Arizona’s Salave’a Makes the Most of It

Arizona defensive tackle Joe Salave’a got in a couple of extra games last season, and it’s paying off.

Salave’a, from Oceanside, was advertised as a senior in 1996, and his play earned him a berth in the East-West Shrine Game and the Hula Bowl, two postseason events attended by NFL scouts in search of players.

Then the NCAA changed its rules in the spring, allowing players who had only partially qualified academically for a scholarship an extra season of eligibility if they were able to graduate in four years.

Salave’a had entered Arizona as a partial qualifier, sat out the requisite season and played three years. He earned his degree in May in sociology, and Arizona quickly applied for an extra year of eligibility under the new rules.

It was granted, and Salave’a, now a graduate student, is tied for the team lead with 19 unassisted tackles, has 21 overall, has stopped runners eight times for 47 yards in losses and has bottled up the opponents’ running game in the middle, which is a key to the design of the Arizona defense.

He also has six sacks for losses totaling 41 yards and has forced a fumble and blocked a kick.

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UCLA’s Cade McNown has thrown 59 consecutive passes without an interception. . . . Arizona backup quarterback Brady Batten is out because of a broken collarbone, and Ortege Jenkins, a redshirt freshman from Long Beach Jordan High, is the primary backup. Jenkins is also a key wide receiver and is a member of the national-champion Arizona basketball team. . . . Arizona receiver Brad Brennan is the brother of former UCLA receiver Brent Brennan.