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.”

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Carter Lees, seen here in spring practice, might be in the starting lineup Saturday. Photo by Michael Chow/The Arizona Republic

Arizona, which has started three different combinations at guard through five games, might be looking at yet another one Saturday at Oregon State.

Junior Shane Zink, who has started two games at right guard and one at left guard as an injury replacement, is out, perhaps for the rest of the season, with a foot injury suffered last week at USC.

“It could be permanent for the year,” coach Mike Stoops said after Wednesday’s practice. “Not sure exactly what we’re doing there.”

Zink started at left guard last week for starter Chris Putton, who was out because of an ankle injury. Stoops said he was hopeful that Putton could get back to practice Thursday.

If Putton can’t go, then redshirt freshman Carter Lees would make his first start. He came in for Zink last week.

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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.

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