College Football Nation: Pac-12 hope and concern 2011
Every team has hope heading into the offseason. And every team has concerns.
Ergo, we're going to run through the conference and look at the chief matters -- on the up and downside -- for each Pac-12 team.
Next up:
Washington
Biggest reason for hope: Chris Polk + an improved defense.
Washington flashed signs of becoming a physical football team in 2010, which means the Huskies looked -- again, at times -- like the program that became a national power under Don James. What does "physical" mean? It means you run the ball on offense and push folks around on defense. It's what old school UW fans want to see, and more than a few probably got teary-eyed during the Holiday Bowl when the Huskies pounded on Nebraska in a 19-7 victory, a shocking result considering what the Cornhuskers had done to the Huskies just under three months before. It also became clear late in the season that Polk is on the short list of best running backs in the nation, and that the Huskies are this close to developing a defensive culture that matches fiery coordinator Nick Holt. There are questions at linebacker heading into the 2011 season, but tackle Alameda Ta'amu and end Hau'oli Jamora lead an A-list crew on the D-line, and there's a solid mixture of experience and young talent in the secondary. The defense should be a top-half of the conference unit. While the offensive line will fall short of dominant, Polk is one of those backs who often can do it on his own. He almost never goes down on first contact.
Biggest reason for concern: Will quarterback Keith Price be valuable or cost the Huskies?
Price asserted himself this spring in his competition with Nick Montana to replace Jake Locker. He flashed dual-threat ability that suggested he might become an offensive asset, not a liability as a first-year starter. We've already mentioned Polk, but the Huskies also are deep at receiver. If Price presents a consistent passing threat -- in other words, he's more than a game manager -- then the offense should be pretty darn potent. And there's reason to be optimistic beyond Price's spring performance. He turned in an admirable effort last fall starting for an injured Locker at Oregon -- not exactly the best place for a UW QB to make his first career start. Put it this way: While the Huskies don't look like a threat to win the North or even to win 10 games, if Price ends up ranking in the top half of the conference in passing efficiency, it's a good bet that the program will take another significant step forward in 2011.
Ergo, we're going to run through the conference and look at the chief matters -- on the up and downside -- for each Pac-12 team.
Next up:
Washington
Biggest reason for hope: Chris Polk + an improved defense.
Washington flashed signs of becoming a physical football team in 2010, which means the Huskies looked -- again, at times -- like the program that became a national power under Don James. What does "physical" mean? It means you run the ball on offense and push folks around on defense. It's what old school UW fans want to see, and more than a few probably got teary-eyed during the Holiday Bowl when the Huskies pounded on Nebraska in a 19-7 victory, a shocking result considering what the Cornhuskers had done to the Huskies just under three months before. It also became clear late in the season that Polk is on the short list of best running backs in the nation, and that the Huskies are this close to developing a defensive culture that matches fiery coordinator Nick Holt. There are questions at linebacker heading into the 2011 season, but tackle Alameda Ta'amu and end Hau'oli Jamora lead an A-list crew on the D-line, and there's a solid mixture of experience and young talent in the secondary. The defense should be a top-half of the conference unit. While the offensive line will fall short of dominant, Polk is one of those backs who often can do it on his own. He almost never goes down on first contact.
Biggest reason for concern: Will quarterback Keith Price be valuable or cost the Huskies?
Price asserted himself this spring in his competition with Nick Montana to replace Jake Locker. He flashed dual-threat ability that suggested he might become an offensive asset, not a liability as a first-year starter. We've already mentioned Polk, but the Huskies also are deep at receiver. If Price presents a consistent passing threat -- in other words, he's more than a game manager -- then the offense should be pretty darn potent. And there's reason to be optimistic beyond Price's spring performance. He turned in an admirable effort last fall starting for an injured Locker at Oregon -- not exactly the best place for a UW QB to make his first career start. Put it this way: While the Huskies don't look like a threat to win the North or even to win 10 games, if Price ends up ranking in the top half of the conference in passing efficiency, it's a good bet that the program will take another significant step forward in 2011.
Every team has hope heading into the offseason. And every team has concerns.
Ergo, we're going to run through the conference and look at the chief matters -- on the up and downside -- for each Pac-12 team.
Next up:
USC
Biggest reason for hope: Barkley to Woods, repeat.
One of the highlights of my spring practice tour was seeing USC quarterback Matt Barkley smash receiver Robert Woods in the helmet with a pass. Woods didn't see it coming, and the ball had some mustard on it, but the talented sophomore was unhurt. Not sure why the moment so amused me -- was finishing off a a 20 oz Starbucks dark drip for the early a.m. session at the time -- other than it was a rare instance of miscommunication for this slick pair of future NFL starters. Woods earned freshman All-American honors last season, but made much of his noise in the return game. He was dominant at most times this spring and -- apologies to Arizona's Juron Criner -- might end up as the best receiver in the conference. Barkley will be entering his third season as the Trojans' starter. He improved last season over his true freshman campaign, and it's not unreasonable to expect him to make another jump in 2011, which might be enough to garner him All-American consideration. Barkley isn't shy about admitting he expects to push into the Heisman Trophy conversation. Bottom line: If Woods doesn't eclipse the 1,000-yard, 10 TD benchmarks, it would be fairly surprising.
Biggest reason for concern: Whither the offensive line?
Barkley exemplifies Southern California cool, but he's not completely unflappable. He was frustrated at times during spring practices because he was working under constant duress behind a patchwork offensive line, and even memorably lost his temper once. (I also enjoyed Barkley mildly grousing to me about what he felt was a media overreaction to a fairly common football occurrence). USC is replacing three starters on its offensive line, and only left tackle Matt Kalil was available this spring. Moreover, Kalil is the only certainty heading into the fall, though Khaled Holmes is the likely starter at center and Kevin Graf should get the nod somewhere. But injuries not only exposed a lack of depth. There was a bit of, "These don't look like USC guys." USC has always passed the sight test. During the glory years under Pete Carroll, the No. 2 line looked more physically impressive than 90 percent of other FBS teams' starters. That's no longer the case. Touted incoming freshmen Cyrus Hobbi and Aundrey Walker are expected to be immediately in the mix. If you're looking for an area to start the discussion of an over-under for the Trojans getting eight wins in 2010, the offensive line likely will determine that trajectory.
Ergo, we're going to run through the conference and look at the chief matters -- on the up and downside -- for each Pac-12 team.
Next up:
USC
Biggest reason for hope: Barkley to Woods, repeat.
One of the highlights of my spring practice tour was seeing USC quarterback Matt Barkley smash receiver Robert Woods in the helmet with a pass. Woods didn't see it coming, and the ball had some mustard on it, but the talented sophomore was unhurt. Not sure why the moment so amused me -- was finishing off a a 20 oz Starbucks dark drip for the early a.m. session at the time -- other than it was a rare instance of miscommunication for this slick pair of future NFL starters. Woods earned freshman All-American honors last season, but made much of his noise in the return game. He was dominant at most times this spring and -- apologies to Arizona's Juron Criner -- might end up as the best receiver in the conference. Barkley will be entering his third season as the Trojans' starter. He improved last season over his true freshman campaign, and it's not unreasonable to expect him to make another jump in 2011, which might be enough to garner him All-American consideration. Barkley isn't shy about admitting he expects to push into the Heisman Trophy conversation. Bottom line: If Woods doesn't eclipse the 1,000-yard, 10 TD benchmarks, it would be fairly surprising.
Biggest reason for concern: Whither the offensive line?
Barkley exemplifies Southern California cool, but he's not completely unflappable. He was frustrated at times during spring practices because he was working under constant duress behind a patchwork offensive line, and even memorably lost his temper once. (I also enjoyed Barkley mildly grousing to me about what he felt was a media overreaction to a fairly common football occurrence). USC is replacing three starters on its offensive line, and only left tackle Matt Kalil was available this spring. Moreover, Kalil is the only certainty heading into the fall, though Khaled Holmes is the likely starter at center and Kevin Graf should get the nod somewhere. But injuries not only exposed a lack of depth. There was a bit of, "These don't look like USC guys." USC has always passed the sight test. During the glory years under Pete Carroll, the No. 2 line looked more physically impressive than 90 percent of other FBS teams' starters. That's no longer the case. Touted incoming freshmen Cyrus Hobbi and Aundrey Walker are expected to be immediately in the mix. If you're looking for an area to start the discussion of an over-under for the Trojans getting eight wins in 2010, the offensive line likely will determine that trajectory.
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