On Wednesday’s Signing Day, the Arizona football team announced its 2006 recruiting class: 22 athletes of varying caliber all expected to help the Wildcats take a step forward after consecutive 3-8 seasons.
What follows is a brief breakdown of how each position in the class could contribute this fall, with anticipated impact players singled out.
Quarterback
Arizona picked up only one prep signal-caller in Newhall, Calif.’s Tyler Lyon. Blessed with ideal height and good arm strength, he completed 57 percent of his passes for 5,390 yards and 43 touchdowns over his last two seasons for William S. Hart High School.
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With at least three athletes ahead of him on the depth chart entering spring workouts, Arizona head coach Mike Stoops has said Lyon will take the full 2006 season to develop, a luxury not utilized by freshman starter Willie Tuitama last year.
Running back
With the graduation of four-year contributor Mike Bell, who left as the fifth-leading rusher in Arizona history, both of the team’s top incoming running backs could see field time in the fall.
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The more highly touted, Derke Robinson of Lewisville, Texas, brings size and decent wheels (4.65 40-yard dash). Stoops said he could rise quickly in a backfield full of question marks. Speedy Sabino High School product Glyndon Bolasky (4.40 40-yard dash) was named the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year.
Fullback
Over the past few seasons, Arizona has kept its fullback’s duties limited to run blocking. Pedro Limon didn’t register a carry last season in support of Bell, graduated senior Gilbert Harris and will-be redshirt junior Chris Henry.
That could change with the arrival of Houston’s Earl Mitchell. Stoops gushed about his versatility, saying he could also play at either tight end or as a pass-receiving halfback. He may immediately assume Limon’s blocking assignments.
Tight end
Arizona hauled in four athletes projected to play at tight end, tied for the most at any position. Each brings good size and the pass-catching potential to replace the impending graduation of will-be senior Brad Wood (team-leading six touchdown receptions in 2005) a year from now.
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Two of the players, Conan Amituanai (defensive tackle) and A.J. Simmons (defensive end), have experience playing on the defensive line. Either could be moved there if the team lacks depth in the unit for the second straight year.
Wide receiver
One of the position’s smallest men enjoyed its biggest success last season, as 6-foot sparkplug Mike Thomas set Arizona freshman records for receptions (52) and yards (771), leading the Wildcats in both categories.
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The team addressed its lack of quality size by bringing in three touted athletes who measure 6 feet or taller. Two of them, leapers Terrell Reese and Delashaun Dean, bring obvious athleticism, while Garland, Texas, native Terrell Turner may be the most game-ready come fall. He may challenge for a starting spot opposite Thomas.
Offensive line
Stoops said the Wildcats will count on its 2005 recruits to shore up the offensive line this season, as the team introduced only three prep newcomers.
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Still, the team captured a clear jewel in Los Angeles native Jovon Hayes, whose bulk should make him a starting candidate. A fourth player, mammoth community-college transfer James Tretheway, has already enrolled at Arizona and should see significant time on the line this fall.
Defensive line
The fortunes reaped from this position will depend on the still-undetermined statuses of junior-college transfers Louis Holmes and Gabe Long. Both players were among the first to sign national letters of intent with the Wildcats (along with Tretheway), yet have not enrolled. As a result, neither player will participate in spring practices.
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According to a story in Thursday’s Arizona Daily Star, the players can now choose to enroll at whatever school they want to attend, including Arizona, but cannot do so until the summer.
Secondary
The Wildcats hit the jackpot when recruiting Web site www.Scout.com No. 4 cornerback prospect Devin Ross elected to play for Arizona over Oregon and Southern California. He should ensure more of a quality transition at the position as Antoine Cason and Wilrey Fontenot prepare for their junior seasons.
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Stoops said establishing depth in the secondary was one of the team’s primary goals in assembling its recruits, especially with the loss of graduated senior Darrell Brooks, who led the team in tackles in 2005. Community college transfer Nate Ness could replace him in the short term with Cam Nelson locked in for a year or two down the road.
