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Senior linebacker Adrian McCovy was still celebrating the Arizona Wildcats' 31-21 Las Vegas Bowl win over BYU when a UA fan approached him and shook his hand.

"Thank you," the fan said, "for being a Wildcat."

Many fans feel the same way about the rest of the UA's senior class. The group endured the worst times of the Mike Stoops era, including three straight losses to Arizona State, before breaking through in 2008.

With a core group of seniors leading the way, the Wildcats posted an 8-5 record — the program's best mark since 1998 — and won a bowl game.

The players who started as freshmen in 2005 will leave the UA with a 22-27 record, but as winners of 11 of their last 17 games.

Seven that stood out:

1. Statistically, Willie Tuitama is the greatest quarterback ever to play for the Arizona Wildcats. The Stockton, Calif., native threw for 9,211 yards and 67 touchdowns during 3 1/2 seasons as the UA's starter.

It took Tuitama until the second half of his senior year, however, to prove he could win.

Tuitama's efforts against Arizona State and BYU were among the best of his career. Tuitama threw for 284 yards and two touchdowns in Arizona's 31-10 win over Arizona State in the teams' regular-season finale. He posted 325 yards and two touchdown passes against BYU on the way to Las Vegas Bowl MVP honors. Tuitama will spend the holiday break planning his next step: the NFL draft.

2. Mike Thomas played in 48 games as a college player, and caught passes in 47 of them.

It's no wonder he owns so many records.

Thomas holds the Pac-10 Conference and UA mark for most career receptions (259) and is the Wildcats' single-season record-holder for receiving touchdowns (11 in 2007) and receptions (83 in 2007).

Thomas' ability as a kick-returner could make him a valuable commodity at the next level: He was named All-Pac-10 as both a receiver and special-teams player. Thomas, a native of DeSoto, Texas, debated leaving school early for the pros a year ago. His stock has gone up since then.

3. Marquis Hundley sometimes went unnoticed, even on a defense short on big names.

That changed in the final two games of the season, when Hundley — a transfer from Santa Rosa (Calif.) Junior College — registered two interceptions and 65 return yards.

Hundley's pick against BYU was one of season's biggest highlights.

Arizona led 24-14 midway through the fourth quarter when Cougars quarterback Max Hall threw a fade pass intended for receiver Austin Collie.

Hundley, running step-for-step with Collie, intercepted the ball in the end zone with a nifty over-the-shoulder catch, spun, and returned it 18 yards. Hundley injured his knee on the play and left the stadium on crutches.

"I just wish I would have kneeled down," he said.

But what a way to go out.

4. Jason Bondzio is working on a master's degree in economics, which makes sense: He was money in two seasons as the Wildcats' starting place-kicker.

Bondzio connected on 35 of 42 field goal attempts in his UA career and was nearly perfect — 92 of 93 — on point-after attempts.

The Humble, Texas, native leaves Arizona as the program's single-season and career record- holder in field goal percentage; his improved ability at kickoffs could make him a valuable specialist at the next level.

5. Ronnie Palmer worked at a Taco Bell in Spring, Texas, when coach Mike Stoops walked through the door.

That was the start of a relationship that lasted five years.

Palmer, one of the most heralded prospects in Stoops' first recruiting class at the UA, started 41 consecutive games at middle linebacker over three-plus seasons.

He was a force as a senior, registering a team-high 85 tackles and 11 tackles-for-loss. Palmer will graduate this spring with a degree in communications.

6. Joe Longacre is a psychology major but might as well have minored in consistency.

The Wildcats' right guard started 40 games over four seasons at the UA, including 36 in a row. Longacre, a 6-foot-3-inch, 315-pounder from Katy, Texas, was a steadying influence on a UA line that was struggling to find its identity.

With Longacre leading the way in 2008, Arizona's line established itself as a bruising, run-first unit. Longacre's looking at applying to graduate school with an interest in educational psychology. He wants to go into coaching.

7. Nate Ness earned a reputation as a big talker during his two seasons as the Wildcats' starting free safety.

He also backed it up.

Ness had seven interceptions in 19 games as a starter while finishing near the top in tackles and passes broken up.

Ness' outgoing personality made him a fan and locker-room favorite: A transfer from El Camino College in Torrance, Calif., he was one of the Wildcats' four team captains.