Renz
An Army of One
UA got four more commitments this weekend, including Will Tukuafu. 
Holmes' buddy from JC gives commitment to UA
By Ryan Finley
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 11.27.2006
MESA — Will Tukuafu looked at the table full of baseball caps and, with the rapt attention of everyone inside a Hawaiian restaurant here, played a game of "Recruiting Deal or No Deal."
First, he approached a USC cap.
"Great school," he said, tossing the hat away. "Not my size."
UCLA.
"Not my size."
Cal.
"Still not it."
ASU.
"Naw."
With that, Tukuafu — a 6-foot-4-inch, 275-pound defensive end and one of the state's most prized football recruits — grabbed an Arizona hat and slipped it on.
It fit perfectly.
"Arizona is home, but it's away from home," Tukuafu said after verbally committing to the Cats. "It's a great opportunity to make a name for myself. Finally."
Tukuafu's announcement was hardly typical. But at age 22, Tukuafu isn't an average recruit.
The Salt Lake City native committed to BYU out of high school but never enrolled. He worked for a year, then served a two-year mission to Jamaica.
He didn't play football again until last year, when he enrolled at Scottsdale Community College after returning to the United States.
Tukuafu and another star, current UA end Louis Holmes, terrorized the junior college ranks. Holmes was named the nation's top junior college player in 2005. Tukuafu, a freshman at the time, provided the perfect complement as a run-stuffer.
"I'm very fortunate that, in my 40 years, I've had two guys like them," said Ken Giovando, who coached both players at Scottsdale in 2005. "Louis is quicker in a footrace and he can run down the line of scrimmage. William is just so, so powerful."
And smart.
Rather than spend his sophomore year at SCC, Tukuafu transferred to Mesa Community College and quit football. That move allowed him to focus on academics — he'll graduate a semester early and will enroll at the UA in January — while saving a precious year of eligibility.
Tukuafu will be a sophomore next season.
"The itch (to play) got to me, but in the long run, this is the best decision I can make," he said. "I graduate from Mesa in two weeks, and then I'll be ready to roll."
Arizona's coaches will surely appreciate the good news, which came just a day after the Wildcats fell 28-14 at home to rival Arizona State.
Tukuafu, who was at the game, said the outcome did little to change his mind, even though other coaches tried.
ASU's Dirk Koetter called Tukuafu as he drove home from Saturday's game but was rebuffed. Koetter was fired Sunday.
Cal sent an assistant to Phoenix on Sunday to track down Tukuafu, but his mind was made up.
Tukuafu said he didn't want to let UA coach Mike Stoops down.
"The thing that stands out to me the most was (Arizona's) coaching staff," he said. "They said, 'We're relentless. We were the first ones on you, and we'll be the last ones on you.'
"That was one of the things that really touched me."
Holmes' buddy from JC gives commitment to UA
By Ryan Finley
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 11.27.2006
MESA — Will Tukuafu looked at the table full of baseball caps and, with the rapt attention of everyone inside a Hawaiian restaurant here, played a game of "Recruiting Deal or No Deal."
First, he approached a USC cap.
"Great school," he said, tossing the hat away. "Not my size."
UCLA.
"Not my size."
Cal.
"Still not it."
ASU.
"Naw."
With that, Tukuafu — a 6-foot-4-inch, 275-pound defensive end and one of the state's most prized football recruits — grabbed an Arizona hat and slipped it on.
It fit perfectly.
"Arizona is home, but it's away from home," Tukuafu said after verbally committing to the Cats. "It's a great opportunity to make a name for myself. Finally."
Tukuafu's announcement was hardly typical. But at age 22, Tukuafu isn't an average recruit.
The Salt Lake City native committed to BYU out of high school but never enrolled. He worked for a year, then served a two-year mission to Jamaica.
He didn't play football again until last year, when he enrolled at Scottsdale Community College after returning to the United States.
Tukuafu and another star, current UA end Louis Holmes, terrorized the junior college ranks. Holmes was named the nation's top junior college player in 2005. Tukuafu, a freshman at the time, provided the perfect complement as a run-stuffer.
"I'm very fortunate that, in my 40 years, I've had two guys like them," said Ken Giovando, who coached both players at Scottsdale in 2005. "Louis is quicker in a footrace and he can run down the line of scrimmage. William is just so, so powerful."
And smart.
Rather than spend his sophomore year at SCC, Tukuafu transferred to Mesa Community College and quit football. That move allowed him to focus on academics — he'll graduate a semester early and will enroll at the UA in January — while saving a precious year of eligibility.
Tukuafu will be a sophomore next season.
"The itch (to play) got to me, but in the long run, this is the best decision I can make," he said. "I graduate from Mesa in two weeks, and then I'll be ready to roll."
Arizona's coaches will surely appreciate the good news, which came just a day after the Wildcats fell 28-14 at home to rival Arizona State.
Tukuafu, who was at the game, said the outcome did little to change his mind, even though other coaches tried.
ASU's Dirk Koetter called Tukuafu as he drove home from Saturday's game but was rebuffed. Koetter was fired Sunday.
Cal sent an assistant to Phoenix on Sunday to track down Tukuafu, but his mind was made up.
Tukuafu said he didn't want to let UA coach Mike Stoops down.
"The thing that stands out to me the most was (Arizona's) coaching staff," he said. "They said, 'We're relentless. We were the first ones on you, and we'll be the last ones on you.'
"That was one of the things that really touched me."
