Football team news:
* Junior safety Adam Hall will add wide receiver to his title next season.
A 6-4, 220-pound specimen, Hall went to head coach Rich Rodriguez and asked to play both positions. Rodriguez agreed to give him the green light for spring practices, which begin March 4.
Hall, or any player, will not be available for comment until the first day of spring practices.
A receiver, safety and running back at Palo Verde High School, Hall was a Parade All-American as a receiver, an EA Sports All-American as a multi-purpose player and a PrepStar All-American as an athlete.
On offense, he averaged 10 yards per touch with five of his 38 touchdowns coming as a receiver.
On paper, that gives UA a pair of 6-4 receivers in Hall and Dan Buckner.
ANALYSIS: I say on paper because that’s all this really is. The Wildcats have a talented group of receivers returning with redshirt freshmen Tyler Slavin and Austin Hill and freshman Patrick Onwuasor, plus incoming commit and receiver Jarrell Bennett.
If you look at some of the West Virginia receiving statistics in RichRod’s final years, his reception leaders put up good but not gaudy numbers because of the use of running back Steve Slaton (second on the team in receptions in 2007) out of the backfield. They also were not very tall receivers.
Heck, Buckner, who is listed at the same measurements as Hall, may even see a decline in production if these numbers are any indication.
2007 WVU receptions leader: Darius Reynaud, 64 catches for 733 yards and 12 TDs. Height/weight: 5-9, 201 pounds
2006 WVU receptions leader: Reynaud, 39 catches for 520 yards and 2 TDs. Second on the team: Brandon Myles, 36 catches for 522 yards and 8 TDs. Height/weight: 6-1, 189 pounds
To get a bigger sample size, let’s look at his top receivers in his three seasons at Michigan to see if anything changed.
2010 Michigan receptions leader: Roy Roundtree, 72 catches for 935 yards and 7 TDs. Height/weight: 6-0, 176 pounds
2009 Michigan receptions leader: Roundtree, 32 catches for 434 yards and 3 TDs.
2008 Michigan receptions leader: Martavious Odoms, 49 catches for 433 yards and 0 TDs. Height/weight: 5-8, 173 pounds
THE VERDICT: Hall would add depth and give an interesting perspective to the position as someone who spends his time finding ways to disrupt wide receivers.
But someone who might make more of an impact is Bennett, who stands at 5-10 and 170 pounds. He’s that speedy slot receiver who typically bodes well in Rodriguez’ past offenses.
After all, Rodriguez did envision a freshman being able to come in right away and produce, and Bennett fits the bill.
* More on Hall, strength and conditioning
Don’t worry about his ACL holding up, as I’ve heard that he was capable of playing the rest of last season after he returned to play one game at Oregon State before being shut down to make sure there would be no issues entering next season.
Hall and the players have been going through strength and conditioning coach Chris Allen’s workouts since returning to school. The first week was more about learning Allen’s philosophy and now comes the work. Said to be a rigorous program, it will be interesting to see how different it is compared to the workouts of former strength and conditioning coach Corey Edmond, whose own program was known to be fairly intense.
* UA players and the NFL Combine
Quarterback Nick Foles, wide receiver Juron Criner and cornerback Trevin Wade were included on the initial list of players invited to the NFL Combine.
Underclassmen had until Sunday to petition for early entry into the NFL draft. A new expanded list will be created with those names plus any senior prospects who impress scouts during the various senior all-star games.
Gino Crump, Robert Golden, Paul Vassallo, Derek Earls, C.J. Parish and Mohammed Usman will participate in the Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game tonight at Kino Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
The NFL Combine will be held Feb. 22-28 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, where more than 300 prospects will attend.
* The price - or lack thereof - for UA’s new defensive coordinator
After much speculation as to how much it would cost Rodriguez and athletic director Greg Byrne to lure Jeff Casteel away from West Virginia, the Paden City, W. Va., native actually ended up taking a paycut.
Due a $450,000 base salary next season and a $50,000 increase on top of a $75,000 retention bonus for 2013, Casteel was set to make $575,000 in 2013 had he stayed in Morgantown.
Instead, Casteel walked away from a multi-year deal to make $425,000 for one season in Tucson. UA assistant coaches are not allowed to be offered multi-year contracts, Byrne told multiple outlets, adhering to the school’s policy.
The decrease in salary also allowed Casteel to lure away defensive line coach Bill Kirelawich and cornerbacks coach David Lockwood from WVU, and not stray too far over Byrne’s $2 million budget for the coaching staff.
But there’s also the story behind the story.
WVU athletic director Oliver Luck reportedly offered Casteel a bump in salary around $650,000.
Just one problem: Those around the team have said that Casteel and Mountaineers head coach Dana Holgorsen did not have much of a relationship.
One source told the Charleston Daily Mail: “They’d have to talk to have a relationship.”
* Casteel and the 3-3-5 defense
When Casteel how the Arizona returners on defense might fit into the 3-3-5 defense.
Below are the splits against the pass and the rush that WVU posted during Casteel’s 11 seasons. Note that Casteel did not take full control of the team’s defensive coordinator duties until 2003.
2001: Passing - 136.7 yards per game, QBs completed 48.6 percent of passes; Rushing - 213.2 yards per game, 4.2 yards per carry
2002: Passing - 213.6 yards per game, QBs completed 55.3 percent of passes; Rushing - 121.8 yards per game, 3.5 yards per carry
2003: Passing - 259.8 yards per game, QBs completed 59.1 percent of passes; Rushing - 131.5 yards per game, 3.5 yards per carry
2004: Passing - 198.3 yards per game, QBs completed 54.9 percent of passes; Rushing - 141.1 yards per game, 3.6 yards per carry
2005: Passing - 201.1 yards per game, QBs completed 59.7 percent of passes; Rushing - 109.7 yards per game, 2.9 yards per carry
2006: Passing - 243.3 yards per game, QBs completed 57.4 percent of passes; Rushing - 93.3 yards per game, 3.0 yards per carry
2007: Passing - 188.8 yards per game, QBs completed 56.1 percent of passes; Rushing - 112.9 yards per game, 3.0 yards per carry
2008: Passing - 197.3 yards per game, QBs completed 56.1 percent of passes; Rushing - 131.6 yards per game, 3.6 yards per carry
2009: Passing - 209.8 yards per game, QBs completed 53.0 percent of passes; Rushing - 126.7 yards per game, 3.7 yards per carry
2010: Passing - 174.6 yards per game, QBs completed 58.0 percent of passes; Rushing - 86.5 yards per game, 2.7 yards per carry
2011: Passing - 203.5 yards per game, QBs completed 56.9 percent of passes; Rushing - 144.8 yards per game, 4.0 yards per carry
Now here are Arizona’s defensive splits against the pass and the rush last season:
2011: Passing - 298.9 yards per game, QBs completed 65.9 percent of passes; Rushing - 161.6 yards per game, 4.7 yards per carry
While it will take time to see a drastic impact, it’s clear that UA can only improve under Casteel’s guidance and with a healthier roster.
Basketball team news:
While the number of items are lighter in this week’s UA men’s hoops update, the concerns are anything but light.
Head coach Sean Miller was critical of his team’s effort in Saturday’s 59-57 loss to Oregon.
But there also was a lot left to be desired in the Wildcats’ execution down the stretch.
UA, which trailed by as many as 17 points, clawed back to take a 56-54 lead with 2:59 to play. From there, however, the ’Cats missed their final five field goal attempts.
None of the five shots were hoisted by junior forward Solomon Hill, who led the team with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting and ignited the comeback early in the second half.
Here’s a breakdown of the team’s execution down the stretch of some other close game thus far:
Nov. 13: 73-63 win over Ball State
The Wildcats led by just three points after a pair of Hill free throws with 3:26 to play.
From there, Hill buried a 3-pointer and added five more free throws as part of a 15-8 run to close the game.
Nov. 18: 67-57 loss to Mississippi State in the 2K Sports Classic championship game
With under five minutes to play, UA trailed just 59-55. Jesse Perry and Hill were leading the team with 11 and 10 points, respectively, to that point and were an identical 5-of-9 shooting from the field.
The pair combined to make just 1 of 4 shots - a meaningless Hill jumper with seven seconds to play - in the final 4:42. As a team, the Wildcats were 0 for 6 with a turnover before the final basket.
Nov. 23: 61-57 loss to San Diego State
A Nick Johnson 3-pointer cut UA’s deficit to 57-51 with 3:41 remaining.
The Wildcats then proceeded to turn the ball over on their next two possessions, followed by a missed jumper from Jordin Mayes and an errant 3-point attempt from Josiah Turner. Mayes had made just 1 of 5 shots to that point while Turner had converted half of his eight attempts.
SDSU’s lead ballooned to nine points with 34 seconds remaining before UA could put more points on the board - but by then it was too late.
Dec. 7: 78-72 overtime loss to Florida
On the road against the No. 12 team in the nation, this was the signature win that slipped away from ’Zona.
The Wildcats could not hold on to a seven-point lead with 6:12 to play in regulation.
With the score tied at 61 at the 2:59 mark, not once did UA go to Perry at the end of regulation. The senior, to that point, had scored 21 of his team-high 23 points and he finished the game shooting 8-of-10 from the floor.
Instead, with eight seconds to play in regulation and UA trailing by a point, Johnson committed his fifth turnover. If anything, the ’Cats were fortunate to play an overtime session, as Hill was fouled on a 3-point attempt with four seconds left and drained all three free throws.
But the momentum was gone and UA never really threatened in the extra period.
Jan. 5: 65-58 loss to UCLA in the John R. Wooden Classic
A Hill layup with 3:27 remaining brought the Wildcats to within 57-54, but that was as close as it would get.
Hill, who was fouled on the play, missed the free throw and UCLA immediately pushed the ball up the floor to draw a foul and two free throws of its own.
Arizona then missed its next two field goal attempts and turned the ball over three times to widen the gap and seal the game.
Jan. 12: 81-73 win over Oregon State
Neither team led by more than two points from the 3:16 mark on in regulation.
UA was able to keep the ball in the hands of its top performers this contest, as Johnson, Brendon Lavender and Kyle Fogg each left their imprint on the game in key stretches.
ANALYSIS: Aside from last week’s win over the Beavers, the Wildcats have struggled to keep their best players involved down the stretch in some close ballgames.
More times than not, Hill will be one of the team’s better options when in need of a bucket. That doesn’t necessarily mean he needs to shoot, but, at the very least, the ball should be in his hands.
There have been moments this season where the junior has asserted himself and been able to convert good looks at the basket or draw the foul.
Regardless, your leading scorer cannot average just 8.5 shots per game on a team in desperate need of a go-to player.
Arizona’s NCAA tournament projections
(Editor’s note: ESPN and Sports Illustrated will release its latest projections later this week)
ESPN.com: First four out and on the bubble as of Jan. 9
SportingNews.com: Dropped out and on the bubble
SportsIllustrated.com: Last four out as of Jan. 10
*And now, here’s recruiting editor Matt Moreno’s recruiting breakdown:
Football recruiting:
* This past weekend was the first of three big weekends in January for Arizona and new head coach Rich Rodriguez. The Wildcats hosted a number of official visitors on campus and it didn’t take long for the new staff to earn a commitment. And it came at a position of need for new defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel.
Three-star outside linebacker C.J. Dozier committed on his trip to Tucson to give UA’s new staff its first commitment. Dozier will enroll immediately, and because of that he counts toward last year’s class and will not use one of this year’s scholarships.
The three-star recruit was previously committed to Arizona State, but decided to open up his recruitment in December.
Dozier finished his season at Temecula (Calif.) Chaparral with 58 total tackles for a Puma’s squad that ended the year with a 7-5 record.
The nation’s 50th ranked outside linebacker also had offers from Washington, Washington State, Colorado and others.
* Scottsdale C.C. defensive tackle Mike Pennel was scheduled to visit Tucson this week, but he didn’t end up making the trip and had to reschedule for a later date.
* UA hosted three Pittsburgh commits for visits this weekend, and by all accounts the visits went well. Dakota Conwell has a good relationship with Tony Gibson and there is a good chance that the three-star prospect flips his commitment. Right now it appears that it will come down to the Wildcats and Pitt in the end.
Chris and Demitrious Davis also visited Tucson over the weekend, and they enjoyed their visit as well. However, the twins continue to say publicly that they are committed to Pitt and don’t intend to change that.
"It went good,” Chris Davis told Rivals.com. “They showed us tapes of what they would do with us and told us about the offense, and it was a good visit.
"Just being there was nice, with the weather and stuff like that, so I thought about Arizona and what it would be like to be there. But it's far from home, and I really like where I'm at. It was fun being out there but it is far from home."
Even though the pair enjoyed their visit, the siblings said they want to remain with the Panthers.
"We're both for sure feeling good about Pitt," Davis said. "There's not a place other than Pitt that I want to be. We're 110% committed to Pitt."
"We basically decided last week that we wanted to visit, but we kind of didn't want it to get out because of the fans and we didn't want the media hyping it up. It was really just a vacation for us; we weren't looking to go there, we just wanted to take the trip."
Although they maintain that there is not much interest in going elsewhere, the Davis family will host Gibson for a visit this Wednesday. While it is not a certainty that the twins will flip their commitment at this point, it remains a possibility.
Continue to check back all week for updates from the weekend’s visitors.
* The early visitor list for next weekend includes Dylan Cozens, Keoni Bush-Loo and Darrian Dyson. This list will of course grow over the course of the week, so keep checking back to see who gets added or drops off.
* I’m hearing that three-star inside linebacker Sam Lebbie will likely visit UA within in one of the next two big recruiting weekends. The Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha standout is currently committed to West Virginia.
* The Wildcats extended an offer to 2013 athlete prospect Jake Roh of Scottsdale (Ariz.) Chaparral on Sunday.
* Arizona commit Beau Boyster will be one of many players taking part in the PrepStar California Classic All-Star Game on Jan. 29. Boyster will be part of the CIF South team, which also includes UA targets Bryan Harper, Aaron Porter, Alphonso Marsh and Brandon Beaver among others.
The game is set to take place at 6 p.m. at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
* Here’s a video[/URL] of 2013 offensive tackle prospect Kenny Lacy at the US Army All-American Combine.
Basketball recruiting:
* 2013 prospect Tyler Ennis heard from UA assistant Joe Pasternack over the weekend and he remains one of the Wildcats major targets for the junior class.
“They (UA) have a good situation with the talent they have coming in for 2012, along with the future talent they’ll have with the sophomores and freshmen [in high school] now,” Ennis said. “They’re not filled up at the guard position, so that’s always good, too.”
When Nate Britt chose North Carolina in November, Ennis became the major point guard target for the Wildcats in the 2013 class.
“They actually let me know that they were recruiting me and Nate Britt,” Ennis said. “If we were to both go somewhere else, they said they weren’t going to go recruit somebody else. We’re the two point guards that they want. So when he committed somewhere else, I guess I became the full top priority and I think that’s the case right now.”
Ennis said that he likes knowing that his skills and work have led to him being recruited as a priority by Sean Miller’s staff.
“It’s a good feeling, because you watch Mike Bibby when he was at Arizona or Gilbert Arenas,” Ennis said. “And the same school that they went to is recruiting you, so it’s humbling, but also looking at the situation they’re in it’s a good situation for me as well.”
The 6-foot-2 prospect said that he doesn’t have a list of leaders right now, but there are some teams that are coming after him a little bit stronger than others.
“A lot of people start assuming that there’s a list that I have with the schools that are recruiting me,” Ennis said. “There’s some schools like Arizona, who is recruiting me a little harder than everybody else, Georgia Tech is recruiting me hard and Kansas. But there’s a lot of schools.”
The nation’s 34th-ranked player in the nation said that he watched UA play earlier in the season, and that he thinks the Wildcats’ style of play is something that could fit him.
“I watched them a couple times early in the year, but I haven’t had a chance to watch them for a little bit,” Ennis said. “Their guards have a lot of responsibilities on the team. I watch their sets and things like that, and I think it’s a good style of play if you’re a guard. With the talent they have, it’s only going to be even better.”
Playing time has been a big factor in the Canadian point guard’s recruitment, and he said that is still the case.
“Definitely, I want to go to a school where I can contribute from my freshman year,” Ennis said. “I don’t really want to sit around and wait for my turn, although it doesn’t have to be 40 minutes a game - obviously. I just want to be able to contribute early on.”
Ennis currently plays his high school basketball at Newark (N.J.) St. Benedict’s and he said so far his squad’s season is going well.
“Record-wise I think we’re doing pretty well, considering we’re all new to each other,” Ennis said. “Having only one loss to a top-5 team, I think we’re doing pretty well.
“I think we have good chemistry. Most of us live together on our school property, so we have good chemistry. We have a lot of guards, and guards like to play with other guards as well. So with me and our other two guards we work well together.”
His passing ability is something that has gotten Ennis noticed, but he has been putting more effort into other things on the court as well. He said that so far the results have been positive.
“I’ve been playing well lately,” Ennis said. “I’ve been just trying to fill the stat sheet as much as possible, getting rebounds and assists. I have good players around me, so it’s not hard for me to do. So I’m getting double-doubles.
“I could always score, so when my team needs me to score I score.”
Ennis said that his team’s goal is to continue on the track that they have so far and show why it can compete with the nation’s elite teams.
“Some of the sites that rank the teams have us lower than we think we should be,” Ennis said. “So it’s going to be about proving to everybody that we are one of the top teams in the country and beating some of the top teams to prove that. Coming into the end of January and the beginning of February we have some of the top teams, so we have to prove that we can beat them and we’re just as good.”
The point guard prospect said that he’s not near a decision yet, but he’s planning on taking visits after his junior year.
“Right when the season’s over, because I don’t think we have a weekend off for a while,” Ennis said. “Maybe if we get a weekend off, then I can get an unofficial in to one of the schools that is interested. But after the season I will definitely be taking some unofficial visits.”
He added that the AAU season with his CIA Bounce team will be big for him as he continues his progression as a player.
“Yeah, I’m really looking forward to it,” Ennis said. “I think this last AAU season is what really put me on the map, and it got me recruited a lot more. So I’m looking forward to just building on that, and we have a great team with a lot of talent. I’m looking forward to playing with some of those guys.”
Playing time is going to be a big factor in his recruitment, but UA has made some headway with the Canadian point guard. The next step will be getting him on campus, but Ennis said that will likely happen once he talks things over with his father and can get a date squared away after his season is over.
* Four-star UA target Stephen Domingo has been visited by numerous coaches this season, including Miller a little over week ago. But the 2013 prospect said that he doesn’t feel any added pressure to perform well when all eyes are on him at San Francisco (Calif.) St. Ignatius.
“I definitely want to perform well,” Domingo said. “It’s definitely something that I think about, because you never want to disappoint. You always want to go out and give your best effort.
“They know what I can do, and during high school they don’t come so much to evaluate you as much as just to see your progression. The coaches know what I can do, they’ve watched me during live period. The interest is there for a reason, so I just want to show them new aspects of my game and how I would fit into their system.
“It’s not as nerve wracking, because they have already shown you interest in the certain things that you can do.”
Domingo will be playing with Dream Vision once again on the AAU circuit this year, he told GOAZCATS.com. Last year he spent time on different levels of the travel team, but this season he will play with the program’s top team. The wing prospect said that AAU basketball presents a different challenge than high school basketball does for him.
“AAU is definitely going to be important, especially at the high level of Dream Vision,” Domingo said. “You play against a player who wants it just as bad as you do every night, which sometimes you may not get in high school. You always have to bring your ‘A’ game, so it elevates my game. And I find that sometimes playing against that high level brings out the best in me.
“You have no time to get complacent, and that’s what I’m looking forward to about AAU.”
* The 2012 Hoophall Classic has been taking place over the weekend and continues with a plenty of good games today. Three of Arizona’s four 2012 signees are taking part in the showcase, and there are also a number of Wildcat targets to keep an eye on as well.
Four-star signee Grant Jerrett had an outstanding finish in La Verne (Calif.) Lutheran’s win over Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick on Saturday at the Classic in Springfield, Mass. After struggling in the opening half, the future UA Wildcat scored 23 points after that to finish with a game-high 30 for the Trojans in the two-point overtime victory.
Along with scoring 10 of his team’s 11 points in the extra period, Jerrett was 9-of-9 from the free-throw line, had 12 rebounds and five blocks.
Fellow future Wildcat Eric Cooper also contributed to the Trojans’ win with 17 points in the contest. Cooper has continued his progression this season as he continues to be more confident when shooting from outside.
Later in the day on Saturday, 2013 prospect BeeJay Anya had all his skills on display when Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha faced West Hartford (Conn.) Northwest Catholic. Anya finished the game with a game-high 24 points and nine rebounds in the 78-57 win. The four-star prospect, who stands at 6-8 but has a wingspan that measures 7-9, doesn’t have a definitive list yet.
However, he still names Arizona as one of the teams he is interested in when talking about his recruitment. There’s not a high probability that he ends up in a Wildcats uniform, but it’s still a recruitment to keep an eye on down the road.
The nation’s top-ranked center for the class of 2012 and UA signee Kaleb Tarczewski had an impressive game Sunday afternoon at the Hoophall Classic. The future Wildcat and his team from Southborough (Mass.) St. Mark’s defeated Wynnewood (Pa.) Friends Central, 67-57. Tarczewski led the way with 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
2012 UA signee Brandon Ashley and his team from Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep will take on Jabari Parker and Chicago (Ill.) Simeon today at 1 p.m. MST on the final day of action at the Hoophall Classic. The Pilots currently hold a 16-1 record overall, while Simeon remains undefeated.
The game will be televised on ESPNU, as will all of Monday’s contests.
Possible future Wildcats will also be playing on Monday as part of the Classic. Just before Ashley and the Pilots take on Simeon, Anya and DeMatha will square off with the nation’s No. 1 overall prospect Shabazz Muhammad and Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman. Along with Muhammad, 2015 UA target Stephen Zimmerman will suit up for the Gaels in the 11 a.m. MST contest in Springfield.
In the Classic’s 3 p.m. MST matchup, Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei and 2014 prospect Stanley Johnson will face Queens (N.Y.) Christ the King. Johnson won the Classic’s dunk contest Sunday evening.
* Gabe York continues to recover from having surgery to remove his appendix. He expects to be back in action for tonight’s game against Jerrett, Cooper and La Verne Lutheran. In his absence, York’s squad from Orange (Calif.) Lutheran has gone 2-2 with losses to Mater Dei and San Juan Capistrano (Calif.) JSerra.
This post was edited on 1/16 6:53 AM by Tracy McDannald
* Junior safety Adam Hall will add wide receiver to his title next season.
A 6-4, 220-pound specimen, Hall went to head coach Rich Rodriguez and asked to play both positions. Rodriguez agreed to give him the green light for spring practices, which begin March 4.
Hall, or any player, will not be available for comment until the first day of spring practices.
A receiver, safety and running back at Palo Verde High School, Hall was a Parade All-American as a receiver, an EA Sports All-American as a multi-purpose player and a PrepStar All-American as an athlete.
On offense, he averaged 10 yards per touch with five of his 38 touchdowns coming as a receiver.
On paper, that gives UA a pair of 6-4 receivers in Hall and Dan Buckner.
ANALYSIS: I say on paper because that’s all this really is. The Wildcats have a talented group of receivers returning with redshirt freshmen Tyler Slavin and Austin Hill and freshman Patrick Onwuasor, plus incoming commit and receiver Jarrell Bennett.
If you look at some of the West Virginia receiving statistics in RichRod’s final years, his reception leaders put up good but not gaudy numbers because of the use of running back Steve Slaton (second on the team in receptions in 2007) out of the backfield. They also were not very tall receivers.
Heck, Buckner, who is listed at the same measurements as Hall, may even see a decline in production if these numbers are any indication.
2007 WVU receptions leader: Darius Reynaud, 64 catches for 733 yards and 12 TDs. Height/weight: 5-9, 201 pounds
2006 WVU receptions leader: Reynaud, 39 catches for 520 yards and 2 TDs. Second on the team: Brandon Myles, 36 catches for 522 yards and 8 TDs. Height/weight: 6-1, 189 pounds
To get a bigger sample size, let’s look at his top receivers in his three seasons at Michigan to see if anything changed.
2010 Michigan receptions leader: Roy Roundtree, 72 catches for 935 yards and 7 TDs. Height/weight: 6-0, 176 pounds
2009 Michigan receptions leader: Roundtree, 32 catches for 434 yards and 3 TDs.
2008 Michigan receptions leader: Martavious Odoms, 49 catches for 433 yards and 0 TDs. Height/weight: 5-8, 173 pounds
THE VERDICT: Hall would add depth and give an interesting perspective to the position as someone who spends his time finding ways to disrupt wide receivers.
But someone who might make more of an impact is Bennett, who stands at 5-10 and 170 pounds. He’s that speedy slot receiver who typically bodes well in Rodriguez’ past offenses.
After all, Rodriguez did envision a freshman being able to come in right away and produce, and Bennett fits the bill.
* More on Hall, strength and conditioning
Don’t worry about his ACL holding up, as I’ve heard that he was capable of playing the rest of last season after he returned to play one game at Oregon State before being shut down to make sure there would be no issues entering next season.
Hall and the players have been going through strength and conditioning coach Chris Allen’s workouts since returning to school. The first week was more about learning Allen’s philosophy and now comes the work. Said to be a rigorous program, it will be interesting to see how different it is compared to the workouts of former strength and conditioning coach Corey Edmond, whose own program was known to be fairly intense.
* UA players and the NFL Combine
Quarterback Nick Foles, wide receiver Juron Criner and cornerback Trevin Wade were included on the initial list of players invited to the NFL Combine.
Underclassmen had until Sunday to petition for early entry into the NFL draft. A new expanded list will be created with those names plus any senior prospects who impress scouts during the various senior all-star games.
Gino Crump, Robert Golden, Paul Vassallo, Derek Earls, C.J. Parish and Mohammed Usman will participate in the Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game tonight at Kino Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
The NFL Combine will be held Feb. 22-28 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, where more than 300 prospects will attend.
* The price - or lack thereof - for UA’s new defensive coordinator
After much speculation as to how much it would cost Rodriguez and athletic director Greg Byrne to lure Jeff Casteel away from West Virginia, the Paden City, W. Va., native actually ended up taking a paycut.
Due a $450,000 base salary next season and a $50,000 increase on top of a $75,000 retention bonus for 2013, Casteel was set to make $575,000 in 2013 had he stayed in Morgantown.
Instead, Casteel walked away from a multi-year deal to make $425,000 for one season in Tucson. UA assistant coaches are not allowed to be offered multi-year contracts, Byrne told multiple outlets, adhering to the school’s policy.
The decrease in salary also allowed Casteel to lure away defensive line coach Bill Kirelawich and cornerbacks coach David Lockwood from WVU, and not stray too far over Byrne’s $2 million budget for the coaching staff.
But there’s also the story behind the story.
WVU athletic director Oliver Luck reportedly offered Casteel a bump in salary around $650,000.
Just one problem: Those around the team have said that Casteel and Mountaineers head coach Dana Holgorsen did not have much of a relationship.
One source told the Charleston Daily Mail: “They’d have to talk to have a relationship.”
* Casteel and the 3-3-5 defense
When Casteel how the Arizona returners on defense might fit into the 3-3-5 defense.
Below are the splits against the pass and the rush that WVU posted during Casteel’s 11 seasons. Note that Casteel did not take full control of the team’s defensive coordinator duties until 2003.
2001: Passing - 136.7 yards per game, QBs completed 48.6 percent of passes; Rushing - 213.2 yards per game, 4.2 yards per carry
2002: Passing - 213.6 yards per game, QBs completed 55.3 percent of passes; Rushing - 121.8 yards per game, 3.5 yards per carry
2003: Passing - 259.8 yards per game, QBs completed 59.1 percent of passes; Rushing - 131.5 yards per game, 3.5 yards per carry
2004: Passing - 198.3 yards per game, QBs completed 54.9 percent of passes; Rushing - 141.1 yards per game, 3.6 yards per carry
2005: Passing - 201.1 yards per game, QBs completed 59.7 percent of passes; Rushing - 109.7 yards per game, 2.9 yards per carry
2006: Passing - 243.3 yards per game, QBs completed 57.4 percent of passes; Rushing - 93.3 yards per game, 3.0 yards per carry
2007: Passing - 188.8 yards per game, QBs completed 56.1 percent of passes; Rushing - 112.9 yards per game, 3.0 yards per carry
2008: Passing - 197.3 yards per game, QBs completed 56.1 percent of passes; Rushing - 131.6 yards per game, 3.6 yards per carry
2009: Passing - 209.8 yards per game, QBs completed 53.0 percent of passes; Rushing - 126.7 yards per game, 3.7 yards per carry
2010: Passing - 174.6 yards per game, QBs completed 58.0 percent of passes; Rushing - 86.5 yards per game, 2.7 yards per carry
2011: Passing - 203.5 yards per game, QBs completed 56.9 percent of passes; Rushing - 144.8 yards per game, 4.0 yards per carry
Now here are Arizona’s defensive splits against the pass and the rush last season:
2011: Passing - 298.9 yards per game, QBs completed 65.9 percent of passes; Rushing - 161.6 yards per game, 4.7 yards per carry
While it will take time to see a drastic impact, it’s clear that UA can only improve under Casteel’s guidance and with a healthier roster.
Basketball team news:
While the number of items are lighter in this week’s UA men’s hoops update, the concerns are anything but light.
Head coach Sean Miller was critical of his team’s effort in Saturday’s 59-57 loss to Oregon.
But there also was a lot left to be desired in the Wildcats’ execution down the stretch.
UA, which trailed by as many as 17 points, clawed back to take a 56-54 lead with 2:59 to play. From there, however, the ’Cats missed their final five field goal attempts.
None of the five shots were hoisted by junior forward Solomon Hill, who led the team with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting and ignited the comeback early in the second half.
Here’s a breakdown of the team’s execution down the stretch of some other close game thus far:
Nov. 13: 73-63 win over Ball State
The Wildcats led by just three points after a pair of Hill free throws with 3:26 to play.
From there, Hill buried a 3-pointer and added five more free throws as part of a 15-8 run to close the game.
Nov. 18: 67-57 loss to Mississippi State in the 2K Sports Classic championship game
With under five minutes to play, UA trailed just 59-55. Jesse Perry and Hill were leading the team with 11 and 10 points, respectively, to that point and were an identical 5-of-9 shooting from the field.
The pair combined to make just 1 of 4 shots - a meaningless Hill jumper with seven seconds to play - in the final 4:42. As a team, the Wildcats were 0 for 6 with a turnover before the final basket.
Nov. 23: 61-57 loss to San Diego State
A Nick Johnson 3-pointer cut UA’s deficit to 57-51 with 3:41 remaining.
The Wildcats then proceeded to turn the ball over on their next two possessions, followed by a missed jumper from Jordin Mayes and an errant 3-point attempt from Josiah Turner. Mayes had made just 1 of 5 shots to that point while Turner had converted half of his eight attempts.
SDSU’s lead ballooned to nine points with 34 seconds remaining before UA could put more points on the board - but by then it was too late.
Dec. 7: 78-72 overtime loss to Florida
On the road against the No. 12 team in the nation, this was the signature win that slipped away from ’Zona.
The Wildcats could not hold on to a seven-point lead with 6:12 to play in regulation.
With the score tied at 61 at the 2:59 mark, not once did UA go to Perry at the end of regulation. The senior, to that point, had scored 21 of his team-high 23 points and he finished the game shooting 8-of-10 from the floor.
Instead, with eight seconds to play in regulation and UA trailing by a point, Johnson committed his fifth turnover. If anything, the ’Cats were fortunate to play an overtime session, as Hill was fouled on a 3-point attempt with four seconds left and drained all three free throws.
But the momentum was gone and UA never really threatened in the extra period.
Jan. 5: 65-58 loss to UCLA in the John R. Wooden Classic
A Hill layup with 3:27 remaining brought the Wildcats to within 57-54, but that was as close as it would get.
Hill, who was fouled on the play, missed the free throw and UCLA immediately pushed the ball up the floor to draw a foul and two free throws of its own.
Arizona then missed its next two field goal attempts and turned the ball over three times to widen the gap and seal the game.
Jan. 12: 81-73 win over Oregon State
Neither team led by more than two points from the 3:16 mark on in regulation.
UA was able to keep the ball in the hands of its top performers this contest, as Johnson, Brendon Lavender and Kyle Fogg each left their imprint on the game in key stretches.
ANALYSIS: Aside from last week’s win over the Beavers, the Wildcats have struggled to keep their best players involved down the stretch in some close ballgames.
More times than not, Hill will be one of the team’s better options when in need of a bucket. That doesn’t necessarily mean he needs to shoot, but, at the very least, the ball should be in his hands.
There have been moments this season where the junior has asserted himself and been able to convert good looks at the basket or draw the foul.
Regardless, your leading scorer cannot average just 8.5 shots per game on a team in desperate need of a go-to player.
Arizona’s NCAA tournament projections
(Editor’s note: ESPN and Sports Illustrated will release its latest projections later this week)
ESPN.com: First four out and on the bubble as of Jan. 9
SportingNews.com: Dropped out and on the bubble
SportsIllustrated.com: Last four out as of Jan. 10
*And now, here’s recruiting editor Matt Moreno’s recruiting breakdown:
Football recruiting:
* This past weekend was the first of three big weekends in January for Arizona and new head coach Rich Rodriguez. The Wildcats hosted a number of official visitors on campus and it didn’t take long for the new staff to earn a commitment. And it came at a position of need for new defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel.
Three-star outside linebacker C.J. Dozier committed on his trip to Tucson to give UA’s new staff its first commitment. Dozier will enroll immediately, and because of that he counts toward last year’s class and will not use one of this year’s scholarships.
The three-star recruit was previously committed to Arizona State, but decided to open up his recruitment in December.
Dozier finished his season at Temecula (Calif.) Chaparral with 58 total tackles for a Puma’s squad that ended the year with a 7-5 record.
The nation’s 50th ranked outside linebacker also had offers from Washington, Washington State, Colorado and others.
* Scottsdale C.C. defensive tackle Mike Pennel was scheduled to visit Tucson this week, but he didn’t end up making the trip and had to reschedule for a later date.
* UA hosted three Pittsburgh commits for visits this weekend, and by all accounts the visits went well. Dakota Conwell has a good relationship with Tony Gibson and there is a good chance that the three-star prospect flips his commitment. Right now it appears that it will come down to the Wildcats and Pitt in the end.
Chris and Demitrious Davis also visited Tucson over the weekend, and they enjoyed their visit as well. However, the twins continue to say publicly that they are committed to Pitt and don’t intend to change that.
"It went good,” Chris Davis told Rivals.com. “They showed us tapes of what they would do with us and told us about the offense, and it was a good visit.
"Just being there was nice, with the weather and stuff like that, so I thought about Arizona and what it would be like to be there. But it's far from home, and I really like where I'm at. It was fun being out there but it is far from home."
Even though the pair enjoyed their visit, the siblings said they want to remain with the Panthers.
"We're both for sure feeling good about Pitt," Davis said. "There's not a place other than Pitt that I want to be. We're 110% committed to Pitt."
"We basically decided last week that we wanted to visit, but we kind of didn't want it to get out because of the fans and we didn't want the media hyping it up. It was really just a vacation for us; we weren't looking to go there, we just wanted to take the trip."
Although they maintain that there is not much interest in going elsewhere, the Davis family will host Gibson for a visit this Wednesday. While it is not a certainty that the twins will flip their commitment at this point, it remains a possibility.
Continue to check back all week for updates from the weekend’s visitors.
* The early visitor list for next weekend includes Dylan Cozens, Keoni Bush-Loo and Darrian Dyson. This list will of course grow over the course of the week, so keep checking back to see who gets added or drops off.
* I’m hearing that three-star inside linebacker Sam Lebbie will likely visit UA within in one of the next two big recruiting weekends. The Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha standout is currently committed to West Virginia.
* The Wildcats extended an offer to 2013 athlete prospect Jake Roh of Scottsdale (Ariz.) Chaparral on Sunday.
* Arizona commit Beau Boyster will be one of many players taking part in the PrepStar California Classic All-Star Game on Jan. 29. Boyster will be part of the CIF South team, which also includes UA targets Bryan Harper, Aaron Porter, Alphonso Marsh and Brandon Beaver among others.
The game is set to take place at 6 p.m. at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
* Here’s a video[/URL] of 2013 offensive tackle prospect Kenny Lacy at the US Army All-American Combine.
Basketball recruiting:
* 2013 prospect Tyler Ennis heard from UA assistant Joe Pasternack over the weekend and he remains one of the Wildcats major targets for the junior class.
“They (UA) have a good situation with the talent they have coming in for 2012, along with the future talent they’ll have with the sophomores and freshmen [in high school] now,” Ennis said. “They’re not filled up at the guard position, so that’s always good, too.”
When Nate Britt chose North Carolina in November, Ennis became the major point guard target for the Wildcats in the 2013 class.
“They actually let me know that they were recruiting me and Nate Britt,” Ennis said. “If we were to both go somewhere else, they said they weren’t going to go recruit somebody else. We’re the two point guards that they want. So when he committed somewhere else, I guess I became the full top priority and I think that’s the case right now.”
Ennis said that he likes knowing that his skills and work have led to him being recruited as a priority by Sean Miller’s staff.
“It’s a good feeling, because you watch Mike Bibby when he was at Arizona or Gilbert Arenas,” Ennis said. “And the same school that they went to is recruiting you, so it’s humbling, but also looking at the situation they’re in it’s a good situation for me as well.”
The 6-foot-2 prospect said that he doesn’t have a list of leaders right now, but there are some teams that are coming after him a little bit stronger than others.
“A lot of people start assuming that there’s a list that I have with the schools that are recruiting me,” Ennis said. “There’s some schools like Arizona, who is recruiting me a little harder than everybody else, Georgia Tech is recruiting me hard and Kansas. But there’s a lot of schools.”
The nation’s 34th-ranked player in the nation said that he watched UA play earlier in the season, and that he thinks the Wildcats’ style of play is something that could fit him.
“I watched them a couple times early in the year, but I haven’t had a chance to watch them for a little bit,” Ennis said. “Their guards have a lot of responsibilities on the team. I watch their sets and things like that, and I think it’s a good style of play if you’re a guard. With the talent they have, it’s only going to be even better.”
Playing time has been a big factor in the Canadian point guard’s recruitment, and he said that is still the case.
“Definitely, I want to go to a school where I can contribute from my freshman year,” Ennis said. “I don’t really want to sit around and wait for my turn, although it doesn’t have to be 40 minutes a game - obviously. I just want to be able to contribute early on.”
Ennis currently plays his high school basketball at Newark (N.J.) St. Benedict’s and he said so far his squad’s season is going well.
“Record-wise I think we’re doing pretty well, considering we’re all new to each other,” Ennis said. “Having only one loss to a top-5 team, I think we’re doing pretty well.
“I think we have good chemistry. Most of us live together on our school property, so we have good chemistry. We have a lot of guards, and guards like to play with other guards as well. So with me and our other two guards we work well together.”
His passing ability is something that has gotten Ennis noticed, but he has been putting more effort into other things on the court as well. He said that so far the results have been positive.
“I’ve been playing well lately,” Ennis said. “I’ve been just trying to fill the stat sheet as much as possible, getting rebounds and assists. I have good players around me, so it’s not hard for me to do. So I’m getting double-doubles.
“I could always score, so when my team needs me to score I score.”
Ennis said that his team’s goal is to continue on the track that they have so far and show why it can compete with the nation’s elite teams.
“Some of the sites that rank the teams have us lower than we think we should be,” Ennis said. “So it’s going to be about proving to everybody that we are one of the top teams in the country and beating some of the top teams to prove that. Coming into the end of January and the beginning of February we have some of the top teams, so we have to prove that we can beat them and we’re just as good.”
The point guard prospect said that he’s not near a decision yet, but he’s planning on taking visits after his junior year.
“Right when the season’s over, because I don’t think we have a weekend off for a while,” Ennis said. “Maybe if we get a weekend off, then I can get an unofficial in to one of the schools that is interested. But after the season I will definitely be taking some unofficial visits.”
He added that the AAU season with his CIA Bounce team will be big for him as he continues his progression as a player.
“Yeah, I’m really looking forward to it,” Ennis said. “I think this last AAU season is what really put me on the map, and it got me recruited a lot more. So I’m looking forward to just building on that, and we have a great team with a lot of talent. I’m looking forward to playing with some of those guys.”
Playing time is going to be a big factor in his recruitment, but UA has made some headway with the Canadian point guard. The next step will be getting him on campus, but Ennis said that will likely happen once he talks things over with his father and can get a date squared away after his season is over.
* Four-star UA target Stephen Domingo has been visited by numerous coaches this season, including Miller a little over week ago. But the 2013 prospect said that he doesn’t feel any added pressure to perform well when all eyes are on him at San Francisco (Calif.) St. Ignatius.
“I definitely want to perform well,” Domingo said. “It’s definitely something that I think about, because you never want to disappoint. You always want to go out and give your best effort.
“They know what I can do, and during high school they don’t come so much to evaluate you as much as just to see your progression. The coaches know what I can do, they’ve watched me during live period. The interest is there for a reason, so I just want to show them new aspects of my game and how I would fit into their system.
“It’s not as nerve wracking, because they have already shown you interest in the certain things that you can do.”
Domingo will be playing with Dream Vision once again on the AAU circuit this year, he told GOAZCATS.com. Last year he spent time on different levels of the travel team, but this season he will play with the program’s top team. The wing prospect said that AAU basketball presents a different challenge than high school basketball does for him.
“AAU is definitely going to be important, especially at the high level of Dream Vision,” Domingo said. “You play against a player who wants it just as bad as you do every night, which sometimes you may not get in high school. You always have to bring your ‘A’ game, so it elevates my game. And I find that sometimes playing against that high level brings out the best in me.
“You have no time to get complacent, and that’s what I’m looking forward to about AAU.”
* The 2012 Hoophall Classic has been taking place over the weekend and continues with a plenty of good games today. Three of Arizona’s four 2012 signees are taking part in the showcase, and there are also a number of Wildcat targets to keep an eye on as well.
Four-star signee Grant Jerrett had an outstanding finish in La Verne (Calif.) Lutheran’s win over Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick on Saturday at the Classic in Springfield, Mass. After struggling in the opening half, the future UA Wildcat scored 23 points after that to finish with a game-high 30 for the Trojans in the two-point overtime victory.
Along with scoring 10 of his team’s 11 points in the extra period, Jerrett was 9-of-9 from the free-throw line, had 12 rebounds and five blocks.
Fellow future Wildcat Eric Cooper also contributed to the Trojans’ win with 17 points in the contest. Cooper has continued his progression this season as he continues to be more confident when shooting from outside.
Later in the day on Saturday, 2013 prospect BeeJay Anya had all his skills on display when Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha faced West Hartford (Conn.) Northwest Catholic. Anya finished the game with a game-high 24 points and nine rebounds in the 78-57 win. The four-star prospect, who stands at 6-8 but has a wingspan that measures 7-9, doesn’t have a definitive list yet.
However, he still names Arizona as one of the teams he is interested in when talking about his recruitment. There’s not a high probability that he ends up in a Wildcats uniform, but it’s still a recruitment to keep an eye on down the road.
The nation’s top-ranked center for the class of 2012 and UA signee Kaleb Tarczewski had an impressive game Sunday afternoon at the Hoophall Classic. The future Wildcat and his team from Southborough (Mass.) St. Mark’s defeated Wynnewood (Pa.) Friends Central, 67-57. Tarczewski led the way with 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
2012 UA signee Brandon Ashley and his team from Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep will take on Jabari Parker and Chicago (Ill.) Simeon today at 1 p.m. MST on the final day of action at the Hoophall Classic. The Pilots currently hold a 16-1 record overall, while Simeon remains undefeated.
The game will be televised on ESPNU, as will all of Monday’s contests.
Possible future Wildcats will also be playing on Monday as part of the Classic. Just before Ashley and the Pilots take on Simeon, Anya and DeMatha will square off with the nation’s No. 1 overall prospect Shabazz Muhammad and Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman. Along with Muhammad, 2015 UA target Stephen Zimmerman will suit up for the Gaels in the 11 a.m. MST contest in Springfield.
In the Classic’s 3 p.m. MST matchup, Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei and 2014 prospect Stanley Johnson will face Queens (N.Y.) Christ the King. Johnson won the Classic’s dunk contest Sunday evening.
* Gabe York continues to recover from having surgery to remove his appendix. He expects to be back in action for tonight’s game against Jerrett, Cooper and La Verne Lutheran. In his absence, York’s squad from Orange (Calif.) Lutheran has gone 2-2 with losses to Mater Dei and San Juan Capistrano (Calif.) JSerra.
This post was edited on 1/16 6:53 AM by Tracy McDannald
