Arizona football notebook: In-state recruiting 'major focal point' for Cats' 2024 class

Each one of Arizona’s first three recruiting classes under head coach Jedd Fisch has a theme.

The Wildcats reshaped their offense with talented true freshmen and transfers, then followed a similar path on defense.

“We’ve had tremendous success on the recruiting trail both in the last two years and currently,” Fisch said during Arizona’s media day on Tuesday.

The 2024 recruiting class? It’s a mixed bag of players this time, but with a surplus of in-state talent. In Arizona’s 19-player 2024 recruiting class, seven of its commits are in-state prospects. That’s the most the Wildcats have brought in for one class since 2015.

“Our goal is to keep kids in Arizona at home,” Fisch said. “Our goal is to keep kids from Tucson at home. We’re working very hard to achieve that goal.”

Check and check.

The headliners for Arizona’s ‘24 recruiting class are Tucson product and five-star edge rusher Elijah Rushing and four-star Phoenix-area quarterback Demond Williams, who pledged to the UA on Monday. The 5-11, 180-pound Chandler Basha quarterback was previously committed to Ole Miss, then decommitted from the Rebels in July, before announcing Monday his desire to play for the Wildcats.

Arizona has also commitments from edge rusher Keona Wilhite (Salpointe Catholic), wide receiver Brandon Phelps (Gilbert American Leadership Academy), offensive tackle Matthew Lado (Glendale Apollo), running back Adam Mohamed (Apollo) and guard Michael Watkins (Apollo).

“They’re starting to understand there’s a culture being built here, and there’s something moving in the right direction,” said Arizona wide receiver Jacob Cowing, who is a Maricopa native. “Guys want to stay here and play in front of their family and friends, play for them and the school they love.”

Recruiting in-state prospects has “been a major focal point” for Arizona under the Fisch regime, according to quarterbacks coach Jimmie Dougherty.

“It’s exciting, because you know you’re starting to turn a corner in terms of the perception of the program, and where it was when we got here compared to what it is now,” Dougherty said. “The talent in-state has always been great, and it’s getting better and better and better each year.

“Our focus is always on recruiting guys that our culture and the type of people and players we want to bring in. Anyone we’re recruiting right now fits that,” he added. “It’s nice that the perception is starting to change and it’s starting to become the cool thing to do, come to Arizona and play down in Tucson. That’s something we have to continue. Recruiting is an everyday thing. You can never relax, but we’re definitely excited about it.”

Maldonado ‘sad to see’ hazing scandal at Northwestern

UA safety Gunner Maldonado transferred from Northwestern and became one of the first transfer portal additions to ultimately play for Arizona during Fisch’s first season.

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NU’s student newspaper, The Daily Northwestern, reported in July that multiple athletic programs at the university, a list that notably includes the football team, had a culture of hazing along with sexually and racially abusive behavior. Northwestern fired longtime football coach Pat Fitzgerald, a former NU player, after 17 seasons.

On Tuesday, former Northwestern offensive lineman Ramon Diaz told the Associated Press that when he was 17 years old, upperclassmen shaved “Cinco de Mayo” in his head while other members of the football team watched. Diaz is the 10th person to file a lawsuit against Northwestern since the story was released.

“The holiday itself has a significant meaning to me and my family and then the Latino community at large,” Diaz told AP. “I was mocked and ridiculed. ... I just remember the laughter. No one stopped it. And the players felt enabled because of the atmosphere created by the coaches.”

When Maldonado, who played at Northwestern in 2020 before coming to Tucson, was asked about the current state of Northwestern’s football program earlier this week, he said, “It’s sad to see, because it’s a great program, great coach.

“I know a lot of guys over there, so it’s sad to see that happen,” he said.

Maldonado said, “When I was there, everything felt fine.”

Loop, Ostendorp named to national kicking watch lists

Two more Wildcats have made preseason watch lists for national college football awards heading into the season: Junior kicker Tyler Loop and senior punter Kyle Ostendorp.

Loop was named to the Lou Groza Award watch list on Wednesday; Ostendorp cracked the Ray Guy Award watch list. Ostendorp averaged 45.5 yards per punt last season and had three touchbacks and 10 punts pin opponents inside the 20-yard line.

Loop is 30-for-33 (91%) kicking field goals as a Wildcat, and is a perfect 50-for-50 at PATs.

Winners of both awards will be announced at the College Football Awards Show in December.