Revisiting UAs scholarship situation
Since the last look at Arizona's scholarship situation Monday, a lot has changed in the last 24 hours that will significantly affect the Wildcats roster for next season. The departures of both freshman point guard Josiah Turner (transfer) and Kyryl Natyazhko (professional ball) of course have a big impact on available scholarships for next season and beyond.
After adding Cochise College big man Matt Korcheck and Duquesne transfer T.J. McConnell earlier in the week, the Wildcats went one over their limit of available scholarships for the 2012-13 season.
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Because head coach Sean Miller and his staff are only working with 12 scholarships, there was going to have to be some movement within the roster - that took place Wednesday afternoon when Turner and Natyazhko's decisions were announced.
So with new departures and new additions, here's a look at where things stand when it comes to scholarships with two former Wildcats now out of the mix in Tucson.
As a reminder, the departures of scholarship seniors Kyle Fogg, Jesse Perry, Brendon Lavender and Alex Jacobson will leave four scholarships available for the four incoming freshmen. Even though McConnell and Korcheck will both sit out next season - Korcheck with a redshirt McConnell because of transfer rules - each player will still be using up a scholarship. At this point Korcheck will essentially take the scholarship left over from the mid-season transfer of freshman Sidiki Johnson.
That leaves McConnell to now take one of the scholarships left open by Turner or Natyazhko.
Although the Wildcats would have had 11 scholarships to work with for next season before landing McConnell, with the departures of Turner and Natyazhko take that number down to 10 since McConnell won't be able to suit up next season.
Despite that number going down from Monday, Miller still has an open scholarship for next season's roster. As things stand right now, the Wildcats will have nine players available to play next season who are on scholarship.
Below is an attempt to make sense of all this movement and who exactly will be earning a scholarship from UA next season.
Seniors
Forwards Solomon Hill and Kevin Parrom be the only seniors next season on scholarship as the two remaining members of the class the once featured Derrick Williams. That takes the number of available scholarships down to eight. (8 remaining)
Juniors
There will be just two active juniors on next season's roster, but only guard Jordin Mayes is on scholarship with the 'Cats. (7)
Sophomores
This is where the numbers change. The Wildcats made it all the way to the Pac-12 Tournament title game with Nick Johnson and Mayes playing the point. That looks like to be the likely option for next season as well. With Sidiki Johnson and now Turner gone from this class, Nick Johnson and Angelo Chol will be the only sophomores on next season's roster. (5)
Freshmen
The Wildcats 2012 recruiting class will likely no longer be No. 1 when the new team recruiting rankings come out, but that doesn't change the fact that there are three five-star recruits in the class. All four incoming freshmen (Brandon Ashley, Grant Jerrett, Kaleb Tarczewski and Gabe York) will receive scholarships, leaving one more available to use for next season. (1)
While it looked to be fairly cut-and-dry Monday, the additions of McConnell and the departures of Turner and Natyazhko make things a little more confusing. In the end despite all the movement, the Wildcats can still afford to add one more scholarship player in the 2012 class.
While it looked like the 2013-14 season was going to be the one with all the questions, it now seems to be the year that things will be settled when it comes to scholarships. The good news for Miller and his staff remains that the program will once again be able to work with 13 scholarships.
As was done Monday, let's start with the outgoing senior class. Hill and Parrom will be outgoing seniors after the 2012-13 season opening up their two scholarships. This will also be the season that Korcheck and McConnell become available.
Seniors
The senior class heading into the 2013-14 season would consist of Mayes and Robert Arvizu, but only Mayes is on scholarship. (12 remaining scholarships)
Juniors
Because of the addition of Korcheck and now McConnell, the junior class during this season will look differently than would have Sunday evening. This class will now include Johnson, Chol, Korcheck as well as McConnell. (8)
Sophomores
Assuming the incoming freshman class stays intact for another year, the UA sophomores would remain to be Ashley, Jerrett, Tarczewski and York. That would leave the number of available scholarships at four. (4)
Freshmen
As of now the only 2013 prospect committed to the 'Cats is La Verne (Calif.) Lutheran guard Eric Cooper. (3)
While it looked for time that UA would only be able to take two more 2013 recruits, with the departures of Turner and Natyahzko that is no longer the case - maybe. Depending on what happens with the remaining 2012 scholarship, the Wildcats could have the option of adding three 2013 recruits - in addition to Cooper - when all is said and done.
There is still some deciding to do when it comes to 2012, but that is how things stand now with Wednesday's departures.
Click Here to view this Link.Matt Moreno
GOAZCATS.com Senior Recruiting Editor