Matt Scott threw seven consecutive incomplete passes at Iowa last year -- the last an interception -- and was replaced by Nick Foles to start the fourth quarter. And just like that Scott lost his job as Arizona's starting quarterback.

Failure was a new experience for Scott. He didn't see it coming. And when it did, there was a shocking finality to it. Foles, whom Scott had beaten out in the preseason, was brilliant in his first start at Oregon State and he almost immediately became a star and NFL draft prospect.

Scott became an entrenched backup. No, it wasn't a great time in his life.

"It was real tough," Scott said. "I've always been that guy, the starter. It was a real humbling experience for me, just taking a backseat to Nick."

Ah, but it turns out there are second acts in American lives. Scott's began when Foles didn't get up after a hit at Washington State last weekend. When Scott figured out what was going on, he immediately started warming up. He had no idea at the time that Foles had suffered a knee injury that would keep him out for at least a few weeks.

And just like that he would again become the Wildcats starting quarterback, beginning Saturday when No. 18 Arizona plays host to Washington.

"It's a great opportunity for me, coming off last season," Scott said. "We had a little trouble [at Iowa], and Nick became the starter after the [third] game. This really gives me an opportunity now to show what I can do, how I've improved and how I can lead this team."

Scott did fairly well in relief, completing 14 of 20 passes for 139 yards with an interception in the 24-7 win at Washington State. But he'll need to do better to beat Washington, which, while not great on defense, is better than the Cougars.

Scott and Foles are different quarterbacks. Scott is a much better runner, but Foles is a more accurate passer. That would seem to indicate the Wildcats offense will look a bit different until Foles returns.

"I think the biggest thing you have to prepare for now is the quarterback run stuff -- the zone reads," Washington coach Steve Sarkisian said. "His ability to run with the football is the biggest difference."

Arizona coach Mike Stoops seemed amused when asked how the Wildcats might tweak their offense until Foles returns.

"You want me to tell you what we're going to do? We're going to run Matt 50 times on Saturday," he quipped. "It's not going to change much. We've got to play to Matt's strengths."

When asked about Scott as a quarterback, Stoops talked about allowing him to "improvise and use his athletic ability" and to "use his instincts" and to not "try to be a prototypical player."

Draw your own conclusions. Of course, it's hard to become a spread-option team in one week, so the Wildcats aren't likely to reinvent themselves. Further, Scott doesn't want that. He thinks he's got something to prove as a passer. And he believes he's a much better quarterback than the one who looked wide-eyed at Iowa while completing just 4 of 14 throws.

"I don't think I was prepared like I am now," he said. "Seeing the defenses, I just wasn't ready yet [at Iowa]. I didn't really understand the offense fully. I think this time it'll be different. I'm seeing things a lot easier. I'm more comfortable in the pocket. Everything is a lot more comfortable for me."

That's good because the Wildcats are in position for a special season. They remain in the thick of the Pac-10 race. But Scott will need to win the next two, or even maybe three or four games for them to maintain their position in the conference rankings. The November schedule -- at Stanford, USC at Oregon -- looks particularly taxing. And meaningful.

Sometimes a quarterback loses his job and he never gets another opportunity to prove he can play at a high level. Scott now gets his shot at redemption.

Did he take the starting job for granted last year? "Maybe," he admitted.

"I've definitely learned from that," he said. "For sure won't happen again."