It’s no secret that Arizona’s defensive backfield has been an issue over the last few years.
In 2015, the Wildcats ranked 115th in the nation in passing defense, allowing 268.2 yards per game through the air.
The year before that, UA was 121st nationally, at 281.2 yards per game.
If Arizona’s recruitment of the upcoming 2017 class — coupled with the 2016 incoming freshman class — is any indication, UA coach Rich Rodriguez and his new defensive coaching staff are making a concerted effort to rectify that situation.
Monday, cornerback Malik Hausman from Bishop Gorman High in Las Vegas announced his verbal commitment to the Wildcats. He’s the 18th player to commit to Arizona’s 2017 class, and the ninth in the last 16 days.
In a Twitter post, Hausman said, “After talking it over with my family I have decided to further my education and my football career at the University of Arizona.”
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Hausman is rated a three-star recruit by Scout.com and the No. 2 corner in Nevada. He brings good size to the position at nearly 6-foot-1, fitting the mold of players Arizona has been targeting since the new staff was hired earlier this year.
Friday, the Wildcats received a verbal commitment from three-star safety Xavier Bell from Mater Dei High in Santa Ana, California; two days before that, three-star Scott Young from Helix High in La Mesa, California, pledged to the Wildcats.
After hearing of Hausman’s commitment, Young tweeted, “We got something really special going on right now” with the defensive backs committing to Arizona.
That “special” thing started way back on March 1 when four-star athlete Greg Johnson spurred things on for Arizona’s recruiting class with his commitment. He’s talented enough to play multiple positions, but Johnson is expected to play cornerback at Arizona.
For the 2016 incoming class, the Wildcats added six defensive backs, including four-star safety Chacho Ulloa, three-star safeties Gavin Robertson, Jarrius Wallace and Isaiah Hayes, three-star corner Lorenzo Burns and two-star safety Tristan Cooper.
From last year’s team, the Wildcats notably lost safety Will Parks, who was drafted by the Denver Broncos, along with seniors Jamar Allah and Anthony Lopez. After next season, the Wildcats will lose corner DaVonte’ Neal and safety Tellas Jones.
Johnson, Young, Hausman and Bell have taken to calling Arizona “DBU” — as in, Defensive Back University, similar to the Point Guard U moniker attributed to UA basketball — and while it remains to be seen if that’s true, the UA coaching staff is putting in the work to try and make it happen.
Robertson likely to decide before mid-July
Amidst a wave of recruiting commitments, Arizona’s other recruiting targets are taking notice.
Count three-star offensive lineman Tucker Robertson among them.
Robertson visited Arizona’s campus last week and said his experience was “phenomenal.”
“All of my expectations were exceeded,” Robertson told the Arizona Daily Star. “The coaches’ hospitality and effort to meet me and spend time with me on a Sunday was a huge deal to me. … I visited at the beginning of the summer so the campus was the opposite of buzzing, but I kept that in mind.
“I loved the look of the campus and the atmosphere.”
Robertson is listed as a defensive end, but would likely play on the offensive line in college. He’s listed at 6-3, 260 pounds and rated the No. 6 defensive end in California. Robertson said he’d likely make his college decision before July 15.
Franklin leaving UA
Kendal Franklin, a redshirt freshman linebacker, announced that he will transfer from the UA.
From New Orleans, Franklin redshirted last season after coming to the Wildcats a three-star recruit in the 2015 class.
“Sad to say that I am going to be transferring from the University of Arizona,” Franklin said in his Twitter post.
Franklin, listed at 6-foot-1 and 228 pounds, would likely have had to battle his way into playing time in the fall.
