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Vuna Tuihalamaka has spent the last four months studying Freud and Jung, Shinto and Islam.

Today, Arizona's top junior college recruit will turn his focus to football.

Tuihalamaka, a standout linebacker, is expected to sign a national letter of intent with the UA after qualifying academically.

Tuihalamaka was supposed to enroll at Arizona in August but was ruled academically ineligible. At Phoenix College, he took classes in psychology and world religions and earned passing grades.

Tuihalamaka will be on the UA campus when classes begin Jan.16.

"I'll be there. It's been too long. I'm too excited," Tuihalamaka told the Star on Tuesday. "I feel like the whole monkey is finally off my back."

Tuihalamaka is one of five recruits who are expected to sign with the UA today, the first day junior college players can do so.

None have a higher ceiling than Tuihalamaka, a 6-foot- 2-inch, 240-pound linebacker.

The Rivals.com recruiting service listed Tuihalamaka as a four-star recruit in 2006, when he was still at El Camino College in Torrance, Calif.

At the time, Tuihalamaka chose Arizona over New Mexico, Iowa State, Colorado and Oregon State. Tuihalamaka has motivation to attend the UA: His cousin, Apaiata, is a freshman linebacker with the Wildcats.

Arizona's recruits, and all junior college players, can sign national letters of intent until Jan. 15. The rest of Arizona's 2008 recruiting class can sign letters beginning Feb. 6.

It took a while, but Arizona finally landed Robert Golden.

This time, he says, it is for good.

The highly touted cornerback from Fresno, Calif., verbally committed to the UA football program Tuesday night after a lengthy recruitment.

Golden originally committed to Arizona in May but backed off his verbal vow in mid-October to pursue other schools.

Golden said he was leaning toward Oregon State on Monday. His opinion changed overnight.

"I slept on it and figured out what school I wanted to be at," Golden said. "I found out that Arizona was where my heart was at. I wanted to commit to Arizona like I did in the first place and get the recruiting over with. It was getting really stressful for me."

The Rivals.com recruiting service lists Golden as the No. 11 cornerback in the nation and a four-star recruit. Golden was also considering Arizona State, Oregon and Fresno State when he chose Arizona. Golden — a 5-foot- 10-inch, 192-pound high school senior — is expected to replace All-America cornerback Antoine Cason.

"I would love to have the same success that Antoine Cason is having right now, but it's about how I perform and how I do mine," Golden said.