In Arizona head football coach Mike Stoops’ annual Signing Day press conference Wednesday he made comments that may have been considered as personal shots at ASU and their recruiting methods.

In reference to losing key players to ASU that once were a part of the Wildcats’ recruiting class, Stoops said, “”Obviously Arizona State has turned into a JC (junior college) and we are a four-year college.””

Stoops said that some of Arizona’s recruits who had prior verbal commitments to the school had told online recruiting Web sites the requirements needed to get into ASU were easier to the ones at Arizona.

ASU head coach Dennis Erickson caught wind of Stoops remarks Wednesday and said in a press conference in Tempe, “”He can say what he wants to say. We’re all the same. There is no difference. The bottom line with recruiting, and all that talking back and forth and all the stuff is who’s going to win games and who isn’t right now.

“”To be honest with you, I don’t really know what he’s saying, because they took a bunch of junior college players.””

Stoops apologized in a statement yesterday.

“”(Wednesday) in my annual signing day news conference I regretfully made some comments about sister institution Arizona State University,”” Stoops said in the statement. “”These remarks were dutifully reported by the media, and not necessarily taken out of context – which was within some of my heartfelt observations about the recruiting process and what it entails for individuals and college football programs.

“”I’ve since spoken with ASU Coach Dennis Erickson. It was a personal mistake and one for which I apologize.””