AZ Desert Swarm spam folder: The latest batch of responses to our readers’ questions about Arizona players, coaches and teams
We started this last week AZ Desert Swarm spam folder, an attempt to answer our readers’ burning questions. And you have plenty of it.
Turns out you had even more!
Find the latest answers to your questions here:
Who will be the third starting wide receiver alongside Jacob Cowing and T-Mac?
Arizona boasted three wide receivers last season who combined nearly 2,300 snaps, something almost unheard of in college football. A total of seven receivers logged snaps, but the other four — two of whom have since switched — played just 108 snaps combined.
However, the most commonly used receiver has evolved Dorian Singer left to play at USC in 2023, leaving one spot open alongside Cowing and others Tetairoa McMillan. Who will fill this slot? The possibilities are numerous.
The Wildcats will have at least 14 receivers in preseason camp, more if they add a few more walk-ons. Eight are scholarship recipients, including several freshmen and one Colorado transfer Montana Lemonious-Craig. MCG’s experience with the Buffaloes, for whom he played nine games last season, should give the competition an edge, but he’s also playing in the summer and has yet to learn the pattern.
The same cannot be said for redshirt newbies Kevin Green Jr And AJ Joneswho technically made his debut before T-Mac but was on the field in the first offensive snap of 2023 at San Diego State, and true freshmen Jackson Holmen And Malachi Riley. This foursome, along with the redshirt sophomore jaden clark, I had a lot of run in the third receiver place and everyone has a good start.
If we had to guess, it would be Green, who is more of a slot guy at 5’7″ and weighs 170 pounds and would fill the role Cowing had a year ago before Arizona decided to cast him for this one move the season outside. If Cowing is better on the inside, Lemonious-Craig and his 6-2 squad will just barely work on the outside.
With Bob Huggins resigning after his arrest for drunk driving in West Virginia, is Kerr Kriisa stuck there, or can he make another move?
Though Kriisa is no longer with Arizona, the contributions he’s made over the past three seasons make him a wildcat for life. And it’s very sad to see what’s going on in Morgantown, where he moved this spring.
The NCAA transfer portal is technically closed to anyone who is not a graduate transfer, but there is a clause that gives student-athletes who are part of a team going through a coaching change an additional 30 days to re-enter the portal . That window of opportunity would have started on Sunday, a day after Huggins announced he was stepping down after 16 seasons at his alma mater.
But would Kriisa go? Probably not. As much as Huggins considered some of his decision to choose West Virginia over several other options, including Nebraska, the zero odds at Morgantown probably played an equally big part. There will be other teams hoping for his return to the open market but expecting him to appear in Gold and Blue this season.
Is there any concern that Arizona football is running low on commitments after several big recruiting weekends?
Simple answer: just wait.
Longer answer: Follow the Twitter accounts of jedd fishhis assistants and other recruiting personnel in the Arizona program, and it’s pretty clear the Wildcats received a slew of signings from the group of official visitors they hosted in June.
Officially, UA has received three commitments for June so far: 3-star California defender Kaho Tuihalamaka, Texas edge rusher Eduwa Okundaye And California kicker/punter Michael Salgado-Medina. But all indications are that many other pledges have not been made public for some reason, in many cases because there are other official visits coming up this month and they will (as befits) make the best of getting it all – paid trip to a university campus.
Don’t be surprised if several of these commits go public this week. In fact, they’re a trio of 2024 recruits, teammates from Glendale Apollo High School in the Phoenix area, who were visiting Arizona this month announce together on Monday afternoon. UA is in the top two or three finalists of each prospect, so chances are pretty good that at least one of them will choose the Wildcats.
What tournaments do men’s and women’s basketball coaches go to for information on prospective players, and who do they meet with?
We were asked that question in the first week, but the answer took so long that we deferred it for this week – and I can only speak on the women’s side.
The coaches were busy. You just got back on the recruiting path The last weekend, although they didn’t reveal exactly where they were going. However, we have an idea of which players they are interested in.
Several travel teams and players announced that Arizona had extended their offers. Players approaching their signing dates have announced finalists, and the Wildcats have been a part of some of them. That’s important as the day of signing the 2024 vintage is just five months away and becoming head coach Adia Barnes There are no known verbal commitments for the next season.
As of June 5, only about 30 percent of the 2024 class had made verbal commitments according to ESPN, but Barnes has had at least one commitment at this point in years past. Last year, Montaya rope committed early, but Breya Cunningham And Jada Williams waited for the signing day to get closer. In recent years, Arizona has also brought in a late spring signing. In the last two seasons, that late signing came from a player retiring from another program. Before that, it usually came from an interested party from abroad.
Current offerings include 2025 prepayment Brynn McCaughywho announced their Arizona bid on May 24. A week earlier, Premier Basketball Report’s Jason Key wrote“Currently not ranked, McGaughy is the hottest name there can be just judging by recent high profile offers to go with it.”
Premier Basketball Report currently provides the ESPN HoopGurlz rankings and as of this post by Key, McCaughy is no longer on the rankings. Her recruitment rating gives her a score of 96, making her a five-star recruit. HoopGurlz has now ranked her as the #15 contestant in the 2025 class.
The Wildcats are one of them Last seven for 6-foot-3 forwards Vivian Iwuchukwu. Iwuchukwu is a four-star player from Monteverde Academy in Florida. She ranks 49th in the 2024 vintage ESPN HoopGurlz.
Judge Carlton, also from the 2024 class, has the Wildcats in their last five. The forward from Seven Lakes High School in Texas is sixth in the current ESPN ranking.
Other players Arizona is looking for for the Class of 2024 include Alexandra “Lexi” Blue, Devin CoppingerAnd Emily Rodriguez. Rodriguez is one of the other players listed Key’s Twitter thread about the 10 players whose phone rang in mid-May.
“Buses are circling the Stock Rise, it’s a must see!!!” Key wrote. Barnes was one of those coaches.
Recruitment isn’t just about getting staff off campus. Coppinger paid an unofficial visit to the Tucson campus in late May.
For fans who care deeply about the Wildcats retaining the best players in the state, the staff aspires to Salpointe Catholic’s Taliyah Henderson and Valley Vista’s Destiny “Ky’she” Lunan in the 2025 vintage.
Outside of the state, Arizona wants a five-star outlook for 2025 Emilee Skinner Join the program. The preacher at Ridgeline High School in Millville, Utah, ranks 21st in his class.
The Wildcats have a long-standing offer to the younger sister of Maya And Zeke Nnaji, Josie Nnaji.
Players of the year 2025 can start official visits in January.
Arizona is also eyeing players from the 2026, 2027, and 2028 classes. Yes, 2028. As with players who just graduated from the seventh grade.
In the 2026 vintage, Arizona keeps track Jhai Johnson from Oakland (CA) Tech and Amaya “Sunshine” Garcia from DeSoto (TX) High School. DeSoto regularly produces Division I talent, but the Wildcats have had trouble signing any of them lately. However, former Wildcat LaBrittney Jones joined the staff before last season.
In the 2027 vintage, the Wildcats are watching Myella Chapman And Jezelle Banks. However, no player has indicated that they have an offer from Arizona. Chapman has offers from California and Tulsa. The Arizona Women’s Basketball Official Account follows her on Instagram. Barnes and the official report follow Banks, but she doesn’t list an Arizona bid either.
Arizona also wants to see what the prospects are for 2028 Mariah Brownlee develops. She has supporters of assistant coaches Volley Coppa And bed shelby as well as the program’s official IG account.
This is just a small sampling of the players that the Arizona women’s program has shown at least some interest in over the next five grades.
Any questions? Contact us in the comments section below Facebook or Twitteror via email [email protected].
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