Related articles:

UA: Lute back next year (with poll)Opinion by Greg Hansen : O'Neill sees this season is on him, fairly or not

Other articles by Bruce Pascoe:

Diamondbacks see a similarity to '07 season Webb throws a stinker D-backs hoping for postseason punch from Eckstein Ramirez's hot bat ends Dodgers' skid Rested Scherzer may be sure thing Home-grown Shumpert to play for Wildcats Arizona Wildcats basketball: Local forward earns UA scholarship Court date on schedule Uncertain on Olson, prep star rejects UAArizona Wildcats basketball: First guard of 2009 class commits

Production and Manufacturing
QUALITY MANAGER Sales and Marketing
Town and Country Foods
Sales Manager Driver/Transportation
DRIVERS Driver/Transportation
REPOSSESSION DRIVERS Trades/Construction
SCHMUESER & ASSOCIATES
PRECSION MILLWRIGHTS Technical
Dynamics Information Technology
Systems Engineer Administrative & Professional
Pima Prevention Partnership
Administrative Assistant

Lute Olson's first official day back at work Monday was marked by both excitement and awkwardness.

The Arizona Wildcats head coach met with all the underclassmen players individually, with some players and Olson expressing enthusiasm, but Olson's relationship with interim head coach Kevin O'Neill remains unsettled.

Olson, who cited a medical condition for taking all this season off, said he would meet with O'Neill today but was noncommittal on any plans for him. O'Neill, who was announced as Olson's eventual successor in December, declined to comment on Olson.

"I'm doing my job as normal," O'Neill said. "I'm working at Arizona."

Olson also said he was "not interested" in the three high school seniors O'Neill has offered scholarships to in advance of next month's spring signing period.

Even though the Wildcats have a full complement of 13 players on paper for next season, O'Neill extended the offers because the Wildcats could lose players to an early pro departure or transfer. Olson said he did not want to sign anybody this spring because the Wildcats would have everybody back.

Although Olson said he had a good talk with the three players considering a jump to pro ball — Jerryd Bayless, Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill — he said they still have not made final decisions.

"They need time," Olson said.

Indeed, Bayless said after meeting with Olson he did not know what he would do, nor how long it would take to reach a decision.

Bayless said, however, that he was sure Olson was returning.

"We talked," Bayless said. "Just trying to figure things out. That's about it."

Olson had not met with the Wildcats formally since before he took his season-long leave of absence on Nov. 4. He has spoken or met with some of them privately, but freshman wing Zane Johnson said Monday was the first time he has sat down and talked with Olson all season other than saying hello.

"He's excited," Johnson said. "I haven't seen him this excited since I first came down here and saw him" when Johnson was in high school.

Olson said he also planned to meet with UA's seniors today.

"Just to make sure they know I'm back and feeling great," Olson said. "I'm anxious to get back."

Freshman forward Jamelle Horne said players felt the same way.

"Everyone's excited to have Coach O back," Horne said. "KO did what he had to do when he got here, and I give him credit for that."

But Olson "wants to leave the past in the past," Horne said. "He wants to move on at the future."

O'Neill, meanwhile, said he was planning on a normal work week, which includes a postseason news conference Wednesday, and had no plans to summon players for any immediate meetings.

"I'm just gonna leaves these guys alone for a while," O'Neill said. "They need some time away from basketball."