UA Football: QB, defensive lineman will be Cats
The Arizona football team picked up its first two commitments of the 2007 recruiting class, going to Hawaii for a quarterback and using family ties to land the other.
The Wildcats received verbal commitments Tuesday from quarterback Bryson Beirne of Mid Pacific Institute in Honolulu, and defensive tackle Hans Philipp of Arroyo Valley High School in San Bernardino, Calif.
Both players decided after attending coach Mike Stoops' football camps this week.
"It was an easy decision," Beirne said. "I really like Arizona a lot and I like what they can do for me now and in the future, and get me to where I want to go."
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Beirne was somewhat off the recruiting radar after tearing his ACL early in his junior season, but he was starting to get plenty of recruiting attention again. UA used current starting quarterback Willie Tuitama as a recruiting tool."I am a big fan of Willie Tuitama. I talked to him and he told me all about the school, coach Stoops, (offensive coordinator Mike) Canales, the offense, what the team has done for him, and I want to be a part of it," Beirne said.
Beirne, who has been playing quarterback only since his freshman season, is a big, strong player who showed an impressive arm with good accuracy at Stoops' elite camp on Sunday.
He has been medically cleared and he appears ready to go, but realizes he will be behind Tuitama for the time being.
"There are a lot of things I think I can do," Beirne said. "The mental part of the game is big for me. I love to watch film and break defenses down and pick them apart."
Other schools looking at him were Oregon State, Washington, Colorado, Washington State, California, Hawaii and Utah.
Arizona has had the upper hand on Philipp for the last four years because the Wildcats signed his older brother, Paul, a senior defensive tackle who is expected to start this season for UA.
"I've wanted to be a Wildcat ever since Paul got there," Hans said. "(Paul) was trying to convince me to play for Arizona, but it didn't really take much. I love coach Stoops and the D-line coach (Mike Tuiasosopo). They made me feel really good. As soon as they offered, I told them right away that I wanted to be a Wildcat."
The younger Philipp brings with him a tenacious attitude along with his 6-foot, 267-pound frame. He is on the top-50 list of tackles nationally by Fab50 Recruiting."I'm quick and I'm light on my feet and I love to hit," he said. "I think I can make it a better pass rushing team and a stronger run team.
"That is what I hope to do. I try to do it all."
Hans said he had been hearing from Oregon State, Nevada, USC and UCLA.Paul will be in his final season in 2006, and will be gone by the time Hans begins his career for the 2007 campaign."That's all right. I'm very excited my little brother is now going to be a Wildcat," Paul said. "That is something I've wanted him to be. We are starting to turn things around here, and I want him to be part of that, and to be part of something special here."
'I've wanted to be a Wildcat ever since Paul got there.'
HANS PHILIPP, referring to his brother, Paul Philipp, a senior defensive tackle at UA
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