Rich Rodriguez just hired Neal's high school coach as the new assistant director of football operations. <br /><br /><a href="<a href="<a href="<a href="<a href="http://"http://www.azcentral.com/sports/ua/articles/2011/12/20/20111220arizona-wildcats-hire-charlie-ragle-chaparral.html"""""" class="postlink " target="_blank">http://"http://www.azcentral.com/sports/ua/articles/2011/12/20/20111220arizona-wildcats-hire-charlie-ragle-chaparral.html"""""</a> class="postlink " target="_blank"><a href="http://"http://www.azcentral.com/sports/ua/articles/2011/12/20/20111220arizona-wildcats-hire-charlie-ragle-chaparral.html""""</a>" class="postlink " target="_blank">http://"http://www.azcentral.com/sports/ua/articles/2011/12/20/20111220arizona-wildcats-hire-charlie-ragle-chaparral.html""""</a></a> class="postlink " target="_blank"><a href="<a href="http://"http://www.azcentral.com/sports/ua/articles/2011/12/20/20111220arizona-wildcats-hire-charlie-ragle-chaparral.html"""</a>"" class="postlink " target="_blank">http://"http://www.azcentral.com/sports/ua/articles/2011/12/20/20111220arizona-wildcats-hire-charlie-ragle-chaparral.html"""</a>"</a> class="postlink " target="_blank"><a href="http://"http://www.azcentral.com/sports/ua/articles/2011/12/20/20111220arizona-wildcats-hire-charlie-ragle-chaparral.html"""</a></a>" class="postlink " target="_blank">http://"http://www.azcentral.com/sports/ua/articles/2011/12/20/20111220arizona-wildcats-hire-charlie-ragle-chaparral.html"""</a></a></a> class="postlink " target="_blank"><a href="<a href="<a href="http://"http://www.azcentral.com/sports/ua/articles/2011/12/20/20111220arizona-wildcats-hire-charlie-ragle-chaparral.html""</a>""" class="postlink " target="_blank">http://"http://www.azcentral.com/sports/ua/articles/2011/12/20/20111220arizona-wildcats-hire-charlie-ragle-chaparral.html""</a>""</a> class="postlink " target="_blank"><a href="http://"http://www.azcentral.com/sports/ua/articles/2011/12/20/20111220arizona-wildcats-hire-charlie-ragle-chaparral.html""</a>"</a>" class="postlink " target="_blank">http://"http://www.azcentral.com/sports/ua/articles/2011/12/20/20111220arizona-wildcats-hire-charlie-ragle-chaparral.html""</a>"</a></a> class="postlink " target="_blank"><a href="<a href="http://"http://www.azcentral.com/sports/ua/articles/2011/12/20/20111220arizona-wildcats-hire-charlie-ragle-chaparral.html""</a></a>"" class="postlink " target="_blank">http://"http://www.azcentral.com/sports/ua/articles/2011/12/20/20111220arizona-wildcats-hire-charlie-ragle-chaparral.html""</a></a>"</a> class="postlink " target="_blank"><a href="http://"http://www.azcentral.com/sports/ua/articles/2011/12/20/20111220arizona-wildcats-hire-charlie-ragle-chaparral.html""</a></a></a>" class="postlink " target="_blank">http://"http://www.azcentral.com/sports/ua/articles/2011/12/20/20111220arizona-wildcats-hire-charlie-ragle-chaparral.html""</a></a></a></a> class="postlink " target="_blank">LINK</a><br /><br />Likely Neal, last year's Arizona Player of the Year, will follow Ragle to U of A. <br /><br />Neal is a fantastic player. Reminds me of Owusu at Stanfurd.

There is something so sleazy about these types of moves. Amazing the Tedford is actually friends with a sleazebag like Rich Rod.

Ragle was an assistant at ASU before taking over Chaparral. So he has college experience. He knew Rodriguez personally and had been upfront with everyone about wanting to get back to college coaching. He won three championships in HS ball. Not really anything more to prove there. This makes some sense. <br /><br />Of course getting one of the best players in AZ doesn't hurt either.

<blockquote><div class="name-said">RealDrew2;656280 said:</div><hr>There is something so sleazy about these types of moves. Amazing the Tedford is actually friends with a sleazebag like Rich Rod.<hr></blockquote><br /><br />Take it easy there big guy. This type of thing happens all the time.

This actually looks like an smart move by Rich Rod. And it could make UA better in recruiting AZ in-state recruits.

<blockquote><div class="name-said">tim94501;656290 said:</div><hr>Take it easy there big guy. This type of thing happens all the time.<hr></blockquote><br /><br />That it happens often doesn't make it not sleazy...this particular situation looks reasonable to me - based on others comments, it seems the guy does have a legit resume, but there are plenty of instances where it is just sketchy, and that it happens often isn't good justification....

<blockquote><div class="name-said">BTUR;656378 said:</div><hr>That it happens often doesn't make it not sleazy...this particular situation looks reasonable to me - based on others comments, it seems the guy does have a legit resume, but there are plenty of instances where it is just sketchy, and that it happens often isn't good justification....<hr></blockquote><br /><br />Wasn't Blasquez from De La Salle?

<blockquote><div class="name-said">tim94501;656290 said:</div><hr>Take it easy there big guy. This type of thing happens all the time.<hr></blockquote><br /><br />That doesn't make it any less sleazy. Would this guy still have a job if Neal didn't go to U of Eh?

<blockquote><div class="name-said">burritos;656383 said:</div><hr>Wasn't Blasquez from De La Salle?<hr></blockquote>What, was there some great DLS player who signed or might have signed with Cal when Blazquez was hired? I don't remember recruiting from way back in 2003 when he was hired (for men's basketball, not football).<br /><br />Otherwise, I don't see the relevance.

<blockquote><div class="name-said">GranadaHillsBear;656386 said:</div><hr>That doesn't make it any less sleazy. Would this guy still have a job if Neal didn't go to U of Eh?<hr></blockquote><br /><br />Rodriguez would be stupid not to bring on a Phoenix high-school area coach. The fact that he brought on one that w/o argument is a top 3 coach in the state, has college coaching ties, has an excellent reputation in the valley, etc... makes this a no-brainer. Neal is probably the best player in the state but I doubt that had any factor in this decision. This decision was probably all about getting recruiting ties in the state, which is crucial considering that every year, ASU and UofA lose the best players in the state. This is a great hire for UofA.

<blockquote><div class="name-said">dyeager78;656408 said:</div><hr>Rodriguez would be stupid not to bring on a Phoenix high-school area coach. The fact that he brought on one that w/o argument is a top 3 coach in the state, has college coaching ties, has an excellent reputation in the valley, etc... makes this a no-brainer. <b>Neal is probably the best player in the state </b>but I doubt that had any factor in this decision. This decision was probably all about getting recruiting ties in the state, which is crucial considering that every year, ASU and UofA lose the best players in the state. This is a great hire for UofA.<hr></blockquote><br /><br />is Neal better than Andrus Peat and DJ Foster?

<blockquote><div class="name-said">dyeager78;656408 said:</div><hr>Rodriguez would be stupid not to bring on a Phoenix high-school area coach. The fact that he brought on one that w/o argument is a top 3 coach in the state, has college coaching ties, has an excellent reputation in the valley, etc... makes this a no-brainer. Neal is probably the best player in the state but I doubt that had any factor in this decision. This decision was probably all about getting recruiting ties in the state, which is crucial considering that every year, ASU and UofA lose the best players in the state. This is a great hire for UofA.<hr></blockquote><br /><br />Hmm, interesting. However, how many college coaches bring on local coaches? How many has Tedford brought on board? Tosh was from DLS as a player and a former Bear. Blasquez was a former DLS strength coach but that was only a recent hire. I don't recall Tedford being stupid NOT hiring Bay Area high school coaches for the staff when he was first hired. <br /><br />Jim Mora hasn't hired any SoCal high school coaches. Hairball didn't bring on any Peninsula coaches when he was hired at Furd. <br /><br />Honest question, is this a relatively common practice or more rare to "seal the deal" in getting a top notch player?

not sure why a WR like Neal would want to play in that style of offense...

<blockquote><div class="name-said">GranadaHillsBear;656456 said:</div><hr>Hmm, interesting. However, how many college coaches bring on local coaches? How many has Tedford brought on board? Tosh was from DLS as a player and a former Bear. Blasquez was a former DLS strength coach but that was only a recent hire. I don't recall Tedford being stupid NOT hiring Bay Area high school coaches for the staff when he was first hired. <br /><br />Jim Mora hasn't hired any SoCal high school coaches. Hairball didn't bring on any Peninsula coaches when he was hired at Furd. <br /><br />Honest question, is this a relatively common practice or more rare to "seal the deal" in getting a top notch player?<hr></blockquote><br /><br /><br />The main instance where I remember a HS coach being hired along with his star recruit was Mitch Mustain and Gus Malzahn at Arkansas...i think he was hired at the same time. Looks like it was relatively the better move for Guz Malzahn to jump to the college game....

<blockquote><div class="name-said">CalBearinLA;656598 said:</div><hr>The main instance where I remember a HS coach being hired along with his star recruit was Mitch Mustain and Gus Malzahn at Arkansas...i think he was hired at the same time. Looks like it was relatively the better move for Guz Malzahn to jump to the college game....<hr></blockquote><br /><br />Happens all the time in basketball.

Neal is a big-time player who I rate higher over Foster as an overall prospect and in an apples-to-apples comparison of WR, all our WR commits except Treggs (that means Powe, Dozier, Walker, and Payton if Payton verbals)...but that's just me. Don't get me wrong, I like our current quintet, but Neal is going to be a beast. Too bad it seems like we're out of the picture for now.

Around AZ the talk is that Neal has a major ego. That being said watching his highlight tape makes your jaw drop. In Rich Rod's offense he will be a de'anthony thomas type threat. I would love, love, love to get this guy.... but he needs to check the mesean attitude at the door.