The dismissal of UA defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel and defensive line coach Bill Kirelawich on Monday has prompted questions from both inside and out of the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility.
The biggest one: Who will Rich Rodriguez choose to replace them?
Obviously that’s the next step.
As with any coaching change, the biggest impact is felt in recruiting. The departure of one coach and arrival of another can affect things.
In fact, it already has. Junior college linebacker Kapri Doucet decommitted Monday afternoon, just hours after the coaches were let go. Within hours he had an offer from Oklahoma.
So far, though, that’s the only impact Arizona’s latest coaching change — cornerbacks coach David Lockwood was let go last month — has had on incoming recruits.
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Still, Monday’s housecleaning came as a surprise to some of Arizona’s incoming talent. Signing day is Feb. 5.
Salpointe Catholic defensive lineman Justin Holt had developed a close relationship with both coaches since committing 10 months ago. Kirelawich was set to be Holt’s position coach at the UA.
Casteel was the first to call Holt after the defensive lineman injured his ankle while playing dodgeball in November. The injury, suffered during gym class, required surgery.
“They’ve always been good with me,” Holt, a three-star recruit, told the Star. “With them I really knew where I stood.”
Holt said he’s still “solid” with Arizona, though. His bloodlines help: Holt is the son of Julius Holt, who played on Arizona’s defensive line in the early 1980s.
Still, “Initially, I was pretty shocked,” Holt said. “I was pretty frustrated with it. I always liked Coach Kirlav and Coach Casteel. They’re good people before they’re coaches, and now I’m not gonna get to play for them. So I’m kind of frustrated. …
“It’s a pretty serious situation over there, so we’ll just see what happens.”
Kahi Neves, from Provo, Utah, committed to the Wildcats on Dec. 12, backing out of a commitment to play quarterback with Utah to join the UA. The main reason for the change of,heart: He wants to play linebacker, which he will at Arizona.
It just won’t be for Casteel.
“It’s pretty bad news for me, but I’ve got to move on from it,” said Neves, who will report to campus as an early enrollee next week. “I believe in the program, I believe in Coach Rich Rodriguez and I’m going to take it one step at a time.”
Eletise has ‘amazing time” at Under Armour Game
The Wildcats can certainly use some stability in recruiting.
That’s where Michael Eletise comes in: The four-star offensive lineman from Hawaii has been a steady 2016 commitment since before Arizona began its 7-6 campaign this season.
Eletise spent last week in St. Petersburg, Florida, for the Under Armour All-American game. He was the lone Wildcat commit playing in the game.
Eletise’s “Team Highlight,” coached by longtime NFL coach Herm Edwards, beat Team Armour 27-0 on Saturday.
“It was amazing,” Eletise said. “It was kind of like a reunion because I got to see friends of mine that I hadn’t seen in forever.”
The one-week trip included stops at Universal Studios and an Orlando Magic basketball game, as well as meetings and practices.
Eletise even found time to do some recruiting of his own. The lineman said he spent as much time as he could trying to convince ASU commit Cohl Cabral — a three-star offensive lineman — to join him in Tucson.
“I hung out with him the whole time, trying to get him to come to Arizona,” Eletise said.
Eletise, who will move to Tucson once he graduates in June, is considered by some to be the crown jewel of Arizona’s 2016 class.
The 6-foot-4-inch, 302-pound Eletise is expected to compete right away for playing time, likely at guard.
“I’m super-excited now,” Eletise said. “All those guys (at the All-American game) are amazing players, and it’s just exciting to think that’s what you’re going to have to go against. It’s not going to be an easy experience.”
Extra points
- Holt will see a doctor Wednesday to find out if he can start moving on his injured ankle, he said. Holt said he should be running and lifting by February, and intends to be ready for fall camp.
- Arizona offered scholarships this week to two running backs in the 2016 class.
- Artavis Pierce
- , an Oregon State verbal commit, is a 5-11 running back from Auburndale, Florida. Another Auburndale product,
- Jesse Britt
- , verbally committed to Western Kentucky before Arizona offered. The Wildcats already have three running backs in their 2016 class:
- Tyliek Raynor
- ,
- J.J. Taylor
- and
- Russell Halimon
- . Halimon tore his ACL at the end of his senior high school season, putting his 2016 season in doubt.
