By
Maxx Wolfson
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Arizona coaches on the road trying to land top recruits
The influence of new UA head coach John Mackovic is starting to pay off in recruiting.
Arizona landed one of the nation's top quarterback prospects yesterday in Nic Costa.
Costa, a native of Aloha, Ore., gave a verbal commitment at his high school yesterday to come play at UA. The left-hander, who attends Aloha High School, has run a 40-yard dash at 4.25 seconds.
Costa's mother told Rivals100.com that, "Nic is just glad that it is all over. He was sold on Arizona after coach Mackovic visited him."
Costa - who did not return numerous phone calls left by the Arizona Daily Wildcat - visited UCLA, Purdue, Notre Dame and Florida State before deciding on the Wildcats.
However, signing Costa will likely lead to the loss of another highly sought-after quarterback, Joe Mauer.
Mauer, who narrowed his choices down to UA, Miami, Florida State and Minnesota earlier this week, will likely chose to attend another school rather than compete with Costa and Tennessee-transfer John Rattay in Fall 2001.
The 6-foot-4 quarterback from St. Paul, Minn., played at the same high school - Cretin Derham-Hall - as Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke and former NFL quarterback Steve Walsh.
Mauer is expected to make a decision after visiting Tallahassee - home of Florida State - on Friday.
The UA football coaches are out on the recruiting trail with only two coaches - offensive coordinator Rick Dykes and offensive line coach Charlie Dickey - staying back in Tucson.
According to Rivals100.com Arizona has only received a total of 11 solid commitments from players who assured Arizona they would sign on or before the Feb. 7 deadline.
Dykes said he was hopeful that Arizona will sign more high-profile prep athletes in upcoming weeks.
"We hope that we have some surprises," Dykes said. "When you are recruiting the better players, sometimes they don't commit 'til the last day."
Arizona has 17 total scholarships to give out this spring.
"We are unsure right now if we are going to use all 17 of the scholarships available," Dykes said.
Kirk Johnson and Brad Brittian are from whom two high-schoolers that the Wildcats were able to receive a commitment.
Johnson, a native of Oakland, Calif., played linebacker at Skyline High School, but will play safety for the Wildcats.
"Arizona has always been good defensively, and talking with the coaches, I don't see that changing," Johnson told PacWest Football.com. "They know what they're doing, and there's a lot of enthusiasm with the new staff. I'm excited about my decision."
Brittian, who prepped at Torrey Pines High School in Del Mar, Calif., said he is excited to come to Arizona because he will be able to play tight end.
The Wildcats also received solid commitments from offensive lineman Brandon Hopkins (Westwood High School, Mesa, Az.), running backs Sean Jones (North Shore High School, Houston, Texas), Antoine Singfield (Rancho Verde High School, Moreno Valley, Calif.) and Darrell Brooks (Moreno Valley High School, Moreno Valley, Calif.).
