New Arizona Wildcats linebackers coach Scott Boone already helping with recruiting

Nevada was Chris Green’s second scholarship offer, and he liked the Wolf Pack quite a bit.

One reason why: Green had a relationship with defensive coordinator Scott Boone.

“He’s a really great coach,” Green said. “He was straight up with me.

Then Nevada and head coach Brian Polian parted ways, and the rest of the Nevada staff, including Boone, was out of a job.

The Wolf Pack have since replaced Polian with former ASU assistant Jay Norvell, and ex-Arizona defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel was hired as defensive coordinator.

Nevada is back in the mix for Green — it helps that his high school coach, Eric Scott, was hired to be a receivers coach — but the Arizona Wildcats have become his likely destination.

UA coaches offered Green a scholarship last week. On Wednesday, Green learned something new — and exciting — about Arizona.

Boone was hired as Arizona’s new linebackers coach this week, replacing departed cornerbacks coach Donté Williams. Defensive coordinator Marcel Yates, who coached linebackers a year ago, will now handle the corners.

“I didn’t know that until now!” Green exclaimed. “That’s a good thing because he liked me when Nevada was recruiting me, Nevada was my second offer after Hawaii and they really liked me. They were calling me every day, including Coach Boone. That’s actually a good thing.”

Williams was one of the most dynamic recruiters on Arizona’s staff, known for his prowess in Southern California. Boone wasn’t quite the headline grabber that Williams was upon his hiring last year, but it doesn’t mean the 57-year old won’t help Arizona’s recruiting effort.

UA coach Rich Rodriguez said Boone “has experience recruiting the areas we recruit.”

Boone, after all, tried to flip current Wildcats Lorenzo Burns, Jacob Colacion and Isaiah Hayes.

In 2015, Boone recruited UA safety Anthony Mariscal, and in 2014 — his first year at Nevada — the Wolf Pack offered scholarships to safety Devon Brewer and cornerback Jace Whittaker.

Boone recruited two current UA targets — Green, a defensive lineman from Los Angeles, and middle linebacker Colin Schooler — while at Nevada.

Schooler said he spoke with Boone a few days before his hiring was made official.

“We talked about stuff as a possibility, since he was about to get the job at the U of A,” said Schooler, from Mission Viejo, California. “I was just excited for him. I told him, ‘Congratulations, maybe I’ll see you there.’ ... I’m excited, if I go to Arizona, to have the opportunity to play for him.”

Arizona is the likely leader for both Green and Schooler, both coming at positions of need. The Wildcats desperately need size on the defensive line, and Green checks in at 6-foot-2 and 276 pounds. At middle linebacker, the Wildcats lose both Michael Barton and Cody Ippolito from last season.

Schooler plans to visit Arizona in January; he is also considering UNLV. “I love Tucson,” Schooler said. “I love the college town feel of it. There’s no professional sports there to distract people from and it’s just everyone is cheering on U of A.”

Green is still considering Nevada and is unsure if he plans to take an official visit to Arizona before signing day — he visited the Wildcats unofficially during the spring — but the thought of competing for immediate playing time excites him.

“I can come in and make an impact early,” Green said. “They’ve been saying that a lot to me lately. I just like the fact that they believe in me enough that I can come in and make an impact at Arizona.”

Extra points

Cornerback Tony Wallace announced his verbal commitment to the Wildcats last week. It may not last: USC offered Wallace a scholarship on Wednesday, and the Las Vegas Desert Pines product tweeted that the Trojans were his “dream school.” Wallace will visit both Arizona and USC in January.