Notes and takeaways from the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™ media availability after practice Thursday as the team continued bye-week workouts:
* UA coach Rich Rodriguez said he’s “hopeful†that defensive tackle Parker Zellers (ankle) and “Stud†DeAndre’ Miller (foot) will return for the Colorado game. Both were limited practice participants this week “by design,†Rodriguez said. Miller has yet to play this season. Zellers has missed the past two games but was available for emergency duty last week vs. Utah.
*Â Rodriguez talked extensively about recruiting today. All nine ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ assistant coaches are hitting the trail this weekend. Destinations include Los Angeles (defensive coordinator Marcel Yates), Phoenix and Northern California (both defensive line coach Vince Amey).
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*Â Rodriguez thinks 70 percent of players nationwide will sign during the new early period (Dec. 20-22). That would alter the dynamic of college football recruiting in a major way.
*Â Rodriguez said the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ will have a smaller class this year because last year's was so big. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ has 11 commits at the moment.
*Â The biggest priority the rest of the way in the 2018 signing class: offensive and defensive linemen.
* ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ did land transfer Thiyo Lukusa, an offensive tackle, from Michigan State just before this season. "He’s going to be good,†said Amey, whose players regularly battle Lukusa in practice. “I wish he was playing for us now. He’s legit.â€
* Amey smiled when asked about defensive tackle Finton Connolly (2.5 TFLs). He said Connolly has matured a great deal. He’s now able to get past and bounce back from mistakes.
*Â Rodriguez said ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ turned in more plays than usual to the Pac-12 for review after Utah game. The league agreed with the UA on some calls, not others.
* Rodriguez said he was disappointed in the intensity of Wednesday practice. Thursday’s was better, even though the team didn’t work in full pads.
*Â ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ didn't end up doing as much live scrimmaging with young players as Rodriguez had planned because so many of them are part of the first and second units.
* Rodriguez plans to watch the Colorado-UCLA on Saturday night; the Buffaloes and Bruins are the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™ next two opponents. He says he takes notes (mental or written) whenever he gets the chance to watch college football.
