Arizona's basketball and football programs suffered a tough 1-2 punch over the weekend with news that it has lost the services of a couple of promising young players.
The basketball team lost five-star 2015 recruit Tyler Dorsey, who issued at email statement on Saturday announcing that he was decommitting from the Wildcats.
The football team will be without running back Pierre Cormier, a four-star recruit in 2013 who was expected to be one of the top contenders for the starting job vacated by Ka'Deem Carey. He announced via social media that his career is over because of undisclosed medical reasons.
Dorsey, a 6-foot-4 guard from St. John Bosco High in California who is ranked as one of the top 25 recruits in 2015, said in his statement that his decision to commit to Arizona in January was "rushed."
"As much as I love the Arizona basketball program as well as the awesome Wildcat fans and highly respect Head Coach Sean Miller and the entire Arizona staff, I realize that, in hindsight, I rushed my college choice and did not provide myself with the greatest opportunity to explore and thoroughly investigate all my possible college options.
"After very careful personal reflection and discussing this issue in depth with my parents, I feel I owe it to myself to open up my recruiting at this time and fully experience the recruiting process in order to allow myself to make the best possible choice for my future. I am pleased that Coach Miller understands and respects my decision to do this and hope that Arizona will continue to be a college option for me."
Dorsey, who was regarded as a shooting guard, told the Arizona Daily Star last week that he believes his professional future is as a point guard, and that could have something to do with his reconsideration.
"I see my future as a 'one' because in the NBA, most of the ones can score," Dorsey said. "You've gotta have the ability to score or you're not as efficient on the court."
Incoming freshman Parker Jackson-Cartwright, who will play behind senior T.J. McConnell, is currently seen as the team's point guard of the future.
Dorsey's decommitment leaves guard Justin Simon as Arizona's only commitment for 2015.
Pierre Cormier was a 4-star recruit at Madison High School in San Diego, where he rushed for more than 2,200 yards as a senior.
Cormier announced his retirement from football on his Facebook page, saying: "Football has always meant the world to me ... Due to a medical condition I've been told I can never play again ... This last week and a half has been the hardest ever for me."
He signed with Arizona in 2013 after starring at Madison High School in San Diego and redshirted last season behind Carey and senior Daniel Jenkins.
The Wildcats are without any experienced tailbacks, and competition for the starting position is wide open. The remaining candidates are veterans Terris Jones-Grigsby and Jared Baker, redshirt freshman Zach Green and incoming freshman Nick Wilson.
