/recruiting/player-Patrick-Onwuasor-108482.
Onwuasor does not have an offer from Arizona, but the Wildcats are in the evaluation process and one could come down the road.
"I'm open to everybody to be honest," Onwuasor tells Rivals.com. "I want to base my decision on my trips. I want to go somewhere I can be for the next four years. Whoever can fit me right, that's where I'll be heading."
"I'll look hard at the players on campus and my relationship with the coaching staff. I'll also look at the area I'm going to be in. I'd prefer to go to a place that's in a bigger city - somewhere that's more like L.A. I'm comfortable in that kind of environment and not sure how I'd adjust to a place that's a lot smaller."
At this point Onwuasor is simply to keep an eye on, but as his momentum increases, it would not be a surprise to see Arizona offer.
* 6-foot-2, 265-pound Klein (Texas) Oak defensive lineman Jon Lewishttp://rivals.yahoo.com/arizona/football/recruiting/player-Jon-Lewis-108651 is getting closer to taking visits.
"I'm still wide open," he tells RedRaiderSports.com. "I haven't been to any schools yet, but that's going to change next month. I'm ready to get out there and see what they have to offer.
"Once I get around to seeing these schools and having an idea of what one brings over the other, I'll get closer to narrowing it down. Right now, though, I'm as wide open as I can be."
Arizona remains a long shot for Lewis, but crazier things have happened. The key will be getting him on campus and if the UA is able to do that, it should have a legitimate shot.
* Vista (Calif.) cornerback Stefan McClurehttp://rivals.yahoo.com/arizona/football/recruiting/player-Stefan-McClure-109227 is getting close to finalizing his top five schools.
"I'm trying to narrow it down to the top five," McClure tells Rivals.com. "I know for sure Washington and UCLA are in there and the rest I'm trying to sort out those last three schools."
McClure has plans to make his top five by the end of the summer, and Arizona is in relatively good shape to make it.
"Hopefully before August or the end of July I could have my top five,” he tells Rivals.com. “I'm going to look at all the schools, do my research, look at the depth and everything, look at the location, look at the coaching staffs I have a good relationship with and stuff like that."
McClure’s favorites are UCLA and Washington and while those two can be difficult to beat, the UA will attempt to get McClure on campus in order to shake things up a bit.
* Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro athlete Brock Hamanhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/arizona/football/recruiting/player-Brock-Haman-100959 will find out soon if Arizona is going to offer.
"Arizona told me they'd offer me for tight end and could offer within a week if they're going to offer,” he tells Rivals.com. “They sounded pretty strongly they're going to offer. Coach (Seth) Littrell has to have a meeting with Mike Stoops because he makes the final decision.”
Haman could be leaning towards staying in-state, but neither school has offered. Arizona State may not have a position for him and Arizona needs to figure out if it wants to take another tight end.
* One in-state player that did get an offer from Arizona is 6-foot-5, 272-pound offensive Glendale (Ariz.) Cactus lineman Ryan Nowickihttp://rivals.yahoo.com/arizona/football/recruiting/player-Ryan-Nowicki-108338.
"It's really good of course because it's close to home but they're a really good powerhouse team, they're on the rise," Nowicki tells Rivals.com. "They're starting to be a really big program and that's really good because with them in there they're turning it around and everybody will want to see them play now so that's good.
"It's definitely good because it's nice to have a good team, good coaches with a good background making the program rise. It means they're doing something right and that's always good to hear."
Nowicki has no intention of making a decision soon and says now that he has reached the next phase in his recruitment, he will start focusing more on the schools recruiting him.
Expect Nowicki to take visits and then proceed from there but, as of now, Arizona is in good position.
* Chicago Curie defensive end James Adeyanjuhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/arizona/football/recruiting/player-James-Adeyanju-101227 visited Arizona and the Wildcats may have made up a lot of ground.
"They definitely put themselves in a better standing with me," Adeyanju said. "Before I didn't know much about the school; I knew they were Arizona and they were in the Pac-10, and that was about it. But actually getting to see the school, it made me like them a lot more.
"They're definitely one of my favorites. They're a good school; it's a school I'm really considering now. I have been considering all of the schools, but I'm going to consider Arizona a lot more now."
One of the draws for the defensive lineman is the fact that Arizona will have plenty of room and playing time available next season.
"They say it's a good place with good people,” he said. “They say they're losing a lot of defensive ends my freshman year so there's a need at my position. They told me they're going to sign three defensive ends."
Arizona definitely helped itself with Adeyanju and as seems to be the case with most players from Illinois Arizona is recruiting, the Wildcats are now right in the thick of things.
Basketball:
* Rivals.com came out with its updated 2011 rankings on Thursday. Here's where the UA recruits are rated, with our thoughts on where the Wildcats stand with all of them:
12. Josiah Turner: Arizona has kind of hung around Josiah Turner's recruitment, and he could be someone the Wildcats press for following the July Evaluation Period. UA has some connections to Turner, but he's going to have numerous top programs fighting for him. Right now he’s a longshot, which could change if Arizona aggressively pursues him.
23. Quinn Cook: UA has long been one of the top schools for Cook and we expect him to take an unofficial to Tucson in early August. His previous planned unofficial got cancelled due to scheduling issues. He'll be a tough pull considering the elite programs pursuing him, but the Wildcats are seriously involved.
33. B.J. Young: A relatively new name to Arizona's list, this is a tough recruitment to handicap due to Young's academic issues. He's a high level prospect good enough to play almost anywhere, but many schools are proceeding with caution due to his grades.
36. Johnny O'Bryant: This is a huge longshot, but Arizona has been trying to get involved.
43. Amir Williams: Arizona has been involved with Williams to various degrees over the past year. Book Richardson is still recruiting him and UA could get him to campus in August. He's still a definite longshot until further notice, however.
44. Norvel Pelle: Talking to sources close to this recruitment, not many schools have much of a clue where they stand with Pelle. Arizona has tried, but for now there’s not much reason to believe the Wildcats are near the top of Pelle’s list, and perhaps vice versa.
45. Nick Johnson: Without question Arizona's top 2011 target, we still feel that UA is in the driver's seat to land Johnson.
48. Norman Powell: Powell will see his recruitment blow up after schools watch him for the first time in July. Arizona has recruited him pretty heavily but it appears he's open and taking his time. He’s not really naming favorites, but UA is probably one of the top 3-5 schools on his list right now.
49. Jahii Carson: Carson is increasingly becoming a bigger target for Arizona, to the point where UA would love to package him with Nick Johnson and call it a backcourt for 2011. Carson and Johnson are good friends and this is becoming a bigger possibility.
62. Damien Leonard: Arizona is one of Leonard's final five and he unofficially visited UA in June. He's planning on taking an official visit to UA before making a decision, but the question is whether Arizona's other targets will make decisions before then.
65. Amir Garrett: UA offered Garrett after his breakout performance at the Pangos All-American Camp in June. Arizona will get the chance to evaluate him in July and see where he fits into the staff's plans.
67. Sidiki Johnson: Committed to Arizona
82. Kadeem Jack: There's not much left to say on this one. He's been on an official visit to Arizona and took an unofficial visit during the Skills Camp. There's no telling what Jack will decide to do or when.
86. Maurice Harkless: The only player on this list without a firm UA offer, Arizona will evaluate Harkless in July. He recently decommitted from UConn and the Wildcats have been recruiting him ever since.
117. Angel Nunez: A one-time serious UA recruit, Nunez has slipped over the spring and at the end of the day, it will be tough for the Wildcats to make a move on him.
* While that’s a rundown of where UA stands with these recruits now and gives a good idea of where each player falls on the Wildcats’ priority list, it’s important to note that over the next month, the Arizona staff will watch most of these players several times, which will likely mean changes in who is really wanted and who isn’t.
This time last year, Arizona was nearing closer to taking a commitment from Naadir Tharpe, was only somewhat recruiting Rod Odom, Daniel Bejarano was committed to Texas and not on UA’s list, Jordin Mayes was just a player Arizona planned to evaluate, Josh Selby was a recent Tennessee decommitment and someone UA was not much more than looking into and Jesse Perry wasn’t even on the radar.
We could go on, but the point is that a number of Arizona’s current targets are players that the UA staff has only evaluated a handful of times, if at all. A month from now, Arizona’s target list could look a lot different.
* Look for Rivals.com's first expanded 2012 rankings to come out on Friday. We can't release details, but the Wildcats have five serious recruits in the top 16.
* Nick Johnson and Jahii Carson roomed together at the Deron Williams Skills Academy last week and reportedly discussed playing together in college. That’s good news for UA, considering the Wildcats are probably in the best position with each player individually.
The biggest question has been whether the two would be willing to join the same recruiting class and if they would, that makes Arizona’s recruitment of both players an easier sell.
* Back to Young, he talked to Rivals.com about his school list and academic situation.
"I talked to Marquette, Indiana, Louisville, Southern Illinois, Illinois State, Missouri, Xavier, Purdue, Baylor, Virginia Tech, and Arizona," listed Young.
"They are telling me just to keep working on my game and on my grades. My grades are getting better and I just need to raise my ACT score. They all tell me if there is anything that I ever need to call them."
* Quinn Cook will join Sidiki Johnson at Oak Hill next season. That doesn’t really impact Arizona unless UA has room for another guard and Cook waits until the spring. It’s a longshot that both happen.
Football:
Another commitment this week means an updated recruiting breakdown:
Total Scholarships: 25 (14 left to give)
Offense: 12 (7 left to give)
Quarterback: 2 (1 Left, Daxx Garman committed)
Offensive Line: 5 (4 Left, Jacob Arzouman committed)
Running Back: 2 (0 Left, Ka’Deem Carey, Jared Baker committed)
Wide Receiver: 2 (2 Left)
Tight End: 1 (0 Left, Michael Cooper)
Defense: 12 (6 left to give)
Defensive End: 3 (2 Left, Joseph Carter committed)
Defensive Tackle 2 (2 Left)
Linebacker: 3 (0 Left, Jabral Johnson, Hank Hobson, Rob Hankins committed)
Defensive Back: 4 (2 Left, Kerry Swarn, Tra’Mayne Bondurant committed)
Special Teams: 1 (1 left to give)
Punter: 1 (1 Left)
Arizona is filled at running back, linebacker and tight end so all offers out to players at those positions no longer stand.
* There's been rumors that cornerback Dewayne Peace has decided to transfer from Arizona. Talking to sources close to the program, we've been told that Peace's future with the team is still up in the air and he's yet to make a decision, or informed the UA staff about what he plans to do.
If he does leave, it would likely be to a JUCO, which would signify he could be waiting to find out about his academic status before transferring. (JG)
* Jason Scheer’s weekly recruiting breakdown:
* This week Arizona received a commitment from Woodlands (Texas) tight end Michael Cooperhttp://arizona.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=1&pr_key=96587.
"First of all, when we went there, we got along with the coaches really easily; they're all really laid back and we had a great time up there," Cooper said.
"Football wise, playing tight end, I love to catch the ball, and they flex them out and do different things with them and get them the ball 60 times a year and that's a great opportunity.
"I'm planning on going into business, and the business school at Arizona is one of the tops in the country; it was really just a great fit."
Cooper will start off as a tight end, but there is a possibility that he will be a defensive end down the road. Arizona will get him on campus and evaluate his ability before making a decision on where he is better suited.
* Arizona lost out on Moreno Valley (Calif.) Rancho Verde tight end Junior Pomeehttp://rivals.yahoo.com/arizona/football/recruiting/player-Junior-Pomee-90067.
Pomee was very, very close to coming to Arizona after the elite camp and there was a strong feeling that he would be going to UA.
However, he took some time to go home and think about and UCLA worked to get Pomee on campus and the rest is history.
In reality, it shows the work that the staff put in, because the general consensus was always that Pomee was UCLA’s to lose. This really was a difficult decision for Pomee and the UA definitely had a legitimate shot to land him.
While gaining Cooper makes the sting of losing Pomee a little bit less, he was actually going to be used in more of a wide receiver role. We still do not expect Arizona to take a tight end unless an elite player comes along or at least one that causes the coaching staff to feel he can make a major impact at UA.
* Arizona also lost out on Scottsdale (Ariz.) Chaparral offensive lineman Andre Yruretagoyenahttp://rivals.yahoo.com/arizona/football/recruiting/player-Andre-Yruretagoyena-101135.
The only surprising aspect of the decision is the timing. Yruretagoyena’s family connections in Oregon were too much to overcome at the end, which definitely is not a surprise.
"It was a big factor," Yruretagoyena tells Rivals.com. "I'm the first D1 athlete on my dad's side of the family. I might be one of the first to go to college, so it's a real dream come true.
"But my dad lives in Portland with my step-mom and 14-month old brother who I barely get to see. So now that I am going to play in Eugene, they can drive down every weekend and see me play. It'll be a good thing for my brother to be brought up in Oregon football."
Losing out on Yruretagoyena hurts, but the Wildcats and other schools were likely working from behind from the start.
* One player to keep an eye on is 6-foot-2, 190-pound Inglewood (Calif.) wide receiver Patrick Onwuasorhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/arizona/football/recruiting/player-Patrick-Onwuasor-108482.
Onwuasor does not have an offer from Arizona, but the Wildcats are in the evaluation process and one could come down the road.
"I'm open to everybody to be honest," Onwuasor tells Rivals.com. "I want to base my decision on my trips. I want to go somewhere I can be for the next four years. Whoever can fit me right, that's where I'll be heading."
"I'll look hard at the players on campus and my relationship with the coaching staff. I'll also look at the area I'm going to be in. I'd prefer to go to a place that's in a bigger city - somewhere that's more like L.A. I'm comfortable in that kind of environment and not sure how I'd adjust to a place that's a lot smaller."
At this point Onwuasor is simply to keep an eye on, but as his momentum increases, it would not be a surprise to see Arizona offer.
* 6-foot-2, 265-pound Klein (Texas) Oak defensive lineman Jon Lewishttp://rivals.yahoo.com/arizona/football/recruiting/player-Jon-Lewis-108651 is getting closer to taking visits.
"I'm still wide open," he tells RedRaiderSports.com. "I haven't been to any schools yet, but that's going to change next month. I'm ready to get out there and see what they have to offer.
"Once I get around to seeing these schools and having an idea of what one brings over the other, I'll get closer to narrowing it down. Right now, though, I'm as wide open as I can be."
Arizona remains a long shot for Lewis, but crazier things have happened. The key will be getting him on campus and if the UA is able to do that, it should have a legitimate shot.
* Vista (Calif.) cornerback Stefan McClurehttp://rivals.yahoo.com/arizona/football/recruiting/player-Stefan-McClure-109227 is getting close to finalizing his top five schools.
"I'm trying to narrow it down to the top five," McClure tells Rivals.com. "I know for sure Washington and UCLA are in there and the rest I'm trying to sort out those last three schools."
McClure has plans to make his top five by the end of the summer, and Arizona is in relatively good shape to make it.
"Hopefully before August or the end of July I could have my top five,” he tells Rivals.com. “I'm going to look at all the schools, do my research, look at the depth and everything, look at the location, look at the coaching staffs I have a good relationship with and stuff like that."
McClure’s favorites are UCLA and Washington and while those two can be difficult to beat, the UA will attempt to get McClure on campus in order to shake things up a bit.
* Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro athlete Brock Hamanhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/arizona/football/recruiting/player-Brock-Haman-100959 will find out soon if Arizona is going to offer.
"Arizona told me they'd offer me for tight end and could offer within a week if they're going to offer,” he tells Rivals.com. “They sounded pretty strongly they're going to offer. Coach (Seth) Littrell has to have a meeting with Mike Stoops because he makes the final decision.”
Haman could be leaning towards staying in-state, but neither school has offered. Arizona State may not have a position for him and Arizona needs to figure out if it wants to take another tight end.
* One in-state player that did get an offer from Arizona is 6-foot-5, 272-pound offensive Glendale (Ariz.) Cactus lineman Ryan Nowickihttp://rivals.yahoo.com/arizona/football/recruiting/player-Ryan-Nowicki-108338.
"It's really good of course because it's close to home but they're a really good powerhouse team, they're on the rise," Nowicki tells Rivals.com. "They're starting to be a really big program and that's really good because with them in there they're turning it around and everybody will want to see them play now so that's good.
"It's definitely good because it's nice to have a good team, good coaches with a good background making the program rise. It means they're doing something right and that's always good to hear."
Nowicki has no intention of making a decision soon and says now that he has reached the next phase in his recruitment, he will start focusing more on the schools recruiting him.
Expect Nowicki to take visits and then proceed from there but, as of now, Arizona is in good position.
* Chicago Curie defensive end James Adeyanjuhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/arizona/football/recruiting/player-James-Adeyanju-101227 visited Arizona and the Wildcats may have made up a lot of ground.
"They definitely put themselves in a better standing with me," Adeyanju said. "Before I didn't know much about the school; I knew they were Arizona and they were in the Pac-10, and that was about it. But actually getting to see the school, it made me like them a lot more.
"They're definitely one of my favorites. They're a good school; it's a school I'm really considering now. I have been considering all of the schools, but I'm going to consider Arizona a lot more now."
One of the draws for the defensive lineman is the fact that Arizona will have plenty of room and playing time available next season.
"They say it's a good place with good people,” he said. “They say they're losing a lot of defensive ends my freshman year so there's a need at my position. They told me they're going to sign three defensive ends."
Arizona definitely helped itself with Adeyanju and as seems to be the case with most players from Illinois Arizona is recruiting, the Wildcats are now right in the thick of things.
