Loyal local: CDO football star Stevie Rocker commits to Arizona Wildcats for 2021

When Arizona played NAU to kick off the 2011 season, two things happened.

Mike Stoops picked up his final win as coach of the Wildcats before he was dismissed five games later. And, at halftime, a Stevie Rocker scored his first Arizona Stadium touchdown.

Rocker was 8 then and a member of the Marana Broncos. Near the end of a scrimmage against the Tucson Redskins, Rocker took a jet sweep down the sideline 23 yards into the north end zone.

“It was such a huge experience that I’ll never forget. I remember scoring a touchdown and how crazy the crowd went. It was just such a huge moment for me,” he said. “Ever since that point, I’ve always seen myself playing on that field. I never thought it would get to a point where I’d actually be able to play on the field.”

Rocker will get this chance to do it again. The Canyon del Oro High School standout committed to the UA on Thursday, choosing the Wildcats over Cal, Nevada and BYU.

A 6-foot, 185-pound running back, Rocker — who’s rated as a three-star recruit — is Arizona’s first local commit for the 2021 recruiting class.

Cienega High School’s Jamarye Joiner and Amphi High School’s David Watson picked the Wildcats in 2018, and Marana High School’s Jordan Morgan followed suit one year later. Arizona missed out on Salpointe Catholic running back Bijan Robinson (Texas) and safety Lathan Ransom (Ohio State) in the Class of 2020; Tucson’s top 2021 prospect, Sahuaro High School offensive lineman Jonah Miller, recently committed to Oregon.

Rocker follows Ka’Deem Carey, who was a star for the Dorados before he carved out an All-America career at the UA.

As a sophomore in 2018, Rocker rushed for 1,163 yards on 130 carries and scored 15 touchdowns. He missed the first half of last season because of a leg injury, then posted 371 yards and a touchdown in six games.

Rocker joined the Star’s Justin Spears on The Wildcast Podcast Thursday to talk about his commitment to Arizona:

Why did you choose to stay home and play for the UA?

A: “I pieced everything together to this point and I realized that Arizona was a school that I had more relationships with. I was always going to the school, and I was at every home game. The coaches and I are super tight and we all have a close relationship. I always felt more welcomed every time I went there. I was always greeted well like I was a player on the team. That meant a lot to me and I saw myself playing there. It’s always been a dream of mine to play college football and I always dreamed of playing on the football field (at Arizona Stadium). …

“My relationship with the University of Arizona and the coaching staff has been huge. It grew bigger and bigger by the days and they always believed in my abilities. Even after my (fractured leg injury), they were always checking up on me and making sure that I was OK. They were still trying to get me to come visit the school even when I was limping around in my boot. … The relationship I had with them was on another level.”

What do you remember about Ka’Deem Carey playing at CDO and Arizona?

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

A: “I remember him a little bit throughout high school. I was young — like 7, 8, 9 years old. I just remember him being at CDO and hearing about him. But when he went to the U of A, I was around 10 or 11, so I was able to watch him play. Watching him play was a whole ’nother level to watch. It was so crazy to watch him play, and I never thought I would get to a point where I’m being compared to him. It’s been a huge blessing to have that opportunity to build a legacy that’s been there and build off another one for my own and make a great thing to come out of Arizona.”

What do you think about the state of the program and the younger players who could be your teammates next season?

A: “The program has a huge buildup. They’ve had some huge players go in there and show out, and there are some still there making a name for themselves like Stanley Berryhill and Jamarye Joiner, those guys have made huge names being from Tucson. … I know the running backs are great players, but I’ll go in and get a chance to compete for a starting position, whether it’s playing time my freshman year or starting my freshman year.”

What’s the most memorable UA game you ever attended?

A: “The ASU-U of A game when U of A won the (Territorial) Cup (in 2014). I remember that game vividly, because my dad used to always get tickets on the visiting 50-yard line so we were always behind the opposite team. That game was crazy to us. I was decked out in (Wildcats) stuff and my friend and I made signs. Halfway through the game, we made it onto the Jumbotron. That game was such a crazy experience. We both rushed on the field and I got Samajie Grant’s glove. That was a day I’ll never forget. … I remember that game and the game against UCLA (in 2011) with the streaker. I saw that and was like, ‘There’s an extra ref on the field,’ and he just started taking off. That was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.”

What is something you hope to improve on before playing at Arizona?

A: “I’m just trying to get myself mentally prepared for it and just keep myself in shape. I’ve just been working out all the time and that’s something that I know will be a huge part in playing football at the collegiate level. I’m just trying to get my weight up, my muscle up and keep my stamina up to play and compete with all those players that are at the U of A. I want to be mentally prepared, because there’s going to be a lot coming at (me).”

Have you thought about what you would study at the UA?

A: “I’ve got three. One is I’ll try to be a doctor, because I know U of A’s medical field is phenomenal. I’ll try and do journalism and I also want to be an architect. The medical field is something great just in case the NFL doesn’t happen and it’s something that I know will help me financially. Journalism is something that’ll keep me in sports, because I love football and basketball. Being an architect just keeps me around my art ability to make actual buildings or being a part of making large corporations.”

How are you health-wise after sitting out half of last season with a leg injury?

A: “Going through those situations has really changed my mindset to protect myself better during situations where you don’t really expect anything. It’s pushed me to want to work harder. … Having this big injury helped me see what my role was with the team, not just on the field, but ‘how could I help the team not being on the field?’ It helped me be a leader and help the kids that really need a push from someone that’s not going to yell and scream at them, not someone who’s going to push them to the side, but someone who is willing to sit down and talk to them and be upfront with them. … It helped me build a leader mindset and pushed me to what I can piece together and build up.”

What are team and personal goals for your final season playing high school football?

A: “Get us to a championship. I know our team is capable of it and we have a chance. Our team is super close and we have a chance to make it to that point. We all have the ability and none of us are terrible players. We all have that ability to work together and get to that point.”