RECRUITING: Palo Verde’s Wright chooses San Diego State

Brandon Wright wanted to play running back in college for an established program in a vibrant city.

The Palo Verde senior found all of those things at San Diego State, and he gave an oral commitment to the Aztecs on Tuesday night.

Wright chose San Diego State over a scholarship offer to play defensive back at California, which was his runner-up.

“I liked San Diego as a city. I just got a feeling that’s where I wanted to be,” said Wright, who took his official visit to San Diego State the weekend of Dec. 11. “I was actually thinking about going to Cal as a DB, but at the end of the day, I wanted to be a running back.”

Wright said he spoke with new San Diego State coach Rocky Long on Tuesday night and felt comfortable with his decision. Long replaced Brady Hoke, who left for the same position at Michigan on Jan. 11.

“A good coach took over. I feel like he can win,” Wright said of Long.

Wright also had offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Colorado State, Idaho, Illinois, UNLV, UNR, Utah and Washington.

Wright rushed for 1,632 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2010, earning first-team all-state and Northwest League Offensive Most Valuable Player honors as the Panthers (12-1) reached the Sunset Region title game.

PEARSON UPDATE — Faith Lutheran senior Don Pearson drew an offer to play receiver at Navy on Wednesday and is still considering an offer to play linebacker at UNLV, Crusaders coach Jacob Kothe said.

Kothe said Pearson, who had offers from San Diego State and Stanford before both schools changed coaches, hopes to visit Navy by next weekend.

“Someone’s going to get a great football player,” Kothe said. “(Navy’s) receivers are big, physical and have great hands, and he’s got all those things.”

BASEBALL COMMITMENTS — Senior baseball players to make recent commitments include Sierra Vista’s Blair Goldsack (Yavapai College, Ariz.), Cimarron-Memorial’s A.J. Hernandez (Western Nevada College), Rancho’s P.J. Matha (San Diego Christian College) and Shadow Ridge’s Brandon Show (Western Nevada College).