May 24, 2007

Matt Hayes

Willie Tuitama was watching cut-ups of the new offense in the film room last December when his new coordinator laid it on the line. "I told him if he's getting hit in this offense," Sonny Dykes says, "it's his fault."

In other words, Tuitama's days as the Pac-10's punching bag are over. It has been two years since Tuitama signed with Arizona as one of the nation's top high school quarterbacks. He has it all: a strong arm, a ton of athletic ability and the charisma to lead a team to big things. But there's one tiny problem: He gets pummeled every time he takes a snap.

But this new offense at Arizona -- this wide-open, pass-happy scheme Dykes learned from Texas Tech coach Mike Leach and brought to Tucson -- will, as strange as it sounds, prevent Tuitama from another season of hard knocks and return Arizona to college football's postseason.

Arizona has averaged a finish of 100th -- 100th -- in the nation in total offense in three years under Mike Stoops. The Texas Tech offense, meanwhile, has been one of the most prolific around. Here's another interesting little fact about the Tech offense: In the past seven years, no quarterback has missed a start because of injury.

Then you have Tuitama, who can't stay healthy because Arizona can't seem to protect him. In two seasons, Tuitama has played with ankle, rib and shoulder injuries. Yet those are mere annoyances compared with the real issue: concussions.

Last season, Tuitama suffered four head-dizzying hits in three months, and he recently flew to Pittsburgh for a series of neurological tests to determine the extent of the damage. Fortunately, there was little.

Dykes is one of the brightest young teachers of the passing game. His shotgun scheme is based on timing, quick recognition and short to intermediate throws. It revolves around the mental connection between quarterback and receiver and their ability to read defenses and change routes at the line of scrimmage.

But that doesn't mean the Arizona line -- which has given up 52 sacks the past two seasons -- won't have to get better. Because of the team's speed at wide receiver and Tuitama's ability to throw deep with accuracy, there will still be downfield throws in this controlled offense.

If, that is, the protection holds up.

"I can't blame Willie for being a little gun-shy," Dykes says. "But that's not going to be a problem anymore."

To Wildcats fans, more soothing words couldn't have been said.