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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I know: Thud.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oregon State quarterback Ryan Katz doesn't think there's anything strange about California's wild swings in quality of play. Just look around the entire conference.

"They've been been up and down," Katz said. "A lot of teams have been up and down."

That's true. Take Katz's Beavers. They were good enough to win at No. 15 Arizona -- the Wildcats only loss -- but couldn't take care of business at Washington. The Huskies? They win at USC, but lose at home to Arizona State. The Sun Devils? They beat the Huskies but get drilled by Cal.

Cal? It blows out UCLA and Arizona State, but gets blasted by Nevada and USC.

Go figure.

The Bears are 4-0 at home and 0-3 on the road. They've lost nine of 11 to Oregon State and haven't beaten the Beavers since 2006. Last year, they got blown out 31-14 at home.

But this game feels like a pick 'em. Despite coming off a bye week, the Beavers are banged up. Receiver James Rodgers is done for the season with a knee injury, tight end Brady Camp (back) is out for Saturday and perhaps longer. Receiver Markus Wheaton (knee), center Alex Linnenkohl (ankle) and offensive guard Grant Johnson (neck) are expected to play but aren't 100 percent.

Cal has no significant injuries. Even its psyche has to feel better after it followed an embarrassing blowout loss to USC with a dominant effort against the Sun Devils.

Can't win on the road? Quarterback Kevin Riley dismissed that as just a "just a weird thing." And safety Sean Cattouse promised the Bears will find a solution.

"It's an issue that everyone knows amongst the team," he said. "So we're definitely going to get it fixed this week."

In last year's game, Beavers quarterback Sean Canfield picked the Bears apart, throwing for 342 yards, and H-back Joe Halahuni had a coming-out party with six catches for 128 yards. It's likely this go-around, however, that the Beavers are going to need more from their running games. Cal is too good at rushing the passer -- see 19 sacks -- to expect Katz to throw 39 times, as Canfield did in Berkeley.

That means the Beavers need to get Jacquizz Rodgers going. Rodgers has been grumpy -- in his mellow, mostly good natured way -- about the running game this year. While he's averaging a solid 103.5 yards rushing per game and has scored 10 TDs, the rushing offense as a whole ranks ninth in the Pac-10 with just 120.7 yards per game. Blocking has been an issue.

It's clear that Rodgers has Cal coach Jeff Tedford's attention. Consider this laudatory scouting report.

"When you talk about jump cuts -- jump cuts are when you're in the hole and you can jump sideways and then go forward very quickly-- he's a master at that," Tedford said. "So if you're in front of him and he jumps sideways on you, you've got to get on him right away or he will spurt through a hole and be gone. You just can't arm-tackle the guy. He is built low to the ground and very strong, and then when he gets in the open field he has great speed. You can never go to sleep on him. You can never relax and think he's down because he'll come spurting out of there and take it the distance."

If Oregon State (3-3) manages to win, it will improve to 3-1 in Pac-10 play. The win over Arizona and remaining games with Stanford and Oregon mean that the Beavers, if they won out, could still win the Pac-10.

That might be a reach for a team that lost to Washington. But the Beavers have been here before and started a late-season run that few saw coming.

As for Cal (4-3, 2-2), a win at Oregon State -- a second consecutive win, a road victory -- might indicate the Bears are finding some consistency. They play host to both Oregon and Stanford on back-to-back weekends (Nov. 13 and 20) down the stretch.

So who knows? The unpredictable teams in the Pac-10 could create chaos in the conference. A good candidate to do that probably will be the winner in Corvallis on Saturday.

It's been a fairly quiet spring for Oregon State running back Jacquizz Rodgers. That's typical and how he likes it.

There are no issues or controversies with Rodgers. Just production. He's established and has little to prove. The only mystery is how spectacular his numbers will be in 2010.

He will enter his junior season needing 1,169 yards rushing and eight touchdowns to move into second place on the Beavers all-time list, numbers he easily eclipsed his first two seasons, once as the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year -- the first true freshman to win the honor -- and the second as a first-team All-Pac-10 running back. At his present trajectory -- if he opts to play two more seasons -- he'll end up second on the Pac-10's all-time rushing list behind former USC Heisman Trophy winner Charles White.

It's not a question of whether Rodgers will be good. He'll be a preseason All-American. Then he'll chew up yardage as a runner and receiver. It's a near-certainty, barring injury.

The question is how good? Will he be Heisman Trophy good?

The Pac-10 has plenty of candidates, though the list was whittled down by one when Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was suspended for the season: Washington quarterback Jake Locker, Oregon running back LaMichael James, USC quarterback Matt Barkley and Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, to name the obvious possibilities.

Rodgers mostly shrugs when asked about the Heisman -- "I'm just out here playing football," he said -- but he is aware of Masoli's unexpected absence and what that might mean for the Pac-10 frontrunners, who happen to be the Beavers arch-rivals.

"Anytime you lose anybody that important to your offense, it's going to set you back just a bit," Rodgers said.

More than a few Pac-10 fans see Masoli's absence, as well as USC's 2009 slide, as beacons signaling that the conference is as wide open as it was pre-Pete Carroll, when eight different teams won or shared the title from 1995-2001.

So, does Rodgers see the Beavers stepping to the fore because Masoli is out? Absolutely.

"But even if he was there, I'd feel the same way," he said.

Oregon and USC are still almost certain to be atop preseason predictions for the Pac-10. The Beavers, a solid No. 3 pick, might have received more of a boost among prognosticators after the Ducks off-field woes and the Trojans coaching change if not for the unexpected defection of two starters from their defense: linebacker David Pa'aluhi and end Matt LaGrone.

But the impressive spring produced by sophomore quarterback Ryan Katz appears to be solving the Beavers biggest issue, which is replacing Sean Canfield. That might give rise to a simple query: Why not Oregon State?

And if Oregon State, which welcomes back 17 starters from a squad that was just a few Civil War plays away from earning a berth in its first Rose Bowl since 1965, proves to be a contender, Rodgers' Heisman candidacy will gain legitimacy.

What's not to like? His rushed for 2,693 yards and scored 32 touchdowns over the past two seasons. In 2009, he caught 78 passes, which ranked second -- overall, not among running backs -- in the Pac-10. He's fumbled only once in 640 touches. A year after critics pointed out his lack of explosion plays, he produced at least one run over 20 yards in 10 of 13 games.

But Rodgers wants more. Twenty, 30 or even 40-yard runs? Not enough.

"I need to finish off long runs -- score those 60 or 70-yard touchdowns," he said. "That's what's missing from my game."

Rodgers will get a couple of good early showcases. The Beavers brutal nonconference schedule includes matchups with TCU and Boise State, both likely top-10 or even top-five teams. The Sept. 4 opener against the Horned Frogs will be played on a huge stage -- Cowboys Stadium -- which will represent a homecoming of sorts for the native of Richmond, Tex.

The going might not be easy early on, at least until Katz proves he can making plays in the passing game. Defenses will focus on Rodgers, stack the line of scrimmage with defenders and dare Katz to beat them.

But at least one person thinks the best way to get Katz going is to give Rodgers the ball and allow him to do his thing.

"If we get the running game started, that can help a quarterback get started," Rodgers said.

And if the big-armed Katz makes a few plays downfield, things might play out a bit like they did with Toby Gerhart and quarterback Andrew Luck at Stanford last year.

Which would mean an invitation to New York for Rodgers.

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Oregon State coach Mike Riley is standing beside a dry erase board in his office. He points to his flanker. That's James Rodgers. He caught 91 passes for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns last year. Riley smiles.

He points to his tight end Joe Halahuni. He caught 35 passes and became an offensive weapon after the middle of the season. Riley points at his slot receiver, Jordan Bishop. The 6-foot-3 sophomore can high jump over seven feet. He points at his split end, where Darrell Catchings and Markus Wheaton are engaging one of the more spirited competitions this spring.

Then he points at Jacquizz Rodgers, who rushed for 1,440 yards, caught 78 passes and scored 22 touchdowns a year after being the Pac-10's Offensive Player of the Year as a true freshman.

Riley agrees with a reporter that Jacquizz should be a top Heisman Trophy candidate.

The main point, however, is the Beavers offense has a lot of guys who can punish a defense.

"Athletically, it's as good as we've ever been," Riley said.

Then Riley circles his quarterback.

"It's our biggest question on offense," he said. "If we can bring our quarterback up to the rest of the offense, then it's going to be good."

That quarterback figures to be sophomore Ryan Katz, who's got a big arm but little experience. While Katz officially is competing with Virginia transfer Peter Lalich for the starting job, Katz started spring practices with the No. 1 offense and he's yet to yield that perch.

"What stands out about Ryan -- always has -- is he's got really good physical ability. A Great arm," Riley said. "It's one of those deals where you're kind of taken aback by the strength of his arm sometimes. He throws the ball so easily with a lot of velocity. He's got to learn a little bit more about taking something off it every once and a while. I tell him all the time, 'You don't always have to throw a 95 miles per hour ball.'"

The good news is Katz, Riley said, has consistently improved since arriving in Corvallis from Santa Monica (Calif.) High School. But there's a caveat hidden in that positive point, because every recent Oregon State quarterback has improved steadily during his career, from Derek Anderson, to Matt Moore, to Lyle Moevao, to Sean Canfield.

But each of those guys started his career slowly and, well, unimpressively. Anderson completed just 47 percent of his passes his first year as the Beavers starter under then-coach Dennis Erickson. Moore threw 19 interceptions. Moevao and Canfield combined for 21 interceptions in 2007.

The question is how steep Katz's learning curve will be.

"There is a process with us," Riley said.

By all accounts, Katz has embraced the No. 1 role, though he admits it goes against his type to be a vocal leader. As a personality, Katz is closer to the quieter Canfield than the effusive Moevao.

"More than vocal-wise, I tried to lead by example," Katz said.

The Beavers offense has evolved in recent years as Riley yielded control to coordinator Danny Langsdorf. The Beavers have increased the role of running backs and the flanker in the passing game. They added the fly sweep. Canfield's accuracy but lack of a strong arm had the offense looking West Coast-ish for a while in 2009.

Katz brings back the big arm of say an Anderson or Moore and adds some athleticism. Katz will move around in the pocket and there will be more designed bootlegs. And there's an increased emphasis of screen passes in order to build his confidence through the air.

And Katz needs to find his rhythm quickly. The opener is vs. TCU in Cowboys Stadium -- a top-10 team playing in a friendly stadium that is far bigger than its home field.

"When the time comes, it's definitely going to be eye-opening," Katz said. "But I'm just going to take it and run with it. I can't stand out there and be star struck."

After TCU, the Beavers play host to Louisville, then visit Boise State, a likely top-five team.

So there's no soft schedule that allows Katz to acclimate himself to the speed of the game. He's bound to make mistakes, which means criticism. Katz is aware that is an inescapable part of playing the position.

"That's definitely in the back of your mind, but if I just work day by day and get better that will play it self out," he said. "I know that comes with the job."

But he said he learned a lot from watching Canfield and Moevao weather the storm and come out strong on the back end.

But if Katz plays well from the start and minimized the growing pains, then Beavers should become a major player in the Pac-10 race.

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Ambition and wealth called Mike Riley on a Saturday in January and asked if he wanted to leave Oregon State and take the scepter of the nation's pre-eminent football power, the USC Trojans.

The pitch, one could imagine, included talk of national and Pac-10 championships. There was music ("Fight on!" and "Tribute to Troy"). And dance (Song Girls!). And money (surely more than double the million bucks Riley made annually in Corvallis).

It was a tempting offer. This was an opportunity, perhaps the last, for the 56-year-old to stand on top of the coaching mountain and see what the view looks like.

But he politely said, "No thanks."

"One thing I've learned is that if you are going to teach loyalty, you've got to live it," he said. "I told my wife that I didn't think I could look in the mirror after what I've told our team, how I've recruited here. I don't think I could leave. It wouldn't be a good picture. There was really no way I could leave."

Understand: There's nothing wrong with ambition. This is the United States of America. We like ambition here. The juvenile caterwauling when Lane Kiffin left Tennessee for USC? Yawn. Kiffin got a better job and a raise. End of story.

And yet there's something undeniably charming about a guy like Riley -- perhaps the friendliest, most accommodating guy in big-time football coaching -- saying no to La-La land to stay in the rainy Willamette Valley and continue leading his overachieving program.

Of course, you've read this before. Oregon fans are rolling their eyes. Yes, reporters sometimes get a kick out of a coach who sits down for a 15-minute interview about his football team and a wide-ranging, 45-minute chat about just about anything breaks out.

Riley himself steers the conversation toward the foundation of his loyalty to Oregon State: a hard lesson he had to learn. Ambition and wealth called from Southern California a decade ago and he said yes. Riley jilted the Beavers -- and left the small town where he grew up -- just as he was leading them out of the college football morass and became the San Diego Chargers' head coach in 1999.

He went 14-34 before being fired. I covered his last game. He was extremely polite and open with reporters asking him if he was about to be canned.

"I really appreciate Oregon State people who still come up to me and say, 'Thanks for staying.' That means a lot to me because I have left before," Riley said. "I've been around the block. I know who we are and I know the grass is not always greener. I haven't forgotten that Oregon State gave me a renewed opportunity here."

That came in 2003 when Dennis Erickson left Corvallis for an ill-fated "promotion" to the San Francisco 49ers, a decision that Erickson still offers as the worst move of a career that featured many.

Since Riley returned, the Beavers, a program that only broke a streak of 28 seasons without a winning record in 1999, have played in six bowl games and won five. He's become the program's second all-time winningest coach with 64 victories. In 2008, he won Pac-10 Coach of the Year honors after the Beavers handed USC its only loss of the season, an epic 27-21 win in Corvallis that prevented the Trojans from playing for then-coach Pete Carroll's third national title.

After USC called following Carroll's jump to the Seattle Seahawks, Riley signed a three-year contract extension with Oregon State that runs through the 2019 season. It essentially functions as a life-time deal -- "I've always fought for years more than money," he said.

He also fought for raises for his staff, which is widely regarded as one of the best in the Pac-10.

The past two seasons, Riley and his Beavers finished tied for second in the conference. This past year, the Beavers played the annual Civil War against rival Oregon with the Rose Bowl as the winner-takes-all stakes. The Beavers haven't played in a Rose Bowl since 1965.

The Ducks prevailed 37-33.

"I want to show you something," Riley says as he fires up film of that game.

The Beavers, down four, have the ball and are driving. It's a third-and-9 play from Oregon's 21-yard line in the fourth quarter. There's no sound on the video but everyone knows the din at Autzen Stadium. And that din likely is the reason that freshman offensive tackle Michael Philipp is slow out of his stance as the ball is snapped, which results in super-quick Ducks end Kenny Rowe getting a half-second head start that's impossible to overcome. Rowe swallows quarterback Sean Canfield for a sack and 6-yard loss.

Riley hits pause. "Look at that!" he says. Beavers receiver Jordan Bishop, who lined up in the slot to Canfield's left, is standing alone in the endzone, no Duck anywhere near him.

Riley is smiling, though. It's not easy to get to the Rose Bowl.

USC has been to 33 and won 24, which is 10 more victories than any other Pac-10 team has Rose Bowl appearances.

"We know the vantage point we come from here is never going to be easy," Riley said.

But then Riley starts talking about spring practices and his 2010 team and he gets excited.

He's in his element. He's content. His wealth and ambition just happen to reside in Corvallis.

Lots of goings on at the NFL combine with Pac-10 guys. Here are some updates.

From Scouts Inc. reports on ESPN.com:

• Everyone expected USC S Taylor Mays to shine in this setting and Mays did not disappoint. At 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, Mays posted an official time of 4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash. While we are still concerned about his inconsistencies on film, Mays clearly has early-first-round natural ability, and teams are sure to fall in love with his upside if they haven't already.
• Arizona State's Dexter Davis, TCU's Jerry Hughes, Michigan's Brandon Graham and Utah's Koa Misi all played defensive end in college but are expected to move to 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL. Base 3-4 teams looking for help at outside linebacker were interested to see how they ran in the 40-yard dash, and none of them disappointed. Davis (4.56 seconds), Hughes (4.59), Graham (4.69) and Misi (4.69) all are fast enough to play linebacker in the NFL. Those times are unofficial, of course, but it's worth pointing out that the average 40 time for outside linebackers at the 2009 combine was 4.78.
• It should come as no surprise that Campbell, USC's Charles Brown and West Virginia's Selvish Capers stood out during one-on-one mirror drills. All three looked fluid and quick, but Iowa's Bryan Bulaga showed the best poise of the group. Bulaga didn't overreact to head fakes or quick changes in direction and stayed with his man throughout.
• USC G/C Jeff Byers had a hard time sinking his hips and keeping his shoulders back before starting his one-on-one mirror drill, and Byers' technique deteriorated once Idaho OT/G Mike Iupati forced him to change directions. Byers had a particularly difficult time staying low and that's a real concern because hip and back injuries forced Byers to miss two seasons early in his collegiate career and he looks stiff.

From other sources:

• Former Oregon State linebacker Keaton Kristick is making an impression.
• Former Oregon State quarterback Sean Canfield had a good combine.
• Danny O'Neil notes that many Pac-10 players helped themselves, including Mays, Jahvid Best, Donald Butler and Toby Gerhart.
• Mays may be overcoming doubters. As did Gerhart. But some think Mays' game tape speaks louder.
• By the way, Best is fast, and San Diego might be interested.
• Speaking of fast, here's more on the speed guys.
• You can find the top performers here.

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.

Spring is often cited as a time of renewal, and in recent years that has held true in Pac-10 football.

USC would renew its lease atop the conference annually, no matter who had bolted for NFL riches.

But this spring a different bird is chirping. It's a Duck, er, quacking.

After seven seasons of USC dominance, Oregon is the defending Pac-10 champion, and just about everyone has the Ducks pegged as the favorite to repeat.

Obviously, that means the Ducks have to prepare for the pressure of being a front-runner, right?

"We've never paid attention to any of that stuff -- the preseason rankings and everything like that means nothing to us," coach Chip Kelly said. "Our players can notice it. But our kids are smart kids. Because someone says you're supposed to be good doesn't mean a thing. All that stuff means nothing. We don't address it. We don't talk about it. We never talked about BCS rankings or Pac-10 championships until we won it. That's not a concern for us. It's about having a good spring practice and a good day in the weight room today."

So USC's "Win forever" under former coach Pete Carroll has become Kelly's "Win the day."

Of course, counting out the Trojans -- or really any team in the deep Pac-10 -- might be a mistake. Even Washington State, with 19 starters back, should be improved and more competitive.

Last spring, the Pac-10 welcomed back good talent at running back and on defense. Quarterback was a huge question mark. This year, eight starting quarterbacks return as well as an impressive cast of running backs, but a number of defenses take personnel hits.

So, just maybe, the days of high-flying, high-scoring games will return in the fall.

Kelly's Ducks certainly should be stout on offense. Ten starters, topped by quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and running back LaMichael James, are back from a unit that averaged 412 yards and a conference-high 36 points per game in 2009.

Of course, off-field events could change things a bit, so stay tuned.

Masoli leads a group of outstanding returning quarterbacks, a list that includes Washington's Jake Locker, Arizona's Nick Foles and Stanford's Andrew Luck.

Other returning starters at the position have something to prove: California's Kevin Riley, USC's Matt Barkley, UCLA's Kevin Prince and Washington State's Jeff Tuel.

Oregon State lost quarterback Sean Canfield, who won first-team All-Pac-10 honors in 2009, but 19 other starters are back. The chief question in the spring for the Beavers, who should again be in the thick of the Pac-10 race, is whether sophomore Ryan Katz quickly asserts himself as the starting quarterback or whether he gets challenged, particularly by Virginia transfer Peter Lalich.

Arizona State also is unsettled at quarterback, and the Sun Devils might feature the most wide-open competition between Michigan transfer Steven Threet, Brock Osweiler and Samson Szakacsy.

Of course, Riley is hardly secure. He might face a challenge from sophomore Beau Sweeney.

Still, while the offensive firepower looks impressive, know that defense will be a huge issue this spring. Six teams lost at least five starters from that side of the ball: Arizona, Arizona State, California, Stanford, UCLA and USC.

As they say -- and Carroll's crews at USC proved -- defense wins championships.

But for the first time in a long time, the favored team heading into spring practices isn't the Trojans.

After every season, starters leave. But not all starters are created equal.

Here are the biggest shoes to fill in the Pac-10 with spring practices just around the corner.

Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford

How do you replace the best running back in the nation, a guy who scored 28 touchdowns and rushed for 1,871 yards? You don't. Those sorts don't come around every season.

The Contenders: Stepfan Taylor and Tyler Gafney will get first crack, as well as Jeremy Stewart, who's coming back from a knee injury. Incoming freshman Anthony Wilkerson could be a dark horse.

Sean Canfield, QB, Oregon State

The first-team All-Pac-10 quarterback became an NFL prospect during a strong senior season. He led the conference with 3,271 yards passing and 21 touchdowns, which tied with Washington's Jake Locker.

The Contenders: This will be a showdown between Ryan Katz and Peter Lalich this spring, with Katz starting as the leader.

Brian Price, DT, UCLA

Price could be an NFL first-round draft pick. He led the Pac-10 with 23.5 tackles for a loss in 2009. 'Nuff said.

The Contenders: Good question. The Bruins are perilously thin here, considering both tackles need to be replaced and only senior David Carter has much experience. The answers here might be in the Bruins' recruiting class.

Syd'Quan Thompson, CB, California

The Cal secondary was a huge disappointment this season, but Thompson, a four-year starter and two-time first-team All-Pac-10 performer, was mostly his usually stellar self.

The Contenders: Will Darian Hagan step up in his senior season? Perhaps the answer is sophomore Josh Hill? Or maybe a redshirt guy? The Bears only signed one player listed as a corner in their most recent recruiting class. Expect there to be a lot of competition here this spring.

Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, DE, Washington

Te'o-Nesheim, a high-motor guy who started four years and earned second-team All-Pac-10 honors his final two seasons, ranking third in the conference with 9.5 sacks.

The Contenders: Considering the other end, Darrion Jones, also is gone, the Huskies will trend young here. Andru Pulu was listed behind Te'o-Nesheim on the depth chart, with Talia Crichton and Kalani Aldrich on the other side. There also will be opportunities for younger players here.

Ed Dickson, TE, Oregon

Dickson not only was the Ducks' second-leading receiver with 42 receptions for 551 yards and six touchdowns, the matchup problems he presented forced defenses to scheme specifically for him. That helps an offense in ways that aren't accounted for in statistics.

The Contenders: Junior David Paulson was Dickson's backup last year, and he had some nice moments, but he's no Dickson. JC transfer Brandon Williams and touted incoming freshman Curtis White will be in the mix here.

Kenny Alfred, C, Washington State

Alfred, a four-year starter, was a good player on a bad -- and beaten up -- line. His brain as well as his physical ability will be hard to replace.

The Contenders: Walk-on junior Chris Prummer was listed as Alfred's backup -- largely due to injury -- but Andrew Roxas, who redshirted this year after contracting viral hepatitis, is probably the leader here, though Steven Ayers could move inside to challenge him. Or there could be some reshuffling.

The Pac-10 went 2-5 during the bowl season, so it wasn't difficult to find many "worsts."

But there were some good things that shouldn't be overlooked.

Best performance, defensive player: Oregon's undersized but quick defensive end Kenny Rowe set a Rose Bowl and Oregon bowl record with three sacks in a losing effort against Ohio State. He finished the season with 11.5 sacks, which led the Pac-10.

Best performance, offensive player: In his final game in a USC uniform, receiver Damian Williams caught 12 passes for a season-high 189 yards in the Trojans' 24-13 win over Boston College in the Emerald Bowl. It's fair to say that Williams was USC's most consistent player over the entire season.

Worst performance, period: There was nothing good about Arizona's 33-0 loss to Nebraska in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl. Nothing. Feel free, though, to look at this box score and try to find something.

Best play: With UCLA trailing Temple 21-20 in the fourth quarter, and the Owls pinned on their 8-yard line, Bruins outside linebacker Akeem Ayers -- after falling down on his initial pass-rush burst -- leaped into the air and intercepted Vaughn Charlton's pass and gamboled 2 yards into the end zone.

Worst play: Trailing 19-17 in the Rose Bowl, Oregon faced a second-and-2 from Ohio State's 18-yard line. A huge hole opened. But running back LeGarrette Blount couldn't handle a high handoff from quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. The Buckeyes recovered the fumble and dominated the rest of the game.

Worst play, II: After BYU tied Oregon State 7-7 in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas, the Beavers took over at their 40-yard line. On second down, running back Jacquizz Rodgers couldn't handle a backward pass from Sean Canfield, and Matt Bauman returned the loose ball 34 yards for a touchdown. That was the first fumble of Rodgers' career, and the Cougars dominated the game from then on.

Best performance under tough circumstances: Oklahoma knew Stanford had no passing offense without quarterback Andrew Luck. So it ganged up on running back Toby Gerhart. Nonetheless, the Heisman Trophy runner-up rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries in a rugged effort in the Sun Bowl loss.

Worst pass defense: California made Utah true freshman quarterback Jordan Wynn look like an All-American in the Poinsettia Bowl. Against what was supposed to be one of the nation's best secondaries heading into the season, Wynn completed 26 of 36 passes for 338 yards with three touchdowns. He shook off an early pick-six to run the Bears ragged.

Best second-half defense: UCLA held Temple to 41 yards and zero points in the second half of the EagleBank Bowl.

Worst performance you didn't see coming: Canfield, Oregon State's quarterback, earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors this season. He has been invited to the Senior Bowl and is going to have an NFL career. Nonetheless, he had a horrible Las Vegas Bowl and was outplayed by BYU's Max Hall, who threw three touchdown passes. Canfield completed just 19 of 40 passes for 168 yards with an interception and no touchdowns, and he seemed completely befuddled by a strong wind and the Cougars' secondary.

Best unsung performance: USC fullback Stanley Havili always seems to sneak up on folks. In the Trojans' win over Boston College, he caught six passes for 83 yards with two touchdowns, including a 53-yard jaunt on a screen pass. He also had a critical tackle after one of Matt Barkley's two interceptions.

Experience at quarterback, coaches will tell you, is about as important as anything, and both BYU and Oregon State have that well covered heading into the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas tonight.

Experience? BYU's Max Hall has won 31 games, more than any other previous BYU quarterback. And there have been a lot of good ones.

Oregon State's Sean Canfield isn't exactly a rookie. He'll be making his 24th start against the Cougars.

That experience probably means neither figures to get rattled.

"The chances of rattling [Hall] are tough," Beavers coach Mike Riley said. "You're talking about a guy who has been through a lot in his career and played a lot and has been productive as heck. It's just like we said with Sean. The best thing that happened for Sean is to play for a long time in one stretch and grow and gain the confidence."

Quarterbacks -- duh -- are always important, but these two are their offenses' engine, though Hall is probably a bit more critical to the Cougars.

Who has the edge?

Consider:

• Hall finished ranked third in the nation in passing efficiency. Canfield ranked 15th. It's fair to counter, however, that Canfield faced more talented secondaries in the Pac-10.
• Canfield completed 70 percent of his passes for 3,103 yards and 21 touchdowns with six interceptions. Hall completed 68 percent of his passes for 3,368 yards with 30 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Those interceptions might catch your eye, but Hall only threw four in the final seven games.
• Both pass defenses are questionable. Oregon State ranked 60th in the nation in pass efficiency defense; BYU was 40th. The Beavers will be missing starting cornerback Tim Clark, while the Cougars will have a speed disadvantage in the secondary.
• Canfield is a higher-rated NFL prospect, in large part because Hall lacks ideal size. Mel Kiper rates Canfield the fifth-best senior quarterback.
• Neither defense had a lot of sacks in 2009. BYU ranked 53rd in the nation with 24; Oregon State 106th with just 15. BYU's offense gave up 21 sacks, which ranked 54th in the nation. Oregon State surrendered 29, which is 87th.
• Both quarterbacks have help. Canfield has the Rodgers brothers, receiver James and running back Jacquizz. Hall has All-American tight end Dennis Pitta and running back Harvey Unga.

So, who has the edge?

Too close to call. The game sets up as though both offenses will move the ball well and both quarterbacks will have time to distribute the ball to their playmakers.

Canfield's key is to get the ball to the Rodgers brothers in space so they can stress the Cougars with their speed and elusiveness.

Hall didn't play terribly well in the Cougars rivalry-game victory over Utah to conclude the season -- he completed just 12 of 32 passes -- but he kept his cool and threw the game-winner in overtime. He needs to stay in rhythm and take what the defense gives him.

Both veteran quarterbacks figure to play well. The one who plays better, however, likely will lead the winning team.

Breaking down Tuesday evening's Las Vegas Bowl between No. 18 Oregon State (8-4) and No. 14 BYU (10-2).

WHO TO WATCH: This is a primetime matchup of skill players. BYU will offer up quarterback Max Hall, tight end Dennis Pitta and running back Harvey Unga. The Beavers will counter with quarterback Sean Canfield and the Rodgers brothers, running back Jacquizz and receiver James. The difference for the Beavers is speed. The Rodgers brothers have it, while the Cougars are mostly about power. Canfield has been accurate all season, and if he can distribute the ball in space to the Rodgers brothers, all three could have a star turn.

WHAT TO WATCH: The Beavers pass defense. Starting cornerback Tim Clark broke his leg in the season-finale vs. Oregon, so an already thin crew is even thinner -- said coach Mike Riley, "We're thin. We're absolutely thin.'' Even with Clark, the Beavers ranked sixth in the Pac-10 in pass defense and pass efficiency defense. They surrendered 20 TD passes -- only Washington State surrendered more -- and their eight interceptions were tied for second fewest in the conference. Moreover, they only recorded 15 sacks, which ranked ninth in the conference, six fewer than No. 7 Stanford. Hall and BYU rank 12th in the nation in passing and have accounted for 31 TD passes.

WHY TO WATCH: It's the first matchup of ranked teams in the bowl seasons, and it's always interesting when the Pac-10 and Mountain West square off. The MWC annually wants to prove itself vs. BCS conferences -- perhaps paving the way for it to become one? -- while the Pac-10 doesn't want to endure dismissive sniffs from its BCS conference brethren. As for the game itself, there will be a lot of playmakers on both sides of the field. Jacquizz Rodgers, for one, could make a statement for the 2010 Heisman Trophy race, while Canfield could improve his already blossoming NFL draft prospects.

PREDICTION: BYU 33, Oregon State 30. So much of a bowl game is about which team is more motivated. Last year, Oregon State also lost a Civil War rivalry game with Oregon that knocked it out of the Rose Bowl, but the Beavers got blown out and embarrassed and wanted to exorcise that memory -- particularly the defense -- in the Sun Bowl. They were motivated. This time? They lost a heartbreaker. That's a different sort of touchstone. As for BYU, sure the Cougars are playing in their fifth consecutive Las Vegas Bowl. But they are riding high after a win over Utah in their rivalry game and surely will recall that they were out-hustled by Arizona in the bowl last year. That will be a lesson, and they will be plenty motivated this time to take a Pac-10 scalp.

We copped out at running back, but it just didn't seem fair to recognize only two.

First-team offense
QB Sean Canfield, Sr., Oregon State
RB Toby Gerhart, Sr., Stanford
RB Jacquizz Rodgers, So., Oregon State
RB LaMichael James, RFr., Oregon
WR James Rodgers, Jr., Oregon State
WR Damian Williams, Jr., USC
TE Ed Dickson, Sr., Oregon
OG Jeff Byers, Sr., USC
OG Gregg Peat, Sr., Oregon State
OT Charles Brown, Sr., USC
OT Chris Marinelli, Sr., Stanford
C Kenny Alfred, Sr., Washington State
K Kai Forbath, Jr., UCLA

First-team defense
DT Brian Price, Jr., UCLA
DT Stephen Paea, Jr., Oregon State
DE Tyson Alualu, Sr., California
DE Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, Washington
LB Keaton Kristick, Sr., Oregon State
LB Mike Mohamed, Jr., California
LB Donald Butler, Sr., Washington
S Rahim Moore, So., UCLA
S Taylor Mays, Sr., USC
CB Trevin Wade, So., Arizona
CB Alterraun Verner, Sr., UCLA
P Trevor Hankins, Jr., Arizona State

Who stood out on the final weekend (not me -- I went 1-2 in my picks).

LaMichael James, RB, Oregon: The redshirt freshman overcame an early fumble and capped a spectacular debut season by rushing for 166 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries in the seventh-ranked Ducks' 37-33 victory over No. 16 Oregon State in the Civil War for the Roses.

Sean Canfield, QB, Oregon State: Canfield completed 24 of 36 passes for 306 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in a losing effort, but he may end up the first-team All-Pac-10 quarterback anyway. He finished the regular season ranked 15th in the nation in pass efficiency.

Jake Locker, QB, Washington: That, ladies and gentlemen, was vintage Jake Locker. Locker completed 19 of 23 passes for 248 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions and rushed 14 times for 77 yards and two scores in Washington's surprisingly easy 42-10 victory over No. 19 California. But was that spectacular effort his last in a Huskies uniform?

Earl Mitchell, DT, Arizona: Mitchell, an unsung hero in the middle of the Wildcats' D-line, had two sacks and three tackles for a loss among his six total tackles in the Wildcats' 21-17 win over No. 18 USC, which likely earned them a berth in the Holiday Bowl.

EUGENE, Ore. -- The games couldn't have been more different, but for the second consecutive year Oregon State isn't going to the Rose Bowl because it lost the Civil War.

It hurt in 2008 when the Ducks rolled over them 65-38. And it hurt Thursday night when the Ducks outlasted them 37-33.

“It is never easy," Beavers linebacker Keith Pankey said. "We fought all season for this and it slipped through our fingers. We played our hearts out today.”

It came down to a couple of plays. It always seems to in tight games.



Both offenses mostly had their way, but the Ducks made the critical conversions in the fourth quarter and the Beavers could not.

Oregon State jumped ahead 30-21 after driving 75 yards for a touchdown on their first possession of the second half, but the Beavers wouldn't reach the end zone again.

There were two contrasting, critical fourth-quarter drives that told the final story.

Down by four, the Beavers had a first down on the Oregon 22-yard line as the clock wound down in the fourth quarter. But three plays later, they faced a fourth-and-15 with 6:16 left.

Coach Mike Riley looked at the clock and thought about the Ducks offense. He decided he needed to go for it.

"On 4th and 15, we did not know if we would get another opportunity and if they scored a touchdown it would be over," he said.

But Sean Canfield, the most accurate passer in the Pac-10, couldn't connect with James Rodgers.

The Ducks took over and wouldn't give the ball back, twice converting on fourth down during the game's gutsy, poised final drive.

One team made plays in the fourth quarter, one team couldn't.

The Beavers, who last played in a Rose Bowl in 1965, now may likely fall all the way to the Las Vegas Bowl, based on how the bowl-selection process will go, despite tying for second in the Pac-10. The Holiday Bowl will select the winner of the USC-Arizona game on Saturday, while the Sun Bowl likely will exercise a "no-repeat" clause and choose a team other than the Beavers, who were in El Paso last year.

“We cannot sit here and sulk," Pankey said. "It did not go our way, but we have one game left.”

Canfield was outstanding in a losing effort. He completed 24 of 36 passes for 306 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. It likely will be between him and Oregon's Jeremiah Masoli as to who is named first-team All-Pac-10 quarterback.

"Sean Canfield is the real deal," Oregon coach Chip Kelly said. "He's the first guy I've seen come into Autzen Stadium and not get rattled."

The Beavers (8-4, 6-3) didn't seemed rattled in the least. They just got beat.

“They were the best tonight," Riley said. "Our conference this year was one of the strongest and most balanced it has ever been.”

Each Civil War loss -- a humiliating blowout in 2008 and a what-might-have-been in 2009 -- hurts in its own way.

The Beavers have nothing to be ashamed of this go-around. But that won't be much consolation when they watch the Ducks take the field opposite Ohio State in the Rose Bowl and they think, "That could have been us."