SoCal running back picks the Pac 10
Three-star running back Jared Baker (5-9, 185, 4.4) from Los Angeles (Calif.) Loyola decided on where he will play his college football and continue his education today.
The speedy Baker called Arizona to let head coach Mike Stoops of his decision.
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"It seems like Arizona was my best choice," Baker said. "It seemed like Arizona wanted me the most and I really liked it when I went down there. That's why I picked them.
"Arizona has a really good program and they have a really good system," Baker said. "It's also a very good school and I like the campus, too. It's a really nice campus. I plan on majoring in engineering
"My dad and I took some time to really check out the city of Tucson and really liked it," Baker said. "We met some people there and they seemed like really nice people. It's just seems like the kind of place where you would want to go to college. The school has a really nice college atmosphere."
Defensive line coach, Mike Tuiasosopo and co-offensive coordinator and running backs/tight coach Seth Littrell had a lot to do with putting extolling the virtues of the Arizona program and getting Baker to say yes to the Wildcats.
"I connected with the Arizona coaching staff," Baker said. "Both Coach Tuiasosopo and Coach Littrell did a very good job recruiting me.
The Wildcats get a player who stepped in for UCLA bound Anthony Barr when he came down with a season ending injury. Baker's performance saw him earn his league's Offensive Player of the Year after rushing 1,458 yards and scored 11 touchdowns.
Baker was given high praise for his junior season when Loyola's legendary coach, Steve Grady, when he said at Loyola's banquet, that they knew they needed someone to fill in the very large shoes of Barr, but he didn't know that Baker was going to bring his own shoes.
In his own shoes indeed. The Wildcats get a very good running back here in Baker over other offers from Cal Poly SLO, Connecticut, Idaho and Oregon State.