ESPN College Football

Receiver Paul Richardson is Colorado's best player. He's got Pac-12 speed, which the Buffaloes were sorely lacking in 2011. Coach Jon Embree's chief task in recruiting is to get more Paul Richardsons -- speedy guys for both sides of the ball.

But the rebuilding project in Boulder is going to require just as much David Bakhtiari as Paul Richardson. Bakhtiari, the Buffs' left offensive tackle, earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2011 as a sophomore, the only Colorado player to get an All-Conference nod.

He's a want-to guy. A guy who talks about chemistry and a sense of urgency. A guy willing to lead. A guy who seems slightly bothered -- politely so, of course -- when a reporter notes the Buffs' significant holes heading into 2012.

Why should folks believe Colorado can improve on a 3-10 finish despite losing its top passer, top rusher and top-two receivers (Richardson missed four games due to injury)?

"There is definitely a sense of urgency that I can see from last year's team to this year's team," Bakhtiari said. "People are moving around with a purpose. They are buying into our common goal, which is a bowl game. We've decided we are tired of going home in December and watching all these games."

Bakhtiari has been impressed with QB Connor Wood, the Texas transfer who has the inside track to replace Tyler Hansen. He raves about RB Tony Jones, who will step in for Rodney Stewart. Stewart only led the Buffs in rushing four consecutive years and now ranks second on the school's all-time rushing list. And a healthy Richardson is the obvious choice to replace the receptions that departed with Stewart (45) and Toney Clemons (43).

But if the Buffs are going to improve, they are going to need to score more than 19.8 points per game, a total that ranked last in the Pac-12 in 2011. That starts with Bakhtiari and the O-line, which is replacing guards Ethan Adkins and Ryan Miller.

Offensive line coach Steve Marshall, speaking to B.G. Brooks, called Bakhtiari "probably was our most productive player (in 2011) game in and game out." He'll be protecting Wood's blindside as well as leading the charge for a rushing offense that needs to do better than 3.5 yards per carry and 109 yards per game.

Like most Colorado players, Bakhtiari was recruited by Dan Hawkins, a far softer touch than the demanding, straight-talking Embree. (Said Bakhtiari, "Embree is a little more, 'I want production and I'm going to get it.'"). Unquestionably, there was an adjustment to the change in styles in 2011. There was a lot less nurturing and a lot more barking at practices. And Embree isn't afraid to publicly question his players commitment to winning.

But there were hints of accord late last season between coaching staff and locker room. After a 1-9 start, the Buffs won two of their final three games, including a shocking and impressive 17-14 win at Utah, which knocked the Utes out of the Pac-12 title game.

"Guys are now understanding what these coaches want and how they want it to be," Bakhtiari said. "Last year, we were kind of chickens with our heads cut off."

That's a start. It's probably going to take a few more Richardsons and Bakhtiaris to get the Buffs into Pac-12 South Division contention. But that's a start.

You've got to break some eggs to make an omelet. And sometimes a coach gives players the boot to establish the culture he wants.

It appears that Colorado coach Jon Embree is willing to sacrifice his team's present for its future, as he has indefinitely suspended five players from a defense that is already thin, particularly in the secondary, where four of the five play.

And that secondary faces Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck on Saturday. Luck is generally considered a capable passer.

The five suspended players, according to the Boulder Daily Camera: CB Parker Orms, CB Ayodeji Olatoye, CB Paul Vigo, CB Josh Moten and LB Liloa Nobriga. None of the players were listed as starters on this week's depth chart.

According to the Daily Camera, all five were notified of the decision Wednesday and the entire team was told during a post-practice team meeting. Further:

None of the problems that led to the suspensions involved the police, but the rules violations were serious enough that CU is expected to announce today that none of the five will play again this season.

Whether the players remain with the program beyond this season remains to be seen.

It will be interesting to see how the Buffaloes react at Stanford. While these suspensions aren't devastating in terms of starting personnel, you'd guess each of these guys have relationships in the locker room with the guys left behind. That means there will be plenty of chatter, either for or against Embree's "my way or the end of my boot" methods.

The Daily Camera article is worth a read because it does a nice job of recalling Embree's prescient prediction of significant attrition last spring. I particularly like this quote:

"It's going to be hard because you have to go to class every day," [Embree] said in that spring interview. "It's going to be hard because you have to sit in the first three rows. I don't want your iPod on or your iPad or your laptop. I want you there, I want you prepared. I want you to have a pen, paper, book. I want you prepared and I want you to engage.

"It's going to be hard because of what you're going to do in the weight room and what's going to be demanded of you as a football player, how we expect you to study and prepare for the game. That's going to be hard for the guys because that requires consistency and discipline and they don't have that."

While it's purely speculative to try to figure out what these five may have done to fall out of favor, if the police or NCAA isn't involved, then it's likely that they fell afoul of Embree's specific demands that perhaps didn't exist during the Dan Hawkins era. And Embree wants his players to know he takes those demands seriously.

Sometimes a new coach arrives with new energy and new ideas and a smooth transition immediately leads to success.

But not often.

Particularly when a program has been downtrodden for an extended stretch, as Colorado has been. The Buffaloes haven't had a winning record since 2005, and the early returns on new coach Jon Embree's first year are that streak will extend another season. Colorado is 1-4 through the seemingly easier part of its schedule.

Up next is a visit to No. 7 Stanford on Saturday. Then there's a trip to 4-1 Washington. Then No. 9 Oregon comes to Boulder. Then a trip to the desert to take on No. 22 Arizona State. And USC comes to town on Nov. 4.

That's three road trips -- the Buffs have lost 20 consecutive games away from their home stadium -- three ranked teams and five foes with a combined record of 19-4. Fair to say this is the most rugged stretch of a 13-game, no-off-week schedule that is among the most difficult in the country.

It's obvious that Embree didn't expect to be here, even while he recognized the Buffaloes' talent deficiencies. This is a veteran team -- 18 starters back from a 5-7 crew -- that showed competitive sparks late in the 2010 season after Dan Hawkins was fired.

But presently, Embree's team is finding ways to lose instead of ways to win. It had chances to win in the fourth quarter of three of the four losses, and blew leads in the final frame against California and Washington State.

After Embree watched the Buffs surrender a 10-point lead in the final five minutes against Washington State, he could barely contain his frustration.

""When is enough, enough?" Embree seethed to reporters after the game.

A couple of days later, after watching film, Embree's emotions were in check, but the verdict remained darn near the same: This team hasn't figured out how to win.

"We've got to start finishing these games," he said. "There are two games, Washington State and California, that we had opportunities to win and really had the game and we found a way not to do it. At some point, I told them, 'When is enough, enough? When is it that you are so tired of losing games in this manner that we finally figure out a way to win it?'"

A coach, particularly a new one, often finds motivational tactics a spider's web of competing interests and personalities and locker room undercurrents. Veteran players can be hungry to go out with a taste of success. Or they can throw up their hands, having accepted losing. Young players can be uncertain, take hard coaching badly, and fall into the old, negative culture of losing.

When does a coach kick them in the pants? And when does he slap them on the back?

After calling a team meeting and talking to his leadership counsel, Embree said that he still senses a locker room buy-in.

"They are all on board," he said. "We'll be encouraging of them but still at the same time when you mess up we're not going to act like nothing happened."

It won't be easy to regain confidence at Stanford, a program that can beat you up with physical play on both sides of the ball, while showcasing the best player in college football in quarterback Andrew Luck. The Buffs have injury woes in the secondary, which has forced them to use inexperienced players: see the broken coverage that turned into a 63-yard game-winning touchdown for Washington State with one minute left.

What's Embree think of Luck? "I see a guy I wished left, I know that," he quipped about Luck's decision to return to the Farm and not become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft.

Embree is selling competing against Luck as an opportunity.

"I told our team that, for those who will not get an opportunity to play professional football, you're going to get an opportunity to see what it's like to go against Peyton Manning," he said. "He's everything you look for in a quarterback."

Whining about the schedule won't help. The only thing the Buffs can do is keep working and hope things click into place. Those pining for a magical season have been slapped by reality. There will be no magic. Instead, the Buffs solution is mostly what every other rebuilding program must endure.

Said Embree, "We've got to improve every week and eventually the wins will come."

Colorado flew 4,100 miles to Hawaii to fall to 0-1. It's flying 1,300 miles to play Ohio State on Saturday, where pundits believe the Buffaloes will fall to 1-3.

The Buffs will play 13 games in 2011. They will not have a week off. They will play a nine-game Pac-12 schedule after already having played a bonus matchup with California -- a heartbreaking 36-33 overtime loss -- that won't count in the conference standings.

Welcome back to college football, new coach Jon Embree, who inherited a roster with more than a few holes from fired former coach Dan Hawkins and a brutal schedule from his administration.

"It gets harder and harder each week," Embree said. "But that's OK. It is what it is. We can't change it."

But coaches know they often have to remake a poke in eye into a wonderful teachable moment. Here's how Embree spins what's probably the nation's toughest schedule.

"In a way as a coach, it kind of makes it a little bit easier," he said. "Because of the nature of our schedule, there's always something to be excited about from a players standpoint."

It's hard to know what to expect from Ohio State, which dropped out of the national polls this week for the first time since 2004. Ohio State is still Ohio State -- loaded with talent -- but it's looked bad in its last two games: a close win over Toledo and a 24-6 loss at Miami. It should be mad and motivated in front of a typically raucous crowd in the Horseshoe, but you never know. There's a lot of distractions in Columbus, and the Buckeyes might be buckling.

This could be a big opportunity for the Buffs to kick a Buckeye when it's down.

Further, Colorado seemed to find itself over the last six quarters. It came back from a 23-13 third-quarter deficit against California to force overtime and asserted itself on both sides of the ball against Colorado State. The Buffs ultimately dispatched the Rams with a hard-nosed, 16-play, 85-yard touchdown drive that ate up more than 10 minutes of the fourth quarter after the Rams had pulled within 21-14 on a trick play.

"That's three weeks now that we've improved," Embree said. "I'm very encouraged."

Embree expects both teams to try to run the football, even though the Buffs have struggled to do so. They rank 103rd in the nation with just 90 yards rushing per game, though Rodney Stewart did break through against the Rams with 98 yards rushing as well as 93 yards receiving.

Stewart likely wants as many touches as he can get. He's an Ohio native who wasn't recruited by the Buckeyes.

"It will probably be a fast game with both teams trying to run the football," Embree said.

Embree has seen a lot of improvement from his team since a disastrous first half at Hawaii. But the Buckeyes -- and the Horseshoe -- are an entirely different animal.

It's the next game on the schedule, yes, but it's also an elite program playing inside one of the sport's great venues.

"It will tell us where we are as a program and how far we need to go to reach the levels we want to reach around here," Embree said. "That's the No. 1 thing at playing at a school like Ohio State. It's a great measuring stick."

And then in two weeks there's Stanford. And a few weeks later Oregon. Etc, etc.

What did we learn from Week 3 of Pac-12 action?

1. The Pac-12 won't be getting much national respect: After a weekend of going 3-4 versus FBS foes, the conference is 12-9 versus FBS nonconference foes and 4-6 against other AQ conferences, with a single win over a ranked foe. That's not terribly distinguished. That will be how many so-called pundits will measure the conference. And it will hurt teams such as Stanford and Oregon that are trying to push back into the national title mix.

2. Stanford is good, but has questions: With 567 yards of balanced offense and a mostly dominant defense, Stanford answered questions with a 37-10 win at Arizona, and it now leads the nation with an 11-game winning streak. Still, it took two-and-a-half quarters to established dominance, struggled in the red zone and, most importantly, appears to have lost LB Shayne Skov to a knee injury. He's a first-team All-Pac-12 talent and the leader of the Cardinal defense. Still, Stanford might not be truly tested until it visits USC on Oct. 29, and perhaps not until its red-letter date with Oregon on Nov. 12.

3. Arizona State takes a step back: A nonconference road loss at Illinois won't necessarily ruin Arizona State's season, particularly if it bounces back and beats USC on Saturday. But the Sun Devils probably should have won -- they outgained Illinois 362 yards to 240 -- and they are now 3-11 in games decided by a touchdown or fewer over the past three seasons. Further, ASU lost DE Junior Onyeali to a knee injury of uncertain severity early in the game. He could become its seventh starter to miss extended action due to injury, a list that doesn't include RB Deantre Lewis.

4. Neuheisel is in deep trouble, and Wulff might be, too: No coach from the conference was fired last year (Colorado's Dan Hawkins was fired as a Big 12 coach). The Pac-12 probably won't be so lucky in 2011. The hottest seat belongs to UCLA's Rick Neuheisel. The Bruins are now 1-2 and haven't looked good getting there. It's hard to imagine the Bruins winning five of their final nine games and earning bowl eligibility, a general baseline for what most think Neuheisel needs to remain at alma mater. Over at Washington State, coach Paul Wulff's task got harder when his team fell apart in the second half at San Diego State. The Cougars are 2-1 and will need to win four conference games to earn bowl eligibility -- double its conference wins in Wulff's first three seasons. And five of the final nine are on the road. The Cougs are much improved, but it's possible that backup QB Marshall Lobbestael's honeymoon is over. Things only will get tougher.

5. Utah could be factor in South Division: What we know about the South Division: USC isn't eligible and UCLA and Arizona look flawed to varying degrees. Arizona State showed it's not ready for prime time by losing at Illinois. What about Utah? All we know about the Utes in Pac-12 play is they were a blocked field goal away at USC from forcing overtime. Oh, and they were good enough to stomp their archrival BYU 54-10 on the road. The Utes do just enough on offense and play tough defense. In fact, the Utes probably should be included when we debate the conference's best defense. The home game with Arizona State on Oct. 8 looms large.

A quick look at the two new coaches in the Pac-12: Colorado's Jon Embree and Stanford's David Shaw.

Embree and Shaw share some similarities. Both are first-time head coaches. Both played for the program they now coach. Both coached in the NFL. Both say they want to retire in their present job instead of climbing the coaching ladder. And, yes, both are black, the fourth and fifth black head football coaches in conference -- Pac-8 to Pac-10 to Pac-12 -- history.

Here's a quick look at the new guys.

Jon Embree, Colorado

Replaces? Dan Hawkins, who never posted a winning season in five years in Boulder.

Where was Embree last year? He was the tight ends coach for the Washington Redskins.

What's he bring to the table that's different? Embree is a hardnosed old school coach -- Hawkins was decidedly new school -- who is from the area and played for Colorado under the revered Bill McCartney. He's spent 10 of his 18 seasons in coaching at Colorado, working from 1993-2002 as a Buffs assistant under three different head coaches: Bill McCartney (1993-94), Rick Neuheisel (1995-98) and Gary Barnett (1999-2002). He has repeatedly said that Colorado is his dream job, not a stepping stone. His singular focus is restoring a program that was once a national power.

What else? Embree, 45, is the first black head football coach at Colorado and the fourth black head coach in Pac-12 history (Stanford's Dennis Green (1989-91), Stanford's Tyrone Willingham (1995-2001), UCLA's Karl Dorrell (2003-07) and Willingham at Washington (2004-08). Shaw became the fifth in January)... Embree earned a communications degree from Colorado in 1988... He was a member of McCartney's first recruiting class... In 1984, he earned first-team All-Big 8 honors and set school single-season records for receptions (51) and receiving yards (680)... He was a sixth-round selection by the Los Angeles Rams in 1987. He played two seasons with the Rams before suffering a career-ending elbow injury in 1989 while a member of the Seattle Seahawks... His original plan after the NFL was to get into TV news, but he took a job as a volunteer assistant with McCartney and was immediately bitten by the coaching bug... He is married to the former Natalyn Grubb and they have three children, a daughter and two sons. Eldest son Taylor, is a receiver at UCLA, while Connor is a receiver at UNLV.

David Shaw, Stanford

Replaces: Jim Harbaugh, who rebuilt the program into a national power before being hired away by the San Francisco 49ers.

Where was Shaw last year: He was Stanford's offensive coordinator.

What's he bring to the table that's different: Where Harbaugh was boisterous, often eccentric and sometimes prickly, Shaw is mellow, polished and accommodating. That said, he's repeatedly insisted that doesn't mean the competitive fire doesn't burn just as hot. He certainly knows Stanford. His father coached there and he's a 1984 graduate. He returned to Stanford in 2007 when Harbaugh arrived -- they were together at San Diego -- so he's seen the Cardinal renaissance firsthand. And, just like Embree, he says that Stanford is his destination job and that he's not looking to move on or up in the coaching profession.

What else? Shaw is the fifth Stanford alum to become head football coach, joining Charles Fickert (1901), Carl Clemans (1902), Chuck Taylor (1951-57) and Paul Wiggin (1980-83)... He was a member of Stanford's 1991 Aloha Bowl team coached by Dennis Green that finished 8-4. He was also on the Cardinal's 1992 Blockbuster Bowl-winning squad coached by Bill Walsh that went 10-3. He finished his Stanford career with 57 receptions for 664 yards and five touchdowns... He started his coaching career in 1995 at Western Washington. He's also coached for the Philadelphia Eagles, Oakland Raiders and Baltimore Ravens... He's coached quarterbacks, receivers and running backs in his career... Shaw's offense ranked ninth in the nation in scoring last fall (40.3 ppg) and it amassed a school-record 6,142 yards, averaging a notably balanced 213.8 on the ground and 258.7 yards through the air... His father, Willie, had two separate coaching stints at Stanford (1974-76; 1989-91) during his 33-year coaching career, which was mostly spent in the NFL... His bachelor's degree from Stanford is in sociology... He was born in San Diego. He and his wife Kori have three children, Keegan, Carter and Gavin.

It's great having a veteran quarterback, particularly a veteran quarterback who is proven.

But a veteran quarterback can have his own concerns. Here's what the returning starters at the position in the Pac-12 will be fretting about -- though they'd never own up to fretting -- during preseason camp.

Nick Foles, Arizona: Foles has a talented and deep crew of receivers but he also has five new starting offensive linemen in front of him, which not only will be an issue in pass protection but also for creating a running game that will slow down a pass rush.

Tyler Hansen, Colorado: The good news for Hansen is the job is his and he no longer has to worry about the coach's son, as he did under Dan Hawkins with Cody Hawkins. The bad news also is it's all on him, though Hansen seems like the sort who would see that as good news. A more tangible worry for Hansen is a lack of depth at receiver. Paul Richardson can ball and Toney Clemons is solid. After that, things are thin.

Darron Thomas, Oregon: Talk about a debut. Most folks thought Nate Costa was going to win the starting job over Thomas last preseason, but Thomas not only prevailed, he thrived, earning second-team All-Pac-10 honors and, oh by the way, playing in the national championship game. But now Thomas is playing behind a less-experienced offensive line and without his top-two receivers from 2010, Jeff Maehl and D.J. Davis. Further, he's the man now, the first guy his teammates will look at in the huddle, though running back LaMichael James also figures to play a significant leadership role. Thomas seems up to increasing his responsibilities, but he can't do it alone. He will need some young receivers to step up, just as he did last year.

Ryan Katz, Oregon State: Katz might have the biggest arm in the conference and he certainly had some impressive moments, most notably a tour-de-force performance at Arizona. But he sure could use the return of a healthy James Rodgers, who was a big help against the Wildcats before he suffered a terrible knee injury. But receivers are not among Katz's chief worries. His offensive line welcomes back four starters, but it underperformed in 2010, both as run- and pass-blockers. And Katz no longer has certainty at tailback, with Jacquizz Rodgers off to the NFL.

Andrew Luck, Stanford: Luck is the best quarterback in the country, but that means many will expect him to be perfect, which he can't be. For one, his dominant 2010 offensive line is replacing three starters. We don't know if the Cardinal running game will match what it did the previous two seasons. That line also protected Luck as well as any line protected its quarterback in the nation. But more pressing for Luck is a questionable crew of receivers. If speedy Chris Owusu is healthy all season, things should work out. But without him, Luck doesn't have any options who can scare a defense. No one stepped up during the spring, which makes receiver perhaps the Cardinal's most worrisome position.

Matt Barkley, USC: Barkley looks poised for a breakthrough in his third year as a starter. While Luck is super special, watching Barkley throw the ball at practice is pretty darn special, too. He's certainly an NFL talent, and he's got plenty of young talent around him at the skill positions to help him put up big numbers this season. But his offensive line was awful during spring practices. Injuries were the chief explanation, but he needs his starting five to stay healthy because there is a decided lack of depth. Offensive line is probably, in fact, USC's biggest question mark.

Jordan Wynn, Utah: First, Wynn needs to worry about himself. He's coming back from shoulder surgery, so he needs to pace himself this preseason, both in terms of not overthrowing and in terms of not seeking out any unnecessary contact. After taking care of himself, Wynn will need to develop chemistry with a receiving corps that is replacing two of its three top guys. Beyond that, Wynn will be paying attention to running back, where the Utes' top two rushers from last season need to be replaced. Utah wants to be a downhill running team, and a hard-nosed running game certainly makes things easier for a quarterback when he steps back into the pocket.

Jeff Tuel, Washington State: Tuel and his receivers are going to be fine -- more than fine if they get some help from an offensive line that struggled horribly in 2010, failing to protect Tuel or to create running lanes for an anemic running game. Tuel did an admirable job handling 51 sacks last fall. But if he gets sacked that many times again in 2011, it's hard to imagine him starting all 12 games.

The first official football gathering of the new Pac-12 -- media day -- will be held on July 26 in Los Angeles. It will feature all 12 coaches, and each team brings along a star player.

Hmm. I wonder what reporters will ask Oregon coach Chip Kelly about?

I don't wonder what his answers will be: Some form of "no comment," though the exact phrasing might include some chippy Chipperism that we've all grown to love.

But even with those no comments, there will be plenty to talk about -- with Kelly and all the other coaches.

Do you have questions you want asked? Feel free to send them along. Or comment below.

Here a list of who will be there and what we're interested in asking.

Arizona
Quarterback Nick Foles and coach Mike Stoops

Top questions: While the rebuilding of both lines is a prime issue, Wildcats fans will want an update on receiver Juron Criner's health from Mike Stoops. And they will want to know about 2010's late-season slide.

Arizona State
Quarterback Brock Osweiler and coach Dennis Erickson

Top questions: Are the Sun Devils ready to play as the favorites in the Pac-12 South? And is there any chance cornerback Omar Bolden plays this fall?

California
Receiver Marvin Jones and coach Jeff Tedford

Top questions: Is Zach Maynard the man to restore Tedford's reputation as a developer of QBs? How does Tedford feel about growing fan discontent?

Colorado
Quarterback Tyler Hansen and coach Jon Embree

Top questions: Does it feel different heading into the season as a member of the Pac-12 instead of the Big 12? What went wrong under Dan Hawkins that's going to go right under Embree?

Oregon
Tight end David Paulson and coach Chip Kelly

Top questions: Er, any comment on Willie Lyles? What about those rebuilt offensive and defensive lines? What's up with suspended cornerback Cliff Harris and linebacker Kiko Alonso?

Oregon State
Safety Lance Mitchell and coach Mike Riley

Top questions: What went wrong last year? How's James Rodgers knee doing? And about those lines...

Stanford
Quarterback Andrew Luck and coach David Shaw

Top questions: Does it feel different to be a frontrunner rather than a darkhorse? What's going to be different under Shaw compared to Jim Harbaugh? What about holes at receiver and on both lines?

UCLA
Running back Johnathan Franklin and coach Rick Neuheisel

Top questions: Is this a win or else season for Neuheisel? What's going to happen at quarterback? What's the status of O-lineman Jeff Baca (broken ankle)?

USC
Quarterback Matt Barkley and coach Lane Kiffin

Top questions: What's the approach with no postseason as a motivation? Injury update, please! What about the depth on the O-line and LB? And is Armond Armstead going to play in 2011?

Utah
Offensive tackle Tony Bergstrom and coach Kyle Whittingham

Top questions: Do the Utes think they will become an immediate contender in the Pac-12 South race? Is quarterback Jordan Wynn 100 percent and back to his old self after shoulder surgery?

Washington
Running back Chris Polk and coach Steve Sarkisian

Top questions: What's the offense going to look like post-Jake Locker? What's the pecking order at linebacker? What does the bowl victory mean about the state of the program?

Washington State
Receiver Jared Karstetter and coach Paul Wulff

Top questions: Is this a win or else season for Wulff? Will the defense improve enough to support what should be a good offense? How good can quarterback Jeff Tuel be?

It's been a year of big stories in the Pac-12, starting with expansion and continuing with Oregon falling just short of the program's first national title.

The biggest story this spring? Again, it didn't happen on the field. It happened in the boardroom: It was announced on Wednesday that the conference had signed the richest TV contract in college sports history, one that will pay the conference an average of $250 million annually over the next 12 years.

That monumental announcement came after all the spring games had been played. But what happened on the field?

" Three schools entered spring practices with intrigue at quarterback, and only one emerged with few answers: UCLA, where a battle remains among Kevin Prince, who missed spring practice with a knee injury, Richard Brehaut and true freshman Brett Hundley.

There's no such indecision at Washington, which went so far as to announce Keith Price as its No. 1 quarterback over Nick Montana. California provided no such announcement, but Zach Maynard emerged as a clear leader over Brock Mansion and Allan Bridgford.

Oregon and Stanford have no such quarterback issues, and they began spring practices as the clear leaders in the conference based on what they did last season and what they have coming back. Both figure to be ranked in the national preseason top 10, perhaps in the top five. Both will play next fall in the conference's North Division, which means at least one can't play for the Pac-12 championship.

"Everybody on the West Coast knows that you have to beat Oregon if you want to do anything out here," Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck said.

" Big questions for Oregon and Stanford: The Ducks have issues on their offensive line, the Cardinal on their defensive line.

" Luck is playing for the only new coach in the old Pac-10. David Shaw replaces Jim Harbaugh, who bolted for the San Francisco 49ers. One session of spring practices won't be enough to reveal the big-picture meaning of that transition, particularly with Shaw continuing to hold closed practices.

"There will be subtle differences," Shaw said. "But the biggest thing is the mentality is not going to change. We played with an attitude, a mentality, a certain amount of toughness and physicality. That's not going to change. Coach Harbaugh and I are different personalities. But when it comes down to it, we are ball coaches who believe in tough, hard-nosed, physical football. We believe that's what's going to win and what Stanford football should be known for."

" As for the two new teams, Colorado and Utah, the Buffaloes fired Dan Hawkins and hired Jon Embree, who led a physically demanding spring session intended to show his players that a new sheriff was in town. But the transition from the Big 12 to the Pac-12 doesn't figure to be too dramatic, other than giving fans much better road trips. Over in Salt Lake City, Utes coach Kyle Whittingham considered the transition from the non-automatic-qualifying Mountain West Conference to the Pac-12, which will be an interesting measuring stick in the fall.

"The week-in and week-out level of competition is ratcheted up," Whittingham said. "There are some excellent football teams in the Mountain West Conference -- TCU last year. Not to downplay or disrespect anything that's going on in the Mountain West, but we're convinced the weekly challenges will be much more difficult than they have been in years past for us."

" A big change at Utah? The arrival of offensive coordinator Norm Chow after he fell out of favor at UCLA. But that didn't yield much fruit for the Utes this spring, in large part because quarterback Jordan Wynn was sidelined with a shoulder injury.

" Injuries were an issue on many campuses. USC, for one, was missing 12 players from its two-deep depth chart for all or some of the spring. Still, the Trojans might have lucked out. Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon State and UCLA saw injuries to their potential starting players that will jeopardize all or at least a portion of their 2011 seasons. The Beavers, for example, don't know whether receiver James Rodgers will be able to play after a serious knee injury last fall.

" On the noninjury, off-the-field side: Oregon's potential starting middle linebacker, Kiko Alonso, who was projected to replace Casey Matthews, was suspended indefinitely after he was arrested the day after the spring game. It's his second suspension in as many seasons.

Ultimately, every team heads into the offseason with the same hopeful mindset.

Said Luck, "The mindset is still very, very hungry. The price never decreases in football."

It was clear throughout spring practices that Tyler Hansen was Colorado's best quarterback, so it comes as no surprise that the senior was named the starter Tuesday.

“Tyler did a great job all spring,” new coach Jon Embree said in a statement. “He has command of everything you need to have at quarterback and has also developed into a team leader. This was a goal of his heading into the spring and I’m happy that he was able to attain that goal.”

Hansen was the starter for most of 2009 and 2010 until he ruptured his spleen in the seventh game last fall, though his competition with Cody Hawkins, former coach Dan Hawkins' son, often made headlines.

Colorado also announced that five players will not be returning to the team this fall.

Two won't be back for medical reasons: senior offensive guard Max Tuioti-Mariner and junior receiver Will Jefferson. Both have knee problems.

Junior defensive end Forrest West and redshirt freshmen tight ends Henley Griffon and Harold Mobley will also not return. Embree did not elaborate in the news release on the details other than to say that, “They won’t be invited back to be part of the program in the fall. We will work with them to see if we can place them elsewhere.”

Embree talked about cutting players during spring practice. Consider this following through.

Hansen, named the team’s top senior following spring practices, had a passer rating of 188.9 in the three main spring scrimmages, according to the school. He completed nearly 74 percent of his passes for 531 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions.

“I’m looking forward to getting into more of a leadership role in the summer, getting even more familiar with the playbook, organizing the seven-on-seven sessions, and concentrating on our first and foremost goal to beat Hawai’i [CU’s season opener on Sept. 3 in Honolulu]," Hansen said. "I feel like I am playing smarter, I’m making better decisions, knowing when to throw the ball away instead of taking a sack, where to go with the ball based on coverages and knowing when to pull the ball down and run.”

The 6-1, 210-pound three-year letterman from Murietta, Calif., completed 112 of 164 passes for 1,102 yards, with six touchdowns and six interceptions and a 129.5 rating in 2010. Hansen’s 2,822 career yards rank 11th all-time at Colorado.

Hansen was competing with redshirt freshman Nick Hirschman, who will be the backup. Hirschman completed 22 of 43 passes for 274 yards and three scores in the three scrums, a rating of 127.7; he also did not throw an interception.

“I thought that [Hansen] grew a lot faster with the offense than I had anticipated,” quarterbacks coach Rip Scherer said. “He had a solid performance for the most part starting from day one through day 15 in spring practice, and he really gives us a chance at quarterback.

“I’m also really pleased with the depth at the position with Nick (Hirschman),” Scherer added. “He’s improved steadily throughout the spring and finished on a positive note. I expect him to keep pushing Tyler, which is exactly what we as coaches want to see.”

Defensive coordinator Greg Brown thinks Colorado is in for an "eye-opening" experience when the Buffaloes begin Pac-12 play. Or he might be playing a little possum.

Brown, who's beginning his third stint in Boulder after spending the 2010 season as Arizona's co-defensive coordinator, said this when asked about the Buffaloes move into the new conference.

"It's going to be an eye-opener," he said. "Colorado had a small taste of it playing one team: Cal-Berkeley, up there [a 52-7 California win]. Everybody saw the final score from that one. The thing that was just striking going into the Pac-10 that I had no idea of, was just how good the league is. Two things hit you between the eyes in the Pac-10 as a defensive coach. No. 1 is how innovated the offensive coaches are, how innovative those schemes are. Coming from the Big 12, I thought in the Big 12 we had all those quarterbacks that one year, with great teams across the board. So I said, 'OK, what else can the Pac-10 show you that I haven't seen in the Big 12?' Believe me: It was a lot. It was an eye-opener because the schemes and the quarterbacks. The second part would be how fast it is. There is a lot of speed in that league."

For example, Brown said this about the Wildcats 48-29 loss at Oregon, which came after both teams had a bye week.

"They did more with their bye week and came up with more innovative schemes that we had not seen," he said. "My hat is off to Chip Kelly and Mark Helfrich, their offensive coordinator. They put in things we hadn't seen. It was a hard go playing those guys up there."

This seems to be a common rhetorical path among the Colorado folks -- coaches and players -- by the way: Lots of praise for the new conference, sometimes at the expense of the old one. As linebacker Jon Major said, the Pac-12 has no "cupcakes." This may be tweaking the Big 12 on the way out or celebrating the Pac-12 on the way in. Perhaps a bit of both.

As for Brown's decision to bolt Tucson after only one season, his answer is fairly straight-forward.

This is is home. He was born in Denver and his father, Irv, a long-time Denver radio personality, is a a former baseball coach and football coach at Colorado. Being back in Boulder means his two young daughters get to see their grandparents regularly. He loves the town and knows new coach Jon Embree well.

"I knew what he would bring to the table as a head coach and I wanted to be a part of it," Brown said.

Oh, and there's no "co" at Colorado. This will be his defense. At Arizona, he not only shared the job with Tim Kish but he coached the secondary, which is coach Mike Stoops' specialty. And Stoops, you may know, is not a laid-back, hands-off head coach.

Considering Brown was the Buffaloes' secondary coach from 2006-09 under Dan Hawkins, he's fairly familiar with his talent. While he uses terms like "hungry" to describe his players, it's clear that there are some areas that concern him, starting with the departure of cornerbacks Jimmy Smith and Jalil Brown, who will be early-round NFL draft picks.

"That's going to be tough to replace," Brown said. "There is nobody on the horizon that looks like they are going to be able to step into those shoes immediately. We've got young guys who need to develop. It's going to take some time to do that."

And Brown suspects his defense is going to have to take some chances to pressure opposing quarterbacks, which often means a high-risk, high-reward scheme.

"If you don't have the automatic four guys who can rush the passer without help, then you obviously need to be creative and bring some extra guys and pick and choose your poison," he said. "Because the more guys you bring, the more you're exposed out there. And as I just stated, we've got a lot of young guys back there feeling their way."

Or to be more succinct, Brown said: "Somebody's band is going to play, either their band or our band."

Still, don't see this as Brown fretting about his players ability to compete. While he acknowledges that Oregon and Stanford have separated from the conference a bit -- at least based on 2010 and the 2011 preseason perception -- he sees 10 other teams with legitimate hopes to move up the pecking order.

Said Brown, "After the those two, the rest of the league is so balanced. Anybody can beat anybody."

BOULDER, Colo. -- The "Hawkins" questions have been popular for Colorado's players since Jon Embree was hired to replace Dan Hawkins as the Buffaloes coach. What went wrong under Hawkins? How does the new Embree administration compare to the one it replaced? Etc.

But quarterback Tyler Hansen has been getting double the Hawkins questions because his career in Boulder has been marked by two Hawkinses: The one who coached him and the one he competed against, quarterback Cody Hawkins.

Yes, Hansen admits, it was never comfortable trying to beat out the coach's son for the starting job.

"It was awkward at moments," Hansen said. "There were moments maybe when you'd do something good, and Coach Hawk wouldn't say anything but when Cody did it, he said something. Maybe there was a little nepotism there."

Hansen insists that it never became a problem between him and Cody. Said Hansen, "I think we handled it the way it was supposed to [be handled]. We were both positive with each other and we were friends on and off the field. But it was awkward at moments."

It was, however, often a problem for fans. And there were grumblings in the locker room at times. Both groups mostly favored Hansen. Still, Hansen ultimately triumphed. He took over the job in 2009 and only lost it in 2010 after seven games because of a ruptured spleen.

Hansen no longer has to worry about either Hawkins. Now he has to worry about Embree, who clearly doesn't want Hansen to feel like the starting job is his by default.

"Nick Hirschman is starting to figure some things out," Embree said. "The light is starting to go on. He still needs to be a little more decisive. I'd say the edge with Hansen right now is that Tyler just is a little more decisive with what to do and just the command in the huddle."

Hansen said he has no complaints about being challenged. The intensity of Embree's staff and the attention to detail as they install a pro-style offense, Hansen said, is making everyone better.

"They keep telling me, 'Keep competing,' whether that's with Nick or with myself," Hansen said.

You get the feeling that Hansen is of the mind that nothing could be worse than last season, and that's not entirely a slight on Dan Hawkins but on the uncomfortable situation. For one, a ruptured spleen hurts.

The woes, however, started well before his injury. The 2010 season started with the elder Hawkins decidedly on the hot seat -- the general feeling was he would have been fired after the 2009 season if not for a hefty buyout due to an ill-advised contract extension -- and those rumors floated into the locker room, which couldn't have been a positive for the team.

"I was a little unsure of what was going to happen," Hansen said. "It was a wild ride. With all those rumors flying around, it was difficult at times. Guys were a little negative sometimes."

That's changed, Hansen said, with the arrival of Embree, who has been demanding -- and often brutally honest -- while simultaneously attempting to bring the locker room together by acknowledging the program's traditions.

Hansen put up middling numbers last fall, completing 68 percent of his passes (good) while throwing six touchdowns and six interceptions (not as good). But he's flashed potential at times, and the new offense will showcase him as a passer more than a runner, which should keep him healthy.

Hansen and his teammates are aware that most project them toward the bottom of the Pac-12 South Division in 2011. Not surprisingly, Hansen and his teammates discount those projections and claim to be confident they will be immediately competitive.

"Within this program, I think there is [confidence]," he said. "Outside, I think we've got to prove ourselves to people early in the season."

The Buffaloes play a brutal schedule: 13 consecutive weeks with nonconference games with Hawaii, Colorado State, California (an already scheduled game that won't count in the conference standings) and Ohio State. But whatever happens, they won't be able to blame the results on Hawkins.

Either one of them.

BOULDER, Colo. -- If some Colorado players are struggling with new coach Jon Embree's long, taxing and physical spring practices, that's by design. Embree is a no-nonsense guy who wants to send a fairly straight-forward message.

Get good or get gone.

"What it's done is it has separated some guys from the standpoint of we now know who really does love football," Embree said Wednesday, eight practices into his return to Boulder. "For some guys, they don't want nothing to do with it. Some guys you thought you'd be able to count on, you find out that it's not in their heart. They are not tough enough. It's good to find that out now because we'll make adjustments accordingly."

For Embree, he's got some guys and some GUYS. He prefers the latter.

The Buffaloes are adopting a pro-style offense after running the spread under Dan Hawkins. They will go with a 4-3 base on defense after using a 3-3-5 -- base nickel -- last year.

Embree is honest: There are some talent voids that the coaches will try to cover up with scheme.

"We've got to attack," he said. "We can't just sit back. I'm an honest person. We are not good enough to just line up and say we're going to beat you. From a talent standpoint, we're not at that elite level yet."

Some notes on hot spots.

Quarterback: While most signs point to Tyler Hansen remaining the starter, Embree clearly doesn't want Hansen to feel too comfortable. Also, redshirt freshman Nick Hirschman has been playing better.

"Nick Hirschman is starting to figure some things out," Embree said. "The light is starting to go on. He still needs to be a little more decisive. I'd say the edge with Hansen right now is that Tyler just is a little more decisive with what to do and just the command in the huddle."

Skill guys: Embree likes running back Rodney Stewart, though he needs to improve in the passing game, and receivers Paul Richardson and Toney Clemons. But he's not thrilled with the depth. He named redshirt freshman Tony Jones when asked about Stewart's backup, but then he noted, "These freshmen coming in are going to have a great chance," he said. "If you are a high school skill guy, at running back and receiver, you will have a great opportunity to play here early."

A recruiting pitch? Absolutely. It's clear the Buffaloes need to upgrade their speed all over the field.

Tight ends and fullbacks: Embree feels pretty good about Ryan Deehan and DaVaughn Thornton at tight end, and he wishes Matt Bahr (shoulder) was able to practice. But, again, tight end is a recruiting priority (Embree, by the way, is a former starting TE for the Buffaloes, so he knows the position).

As for fullback, a position that Colorado didn't use under former Hawkins, converted linebackers Evan Harrington and Tyler Ahles are leading the way. But neither has been consistent.

Defensive line: The big story early was senior defensive tackle Conrad Obi not only asserting himself after a mediocre career but also displacing standout Will Pericak with the No. 1 defense. Embree noted that got Pericak's attention.

"Now he's starting to compete," he said. "He needed a fire lit under him."

Embree also made note of Curtis Cunningham, Kirk Poston and Josh Hartigan as impressing him. Defensive end Chidera Uzo-Diribe returned to action this week after missing early practices with a toe injury and impressed Embree: "I think he's going to be a really good player. Good power. Great first step. Explosive."

Further, Embree praised senior Tony Poremba and walk-on David Goldberg for making plays.

Linebacker: Embree is pleased with inside linebackers Jon Major and Douglas Rippy, and added that Derrick Webb was playing well before he got hurt (hip). On the outside, he's not as happy. Liloa Nobriga? "He's had a hamstring. He can't stay healthy," Embree said. Patrick Mahnke? "He's flashed a little bit," he said.

Secondary: Safety Anthony Perkins is out with a knee injury, but Embree called him "the leader" of the secondary. Ray Polk, who struggled at times last year, has made an impression. Embree also made note of Travis Sandersfeld and said Terrel Smith "has finally showed up."

Cornerback? The list is short. Embree only named Jered Bell as being consistent.

When you talk to new Colorado coach Jon Embree, two things stand out. First, as a former player and coach, his connection to the Buffaloes runs deep. Second, not unlike Colorado fans who feel a powerful affinity for the program -- those who remember the glory years under Bill McCartney -- the malaise of recent seasons eats at him on a visceral level.

Embree didn't negotiate the tricky coaching ladder just to become a head coach. He climbed it to become Colorado's head coach. As a competitor, he's always wanted to win, of course, whether he was at UCLA or the Kansas City Chiefs or the Washington Redskins. But Buffs fans should know this: Winning at Colorado is personal for Embree. Whatever he lacks in head-coaching experience, he may well make up for with a singular commitment to restoring football in Boulder.

"The plan was always to be back here," he said. "That was always the plan. This is the only job I've ever wanted."

There also may be an additional edge to Embree's drive to rebuild Colorado. Consider his résumé.

As a touted local recruit in 1983, he bought into what McCartney was selling and became an impact player as a true freshman tight end. In his final season, 1986, the Buffaloes overcame a 0-4 start to finish 6-6. Then it was off to a brief NFL career.

In 1991, he joined McCartney's staff as a volunteer assistant. In 1993, after a year as a high school assistant, he came back to Boulder with a full-time job, coaching tight ends, and he remained with the Buffaloes until 2002, sticking around to work for both Rick Neuheisel (1995-98) and Gary Barnett (1999-2002).

OK. This is boring. What's the point? Ah, glad you asked. Embree was in Boulder for 15 years as a player and coach from 1983-2002. What key years are missing? Correct: 1989 and 1990, when the Buffs won back-to-back Big Eight championships, went 22-2-1 and split the 1990 national title with Georgia Tech.

Embree signed with Colorado in 1983 because "I believed in the vision that Bill McCartney had for the program and where this place could go and how it could be special. It was really all Bill McCartney." And he experienced the highs and lows of a rebuilding program, including a 1-10 finish in 1984. But he wasn't there when Colorado reached the pinnacle, as a player or coach. Perhaps that's an itch that he'd like to scratch.

"I felt like we were always close," he said. "We were always right there. We were close. But we just couldn't get over the hump."

(Read full post)

The Pac-10 doesn't become the Pac-12 officially until July 1, but with the advent of spring practices -- Stanford gets an early jump on Feb. 21 -- the reality sets in: It's going to be different this fall.

It's not just about Utah and Colorado joining the "old" Pac-10, which has been stable since adding Arizona and Arizona State in 1978. It's about a massive transformation.

For one, there will be two divisions: North (California, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, Washington and Washington State) and South (Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, UCLA, USC and Utah). Teams will still play nine conference games, but the round-robin format adopted in 2006 is over. With 12 teams, every team can't play every other on an annual basis, which affects not only rivalries but also recruiting.

Divisions also bring a conference championship game, which will be played at the home stadium of the team with the best conference record on Dec. 3. The winner of that game, even if it's just, say, 8-5, will be crowned Pac-12 champion and go to the Rose Bowl, if it's not selected for the national title game.

Divisions change the dynamic. In Pac-10 play, every game mattered. In Pac-12 play, divisional games matter a little more.

While some Pac-10 coaches, particularly in the Northwest, weren't terribly excited about expansion and North and South divisions -- Oregon State's always-pleasant Mike Riley was on record as being slightly sour on the idea -- there's no turning back. For the lack of a better phrase, it is what it is.

"It's not really a focal point for us as we head into spring practice," Washington coach Steve Sarkisian said. "Our focus for us is on us, trying to get better."

Said Oregon coach Chip Kelly, "Whether there are eight teams in the conference or 18 teams in the conference, it has no effect on us ... I don't care how they split the divisions -- I don't get caught up in that. I don't know why anyone would .... They don't ask us our opinion on that. And it's not that I want that. I don't worry about things I don't have control over."

For Utah, coming from the Mountain West Conference -- a solid league but a non-automatic qualifying one -- the move was a no-brainer. For Colorado, leaving the Big 12 was a more complicated proposition. But new Buffaloes coach Jon Embree admits he has a West Coast bias.

"When they were forming the Big 12 [in 1994], it looked like we might go to the Pac-10 at the time, and I was really hoping that would happen for the university as opposed to the Big 12 conference," he said. "I always felt like that conference was a better fit for us."

Embree played high school football in Colorado, went to Colorado and coached there for 10 seasons under Bill McCartney (1993-94), Rick Neuheisel (1995-98) and Gary Barnett (1999-2002). He's a Colorado guy. But his parents are from Los Angeles, he was born in L.A., he spent plenty of time in Southern California growing up and he coached at UCLA. He even played for the L.A. Rams for two seasons (1987-88).

He's got plenty of West Coast in him, just as Colorado's and Utah's rosters are already laden with players from California, as well as a smattering from other Pac-10 states. The transition for both probably will be fairly easy.

And, of course, none of this has much to do with spring practices, which for all 12 programs will be business as usual: Filling voids, fostering competition, breaking in new coaches and tweaking schemes.

On the football side of things, Embree is the only new coach who arrived after a termination. His predecessor, Dan Hawkins, never posted a winning season in five years. At Stanford, Jim Harbaugh bolted for the San Francisco 49ers after leading the Cardinal to their best season of the modern era. David Shaw was promoted from offensive coordinator to replace Harbaugh.

That's it for coaching transitions, though it's fair to say that a number of coaches enter spring practices facing win-or-else seasons, particularly UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel, Washington State's Paul Wulff and Arizona State's Dennis Erickson.

Seven teams enter spring with stability at quarterback, including four with legitimate All-America candidates behind center: Stanford's Andrew Luck, Oregon's Darron Thomas, USC's Matt Barkley and Arizona's Nick Foles. Conversely, three teams appear to have wide-open competitions at the position: California, UCLA and Washington.

UCLA replaced both coordinators, which notably ended up landing Norm Chow at Utah. California and Arizona also had some significant staff turnover, with Bears coach Jeff Tedford stating he planned to work extensively with his quarterbacks this spring.

At Oregon, the Ducks begin earnest preparations to defend their consecutive conference titles needing to rebuild their offensive line and defensive front seven. Arizona, California, Stanford and USC also have questions on their offensive lines, while Oregon State must address the early departure of running back Jacquizz Rodgers and issues on its defensive line. Arizona State, with a conference-high 19 starters back, needs to square things away at quarterback and prepare for being the favorite in the Pac-12 South. Newbies Colorado and Utah have vacancies in the secondary, which should be worrisome in a conference of quarterbacks.

So it's really about football this spring, not transformation. Because you know what every coach will tell you when asked for his thoughts on heading into the first year of Pac-12 play?

"It's just line 'em up and tell me who to play," Embree said.