As the second highest rated recruit for the 2018 class, too bad dual threat QB Jamarye Joiner couldn’t step right in if things fall apart this season for the Arizona Wildcats.
Coming from Cienega high school in Vail, Arizona (just south of Tucson), Jamarye Joiner will not have to travel that far to attend college. Standing at 6’2 and 185 lbs, Joiner is ranked as the 10th best recruit in the state of Arizona, 23rd for his position, and 840th nationally, according to 247sports.com.
Some may be asking, why would another QB commit to Arizona when they have current junior, and starter Brandon Dawkins, along with Khalil Tate who could take his job any moment. The team also has Donavan Tate and Rhett Rodriguez as true freshman who could take snaps? Well, he brings a different kind of element to the stable of Quarterbacks at Arizona.
With the high school season in full swing, I recently spoke with Jamarye, and asked him, why Arizona?
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JJ: “I knew I wanted to commit to Arizona after watching the Washington game last year, because I saw the way Brandon Dawkins was playing and running around it gave me confidence that I could come in and run that offense.”
Coming to Arizona and being able to run the ball will certainly help garner playing time, especially if Rich Rodriguez is still the coach by the end of the year.
So far in his senior season with Cienega, Jamarye is showing opposing defenses why he is one of the top ranked dual threat QB’s in the country. With his passing ability, he has thrown for 823 yards with a four-to-one touchdown-to-interception ratio. And with only 88 attempts so far, Joiner is able to throw the long ball like no other QB, as evidenced by his 15 yards per catch.
He told me that he feels as if his passing game has gotten a lot better, but clearly running is still his strongpoint. In the five games his team has played, he has ran for 10 touchdowns with 331 yards gained. If he continues to progress, snaps will come early and come often in his career.
So far in 2017, Arizona football has been in a downward spiral. Outside of victories against UTEP, and FCS program Northern Arizona, the offense has not looked good. In the loss to Utah, Brandon Dawkins had four turnovers. Including three interceptions, and a costly fumble with just over two minutes left to play. To put it in simple terms, the quarterbacks must play better than what we currently have. I asked Jamarye what he would do differently, if anything.
JJ: What I would do different is be more of a leader on the field,and read the field better because he makes more bad reads than good reads. Every quarter back does that at times, but I feel like I could do better in that aspect of the game.
I also asked Jamarye what his main goal was for his final season for Cienega, he said his main goal was to better the younger kids under him so that eventually they can win a state championship. That is, if it doesn’t happen this season.
When pro athletes sign their first contact coming out of college, usually the first thing they do is buy their parents a car, or a house for all the hard work they put in to get their child to this spot in life. It was only fitting that when I asked who he credits the most, Jamarye answered his parents.
JJ: I credit my parents the most, because they paid so much money and spent so much time with me outside of football with school staying up late at night watching film making sure I do what I have to do to.
With the 2017 season for the Arizona Wildcats not looking very promising, fans of the team may have to turn to future recruits in order to feel a sense of hope for the program. Good thing is they don’t have to go very far if in Tucson, just head out to Cienega High School for any home games to check out a future stud.
Don’t believe us? Here are his highlights!
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From all of us at ZonaZealots, we cannot wait for Jamarye to finally put on the Wildcats jersey! Bear Down, Arizona!