Pac-10 Position Breakdown: Offensive Line – Arizona Wildcats
As a stand alone stat, having the third most sacked quarterback in the conference with 27 sacks might lead you to believe that the offensive line was a weakness for the Arizona Wildcats in 2008. When you look at their full body of work, though, that was pretty clearly not the case.
Willie Tuitama finished second among all Pac-10 starters in quarterback rating (144.9), completion percentage (64.9), passing yards (3,088) and touchdowns (23); all behind only USC’s Mark Sanchez. Nic Grigsby was fourth in the Pac-10 in total rushing yards, and was one of only 6 rushers in the conference with over 1000 yards (1153). The offense averaged 37.1 points per game, which was good for third in the conference and 17th in the nation.
Losing Tuitama was a huge hit to the offense, but with both running backs Nic Grigsby and Keola Antolin returning, the running game should still be in great shape; and it may even be improved upon with the athletic Matt Scott under center. The key to all of this, of course, will be another strong season from the big men up front.
With two departing seniors and one NFL-bound junior (Right Tackle Eben Britton, drafted 39th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars), there will be plenty of holes to fill; but with an experienced core of reserves, Coach Stoops is hoping his team can take their personnel losses in stride.
Colin Baxter paves the way
Left Tackle:
77 Jack Julsing, 6-8, 295, Junior
67 Phillip Garcia, 6-7, 325, Junior
- With the graduation of last year’s LT James Tretheway and Adam Grant’s move over to RT, the left tackle position is up for grabs this season with two JuCo transfers fighting for the spot. Phillip Garcia transferred in from Cerritos College (CA) last season, but injured his knee during last spring’s workouts and redshirted in 2008. He was considered the favorite to start this year heading into this spring, but College of the Desert (CA) transfer Jack Julsing had such a nice spring that he has taken over the top spot on the depth chart heading into the fall.
The battle for the starting job will resume come fall practices, but both of these guys are capable and experienced and should be a good 1-2 punch as long as they both stay healthy.
Left Guard:
74 Mike Diaz, 6-5, 320, Senior
55 Conan Amituanai, 6-4, 335, Junior
- Colin Baxter’s move over to center opens up the left guard spot for former JuCo transfer Mike Diaz. Diaz was a staple on the line in his first year as a Wildcat in 2008, starting the season as a top reserve at guard and tackle, and then after center Blake Kerley’s injury in game four he took over at right guard and started all nine of the remaining games. A versatile player that proved he could keep up with Arizona’s fast pace offense, Diaz can play both tackle and guard on either side, and will provide leadership all season long no matter where he ends up.
A good spring has put Conan Amituanai into the running for a starting job if Diaz is needed somewhere else on the line. The former two way player has also worked as a defensive linemen and a tight end, and will provide depth as he did last season (saw backup guard duty in four games).
Center:
64 Colin Baxter, 6-4, 295, Junior
54 Herman Hall, 6-3, 303, Senior
- When star center Blake Kerley went down with a season-ending knee injury last year, Colin Baxter stepped into the starting role at center and never looked back. He enters 2009 having started 24 straight games for the Wildcats (11 at left guard) and is on the 2009 Remington Trophy Watch List, the trophy awarded to the nation’s top center. He earned All-Pac-10 honorable mention in 2008, and should continue to be a force up the middle for the Cats this year. He is strong, smart, and athletic; a lethal combination for opposing defenses.
Kerley’s rehab will continue through the fall, but if he can get healthy enough to play, he would provide great depth.
Right Guard:
70 Vaughn Dotsy, 6-5, 335, Sophomore
57 Javon Hayes, 6-2, 300, Junior
- Vaughn Dotsy is built like a house, but he doesn’t move like one. Showing great potential and ability last season, the coaching staff had no choice but to keep him on board as a true freshman, and he played spot duty in four games in 2009. A great run-blocker that always seems to get a good first pop on defenders, he should be a great fit for this year’s offense. A standout in high school (St. Bonaventure High, CA) who has added a bit of weight to his frame, Dotsy has done nothing but impress so far in his short time in Arizona.
Right Tackle:
78 Adam Grant, 6-6, 325, Senior
72 Trace Biskin, 6-5, 295, Redshirt Freshman
- An experienced fifth year senior, Adam Grant has battled with injuries throughout his entire career, missing time in 2006 and 2007 with knee issues and last year with a hand injury. Originally recruited as a tight end, Grant has since been converted into a true linemen, but he still possesses the athleticism to work in a fast paced offense like this one. Trying to fill Eben Britton’s shoes will be nearly impossible, but I doubt Grant is worried about that; simply staying healthy will be his main goal, and if he does he should do fine.
My Take
From a talent perspective, Arizona has a lot to work with here, and I get the feeling that as the season progresses and the coaching staff finds the right fits on the line, the unit will do fine.
That said, the right side scares me a bit. While Dotsy looks to have all the tools to succeed in the role, I never feel comfortable penciling in a true sophomore for a relatively mistake-free season. Adam Grant is just one of those guys with no luck that can’t seem to stay healthy, and that is a major concern as well.
These two are replacing RG John Longacre (who received an invitation to the Buffalo Bill’s camp after going undrafted) and RT Eben Britton who will see playing time for the Jacksonville Jaguars next season. This is a pretty tall order to fill.
While I expect the line as a unit to take a step backwards from 2008, I don’t think it will be a huge one, especially with QB Matt Scott’s running ability to help lessen the blow. Expect a few more mistakes in 2009; but also expect the offense to continue having success finding the endzone.
Arizona Wildcats
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Adam Grant, Blake Kerley, colin baxter, Conan Amituanai, Football, Jack Julsing, Mike Diaz, Offensive Line, Phillip Garcia, Vaughn Dotsy
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