SoCal linebacker Stacy Bey 'excited to be a part of the family' at Arizona

It was inevitable for multiple recruits and current players to follow former Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch to Washington.

Some members of Arizona’s 2024 recruiting class, like three-star linebacker Stacy Bey, doubled down on joining the Wildcats for the upcoming season, the program’s first in the Big 12 — and the first under new head coach Brent Brennan.

“Man, it feels great,” Bey said. “I’m blessed to be where I am in the recruiting process and everything. I know not everything was going our way, but I’m just excited to be a part of the family. I’m just excited to be a part of it.”

One of Arizona’s ‘24 recruits that was granted release from their national letter of intent was cornerback Rahim Wright, Bey’s teammate at Rancho Cucamonga High School in Southern California, who signed with Washington. Bey and Wright decommitted from San Diego State, before simultaneously flipping to Arizona in October.

“I talked with Coach Brennan and (defensive coordinator Duane Akina) came to my school and everything, and they’re excited about me becoming a Wildcat,” Bey said. “I was talking with some other guys like (wide receiver Brandon Phelps) and he was like, ‘Are you staying? Let’s do it here and stay family. We’re family, let’s keep this road going.’ Coach Akina and Coach Brennan, they both know what they’re doing, they’re really great guys and I’m putting my trust into them.”

Bey joined “Spears and Ali” on ESPN Tucson recently to talk about his relationship with the current UA coaching staff, among other topics. Here’s what he said:

What’s your personal scouting report? What kind of linebacker are you?

A: “I’m faster and I’m more of an athletic linebacker. I can cover on the back side, I can do everything. I can do it all. Things I need to work on, I need to use my hands to get off blocks. Once I do that, it’ll be hard to stop me.”

In tandem, you and Wright decommitted from another school and then committed to the UA together, before Wright signed with Washington; is it bizarre not signing together?

A: “It hasn’t changed our friendship. We’re still going to be friends at the end of the day. It was a better decision for him and his family, so I’m proud of him and happy for his move. We’re still going to be family at the end of the day.”

Most football players can recall the first time they fell in love with the game; what’s your story?

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A: “It’s actually crazy. My grandmother was actually the first person to get me into the game of football. One day, I was with my grandma at the park, we looked across the street and I swear there was this football team practicing, and I had always wanted to play football. I ran to my house to go get my dad, signed up, got out there the next week and the rest is history.”

What was your favorite football team growing up?

A: “I was a big (USC) fan as a little kid, because I used to play running back a lot before I played linebacker. I stopped playing running back and started focusing on linebacker during the eighth grade. As a kid, the dream was to try and be Reggie Bush. That was the team I watched. I wasn’t watching the NFL as much until I got a little bit older.”

Is there anyone you model your game after?

A: “Zakoby McClain, he went to Auburn. He was nice and played linebacker. And Christian Harris from Alabama, he played linebacker as well. I like to relate to them, because they’re not that big of linebackers. They’re about 6-foot, which is about my size and they’re only like 215ish (pounds) and just dogs — kind of like (Jacob) Manu, too! Manu is not that big, but Manu is a guy. If you’re a dog, you’re a dog.”

What do you think about Akina as Arizona’s defensive coordinator and how you’ll fit into the system?

A: “Coach Akina is a dude. He’s got a lot of history, coached a lot of great players, and he knows exactly what he’s going to do with the defense. I trust him. He know what he’s going to do, and he’s going to put us in a great position this season and finish where he left off last year.”

What have the conversations been like between yourself and linebackers coach Danny Gonzales, who was previously the head coach at New Mexico?

A: “He came to my school last week and was just telling me to enjoy these last couple of months of high school, because once I get to college, it’s go-time. He’s going to take care of me and put me in the best position possible and get me to the next level. We’re going to ride this thing out and get ready for the season.”

When you came out to Tucson for your official visit, what did you think of the city and the culture around the UA?

A: “Man, it’s beautiful out there. I thought it was going to be really, really hot when I went out there on my official visit, but it was perfect. There’s nothing like it.”