Ricky Elmore (left) and Brooks Reed have been three-year mainstays at defensive end.
Photo by Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

Arizona Wildcats coach Mike Stoops was selling the future in his early days in Tucson, and recruits were listening.

His 2006 group was the highest rated among his seven recruiting classes — ranked 18th nationally by Rivals.com and 19th by Scout.com. That doesn’t always translate to success on the field, but, in this case, it did.

That 2006 class — “they’re the cornerstones,” Stoops said — makes its final stand Wednesday night in the Alamo Bowl against Oklahoma State.

With a foundation that includes Colin Baxter, Brooks Reed and Ricky Elmore — plus departed standouts Earl Mitchell, Devin Ross, Nate Ness and Cam Nelson — that 2006 class helped Stoops turn around the program.

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Jake Fischer

Three Arizona Wildcats made the Pac-10 All-Academic football team, announced Tuesday morning.

They are starting sophomore linebacker Jake Fischer, who has a 3.42 grade-point average in pre-Business; starting senior safety Anthony Wilcox, who has a 3.05 GPA in Religious Studies, and junior placekicker John Bonano, who has a 3.90 GPA in Pre-Physiology. Bonano is the team’s kickoff specialist.

Two Wildcats earned second-team honors — redshirt sophomore linebacker R.J. Young (3.41 GPA, Journalism) and sophomore safety Adam Hall (3.12, Psychology).

Four Arizona players earned honorable mention honors: redshirt freshman tight end Jack Baucus; junior quarterback Nick Foles; junior receiver David Roberts; senior tight end A.J. Simmons.