Mike takes in junior day at Arizona
Arizona's junior day was a tailgate of sorts - a Saturday cookout on the same field that the Wildcats' staff hopes many of the day's attendees will someday practice football.
Of course a few burgers on the 50-yard line wasn't the long short of the event. It's just how four-star lineman Andrew Mike first described the experience. There were plenty of other things to see. And whatever Mike saw during his daytrip to the campus certainly had an effect.
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"It boosted my opinion of U of A," Mike said. "My opinion is getting better. I liked it before, but with all the new stuff they're getting and the improvement to the program, I like it even more now. It was actually really cool."
Most of the day's conversation focused on the future of the Arizona program. Projections were made and plans were discussed. There was nothing radical. No shocks. No surprises. Just the standard, junior-day bill of duty.
"They were focusing on building up the program to be a Rose Bowl contender," Mike said.
Mike's favorite part of the day had nothing to do with the food or the setting in which it was served. He noted the new faculties that the Wildcats are in the process of building. The tangible stuff certain had its draw. For him, though, the afternoon was all about interaction.
"I think the best part was just hanging out with Coach [Jim] Michalczik was good," Mike said. "We talked for a while. I really liked spending time with him. We have a relationship.
"Nobody pressured me to commit. It was all real laid back."
So what's next? For now, Mike has little idea. It's unlikely that any other unofficial visits will take place in the immediate future, but the Tucson Sabino junior will formulate some plan of action in the coming weeks.
"There's a dead period coming up, so that's why Arizona really crammed this junior day in there right now," Mike said. "I really don't know what I'm going to do next. I guess I'll see."
Mike, who claims eight scholarship offers, including one from Arizona, says he now weighs 280 pounds.