Although he had to watch Oregon State celebrate after beating the Wildcats last fall, Eben Britton will leave with a lot of happy memories of the program he helped revive.

DAVID SANDERS / Arizona Daily Star 2008

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Eben Britton did all the right things in his Arizona Wildcats football career. He went to class, stayed out of trouble, became a team leader and spokesman, let his actions (All-Pac-10 offensive tackle) speak loudly and became a cornerstone of the school's football revival.

If anyone on the Wildcat roster is mature enough, physically and emotionally, to turn pro a year early, Britton is that guy. He announced his plans Friday, and now is his time.

Take a look at the most prominent offensive lineman in school history, Joe Tofflemire, a three-time All-Pac-10 first-team center. After seven NFL seasons, Tofflemire's body was beat. He lost all feeling in his right hand. He had to have his right shoulder completely replaced. I watch him limp on the sidelines every time he attends a UA road game in Seattle or Pullman.

Britton's biological football clock is ticking. More importantly for him, he can get an early start on his NFL earnings career.

He projects to be drafted somewhere between ex-Wildcat linemen John Fina, a first-round draft pick in 1992, and Edwin Mulitalo, a fourth-rounder in '99. Fina played for 13 NFL seasons, earning a high of $4.6 million at Buffalo in 2002. Mulitalo, who remains active, earned a career-high $4.5 million at Baltimore in 2003.

The three previous UA players who left for the NFL with eligibility remaining — tailback/returner Chuck Levy in 1994, guard Yusuf Scott in 1999 and tailback Chris Henry in 2007 — struggled mightily in the NFL. Levy and Scott were out of the league after three piecemeal years. Henry has carried the ball just 32 times in two years for Tennessee.

Britton is different. He's a tough sucker with a plan that goes beyond a short-term goal of being a football player. In that regard he's a lot like Fina, who, at 39, has returned to Tucson and has become successful in the corporate world and as a husband and father.

The first athletics Hall of Fame class at Central Arizona College is an impressive one. On Jan. 18 in Casa Grande, the school will induct UA softball coach Mike Candrea, ASU softball coach Clint Myers and former Wildcat distance runner George Young, an Olympian in 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972. Young later became a coach and athletic director, hiring both Candrea and Myers at the school. … In the brief time I watched part of the Boston College vs. Vanderbilt Music City Bowl on Wednesday, I was fortunate to see Tucsonan Katherine Adam in Boston College's in-game public-service commercial. A graduate of University High School, Adam was one of five BC students featured in spots of "how Boston College helped turn my life around." The daughter of late Star sportswriter Dave Adam and Karen Adam, Pima County Superior Court commissioner, Katherine is an author. While at BC she wrote, "The New Feminized Majority: How Democrats Can Change America With Women." Katherine now is a researcher on childhood nutrition in the Drexel University School of Public Health in Philadelphia. … I would be more impressed by the Pac-10's 5-0 bowl-game record had the league played better opposition than Penn State, Pitt, BYU, Oklahoma State and Miami. Except for the Rose Bowl, the Pac-10's bowl-game alliances are set up to play inferior competition. Give me Oregon against the Big 12's No. 2 team and then you're talking.

I almost croaked Saturday when Palo Verde High School receiver Adam Hall initially picked up a USC cap on national TV, indicating he had chosen to play college football for the Trojans. I thought Hall was too thoughtful to rush his choice before thoroughly examining Oregon, Cal and Arizona.

Fortunately, Hall simply put USC and Alabama caps aside and confirmed he will give more thought to the recruiting process after Saturday's U.S. Army All-American Game in San Antonio. He will choose later from among the UA, Cal and Oregon.

It's a win-win-win scenario for Hall, whose position versatility makes him a fit in Oregon's read-option system or in Cal's explosive offensive scheme. Can you imagine how he could flourish in Sonny Dykes' spread offense at Arizona? Hall could do at Arizona what Michael Crabtree has done at Texas Tech.

Chase Budinger's troubling shooting slump (8 for 39 in his last three games) is the worst of his UA career. He was 9 for 35 in a three-game span last season and 11 for 32 in a similar stretch of his freshman season. The more I see Budinger, the more I think he'll be like Craig McMillan than a future NBA player. McMillan came to the UA as Lute Olson's first Parade All-American and was terrific early in his career. Similar in size to Budinger, McMillan averaged 11.8 points as a sophomore and 12.9 as a junior. But he evolved into a role player as a senior (averaging 6.5) and has gone on to have an outstanding coaching career. Budinger has yet to develop McMillan's toughness, which is a big part of his continuing struggles. … The UA is about to lose a key piece to its athletic front office. Scott MacKenzie, in his third year as senior associate athletics director, will leave the school to become a vice president for IMG, a broadcasting, marketing, licensing and media-services group that serves, among others, Arizona, Gonzaga, Florida, UConn and Kentucky. A Montana man, MacKenzie excels in marketing, development and communications, much like his predecessor, Chris Del Conte, now athletic director at Rice. MacKenzie's professional touch will be missed. … Former UA national champion softball stars Callista Balko and Taryne Mowatt will hold a two-day clinic for girls ages 6-16 next weekend at the Golf Links Sports Complex. Instruction will be held Jan. 10-11 from noon to 5 p.m. Phone 1-520-312-1015 for information.

Had to feel good Friday about Utah's convincing victory over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Long-time UA football player/coach Charlie Dickey is Utah's offensive line coach. He has survived both of the tumultuous Dick Tomey and John Mackovic staff turnovers to experience a career season at Utah. … Ex-Wildcat safety Dave Fipp, now an assistant coach with the San Francisco 49ers, has declined a chance to interview for Rich Ellerson's old job at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo. Fipp, 32, is certainly head coaching timber but decided it would be prudent to stay in the NFL and get more experience. … Ellerson is the fourth former UA coach to become Army's head football coach. He follows Ed Cavanaugh, Jim Young and Homer Smith. … Former Sunnyside High School tailback Jovan Stevenson began his college football career at Oregon State on Friday. He "grayshirted'' during the '08 season, holding his college eligibility clock until now. He will compete for a backup spot behind Pac-10 offensive player of the year Jacquizz Rodgers in spring practice. … The UA's annual football banquet, delayed this year because of the Las Vegas Bowl, will be open to the public at 6 p.m., Jan. 30 at the Westin La Paloma. Tickets are $50. Information: 621-2331.

Santa Rita High School junior point guard Terrell Stoglin turned in one of the most outstanding pre-New Year's series of performances in city hoops history. Jim Ferguson's club played teams from Maryland, New York, California, Nevada, and Washington — all on the road — and is 5-6. Stoglin scored 30 against former UA commit Abdul Gaddy of Tacoma, Wash., and 26 against San Diego High School, a team with prep All-America center Jeremy Tyler. Stoglin later was chosen to the Max Preps Holiday Classic all-tournament team. … A.J. Bramlett, starting center on Arizona's 1997 NCAA championship team, has retired from basketball. He has a chronic back injury. Bramlett spent eight years playing professionally in Europe, mostly in Spain, and is living in Albuquerque, his hometown. … Damon Stoudamire appears to be finished with his 13-year NBA career. He had a tryout with the Phoenix Suns last week but was not signed. He is helping Ben Braun coach some of Rice's young players in Houston. Stoudamire played more minutes, 29,106, than any ex-Wildcat in NBA history, although Jason Terry, at 25,792 and Mike Bibby, at 27,296, seem sure to reach 30,000 NBA minutes. … Think the UA could use big man Mohamed Tangara for a few minutes off the bench? In his senior year at Hawaii Chaminade, MoTang is averaging 13.5 points and 8.4 rebounds. He will return to Arizona on Jan. 9 when the Silverswords play at Grand Canyon University.

Until Iowa's Kirk Ferentz and Oklahoma's Bob Stoops make clear their future coaching plans, it is inescapable that Mike Stoops will be front and center in much coaching speculation.

Mike Stoops, a former Hawkeyes standout, would almost surely be at the top of a list of possibilities should Iowa need to replace Ferentz. It would probably be Stoops' job to turn down.

It reflects well on Arizona's coach, who has completely turned the situation to his favor. A year ago — hey, two months ago! — his job security was at issue. Today, he is viewed as one of football's leading program builders.

Good things happen when you beat the Sun Devils.