ESPN College Football

Natural rivalries breed natural animosity toward opposing coaches. Unnatural rivalries breed unnatural animosity. And it seems like Oregon has been developing a lot of unnatural rivalries over the past couple years. So continuing with ESPN.com's Love to Hate series this week, today's theme is all about the coach in the Pac-12 you love to hate because he wins so much.

And since the guy in Eugene has won the Pac-12 championship three consecutive years, well, it takes a lot of the guess work out of the selection process.

Lots of teams have plenty of reasons to hold, shall we say, certain frustrations toward Chip Kelly. For starters, he embarrasses your team and gets paid a lot of money in the process. His career average margin of victory is 21 points. He makes you fake injuries and laughs at you when you don't cut the grass on your field in a feeble effort to slow down his thoroughbreds.

He challenges you to games in parking lots. He flirts with the NFL, does the wine and dine thing, then says: "Gosh, you're great. But it's not you, it's me. It's what I'm going through. I hope we can still be friends."

He's as conventional as square wheels.

Oh, how you love to hate Chip Kelly if you're a Stanford fan. After all, he single-handedly cost Andrew Luck the Heisman two years in a row. Right? All his fault.

And what about you, Washington fan? How you love to hate him eight-fold. (OK, he wasn't there for all eight consecutive loses. But does that really make it easier?)

And the Civil War? He has been Sherman to Oregon State's Atlanta. Burn, baby, burn.

Kelly is a winner. In three seasons he has amassed a 34-6 overall record and a 25-2 mark in the Pac-12. He's gone to two Rose Bowls and a national championship game. He doesn't come from blue-blood coaching pedigree or a rich NFL background. He wasn't a "big name" when he came to the conference. But his teams get it done with swagger and an unforgiving confidence. Doesn't it just make you want to jump up and down.

He can even get away with telling his own fans to shut up one second and then he goes and issues one of them a refund another.

He closes practices -- a big point of contention with the media. As the saying goes, don't ever get into an argument with someone who buys ink by the barrel. Amendment to that: unless you win the Rose Bowl. Then do whatever the heck you want.

And you know what really irks about him? He's a nice guy (unless you're a reporter covering his team). He even gave Mike Riley a ride home in the Oregon jet a couple years ago after media day.

He's big into the military. The spring games are annual tributes and he has even gone overseas to visit and speak to troops in Germany, Iraq and Afghanistan.

And then there are the Chip-isms. The catchy one-liners that Oregon fans love oh so much.

Folks are anti-Kelly because his teams are everything that you want yours to be. Kelly knows that you love to hate him. And it just burns you up that he couldn't care less.

A so-called "breakout" player can be a solid player who becomes very good or a guy who comes from nowhere to fill a critical role.

It's not a one-size-fits-all deal. Which makes it perfect for our weekly Take 2: Who is a potential breakout player in the Pac-12 this year?

Kevin Gemmell: I talked with Mike Riley earlier this week and mentioned to him I was thinking of picking Brandin Cooks as my potential breakout candidate in the conference this year. I could almost see his eyes light up over the phone lines. Riley loves this guy, and said he's going to play a big role in the OSU offense.

There are a few factors that led me to picking Cooks even before I talked with Riley.

First, he has the one thing that, as the old cliché goes, you can't teach. And that's speed. He's incredibly fast -- maybe even faster than the guy who starts opposite him, Markus Wheaton. He doesn't have the size of Wheaton (Cooks is 5-foot-9, Wheaton is 6-foot) but he makes up for it in quickness.

Riley even went so far as to compare the two -- noting that Cooks is a lot like Wheaton was two years ago. Lots of speed, but needs to become more polished on his route-running.

And that leads me to point No. 2. He's had an entire offseason to work with quarterback Sean Mannion. Last year, neither of them knew if they were going to play, so the chemistry wasn't always there. This season, Mannion knows he's the guy, and he knows who his receivers are going to be, and they've all been working out, developing their timing.

Third, he's learning from one of the best receivers in the conference. Cooks, who caught 31 balls for 391 yards and three scores last year, can use the veteran Wheaton as a sounding board, and also a measuring stick. Talking with Wheaton earlier this week, there is a friendly rivalry going on between the two -- which will likely equal more production for them both.

Also, Cooks is likely to see more one-on-one coverage as Wheaton ascends to the top of the Pac-12 receiving hierarchy. The veteran will probably draw more help over the top, leaving the other safety to handle the third receiver. If Cooks gets into a one-on-one footrace with a cornerback, chances are he's going to win it.

Finally, the Beavers have re-committed themselves to the running game. Whether it actually produces is another question. But if it does (and there are still concerns on the offensive line to consider), then Wheaton and Cooks will both enjoy a boost in their numbers.

I'd put Cooks on pace for about 55-60 catches, about six or seven touchdowns and around 800-900 yards receiving. If he hits those numbers, that strikes me as a pretty good breakout year.

Ted Miller: Kevin went with offense, I'm going with defense. And I'm going big. As in 6-foot-5, 311 pounds.

Those are the dimensions of California's junior defensive end Deandre Coleman, who was a beast this spring and could play his way onto the All-Pac-12 team by season's end.

Those who regularly read the blog know I've already crossed this road with Coleman. After an early April visit to Berkeley, I wrote this about the reloading Bears defense, which contained plenty of input from coach Jeff Tedford and defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast.

Start up front, where Pendergast and Tedford are practically giddy over the maturation of 6-foot-5, 311-pound end Deandre Coleman. Said Tedford: "He may be one of the best that we've ever had." Keep in mind that Bears have produced two first-round NFL draft choices at end -- Tyson Alualu and Cameron Jordan -- over the past three seasons.

"Best we've ever had?" That's high praise for a player who had only 19 tackles last year. But inside that tepid number is this: six tackles for a loss and two sacks (sure three tackles for a loss were against lowly Presbyterian, but work with me here).

Here's how you extrapolate a breakout. You take a guy with impressive physical talent who saw regular action behind good players as a redshirt freshman and sophomore, and then toss in his better play over the final third of last season. Then you watch him push people around this spring and record five tackles in the spring game. Then you just, well, look at the dude. Let's just say he carries his 311 pounds well.

Further, the supporting cast on the Bears D-line is strong. Folks aren't going to be able to commit two guys to Coleman and not pay for it.

Bottom line: Coleman, with his size, should be able to hold up well versus the run, and, with his athletic ability, could record eight or so sacks.

The bad news for Cal fans is that if he has the sort of season that Tedford and Pendergast believe he can, he might not return for his senior year.

The Pac-12 wide receiver hierarchy probably looks a little something like this: Robert Woods, Marqise Lee (feel free to flip-flop those two at your leisure), Keenan Allen, Marquess Wilson. Some pretty elite guys.

That's usually followed with an: "Oh yeah, doesn't Oregon State have a guy that's pretty good, too?"

"Haha, yeah, that sounds about right," says Markus Wheaton with a chuckle.

To the folks in Corvallis, he's a bona fide superstar. But in a conference that will probably own the Biletnikoff Award this year, separating yourself as a superstar in a pack of superstars isn't always easy.

"I try not to worry about that stuff," Wheaton said. "I'm more focused on what we've got here."

It's got to bruise the ego even a little bit, though. Right?

"Not really. It just makes you want to work harder," Wheaton said.

Wheaton was definitely a victim of the Beavers' lack of success last season. He only found the end zone once, but caught 73 balls for 986 yards and was the ultimate security blanket for green quarterback Sean Mannion.

"If we won nine games last year like we did a couple of years ago, more people would know about him," said OSU head coach Mike Riley. "That's a big factor. I think our team will be better next year and that will help. He just needs to keep growing and doing what he does. Then our team needs to improve around him."

Mannion showed tremendous potential in his first season as a starter -- throwing for 16 touchdowns, more than 3,300 yards and completing 64.5 percent of his balls. He also looked like a first-year starter, tossing 18 interceptions.

With a more efficient Mannion and a stronger running game to support the passing attack, Wheaton figures to make the jump from "that Oregon State guy" to being known as one of the elite receivers in the conference.

"For me, it's all about working on the small things," Wheaton said. "I've worked on my blocking, because I want that to be a big part of my game. But for us, it's going to be the details. Too many times last year the little things got away from us. This year's team is going to be very detail-oriented."

Riley recalls when Wheaton first came to OSU. He was pure speed, without much nuance for the position. Now he's evolved to a point where Riley considers him in that top class of Pac-12 receivers.

"He can run with anybody, catch with anybody and has great ability to run with the ball after the catch," said Riley -- who also integrates Wheaton into the running game. Last year he carried 25 times for 7.6 yards per carry. "He's just a fast, gifted athlete. Early on for him, it was just run. Now he's learned how to run a route and he's got good chemistry with the quarterback."

Wheaton is not a particularly vocal guy. That's something he's working on. He knows the very youthful Beavers roster is thirsty for leadership. He's raising his voice more, but wants his teammates to learn by his example.

"I'm consistently pushing him," OSU wide receivers coach Brent Brennan said recently. "And the best thing about him is he wants to be coached. He wants to be better. He wants to learn. He wants to improve his game. I'm constantly in his ear, on his butt about what's right, what's not right, what can be faster, what his tendencies are ... he continues to learn and improve."

Heading into the 2010 season, it was not uncommon for media sorts to volunteer Oregon State as a program that had the best staff of assistant coaches in the Pac-10.

Why? Good numbers without stockpiles of elite recruits. Non-elite recruits becoming NFL draft choices. Thirty-six wins over the previous four seasons. You know, the usual suspects.

Oh, but how two down seasons can change things. After going a combined 8-16 over the past two years, many Beavers fans are either calling for head coach Mike Riley's head, or they are at least calling for the heads of his coordinators: Mark Banker on defense and Danny Langsdorf on offense.

How quickly can things change? Well, I wrote this heading into 2010 as part of a "Don't be surprised if..." series: "Don't be surprised if ... Beavers offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf becomes a hot head-coaching candidate when new starting quarterback Ryan Katz posts surprisingly strong numbers this fall."

Katz posted pretty good numbers in 2010 -- 60 percent completion rate, 18 TDs, 11 interceptions -- but he was promptly and surprisingly displaced as the starter by redshirt freshman Sean Mannion at the beginning of the 2011 season. And Langsdorf is now fighting for his job instead of presiding over his own program.

In fact, there now appears to be some question as to whether Riley will take over play-calling responsibilities from Langsdorf in 2012, which Riley gave to Langsdorf midway through the 2008 season. This question is being -- legitimately -- asked because Riley is calling plays this spring.

Riley was noncommittal -- and a tad uncomfortable -- with this line of inquiry Monday, and you can see video of his thoughts here. He called it "not a big deal." He said he was calling plays so he could see how the offense reacted against certain looks from the defense: "It's a way to orchestrate a big-picture look," he said.

When asked if it was for spring only, he said, "For right now, it's only for spring."

That qualifies as a "maybe," not a "Yes" or "No."

So here's my defense of Langsdorf, who also coaches the Beavers QBs. It might not be completely comforting for Beavers fans, but I think it's fair and accurate: The reason the Beavers offense has struggled the past two seasons ... drum roll please ... is a lack of good players.

I know: Thud.

The 2010 season likely would have been different if receiver James Rodgers hadn't blown out his knee during an impressive win at Arizona on Oct. 9. And the Beavers would have qualified for a bowl game if typically reliable tight end Joe Halahuni hadn't dropped a 2-point conversion that would have beaten homestanding Washington in double-overtime.

2011? Well, that was just pretty lousy. Riley, Langsdorf, Banker, the players -- everyone associated with the program -- surely spent some time wondering where they failed.

Still, as the Pac-12 blog observed while praising Langsdorf just two years ago:

In his six seasons as offensive coordinator, the Beavers have posted five of their top-nine all-time seasons of total offense. Remember the early careers of quarterbacks Matt Moore, Sean Canfield and Lyle Moevao? One word: Yucky. Remember their late careers? Two words: Dramatic transformation. Canfield earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors in 2009 and joined Moore in the NFL.

In 2008, with Langsdorf calling plays, the Beavers ranked 32nd in the nation with 30.5 points per game and 30th in the nation with 407.1 yards per game. In 2009, they ranked 26th in points (31.5 ppg) and 34th in yards (410.6 ypg).

In other words, Langsdorf has been a successful coordinator and playcaller. At least when he's shown up for battle with more than a pillow shield and plastic sword.

Things set up fairly well for the offense heading into 2012. Langsdorf has his returning starter at QB in Mannion. He has a good crew of receivers, led by Markus Wheaton. But the offense will struggle if it can't generate a running game, which mostly hinges on improved play on the offensive line, which has been sub-par two years running.

One of the criticisms of Riley has been his loyalty to his assistant coaches, but he's made tough decisions recently, including firing longtime linebackers coach Greg Newhouse in March of 2011 (mostly because of recruiting shortcomings). If Riley takes away play-calling responsibilities from Langsdorf, it will be a painful blow to both men.

But it appears that possibility is at least being considered, so it will be worth asking about in advance of the season opener on Sept. 1 against Nicholls State.

Points, points, points. This is the Pac-12 after all, where offense rules. Last season, five Pac-12 teams ranked in the top 30 in scoring average. Others, however, weren't as explosive. Colorado (12th in the conference/109th nationally), Oregon State (11/100), UCLA (10/88) and Utah (9/tied for 74th) all had trouble consistently finding pay dirt. So this week we're looking at which of these four teams has the best chance to show significant offensive improvement.

Ted Miller: Oregon State’s offense was bad last year. That’s the obvious bad news. More obvious bad news: It was bad for a fundamental reason: It couldn’t run the ball, ranking 118th in the nation with just 86.9 yards per game. The end result was an offense that ranked 11th in the Pac-12 in scoring (21.8 points per game) and 10th in total offense (373.7 yards per game). And while we’re being party poopers, why not note there are only eight healthy offensive linemen this spring, which makes it impossible to field a full second team?

Ah, but we come not to bury the Beavers, but to praise them! This half of the Pac-12 blog is providing Oregon State fans an iron-clad guarantee: The Beavers' offense will be better in 2012. Perhaps much better. And that’s why we believe they will win enough to earn a bowl berth after consecutive seasons at home during the postseason.

Why? Let’s start in the cockpit with quarterback Sean Mannion, who won the starting job as a freshman over returning starter Ryan Katz, only to discover THE NEW CAR! he’d been given the keys to was a Pinto. With little support from a running game to keep defenses honest, Mannion threw a lot but not always successfully, ranking ninth in the conference in passing efficiency with 16 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. But two numbers are notable: First, he completed 64.5 percent of his passes and was sacked just 27 times in 473 attempts. That suggests two things. Mannion is both accurate and has good pocket presence. Accurate? That completion percentage ranked fifth in the conference, ahead of Oregon’s Darron Thomas and Arizona State’s Brock Osweiler. As for pocket presence, the Beavers ranked fifth in the conference in sacks surrendered despite ranking third in pass attempts. And that was with no running game.

Mannion’s supporting cast at receiver is strong. Three of the top four receivers are back, including Markus Wheaton and speedy flanker Brandin Cooks. And essentially the entire cast at running back is back.

So, really, it comes down to the offensive line, where three starters are back, not including tackle Michael Philipp, a 2010 starter who is trying to get a once-promising career back on track. Don’t expect to hear glowing reports this spring. Tackle Colin Kelly and guard Grant Enger, both returning starters, are out with injuries, so there’s a lack of bodies. But in the fall they should be healthy just as a pair of intriguing reinforcements arrive: touted freshman Isaac Seumalo, rated the No. 19 overall player in the nation in 2012 by ESPN Recruiting, and junior-college transfer Stan Hasiak, who saw plenty of action during his tumultuous time at UCLA. Both are potential – even likely -- starters.

Mannion flashed plenty of potential in 2011. He will be far more seasoned in 2012. The offensive line will be better, too, which means at least a mediocre running game to keep defenses from pinning their ears back and going after the quarterback.

In other words, the Beavers offense will be much improved overall in 2012. Now ... about that defense ...

Kevin Gemmell: I'm glad you brought up Osweiler, because he's somewhat pertinent to the team I'm picking to improve offensively -- UCLA.

All together now: "Ding, dong, the pistol is dead." And not a half-snap too soon. Time to make way for the shotgun.

To see where the Bruins are headed on offense, you need only to look back at what Osweiler did the past two seasons with the Sun Devils -- specifically what he was able to do with Noel Mazzone running the show.

Now Mazzone is new coach Jim Mora's offensive coordinator at UCLA. I know there is a multi-quarterback competition in the works. That certainly will have some bearing. But even so, it's almost impossible for the Bruins not improve on last year's 23.1-ppg scoring average with this time-tested offense.

Consider the Sun Devils of 2009, pre-Mazzone: 90th in total offense (334.4 yards per game) and 91st in scoring average (22.3 points per game). Now, look at Mazzone's first season in 2010: 29th in total offense (425.6) and 28th in scoring average (32.2). Last year: 25th in total offense (445.8) and 28th in scoring offense (33.2).

Translation: The guy knows how to move the ball and create points.

I talked earlier this week with Brett Hundley, one of those quarterbacks in the hunt for the starting gig, he says this offense is much simpler and allows the quarterback to play more quickly and think less. Makes sense. And whoever wins the gig will have an experienced running back in Johnathan Franklin beside him. The fifth-year senior was 24 yards short of a 1,000-yard season despite an impressive 5.9 yards per carry average.

But this offense is about moving the ball in the air. And finding three or four receivers to consistently perform is going to be just as important as finding the right guy standing five to seven yards behind the center. Mazzone has said he's not married to four- or five-receiver sets. So bona-fide talent Joseph Fauria should get plenty of chances to catch the ball from the tight end position. Devin Lucien, Shaq Evans and Ricky Marvray are the likely wide receiver trio. But unlike the previous offense, the receivers won't be square pegs in round holes. This offense should accentuate the speed and athleticism that UCLA always seems to have, but never knows quite what to do with it.

The Bruins were in the bottom half of the nation in sacks allowed last year, but the return of tackle Xavier Su'a-Filo, who is back after an LDS mission, should help bolster the line. All indications out of spring are that he looks solid. Jeff Baca and Greg Capella both saw significant playing time last season (Capella started 14 games and Baca 13), so that experience should help cut back on the sacks.

Now, to the quarterback spot. Kevin Prince has the most experience, followed by Richard Brehaut. Both are seniors. But there is a call from fans to completely cleanse themselves of the previous regime and start fresh with Hundley, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound dual-threat quarterback who might be the most athletic of the bunch.

Whoever wins the job is destined for a pretty good season. Because given Mazzone's history of turning slugs into sluggers, UCLA looks like the team to drag itself up from the Pac-12's offensive cellar.

Recognition is so important for an offense. Think Andrew Luck -- or Peyton Manning -- wildly gesticulating at the line of scrimmage.

Or, for that matter, Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas doing the same thing.

That was something that stuck with me after I chatted with Oregon sophomore center Hroniss Grasu a couple of weeks ago. We were talking about how he improved at making line calls during the 2011 season, but he went out of his way to note how good Thomas was at helping out, at identifying last-second changes a defense made that perhaps hinted at its ill intentions.

The point: Centers and quarterbacks are the brains of an offense. The center typically makes the calls at the line of scrimmage that make sure everyone is accounted for. And quarterbacks communicate to both the skill players and the line about check and audibles.

The QB and center work in tandem. They need to be in sync. And having smart, experienced signal-callers and centers is a big deal for an offense. It means an offense can go to the line with more options, and it can check into the right option more often than not. That breeds confidence, both among players and with their coaches.

So which Pac-12 teams are experienced at QB and center? Who has both back, one back or neither?

Thanks for asking.

Arizona: Center
Skinny: While Nick Foles was the Wildcats' quarterback last year, Matt Scott has started five games, so the offense is not in inexperienced hands. Senior center Kyle Quinn did a solid job in 2011, earning honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors. On the downside, the Wildcats are installing a new offense with coach Rich Rodriguez, so past experience isn't as helpful.

Arizona State: Neither
Skinny: QB Brock Osweiler is gone as is center Garth Gerhart. Kody Koebensky likely takes over at center, while the quarterback competition continues to be wide-open. Of course, the Sun Devils are installing a new offense under new coach Todd Graham, so being green isn't as much of an issue.

California: Both
Skinny: QB Zach Maynard should be much more in control as a second-year starter. While center Dominic Galas is back, he's sitting out spring due to a shoulder injury, and it appears he will switch over to guard. Galas, some of you Bears fans might recall, did have some issues with shotgun snaps last year. Chris Adcock or Mark Brazinski could end up winning the job.

Colorado: Center
Skinny: Tyler Hansen is almost certainly going to be replaced at quarterback by Texas transfer Connor Wood, a sophomore with no game experience. It should help Wood, however, to have junior Gus Handler back making the line calls. Daniel Munyer, who's slated to start at guard, also has starting experience at center.

Oregon: Center
Skinny: Center Grasu's first start as a redshirt freshman was against LSU's beastly defensive front. That was a baptism by fire, but he consistently improved throughout the season. QB Bryan Bennett has some experience, including one start, but he will be challenged this spring by redshirt freshman Marcus Mariota.

Oregon State: QB
Skinny: Sean Mannion is back at QB, but center Grant Johnson is gone. The frontrunner to win that job is sophomore Roman Sapolu. The Beavers have injury issues on the line this spring, and that likely will slow down the unit's -- and Sapolu's -- development.

Stanford: Center
Skinny: You might have heard that Andrew Luck is gone. Brett Nottingham and Josh Nunes look like the favorites to replace him, but neither has significant experience. Senior Sam Schwartzstein did a fine job stepping into Chase Beeler's shoes in 2011, but life was, naturally, easier with Luck at QB. More will fall on Schwartzstein in 2012.

UCLA: QB
Skinny: The Bruins have two quarterbacks with significant starting experience back: Kevin Prince and Richard Brehaut. But redshirt freshman Brett Hundley might end up winning the job. All three are learning a new offense this spring under new coach Jim Mora and offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone. Sophomore Jacob Brendel -- or perhaps junior Greg Capella, who mostly started at guard last year -- are the frontrunners to replace Kai Maiava at center.

USC: Both
Skinny: You've maybe heard of Trojans QB Matt Barkley and his receivers, Robert Woods/Marqise Lee, being the best pass-catch trio in the nation. Well, Barkley and senior center Khaled Holmes are the perhaps the best QB-center combination in the nation. Holmes was second-team All-Pac-12 in 2011, and he's probably the best center in the conference.

Utah: Both
Skinny: Junior Jordan Wynn, a three-year starter, only needs to stay healthy for the Utes to get at least solid QB play. Center Tevita Stevens is solid, but he will be breaking in a pair of new OTs.

Washington: Both
Skinny: Junior QB Keith Price was a revelation last year as a first-year starter, far eclipsing the production of his celebrated predecessor, Jake Locker. Senior center Drew Schaefer is a 30-game starter. So this is a strong combo for the Huskies.

Washington State: Both
Skinny: Jeff Tuel feels like a decided frontrunner to retain his starting job at QB, while junior Matt Goetz returns at center. A junior-college transfer in 2011, he started the final nine games of 2011. A year of seasoning -- and in the weight room -- should help Goetz in 2012.

In a conference already spilling over with wide receiver talent, a bigger, stronger Markus Wheaton can only be a good thing for Oregon State. And maybe a problem for the rest of the conference.

As Sean Mannion continues his development as a starting quarterback, his No. 1 target is also focused on getting better for the 2012 season.

In a video interview he did with the OSU athletic department, Wheaton described his goals for the upcoming spring session.

"I want to improve all the way around," Wheaton said. "I'm really working on everything from the basics to the small details."

If you look at just the numbers, Wheaton was one of the best receivers in the Pac-12 last season. He tied for fifth with 73 receptions and was sixth in receiving yards with 986. Where he came up short -- where Oregon State as an offense came up short -- was finding the end zone. The Beavers were second to last in the conference in scoring offense, averaging just 21.8 points per game. They scored the fewest touchdowns in the Pac-12 (31) and for all of his catches and yards, Wheaton had just one touchdown reception -- a 3-yard catch from Mannion in a 27-8 loss to Utah.

Part of improving that will be Mannion developing a rapport with Wheaton, who said the two have been working out together constantly.

"We have been throwing routes every day," Wheaton said. "I feel like building that chemistry will be huge for the season. Last year we didn't know he had a spot so we weren't doing too much last year during this time."

Mannion will get better. Wheaton, who said he's put on about 10 pounds will also get better. Developing a run game would certainly help both of them. Last season the Beavers were last in the conference in rushing offense, averaging just 86.9 yards per game on the ground.

"We've always prided ourselves on the running game," said OSU coach Mike Riley in a Q&A last month. "We've had great runners with great production through the years -- we've been a good running team and it's been a key to the success that we've had. Last year, not running the ball was an indication of the lack of success we had."

Wheaton also said wide receivers coach Brent Brennan has been riding him about following through on routes more. He's looking to add some mental strength to go along with his newly-developed physical strength.

"I get lazy running my routes," he said. "Coach Brennan helped me with my route running. He's pushing me to get better at that."

Oregon State checked in with the No. 5 passing attack in the conference last year, averaging 286.8 yards per game through the air. But a lot of that was playing catch-up. Even as the running game develops, Wheaton said he expects to do a better job stretching the field next year with Brandin Cooks on the opposite side.

We all love redemption stories, yes? It's satisfying when a jerk redeems himself by: 1. Admitting he was crossing the line; 2. Ceasing his questionable behavior.

Unfortunately, former Washington State quarterback Ryan Leaf's redemption from being a questionable player, for which he is seeking attention, is incomplete.

We know this because Leaf called Oregon State coach Mike Riley "an idiot" this past week as he tried to drum up publicity for his new book.

Said Leaf: “I know the Chargers made mistakes, but I made a bunch of mistakes myself, and I’ve got to take responsibility for that. I mean, Mike Riley is an idiot, but I can’t do anything to change that. He wasn’t supposed to be a head coach in the NFL. Why was he there?”

No. 1: I do not think Riley is an idiot. I've never heard Riley's intelligence called into question by anyone. And, by the way, I was there when he was about to get fired by San Diego.

No. 2: Leaf's intelligence — intellectual as well as emotional — has been called into question by just about everyone who has known him throughout his life, even by those who defended him, such as former Washington State coach Mike Price.

Leaf is not qualified to call someone an idiot. The life he has led, from an NFL bust, to blaming everyone but himself for being a bust, to pleading guilty to felony drug charges, to calling a truly nice guy an idiot, shows that his bulb continues to burn dimly. Saying such a thing so publicly only makes Leaf look crass and petty and juvenile.

Leaf told Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune that he wants to pursue a career as a motivational speaker, particularly working with young people.

“I don’t want anyone to ever feel how I felt,” Leaf said. “I was just miserable. I wasn’t happy with who I was.”

So, Ryan, if Riley cared about your opinion, how do you think he'd feel about being called "an idiot"?

The problem with redemption is the person seeking it actually needs to be redeemed, and not just trying to get some attention so he can sell some books and maybe pick up an easy paycheck for a speaking engagement.

Every team had needs going into 2012 national signing day. Last week, Ted Miller looked at the needs of each team in the North Division and South Division. Here’s a look at whether those needs were met.

Arizona: Either Javelle Allen or Josh Kern -- both Texans -- could be the long-term answer at quarterback. Noticeably missing is the lack of an impact linebacker. But there is some good depth to the offensive line.

Arizona State: Nice pickup with running back D.J. Foster. Richard Smith and Josiah Blandin boost the wide receiving corps. Nine JC signees? We’ll see.

Cal: QB Zach Kline (No. 2 QB) is the jewel of the class, and receiver Darius Powe could be an immediate impact player. Cal wins the award for bipolar recruiting season, but this is still a solid class.

Colorado: If Yuri Wright can keep his thumbs in check, he’s a huge addition. He and Kenny Crawley boost a secondary sorely in need of playmakers.

Oregon: Arik Armstead headlines a diverse class that, as expected, is heavy on speed and addresses depth across the board. Next to duct tape, few things are quick fixes than a juco kicker.

Oregon State: No. 1 offensive guard Isaac Seumalo and tackle Garrett Weinreich fill immediate needs on the line. A lot of unproven commits on a defense that still needs help.

Stanford: Business should be booming in the Stanford cafeteria with seven new offensive linemen. And they get to grow with and block for Barry Sanders. Noor Davis and Alex Carter are elite defensive playmakers.

UCLA: Four ESPNU 150 players, headlined by athlete Devin Fuller. Who said Jim Mora wasn't cut out for college? Keeping Ellis McCarthy in Southern California -- and out of red and gold -- is big time.

USC: Don't cry for this tiny class. It features seven ESPNU 150 players and adds speed on defense with Jabari Ruffin, size on the offensive line with Max Turek and Jordan Simmons and athleticism with wide receiver Nelson Agholor. Another great haul for Troy.

Utah: A quarterback of the future is needed, and Travis Wilson (No. 39 QB) and Chase Hansen (No. 43 QB) should have a heck of a competition in the coming years. Lots of help and depth added to the offensive line.

Washington: A shaky recruiting season was saved at the last minute by the commitment of Shaq Thompson and the ability to hold quarterback Cyler Miles. Brandon Beaver helps a secondary that was one of the worst in the conference.

Washington State: Running back Robert Lewis and receiver Alex Jackson could prove to be money in the Mike Leach offensive overhaul. A few juco transfers should be stopgaps until depth develops and Leach's plan comes together.

Andrew Luck, Oregon, the return of USC and coaching hot seats that melted were the big stories for the Pac-12 in 2011.

Luck was a big story because he's the best college football player in the nation. Despite being the certain No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft, he opted to return for his redshirt junior year. While he fell short of winning the conference title, and may fall short in the Heisman Trophy race, he led the Cardinal to a second consecutive BCS bowl game -- the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl opposite No. 3 Oklahoma State. Not too shabby.

Luck didn't get everything he wanted in large part because of those pesky Ducks, who won their third consecutive conference title and will play Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. Oregon opened with a loss to LSU, but that defeat became less of an issue as the season went on and everyone learned just how good LSU was.

USC -- quietly, then loudly -- returned to the top five with a 10-2 finish. The Trojans weren't terribly impressive early but their 38-35 victory at Oregon on Nov. 19 forced the nation to take notice.

Finally, four coaches were fired. Arizona's Mike Stoops went down first at midseason; he's already been replaced by former Michigan and West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez. Then UCLA's Rick Neuheisel, Arizona State's Dennis Erickson and Washington State's Paul Wulff were dumped. The Cougars generated positive national publicity when they quickly scooped up former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach.

UCLA and Arizona State? Their coaching searches seem to be struggling to find a mutual fit.

As for the conference in general, things were top-heavy. Oregon, Stanford and USC gave the Pac-12 three top-10 teams. But no other team even sniffed the rankings by season's end. The nine other teams had at least five losses. Seven had six or more defeats.

It was another big year for offense, with six of the nation's top 36 offenses residing in the conference. And not a great one for defense, with just three defenses ranking in the top 50.

As for the new elements of being a 12-team league, the conference championship game was ruined by USC's ineligibility due to NCAA sanctions. Instead of a top-10 matchup, the conference was stuck with 6-6 UCLA as the South Division "champion." The Bruins, of course, had just fired Neuheisel.

Utah, after a slow start, mostly played well, despite losing its starting quarterback. The Utes are headed to the Sun Bowl, a better bowl than any their former conference, the Mountain West, has to offer.

Colorado finished 3-10. Obviously, the Buffs have a way to go.

There were some good things and bad things about the Pac-12 in 2011. The good news going forward is the new $3 billion conference TV contract that clicks in next year, as will the debuts of the Pac-12 Networks. The influx of money is one reason a school like Washington State can increase what it pays its head coach from $600,000 to $2.25 million.

Does the future look bright? Well, it certainly looks green.

Offensive MVP: It was an extremely difficult decision. but our choice is Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck. He just nips USC QB Matt Barkley. Barkley has more passing yards, touchdowns and fewer interceptions, but here's why the choice is Luck: Stanford had a better offense than USC with less talent, particularly at receiver. The Cardinal averaged more yards (481 vs. 457) and points (43.6 vs. 35.8) per game. And that superiority can be directly traced to Luck as the manager of the Cardinal offense, a role that gave him more responsibility in terms of play choice than any college QB has had in years.

Defensive MVP: Stanford linebacker Chase Thomas. Thomas led the Pac-12 in tackles for a loss with 17.5 and was second with 8.5 sacks. He also forced five fumbles, second-most in the conference, had four quarterback hurries and finished with 51 total tackles. He's not the most physically talented player in the conference, but he might have the best motor.

Newcomer of the Year: Oregon WR De'Anthony Thomas was a do-everything performer in 2011. He rushed 53 times for 440 yards with five touchdowns. He led the Ducks with 42 receptions for 571 yards and nine TDs. He ranked 13th in the nation in kick returns, returning two for TDs. That's 16 total TDs. He ranked 17th in the nation in all-purpose yards.

Coach of the Year: While it might be difficult for some folks to wrap their minds around it, the 2011 season made clear that USC's Lane Kiffin can coach. It's not just that he led his Trojans to a top-five ranking and 10-2 final record. It's not just that he did so while the Trojans were yoked with unfair NCAA sanctions that prevented them from getting a postseason reward, which means he kept a team motivated when it would have been easy for his players not to be. No, it's about the fact that the Trojans went from looking like a mediocre young team over the first half of the season to one that could play with anyone in the nation by season's end. USC improved, and that can only be attributed to coaching.

Biggest surprise: At the start of the season, there were plenty of Pac-12 coaches on the hot seat, but Arizona's Stoops didn't look like one of them. Yet on Oct. 9, after an embarrassing loss to Oregon State dropped the Wildcats to 1-5, he was fired.

Biggest disappointment: Arizona State and Sun Devils linebacker Vontaze Burfict share this dubious distinction. The Sun Devils were disappointing because they started 6-2, climbed into the national rankings and looked like a sure-thing South Division champion. But then they collapsed and Erickson was fired. Burfict was a preseason All-America who didn't even make honorable mention All-Pac-12. He's an incredible talent who simply didn't play well this year, for whatever reason.

Best game: Stanford's 56-48 triple-overtime win at USC was not only the best game in the Pac-12, it might have been the best game anywhere all season. The game featured brilliance from both Barkley and Luck -- both tossed three touchdown passes; Luck rushed for a fourth -- but it truly was a thrilling, exhausting, physical battle of attrition.

For only a flicker in the first half was the Civil War a competitive game. Then Oregon did its thing. In fact, the rapid-fire Ducks did their thing so well, they rank 102 plays, a school record, in a 49-21 win over Oregon State.

So the first Pac-12 championship game is set: Oregon will play host to UCLA on Dec. 2. The Ducks will be playing for their third consecutive conference title.

The Ducks will be favored.

Oregon led 42-7 early in the fourth quarter and yanked many of its starters. The Beavers rallied for two late TDs to make the final a bit more respectable.

Oregon outgained the Beavers 669 to 213 and won their fourth consecutive Civil War for the first time since 1994-97.

The only downer: RB LaMichael James hurt his left arm -- it appeared to be an elbow -- and had to sit out after gaining 141 yards rushing.

While the Ducks rushed for 375 yards, the star was QB Darron Thomas. Thomas completed 25 of 38 passes for 294 yards with four TDs and no interceptions.

Tight end David Paulson caught eight passes for 105 yards and a TD. DeAnthony Thomas rushed for 82 yards on five carries and caught eight passes for 75 yards and a TD.

Beavers QB Sean Mannion threw two early interceptions, but bounced back to play fairly well, despite constant pressure from the Ducks pass rush. He completed 27 of 44 for 285 yards with three TDs. He was playing without senior receiver James Rodgers, who sat out with a sprained ankle.

Oregon improves to 10-2 and 8-1. Oregon State suffers its second consecutive losing season, finishing at 3-9 and 3-6.

Oregon got off to a fast start, stalled, then hit the accelerator in the first half of the Civil War against Oregon State.

The Ducks jumped ahead 7-0 after Beavers QB Sean Mannion threw an interception on the game's first possession. Then they were stopped three times on fourth downs in Oregon State territory. But when the Beavers tied the game on a 58-yard TD from Mannion to Jovan Stevenson, Oregon awoke.

The Ducks scored TDs on drives of 79, 80 and 75 yards. Each ended with a TD pass from Darron Thomas.

Oregon outgained Oregon State 394-125 in the first half. The Ducks defense so dominated -- other than the long TD play -- that Oregon is actually ahead in time of possession: 17:23 to 12:37. That almost never happens.

The Ducks have 20 first downs, Oregon State just four. LaMichael James has 109 yards rushing on 18 carries. He scored the Ducks first TD.

It appears, despite the sputtering period, that Oregon is well on its way to winning its fourth consecutive Civil War for the first time since 1994-97.

A month ago, Washington was 5-1, ranked and appeared poised for a banner season under third-year coach Steve Sarkisian.

No longer.

After getting rolled 38-21 at Oregon State, which entered the game at 2-8, things have come apart for the Huskies, who are losers of four of five and three in a row.

With quarterback Keith Price sitting out with a knee injury, the Huskies needed the defense to step up. It did not. The Beavers gained 484 yards, 116 more than their season average, and those 38 points are 18 more than the Pac-12's lowest scoring offense had been averaging.

The Beavers, who have won eight of 11 against Washington, scored 27 points in their previous three games.

Price's replacement, Nick Montana, struggled, and Price came off the bench to try to save the day. He couldn't.

He threw an interception at the Beavers' 1-yard line with 7:35 left in the game. The Beavers then drove 99 yards in 12 plays -- killing 5:23 off the clock -- for a final touchdown.

The Huskies, now 6-5, will play rival Washington State next weekend. Oregon State will conclude its season at Oregon.

It might be a good thing that Washington quarterback Keith Price is going to miss Saturday's game at Oregon State. While that supposition hangs on the Huskies managing to beat the 2-8 Beavers with backup Nick Montana, Price has looked like he could use a break the past few weeks.

When the Huskies headed to Stanford on Oct. 22, they were 5-1 and ranked 22nd. Price, a sophomore, was fifth in the nation in passing efficiency (177.9) and had thrown 21 touchdown passes to just four interceptions.

Price and Washington got crunched 65-21 that evening, and a downward slide started for him and the Huskies, who have lost three of four, including the drubbing by the Cardinal. Price has throw four touchdown passes in his past four games, with six interceptions, and his rating has fallen to 155.1.

That's hardly terrible -- it ranks 16th in the nation. And, to be fair, the competition level went up, considering those defeats came to Stanford, Oregon and USC. But Price also threw three picks at home against woeful Arizona (though one wasn't his fault, he was saved from another by a penalty).

And, yes, coach Steve Sarkisian has seen it, too. Price has been playing with multiple injuries much of the season -- ankle, both knees -- but there's more than just a physical element to Price's recent struggles.

"I think when you start to struggle a little bit and you're a young quarterback, you can have a tendency to press and to maybe try a little too hard," Sarkisian said. "I think that's been a part of it."

But it's not all on Price.

"I don't think we've played very well around him," Sarkisian said. "I don't think we've protected the quarterback great. We haven't run the football as well as I think we can to take some of the pressure off of him. We haven't made tough catches. All of those things added up, your quarterback goes from being one of the hottest in the country to struggling a couple of games."

That's all fair. Price's receivers have dropped way too many passes. His offensive line has yielded 29 sacks, including seven to USC. And running back Chris Polk, who is averaging 113.2 yards per game, has only 116 total rush yards in the past two games.

So Price perhaps could use the break before the Apple Cup and whatever bowl game the Huskies end up in. Get healthy. Rediscover his kwan.

Of course, again, they need to win in Corvallis. To make sure that happens, the Huskies need to regain, to use Sarkisian's term, their "real sense of purpose and attitude," which he said he didn't see at USC.

As for Montana, son of NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana, he might not be asked to do too much if Polk can get back on track against the Pac-12's No. 11 run defense. But Sarkisian said he feels good about Montana running the entire offense.

"I feel great about Nick Montana because I have some experience with him now," Sarkisian said. "I understand what his demeanor is like on game day more so than the beginning of the season.''

The experience will be good for Montana. And the rest should be good for Price.

But none of it will feel good if it becomes the fourth loss in five games.

Nick Montana, son of Joe, will make his first career start at Oregon State on Saturday, coach Steve Sarkisian Tweeted on Thursday.

Starter Keith Price suffered a knee injury against USC last weekend. While there is no structural damage, according to Sarkisian, Price was unable to practice this week.

Sarkisian's Tweet is a course reversal. He said after practice on Wednesday night that he wouldn't publicly announce the starter, but would let the team know.

Montana was 9 of 15 for 73 yards and threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Kasen Williams in relief of Price last week against the Trojans. For the season, Montana is 13 of 20 for 147 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Considering that Oregon State has the No. 11 run defense in the Pac-12, you can bet that Huskies running back Chris Polk will get plenty of touches, particularly if its cold and rainy in Corvallis, as expected.