Wednesday, December 07, 2005

From GOAZCATS

More help in the defensive backfield.....

Nate Ness told GOAZCATS.com last week that he planned on committing to Arizona on this visit this weekend. He held true to his word and on Saturday night at dinner, Ness told UA defensive coordinator Mark Stoops that he would be a Wildcat.

Nate Ness committed to Mark Stoops and Arizona.
Ness, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound safety from El Camino Community College in Torrance, California, is the 40th ranked JUCO player in the country according to Rivals.com. He's been a first-team All-American at his position two years in a row and is expected to make a big impact on the next level.

The commitment is huge for the UA coaches and Ness is excited to come in and make an impact.

"I committed," Ness said on Sunday afternoon. "I'm a U of A Wildcat now. I told Coach (Mark) Stoops on Saturday night. I told Mike Stoops today. He was excited and happy. It's time for a change. The Stoops are aiming for championships and I'm ready to help."

On the trip, Ness hung out with players such as Adrian McCovy, Wilrey Fontenot, Michael Johnson and Mike Thomas.

"I didn't expect to have that much fun," Ness said. "The atmosphere was just amazing. We hung out and they took me out and showed me around. We all just talked about football and what Coach Stoops wants. We instantly had chemistry. We all want the same thing. We want to win and we're going to do it."

Ness plans on bringing help with him. There are several JUCO players that the Wildcats are recruiting and he's going to do his best to help bring them to Tucson.

"I talked to Louis (Holmes) yesterday and I'll talk to Gabe (Long) tonight," Ness said. "When I talked to Louis on Saturday night I told him that I committed and this is the place to be. I've got two teammates at El Camino that hopefully will come with me too."

The Arizona coaches told Ness that he could be a big part of what they're trying to built and he's anxiously awaiting that opportunity.

"I was happy to commit," Ness said. "The coaches told me that this is the right place to be. The Stoops brothers run an excellent program but it's about to change. The list of defensive backs that they've gotten into the NFL is endless so they know how to coach.

"I'll definitely get an opportunity to play. They have three of their four starters coming back in the secondary and I want to start in that last spot opposite Michael Johnson. I just want to be a part of this team."

And when Ness does arrive on Arizona's campus in May, he'll have lofty expectations of the future of the UA program.

"It's all business," Ness said. "I guarantee to be a part of a Pac-10 championship. Maybe not my first year, but definitely by the time I leave."

It's safe to say that Arizona fans are welcoming Nate Ness into their program with open arms.

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