This season wouldn’t have been possible without the play and leadership of Matt Scott. Photo by Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

Soon after Arizona hired Rich Rodriguez, the seniors-to-be filed into his new office, one-by-one, to hear the same message.

Center Kyle Quinn remembers Rodriguez saying something like this:

“This is your team. It’s the seniors’ team. I may not have recruited you guys, and this is your last year, but I want you guys to have the best senior year possible. You’re my guys.”

This is always the worry with a coaching change — the tenuous relationship between the new coach and the old players. The guy with the long-term plan doesn’t always have use for the short-timers. The short-timers tune out the guy with the long-term plan.

“We really bought into his philosophy and his mindset,” Quinn said.

“We were eager to change,” said senior defensive lineman Chris Merrill. “We knew we had to buy in for change to be implemented.”

“It started with us,” added senior fullback/defensive end Taimi Tutogi. “We talked to the guys and said, ‘Look at this guy’s record; he’s done a lot of good things at previous schools.’ The guys followed their leaders.”

Compare that to the situation at Washington State, where first-year coach Mike Leach said last month some of his seniors have an “empty-corpse quality.”

At Arizona, the senior class has helped pulled the Wildcats up from a 4-8 record last season to a 7-4 mark this year heading into Friday night’s regular-season finale against Arizona State.

It’s not that this senior class is supremely deep or talented — there are only five seniors who have started a majority of the games, none on defense. Several seniors are merely deep reserves, but they haven’t poisoned the well while filling small roles.

“I thought it was a good group of guys, but I didn’t know if they could play or not and what their contributions would be on the field,” Rodriguez said of his first impression of the seniors.

“But I loved their attitude. I thought they had a willingness to listen and learn and to lead in the right way. Particularly if you’re a senior and you’re not playing a whole lot, you could go a couple of different ways.

“You could buy into the team concept and help us out that way, or you could kind of go the other way and be a detriment. I think our guys chose to go the right way.”

This was hardly a seamless transition. Rodriguez asked the Wildcats to learn a new scheme on offense, a new scheme on defense, to practice differently — fast-paced all the time — to condition differently and harder than ever in the offseason. What’s more, the coaching staff has a different collective personality than that of the previous staff, another factor that could lead to unease and unhappiness.

“The guys that are here are happy that they stayed. I know it’s the best decision I’ve made,” Tutogi said.

“I’m just happy that Coach RichRod is doing what he is doing. It’s been a 360 (degree) difference from last year. Guys have stepped up. Now I wish I would have redshirted my freshman year. That’s just a product of how Coach RichRod coaches and his philosophy. I like that it’s a family.

“I’m sad, but I’m happy for the younger guys, because that’s what they are going to get for the rest of their career.”

The whole feel-good vibe has been a stark contrast to Rodriguez’s first year at Michigan.

These are some of the things that have been different at Arizona: UA didn’t have a public, anguished coaching search; Rodriguez nailed his introductory press conference; he’s had the full support of the administration; he hasn’t been publicly bad-mouthed by former players; his good ol’ boy personality has played well to the masses; he inherited an experienced senior quarterback … and any grumbling has stayed behind the scenes.

The proof of the buying-in is in the win-loss record and an on-field effort that can’t be called disappointing. Much credit goes to the seniors.

“He asked a lot of us as a group,” Tutogi said.

“It’s been easy when you’ve got a group of guys like the ones you’ve got. We didn’t know what guys were going to think when Coach Rod came in because you have a lot of different opinions with a lot of different coaches. But it started with us.”

Arizona rotates captains on a weekly basis but on Wednesday named captains through the bowl game — Scott, Quinn, Biskin and junior linebacker Jake Fischer, a fourth-year player who is the leader of a defense that does not start a senior.

“A few of the guys have been not just good leaders but great leaders. I think that has really helped us in a year of transition,” Rodriguez said.

“We’ve been fortunate to make steps as a program while the seniors have been all in.”

* * *

Arizona’s 2012 senior class

*Note: WR Terrence Miller not listed because it is expected that he will get a medical hardship for this season, able to return as a fifth-year senior in 2013.

When offensive lineman Cayman Bundage wasn’t celebrating a touchdown with Ka’Deem Carey, he was helping clear space for him up front. Photo by Matt Kartozian-US PRESSWIRE

Ball at the 25. Three-point lead. Four minutes and 40 seconds left against USC.

A true freshman is at left guard. The left guard is at left tackle. The center and right guard are injury replacements. Arizona’s backup quarterback, B.J. Denker, had just come into the game for an ailing Matt Scott.

No way were the Wildcats going to pass the ball.

“When everyone in the stadium knows you are going to run it, that’s the time you have to do it,” Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez said.

For a team that plays fast and ranks high in all the national stats in offense, it was the ensuing 19-yard drive — before a delay-of-game penalty at the end — that will go down as one of the season’s highlights.

“It’s satisfying for the offensive line because we pride ourselves in getting better in the run game,” said starting junior guard Chris Putton, who also has been rotating at left tackle with Mickey Baucus.

“We put our minds to it. Come off the ball. Whoever wants it more is going to win it.”

Arizona handed off to Ka’Deem Carey seven consecutive times.

Nine yards, then 2 yards. First down.

Six yards, then USC’s second timeout of the half. Four yards. First down.

A loss of 1. USC’s final timeout. No gain. Loss of one.

Delay of game before the punt.

“I would have liked to see us get that last first down and then just knee the clock out,” said offensive line coach Robert Anae.

“But very excited. It was mission accomplished when we took their timeouts and we drained the clock. Then, I’ll be darned, the punter comes out and knocks that thing right to the 10 with no return. That’s good football. That’s really good football.”

In what very well might be the most significant punt of senior Kyle Duganzic’s career, he rugby punted the ball 48 yards along the right sideline, forcing Robert Woods to make the catch going out of bounds at the 13.

“It was exactly where I wanted it,” Dugandzic said.

With 55 seconds left, the Arizona offense had put the Trojans into a hole that was just deep enough. The Cats held on to win 39-36.

There was plenty of credit to go around. Carey, as usual, ran hard and fought for just enough yardage on UA’s final possession. Dugandzic did his best impersonation of Josh Miller 20 years ago against top-ranked Washington.

Mostly, it was a signature moment for the offensive line.

The line hasn’t been great — Rodriguez almost weekly talks about the need for more push, more physical play up front — but it has held together through injuries, helping the offense average 553.6 yards and 39.1 points per game. Scott hasn’t been sacked in the past two games.

“I’ve been proud of them because we’re just kind of a patchwork line and have had a different lineup just about every week,” Rodriguez said.

Arizona has started four different combinations up front in the past five games.

Addison Bachman has replaced starting center Kyle Quinn, who has missed three-and-half games because of an ankle injury. Putton has started at both guard spots, in addition to playing tackle. Shane Zink has started the past four games for Trace Biskin, who returned from a toe injury to play as a reserve vs. USC. True freshman Cayman Bundage is seeing ample time at left guard.

“I think we have done a pretty good job of holding together as a family,” Putton said.

As far as other personnel problems, tackle Jack Baucus (knee) and guard Carter Lees never made it to the season and are no longer on the roster. Redshirt freshman tackle Jacob Arzouman suffered a torn ACL in fall camp. Redshirt freshman Lene Maiava was in the rotation at tackle before he tore his ACL last month.

“Well, I don’t look at it as a patchwork deal,” Anae said.

“Guys who are playing have earned that. They earned that. To me, if you have a patchwork approach, the guys are playing out of default. We’ve had some injuries, so there has been some of that, but I don’t like to look at it as a guy is playing out of default.

“I like to look at it as a guy has earned his time to play and deserves to be on the field.”

Rodriguez said the Cats used six offensive linemen two weeks ago in the win over Washington. With Biskin’s return, the rotation went to seven. When Quinn gets back, it’s up to eight.

“We’ve been able to win with those eight players,” Anae said.

“At this point of the year, that’s a really big plus, because a lot of teams are playing with fewer who haven’t won. I really like the progress as the O-line as a group. I look at it as a team effort.”

The offensive line might be a work in progress, might still need to “move people” better, as Rodriguez puts it. But there was just enough movement, enough push, against USC when it mattered the most.

That’s good football.

“We jelled as a team at a very critical point of the game,” Anae said. “And it turned out in our favor.”

Addison Bachman will be the man in the middle if Kyle Quinn can’t play this week. 2011 photo by the Arizona Republic.

As a backup offensive lineman at Arizona, Addison Bachman has learned he has to be ready at any time, even on that rare occasion when a forward pass is coming his way.

Bachman, a senior, saw his first significant and extended playing time against Oregon State on Saturday, subbing for center Kyle Quinn, who went out with a leg injury midway through the third quarter. Quinn’s status for this week won’t be announced until Thursday.

“Addison competed pretty well,” coach Rich Rodriguez said. “Assignment-wise, he was pretty strong.”

And he was in the right spot in the fourth quarter, when a screen pass intended for Tyler Slavin near the line of scrimmage was tipped forward. Bachman, who was downfield to block for the screen, snatched the ball and rumbled a couple of steps for 10 yards on second-and-11 from the OSU 33.

“I was proud of him,” said right tackle Fabbians Ebbele. “I was like, ‘Pitch it back to me, let me house it.’”

Bachman, who arrived at Arizona in the spring of 2011 as a transfer from Citrus College in Glendora, Calif., played in five games last season, able to fill at guard and center. He could get his first career start this week at Stanford.

He always plays with the memory of his older brother, Ryan, close at hand. Ryan died at 22 in a surfing accident. Addison was a high school sophomore at the time.

Tattoos on his upper right arm honor Ryan’s memory, and he will write “plyn for Ry” — playing for Ryan — on his wristbands.

“He’s attached to me,” Addison said. “It’s good. He’s got my back. He is with me all the time.”

Bachman was a popular interview subject after Tuesday morning’s practice. Here is some of what he told reporters, including lots of talk about his one career reception:

On how he thinks he did against Oregon State:

“Last week, given the circumstances, jumping right there, I think I did a pretty good job. Kyle has big shoes to fill, though. He’s the leader of the O-line. I just went in there and did my best. You just gotta play fast. That’s all you gotta do. You can’t worry about anything else. This week, Kyle is banged up. Stanford is pretty basic on their defense, so it’s not too bad to study.”

On how it felt to make that catch last week:

“You know what, it was pretty crazy. We’re always taught to run to the ball. I was actually looking right and the safety had dropped. I turned left and heard the ball tipped. I took two steps and caught it. I had a couple of seconds to run to it, and the first thing I was thinking about was to make sure it wasn’t going to be a negative play. The coaches teach that if a D-line tips it, knock it down so it’s not negative. I was thinking the same thing. But I noticed I was downfield. … It’s an O-lineman’s dream right there.”

On probably thinking he could score:

“I was. I got tackled from behind. Right when I caught it, the first thing I thought of was ‘double trouble’ (he mimics getting two arms over the ball). I did not want to fumble it.”

On the reaction from his teammates:

“It was pretty crazy, especially all the other O-linemen. Literally, that’s what we fall asleep thinking about. … It was a good time.”

On how he has handled not playing much at Arizona until last week:

“I’m just happy I’m here. I went to JUCO, and I came here and I knew Kyle was going to be a tremendous athlete and we were going to have to battle. He’s so keen and he knows the offense so well, so I’ve just been learning from him. Once it’s my opportunity, it’s my opportunity. There hasn’t been any frustration.”

On what he has learned from Quinn:

“It’s how he reads the defense. He does such a good job pre-snap of checking out what’s happening, seeing what is coming from the field and what’s not. Even in film, just seeing if the linebackers are on their toes or not on the toes — just learning who is coming and who is not.”

On how far the offensive line has come in terms of conditioning:

“Coach always says that we have to be the fastest team, the most-conditioned team, play harder than anyone in the nation. In the spring, it was hard to stay positive because the running was so crazy, but now you really, really thank the coaches because you can definitely see a difference. Even in the second quarter, we tire defenses.”

Chris Putton worked as the starting left guard in spring practice. Photo by Michael Chow, The Arizona Republic

In collaboration with our Gannett partner, The Arizona Republic, we will be providing a weekly series throughout the summer, previewing the Arizona Wildcats football team.

The Republic sent a photographer to Tucson three times in the spring to capture the pictures needed for its slick presentation of the preview, which you can find here at azcentral.com. You can also read about those other guys all summer in the ASU preview.

At TucsonCitizen.com, we can’t offer the cool look of the preview that you’ll find on azcentral.com, but we’ll give you the text and some of the photography.

Here is the third part: The offensive line. Look for updates every Friday.

INTRO

It doesn’t take long to add up the returning starts among Arizona’s offensive linemen: One.

With no seniors on the two deep and having the distinction of being the nation’s least experienced offensive line, it was no surprise that coach Mike Stoops, when asked what quality new line coach Robert Anae needed to bring to the position, answered:

“Patience.”

Said Anae: “We’re all rookies.”

Center Colin Baxter and tackle Adam Grant will be missed, but the good news is that the starting group has healthy knees, is more athletic and can grow up together.

“The progress that needed to be made was made,” Stoops said of the spring performance of the offensive line. “This group has the potential to be really good. They have a high ceiling.”

Mickey Baucus

Baucus was the closest to playing last season among the four freshman linemen who redshirted, but Arizona stayed healthy enough to preserve his year of eligibility.

Now, he has a chance to be a four-year starter at the important left tackle spot. At 6-foot-8 and 295 pounds, he fits the line’s new identity of being longer, leaner and more athletic.

“Our tackles are all good athletes. They come from more athletic backgrounds,” said coach Mike Stoops. “The problem with those guys might be that they are still growing into their bodies … and that can be awkward at times.”

Baucus was a Chicago Tribune second-team all-state pick as a senior in Mundelein, Ill., before following his brother Jack, a tight end, to Arizona.

Chris Putton

Putton has five games of experience as a backup last season, playing as the team’s primary reserve at guard once Vaughn Dotsy (back) couldn’t make a go of it after a few games. That experience, such as it is, makes Putton the team’s second-most experienced offensive lineman.

Considering his practice time with the first-team offense at various points of last season, he should be fairly entrenched on the left side of the line this season.

Putton, from Glendale Cactus High School, committed to Arizona in October 2008 and was one of the Wildcats’ top in-state recruits in that class, along with Tucson kids Adam Hall and Jake Fischer. Putton was first-team all-state in class 4A by the Arizona Republic.

Kyle Quinn will be the line leader in 2011. Photo by Michael Chow, The Arizona Republic

Kyle Quinn

With his one career start coming in last season’s Alamo Bowl, Quinn is the clear leader of the line, likely to become a team spokesman of sorts as a junior on an all-new starting front.

“We’re definitely developing an attitude to where we don’t want to be talked about in a negative way,” Quinn said of the offensive line.

Quinn played well in the bowl game, according to coach Mike Stoops, using that as a launching pad toward a good offseason. In the bowl, Quinn replaced injured Colin Baxter, who had started 48 consecutive games.

“He has everything it takes to be a leader and to really help this offensive line mature,” Stoops said. “Kyle is a very athletic center. He’s a very polished player for not playing (much).”

Trace Biskin

Biskin has waited three seasons for this opportunity to start, redshirting in 2008 and then appearing briefly across the past two seasons.

“I have been waiting for this and working hard, and I think this year is my time to shine, really,” Biskin said. “That was my goal at the end of last year’s bowl game. I think we all were very disappointed and we took it upon ourselves to get better and make a statement.”

Biskin, from Oaks Christian High in Westlake Village, Calif., arrived as tackle. He might bring a bit of a brawler mentality to guard, repeating one of offensive line coach Robert Anae’s mottos:

“You can correct mistakes,” Biskin said, “but you can’t correct toughness.”

Fabbians Ebbele

Ebbele is from Chicago, part of former offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh’s recruiting push in the area. Before Bedenbaugh left for West Virginia after last season, he said Ebbele and starting left tackle Mickey Baucus (also from the Chicago area) had the skills to develop to be as good as any tackles he has coached.

Ebbele said one of his biggest areas of emphasis last season as a redshirt was footwork as he adapted to the speed of the game.

“There were some adjustments coming to the West, because there are some really fast defensive ends,” he said.

Ebbele said he would continue to talk up Arizona back home.

“It’s nice here year-round,” he said. “There are some great guys there, so we’re going to try to get them here.”

Trent Spurgeon

Here’s another redshirt freshman offensive tackle for Arizona and, like projected starters Mickey Baucus and Fabbians Ebbele, he is a tall, rangy prospect from another part of the country.

Spurgeon was something of a recruiting coup for the Cats, a four-star Rivals.com prospect out of Owasso, Okla., near Tulsa. Rivals.com rated Spurgeon as the fifth-best prospect from the state of Oklahoma after the 2009 season.

Spurgeon was at the ready last year, as the coaches took him on some road trips to be available in case of injuries. He enters fall camp behind the other redshirt freshman tackles but, in some ways, the competition is just beginning, and he is considered a key part of the future of the line.

Carter Lees

Arizona went to Sugar Land, Texas, a couple of years ago to bring back Lees, a 320-pounder who is one of four redshirt freshman offensive linemen on the depth chart. He knew when he committed that the 2011 season would represent his chance to get on the field.

“That was the big thing. I was going to have an opportunity to compete,” Lees said. “Normally, you get shuffled off for a couple of years. It’s just an opportunity.”

He will enter fall camp behind Chris Putton at left guard. Lees comes from an option offense in high school, so he still has a lot to learn in Arizona’s pass-blocking scheme for its spread offense. How quickly he picks that up could determine 2011 playing time.

Addison Bachman

Arizona was looking for at least one mid-year junior college transfer on the offensive line — and it got one in Bachman, from Citrus College in Glendora, Calif.

He was brought in to compete at center with Kyle Quinn, with the thought being that whoever didn’t win the starting job could move to guard. We’ll see if that plays out in the fall, but Arizona basically stuck with the same starting five through spring camp, with Bachman backing up Quinn.

Bachman gives the Cats a dose of experience in their backup ranks and, at worst, some needed insurance.

His cleats bear the inscription “Playing for Ry” — a remembrance of his brother Ryan, who died in a surfing accident in the summer of 2006 in a surfing accident.

Eric Bender-Ramsay will be looking to make a move in fall camp. Photo by David Kadlubowki, The Arizona Republic

Eric Bender-Ramsay

The redshirt sophomore should push for a starting job in fall camp after coming back from a forearm injury that cost him development time last fall and in the spring.

He has otherwise been impressive in practices, earning the team’s scout team MVP Award for offense in 2009 and then looking good in 2010 fall camp before running into injury issues.

He’s an athletic prospect at 6-foot-6 and 325 pounds, and he has some position flexibility between tackle and guard. He was listed as a backup right guard in the spring; he certainly would be one of the taller guards anywhere — definitely imposing when he pulls for running plays.

Shane Zink

What Zink has going for him is that he has been in the program longer than most of the other offensive linemen, arriving for 2009 spring ball. He also has playing experience, having spent the 2008 season at Shasta College in Redding, Calif., before transferring to Arizona at the semester break.

Zink, a junior, redshirted at Arizona in 2009. Like the team’s other prospects at tackle, he has the requisite size for the position (6-7, 302 pounds), although some of the younger guys might have better overall athleticism.

Zink, if an opening for playing time arrives, will have to use his slight edge in age and experience to claim some starting reps.

Freshman Fabbians Ebbele works out during fall camp.
Photo by Brad Allis, WildcatSportsReport.com

The Arizona Wildcats are losing their entire starting offensive line after this season, so who’s next?

One likely answer is Kyle Quinn, who will make his first career start in the Dec. 29 Alamo Bowl against Oklahoma State. Quinn replaces senior Colin Baxter, who is out following surgery on his right knee.

The next wave includes three redshirt freshmen and four freshmen who are redshirting. Among that latter group, watch for Mickey Baucus and Fabbians Ebbele.

“Those two young tackles, if they continue to improve, they’re going to be as good as anybody I’ve coached,” said offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator Bill Bedenbaugh.

“They’ve got that talent. Now, they have to come with a mentality and a competitiveness and a toughness and those kind of things. If you look at them and see how they work, they’ve got what it takes.”

Baucus was listed at 6-8 and 275 pounds at the beginning of camp. Ebbele was listed at 6-6, 295. Both are from Illinois, which is Bedenbaugh’s recruiting area, one of the reasons why it’s important for Arizona to retain him. Bedenbaugh is the lead recruiter on four-star offensive lineman Chris Bryant, Ebbele’s former teammate at Chicago Simeon High School.

Arizona has a commitment from center Addison Bachman from Citrus Community College in Glendora, Calif. He is expected to enroll for the spring semester. If he wins the starting job, Quinn could move to guard.

The Wildcats are in pursuit of other junior college linemen to bolster what will be an inexperienced offensive line in 2011.

But there is the chance for a solid foundation that includes Baucus and Ebbele.

“We’re recruiting some other guys right now, but I think if they have the spring that I’m hoping they have, then they’ll be ready to go and start for four years,” Bedenbaugh said. “They have to do it on the field … but they’ve got everything it takes.”

As for Quinn, he could end up staying at center or playing guard, depending on who else Arizona brings in and how players develop.

“I have a ton of confidence in Kyle. Kyle is extremely athletic. He is a smart guy; he over-thinks things sometimes. But he’s passionate. He loves playing and he wants to be really good. Works as hard as anybody I’ve been around.”