Michael Lev: Inside the unfortunate breakup between Arizona and Salpointe’s Elijah Rushing

It could have been something special.

The hometown kid stays home. He blossoms on the football field. He becomes a local celebrity off it. He makes it to the NFL.

That was the plan for five-star defensive end Elijah Rushing of Salpointe Catholic High School. On July 6, Rushing verbally committed to play for the University of Arizona. It was a bold move. He chose a path that others in his position had eschewed. Rushing would be different. His Tucson pride would not be denied.

For the UA, it was a coup. Rushing would be the highest-rated recruit to sign with the Wildcats out of high school. He would serve as proof that Arizona could land top talent from the prep powerhouse down the street after Kristofer O’Dowd, Bijan Robinson, Lathan Ransom and others got away.

It all seemed so perfect. Until it all fell apart.

This past Sunday evening — less than 24 hours after Arizona nearly upset No. 9 USC on national TV — Rushing announced that he was decommitting and reopening his recruitment. He said in a statement posted on social media that the UA was no longer “the right fit for me to take the next step with regard to my development.”

It wasn’t that big a surprise in the recruiting world. Rumors had been swirling that Oregon had made Rushing an offer that he and his family couldn’t refuse. Ducks defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi was spotted at Salpointe’s game two nights earlier. Oregon head coach Dan Lanning also had stopped by. Rushing’s teammate and fellow defensive end Keona Wilhite had preceded him in decommitting from Arizona. It almost felt inevitable.

But this one hits different for many reasons. And it leaves a lot of questions that don’t have clear answers.

I talked to several people close to the situation to find out what happened, why it happened and what it says about the recruiting industrial complex. Most of them spoke only on condition of anonymity because it remains a sensitive topic. The Rushing family has been harassed by bitter, ignorant so-called fans. There’s no place in this world for that kind of behavior, and anyone who engages in it is beyond pathetic.

I’m not here to judge the Rushings or play the blame game. My goal is to provide some insight into how and why the relationship between them and the UA soured. As with most matters, much falls in the gray area.

Was this all about the money?

I’ve heard that Oregon has come in with “game-changing money” via Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) arrangements. I’ve heard that the decision to decommit had everything to do with money. I’ve also heard that it wasn’t a factor at all.

The truth probably lies somewhere in between. It’s naïve to think, in the current environment of college sports, that money has nothing to do with these decisions — especially when you consider how passionately Rushing and his family had spoken about staying home and representing the 520. What could have caused such a complete change of heart?

One more thought on this: If the rumored NIL deal is remotely close to reality, any of us would have a hard time turning it down.

Did Elijah decommit from Arizona because his older brother, Cruz, isn’t getting any playing time?

This is a popular theory, but it doesn’t seem to have much traction.

Cruz Rushing, who also played at Salpointe, transferred from Florida to Arizona in January. He was a walk-on safety for the Gators who’s on scholarship at the UA.

Although it was clearly a chess move by Jedd Fisch and his staff to bring Cruz aboard, no promises were made about playing time. All parties seem to be in lockstep that this is a developmental, learning year for the redshirt freshman.

How the UA staff goes about developing its players, including Cruz Rushing, is another matter.

Were the Rushings concerned that Arizona isn’t as invested in in-state players as it claims?

This one caught me by surprise, and I remain skeptical that it’s the wedge that drove the two sides apart.

I’m certain that a handful of parents of in-state players aren’t happy with the way things have worked out for their sons. Tailback Stevie Rocker Jr. (Canyon del Oro) has been a nonfactor since appearing in 11 of 12 games as a freshman. Defensive end Jason Harris (Gilbert Higley) is no longer with the team. Even defensive end Russell Davis II (Chandler Hamilton) hasn’t played as much as expected this year.

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It’s conceivable that a narrative developed among those families that the UA staff favors California and Polynesian players over Arizona kids. It’s understandable that the Rushings could be influenced by it. But that doesn’t mean it’s true.

Four UA starters — receiver Jacob Cowing, tackle Jordan Morgan and defensive backs Treydan Stukes and Gunner Maldonado — are from Arizona. It’s five if you include punter Kyle Ostendorp.

Meanwhile, some of the Wildcats’ highest-rated recruits from California — including tailback Rayshon Luke and edge rusher Sterling Lane II — barely have played.

The message from Fisch, defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen and others inside the program has been consistent: The best players will play.

Given how tenuous job security is in college football, what incentive would the coaches have to not play the best guys?

Did differing philosophies about player development lead to the rift?

There seems to be some validity to this.

As I understand it, the unease of some of the parents of the aforementioned in-state players — including their perceived lack of clarity about depth-chart decisions — gave the Rushings pause. Could the same happen to Elijah?

When those concerns were brought to members of the coaching staff, the two sides did not see eye to eye.

That’s what led to the portion of Elijah’s statement that rankled so many. He might have been telling the truth when he said Arizona wasn’t the right fit for his personal development, but it read like an unnecessary shot at the UA coaching staff. It was certainly unusual as decommitment announcements go.

“Sometimes, the less you say the better,” said Brandon Huffman, the national recruiting editor for 247Sports. Agreed.

Are we to blame for how this whole thing went down?

When I say “we,” I mean all of us — media, fans, coaches, parents and, in certain cases, even the recruits themselves.

Huffman, who makes a living by reporting on recruiting, conceded that “everything about it is flawed,” from the ranking process to how commitments work to a calendar that can allow months between a verbal pledge and signing day.

And yet ... people love it! It’s exciting when a player commits to your alma mater. It’s a source of pride. It’s fuel for the passionate rivalries that make college sports great.

The Rushings made a huge deal out of his commitment announcement. It was streamed live by 247Sports. Local media were invited. I was there.

Considering how often teenagers change their minds — and that commitments aren’t binding in any way — should the Star have covered this event? The only possible answer is yes. We’d be derelict in our duty if we didn’t.

Would it have been appropriate to have asked Elijah Rushing or his parents if there was any chance he’d later reconsider? Huffman says he asks recruits those questions all the time. But those are one-on-one conversations. I would have felt like a jerk bringing that kind of cynicism to what was essentially a celebration — and a completely unambiguous one at that. On that summer day in the Salpointe weight room, the Rushings were all in on Arizona.

Would it have been better to have done it with less fanfare? Probably. The pomp and circumstance made the subsequent breakup that much tougher to accept.

It wasn’t an easy call for the Rushings, by the way. One person close to the situation described it as an “intensely hard” decision. They wanted it to work out.

The ultimate outcome is disappointing, maybe even a little sad. Elijah Rushing will be fine wherever he goes, whether that’s Oregon or someplace else. Seeing him in a Block A helmet at Arizona Stadium would have been awesome.