[tps_title]Entire roster Rich Rod-coached players[/tps_title]
[tps_header][/tps_header]
The four scholarship players who remain from when Mike Stoops and his staff signed them in February 2011 include:
Jared Baker, running back
Reggie Gilbert, defensive end
Lene Maiava, offensive lineman
David Richards, wide receiver
They have persevered through their five-year careers playing only for Rich Rodriguez. They redshirted their freshman season when Stoops was fired after a 1-5 start.
“It was definitely a struggle at times,” Richards said at last week’s Pac-12 Media Day. “You get a new coach, everybody wants to leave. That’s the first thought. But after sticking that out, I enjoyed it and the last couple years have been a grind. It’s all been worth it. Things happen for a reason. I think this is going to be a big year for me.”
No question this is Rodriguez’s cast of players unlike the three seasons before. The Wildcats should see the fruits of the recruiting labor by Rodriguez and his staff, most of whom have stuck together through Rodriguez’s tenure in Tucson.
