13 things you probably don't know about UA's Wright
- Updated
Here's a look at all things that make Scooby, Scooby.
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Scooby Dooby Doo
It's no secret that Scooby Wright is one of the most prolific defensive players in Arizona Wildcats football history.
Despite his injury-plagued season in 2015, he's still arguably one of the best defensive players the Wildcats have ever seen. His work ethic, drive and grit on the gridiron prove it.
But there are also a handful of things you don't know about the linebacker from Santa Rosa, Calif. Here's a rundown of all the things that make Scooby, Scooby.
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The basics
First things first: Scooby Wright's real name isn't Scooby. So what is it?
Scooby's real name is Philip. In fact, he's Philip Anthony Wright III.
Philip — better known by his friends, family and Wildcats fans as Scooby — stands at 6-feet-1-inch and weighs 246 pounds.
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Why 'Scooby?'
So why does he go by Scooby?
"My birth name is Philip Anthony Wright III and they called my grandpa 'Philip' and my dad 'Phil,'" Scooby said. "Ever since I was a baby, my dad was always like, 'He's my little Scooby Doo.'
"I don't think my parents have called me Philip a day in my life. When I walked across the stage for my high school graduation a few days before I came (to Arizona), some of my very best friends had no idea Philip was my real name."
All right. Scooby it is.
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Birthday boy
Scooby was born on Aug. 28, 1994. He's 21 years old.
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Praise from Santa Rosa
Scooby attended Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa, Calif., where he was a two-sport standout athlete in both football and track.
During his high school career, he was a four-year varsity football player who played on both sides of the ball. He played linebacker and running back.
As a senior in 2012, he was a first-team all-state selection and also played in the South Bay BMW West Coast Bowl. He was also selected as the North Bay All-League Co-MVP that year.
That wasn't all Scooby was recognized for during his senior year. He was named to the MaxPreps Div. III All-State first team and was a Cal State All-Star Game selection. He earned a PrepStar All-West Region nod and was the All-Redwood Empire Defensive Player of the Year as well.
During his junior year, he was an all-state second-team selection.
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Sports run through his blood
Scooby, son of Philip and Annette, is an athlete by blood.
Scooby's father, who goes by Phil, played college football at Santa Rosa Junior College and later went on to earn a scholarship to play football at Long Beach State.
Now, Phil is the head coach of the Santa Rosa Junior College softball team. He took over the program in 2011.
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Softballin' sisters
Scooby has two sisters — Ashley and Alexis — who both played college softball.
Ashley, the eldest Wright child, played softball at Illinois as a pitcher from 2007-10.
Alexis, the younger of Scooby's sisters, played softball at Sierra College and at Santa Rosa Junior College as a catcher.
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Two-star Scoob
Coming out of high school, Scooby was rated as a two-star recruit by the Scout.com recruiting service and had no other scholarship offers. But Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez liked what he saw on film and knew the linebacker could help the Wildcats right away.
"He was one of those guys where you watch five or six plays of his highlights and you say, 'This is the kind of guy we want,'" Rodriguez said in 2013. "Then you find out more about him, get to know who he is and his family and what he's all about — he's been everything we thought and then some.
"He's going to play as a true freshman in a lot of roles for us," RichRod also said in 2013.
Scooby added in 2013: "Arizona was my first offer. They offered in June before the camp circuit. I went to Boise State and they said they were going to offer me, but they never did. Arizona took a chance on me. They didn't need to see anything more. They saw my film and they knew they liked me. When they did that, I felt like I might as well commit and I'm very happy I did."
It seems as though Scooby has used his two-star rating to motivate him ever since he graduated from high school. After all, his Twitter account handle is still "@TwoStarScoob."
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Making an impact
Despite that two-star rating hanging over his head, Scooby started making an impact for the Arizona Wildcats as a true freshman in 2013.
During his freshman campaign, Scooby played in all 13 games and started 12 of them. He was selected as a freshman All-American by 247sports.com and a second-team freshman All-American by Athlon Sports. He also earned an All-Pac-12 honorable mention honor.
Here's a look at his 2013 stats:
• 83 tackles (third among UA, second among Pac-12 freshmen)
• 9.5 tackles-for-loss
• 0.5 sacks
• 1 interception
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The best defensive season in Arizona history?
In his sophomore year in 2014, Scooby posted what is arguably the best defensive season in Arizona history.
Following that season, Scooby collected the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Rotary Lombardi Award and the Chuck Bednarik Award, which are all given to the nation's top defensive player. He was also selected as the Pat Tillman Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.
He was selected as Arizona's sixth unanimous All-American and was named the National Defensive Player of the Year by SB Nation, CBSSports.com and Scout.com. He was also a Walter Camp Player of the Year finalist.
He ranked in the Top 5 among FBS players in the following categories:
• 163 total tackles (No. 1 in the nation)
• 29.0 tackles-for-loss (No. 1 in the nation)
• 14.0 sacks (No. 4 in the nation)
• 6 forced fumbles (Tied for No. 1 in the nation)
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Getting back on track
Following his All-American season in 2014, Scooby suffered a lateral meniscus tear in Week 1 of the 2015 season.
Three weeks later, he decided to come back and play against UCLA, where he suffered a foot injury that kept him out until Arizona's bowl game. He registered just eight tackles over parts of the two games he played in before the bowl game.
During his 11 combined weeks on Arizona’s injury report last season, Scooby took up boxing, found a way to distract himself on game days and got even bigger, if that’s possible.
Although he said he probably shouldn't have rushed himself back to play against the Bruins, he was certain of one thing.
“I’m going to play in the bowl game,” Scooby said in November. “Football players play football. I’m healthy.”
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Making it count
Heading into Arizona's bowl game — the Gildan New Mexico Bowl — Scooby knew he had to make his last college game count.
Although he only posted eight tackles during the regular season in 2015, he was a man on a mission in the bowl game.
Scooby recorded 15 total tackles, 11 of them solo tackles, and 2.0 sacks against New Mexico in the bowl game.
Shortly after the game ended, he announced he would enter the NFL draft.
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Welcome to the big show
After being drafted 250th overall by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL draft, Scooby became the 179th former Wildcat to enter the league.
Despite his roller-coaster 2015 season, Wildcats fans will always remember Scooby as one of the best — and they'll be excited to watch him on Sundays in the future.
- Arizona Daily Star
Scooby Dooby Doo
It's no secret that Scooby Wright is one of the most prolific defensive players in Arizona Wildcats football history.
Despite his injury-plagued season in 2015, he's still arguably one of the best defensive players the Wildcats have ever seen. His work ethic, drive and grit on the gridiron prove it.
But there are also a handful of things you don't know about the linebacker from Santa Rosa, Calif. Here's a rundown of all the things that make Scooby, Scooby.
- Arizona Daily Star
The basics
First things first: Scooby Wright's real name isn't Scooby. So what is it?
Scooby's real name is Philip. In fact, he's Philip Anthony Wright III.
Philip — better known by his friends, family and Wildcats fans as Scooby — stands at 6-feet-1-inch and weighs 246 pounds.
- Arizona Daily Star
Why 'Scooby?'
So why does he go by Scooby?
"My birth name is Philip Anthony Wright III and they called my grandpa 'Philip' and my dad 'Phil,'" Scooby said. "Ever since I was a baby, my dad was always like, 'He's my little Scooby Doo.'
"I don't think my parents have called me Philip a day in my life. When I walked across the stage for my high school graduation a few days before I came (to Arizona), some of my very best friends had no idea Philip was my real name."
All right. Scooby it is.
- Arizona Daily Star
Praise from Santa Rosa
Scooby attended Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa, Calif., where he was a two-sport standout athlete in both football and track.
During his high school career, he was a four-year varsity football player who played on both sides of the ball. He played linebacker and running back.
As a senior in 2012, he was a first-team all-state selection and also played in the South Bay BMW West Coast Bowl. He was also selected as the North Bay All-League Co-MVP that year.
That wasn't all Scooby was recognized for during his senior year. He was named to the MaxPreps Div. III All-State first team and was a Cal State All-Star Game selection. He earned a PrepStar All-West Region nod and was the All-Redwood Empire Defensive Player of the Year as well.
During his junior year, he was an all-state second-team selection.
- Arizona Daily Star
Sports run through his blood
Scooby, son of Philip and Annette, is an athlete by blood.
Scooby's father, who goes by Phil, played college football at Santa Rosa Junior College and later went on to earn a scholarship to play football at Long Beach State.
Now, Phil is the head coach of the Santa Rosa Junior College softball team. He took over the program in 2011.
- Arizona Daily Star
Softballin' sisters
Scooby has two sisters — Ashley and Alexis — who both played college softball.
Ashley, the eldest Wright child, played softball at Illinois as a pitcher from 2007-10.
Alexis, the younger of Scooby's sisters, played softball at Sierra College and at Santa Rosa Junior College as a catcher.
- Arizona Daily Star
Two-star Scoob
Coming out of high school, Scooby was rated as a two-star recruit by the Scout.com recruiting service and had no other scholarship offers. But Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez liked what he saw on film and knew the linebacker could help the Wildcats right away.
"He was one of those guys where you watch five or six plays of his highlights and you say, 'This is the kind of guy we want,'" Rodriguez said in 2013. "Then you find out more about him, get to know who he is and his family and what he's all about — he's been everything we thought and then some.
"He's going to play as a true freshman in a lot of roles for us," RichRod also said in 2013.
Scooby added in 2013: "Arizona was my first offer. They offered in June before the camp circuit. I went to Boise State and they said they were going to offer me, but they never did. Arizona took a chance on me. They didn't need to see anything more. They saw my film and they knew they liked me. When they did that, I felt like I might as well commit and I'm very happy I did."
It seems as though Scooby has used his two-star rating to motivate him ever since he graduated from high school. After all, his Twitter account handle is still "@TwoStarScoob."
- Arizona Daily Star
Making an impact
Despite that two-star rating hanging over his head, Scooby started making an impact for the Arizona Wildcats as a true freshman in 2013.
During his freshman campaign, Scooby played in all 13 games and started 12 of them. He was selected as a freshman All-American by 247sports.com and a second-team freshman All-American by Athlon Sports. He also earned an All-Pac-12 honorable mention honor.
Here's a look at his 2013 stats:
• 83 tackles (third among UA, second among Pac-12 freshmen)
• 9.5 tackles-for-loss
• 0.5 sacks
• 1 interception
- Arizona Daily Star
The best defensive season in Arizona history?
In his sophomore year in 2014, Scooby posted what is arguably the best defensive season in Arizona history.
Following that season, Scooby collected the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Rotary Lombardi Award and the Chuck Bednarik Award, which are all given to the nation's top defensive player. He was also selected as the Pat Tillman Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.
He was selected as Arizona's sixth unanimous All-American and was named the National Defensive Player of the Year by SB Nation, CBSSports.com and Scout.com. He was also a Walter Camp Player of the Year finalist.
He ranked in the Top 5 among FBS players in the following categories:
• 163 total tackles (No. 1 in the nation)
• 29.0 tackles-for-loss (No. 1 in the nation)
• 14.0 sacks (No. 4 in the nation)
• 6 forced fumbles (Tied for No. 1 in the nation)
- Arizona Daily Star
Getting back on track
Following his All-American season in 2014, Scooby suffered a lateral meniscus tear in Week 1 of the 2015 season.
Three weeks later, he decided to come back and play against UCLA, where he suffered a foot injury that kept him out until Arizona's bowl game. He registered just eight tackles over parts of the two games he played in before the bowl game.
During his 11 combined weeks on Arizona’s injury report last season, Scooby took up boxing, found a way to distract himself on game days and got even bigger, if that’s possible.
Although he said he probably shouldn't have rushed himself back to play against the Bruins, he was certain of one thing.
“I’m going to play in the bowl game,” Scooby said in November. “Football players play football. I’m healthy.”
- Arizona Daily Star
Making it count
Heading into Arizona's bowl game — the Gildan New Mexico Bowl — Scooby knew he had to make his last college game count.
Although he only posted eight tackles during the regular season in 2015, he was a man on a mission in the bowl game.
Scooby recorded 15 total tackles, 11 of them solo tackles, and 2.0 sacks against New Mexico in the bowl game.
Shortly after the game ended, he announced he would enter the NFL draft.
- Arizona Daily Star
Welcome to the big show
After being drafted 250th overall by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL draft, Scooby became the 179th former Wildcat to enter the league.
Despite his roller-coaster 2015 season, Wildcats fans will always remember Scooby as one of the best — and they'll be excited to watch him on Sundays in the future.
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