Sonoran Hot Reads: Brandon Randolph sets lofty goal for next year’s Arizona team

“Shoot, we are going to be national champs.”

The Arizona Wildcats have one of the best recruiting classes in the country next year, and they are not shy about setting expectations for next year’s team as high as possible. Brandon Randolph talked to Rivals’ Corey Evans about what the four signees will bring to this team, and how excited he is. But the money quote is at the bottom, where Randolph says “Shoot, we are going to be national champs. We are definitely going to have to compete for that, though.” Alright

- There will also be plenty of recruits at Saturday’s game against UCLA. Here’s our preview of the game. Seth Davis has UCLA winning by eight. Plenty of official game watch parties are going down Saturday afternoon as well

- Oh yeah, Allonzo Trier is returning too. Ryan wrote about what he’ll bring to the team, but as Sean Miller told Sporting News’ Mike DeCourcy “It will be a challenge – tough first game to welcome him back. He has been practicing the entire time, so in a few weeks he should be fine.”

- Lauri Markkanen has become the best seven-foot three-point shooter in the history of college basketball

Football

- Arizona offered Mater Dei punter Ryan Stonehouse, who is ranked as the best punter in the country by 247, and has a composite score that would make him the sixth-highest rated player among Arizona commits if he were to choose UA

- Brandon talked to several players about their visits to Tucson last weekend

- This is an interesting read on the star ratings of players who will be in Sunday’s NFL Conference Championship Games

- Greg Byrne was on Finebaum on Friday, and one of the things he talked about is how he’ll deal with Nick Saban, especially being a younger, non-coach

- Our latest profile of potential replacements for Byrne focused on new Baylor A.D. Mack Rhoades, who is a U of A alum. And no, he wasn’t at Baylor during all the scandals, but he does have past issues at Mizzou

Baseball

- Aaron Fitt gave his projection of this year’s lineup and a lot more

- 2019 SS Adam Crampton has committed to Arizona. He’s been at Team USA trials the last two years

Other sports

- Swimming and diving was dominated by Cal on Friday. The Golden Bears are ranked No. 6 on the women’s side and No. 1 on the men’s side. Arizona is 17th and 18th respectively

- Track and field is in Nashville for the Vanderbilt Invitational

- U of A is involved in a sleep study for student-athletes, and how an improved sleep schedule could greatly help them

Tucson news

- Protesters marched down Congress on Friday afternoon for Inauguration Day

- 57 cats were rescued from a hoarder on the northwest side and are now at PACC

- Here are some things going on around town this weekend, though it’s probably gonna be a little wet

- There was a nasty wreck at Oracle and Ina

Some javelinas from Tucson! http://pic.twitter.com/OhoFvQ5y2k

— Jorie (@dead_blue_deer) January 21, 2017

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