There were plenty of rumors last week suggesting Jeff Casteel had a deal in place to leave West Virginia, a place he had spent most of his entire life, to join Rich Rodriguez and the Arizona Wildcats. Most felt it was a done deal, but there were whispers that Casteel may be having second thoughts when no official announcement was made by the UA.
After a busy weekend of speculation, there are even more rumors confirming that Casteel will be headed to Tucson, with some saying it is a done deal.
Being told to expect an announcement of some sort on Jeff Casteel very soon. Could be as early as today.
— Jon Martin (@JonathanKMartin) January 9, 2012
We are still awaiting news from the athletic department, although one could be made at any moment. The BCS National Championship Game likely means nothing is made official until at least Tuesday, but there is still a small chance something gets done today.
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Again, it appears everything is very close to being finalized with Jeff Casteel. The only issue that remains is which of his WVU assistant coaches he brings along with him to Tucson. Safeties coach Steve Dunlap, cornerbacks coach Dave Lockwood and defensive line coach Bill Kirelawich could all be headed to Arizona, although many affiliated with the Mountaineers would like to see these three retained if Casteel does indeed head west.
As for now, though, Arizona Wildcats fans should be absolutely thrilled to hear of these developments. There are few in the nation better than coach Casteel and he has a reputation for being a first-class citizen, as well. This is an exciting day for the UA football program.
Update: A few have you have contacted me asking for my sources and how I can confirm this news. You'll notice the word "reportedly" in the title, which means nothing is confirmed at this time. Yes, I have my people that I talk with that are close to the UA and I also read around on the Internet as much as you do to gather my information. All signs point to Casteel heading to Arizona, but this is not confirmed at all. We're not trying to scoop the story; just to report what is being said at WVU and UA.
For more on these two teams, head on over to Arizona Desert Swarm and The Smoking Musket.