ESPN College Football

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Harrison Smith could do nothing but watch from the sideline four years ago. The frustration that mounted with every play and every loss on seemingly every Saturday had to be put in reserve until he took the practice field the following Monday.

But Smith doesn't want to relive the year he didn't play, his freshman year -- the last time, and only the second time, Notre Dame started a season 0-3.

"All I'm looking at is Michigan State," Smith, now a fifth-year captain, said. "I'm not worried about what happened a couple of years ago, a week ago, yesterday. Focus on right now. Focus on Michigan State and that's where the team's at. That's all we can control, so we're putting everything into preparing for Michigan State."

Smith is one of just six current scholarship players who lived through the Fighting Irish's 2007 season, a campaign that got off to an 0-5 start and ended with a 3-9 record.

But through two weeks and two losses this season, the similarities between the 2007 team and this one ends with the win column and a few familiar faces.

And, in the case of the only other Irish squad to start 0-3, the 2001 group, the parallels are even thinner.

No, Notre Dame certainly didn't envision itself still searching for win No. 1 as it welcomes the defending co-Big Ten champions into town Saturday, not in a season that began with a No. 16 ranking and BCS bowl aspirations.

But the Irish have done enough through two games to suggest that better days are on the horizon.

In two losses this season by a total of seven points, Notre Dame has 1,021 total yards of offense, something it hasn't done through two games since 1974. That season, Ara Parseghian's last as head coach, began with two wins by a combined score of 80-10. More importantly, it ended with a No. 6 ranking after an Orange Bowl win over Alabama made Notre Dame 10-2.

Quite a far cry from 2007, when the Irish were outscored 64-13 through two games. Or even 2001, Bob Davie's fifth and final season as head coach, when Notre Dame was outscored 44-20 and finished the season 5-6.

Which would explain Smith's reaction when asked if any memories from 2007 have popped up this week.

"No, I play DB, so we have a short memory," the safety said flatly, "so I don't remember anything."

The edgy demeanor pleased head coach Brian Kelly, whose message this week was sent by running a live practice Wednesday, the first time he's done so during a game week in his two seasons on the job.

"I think everybody's probably a little bit, I don't know -- I don't want to say annoyed -- but nobody's happy, and I'm OK with that," Kelly said. "Nobody should be in a great mood. We've got work to do, and I think those guys probably reflect the feelings of the entire team."

Kelly has been in this situation before, just never under the spotlight that comes with coaching the third-winningest program in college football history. He has suffered through five 0-2 starts in his previous 20 years as a head coach, even going 0-3 in 1999 and in 2000 at Div. II Grand Valley State. But Kelly finished only one of those five seasons with a losing record, going 4-7 in his first year at Central Michigan in 2004.

Naturally, Kelly has refused to call Saturday's contest against the No. 15 Spartans the most important game of his two-year tenure with the Irish.

And he won't look ahead to what's still left for Notre Dame to accomplish over 10 more games.

"I don't think you can look at it anymore about what's at the end of the season other than playing better right now," Kelly said. "We have to be focused right now on Saturdays, because we haven't played well. We can't think about what's in the future; we have to focus on making money right now. And that means winning for our guys. So it hasn't been hard for me to keep our guys focused because they're 0-2. They're focused on one at a time.

"Hey, if we string together seven or eight in a row, then we can start thinking about hey, what's it look like at the end of the season. But it's too early."

For now, a loss Saturday would be nothing more than just that.

"0-3," guard Trevor Robinson said, "would mean the fourth game is that much more important."

Is it the "Stanford Andrew Lucks"? Or is it more accurate to call the nation's No. 7 team the "Andrew Lucks of Palo Alto"? Or perhaps just "Andrew Luck!!!!"

Everyone knows who Andrew Luck is: the 2010 Heisman Trophy runner-up who would have been the No. 1 overall pick in this past spring's NFL draft if he hadn't decided to return to Stanford, where he ended up on the cover of every college football preview magazine.

Luck is widely hailed as the best quarterback prospect in years. Decades, perhaps. And he casts a big, obscuring shadow. That shadow has inspired some ignorance of the Cardinal's across-the-board talent, not to mention some raised eyebrows over whether Stanford is really that good.

Just 11 returning starters, some note. No more Jim Harbaugh, others fret. No consistent tradition of winning, some calculate.

Stanford, it seems, is widely viewed as Andrew Luck and a bunch of nerdy stiffs. It has become a popular team for some to call overrated or questionable, although folks who make such charges typically reside east of the Mississippi.

We're here, as usual, to help. Overrated? That's Georgia, a team that welcomes back just 12 starters from a 6-7 team that lost at Colorado last season yet is somehow ranked 19th in the AP poll.

Stanford actually might be underrated.

Just 11 starters? Fine. But eight of them are first-rate NFL prospects. Three were first-team All-Pac-10 and two were second-team in 2010. Five others earned honorable mention.

Heck, six of them started for the Cardinal team that nearly beat Oklahoma in the 2009 Sun Bowl. That doesn't include Luck, by the way, because he was out with a broken finger.

"No one worries about Andrew getting all the attention," said linebacker Shayne Skov, last seen rolling up 12 tackles and three sacks in a dominant victory against Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl. "He's earned all of it."

True, but Stanford's supporting cast merits more than a passing notice. Or, even worse, ignorance. So we asked new coach David Shaw -- Stanford's offensive coordinator under Harbaugh -- to help with some colorful commentary.

Let's start at tight end, where the ridiculousness of riches is mind-boggling.

Coby Fleener was second-team All-Pac-10, and Mel Kiper rates him the fourth-best senior tight end in the nation. And he might be the Cardinal's third-best tight end. Levine Toilolo beat Fleener out for the starting job last fall before blowing out his knee. He's freaking huge: 6-foot-8, 260 pounds.

"He has uncanny hand-eye coordination," Shaw said. "He can make awkward-body catches. We're looking for him to be a big threat in the red zone. At the same time, he is a dominating, physical blocker."

Then there's 6-foot-6 Zach Ertz. Said Shaw, "He has a little bit of everything. He's a great -- not a good, a great -- route runner at 245 pounds who can get down the field. But he also has taken to blocking as well. He's one of those guys who sticks his face in there. We can do a little bit of everything with him as a blocker and receiver."

Oh, and that Fleener guy, who caught six passes for 173 yards and three touchdowns in the shellacking of Virginia Tech? Shaw: "It's hard to find a guy who is 6-foot-5, 250 pounds who outruns defensive backs. It almost doesn't make sense how fast he is."

This depth at tight end is one reason replacing the two leading receivers from last season isn't a huge concern. Another reason: Chris Owusu.

Owusu isn't included among the 11 returning starters because he was hurt much of last season. But that didn't stop Kiper from rating him the No. 5 senior receiver. When healthy, Owusu is an explosive player -- see 18.4 yards per catch in 2009 with five touchdowns.

Shaw: "When Chris is healthy, I think he's one of the most explosive athletes in the nation."

Next there's the offensive line. Just two starters are back, but they are the best two starters any offensive line in the nation welcomes back. Both tackle Jonathan Martin and guard David DeCastro are likely first-round NFL draft picks.

Shaw on Martin: "He's over 300 pounds but doesn't look like it. He's athletic, he's strong, he's a leader and he doesn't make mistakes. He doesn't get beat. He's going to be as good as anybody in the nation."

And DeCastro: "He is athletic, he is strong, he is physical and he is nasty."

Skov on the 315-pound DeCastro: "He's just a force."

Last but not least on offense, there's running back Stepfan Taylor, who very quietly rushed for 1,137 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, averaging 5.1 yards per carry.

Shaw: "We talk about him as that old Cadillac. He's not the flashiest thing on the block but, dog-gone-it, you look up at it at the end of the day and it had a heck of a day. He is steady; he does everything right. He has uncanny balance and quickness."

By the way, Taylor's backup, 220-pound true sophomore Anthony Wilkerson, is a beast.

What about defense?

Let's start with Skov. Said Shaw, "Shayne is a nasty football player. He is fast, he is explosive, he has great anticipation. He's fun to watch."

Skov volunteered outside linebacker Chase Thomas as the most underrated player on the Cardinal defense. He has 14.5 sacks over the past two seasons. Said Shaw: "He's hard to block. He's slippery. He's quick. He's got a lot of different moves. He's great with his hands. He finds his way to the ball. He finds his way to the quarterback. And he plays the entire game in a bad mood."

At safety, there's Delano Howell. While all four members of the secondary have starting experience, Howell leads the way with 23 starts. Shaw: "He's our enforcer. Whenever we need a big hit, he's the guy who makes it. He's one of those guys we try to slow down a bit in practice just because he only plays one way and we can't play a game just with the people left over."

Skov also said free safety Michael Thomas was underrated. He and end Matt Masifilo both earned honorable mention All-Pac-10 in 2010.

Further, Stanford recruited well under Harbaugh and Shaw. It has signed three consecutive top-25 classes. The Cardinal are almost certain to produce stars this season we don't even know about right now. (Here's a guess: LB James Vaughters and CB Wayne Lyons.)

So there you have it. Stanford, my friends, is not a one-star constellation.

But that Luck kid is pretty darn good.

"Yes, he is," Shaw said.

The question: What is the biggest impact game in the Pac-12 North?

The answer is obvious: Oregon at Stanford on Nov. 12.



In 2010, Stanford's visit to Oregon was the Pac-10 game of the year. The then-fourth-ranked Ducks fell behind the No. 9 Cardinal 21-3 in the first quarter, but erupted offensively and rolled to a 52-31 victory.

It would become the undefeated Ducks' marquee victory on their way to the national title game because it ended up as the only blemish on Stanford's ledger. The Cardinal would go on to dominate Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl, while the Ducks were nipped by Auburn on a last-second field goal for the national title.

Further, the game featured a pair of eventual Heisman Trophy finalists: Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck and Oregon running back LaMichael James.

So as the offseason churns toward the 2011 campaign, it's impossible not to see the rematch in Palo Alto as not only the impact game of the year in the first iteration of the Pac-12 North Division, but also the game of the year in the entire conference. And it might even become the game of the year nationally.

Both teams are almost certainly preseason top-10 teams. Both, in fact, could become national title contenders. The Ducks, in particular, could be riding high if they open with a victory against LSU. At the very least, the winner will be well-positioned to win the division.

Further, both Luck and James are back. They will be consensus preseason All-Americans and leaders on just about any short list of Heisman Trophy candidates. Luck would have been the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft if he had not decided to return to the Farm.

So the game has it all in terms of impact: Stars on a big stage playing for big stakes.

On Friday, the Pac-10 becomes the Pac-12, and life as we all have known it ends.

But before we move on as a 12-team league, let's look back at the best of a 10-team league.

On Wednesday, we looked at the best players. Thursday, it's the best teams.

We've listed 12 teams because that's the new magic number (Arizona fans, see if you can guess who came in 13th).

Again, no team before 1978 -- when Arizona and Arizona State joined the Pac-8 -- was considered.

1. 1991 Washington: The Huskies finished 12-0 and split the national title with Miami.

Best player: Defensive tackle Steve Emtman won the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award.

Point differential: Washington outscored its foes 495-115.

Best win: Whipped Michigan 34-14 in Rose Bowl. Wolverines finished ranked sixth.

Comment: Four wins over teams that finished ranked in the final top 25, including road victories at No. 15 Nebraska and at No. 8 California. Featured one of the great defenses in college football history, yielding just 9.2 points and 67.1 rushing yards per game. Eight Huskies earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors.

2. 2004 USC: While the NCAA and BCS have nixed it in their own ways, the Trojans finished 13-0 and won the national title on the field.

Best player: Quarterback Matt Leinart won the Heisman Trophy.

Point differential: USC outscored its foes 496-169.

Best win: Crushed Oklahoma 55-19 in the national title game.

Comment: Basically a push for dominance with 1991 Washington. Beat four teams that finished ranked in the top 25, including the bludgeoning of Oklahoma. Eight Trojans earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors.

3. 2003 USC: The Trojans finished 12-1 and split the national title with LSU. Their only loss came in triple overtime at California.

Best player: Receiver Mike Williams was a consensus All-American.

Point differential: 534-239.

Best win: The completely dominant 23-0 victory at then-No. 6 Auburn in the opener set the tone for the season -- and caused many Pac-10 fans to question how good these highly rated SEC teams really are.

Comment: The Trojans finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in both polls but lost out playing in the BCS title game because of the computer polls. LSU fans have been thanking the computers for that glitch ever since.

4. 2005 USC: A 34-game winning streak came to an end with a nail-biting loss to Texas in the national title game. The Trojans finished 12-1.

Best player: Reggie Bush won the Heisman Trophy.

Point differential: 638-297.

Best win: The 34-31 win at Notre Dame -- the "Bush Push" game -- was one of the all-time greats.

Comment: Perhaps the best collection of offensive players in the history of college football: Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, Dwayne Jarrett, Ryan Kalil, Sam Baker and Taitusi Lutui earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors. And don't forget LenDale White, Winston Justice, Steve Smith and Dominique Byrd.

5. 1978 USC: Finished 12-1 and split national title with Alabama. Lost to Arizona State, 20-7.

Best player: Charles White was a unanimous All-American.

Point differential: 318-153

Best win: A 24-14 win over the team that "claimed" the other half of the national title.

Comment: Split national title -- coaches liked the Trojans; AP the Crimson Tide -- despite a decisive 24-14 USC at Alabama. So much for head to head.

6. 1979 USC: Finished 11-0-1 and No. 2 behind Alabama. Tied Stanford 21-21.

Best player: Charles White won the Heisman Trophy.

Point differential: 389-171

Best win: The 17-16 win over Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, in which White ran for a record 247 yards, including the game-winning touchdown with just more than a minute remaining.

Comment: Team featured four future College Football Hall of Famers in White, Marcus Allen, Ronnie Lot and Brad Budde. By the way, THAT undefeated, untied Alabama team was really, really good: Outscored foes 383-67. So no sour grapes on that one.

7. 2001 Oregon: The Ducks finished 11-1 and ranked No. 2 in both polls. The only loss was 49-42 versus Stanford (a really, really weird game, if you recall).

Best player: Quarterback Joey Harrington finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Point differential: 412-256.

Best win: A 38-16 win over Colorado in the Fiesta Bowl.

Comment: The Fiesta Bowl victory caused plenty of folks to bemoan the Nebraska-Miami matchup in the BCS title game, considering Colorado had blown out Nebraska the final weekend of the regular season. As for the Stanford loss, the typically straightforward AP noted the game had "everything but aliens landing on the Autzen Stadium turf."

8. 1984 Washington: Finished 11-1 and ranked No. 2 behind BYU. Lost to USC ,16-7.

Best player: Defensive tackle Ron Holmes was a consensus All-American.

Point differential: 352-145

Best win: Shocked Oklahoma 28-17 in the Orange Bowl. Sooners finished ranked sixth.

Comment: A controversial season. Before the Orange Bowl, Sooners coach Barry Switzer lobbied hard for the winner to be declared the national champion. As it was, BYU won the national title after beating a bad Michigan team in the Holiday Bowl. Does anyone believe BYU was better than the Huskies? No.

9. 2010 Oregon: The Ducks finished 12-1 and No. 3 in both polls, losing the national title game to Auburn.

Best player: Running back LaMichael James finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Point differential: 611-243

Best win: The Ducks handed Stanford its only loss, 52-31, after trailing 21-3 early. Cardinal finished ranked No. 4.

Comment: An innovative, exciting team to watch, one that played faster than perhaps any big-time college team in history.

10. 1996 Arizona State: Finished 11-1 and ranked No. 4 in both polls. Lost Rose Bowl -- and potential national championship -- to Ohio State, 20-17.

Best player: Quarterback Jake Plummer finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Point differential: 488-216

Best win: The Sun Devils trounced top-ranked, two-time defending national champion Nebraska, 19-0.

Comment: The Sun Devils lost one of the most dramatic Rose Bowls, when the swashbuckling Plummer was out-swashbuckled by Joe Germaine, who was raised in Arizona as an ASU fan.

11. 2000 Washington: The Huskies finished 11-1 and ranked No. 3, their only loss coming at No. 7 Oregon. They beat Purdue 34-24 in the Rose Bowl.

Best player: Marques Tuiasosopo finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Point differential: 387-270

Best win: Beat Miami, 34-29. Hurricanes finished ranked No. 2.

Comment: This is not the most talented team on the list. In fact, some have rated the 2000 Oregon State team -- see below -- ahead of the Huskies. And based on NFL results, the Beavers were more talented than the Huskies. But head to head matters, and the win over Miami is better than anything Oregon State did.

12. 2000 Oregon State: The Beavers finished 11-1 and ranked No. 4, their only loss a 33-30 decision at Washington, which finished ranked No. 3.

Best player: Running back Ken Simonton was first-team All-Pac-10.

Best win: Beat Oregon 23-13 in Civil War. Oregon finished ranked seventh in the coaches poll.

Comment: One or two more plays at Washington, and the Beavers would have played for the national title. And they, by the way, were more talented than the Oklahoma team that did win the title. Notable Beavers: Ken Simonton, Chad Ochocinco (the Chad Johnson), T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Chris Gibson, DeLawrence Grant, LaDairis Jackson, Dennis Weathersby and Eric Manning. They spanked Notre Dame 41-9 in the Fiesta Bowl.

Nice graphic here from The Stanford Daily, which shows how BCS bowl teams made out financially.

Stanford says it broke even -- though the private school refuses to release official financial data -- in the Orange Bowl, while Oregon took a $312,437 loss from its appearance in the BCS national title game.

Auburn won the national championship by beating the Ducks, but it also lost nearly twice as much ($614,106).

Of course, no team got fleeced worse than Connecticut, which got smacked with a $1,757,998 deficit, in large part due to unsold tickets.

Ohio State was the big winner, pocketing $288,876 after expenses.

STANFORD, Calif. -- There is no one in the world who would disagree with this statement: "New Stanford coach David Shaw is very different from former Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh." Where Harbaugh was boisterous, eccentric and often moody, Shaw is measured, polished and mellow.

Whatever his personality, Harbaugh proved he's a heck of a college football coach by rebuilding Stanford into a national power, one that finished 12-1 in 2010 with a final No. 4 ranking. The question for Stanford fans is whether Shaw can sustain that success.

Shaw has repeatedly said he's going to be his own man and not try to reinvent himself as the second-coming of Harbaugh. That said, it's clear that Harbaugh's tenure, which Shaw was a key part of as offensive coordinator, created a culture that worked on the Farm, one that both took advantage of the school's high academic standards -- read: smart players -- while also going against type -- read: a bullying, in-your-face style.

"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."

It's clear that this has been Shaw's message this spring. The man out front has changed, and that means some things will be different, but foundational values have not. The motto first articulated last season by center Chase Beeler -- 'We're going to win with character but we're also going to win with cruelty" -- remains in place.

And just because Shaw is a smooth operator unlikely to head-butt players wearing helmets -- as Harbaugh did -- doesn't mean there's no killa' inside.

"Coach Shaw may seem a little more laid back on the surface, but I guarantee you he's just as passionate as Coach Harbaugh was," quarterback Andrew Luck said.

Luck, of course, is a good starting point for any first-year coach. Having the best quarterback in the nation shepherding your offense helps a coach sleep at night. Further, the Cardinal is loaded at running back and might be the nation's most talented team at tight end (Coby Fleener, Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo are going to play on Sundays). The offensive line lost three starters but welcomes back two first-team All-Pac-10 performers in tackle Jonathan Martin and guard David DeCastro. The defense is strong at linebacker and solid in the secondary. The big questions are receiver and defensive line.

Beyond personnel, Shaw and Stanford will need to adapt to their new place in the college football firmament: Front-runner. The Cardinal will be ranked in the preseason top-10 and are expected to battle with Oregon for the top spot in the new Pac-12. In fact, when you look at the schedule and the talent returning, it's not a stretch to note that every game is winnable. The Cardinal likely will be underdogs only once this fall -- the Ducks visit on Nov. 12 -- and even that game might be a pick 'em.

It's clear the Cardinal is eyeballing Oregon, which overcame a 21-3 deficit to stun Stanford 52-31 in Eugene last year.

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

Said defensive coordinator Derek Mason, "The team we have to go get is the Oregon Ducks. Oregon is king of the hill."

Of course, there are 11 other opponents on the schedule who Stanford won't sneak up on. Know that coaches across the conference have spent plenty of time thinking about Stanford's complicated offense and hybrid 3-4 defensive scheme this offseason. No doubt hey will muster up some counterpunches this fall. Shaw and company will need to maintain the edgy attitude while continuing the scheme creativity that seemed to keep foes off balance on both sides of the football in 2010.

In any event, the glory of 2010 and its blowout Orange Bowl victory against Virginia Tech won't win any games in 2011.

"Andrew [Luck] put it best one time. He said, 'Football is a meritocracy,' and that's what he loves about it," linebacker Shayne Skov said. "Every week you have to prove yourself. It doesn't matter what you did the week before."

For Shaw to sustain success, he's going to have to maintain what works, while developing an eye for quickly ascertaining what needs to change. He's going to have to continue to recruit elite athletes who can get into Stanford. And he's going to have to do it his way.

There's considerable momentum, but it's also not easy being the man-after-the-man. There are plenty of potential pratfalls when taking over leadership from a larger-than-life person. Yet Shaw isn't fretting that philosophical big picture.

"To me, going down that track, that gets you off focus, off of what is important," he said. "Every single year, every single team is different. What won for us last year isn't necessarily going to win for us next year. We went through this two years ago with Toby [Gerhart]."

Ultimately, Shaw won't be measured by whether he matches those colorful, Harbaugh-ian moments ("What's your deal?"). He'll be measured by whether he matches Harbaugh's winning.

Stanford has a secret: 2010 wasn't only about Andrew Luck. And, if things go according to plan, 2011 won't be either.

It's not that Stanford doesn't recognize the benefit of having the best quarterback in the nation. It does. But the program's transformation from also-ran to BCS bowl winner was more about attitude than Luck.

That attitude -- play with "character and cruelty" --started up front under former coach Jim Harbaugh, and that attitude will remain in place under new coach David Shaw, at least according to offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, whom Shaw promoted from receivers coach.

"We are a power running team," Hamilton said. "We are going to get off the bus running power. We're going to establish and control the line of scrimmage. We want to out-physical our opponent."

Of course, when you're beating a defense up at the line of scrimmage, it makes it a lot easier for any quarterback. And when your quarterback likely would have been the top pick in this spring's NFL draft, well, you're in pretty good shape when the goal is to keep a defense guessing and off-balance.

Just consider the numbers from the 40-12 beatdown of Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl. Sure, Luck got lots of attention for throwing four pretty touchdown passes. But the Cardinal rushed for 247 yards and two scores, and averaged eight yards a carry.

There, however, is work to be done this spring. The Cardinal needs to replace three starters from its 2010 line, including All-American center Chase Beeler. So it's not unreasonable to wonder if the offensive line will continue to be -- to use Hamilton's phrase -- "big, tough guys who enjoy imposing their will on their opponent."

Hamilton thinks so, in large part because of the two coming back: left tackle Jonathan Martin and right guard David DeCastro, who both earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors.

"Their personalities, their physical mentalities will permeate amongst the rest of the offensive line group," he said.

Khalil Wilkes and Sam Schwartzstein are battling to replace Beeler. Kevin Danser has been running with the first unit at left guard, while Tyler Mabry is the right tackle. Cameron Flemming and David Yankey also could play their way into the mix.

Still, the Cardinal might take a step back at the line of scrimmage, at least early in the season. Last year's unit welcomed back four starters, and it was widely hailed in the preseason as perhaps the best unit in the Pac-10 after it had paved the way for Toby Gerhart's runner-up finish in the 2009 Heisman Trophy race. As good as Martin and DeCastro are, and as intriguing as the new talent is, it often takes lines time to mesh.

That's where Luck comes in. As a third-year starter, he should be able to carry the load at times in the passing game. An outstanding athlete, he's fully capable of making plays outside of the pocket or with his feet if protection breaks down. But he's also adapting to change with the departure of his two leading receivers, Doug Baldwin and Ryan Whalen.

"He has some new wide receivers, so he has to work to develop some continuity with those guys," Hamilton said.

With Chris Owusu sitting out, those "new" receivers include Griff Whalen, Jamal-Rashad Patterson and Drew Terrell (each is at least a third-year player).

Hamilton doesn't envision Luck's role changing this year, even with his national celebrity as the leading Heisman Trophy candidate. He certainly doesn't want Luck to feel like he needs to transform into an alpha dog in the locker room. That would mean Luck isn't being himself.

"His personality is something that teammates gravitate towards. They all want to reach his level of success. He has field credibility in our locker room," Hamilton said. "He says the right thing at the right times. I don't see that changing."

The offense will try to retain the identity from the "Harbaugh Transformation," but there will be some tweaks to schemes, without question. Said Hamilton, "It's premature to say we've established our offensive identity."

As for life post-Harbaugh, Hamilton said he doesn't expect things to be any less emotional or edgy in the locker room. Sure, Shaw is smoother and less eccentric than Harbaugh. But that doesn't mean he lacks intensity.

"Coach Shaw brings a lot of emotion as well," said Hamilton, who also coached with Shaw when both were with the Baltimore Ravens. "When he's in front of the cameras, he gives a perception that he's laid back. But he's a fiery guy. He's as competitive as any other coach in college football, or in the NFL for that matter."

And if he is successful in 2011, it won't all be about Luck.

What tops the to-do list in the newly formed Pac-12 this offseason? Read on.

Hey, why are there 12 teams here? Hey, it's because the Pac-10, the conference we've known since 1978, is now the Pac-12, with two new teams -- Utah and Colorado -- and North and South divisions and a conference championship game. It will take some getting used to. For one, goodbye nine-game, round-robin schedule; hello conference misses. And hello this debate: "The North rules!" "No way, man, the South is where it's at!" In any event, the dynamic will be different, and you can count on coaches thinking about how it will be -- in recruiting and on the field -- over the coming months.

Solving the QB intrigue: Arizona, Oregon, Oregon State, USC, Utah and Washington State are set at quarterback. Oh, and Stanford, too. But five schools have varying degrees of intrigue (and even Arizona needs to figure out what to do with capable backup Matt Scott). Arizona State needs to establish a pecking order between Brock Osweiler and Steven Threet. At Colorado, Tyler Hansen returns from an injury and will try to fight off a challenge from junior college transfer Brent Burnette this spring. California has a wide-open competition with a bunch of names and no clear favorite (transfer Zach Maynard?). Is true freshman Brett Hundley ready to take over at UCLA, or are Kevin Prince or Richard Brehaut going to prevail? (And will Prince be ready to compete this spring after knee surgery?). And Washington is a battle between Keith Price and Nick Montana.

Tending to the hot seats: No Pac-10 coach was fired this year, though newcomer Colorado dispatched Dan Hawkins. But that might not be the case after the 2011 season, seeing that a couple of seats range from steamy to warm. Topping the hot-seat list are UCLA's Rick Neuheisel and Washington State's Paul Wulff. Both need to win this season to survive. Neuheisel, coming off his second 4-8 season in three years, probably needs seven or eight wins. Wulff probably needs to get his team to a bowl game. Arizona State is expected to be a top-25 team. If it's not, Dennis Erickson could be in trouble. Arizona coach Mike Stoops and California coach Jeff Tedford might not be on hot seats, per se, but their seats aren't as comfortably chilled as they once were.

Hello, my name is Coach New Guy: Two Pac-12 teams welcome new coaches: Jon Embree at Colorado and David Shaw at Stanford. Shaw will need no introduction to his players; he was the Cardinal's offensive coordinator under Jim Harbaugh, who bolted to the San Francisco 49ers. (I'm concerned I will suffer some sort of Harbaugh withdrawal this spring.) But he's rebuilding an outstanding coaching staff that suffered a major brain drain on both sides of the ball, including Greg Roman (offense) and Vic Fangio (defense). Embree has stocked his staff with plenty of familiar names and faces and lots of impressive NFL pedigree, which will appeal to recruits. Still, both are first-time head coaches so it will be interesting to see how they adjust to their big corner offices.

Where's the beef? Most Pac-12 teams take significant hits on their offensive or defensive lines -- or both, in the case of Arizona, Oregon and Stanford. Colorado loses just one lineman, but that's left tackle Nate Solder, a likely first-round NFL draft pick. Arizona, Oregon, Stanford, UCLA and USC must replace at least three offensive line starters. Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, Utah and Washington State need to replace at least two on the D-line. If you watched the conference's two BCS bowls -- Stanford in the Discover Orange and Oregon in the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game -- you saw what happened when you win the battle in the trenches.

How can a football season be reduce to top 10 moments? It certainly isn't easy.

You might have your own ideas. There certainly are a few that were difficult to leave out.

We tried for diversity here: Games, performances, teams and plays. We came up with a list of 18 and then whittled things down.

Feel free to disagree.

1. Dyer circumstances: Was Michael Dyer down? Oregon fans say yes, but the game -- and replay -- officials said no in the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game. The end result was a 37-yard run for the Auburn running back to Oregon's 23-yard line late in the fourth quarter, which set up the Tigers game-winning field goal in a 22-19 Ducks defeat.

2. The tying drive: What was the biggest moment that led to Oregon tying the national title game at 19-19? First came Ducks linebacker Casey Matthews forcing a fumble from Auburn quarterback Cam Newton on a first-down run. Then came a 29-yard pass from Darron Thomas to D.J. Davis on a fourth-and-5 play. Or maybe it was the third-down shovel pass to LaMichael James that gave the Ducks a 2-yard TD. And don't forget Jeff Maehl's leaping catch for the 2-point conversion. It was a magnificent moment of almost.

3. Pleasant fumble return: Oregon safety Eddie Pleasant's 51-yard fumble return against Stanford was the turning point of the Ducks' Pac-10 game of the year win over Stanford. It was tied 31-31 in the third quarter, but Stanford was driving into Oregon territory after an Andrew Luck pass to Chris Owusu converted a third down. But Owusu fumbled on a hit from Javes Lewis and Pleasant rumbled to the Cardinal 3-yard line. A James run later and the Ducks took control.

4. It's better to be Luck than merely good: Luck was masterful in the Discover Orange Bowl, completing 18 of 23 passes for 287 yards with four touchdowns in a 40-12 win over Virginia Tech. So that's what all those NFL scouts were talking about.

5. Polk's plunge: You don't get much more basic than this: Fourth-and-goal from the 1 with just two seconds left, the game -- and bowl eligibility -- on the line. When Washington running back Chris Polk scored a TD as time expired to give the Huskies a 16-13 win at California, it became the centerpiece of a late-season surge that got Washington to its first bowl game since 2002. And it knocked the Bears out of the postseason.

6. Locker hurts Nebraska: Washington quarterback Jake Locker's 25-yard TD run against Nebraska on the first possession of the third quarter of the Bridgepoint Education Holiday, which came immediately after he completed a 26-yard passing to wide receiver D'Andre Goodwin on third-and-8, gave the Huskies a 17-7 lead. It was the moment when everyone went, "Wow, the Huskies might beat a team that stomped them 56-21 on Sept. 18."

7. UCLA pounds Texas: While it ended up not meaning a thing -- Texas wasn't that good; UCLA finished 4-8 -- don't forget how shocking UCLA's dominant 34-12 win at Texas was. No one -- no one! -- saw it coming.

8. For the defense: Stanford's defense held Locker and Washington to just 107 total yards in a 41-0 shutout win in Husky Stadium, the Huskies' first shutout home loss since 1976. It was one of three shutouts for the Cardinal, whose transformation on defense was (almost) as big a story this year as Luck.

9. Five at the half: USC quarterback Matt Barkley passed for a school-record-tying five touchdowns ... in the first half ... in USC's 48-14 blowout win over California. Barkley finished with 352 yards passing, but the Trojans, who led 42-zip at the half, opted not to run the score up.

10. Blowing PATs in the desert: Arizona State beat rival Arizona 30-29 in double-overtime because James Brooks blocked two extra point attempts from Wildcats kicker Alex Zendejas. The first PAT probably would have won the game for Arizona in regulation. The second ended the game in the second OT. While the Sun Devils didn't earn bowl eligibility, the win sent them into the offseason with momentum for what figures to be a promising 2011 campaign. For the Wildcats, it was the fourth of what would become five consecutive defeats to end the season.

Who distinguished themselves during the bowl season? Here's our All-Bowl Team.

Offense

QB Andrew Luck, Stanford: Luck completed 18 of 23 passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns in the Cardinal's 40-12 win over Virginia Tech in the Discover Orange Bowl. He also rushed for 15 yards and was sacked just once.
RB Chris Polk, Washington: Polk rushed for 177 yards on 34 carries with a touchdown in the Huskies win over Nebraska in the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl.
RB Jeremy Stewart, Stanford: Sophomore Stepfan Taylor actually rushed for more yards, but Stewart, a senior who's battled injuries throughout his career, had 99 yards on just five carries, including a 60-yard touchdown against Virginia Tech.
WR Jeff Maehl, Oregon: Maehl caught nine passes for 133 yards with a long reception of 81 yards in the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game.
WR David Douglas, Arizona: Douglas caught six passes for 91 yards in the Valero Alamo Bowl.
TE Coby Fleener, Stanford: Fleenor had a career night in the Orange Bowl, catching six passes for 173 yards and three touchdowns.
OL Jonathan Martin, Stanford: Stanford rushed for 247 yards and allowed just one sack. Martin will be an All-American candidate in 2011.
OL Chase Beeler, Stanford: Beeler, the consensus All-American center, is the brains behind the bullies, leading one of the nation's best lines.
OL David DeCastro, Stanford: The first-team All-Pac-10 performer had a number of key blocks against the Hokies.
OL Senio Kelemete, Washington: Kelemete has a chance at All-Conference honors as a senior.
OL Cody Habben, Washington: The Huskies rushed for 268 yards and allowed no sacks versus Nebraska. A nice way for the senior right tackle to go out.

Defense

LB Mason Foster, Washington: Foster had a game-high 12 tackles, including two sacks in the Huskies win over Nebraska.
LB Shayne Skov, Stanford: Skov had a game-high 12 tackles, with three sacks and another tackle for a loss against the Hokies. He also broke up a pass.
LB Casey Matthews, Oregon: Matthews had six tackles, split a tackle for a loss and, most important, forced the late fumble from Cameron Newton that set up the Ducks touchdown that tied the count 19-19 late against Auburn.
LB Victor Aiyewa, Washington: Aiyewa had three tackles for a loss and two forced fumbles in the Holiday Bowl.
DT Alameda Ta'amu, Washington: Ta'amu dominated inside, recording a sack and recovering a fumble against the Cornhuskers.
DE Hau'oli Jamora, Washington: The true freshman had three tackles for a loss and a sack versus Nebraska.
DE Kenny Rowe, Oregon: Rowe was second on the Ducks with nine tackles, four of which came for a loss. He also had a sack and a forced fumble.
CB Cliff Harris, Oregon: Harris had three tackles, two pass breakups and an interception. A second interception was not upheld by replay officials.
CB Richard Sherman, Stanford: Sherman had just one tackle against Virginia Tech. It appears that the Hokies, who completed just 16 of 31 passes, decided not to throw his way.
S Delano Howell, Stanford: Howell had an interception, a sack and four tackles in the Orange Bowl.
S Nate Felner, Washington: Felner had four tackles and an interception in the Huskies win over Nebraska.

Special teams

K Rob Beard, Oregon: There wasn't a lot of great kicking this bowl season in the Pac-10, but Beard connected on a 26-yard field goal against Auburn and scored a 2-point play on an option pitch.
P David Green, Stanford: Green didn't punt much in the Orange Bowl, but he did average 46 yards when he did (three times).
KR Travis Cobb, Arizona: Cobb returned five kickoffs for 179 yards, with a long of 64 yards.

If David Shaw is as good a head football coach as he is handling a news conference, then Stanford is in excellent hands.

Let's start with this: "Two years of good football is not enough," said Shaw, a former Stanford player.

Shaw, 38, isn't planning on just maintaining what Jim Harbaugh built before he bolted for the San Francisco 49ers. He wants to take the program another step forward.

A dominant victory in the Discover Orange Bowl over Virginia Tech? Old news.

"We're going to put it in a box, we're going to put a ribbon around it, and we're going to put it up on a shelf for everybody to admire," he said. "But we're going to get back to work. We're going to let everyone else admire and talk about how great it was. Our goals are not done. ... We did not win our conference. Oregon did that."

Why did athletic director Bob Bowlsby hire Shaw, Stanford's offensive coordinator since 2007, over the other three members of the Cardinal staff he interviewed (associate head coach Greg Roman, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and special teams coordinator Brian Polian)?

Bowlsby said Shaw's hiring was "logical" and a "perfect fit." Among Shaw's strengths, Bowlsby listed recruiting, experience at the NFL and college levels, an understanding of Stanford's academics, organizational skills, continuity from Harbaugh's tenure, high character, the support of the locker room, and good motivational skills.

There's also this: Shaw was adamant that this is his dream job. Stanford won't be a coaching stepping stone for him, he said.

"Since the day I started coaching, this is the job I always knew I wanted," he said, then added later. "I wanted this to be my last head coaching interview ever."

But Shaw wouldn't talk about his staff or assistants. Fangio and Roman are going to leave. It is unclear which members of the current staff stick around, though a handful almost certainly will.

As for as what he wants to continue from the Harbaugh Era, Shaw mentioned being aggressive and physical on both sides of the ball. Shaw also might have said the words "compete" and "competitive" 20 times. That's very Harbaughian.

He said the schemes won't change. And then again they will. "We're going to push the envelope with scheme," he said. Also a Harbaugh trademark.

Shaw's hiring will be popular with the current players. Just after Harbaugh's departure was announced, receiver Doug Baldwin told the San Jose Mercury News that, "All the players want David Shaw as the head coach."

Shaw said he doesn't "plan on disappointing them" when he was asked about this, but he also added something that very much sounded like a grumpy, veteran head coach.

"I was not happy it was in the paper," he said.

Shaw has a lot on his plate, starting with a big recruiting weekend, when he must keep an outstanding recruiting class on board. Next, he must fill out his staff. Then, once the boxes are unpacked and he turns his attention to X's and O's, he will be freighted with the high expectations that come with a likely preseason top-10 ranking.

It won't be easy to replace a larger-than-life -- and slightly eccentric -- personality such as Harbaugh, particularly after the Cardinal's success this year. But Shaw's first day on the job was impressive.

Taking a look at the best and the worst of the Pac-10 bowl season.

Best defensive performance (team): Washington held Nebraska to just seven points and 189 yards in the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl. In their meeting on Sept. 18, Nebraska scored 56 points on 533 total yards.

Best defensive performance (player): Stanford linebacker Shayne Skov had a game-high 12 tackles and three sacks in the Discover Orange Bowl against Virginia Tech.

Best defensive performance (player) II: Washington linebacker Mason Foster had a game-high 12 tackles with two sacks and a pass breakup in the Huskies win over Nebraska.

Best offensive performance (team): Stanford rolled up 534 total yards -- 281 passing, 247 rushing -- in its 40-12 win over Virginia Tech.

Best offensive performance (player): Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck completed 18 of 23 passes for 287 yards and four touchdowns in the Orange Bowl.

Best offensive performance (player) II: Washington's Chris Polk rushed for 177 yards and a touchdown against what was supposed to be a rugged Cornhuskers defense.

Best offensive performance in a losing effort: Oregon receiver Jeff Maehl caught nine passes for 133 yards in the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game against Auburn. He had an 81-yard reception and a leaping catch on a 2-point play that tied the game late in the fourth quarter.

Worst offensive performance: Arizona scored just 10 points against a mediocre Oklahoma State defense. The problem was more sloppiness -- four turnovers, eight penalties -- than anything else.

Worst defensive performance: None. Now isn't that strange? Arizona would seem like a possibility, but the high-powered Oklahoma State offense gained only 312 total yards, even though they scored 36 points. Oregon gave up a bunch of yards, but held Auburn to 22 points -- 21 below the Tigers' season average. Meanwhile, Washington dominated Nebraska, and Stanford held Virginia Tech to 12 points and 288 yards.

Best cheap shot: Arizona safety Adam Hall flattened Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon away from the ball in the Alamo Bowl. It appeared that Blackmon's showboating after a 71-yard touchdown pass didn't amuse Hall.

Worst performance by a future Pac-12 member: Utah, which will join the conference in 2011, got pounded 26-3 by Boise State in the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl. The Broncos outgained the Utes 543 yards to 200. The Utes had three fumbles.

Best goodbye: It's been a tough year for Huskies quarterback Jake Locker, but he led the Huskies to a four-game winning streak to end the season -- including their first bowl game since 2002 and their first postseason win since 2000.

Biggest disappointment: The Oregon offensive line couldn't handle the Auburn defensive front, most particularly defensive tackle Nick Fairley. Of course, Fairley is fairly good.

Best catch: At a full sprint, Oregon wide receiver Lavasier Tuinei tipped the ball to himself over his right shoulder in the BCS National Championship Game against Auburn and went 43 yards to the Tigers 3-yard line. Ducks fans: Don't think about what happened over the next four plays.

Best quote: When Luck was asked how he reacted to a Cardinal offensive lineman catching a deflected pass in the end zone for a safety, he said (sounding very Stanford-y): "Football can be a very funny game. No point in getting emotionally hijacked over it."

Best quote II: Polk on how Washington dominated Nebraska: "We just ran right at 'em. We knew we could win if we ran the way we know how to run. They couldn't stop it. We whupped a team that didn't respect us."

The Pac-10 went 2-2 this bowl season (Utah, we would have included you if you beat Boise State. You did not, therefore you played that game as a Mountain West team).

The record about says it: Not great. Not a disaster. Mediocre.

Yet we'd rate it north of mediocre. Here's why.

The two wins were dominant efforts against teams that were still ranked in the final polls. Stanford whipped Virginia Tech 40-12 in the Discover Orange Bowl and finished No. 4 in the country in both polls. Washington shocked Nebraska 19-7 in the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl.

More than a few folks saw Stanford coming; the Cardinal were widely considered the nation's best one-loss team entering the bowl season, and Andrew Luck & Co. did nothing to lose that label at season's end.

Few saw Washington coming, and not just because Nebraska stomped the Huskies 56-21 on Sept. 18. The Huskies were ravaged by injuries -- particularly on defense -- late in the season. While it's fair to say the Cornhuskers were uninspired -- they sure looked flat -- that shouldn't take away from the Huskies showing the gumption to physically push around a team that had previously pushed them around.

And then there are the losses.

Not much to say about Arizona in the Valero Alamo Bowl. It got flat-out whipped by Oklahoma State, 36-10. The only upside was it wasn't as humiliating as the 33-0 loss to Nebraska in the 2009 Holiday Bowl. The Wildcats ended the season with a five-game losing streak, and they took a step back after seeming to be on the cusp of becoming a Top-25 program.

As for Oregon, it lost 22-19 to a very good Auburn team on a last-second field goal in the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game. No shame in that.

Still, the loss stings for a number of reasons. For one, a program doesn't get many shots at a national championship. The Ducks fell short of winning their first, and a lot of folks -- including me -- thought they were going to win.

Second, the Pac-10 had a chance to make a national statement versus the top-dog conference, the SEC. That didn't happen, which means that it won't be hard for SEC fans to crow and crow and crow about their dominance because, well, the conference is dominating college football.

The Ducks were game, and the strong defensive effort probably surprised some folks, but there was little to suggest that the Tigers weren't the stronger team. (It helps to have the two best players in college football in QB Cam Newton and DT Nick Fairley.)

Further, Oregon's second consecutive defeat in a BCS bowl game -- the Ducks went down to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl after the 2009 season -- means the outright Pac-10 champion lost to another conference's champion two years in a row. That's a hit to Oregon's and the conference's image as it expands to the Pac-12.

Still, when the bowl invitations were announced, a 1-3 finish seemed a real possibility. Everyone knew that Auburn was good -- it was favored over the Ducks -- and it was not unreasonable to wonder if Stanford, despite being favored, would be distracted by the "Jim Harbaugh is leaving" talk that eventually proved true. Arizona and Washington were substantial underdogs.

So, on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being "super-awesome, 2008 5-0 success," and 1 being total disaster (not unlike 2009), I'd give the Pac-10 a "7" this bowl season.

In a year when even the mighty SEC only went 5-5 in bowl games, going 2-2 isn't so bad, particularly when it includes two wins over nationally ranked teams.

But, oh, it would have been meaningful for the Ducks to be enjoying a confetti shower on Monday night.

What did we learn from the bowl season?

Oregon is on the rise, but it's not there yet: Oregon has won two consecutive Pac-10 titles and will be the favorite to win a third in 2011. The Ducks are solidly atop the conference. But they also have now lost two consecutive BCS bowl games. And after both losses, coach Chip Kelly cited his offensive line losing the battle at the line of scrimmage versus Ohio State (Rose Bowl) and Auburn (BCS National Title Game) defensive lines. Further, it seems that a defense can overcome the Oregon offense when it gets extra time to prepare. For the Ducks to take the next step, they need to win a BCS bowl game. Of course, beating LSU in the opener -- a likely top-10 team with an "SEC defense" -- would certainly make a statement early in 2011.

Jim Harbaugh built an elite team: Harbaugh's transformation of the Stanford program -- 1-11 the year before he came to 12-1 the year he left -- will rate as one of the great reclamation projects in conference history. Sure, it helped to have Andrew Luck, but Stanford's demolition of Virginia Tech in the Discover Orange Bowl was a complete effort on both sides of the ball. The Cardinal under Harbaugh were tough and physical and innovative. It will be interesting to see how the Cardinal look under their next coach, who would be wise to try to maintain the present culture as best he can.

There will be life after Locker: Washington finished the season with a four-game winning streak that wasn't due to quarterback Jake Locker asserting himself. Locker was more of a game manager and leader down the stretch as the Huskies played better defense and ran the ball consistently -- see an average of 237 yards rushing during the winning streak. The Huskies over the final third of the season were more physical, and that indicates that the program will be in good shape going forward, even with some big losses on both sides of the ball. Of particular good news is the return of running back Chris Polk, who will be an All-American candidate in 2011.

Arizona is regrouping: Arizona started 7-1 and then the wheels came off with a five-game losing streak, including a blowout loss to Oklahoma State in the Valero Alamo Bowl. Things went wrong on both sides of the ball, but the defensive struggles were most glaring. The Wildcats will welcome back quarterback Nick Foles and receiver Juron Criner in 2011, and that's a good start. But the offensive line will need to be completely rebuilt, while the defensive line loses three of four starters, including standout defensive ends Brooks Reed and Ricky Elmore. Further, coach Mike Stoops lost three coaches, so he's rebuilding his staff, too.

It will be another "Year of the QB" in 2011. Only better: Luck, Foles, USC's Matt Barkley and Oregon's Darron Thomas: Does any conference match that foursome of quarterbacks? The answer is no. Toss in up-and-comers like Ryan Katz at Oregon State, Jeff Tuel at Washington State, Jordan Wynn at Utah and Brock Osweiler at Arizona State and it looks like another season of marquee quarterback play.

Jim Harbaugh led Stanford to its best season in the modern era. Now he's off to a new challenge.

Harbaugh has agreed to a five-year, $25 million contract to become the San Francisco 49ers' head coach, according to reports.

It appears Stanford fought to retain Harbaugh. According to ESPN NFL analyst Chris Mortensen, Harbaugh met with top Stanford officials Thursday, and the school increased its contract offer from December.

The late gambit wasn't enough. He will replace fired coach Mike Singletary.

But who will replace Harbaugh? The initial reaction from many Stanford fans: Nobody. Harbaugh was special. His shoes are just too big.

When Bob Bowlsby hired Harbaugh after the Cardinal went 1-11 in 2006, most folks went "What?" Oh, people knew who Harbaugh was -- a longtime NFL quarterback -- and it was interesting to learn how successful he was at San Diego, but few thought much of the choice. And when Harbaugh barked, "I vow I will attack this endeavor with enthusiasm unknown to mankind," he sort of seemed, well, slightly manic.

And Stanford is not a manic sort of place.

Harbaugh was manic. And he also turned out to be a hell of a coach and a hell of a motivator. Sure, he struck gold when he signed quarterback Andrew Luck, but Harbaugh deserves all the credit for hiring an outstanding staff, recruiting well and rebuilding a program into a surprising national power.

His first season, his outmanned Cardinal beat No. 2 USC 24-23, despite being a 41-point underdog. That -- the 4-8 finish wasn't particularly inspiring-- was only a first hint of what was to come.

He went 5-7 his second year, 8-5 his third and 12-1 this season. Along the way, he sold his players on a blue collar work ethic, announced, "We bow to no program at Stanford," and made good on that by running up the score on USC in 2009 and taunting Trojans coach Pete "What's your deal?" Carroll afterwards.

What's Harbaugh's deal? It doesn't feel hyperbolic to say his marriage with Stanford -- albeit brief -- was lightning in a bottle. Coaching magic.

It's also understandable why he left. His stock will never be higher. Harbaugh is as competitive a guy as you'll ever meet. He wants to test himself all the time and on the highest level. If you coach football, that's the NFL.

And know what? If he washes out -- if the 49ers locker room knows only enthusiasm known to jaded rich guys -- then no matter. Harbaugh's track record in college is so good he'd again be a hot coaching prospect should he want to return in the future.

As for Stanford going forward, there is one hire that would immediately quash the despondency among fans who just days ago were flying high: Boise State's Chris Petersen. There are more than a few folks who believe this is the sort of job that could lure Petersen away from the Broncos. And the cerebral Petersen would be a good fit.

The top internal candidate would be offensive coordinator David Shaw. Shaw would bring continuity for quarterback Andrew Luck -- no, Luck won't reconsider his decision to return because of Harbaugh's move -- and likely would try to maintain the Harbaughian culture. He's a Stanford graduate and has significant NFL coaching experience. His father, Willie, was an assistant coach at Stanford from 1974-76 and again from 1989-91.

While hiring Shaw might not have much pizazz with fans and media, it would resonate positively in the locker room. It also would continue a Stanford tradition of giving black coaches an opportunity. At present, there are no black head coaches in the Pac-10(Colorado joins next year in the Pac-12 with Jon Embree). And, yes, that is still something worth raising an eyebrow over.

There is a third option: Bowlsby again going off the grid. Let's face it: He's had plenty of time to contemplate who will replace Harbaugh. The general feeling all season was Harbaugh was going to bolt, either to Michigan or the NFL. So Bowlsby surely isn't flat-footed on the news today. Here's a guess he's already sent out some feelers.

Pause for a moment, though, Stanford fans. What a week, eh? Your Cardinal posts a dominant performance in a victory over Virginia Tech in the Discover Orange Bowl -- yeah! -- Luck announces his return -- yeah! -- scuttlebutt starts to surface that Harbaugh is seriously considering returning to the Farm -- yeah! -- and then (boom) it's announced that Harbaugh is headed across the peninsula to the 49ers.

Boo!

But don't get too morose. There is no reason to believe that Stanford is headed back to 1-11, to Buddy Teevens and Walt Harris. A winning culture has been established, much more so than when Tyrone Willingham left for Notre Dame in 2001, knowing full well his recruiting had been sub-par. The right coach has a good shot to maintain that culture.

Stanford is never going to be a team that regularly goes 12-1. It wasn't headed that way even with Harbaugh. But the Cardinal can and should remain competitive at a high level on a regular basis.

It just needs to attack this endeavor with enthusiasm unknown to mankind.