ESPN College Football

When discussing his most memorable games against LSU as a head coach, Ole Miss’ Houston Nutt relayed the sad reality of life as an SEC coach.

Naturally, Nutt talked about his 2-0 start against the Tigers, but he also mentioned the thoughts of the fans back then. He reminisced about the emails he received praising him for winning the close games that had always gotten away from Ole Miss.

Life was good after back-to-back wins over LSU, back-to-back nine-win seasons and back-to-back Cotton Bowl victories.

“There were also some emails that I got that said I was going to be here as long as John Vaught during that time,” Nutt said. “That shows you how quickly our game changes. Those games are in the rear-view mirror.”

And so are Nutt’s successes at Ole Miss. After a promising start, Nutt is on his way out after back-to-back disastrous seasons.

Saturday, Nutt will coach his last game inside Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium as Ole Miss’ coach, just like the Rebels’ senior class will play its last game there. Those who came in with him will leave with him, but in a very unflattering manner.

Senior running back Brandon Bolden, who said Nutt was the final factor in his decision to pick Ole Miss over Alabama, said Saturday would be very bittersweet. He’s excited for senior day, but he’s sad to part ways with his team and his coach.

He described his first two years as great, but the last two as “a blow to the stomach,” and more specifically, this year, which currently has Ole Miss 2-8 and riding a 12-game conference losing streak dating back to last year, as a “slap in the face.”

“We just had bad on bad after we had two good years when he started with the program,” Bolden said. “It’s how the ball rolls sometimes. We came out real hot and then we got real cold.”

It’s time to find some fire again, Bolden said.

After Saturday’s dreadful homecoming loss to Louisiana Tech, Bolden said Ole Miss’ locker room was mostly silent with shocked stitched on the Rebels’ faces.

But it’s time for Ole Miss to get over the misery of Saturday -- and the season -- and step up against No. 1 LSU (10-0, 6-0), a team Nutt is 2-1 against as Ole Miss’ coach.

This isn’t just an SEC game. It’s a rivalry game that Bolden said the freshmen have been asking about since the summer and means more sometimes than a winning season.

“The older guys know what this game means, the freshmen know what this game means and it’s been reiterated over and over,” Bolden said. “Everybody will be mentally ready.”

Sixth-year senior defensive end Kentrell Lockett, who went through two rough Ed Orgeron years, said players have no excuse not to be ready. Mourning is over and Lockett said true competitors relish in the opportunity to rebound after crushing losses.

“It’s football, man. If you don’t get excited to play football, then you’re playing the wrong sport,” Lockett said. “You’re supposed to be doing it because you love it and you’re supposed to be competitive about it, but that loss is supposed to take something from you because you’re a competitor.”

Lockett said keeping the Rebels’ locker room hasn’t been an issue and that the team hasn’t quit.

He’s also a realist when it comes to Nutt’s situation. He said he and his teammates “love” Nutt, but Lockett understands that wins define coaches.

“This is the world we live in. People want W’s and want you to be productive,” he said. “The first two years were great years, but you knew it had to come to an end. Those guys had to graduate, the next guys had to graduate and you have to build and get younger guys. That’s where we are now. Because he wasn’t producing enough W’s, changes had to be made.

“It was unfortunate, but that’s the way life is.”

When Lockett thinks about going out with his head coach, you can hear dejection in his otherwise cheery voice. He knows this isn’t all on Nutt, and for that, it’s tough for the senior to come to grips with the fact that better play might have kept the Nutt honeymoon going.

“It’s a tough pill to swallow,” he said. “It’s your last year and you want to go out with a bang. You want to be known for something good, not known for something bad. You want to give the fans some wins, you want to do it for the community, knowing that they’ve watched you for four or five years growing up and growing into the player you are now.”

Lane Kiffin and Ed Orgeron have been gone from Tennessee for more than a year, but try telling that to the Vols' compliance department.

On the heels of a report by AOL Fanhouse that the NCAA plans to cite the football program with a failure to monitor during Kiffin's one-year tenure at Tennessee, sources are now telling ESPN.com that the NCAA is looking into whether Ed Orgeron personally worked out a recruit on that recruit's high school campus in May 2009.

When contacted Friday, Orgeron said he'd been told that he was not allowed to comment. Orgeron is now an assistant on the Southern California staff under Kiffin, but was the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Tennessee during the 2009 season when Kiffin was the Vols' head coach.

The prospect, Brandon Willis of Byrnes (S.C.) High, became the No. 10 rated defensive lineman in the Class of 2010 (No. 110 in the ESPNU 150). Byrnes athletic director Bobby Bentley said the NCAA is investigating the charge. "I don't think it would be for me to say anything," he said.

Tennessee officials said Friday they have yet to receive the NCAA notice of allegations, but are expecting it any day. The university will have 90 days to respond upon receipt of those allegations, and athletic director Mike Hamilton has said it may be August before Tennessee appears before the NCAA Committee on Infractions.

ESPN.com's Ryan McGee ranked the nation's top five recruiting coordinators, and two from the Pac-10 made the cut, including a surprise No. 1.

McGee ranks USC's Ed Orgeron No. 5, but he doesn't only praise the recruiting legend. Writes McGee:

There was a time -- a very long time -- when Orgeron would have been the undisputed number one on this list.

But a trail of issues has followed him from one school to another. Some say that's simply the result of his aggressive personality (example: his current selling point to recruits is that USC will beat their current NCAA bowl ban and scholarship restrictions when they win their pending appeal). Others say he lives life with a "ready, shoot, aim" mentality that is a blatant disrespect of authority.

I'd say the reason Orgeron is a great recruiter is players love him and he is relentless. Those two facts often create the above impression, which is supplied by grumpy rivals who typically just saw their guy commit to Orgeron's team.

Ah, but McGee has high praise for his No. 1 guy: Oregon's Don Pellum. Writes McGee:

The first four coordinators on our list all have one very important advantage in common: they live and work right smack in the middle of football talent pipelines. Not Pellum. An Oregon grad and a former recruiting coordinator for the California Golden Bears, he long ago established footholds up and down the West Coast, helping to build up the Ducks from a longtime also-ran into a national power. Now he routinely stakes claims in far-flung locales to the east. Of the Ducks' 20 early commits, there are two apiece from Florida and Texas and three of those four are listed among the ESPN 150. "It's a long way from Florida to Eugene," says former Ducks coach Mike Bellotti, "But if anyone can sell that move it is Don Pellum. Of course, winning doesn't hurt either."

When I arrived in the Northwest in 1999, Oregon most recruited regionally and in Southern California -- just like very other Pac-10 team. To me, the transformation of the Ducks from just a "good" program to an "elite" program has coincided with their new aggressiveness recruiting nationally.

Ten years ago, going "east" for a recruit meant the Ducks hit Colorado. Just one player on the roster in 2000 -- a team that finished ranked seventh in the country -- was from the East Coast (who wasn't a JC punter): hard-hitting linebacker Wes Mallard, who hailed from Columbus, Ga., and was initially a walk-on.

And, of course, a guy named "Mallard," well, where else could he possibly play football?

This year's roster featured players from 17 states and Canada. And Oregon is extremely active in Texas now, see running back LaMichael James, quarterback Darron Thomas, receiver Josh Huff, running back Lache Seastrunk and running back Dontae Williams, to name a few.

Of course, recruiting nationally has its downside. It can lead to coming in second in a lot of recruiting battles, which is often worse than not making the effort. Wasting time and resources in recruiting can be a killer come signing day. A lot of young men from other regions also enjoy taking trips to "exotic" places but have no intention of playing far from home. More than a few East Coast prospects use USC and UCLA to get their first taste of LA, then sign with SEC schools.

Still, if you want to run with the big dogs, you've got to, er, run with the big dogs.

How much of a gamble did Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley take in hiring a guy with no previous head coaching experience?

It might be that Will Muschamp isn’t a gamble at all, but here’s a look at how those head coaches in the SEC have fared the past decade after coming into the league as a first-time head coach in the college game:

Robbie Caldwell, Vanderbilt: 2-10 (Agreed to step aside following this season at Vanderbilt. Was promoted to head coach after Bobby Johnson retired in July).

Joker Phillips, Kentucky: 6-6 (Just completed his first regular season at Kentucky. Has the Wildcats in their fifth straight bowl game).

Lane Kiffin, Tennessee:7-6 (Replaced Phillip Fulmer and coached for one season at Tennessee in 2009 before taking the Southern California head coaching job).

Dan Mullen, Mississippi State: 13-11 (Has the Bulldogs in the Gator Bowl in his second season at Mississippi State, which won eight regular-season games this year for the first time since 1999).

Ed Orgeron, Ole Miss: 10-25 (Coached three seasons at Ole Miss from 2005-07, never winning more than four games in a season. Was 3-21 in SEC play).

Sylvester Croom, Mississippi State: 31-38 (Led the Bulldogs to a Liberty Bowl victory in 2007, but was forced out following that next season, his fifth at Mississippi State, when the Bulldogs finished 4-8).

Mike Shula, Alabama: 26-24 (Was fired after four seasons. His best season was his next to last in 2005 when the Crimson Tide finished 10-2. Lost all four years to Auburn).

Ron Zook, Florida: 23-14 (Was fired during the middle of his third season in 2004 following a loss to Mississippi State. Coached the remainder of the regular season and then stepped away. Lost both bowl games he coached in and never took the Gators to the SEC championship game. Now the head coach at Illinois.

Guy Morriss, Kentucky:9-14 (Took over for Hal Mumme at Kentucky after a recruiting scandal forced Mumme to resign. Coached two seasons at Kentucky and left to take the Baylor head coaching job following the 2002 season. The Wildcats were 7-5 that year. Morriss was fired at Baylor following the 2007 season.

Mark Richt, Georgia: 96-33 (Dean of SEC head coaches at the same school. Just completed his 10^thregular season at Georgia. Has won two SEC championships, the last one in 2005, and has taken the Bulldogs to bowl games every season he’s been the coach. Richt is 14-11 in his past two seasons.

From 2002 through 2008, USC's defense ranked among the nation's elite every season (other than 2005). Even last year, when the Trojans suffered humbling defeats to Oregon and Stanford, the defense ranked among the nation's top 25, surrendering a respectable 19.85 points per game.

When Lane Kiffin was hired as the Trojans’ new coach and brought along his dad, the highly respected Monte Kiffin, and fiery defensive line coach Ed Orgeron, the general feeling was that a young but talented defense would regain its spark. In fact, Lane Kiffin repeatedly praised his defense during spring practices.

Oh, but things have not gone smoothly. Not by any measure. The defense has been a porous, poor-tackling, undisciplined bunch. It ranks 87th in the nation in total defense (402.6 yards per game) and 60th in scoring defense (24.3 ppg). The young secondary has been particularly clueless, ranking 89th in the nation in pass-efficiency defense.

The Trojans (5-2, 2-2 Pac-10) like to note that they are just three points and a few seconds from being unbeaten and ranked in the top 10. But the dirty secret of that fair assertion is that's indeed the case because the defense yielded drives for game-winning field goals in the waning moments against Washington and Stanford without much resistance.

Monte Kiffin ticks off plenty of reasonable explanations for the shortcomings: new system, new coaches, youth, injuries, etc. But he concludes with the bottom line: "We didn't play well."

"We didn't put it together and we let a couple of games get away from us that we really should've won," he said.

Ah, but there is some good news for the Trojans' defense as it gets ready for a visit from No. 2 Oregon and its ludicrous speed offense.

First, the Trojans' defense is coming off its best performance: A dominant effort in a 48-14 win over California on Oct. 16. The Bears, who trailed 42-0 at the half, finished with 245 yards and 10 first downs.

Second, they've had an extra week to prepare for the Ducks' spread-option offense, which is good because Monte Kiffin is a long-time NFL coordinator without much experience game-planning vs. that type of scheme.

And, third, they will be as healthy as they have been all year on defense. End Wes Horton will return from a back injury that knocked him out of the past three games. End Nick Perry has had extra time to rest a nagging ankle injury. And tackle-end Armond Armstead got time to rest various tweaks. Linebacker Malcolm Smith is still nursing a knee injury but he is expected to play.

But rest wasn't what the Trojans focused on during the bye week. In fact, there was extra running, live tackling -- something Kiffin has avoided due to injury worries for a team that lacks depth -- and fast-paced practices that attempted to match the pace with which Oregon plays.

"We worked harder during the bye week," cornerback Shareece Wright said. "We actually didn't take a break."

The fundamental issue is fairly simple: What the heck are the Trojans going to do against the nation's best offense? Apparently something different. Monte Kiffin has been widely hailed as one of the originators of the Tampa-2 defensive scheme, which it appears the Trojans are finally getting the hang of. But that's not the right defense to defend a spread-option, Lane Kiffin said.

"That defense really does not fit playing against Oregon at all," he said. "That defense is more about stopping the pass."

The Ducks pass pretty well, but they do rank third in the nation in rushing with 322 yards per game.

Of course, it's possible there's a bit of gamesmanship going on here, with Kiffin intimating an entirely new defensive scheme for Chip Kelly's Ducks to try to figure out. Kelly didn't seem too concerned, however, noting that it's typical for the Ducks to see new schemes.

"Usually, what we see on Saturday isn't what we saw on film, because we play a different offense than most everybody else in our league," he said. "We have to make adjustments within the game."

And the Ducks seem to do that well, see 54.3 points and 569 yards per game, with both totals ranking No. 1 in the nation.

The Trojans also have one of the nation's best offenses -- see 37 points and 494 yards per game. At home, you'd figure they'll be able to get some points.

But can they slow Oregon? The younger Kiffin, once known for bluster, was almost reverent describing the Ducks' offense.

"They are so explosive," Kiffin said. "The style they play is like something we haven't seen. Or probably anybody's ever seen."

Ten issues to consider heading into the second week of games.

1. UCLA's run defense needs to bounce back: UCLA surrendered 313 yards rushing at Kansas State, including 234 yards on 28 carries to Daniel Thomas. Thomas is a quality back, but that's pretty freaking porous. While Stanford visits the Rose Bowl on Saturday without Toby Gerhart, the Cardinal offensive line is more talented than the Kansas State crew. If the Bruins front seven doesn't buck up, Stanford will use a its new backfield-by-committee to run over them. While Andrew Luck is the star, Jim Harbaugh would be perfectly content to run it 40 times. And, of course, if the Bruins can't stop the run, their obsession with it will provide plenty of big downfield opportunities for Luck.

2. Jake Locker and the Washington offense need to play better at home: Washington scored just 17 points and got shut out in the second half at BYU. Twice in the second half, drives deep in Cougars territory ended after failed fourth-down conversion attempts. Locker's numbers weren't bad, but no player shoulders more responsibility for his team's success as he does. The fifth-year senior who spent much of the summer being touted as a Heisman Trophy candidate when pundits weren't talking about his NFL prospects. Syracuse won't be a push-over on defense -- 10 starters are back from 2009. But Washington plays better in Husky Stadium, and the guess here is Locker and his supporting cast on offense will be far sharper.

3. Does Oregon QB Darron Thomas start fast or get rattled? Thomas' first career road start will be in Tennessee's Neyland Stadium, which means there will be 105,000 or so orange-clad fans riding his case. There's no way to know how a young man will react to that. He might come out smooth and poised and lead a dominant offensive effort by distributing the ball to all of his weapons. Or he might make an early mistake or two and get rattled and down on himself. Just as Autzen Stadium gives the Ducks a big advantage, so does Neyland do the same for the Volunteers.

4. Did USC's defense just have a bad day at Hawaii? It's possible that USC just had a bad night at Hawaii, that the poor tackling and flat effort weren't indicative of the capabilities of a seemingly talented crew. It's possible that Monte Kiffin and Ed Orgeron will correct mental and physical mistakes, make a few personnel decisions, and USC will show Virginia that it's back to its stingy ways. But there's also enough available evidence now -- see terrible performances vs. Oregon and Stanford in 2009 -- to support the notion that the Trojans' defense has lost its swagger and isn't actually as talented as its recruiting rankings suggest. Virginia shouldn't be able to keep up with USC on Saturday. But if the same defense from Hawaii shows up, the Cavaliers will do just that.

5. Cal's Kevin Riley completes 60 percent of his passes: Riley owns a career 54 percent completion rate. Accuracy has long been his bugaboo. Of course, he also hasn't benefited from great receivers during his tenure. Last weekend, he completed 70 percent -- 14 of 20 -- of his throws, though it's worth noting that UC Davis is an FCS team. What was most notable, however, were the impressive performances by his receivers, particularly true freshman Keenan Allen. There was a reasonable theory in the preseason that Riley would breakthrough as a senior, because that's when the light goes on for many QBs. It will be a lot easier with a dangerous group of playmakers at receiver, guys who can go and get the ball -- even when it's not perfectly thrown -- and boost a completion percentage. Colorado is strong at cornerback, so it will offer a good test as to whether Riley and his receivers are truly in sync and ready for Pac-10 play.

6. Washington State buries Montana State from the get-go: It's fairly simple. Washington State needs to go out and whip Montana State. It needs to start quickly, establish dominance and allow its fans to feel good about the program. The Bobcats are a quality FCS team, but the Cougars should have restocked their talent enough in year three with coach Paul Wulff to take them to the woodshed. Jumping to a big lead will boost the confidence in the locker room. Struggling and playing a tight game into the fourth quarter won't. Losing? Let's not even go there.

7. Arizona's rebuilt defense posts another dominant performance: The Wildcats defense was surprisingly stout at Toledo, a team that piled up big numbers on offense in 2009. Things should be even easier on Saturday against The Citadel in front of the home crowd. Still, another game of experience is another game of experience, no matter the quality of the opponent, and smoothing out any wrinkles will be valuable leading into the Sept. 18 visit from Iowa. Arizona needs to jump on The Citadel hard and then get its starters to the bench early in the third quarter.

8. Arizona State QB Steven Threet is cool, efficient vs. Northern Arizona: Threet played well in the opener vs. Portland State, and the Sun Devils offense as a whole looks substantially more skilled than the anemic unit from 2009. Threet and his mates need to duplicate that performance in another "preseason" game vs. an FCS program. The idea is to be as confident as possible before heading to Wisconsin on Sept. 18. It also would be nice to get all the starters on the bench as soon as possible so they will be rested and healthy.

9. Andrew Luck vs. Rahim Moore: If UCLA's run defense proves stout, that means Stanford will have to throw. And that means a showdown between these two All-American talents. Luck has uncanny downfield accuracy. That's one of the big reasons NFL scouts love him. Moore led the nation with 10 interceptions a year ago, so his ball skills qualify as uncanny, too. Will Luck be able to beat Moore and the Bruins over the top? Or will Moore bait Luck into an ill-advised throw that could be a game-changer?

10. Will Tennessee be able to run against Oregon? If the Vols can't run vs. Oregon, the Ducks are going to deliver a butt-kicking. No way Matt Sims, a junior JC transfer, will be able to pass them to victory. But Tennessee rolled up 332 yards rushing in its opener -- albeit vs. Tennessee-Martin -- and its got a strong stable of running backs, topped by Tauren Poole, and a big, talented, if inexperienced, offensive line. The Ducks defense is as fast as they come, but it also is undersized. If the Vols power-running game is consistently effective, then Oregon will be in for a highly competitive test.

USC's 49-36 win at Hawaii probably wasn't terribly comforting for USC fans. The offense looked great. The defense? Spineless.

Lane Kiffin and his offense get an "A." Monte Kiffin and Ed Orgeron and their defense get an "F."

How the game was won: The Warriors couldn't stop the Trojans offense.

Turning point: It never really seemed like USC was in real danger, but the Trojans' effortless four-play, 79-yard drive to go up 42-23 late in the third quarter made it clear that no matter how many points the Warriors scored, the Trojans would end up with more.

Turning point II: When Hawaii QB Bryant Moniz was knocked out of the game near the USC goal line in the third quarter, the Warriors' chances seemed as if they were severely damaged. But the Warriors kept rolling up yards and points even with their backups.

Second-guessing: Let's make something clear: USC linebacker Michael Morgan's hit that knocked out Moniz in the third was clean. It wasn't a head shot, and that was clear from replays. It shouldn't have been a penalty. Morgan delivered a blow with his chest and INSIDE of his arms. Just want to make sure everyone understands what happened.

Stat of the game: The Warriors outgained USC 588 to 525.

In case that wasn't clear: 588!

Notable number: USC made a bunch of stupid penalties, mostly on defense. The final tally -- 11 for 100 -- included three offsides penalties, as well as a fourth that was declined, in large part because the Warriors converted on a third-and-26 from their 7-yard line.

Player of the game: Trojans quarterback Matt Barkley was brilliant. He threw five touchdown passes, completing 18 of 23 throws for 257 yards.

Player of the game II: USC receiver Ronald Johnson caught three of Barkley's TD passes. He also returned a punt 89 yards for a touchdown.

Player who deserves note: Moniz is a heck of a player. Sort of reminded me of a guy we used to see in the Pac-10 last year who's moved to Mississippi. He had the Trojans D completely out of sync, both running and throwing.

What it means: Some -- who, me? -- thought USC would come out and stomp the Warriors. You know: Send a message. The foundation of that predicted stomping -- and it feels absurd now -- was expected to be the Trojans defense, particularly the defensive line. But the defensive line was terrible. They, however, looked good compared to the secondary, which couldn't cover or tackle worth a lick. There are some positives to take away for USC, but they are entirely on offense. Other Pac-10 offensive coordinators who stayed up late to watch this one -- it ended around 3 a.m. EST -- are probably grinning.

I was freaking brilliant last year. And that's just me being modest.

I went 60-21 (74 percent) picking games last season. The Pac-10 went 2-5 in the bowl season. I went 5-2 (though that Arizona over Nebraska pick didn't exactly go my way -- any Nebraska fans want to chime in because I'm sure I haven't heard from ALL of you?).

I know what you are thinking, though: Well, let's pin a rose on your nose and stop living in the past.

So here we are. New season. Everyone has a 0-0 record. And my little episode of braggadocio here is likely to ruin my prognostication karma.

Where's my voodoo gear?

Thursday

USC 40, Hawaii 9: You know what I think? I think assistant Ed Orgeron is going to whip these guys into a pre-game froth, and I think the Trojans are going to open up a can of whup-butt on the Warriors. And Matt Barkley is going to play well enough that some commentators will start throwing around the "H" word.

Friday

Arizona 42, Toledo 28: First of all, let's just celebrate me getting the day of this game right for the first time! I suspect you'll see some defensive growing pains vs. a solid Rockets offense. But I don't think the Rockets will be able to stop Nick Foles and company.

Saturday

Oregon 50, New Mexico 10: Quarterback controversy? What about a running back controversy when Kenjon Barner goes all ludicrous speed on the Lobos with LaMichael James serving a one-game suspension?

UCLA 27, Kansas State 24: Almost flagged an upset special here: The Bruins are beaten up on the offensive line and QB Kevin Prince has seen very little action during the preseason due to a nagging back injury. But UCLA has enough playmakers on both sides of the ball to, you know, make enough plays to win.

California 55, UC Davis 11: I love picking scores. Double-nickels and legs-11! An FCS school doesn't move the needle much on the interest meter.

Stanford 44, Sacramento State 11: See how I did that? I've given Stanford fans something to grouse about. It's for their own good. Now that your team is competitive again, Cardinal adherents, you need to adopt the irrational paranoia that infects all great fan bases. As in: "I can't believe Miller picked us to only score 44 on Sacramento State while he picked Oski-U to score 55 on UC Davis. He's clearly biased towards Cal!"

Washington 33, BYU 28: This is a tough road test for the Huskies. And it should be revealing. After an offseason of hype about QB Jake Locker and the program's resurgence under Steve Sarkisian, it's time to walk the walk.

Oklahoma State 31, Washington State 24: At some point in the first quarter, the Cowboys are going to look at each other in the huddle and go, "I thought these guys were supposed to be terrible." This might fit a pattern all season for the Cougs: Competitive close calls.

Arizona State 38, Portland State 10: This one should operate as a preseason game and confidence-builder for the Sun Devils new spread offense and QB Steven Threet. It will be interesting to see how much -- and how well -- backup Brock Osweiler plays when he gets the call.

Oregon State 27, TCU 24: Cool-as-a-cucumber Ryan Katz caps a late fourth-quarter drive with a 32-yard strike to James Rodgers for the winning score. Of course, Oregon State fans, my record picking your games through the years isn't great...

Coach Lane Kiffin repeatedly praised USC's defensive line this spring, but it got thinner on Wednesday with the announcement that senior starting nose tackle Christian Tupou will miss the 2010 season with knee injury.

Tupou, who started 21 games over the past two seasons, tore a ligament in his left knee during the spring game on Saturday.

"It's unfortunate that it happened, but I'm okay," Tupou said in a statement. "I'll deal with it. It's part of the game. I'm down, but I'm not out because I can come back in 2011. Through training and rehab, I see a brighter light at the end of the road."

Tupou has yet to use his redshirt season, so if he could return in 2011 as a redshirt senior.

He had 25 tackles and four tackles for a loss in 2009 and earned honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors. A political science major, he will graduate next week and will begin graduate study in the fall.

With Tupou out, DaJohn Harris and Hebron Fangupo will compete for the starting job, defensive line coach Ed Orgeron said in a text message to ESPN.com's Bruce Feldman. Derek Simmons was listed behind Tupou on the post-spring depth chart.

Taking a look at what to watch for as teams head into spring practices, officially ringing the bell on preparations for the 2010 season.

Arizona
Spring practice starts: March 5
Spring game: April 10

What to watch:

The new coordinators: The Wildcats lost two outstanding coordinators -- Sonny Dykes on offense and Mark Stoops on defense -- and decided to replace them with four guys. Tim Kish, promoted from linebackers coach, and Greg Brown, hired away from Colorado, will run the defense, while Bill Bedenbaugh and Seth Littrell, both promoted from within, will run the offense, with an assist from new quarterbacks coach Frank Scelfo. These guys will need to develop a coaching rhythm this spring that will ensure things go smoothly in the fall.

The JC linebackers: The Wildcats must replace three starting linebackers, and JC transfers Derek Earls and Paul Vassallo weren't brought in to watch. If they step into starting spots, then guys like sophomore Jake Fischer, redshirt freshman Trevor Erno and redshirt freshman Cordarius Golston can fight over the third spot and add depth.

Foles 2.0: Quarterback Nick Foles was dynamic when he was on last year, but the shutout loss in the Holiday Bowl served as a reminder that he's not there yet. He's going to be surrounded by a lot of weapons at the skill positions, so he should be able to take another step forward this spring, even with the loss of Dykes.

Arizona State
Spring practice starts: March 30
Spring game: April 24

What to watch:

The QB battle: It's a wide-open battle between Michigan transfer Steven Threet and Brock Osweiler, though the new guy -- Threet -- is perhaps the most intriguing. Samson Szakacsy was supposed to join the battle, but his elbow problem is acting up again, coach Dennis Erickson said Thursday. The competition will be overseen by new offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone, who's been handed an offense that has sputtered the past two seasons.

O-line issues (take 3): The Sun Devils' offensive line has struggled three years running, and it won't matter who starts at QB if the unit continues to get pushed around. First off is health. Will Matt Hustad, Zach Schlink, Garth Gerhart, Mike Marcisz and Adam Tello be ready to battle the entire spring? If so, there should be good competition here, particularly with a couple of JC transfers looking to break through.

The secondary: The Sun Devils were very good against the pass last year, but three starters in the secondary need to be replaced. Both starting corners are gone -- though if Omar Bolden successfully returns from a knee injury he should step in on one side -- as well as strong safety Ryan McFoy. The good news is a number of guys saw action here last fall, so the rebuilt unit won't be completely green.

California
Spring practice starts: March 6
Spring game: N/A

What to watch:

Embattled Riley: When things go well, the quarterback often gets too much credit. When things go badly... well, you know. Senior Kevin Riley has started 22 games and has played well at times. But there's a reason he's in a quarterback competition for a third consecutive season. Will he be able to hold off a rising Beau Sweeney this spring?

Rebuilding the D: The Bears had questions on defense even before coordinator Bob Gregory unexpectedly bolted for Boise State. Five starters need to be replaced, including mainstays like end Tyson Alualu and cornerback Syd'Quan Thompson, both first-team All-Pac-10 performers. And with Gregory gone, a new, likely more aggressive scheme now must be incorporated.

RB depth: Shane Vereen is the obvious starter after the departure of Jahvid Best, but Cal has, during the Tedford years, always used two backs. So who's the No. 2? Sophomore Covaughn DeBoskie was third on the team with 211 yards rushing last year, while promising freshman Dasarte Yarnway redshirted. One or the other will look to create separation.

Oregon
Spring practice starts: March 30
Spring game: May 1

What to watch:

The D-line: The Ducks lost perennially underrated end Will Tukuafu, tackle Blake Ferras and backup Simi Toeaina up front. Considering the plan is to run an eight-deep rotation, there will be plenty of opportunities for players like ends Terrell Turner and Taylor Hart and tackles Anthony Anderson, Zac Clark, Wade Keliikipi as well as 6-foot-7 JC transfer Isaac Remington to work their way into the rotation.

The passing game: The Ducks' passing game was inconsistent last year, though by season's end receiver Jeff Maehl was playing at a high level. Refining that part of the offense with quarterback Jeremiah Masoli would make the spread-option even more dangerous. The receiving corps is looking for playmakers, which means youngsters, such as redshirt freshman Diante Jackson, might break through.

Who steps in for Ed Dickson? Oregon only loses one starter on offense, but tight end Ed Dickson is a big one. David Paulson was a capable backup last year, and mercurial Malachi Lewis may be ready to step up. Expect JC transfer Brandon Williams to work his way into the mix.

Oregon State
Spring practice starts: March 29
Spring game: May 1

What to watch:

Katz steps in: Sean Canfield is off to the NFL, so the Beavers' biggest question this spring is crowning a new starting quarterback. Most observers feel the job is Ryan Katz's to lose, and the sophomore looks good throwing the rock around. Still, being a quarterback is about more than a good arm. If he falters, Virginia transfer Peter Lalich might offer an alternative.

Better defensive pressure: The Beavers run a high-pressure defensive scheme, so when the stat sheet says they only recorded 17 sacks in 2009, which ranked ninth in the conference and was 22 fewer than in 2008, you know something is wrong. The entire defensive line is back, so the hope is a year of seasoning, particularly for ends Gabe Miller, Matt LaGrone and Kevin Frahm will mean better production this fall.

The O-line grows up: The Beavers' offensive line returns four starters from a unit that got better as the year went on. Still, it yielded 29 sacks and the run game struggled at times -- Jacquizz Rodgers often had to make yards on his own. Talented left tackle Michael Philipp, who did a solid job as a true freshman starter, should be much improved. A second year playing together with underrated senior center Alex Linnenkohl also should help.

Stanford
Spring practice starts: March 1
Spring game: April 17

What to watch:

Replacing Toby: How do you replace Toby Gerhart and his 1,871 yards and 28 touchdowns? You do not. But the hope is sophomores Tyler Gaffney and Stepfan Taylor and senior Jeremy Stewart will provide a solid answer that keeps the Cardinal's power-running game churning. It helps to have four starters back from a good offensive line.

Rebuilding the D: If you toss in linebacker Clinton Snyder and end Erik Lorig, Stanford must replace six defensive starters from a unit that ranked near the bottom of the conference in 2009. The secondary is a particular concern after giving up 23 touchdown passes and a 63 percent completion rate. The hope is good recruiting from coach Jim Harbaugh will provide better athleticism in the back-half. Another issue: There was huge coaching turnover, particularly on defense during the offseason, so new coordinator Vic Fangio & Co. will be implementing new schemes and learning about what sort of talent they have to work with.

Luck steps up: This was Gerhart's team in 2009. Now it's Luck's. He might be the most talented QB in the conference. Heck, he might become a Heisman Trophy candidate before he's done. But life won't be as easy without defenses crowding the line of scrimmage because they are fretting about Gerhart. Luck will need to step up his game -- and leadership -- to meet the challenge.

UCLA
Spring practice starts: April 1
Spring game: April 24

What to watch:

Prince becomes king? The fact that offensive coordinator Norm Chow has been such an advocate for sophomore quarterback Kevin Prince should tell you something: He's got the ability. Prince flashed some skills during an injury-plagued 2009 season, and it's important to remember he was a redshirt freshman playing with a questionable supporting cast, particularly the O-line. Prince needs to improve his decision-making, and the passing game needs to develop a big-play capability that stretches defenses.

Front seven rebuilding: UCLA not only must replace six starters on defense, it must replace six guys everyone in the Pac-10 has heard of. And five of the lost starters come from the front seven, and the guys who were listed as backups on the 2009 depth chart won't necessarily inspire confidence. In other words, the Bruins will try to take a step forward in the conference with what figures to be an extremely green defense, particularly up front.

The running game? Know what would help Prince and a young defense? A better running game. The Bruins were significantly better in 2009 than in 2008, but that merely means one of the worst rushing attacks in the nation moved up to ninth in the conference. There's a logjam of options at running back -- with a couple of dynamic runners in the incoming recruiting class -- and the offensive line welcomes back a wealth of experience. It would mean a lot if the Bruins could boost their rushing total to around 150 yards per game (from 114.6 in 2009).

USC
Spring practice starts: TBA
Spring game: TBA

What to watch:

Welcome, Lane Kiffin: The Pete Carroll era is over. Enter Lane Kiffin & Co. In terms of scheme, things will be fairly consistent, seeing that Kiffin was formerly Carroll's offensive coordinator and Monte Kiffin was Carroll's defensive mentor. But there will be a period of adjustment. The guess is the hyper-intense Ed Orgeron might provide a bit of a shock to the D-linemen.

Matt Barkley Year 2: Barkley won't have the president of his fan club -- Carroll -- around anymore. He's a true talent. Everyone knows that, even without Carroll's daily sonnets about his ability. But the numbers show he threw 14 interceptions in 12 games vs. 15 TD passes last year, so he's obviously not arrived. Kiffin runs the offense, so you can expect these two to work closely together. Barkley will have plenty of help on offense, but the talent won't be as good as it was in 2009, with six starters needing to be replaced, including his top two targets (receiver Damian Williams and tight end Anthony McCoy).

Secondary questions: All four starters from the defensive backfield are gone, including center fielder Taylor Mays. It helps that cornerback Shareece Wright, an academic casualty in 2009, will be back. He was a projected starter last fall. There's plenty of talent on hand, but last year's team proved that the Trojans don't always just plug-and-play.

Washington
Spring practice starts: March 30
Spring game: April 30

What to watch:

Unleashing Locker: The return of quarterback Jake Locker was the best news any Pac-10 team received this offseason. Locker's passing improved dramatically in just one year under coach Steve Sarkisian, so it's not unreasonable to expect him to be even better in 2010, particularly with nine starters back on offense and just about every skill player on the depth chart.

Replacing Te'o-Nesheim: Daniel Te'o-Nesheim was a four-year starter who blossomed into an All-Pac-10 performer despite almost no supporting cast. He led the Huskies with 11 sacks in 2009, which was 8.5 more than any other player. Also, opposite end Darrion Jones is gone, and the cast at the position is extremely young. Who's the next pass-rushing threat?

The Butler did it: Linebacker Donald Butler blossomed last year, earning second-team All-Pac-10 honors and leading the Huskies in tackles and tackles for loss (15.5). Toss in E.J. Savannah's failure to earn a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA, and the Huskies have some questions at linebacker. Mason Foster is a sure thing at one outside position, and Cort Dennison likely will fill a second gap, but there's an opportunity for a young player to fill void No. 3.

Washington State
Spring practice starts: March 25
Spring game: April 24

What to watch:

Tuel time: Coach Paul Wulff decided that freshman Jeff Tuel was the Cougars' quarterback of the future last year, so he opted to start him instead of going with a redshirt season. Tuel showed promise in six games, completing 59 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and five picks. Most of his supporting cast is back on offense, so the expectation is the Cougars' offense could take a significant step forward this fall.

O-line intrigue: Some of the Cougars starting on the offensive line last fall didn't look like Pac-10 players. Injuries and youth made the line a glaring area of weakness, even with veteran Kenny Alfred at center. Alfred is gone, but the expectations are that last year's youth will be saltier after taking their knocks. Plus, a couple of juco additions should be in the mix for starting jobs.

Growing up: There is hope in that 19 starters are back from a team that played a lot of underclassmen in 2009. That youth should mature in 2010. And solid recruiting classes the past two seasons should offer an infusion of young promise.

In his first meeting with reporters as USC's head football coach, Lane Kiffin embraced the idea of providing a strong connection to the Trojans dynastic Pete Carroll Era, but he probably should have torn a page from Carroll's news conference playbook.

The filibuster.

When Carroll met with reporters this week to explain his decision to bail on the Trojans and head north for the Seattle Seahawks, he rambled for the first 20 minutes of a 30-minute news conference in order to limit his exposure to tough questions.

Kiffin didn't do that. And he got grilled by pointed inquiries about his coaching résumé, USC's potential NCAA issues, his abrupt departure from Tennessee and about whether his assistant, Ed Orgeron, tried to lure previously committed Vols recruits to USC.

There will be a diversity of opinion about how he competed with the big-city reportorial crew. In the interest of giving the new guy a break, let's call it a draw. That's a win for USC, because after Kiffin bailed on Tennessee after just one season, the consensus reaction outside of Heritage Hall was he was an amoral opportunist whose rise through the coaching ranks before he even turned 35 is almost inexplicable.

Yet Kiffin made a reasonable point about the national hullabaloo as well as the emotional explosion of Tennessee students, who took a break from studying and hit the streets Tuesday night to burn mattresses and chant obscenities, eventually requiring a police presence to keep them from rioting because they'd learned Kiffin was pursuing what he called his "dream job."

"If they weren't upset that we were leaving, then we weren't doing anything right," he said.

What folks who regularly attend games in the biggest stadium in the SEC hate to hear is the fundamental reason Kiffin headed West.

"This is the No. 1 job in America," he said.

First order of business for USC fans: What about Norm Chow?

Kiffin left that open because talks are ongoing with Chow, who is presently -- oh, boy! -- UCLA's offensive coordinator.

"We won't get into any names out of respect for other colleges," Kiffin said.

Wait. Forget Chow for a moment. What's up with talk of respect? Didn't Kiffin trash talk other SEC programs from his first day as Tennessee's coach?

"We have great respect for every coach and every team in this conference," he said about his return to the Pac-10.

Come again? Why not stir things up like he did at Tennessee?

He explained, "We don't need to go out and create energy about our program. We don't need to grab attention."

Hmm. Let's see how long his new-found diplomacy lasts.

As for Chow, Kiffin said he doesn't have hard feelings about how things went down after the 2004 season, when Chow left in a huff for the Tennessee Titans, feeling he was being marginalized by Carroll, Kiffin and fellow offensive assistant Steve Sarkisian, now the head coach at Washington.

"I think the world of Norm," Kiffin said. "I don't have any issues with him."

He might have one. When asked if he planned to call plays for the offense, he said, "That would be my guess because that is what I've always done.'

Hard to believe that won't be an issue for Chow, as it was when Carroll asked him to surrender play-calling duties to Sarkisian and Kiffin.

Beyond Chow, Kiffin anticipated the next line of question: His rogue reputation and USC's present issues with the NCAA.

"The No. 1 thing we're going to do is have a dedication to running a clean and disciplined program," he said in his introductory comments.

When asked about potential NCAA sanctions for USC due to the Reggie Bush investigation, he said, "I feel very confident that it will not effect the recruiting and will get resolved."

He was repeatedly asked about allegations Orgeron immediately called Tennessee recruits to try to convince them to go to USC. Kiffin repeatedly denied any wrong-doing, though it was impossible to understand the substance of what degenerated into a few minutes of "did-not, did-to" during the news conference.

He did provide his policy for trying to lure Tennessee recruits to USC: "I will not be calling them unless they call us," he said.

Kiffin was more excited to talk about recruiting in general. He and Orgeron are generally regarded as two of the nation's best recruiters.

It's clear that Kiffin believes USC should continue to recruit nationally.

"We will be able to go anywhere in the country to get the best players and bring them here," he said.

Kiffin called USC "a perfect fit." He called it "home."

While USC is his third head coaching job in 17 months, he said he doesn't expect to be uprooting again anytime soon.

"I'm at the best place in America -- there's nowhere for me to go," he said.

Boy, who have thought hiring a football coach could inspire such... feeling?

USC fans mourn Pete Carroll's departure with a candlelight vigil. Tennessee fans mourn the loss of Lane Kiffin with a, er, near-riot.

It makes sense that Tennessee fans feel jilted. But the reaction most everywhere else, including LA, also is mostly negative.

The pessimists think all those people who are saying bad things about Kiffin are way too generous.

The optimists can't understand this. They think Kiffin is a great hire.

In the interest of making everyone happy -- or, in the case of the pessimists, justified -- the Pac-10 blog will present talking points for each position.

The Kiffin Pessimist

• Kiffin is bailing on Tennessee after only one season. He showed zero loyalty to the school that entrusted him, at just 33, with its cherished football program.
• Kiffin was fired from his previous head coaching job, the Oakland Raiders, before the end of his second season. His record? 5-15. Said owner Al Davis, "I think he conned me like he conned all you people."
• USC is entrusting its tradition-rich program to a coach whose career record is 12-21.
• He's an immature, attention-seeking loudmouth. He popped off at Urban Meyer, Nick Saban and Steve Spurrier. His mouth earned a reprimand from the SEC.
• In just one season, he committed at least six secondary NCAA violations.
• Tennessee faces at least two more violations as the NCAA continues an ongoing inquiry into other infractions, including the possible misuse of recruiting hostesses and impermissible visits.
• That's the NCAA baggage he brings to USC, a school facing its own NCAA inquiry. That hammering you hear outside? That's the NCAA building a gallows.
• Three Vols freshmen were involved in a robbery on November 12. Two were later kicked off the team.
• That's the sort of discipline he inspires.
• Kiffin is trying to hire Norm Chow as his offensive coordinator. Recall that Kiffin was part of the palace coup that convinced a suddenly marginalized Chow to bolt USC for the Tennessee Titans. Sure they'll be swell together.
• With Chow gone, Kiffin was USC's offensive coordinator when UCLA beat the Trojans 13-9 in 2006, costing them a berth in the BCS national title game.
• Kiffin lost 19-15 at home this season to UCLA, which went 3-6 in Pac-10 play.

The Kiffin Optimist

• One word: Recruiting.
• Make that two words and a sentence: Recruiting, recruiting. Kiffin and recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron will be the nation's best recruiting tandem, and nothing in college football is more important than great recruiting.
• Xs and Os? The defense goes to Monte Kiffin, one of the great coaching legends on that side of the ball. The offense -- hopefully! -- goes to Norm Chow, one of the great coaching legends on that side of the ball.
• So, great recruiting plus great schemes: We could stop there.
• Lack of loyalty? Wait, phone's ringing. Hello. You want to offer Mr. Pessimist his dream job? Sorry. He's not going to take it. He's loyal.
• Maybe the reason Kiffin has been hired for his third head coaching job in 17 months -- before he turned 35 -- is because everybody knows he's got loads of talent? It's not like the Raiders, Volunteers and Trojans hired him because they felt sorry for him.
• The loudmouth stuff? Overblown. But he's been told to tone it down. He will.
• The secondary NCAA violations? Randomly audit 10 other elite BCS programs. How do they compare to Kiffin? No, we don't know why those other schools didn't get as much publicity for their peccadillos.
• Look, fans and media who don't understand the nature of NCAA violations and sanctions can prattle on about how horribly the Trojans will get hammered, but, please, just make sure they're around when the actual penalties are handed out. We want photos of the chagrined expressions.
• When you oversee 85 young men, ages 18 to 23, the odds of going a year without any of them getting into trouble aren't great. That's just the way things go.
• Chow's a pro. He and Kiffin, if reunited, will work fine together.
• Kiffin took over a Vols team that went 5-7 in 2008 and lost to Florida by 24, Georgia by 12 and Alabama by 20. He went 7-6, beat Georgia 45-19 and lost to Florida and Alabama by a combined 12 points. Where did the Gators and Tide finish in the final polls?
• Anyone recall the uproar when USC hired Carroll? Who thought that was an inspired decision in 2000?
• When the pessimists unanimously back a position, always bet against them (Carroll taught us that).

There appear to be two initial reactions to the Lane Kiffin hire at USC.

First, fans and media -- particularly around Tennessee -- are outraged. And the media reaction in LA isn't exactly a warm hug.

But one place where Kiffin landing at USC is seemingly being met with great cheer is recruiting. At least on the Trojans' end of things.

Tennessee? Not so much.

You can follow along here -- count on numerous updates over the coming days as national signing day nears.

The early returns are the Vols are getting a number of decommits from their class, which was ranked sixth in the nation before Kiffin bolted, while USC's class is getting good news, starting with a reaffirmation from elite receiver Kyle Prater, who told ESPN's Greg Biggins that he will enroll at USC next week and be available to participate in spring practices.

What about QB Jesse Scroggins?

"[I'm] Overjoyed. Excited," Scroggins told ESPN affiliate Web site WeAreSC.com. "Lane recruited me at Tennessee as his No. 1 quarterback. I went on an unofficial visit to Tennessee in April. At that time he told me he was going to run an offensive system similar to USC and that I was perfect for the system."

The big question: Will some of these marquee Tennessee guys follow Kiffin to USC?

And what about big-ticket recruits like DE Ronald Powell (a Florida commit over USC), DE Jackson Jeffcoat (uncommitted), OT Brice Schwab (a USC decommit after Pete Carroll's departure to Seattle) and OT Seantrel Henderson (uncommitted)?

Here's the shocker: With Kiffin and recruiting star Ed Orgeron back in Heritage Hall, the Trojans' class might actually moves up in the national rankings -- it's presently 11th -- after Carroll's departure.

Who saw that coming?

How crazy did it get Tuesday night on Rocky Top, which clearly has been rocked?

Consider this scene: While Lane Kiffin attempted to tell the Tennessee players that he was no longer going to be their coach in a meeting that nearly got out of hand, Kiffin's recruiting coordinator, Ed Orgeron, was calling some of those same players -- mid-term freshmen who'd yet to enroll -- and trying to convince them not to enroll and instead follow Kiffin and Orgeron to Southern California.

Rising sophomore defensive lineman Marlon Walls said he overheard Orgeron making his USC pitch to some of the incoming Tennessee freshmen while many of them still weren't completely sure what was going on.

Afterward, Orgeron's Tennessee-issued cell phone was turned off.

"We told them [the freshmen] in the meeting that it's their option," Walls told Volquest.com. "If they want to go, go. But we're a family here. You don't sign with no school for no coach. And just like they left us, they'll leave you all too. ... And we heard Coach O in the background calling enrollees and telling them that they got an offer to USC. He couldn't even address us. He couldn't even call us first.

"Freshmen put [Orgeron] on speakerphone. I called him five times, and he wouldn't pick up. But he's calling them. They put him on speakerphone and said all of them got offers to USC."

Walls called Kiffin a "fake guy" and added: "We bought into his system and we bought into what he was telling us to do, and for him to leave us like that, it just shows you what kind of man he is, shows you his character. We're still going to be Tennessee."

Kiffin finally left the football complex just before midnight and did so with a police escort.

Lane Kiffin's base salary at Tennessee was $2 million. Pete Carroll made $4.4 million his final season at USC.

While figures haven't been released by USC, Kiffin surely will get a raise for ditching the Volunteers after only one season. For one, LA is a lot more expensive in terms of cost of living than Knoxville.

But even if Kiffin's salary comes in well below Carroll's -- as it should -- it's likely USC will pay a lot more for its coaching staff in 2010.

Kiffin's staff at Tennessee was the nation's highest paid: $3.325 million for all nine assistants, according to USA Today.

That includes $1.2 million for Kiffin's father and defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, and $650,000 for defensive line coach/recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron, both of whom are following Kiffin to USC.

Those salaries ranked No. 1 and No. 3 among the nation's assistant coaches.

Will they, too, get raises?

Then there's Norm Chow, who is expected to join Kiffin's staff. Chow's contract with UCLA calls for him to make $640,000 this year. To jump ship to USC, it's likely he also will get a raise.

In other words, USC likely will end up paying more to its football staff in 2010 than it did in 2009.

Perhaps much more.

The good news is Kiffin's buyout is only $800,000.