TUCSON, Ariz. -- The Arizona Wildcats must replace 130 career starts on their offensive line, a seemingly daunting task for spring practice.
Perhaps.
Coach Rich Rodriguez and his staff still are searching for a center, but the rest of the positions are solid as the team heads into its spring game Friday night at Arizona Stadium.
"If anything, we're right back where we were last year," said sophomore Jacob Alsadek, a returning starter at right guard. "We communicate well. We're definitely taking it to the next level."
Here's a look at the revamped offensive line:
If any offensive lineman has created a buzz this spring, it's Freddie Tagaloa, a 6-foot-8, 316-pound transfer from Cal who claimed the left tackle position held by Mickey Baucus for the past four seasons.
What makes him so tough to go against in practice?
"Just look at him," said All-American linebacker Scooby Wright, raising his hand as if to indicate a moutain. "I had to go against Freddie every day on the scout team last year. Now I get to see him on the first team in practice. So, that's always fun."
Tagaloa, a junior, started seven games at Cal and played in 23 before leaving and sitting out last season at Arizona. Rodriguez joked he wants the physically intimidating Tagaloa to be the first guy off the bus on road trips.
"The thing Freddie brings to us is just his passion to play," Rodriguez said. "He's going to be the first guy here and the last to leave. His work ethic is second to none."
Which won't stop the coaching staff from pushing him even further.
"Some things come too easy for him, maybe," Michalczik said. "You start talking to him, 'OK, that's a good job; you got the job done, but if that was J.J. Watt, is that going to work? Well, no.'"
Tagaloa isn't going to see the best pass-rusher on the planet while in college, but Michalczik's point remains.
"In this conference," he said, "you have to get ready for the best."
Senior Carter Wood subbed late last season for starting center Steven Gurrola, who was suspended for parts of two games, and he was working with the first team early in the spring. When Wood was limited because of injury, junior Zach Hemmila stepped in.
Another candidate is senior David Catalano, a Tucson Canyon del Oro High grad and San Jose State transfer who joined the team this semester as a walk-on. Rodriguez has praised Catalano's strength, but the transfer is learning the center position on the fly.
"Every once in a while, he'll snap the ball over the stadium," Rodriguez said. "When he doesn't snap the ball over the stadium, he actually does a pretty good job."
With the way Rodriguez and offensive line coach Jim Michalczik talk about the inconsistent snapping, it's pretty clear what the group has to work on before fall camp.
"If the snap isn't there, it doesn't matter what we do," Michalczik said. "It's going to be a battle, and it's going to be a battle into fall."
By that time, another player might have joined the battle. Matt Hegarty, an immediately eligible graduate transfer from Notre Dame, visited campus late last month. He also has visited Florida State.
However it turns out, Arizona has to replace a lot of leadership in Gurrola, a two-year starter after he transferred from Glendale Community College. Rodriguez usually referred to him as the "heart and soul" of the offensive line.
"Steven was great," Michalczik said. "He kind of set that competitive edge. I think we're still in the process of guys coming into their own, but they're starting to say, 'I'm the guy now' and assume that role."
Alsadek returns at right guard. Senior left guard Cayman Bundage has made 26 career starts and is back in the coaches' good graces after he came back from Christmas break with at least a little (or a lot) extra unwanted weight. He did not play in the Fiesta Bowl.
Senior Cayman Bundage is Arizona's most experienced offensive lineman.
"Whatever he ate over Christmas was way too much," Rodriguez said. "I think it was a third-grader. He ate a third-grader."
Bundage has been noted as an aggressive player, probably the team's best run blocker in recent years.
"Now, he's working on his technique and using his hands better," Michalczik said. "He's having a really good spring."
The third veteran, senior Lene Maiava, has been a jack-of-all-trades, able to fill in everywhere except center. Arizona is parking him at right tackle as the replacement for Fabbians Ebbele.
"If we keep Lene at one spot, I think that really lets him reach his potential, get more confident in what he's doing," Michalczik said. "He's very athletic, moves well, and he's only going to get better by being able to focus in on one thing. He's starting to hit that spot where you think he should be."
The depth is largely untested, and this is where Arizona could run into trouble if it has to go beyond eight deep.
Hemmila, if he doesn't win the center job, can back up all three interior spots. Redshirt freshman Levi Walton is another who can play center and elsewhere. Rodriguez mentioned redshirt freshman Layth Friekh as a guy who has helped himself this spring. Junior T.D. Gross has been on the fringe of playing time. Converted defensive lineman Aiulua Fanene has gotten good reps this spring.
"There are guys who are putting themselves in position to help come the fall, and that's the time they are going to have to make their statement," Michalczik said. "Right now, it's a learning process."
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