Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez continues to remake the quarterback depth chart, as Tommy Woodson from Gateway High School in Monroeville, Pa., committed on Sunday.
Arizona was the first BCS school to offer a scholarship.
“They were the first team to give me a chance,” Woodson told the Pittsburgh Review-Tribune. “I thought, ‘Why not pull the trigger on a coaching staff that has followed me since I started playing varsity ball?’ It was just the feeling I have about Arizona and the coaching staff.”
As mentioned by Wildcat Sports Report, Rodriguez and several members of the current Arizona coach staff got to know Woodson when he participated in one of Michigan’s passing tournaments as a freshman.
Woodson passed for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, and carried 43 times for 160 yards and two scores in what he calls the same offense as the read-option attack Rodriguez put in at Arizona this spring.
As a sophomore, Woodson passed for 1,362 yards and ran for 468 yards. Last summer, he was shot in the leg during an incident in North Carolina in which a teammate was killed. They had been traveling to Florida for a 7-on-7 tournament.
Woodson also dealt with shoulder problems last season, which might have put other recruiters in a wait-and-see mode. His other scholarship offer was from Bowling Green.
Rodriguez and his coaches, who have strong ties to western Pennsylvania because of their past at West Virginia and Michigan, have recruited three players to Arizona from the area, including Woodson. Arizona signed linebacker Dakota Conwell and safety Wayne Capers in February.
Woodson is the second quarterback to commit to Arizona for the 2013 class, although he has the athletic ability to play other spots and the Cats might not be done recruiting quarterbacks. They secured the commitment of Anu Solomon from powerhouse Las Vegas Bishop Gorman High last month.
Here’s a look at Arizona’s potential quarterbacks in 2013 (and their current class)
* Richard Morrison, Jr. — Converted from wide receiver this spring.
* B.J. Denker, Jr. — The transfer from Cerritos College in California arrives in the fall.
* Alex Cappellini, So. — He walk-on from junior college this spring.
* Javelle Allen, Fr. — Signed in February.
* Josh Kern, Fr. — Signed in February.
* Jack Nykaza, Fr. — Added to the roster as a walk-on this summer.
* Anu Solomon — Committed to sign in February.
* Tommy Woodson — Committed to sign in February.