Jake Peters was eating chicken wings with his friends at a sports bar in San Juan Capistrano, California, on Tuesday evening when another buddy called him.
“Dude,” he said. “Did you hear about RichRod?”
About a second later, Peters saw the news flash across ESPN: Rich Rodriguez had been fired as coach of the Arizona Wildcats.
“It’s been a crazy 48 hours,” Peters said by phone Thursday.
Peters played tight end for Santa Margarita Catholic High School. He was among 16 prospects to sign with Arizona on Dec. 20. They all assumed they would play under Rodriguez.
That changed Tuesday, when the UA decided to part ways with Rodriguez after six seasons. Rodriguez is the focal point of a $7.5 million notice of claim brought by his former administrative assistant, Melissa Wilhelmsen, who accused Rodriguez of creating a hostile work environment and sexually harassing her. Rodriguez has denied those allegations. Wilhelmsen’s attorney is expected to file a second notice of claim, this one against the athletic department, on Friday.
The news came as a shock to Peters and the other members of the class of 2018.
“The first night, everybody was really freaking out,” Peters said. “Everyone was caught off guard.”
But Peters said Thursday that he remains committed to Arizona, despite the prospect of an entirely new coaching staff.
“I want to go to Arizona,” Peters said. “Both my parents are Wildcats. I want to be a Wildcat.”
Others who signed with Arizona in December have expressed similar feelings through social media.
“I’m a Wildcat,” safety Christian Young of Richmond, Texas, tweeted. “I will stick with my squad (through) hard times. We have to make best with what we have.”
Las Vegas defensive end Adam Plant Jr., who is committed to the UA but hasn’t signed yet, told the Star that he’s still “locked in with Arizona 100 percent.” Like many would-be Wildcats, Plant said he is hopeful that interim coach Marcel Yates will get the full-time job. But Plant said he’s planning to sign with Arizona on Feb. 7 regardless.
“I would have to learn the new coaches, see what their defense is,” said Plant, whom Rivals recently elevated to a four-star prospect.
“I would still be with Arizona. I’d still be committed.”
NLI rules and regs
Plant still has choices because he has yet to sign a national letter of intent (NLI). For Peters and the other 15 recruits who signed in December, it’s a bit more complicated.
Because those players signed NLIs, they would have to go through an appeals process to be released to sign with a different school. An appeal takes six to eight weeks to complete, according to the official NLI website.
An NLI can be declared null and void under certain circumstances, such as a school committing recruiting rules violations. A student-athlete can be released from an NLI via appeal under “extenuating” circumstances such as illness, family issues or financial hardship. A coaching change does not provide an escape hatch.
The frequently asked questions on the NLI website included this one: “Is an NLI binding if the coach of my sport leaves the institution?”
This is the answer: “Yes. The NLI you signed with an institution remains binding if the coach who recruited you leaves the institution with which you signed. When you sign an NLI, you sign with an institution and not with a coach or a specific team.”
Saquandra Heath, an NCAA spokesperson, put it this way: “The NLI is a binding agreement between a prospective student-athlete and the member institution. Therefore, when a coaching change takes place, the prospective student-athlete is still bound by the NLI agreement signed with the school. If a prospective student-athlete wishes to be released from the NLI obligation, a request may be filed, and the final decision is determined by the school.”
Peters said he and his family haven’t explored ways to get out of his NLI and aren’t planning to as of now.
“That’s the worst-case scenario,” Peters said. “I’m not even thinking about that. I know a lot of the other commits feel that way as well. We didn’t commit for Coach Rodriguez; we committed to the school and the program.
“Some guys might try to get out to weigh their options. I don’t see the majority doing that.”
Unintended consequences
The NCAA instituted an early signing period for football for the first time in 2017. Many objected to the early period, citing the likelihood of coaching changes between late December and early February.
UA athletic director Dave Heeke determined he was going to fire Rodriguez before the Dec. 28 conclusion of an investigation into his alleged workplace behavior. Given that timing, did Peters feel misled?
“I wouldn’t say ‘misled’ is the word,” he said. “Just a little disappointed with the timing, especially with the early signing period. It just proves to the NCAA that February is the right time to sign.”
Many contend that an out clause of sorts should be baked into the early signing period, giving student-athletes the option to void their NLIs if something significant happens, such as a coaching change.
“I think the university should ask the players what we want,” tweeted PJ Johnson, a defensive tackle expected to enroll at Arizona next week. “Essentially we (are) gonna have to deal with whoever the coach is every day and respect him and trust him to lead us to the promised land.”
Johnson joined the chorus of players pushing for Yates, who’s been Arizona’s defensive coordinator the past two seasons. Yates and defensive assistant Brian Knorr spoke to Plant after Rodriguez was fired, urging him to stick with Arizona regardless of whether they remain on staff. Peters said recruiting coordinator Chris Singletary and linebackers coach Scott Boone had a similar message for him.
Although Plant and Peters remain committed to Arizona, the future is less clear for Cienega quarterback Jamarye Joiner.
Joiner has been committed to Arizona since September 2016. But, like Plant, Joiner elected not to sign in December.
He is scheduled to take visits to four schools over the next month: Arizona, Nebraska, Baylor and Alabama. The latter has him particularly excited.
“It’d be amazing,” Joiner said. “Growing up, Alabama was a school that I dreamed of playing for.”
The Crimson Tide will play for its fifth national championship in nine years Monday night.
Job posted
It’s unlikely Arizona will have a coach in place by then.
The university posted the position of “Head Coach, Football” on its careers website Thursday.
According to the posting, the job will be open until Jan. 16 — three days longer than the minimum 10-day requirement.
“Expression of interest received by 01/16/2018 will be assured consideration,” the posting reads.
That’s a surprising development in that it will keep current and future players in limbo even longer and will squeeze the window for the new coach to hire his staff and add to the 2018 class by national signing day.
The posting also states that “all application materials and inquiries should be submitted directly” to DHR International, the search firm that is aiding Heeke in finding Rodriguez’s successor.
DHR helped Arkansas (Chad Morris) and Oregon State (Jonathan Smith) hire their new coaches. The year before that, the firm helped Florida Atlantic (Lane Kiffin) and Purdue (Jeff Brohm) find their new coaches.
Coaches linked to the UA job through media reports over the past two days include former LSU coach Les Miles, former Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin and former Oregon coach Mark Helfrich.
