NOTE: UA FOOTBALL
The University of Arizona yesterday received a commitment from its first prep football all-American of this recruiting season.
Speedy wide receiver Ron Holmes of Oakland Skyline High, the Wildcats’ No. 1 recruiting target at his position, said last night he will attend UA. Holmes is an all-America “Dream Team’ selection of Blue Chip recruiting service magazine and is on the Dallas Morning News’ top 100 players list.
Holmes, 6 feet and 190 pounds, runs the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds. and in addition to being a wide receiver becomes a top candidate to replace departing Chuck Levy as a Wildcat return specialist. In addition, he has uncommon strength for a wideout with a reported 285-pound bench press and a 365-pound squat.
“The main thing in picking Arizona was the chance to play right away and the fact they wanted me most of the wide receivers they are recruiting,’ Holmes said, adding that he hopes to play the same kind of all-around role the departing Chuck Levy had.
Holmes also said he was impressed with coach Dick Tomey’s personable style.
“Coach Tomey came to my home and talked of a family atmosphere,’ Holmes said. “I saw that when I attended practices in December. I like the closeness and feeling everybody has for each other. I like the smaller town atmosphere of Tucson. I wanted to get away from the environment I live in – the big city and big city problems.’
Holmes set a Skyline record with a career 83 catches and caught 35 passes from a sophomore quarterback for 952 yards and 10 touchdowns in 1993. He totaled 1,212 all-purpose yards.
“I caught a lot of short passes but I also turned them into a lot of long gains,’ said Holmes, who admitted he doesn’t lack for confidence.
Holmes, who selected UA over USC, California, Oregon and Colorado, becomes the third wide receiver to commit to UA, joining junior college star Rudolph James of Phoenix College and high school recruit James Romero of Los Angeles Baptist High. The wide receiver position is one of UA’s top recruiting priorities this year.
Holmes’ commitment was a piece of good news on a day when the Wildcats lost three top recruits to Southern Cal – defensive back/running back Larry Parker (Bakersfield, Calif.), running back Rodney Sermons (La Puente, Calif.) and tight end Rome Douglas (Claremont, Calif.)
National signing day is Feb. 2.