ESPN College Football

How much can we really learn from spring? Funky scrimmages with backwards scoring systems; depleted depth charts; completely new installs for four teams. Actually, more than you'd think. Here are five things we learned about the Pac-12 during spring.

1. Quarterbacks are still in limbo: Be it Stanford, Arizona State, UCLA, Oregon or Colorado, almost half of the teams still don’t know who is going to be under center when the season starts. Stanford funneled its list of five down to two, Josh Nunes and Brett Nottingham. ASU still has a three-way battle with Michael Eubank, Mike Bercovici and Taylor Kelly -- though coach Todd Graham said they have a better idea than they are probably letting on publicly. The very private competition between Marcus Mariota and Bryan Bennett at Oregon remains in question -- though Mariota was spectacular in the spring game while Bennett faltered. Still, coach Chip Kelly said that one game isn’t going to be his basis for comparison. UCLA coach Jim Mora wanted to name a starter by the end of spring, but no one has “grabbed” it, so we’ll have to wait until August before learning whether Brett Hundley, Kevin Prince or Richard Brehaut gets the gig. And at Colorado, the competition was put on hiatus when Nick Hirschman broke a bone in his foot and couldn’t compete in spring drills. One has to think that was a huge advantage for Connor Wood to get almost all of the reps with the first-team offense.
2. Not everyone has quarterback issues: Teams thought to have quarterback question marks heading into spring seemed to have resolved them. In Utah, Jordan Wynn is completely healthy, and both coach Kyle Whittingham and offensive coordinator Brian Johnson have declared Wynn their guy. While Mike Leach hasn’t officially declared Jeff Tuel his starter, it’s hard to imagine anyone else winning the job in the fall, short of Tuel suffering a significant injury or amnesia. He had a splendid spring, and appears to be a great fit for Leach’s offense. And at Arizona, Matt Scott seized the job early and left little room for any competition. Coach Rich Rodriguez has been gushing about how quickly Scott has adjusted to the offense. At Cal, Zach Maynard, once thought to be challenged by freshman Zach Kline, appears to not only have held on to the job, but distanced himself from pursuers.
3. Wide receivers aplenty: And there are plenty of those in the conference. USC has probably the best tandem in the country in Robert Woods and Marqise Lee. Cal’s Keenan Allen (though he missed spring drills) should continue to put up big numbers, and Washington State’s Marquess Wilson should flourish in the Cougars’ new system with Tuel as his quarterback. Markus Wheaton and Brandin Cooks could challenge the USC duo statistically if quarterback Sean Mannion continues to develop. There are stars on the rise at Arizona State (Jamal Miles) and Stanford (Ty Montgomery), and a potential star at Washington (James Johnson). Look out Biletnikoff, the Pac-12 is a comin'…
4. The conference of defense? The Pac-12 might never bunk its reputation as an offensive-centric conference (especially when it keeps churning out offensive talent). But there is a surplus of talented defenses and defensive players who were on display this spring. Washington seems to have plugged its leaks with new defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox. There’s a 3-4 trend sweeping the conference, and with notable playmakers like Star Lotulelei (Utah), John Boyett (Oregon), Dion Jordan (Oregon), Chase Thomas (Stanford), Josh Shirley (Washington), T.J. McDonald (USC) and DeAndre Coleman (Cal), it’s easy to see why some of the Pac-12 defenses will get the same kind of love as the offenses do in 2012.
5. Confidence is at an all-time high: As it should be in the spring. The four new coaches all feel confident about the systems they have installed. Stanford feels as good as it ever has about its running game. USC and Oregon should get lofty preseason rankings, and this is the time of the year when fans go through the schedules game by game and always seem to come up with a minimum of six wins. Sorry to say, there are teams in the conference that won’t make it to a bowl game this season. But when you hear the coaches talk about their teams, you’d think the conference is going to go 12-0 in the postseason. This is a magical time for fans filled with hope and possibility. Enjoy it while it lasts.

The Pac-12 is known for offense, so it's not surprising that a list of the nation's top-25 players includes six players from conference offenses.

Defense? Not so much. Just one Pac-12 defender -- Stanford LB Shayne Skov -- made The Sporting News list.

That is not unreasonable. The 2011 season was not a great one for Pac-12 defenses, though, of course, we can endlessly spool the "chicken or the egg" perspective of conference defenses looking worse due to playing nine games against superior conference offenses.

Still, the numbers are hard to deny. The conference featured no statistically elite defenses last fall. In fact, just two ranked in the nation's top 30 in total defense (California and Stanford at Nos. 25 and 26) and scoring defense (Utah at No. 19 and Stanford at No. 30).

But things may be different in 2012. In fact, the Pac-12 blog views this as "highly likely."

The best five defense in the conference in 2011 -- California, Oregon, Stanford, USC and Utah -- have the makings for ranking among the nation's top 25 in 2012. And some of the teams that were bad to incompetent on defense in 2011, such as Oregon State, UCLA, Washington and Washington State, seem fully capable of becoming at least respectable.

It's not really about the number of returning starters -- about 6.4 per team.

And it's not completely about star power -- 11 of 22 first- or second-team all-conference defenders are back -- though that's part of it.

It's about looking at the units as a whole and extrapolating forward with star power and young talent, as well as coaching continuity. Or new and improved coaches.

California has intriguing talent on all three levels, but it will need its youth movement to produce the expected results. Oregon looks strong at linebacker, end Dion Jordan could be ready for a star turn and safety John Boyett is the brains behind the operation. Stanford might have the conference's best front seven. USC might have the conference's best back seven. Utah appears strong on all three levels, though a couple of young linebackers need to step up.

As far as star-power, there's plenty. Among those who could get themselves into the All-American picture are Skov, Jordan, Boyett, Utah defensive tackle Star Lotulelei, Stanford outside linebacker Chase Thomas, USC safety T.J. McDonald, USC cornerback Nickell Robey and Oregon State cornerback Jordan Poyer.

There are also buy ratings on Arizona defensive back Tra'Mayne Bondurant, Arizona State defensive tackle Will Sutton, Cal defensive end Deandre Coleman, Colorado defensive end Chidera Uzo-Diribe, Oregon linebacker Kiko Alonso, Oregon State defensive end Scott Crichton, Stanford cornerback Wayne Lyons, Stanford defensive end Ben Gardner, UCLA defensive end Datone Jones (yes, we're tapping him again!), USC's young linebackers (yes, all three), Utah defensive end Joe Kruger, Utah S/LB Brian Blechen, Washington defensive tackle Danny Shelton and Washington State OLB/DE Travis Long.

Among others.

Further, the defensive numbers might be better as teams take a step back offensively. USC's offense looks potentially dominant, and Oregon is always very good, even with a new QB. But Stanford is almost certain to take a step back without four first-round NFL draft picks, as might Washington with the loss of running back Chris Polk and its top two receivers. Four teams are breaking in new quarterbacks and four teams are adopting new systems with new coaches.

Most notable: There are offensive line questions across the conference.

Will the Pac-12 suddenly start playing a bunch of 17-10 games? No.

But here's a guess that the conference will play much better defense in 2012.

LOS ANGELES -- USC players don't want to hear about expectations or narrowing windows of opportunity or preseason rankings. After being shut out of the postseason for sins of the past, they are now shutting out the noise that surrounds the much-hyped 2012 team.

When the stern infractions were handed down two years ago -- which included a two-year bowl ban and scholarship reductions through 2014 -- several of the then-sophomores got together and made a pact that when they could return to the postseason, they would do so with a hunger. And the 2012 team is starving.

"As much as you want to hide it, knowing you could go 12-0 and it doesn't matter, well, it sucks," said safety T.J. McDonald. "You want to win every game, but knowing no matter what you do, you can't win a championship. That's why you come to USC.

"Now we can win every game and get to a bowl game. Hopefully a big one. We have big hopes. It's not a sense of urgency. But a sense that it's our time. It's a hunger."

When you look at the returning weapons -- the receivers, the running back, the secondary, the linebackers, the four offensive linemen -- it's easy to see why many are projecting USC as the preseason No. 1. And the quarterback, who made the phrase "serious unfinished business" as synonymous with USC as "Traveler," knows what this team is capable of.

"I think it's a special year for our team when you look at all of the talent and everyone we have coming back," said Matt Barkley, the preseason Heisman Trophy favorite and likely top-5 draft pick in the 2013 NFL draft. "But I don't think you can look forward and say, 'If we don't do it this year, we'll never do it.' That's flawed thinking and the wrong mindset to have. But I will say that I think we have a great shot to do it this year."

"It" being the national championship. But there are constant reminders for the players to keep their own expectations tempered. Chalked into the side of the practice field are the words "PREP NOT HYPE," a reminder that national championships are not won in the court of public opinion.

In the weight room, the 2012 schedule is up on the wall with white pieces of tape across every opponent save Hawaii -- the season opener on Sept. 1.

"I don't think our approach is going to be any different this year than it has been in the past when we didn't have a bowl game to go to," said USC head coach Lane Kiffin. "We didn't change anything last year as far as preparation, so we don't want to change anything now. We didn't all of a sudden not coach as hard and it's not like we're going to start coaching hard."

Yet players say there was always that nagging reminder that there was no tangible prize at the end of the race.

"I think to those on the outside, it might look like we have a sense of urgency," McDonald said. "That's only because we've spent the last two Christmases watching other teams play. So is there a sense of urgency? Yes. But it's because we want it, not because other people think we should have it."

The Trojans are already starting to feel the effects of limited scholarships with depth issues across the board. It will only get worse with a maximum of 75 scholarships in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Plus, they can't sign more than 15 players in those years.

This season could also be one of vindication for Kiffin. A national championship -- or at least an appearance in the title game -- would validate him for holding the Trojans together through what many considered overly draconian sanctions.

Still, Kiffin says, nothing changes this year.

"There will be no difference in how we approach each game," Kiffin said. "It's not like you're going on the road against a top-5 opponent like Oregon and we start to coach differently and then the next week against UCLA who is unranked. [The expectations] have nothing to do with our preparation. Prep not hype. That explains it all. It will always be our preparation for the game, not the hype surrounding us or the game or the opponent."

Yet guys such as McDonald and Barkley can't help but think back to that meeting two years ago, when the sanctions were first handed down. And now they finally have the chance to put their plan into motion.

"We talked about when we got back, we want it to be like it was before," McDonald said. "We want to be able to live up to the standard, not just be part of any rebuilding process. Last year we had a good season and now we're exactly where we want to be. You don't come to SC to be under the radar. You don't come here to be underestimated. You come here to be at the top of the pack. We know we'll get attention. But we won't be arrogant or buy into it. And if people want to put us up front, that's fine. It makes us even more hungry to get it done."

LOS ANGELES -- No story about USC safety T.J. McDonald would be complete without talking about the suspensions, his aggressive style of play and the reputation he has around the conference.

No problem, says McDonald. Let's clear the air and put it out there front and center.

"I've been playing this game the same way for so long," McDonald said. "I've been growing up watching guys like my father [six-time NFL Pro Bowl safety Tim McDonald]. Watching guys like Ronnie Lott. Watching big hitters. Playing safety, we don't get to do too much. It's not like we can go out there and catch touchdowns or take a handoff and make a highlight. It's either you get an interception or you are hitting somebody. That's the part of the game I love, is being physical, and being able to make those plays.

"But at the same time, you have to stay within the rules. I never tried to hit anybody in the head or the helmet or even lead with my helmet because that's going to hurt me. I'm not going to try to knock myself out.

"It's one of those things that you have to accept. It's the rule. The only thing I can do is try to change technique-wise in terms of bringing my arms and not making such a big collision. But you can't sit there and say I'm going to aim lower, because that's when you start thinking too much and I don't have that time to think. When that ball is in the air, you're gone. It's hard. I don't think it's fair to say I'm a dirty player. You can ask anybody in my locker room and they won't say I'm a dirty player. Am I physical? Yeah, I'm a physical player. And I'm not going to change my physical play. But I'm going to play within the rules."

Sufficient? Good. Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's get to what McDonald has planned for his USC swan song in 2012.

It's going to be tough build on his already-stellar resume. In 2011, he was first-team All-America, made almost every defensive-honors list in the country and was a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award. But McDonald knows he can get better.

"I want to take my game from being a playmaker to a game-changer type of player," McDonald said. "I feel like there is a lot I can improve on. There is a lot of stuff left out there that I want to get better at. And as a defense as a whole, we haven't put up great numbers. As far as the score and wins and losses go, we did a better job. But we need to get more turnovers. We need to stop the pass better. I want to be the captain of the defense and be able to fix that."

In 23 career starts, McDonald enters 2012 with 163 tackles and six interceptions. Last season he led the team with three picks. And it's not like he's using this spring to slow down, either. Defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin said McDonald has been one of the most motivated players on the field.

"He's having a really, really good spring," Kiffin said. "He was fast last year, but he's getting better and better and faster and faster. Sometimes guys come back for their senior year and they take a kick-back approach to spring. Been there, done that, you know? He's not doing that. He's heading for a really, really good year."

Last season USC ranked third in the conference in scoring defense (23.6 points per game), second in rush defense but ninth in pass defense, where the Trojans surrendered 263.3 yards per game in the air. The good news is that they led the Pac-12 in fewest touchdown passes allowed with 17. Another year in the system plus an excess of talent returning in the back seven leads Kiffin and McDonald to believe USC will be better against the pass this season.

"It's my third year in the system and other guys it's their second and third," McDonald said. "You have a good feel for what we're trying to do and being able to play fast. We're at that level right now where we can play fast and coaches can throw adjustments at us and it's not going to faze us."

Not surprisingly, there was a tremendous amount of buzz when quarterback Matt Barkley announced his return. McDonald's announcement wasn't met with quite as much fanfare -- at least outside of the USC locker room. But the guys he plays with know how important it is to have McDonald back for one more season.

"Yeah, they were all pretty excited," McDonald said of his teammates. "I sent them all a text before I made my announcement. Hopefully it's a confidence boost for the team and we can go out and do something with it."

EUGENE, Ore. -- John Boyett is still smiling. Everything seems fine. Up to the halfway point in a 15-minute interview, Oregon's free safety has been insightful and pleasant, even when a certain sportswriter started blathering about this or that.

But that smile hints at something else. It's a happy smile, yes, but happy in the way a lion looks just before he takes a huge chomp out of a gazelle.

Me: I just made a list of the top-25 of players in the Pac-12.

Boyett: [Big laugh] I heard.

Me: You were left off.

Boyett: [More laughing] I heard.

Me: [Nervous laugh] Are you competitive with the other guys?

Boyett: Very competitive.

If you've watched Boyett play, that shouldn't be a surprise. A soon-to-be four-year starter for the Ducks, the 5-foot-10, 202-pound senior from Napa, Calif., is child of a football family, and he's obsessed with the game, whether that's about conditioning or watching film or playing with an intensity that easily endures the filtering presentation of a TV camera.

"Football is in my blood," he said.

How competitive is he? Competitive enough to be, yes, just a bit irked not only at that ole top-25 list but also that he ended up second-team All-Pac-12.

"I'm not just going to say I feel like I'm the best safety because it's me. I'm a realist," he said. "But I really do feel I'm the best safety in the country. I probably wouldn't believe that if [secondary coach John Neal and defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti] hadn't told me the same thing."

But Boyett, who's led the Ducks in tackles two of the past three season and finished second in 2010, didn't come to this discussion unarmed. He's completely aware of who his rival is for best safety in the Pac-12: USC's T.J. McDonald. McDonald was first-team All-Pac-12, first-team All-American with The Sporting News, ended up ranked 19th on the top-25 list and is widely considered the best senior safety in college football.

"I know T.J. McDonald's stats," Boyett said. "I know all the safeties I am competing with in the draft. I know all their stuff. But I'm not stupid competitive. I don't get into all the politics. I'm here to help my team win. If we get into another BCS championship game, I don't care if you give me first team or 20th team, I just want to help the team win."

But...

Boyett continues, "But it is crazy when you look at it. I look at my stats compared to everyone else. And I'm not a big stats guy, I just want to win games."

But...

"But of course you've got to look at it every once and a while. I've got 276 tackles, nine picks and like 29 pass breakups. And the other guy's [McDonald] got like [163] tackles, six picks and nine pass breakups. I've got him by [113] tackles, three picks and 20 pass breakups! And they are still getting...

But...

"That's why I don't get caught up in all that stuff."

Not completely, at least.

What Boyett really does get caught up in is winning. Oregon has done that during his career like it never has before with a 34-6 record over the past three seasons. He was recruited to a 2007 team that fell out of the national title hunt when quarterback Dennis Dixon blew out his knee. In 2008, his redshirt season, the Ducks went 10-3 and won the Holiday Bowl. Yet those were the down years. He became a starter in 2009 when T.J. Ward got hurt, and since then the Ducks have won three consecutive Pac-12 titles and played in two Rose Bowls -- winning one -- as well as the national title game after the 2010 season.

Boyett believes the Ducks will again be in the hunt in 2012. And he believes this defense might be the best unit with which he's played.

"We lose three or four guys, but all the guys coming in for them are just as good as them," he said. "[Aliotti] asks me how the defense is doing, and I seriously tell him, 'This defense is going to be the best since I've been here.'"

Boyett is part of an impressive recent legacy of Oregon defensive backs. When he arrived, the Ducks' secondary included Ward, Jairus Byrd, Patrick Chung and Walter Thurmond. The first three were second-round NFL draft picks, while Thurmond went in Round 4.

Those are the guys who first taught him how to play, but they aren't exempt from Boyett's competitive streak either. He's got big plans for this year, and part of that plan is leaving no doubt in the eyes of NFL scouts.

Said Boyett, "Coach Neal says if I have another great year I'm going to get drafted as high if not higher than them."

Pac-12 spring preview: South Division

Spring practice is almost here. Here's a snapshot at what to expect from the Pac-12 South in the coming weeks.

ARIZONA

Spring practice starts: March 4

Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Hello, my name is ... Like the other two teams in the South Division with new head coaches (Arizona State and UCLA) much of Arizona's first few weeks will be Rich Rodriguez evaluating his personnel and getting to know what he has to work with. Likewise, the players are going to have to figure out what this new coaching staff is about. Everything from how they do pre-practice stretches to how they call the cadence is going to change.
• New scheme and a new scheme: A spread option on offense and a 3-3-5 on defense. That's a lot of new material to digest on both sides of the ball. Until Rodriguez can recruit the players he likes into his scheme, he's going to have to make it work with the players he has. Fortunately on the defensive side of the ball, Arizona has good depth in the secondary with Cortez Johnson, Marquis Flowers, Shaquille Richardson, Jourdon Grandon and Tra'Mayne Bondurant. The Wildcats should also get a boost with the return of injured players Jake Fischer (LB), Jonathan McKnight (CB) and Adam Hall (S).
• Perfect fit? Former starter Matt Scott, who was beaten out by Nick Folesin 2009, is expected to reprise his starting role under Rodriguez. He redshirted the 2011 season and -- magically -- Foles never got hurt last year despite taking 23 sacks and countless hits. Scott is considered the more versatile quarterback and should fit nicely into the new run-based spread attack.

ARIZONA STATE

Spring practice starts: March 13

Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• QB competition: We know what kind of offense new coach Todd Graham is going to run; now it's a matter of figuring out who is going to run it. Graham has his choice of three players -- Mike Bercovici, Taylor Kelly or Michael Eubank -- to replace NFL-bound Brock Osweiler. Graham said earlier this month that there are no favorites heading into the competition and each one brings his own skill set to the table. Eubank has the size (6-foot-5, 235 pounds), Bercovici (6-1, 205) is a mechanic and Kelly (6-1, 202) is a little bit of everything.
• Get the locker room: By the end of the 2011 season, ASU's locker room wasn't just divided, it was completely splintered. Graham's task -- and that of his new coaching staff -- is to pick up the pieces, mend internal fences and find some chemistry on both sides of the ball. Linebacker Brandon Magee, long considered a great locker room leader, should help get the Sun Devils back on track as he returns from a season-ending Achilles injury.
• Hands competition: The Sun Devils lose three of their top four wide receivers from last season -- Gerell Robinson, Aaron Pflugrad and Mike Willie. Jamal Miles returns after finishing second on the team last season with 60 catches and six touchdowns. Rashad Ross figures to be the No. 2 guy, but establishing depth in that corps -- especially if Graham wants to be up-tempo -- is key.

COLORADO

Spring practice starts: March 10

Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Momentum, maybe? For as rough as 2011 was for the Buffs, they ended the year on a high note, winning two-of-three down the stretch -- including a 17-14 win over Utah in the season finale. But there is also the possibility that things might get worse before they get better. With just four returning starters on offense, spring in Boulder will likely be more about teaching and less about refining.
• Where to start (offense)? Well, quarterback might be a good place. In the court of public opinion, Connor Wood, a transfer from Texas, seems to be the favorite. Nick Hirschman appeared in five games last season, mostly in mop-up time when the game was already out of hand. It's also possible a starter could be named by the end of spring ball. Finding offensive weapons to surround the new quarterback will also be a challenge. Wide receiver Paul Richardson caught 39 balls last season, and running back Tony Jones showed a flare for catching the ball out of the backfield. He'll likely step in as the new workhorse back for the departed Rodney Stewart.
• Where to start (defense)? Last in this. Last in that. Last in almost every team statistic the Pac-12 has to offer. But there are some intriguing youngsters on the roster. Cornerback Greg Henderson was all-conference honorable mention as a freshman with a team-high nine passes broken up. Jered Bell also returns from injury after blowing out a knee last preseason. If healthy, he's expected to be a big contributor in the secondary. Linebacker Jon Majorreturns as the team's leading tackler, and if Doug Rippy is fully recovered from his knee injury, he'll look to build on what was a pretty good season last year before getting hurt.

UCLA

Spring practice starts: April 3

Spring game: May 5

What to watch:

• QB up for grabs: Like the majority of the conference, UCLA enters spring with a quarterback competition. New offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone said he doesn't care how much experience (or lack thereof) a player has -- if he can play, he wins the job. So don't be surprised if Brett Hundley passes Kevin Prince and Richard Brehautas the new man leading the Bruins. Fans have been clamoring for a change. Hundley might be it.
• Attitude adjustment: One of the first things new head coach Jim Mora did was slam the team for its tradition of going "over the wall," a time-honored senior ditch day, saying if they want to jump the wall, they should just keep on going. How's that for sending a message? UCLA has earned a reputation for being soft and underachieving despite good talent. Attitude and toughness is needed -- and so far, Mora appears to be hammering that point home.
• Speaking of toughness ... The defense has to get tougher. No two ways about it. It was weak against the run last season, allowing more than 190 yards per game on the ground; couldn't get to the quarterback; and couldn't get off the field almost 50 percent of the time on third down. It's time for potential all-conference players such as defensive end Datone Jones to start living up to the hype and the defense as a whole to stop getting pushed up and down the field. At 6-5, 275 pounds, Jones has the physical makeup to be a major force in the conference and catapult himself into the elite class of collegiate defensive players.

USC

Spring practice starts: March 6

Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Ignore the hype: Few teams ended last season hotter than USC and returning quarterback Matt Barkley. The Heisman talk has already started, the way-too-early rankings already have the Trojans as national championship contenders, and the public perception is that the offense is unstoppable. Nice to hear, but hype is a double-edged sword. Head coach Lane Kiffin has a knack for deflecting hype. This season will be his toughest test to date.
• Insurance? The Trojans are loaded on both sides of the ball with returning players. But after the starting 22, things start to get dicey. Developing depth and keeping the starters healthy is a top priority -- particularly on the offensive and defensive lines and at running back, where experience is thin outside of the starters. The entire back seven returns on defense -- headlined by hard-hitting safety T.J. McDonald. Stopping the pass has been a major priority for Kiffin, and if this group stays healthy it should see the pass-efficiency numbers improve even more.
• Other options: Along those same lines, wide receivers Robert Woods and Marqise Lee make up the most feared receiving duo in the conference -- maybe the country. But who are the Nos. 3 and 4 receivers behind them? George Farmer? Victor Blackwell? De'Von Flournoy? Don't overlook the tight end duo of Xavier Grimble and Randall Telfer, which should rival Stanford's Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo as the best tight end tandem in the conference.

UTAH

Spring practice starts: March 20

Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• Youthful approach: Head coach Kyle Whittingham turned some heads by naming former Utah quarterback Brian Johnson as his offensive coordinator. Johnson, who recently turned 25, said he's not looking to make wholesale changes to the offense, though he wants to put his stamp on it and continue to build around running back John White IV, who had a breakout season in his first year of major college football. Having quarterback Jordan Wynn back healthy should also help as the team transitions to Johnson running the offense.
• Fixing the line: Who is going to protect Wynn (if he does indeed win back the starting job) and make holes for White? That's a major concern heading into spring as the Utes have to replace a pair of all-conference linemen in Tony Bergstrom and John Cullen. The Utes should be set at the interior but have to adjust to a new position coach, with Tim Davis leaving for Florida after just one season and Dan Finn -- a former Utah graduate assistant who was brought on to help Davis -- taking over the whole line following a one-year stint at San Diego State.
• Work the experience: The defensive line should be one of the best in the conference, especially with the return of Star Lotulelei, who won the Morris Trophy last season as the conference's best defensive lineman. With the Kruger brothers returning to the line -- Joe at defensive end and Dave at tackle -- Derrick Shelby is the lone starter who has to be replaced. There's also some pretty good depth in the secondary that was tops in the conference last season in pass-efficiency defense.

Working off of Mark Schlabach's most recent "way-too-early" top 25, Brian Fremeau looked at the top five teams on Schlabach's ranking and decided to pick apart the holes.

Topping that list are the USC Trojans.

Fremeau on the Trojans:

Generating consistency and dominance on defense needs to be the point of emphasis this spring. The Trojans forced three-and-outs on only 32 percent of opponent drives last year, the 70th-best rate in the nation. All 10 BCS bowl team defenses last season were better at getting opponent offenses off the field more quickly. (The other four teams in this article [Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma and Georgia] were much better at forcing three-and-outs, each ranked in the top 12 in this metric last season). Those extended drives were a major liability in USC's losses to Stanford and Arizona State last year -- the Trojans gave up 92 offensive points on only 26 non-garbage opponent drives.

Offensively, there isn't much to complain about other than the current vacancies at left tackle and fullback. And the defense should continue to improve under Monte Kiffin's tutelage.

Naturally, there are holes to fill -- specifically on the defensive line, where some shuffling is bound to happen in order to replace Christian Tupou, DaJohn Harris and Nick Perry. But the fact that safety T.J. McDonald decided to return -- thus giving the back seven another full year together -- bodes well for USC's defense to make more strides next season.

Junior safety T.J. McDonald said Wednesday that he would return to USC for his senior season, and now Trojans fans await an announcement this afternoon from quarterback Matt Barkley.

Barkley will reveal whether he's decided to stay at USC or enter the NFL draft at a news conference at 4 p.m. ET in Heritage Hall.

Will he be like Matt Leinart, who stayed, or Mark Sanchez, who bolted for the NFL?

USC already has lost defensive end Nick Perry and offensive tackle Matt Kalil early to the NFL draft, but if Barkley opted to return, the Trojans would likely start the season ranked in the preseason top 10, perhaps top 5.

Said McDonald in a statement: "Being a captain of this team and part of that greatness, we have an opportunity to do something great. That opportunity doesn't come around very often. I want to finish things out and be a part of something great. So I am returning to USC for my senior season."

McDonald was named a first-team All-American by both the Sporting News and Pro Football Weekly and also was named first-team All-Pac-12 conference. McDonald finished third on the team in tackles (67) and also added three interceptions as the Trojans finished the season with a 10-2 record.

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Jonathan Martin and Chase Thomas are a couple of cats you probably don’t want to tick off. But that’s what the Oregon State fans did in the second quarter of Stanford's 38-13 win Saturday afternoon.

When wide receiver Chris Owusu was laying on the ground after suffering a concussion, Thomas and Martin said the Oregon State crowd was taunting Owusu -- who was put on a stretcher and in a neck brace before being transported off the field in an ambulance. Neither player disclosed what the fans were specifically saying.

“The fans were kind of rude about it and making fun of him,” Thomas said. “That lit a fire. They were yelling things that shouldn’t be said when someone is hurt on the ground like that. We took it personally.”

It hit a little too close to home for Martin, who said he did his best to brush it off.

“That’s my roommate,” Martin said. “One of my best friends. It gets to you a little bit.”

Conversely, the Oregon State player who put the hit on Owusu, Jordan Poyer, apologized to head coach David Shaw when he came on to the field to check on his wide receiver.

“He came up to me and apologized and I put my arm around him and said ‘Hey, don’t worry about, just play. Play hard, man,’” Shaw said. “It happens in this game. It’s hard. It’s a split-second decision between ducking your head and just barely missing his head or getting helmet-to-helmet. I’m not going to say it’s easy. It’s hard. But when it’s close, the officials have told us they have to call it.”

Stanford has been at the center of the illegal hit firestorm this season -- and unfortunately -- several of those plays have involved Owusu. The receiver was released from the hospital and rejoined the team after the game for the trip back to Palo Alto. But this is the third time in the last four games that Owusu has left the game and not returned after taking a vicious hit.

Four times this season a Stanford receiver has gone out for the game because of a hard hit -- three of those times it’s been Owusu and only twice was an illegal hit called despite contact above the shoulder pads. The fourth involved tight end Coby Fleener, who took a helmet-to-helmet hit against Arizona.

“It’s scary,” said Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck. “It’s scary when that happens. Especially when it happens to a guy that has had it happen before. As far as the mood, it’s a tough thing. When something like that happens in the middle of a game, you just have to flush it and forget about it, as harsh as that may sound. For me, it was a little contemplative. You start thinking a little bit. First thoughts are ‘Please be OK, Chris, please be OK.’ It’s a tough thing, but you have to sort of forget about those things in a game as harsh as that may sound.”

Shaw did not rule Owusu out for Saturday’s big showdown against Oregon -- though it seems unlikely that after sustaining his second concussion in 21 days he’d be back on the field. This is at least the third concussion for Owusu in the last 13 months.

“There are a lot of checks he’s got to pass in order to get back on the field and we’re going to make sure he passes all of those before he plays,” Shaw said. “With concussions, they’re fickle. They change. He had one a couple of weeks ago and gosh, by Monday he was great. He still hadn’t passed all the tests yet but he felt great. So we will be overly cautions. I’ll tell you that. We’ll be overly cautious with Chris Owusu.”

The hit by Poyer came at a critical juncture of the game. Owusu fumbled after the reception and it was returned for a touchdown -- but Poyer was flagged for an illegal hit which negated the play. Rather than the score being tied 14-14 in the second quarter, the Cardinal added a field goal to go up 17-7 at the break.

Owusu was involved in an illegal hit last week against USC that drew a flag on a critical third down late in the game that kept Stanford’s drive alive. USC safety T.J. McDonald was penalized and then suspended half a game by the Pac-12 conference. According to Shaw, Owusu did not have a concussion as a result of that hit.

“We’ve heard from all of the officials and the NCAA and our conference -- if it’s close, they are going to call it,” Shaw said. “And I don’t think that one was close. They have to call it. In order for us to make this game as safe as we can be, when it’s going to be close, we have to call that so we can teach our guys how to make tackles. Not so high, not close to the head, so this game can be as safe as it can be so they have to make that call.”

USC lost a four-hour, triple-overtime game to Stanford on Saturday, so perhaps there should be no surprise that the aftermath also is going into overtime.

USC coach Lane Kiffin was fined $10,000 for multiple comments criticizing the officiating in Saturday's game, the Pac-12 announced Monday night.

Also, the conference announced that safety T.J. McDonald was suspended for the first half of the Trojans' game against Colorado on Friday for a hit on Stanford receiver Chris Owusu in the fourth quarter.

From the ESPN Los Angeles story:

Kiffin, the Trojans' second-year head coach, was upset about the way the end of regulation in the classic Coliseum game was handled, among other disputed instances. He has said he was promised by side judge Brad Glenn that he'd be awarded a timeout if it was ruled that receiver Robert Woods was tackled inbounds with one second left in the game.

He was not, and he said in his postgame press conference following USC's 56-48 triple-overtime loss that he was "extremely disappointed" with the officiating. He then said Sunday that he was "basically lied to" by the Pac-12 officials.

Kiffin's comments didn't please commissioner Larry Scott.

“The Pac-12 has specific rules that prohibit our coaches from making public comments about officiating, and this prohibition specifically includes comments that create doubts about the credibility of the conference’s officiating program,” Scott said in a statement. “The conference expects each Pac-12 coach to adhere to our standards of conduct and to conduct himself or herself in a manner which will reflect credit on the institution and the conference.”

Kiffin also quibbled with the penalty on McDonald. The conference office obviously wants to make sure that Kiffin, McDonald and other coaches know the right call was made, and that leading with the head for a high hit on an opponent -- even though McDonald's hit was on his shoulder pads -- is going to have ramifications. From the conference's statement:

“While Mr. McDonald was appropriately penalized on the field, I have deemed it necessary to add a half-game suspension,” said Scott. “This process was part of our weekly review of all targeting and unnecessary roughness hits.

“Mr. McDonald had been previously warned about illegal hits above the shoulders on defenseless opponents. In order to protect our student-athletes, it is imperative that we enforce these penalties for the safety of the game.”

When there is a foul called for initiating contact on the head/neck area of a defenseless opponent that does not result in a player disqualification, NCAA football rules specifically call for a video review by the conference office for possible additional sanctions before the next scheduled game.

One would think USC will be able to endure the loss of McDonald for a half at 1-8 Colorado.

Here's a statement from Kiffin on the suspension of McDonald and his own fine.

"We respectfully disagree with the suspension imposed on T.J. McDonald. He made a bang-bang play and his intent was not to hurt the receiver or launch his body at the receiver or lead with his helmet. If you watch the hit in real time, we feel it is impossible to competitively play that play any differently.

"T.J. is a tremendous player and leader for our team, and he has our full support. I know he felt badly about being penalized and the impact it had in the game.

"As for my reprimand and fine, after numerous conversations with the conference office, we have agreed to disagree. As I have been saying the past two days, we have moved on from last week's game and we are preparing for a very challenging conference game this Friday at Colorado."

And here's a statement from McDonald.

"I accept my penalty and I apologize to my teammates, to our Trojan fans and to the Stanford team. I'm disappointed that I can't be on the field with my teammates during the first half of this Friday's game, but I know they will do a great job without me.

"I was not purposefully trying to hurt the receiver. As I said after the game, I will figure out a way to play physically and still stay within the rules."

USC secondary coach Willie Mack Garza has resigned, citing personal reasons, the school announced in a statement.

Obviously, the horrible timing -- two days before the season-opener versus Minnesota -- and vagueness here inspires a raised eyebrow and a, "Hmm."

The statement said the personal reasons are "unrelated to USC." That would suggest that this is more a Garza issue than a USC football issue.

Garza, 42, was with head coach Lane Kiffin at Tennessee and followed him to USC in 2010.

Here's the LA Times on the matter. It reports, "Former USC and NFL safety Sammy Knight is a graduate assistant on the staff and could oversee the secondary."

This shouldn't be a significant problem for the Minnesota game -- the game plan likely has been fully installed -- though it could complicate getting marching orders from defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin to his defensive backs.

It's also probably a good thing that USC has a veteran secondary, with three of four 2010 starters back, including preseason All-American safety T.J. McDonald.

Still, not the best way for a team to start off the season.

In 2008, USC produced one of the all-time great college defenses. It took just two years for the unit to become mediocre-to-bad.

Last fall, the Trojans surrendered 44 plays of 20 or more yards, which ranked 102nd in the nation. By comparison, the 2008 unit yielded just 14, the lowest total over the past three years by six.

So what happened?

Well, for one, Pete Carroll, who'd built one of the nation's premier defensive powers, bolted for the Seattle Seahawks. Next: The talent he left behind for new coach Lane Kiffin wasn't nearly as good as it had been from 2002-2008. Then Kiffin, worried about injuries, significantly limited tackling during preseason camp. Finally, it seemed that the Trojans never fully figured out new coordinator Monte Kiffin's Tampa-2 scheme, which had been so successful in the NFL.

The result? A unit that surrendered a Pac-10-high 30 TD passes (five more than ninth-place Washington State) and wasn't much better against the run, ranking sixth in the conference (140.5).

But if you're wondering why many still rate the Trojans as the favorites in the Pac-12 South Division and believe they will improve upon their 8-5 finish of a year ago, the defense is a good place to start.

"I feel like we know what we're doing a little bit better as far as it being the second year in the system," Lane Kiffin said. "And in scrimmage formats, we're tackling better."

That will be put to its first test Saturday when Minnesota comes calling to the Coliseum.

The Trojans welcome back seven starters from last year's unit. They look strong at end with Nick Perry, Devon Kennard and Wes Horton. And few teams boast a better safety-cornerback combination than All-American T.J. McDonald and Nickell Robey. But there are questions at linebacker, where they will be young around injury-prone Chris Galippo.

The Golden Gophers shouldn't provide too difficult a test. Coming off a 3-9 season in which Tim Brewster got fired and was replaced by Jerry Kill, who rebuilt Northern Illinois, they are replacing three starters on their offensive line and they don't look like a team that will be throwing the ball well. They are, however, intriguing at quarterback. That's where MarQueis Gray steps in. He's a 6-foot-4, 240-pound junior who has been primarily a receiver, though he got behind center in "Wildcat" formations. Passing the ball over the past two years, he's just 8-of-23 for 86 yards with a TD and an interception.

Of course, Kiffin went the "oh, no" route and compared him to former Texas quarterback Vince Young.

"It's very scary for us," he said. "We've got our hands full. This is a big-time challenge for our defense."

USC won at Minnesota 32-21 last year, a victory that was part of a 4-0 start. But the Trojans proved inconsistent on both sides of the ball once conference play began, inspiring some questions of motivation because NCAA sanctions made them ineligible for the postseason. That's an issue again this fall, though it's probably not one in the season-opener, when everyone is fired up to play.

"I don't think the motivation shows up as much early in the year," Kiffin said. "It becomes more of an issue towards the end of the year or if you hit one or two losses in a row there."

Still, with Matt Barkley at quarterback and a strong crew of receivers, the Trojans should at least be a factor in determining other team's postseasons. As for the South Division, that probably hangs on how much the Trojans' defense reverts back to its old ways. Preseason optimism about knowing the scheme better and improved tackling only goes so far.

Said Kiffin: "That all sounds good but it won't mean anything if come Saturday we don't do it when it really counts."

It's time for our preseason All-Pac-12 team.

Feel free to disagree.

Offense
QB Andrew Luck, Stanford
RB LaMichael James, Oregon
RB Chris Polk, Washington
TE David Paulson, Oregon
WR Juron Criner, Arizona
WR Jermaine Kearse, Washington
OL Jonathan Martin, Stanford
OL Matt Kalil, USC
OL David DeCastro, Stanford
OL Ryan Miller, Colorado
OL Tony Bergstrom, Utah
K Erik Folk, Washingon

Defense
DE Nick Perry, USC
DT Alameda Ta'amu, Washington
DE Junior Onyeali, Arizona State
LB Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State
LB Shayne Skov, Stanford
LB Mychal Kendricks, California
LB Chase Thomas, Stanford
CB Cliff Harris, Oregon
CB Nickell Robey, USC
S T.J. McDonald, USC
S Delano Howell, Stanford

P Bryan Anger, California
PR Cliff Harris, Oregon
KR Robert Woods, USC

Last year, Oregon State defensive tackle Stephen Paea was the Pac-10's Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year. His numbers weren't eye-popping, but he was the guy who required the most attention from opposing offenses.

No defensive player who earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors in 2010 is back -- Arizona State cornerback Omar Bolden blew out his knee this spring. But that doesn't mean there aren't a plethora of returning defensive stars. Expect at least a couple of Pac-12 players to earn All-American honors.

The first question is who's the best inside linebacker? Arizona State's Vontaze Burfict might be the most fearsome defensive player in the nation, but by the end of the 2010 season few were better than Stanford's Shayne Skov.

Of course, neither matched the numbers put up by California's Mychal Kendricks -- 8.5 sacks, 15 tackles for a loss -- last year.

While he USC safety T.J. McDonald was a bit under the radar because the Trojans defense struggled in 2010, that defense is expected to dramatically improve and McDonald is a big reason why.

But, really, what happens if Oregon's big-play cornerback Cliff Harris becomes consistent -- while still maintaining his ball hawking ways?

Lots of good choices. But who's going to be the best?

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Last summer, four guys with a lot in common hung out in Manhattan and at the ESPN offices in Bristol, Conn. They had a good time. They traded war stories. But, no, Matt Barkley, Nick Foles, Jake Locker and Andrew Luck did not become good buddies. They didn't start firing off text messages talking smack to each other the way young men do when they bond. They didn't plan a Vegas get-away so they could radiate awesomeness as a foursome.

Locker is a likely first-round NFL draft pick next week. Luck will be touted as the likely top overall draft pick in 2012. Foles could join him in the first round, as Barkley likely would if he opted to leave after his junior season at USC.

"We're all good [with each other]," Barkley said. "But we're all kind of doing our own thing."

And, for Barkley, he admits that "our own thing" includes competing to be the best of the group.

"I definitely have them on the radar," Barkley said. "I'm aware of them. It is competition. Every quarterback wants to be the best at what they do. When I hear their name, I'm always trying to one-up them."

The best quarterback in the Pac-12 next fall likely will be the best quarterback in the nation. The second-team all-conference quarterback could end up a second-team All-American. Luck entered the offseason as the leading Heisman Trophy candidate. Barkley, Foles and Oregon's Darron Thomas will make most preseason watch lists for the award.

It seems a bit odd that the USC quarterback, a position in recent years that almost automatically included front-runner status for the bronze statue, is an underdog in the group. Luck is the decided front-runner. Thomas was second-team All-Pac-10 in 2010 and led the Ducks to the national title game. Foles has the best supporting cast of receivers of them all and could end up with the biggest numbers.

And Barkley? He's been running for his life this spring behind a patchwork offensive line.

Last year, Barkley went 1-3 against the group. He put up bigger numbers than Luck in a 37-35 nail-biting defeat at Stanford -- Luck was more efficient -- but put up inferior numbers against the other three, including a win over Foles and Arizona.

The first priority for Barkley and the Trojans is reversing those numbers and winning those games. But Barkley also is honest enough to admit that he wants to eclipse the other Pac-12 quarterbacks and, yes, he wants to push into the Heisman discussion.

"You grow up wanting to be the best and the Heisman Trophy is the mark of the best player in the country. So, yes, I've dreamed of that," he said. "It's kind of what you expect here."

Barkley has been the quarterback of record during a tumultuous time at USC. He won the job as a true freshman over Aaron Corp and Mitch Mustain after Mark Sanchez surprised then-coach Pete Carroll by opting to leave early for the NFL. Carroll went from being perturbed with Sanchez to gushing over Barkley in rapid fashion, calling Barkley, the No. 1 high school prospect in the nation in 2009, an "outlier," a term Carroll adopted after reading Malcolm Gladwell's book titled the same.

"This is not a typical kid," Carroll said after Barkley won his first start over San Jose State.

Then Carroll bolted for the Seattle Seahawks, Lane Kiffin was hired and NCAA sanctions hammered the program. Along the way, Barkley's ride hasn't always been smooth. When his numbers are viewed from the perspective of being a starter as a true freshman and sophomore, 5,526 passing yards, 41 touchdowns and a 61 percent completion rate sound pretty darn good. But Carroll set him up as a mutant quarterback and he turned out to just be flesh and bone like everyone else -- see: 26 interceptions.

Further, going from Carroll's over-the-top praise to Kiffin's unadorned feedback was a challenge for Barkley. One of the first things Kiffin did was talk about how Barkley needed to lose some weight, and Barkley never seemed to be thrilled with his weight being an issue, even after he lost a few pounds.

"It was definitely different," Barkley said of the transition to Kiffin. "I didn't expect it. But you've got to learn to go with it and know how to react to him, what works with him and what doesn't."

But the tit-for-tat -- Barkley has made fun of Kiffin's inexperience on Twitter a couple of times this offseason -- doesn't seem to indicate tension between quarterback and coach.

"Everybody would ask me, 'What do you think of Kiffin?' expecting me to bash him. He's awesome," Barkley said. "He's a great playcaller. He pushes you to be the best."

And Kiffin likes what he's seen this spring from Barkley, who's the team's only returning captain while still being a young player (second semester sophomore).

"He's doing a really good job of being a leader," Kiffin said.

Other players have noticed. Said safety T.J. McDonald, "He's the centerpiece that's putting that all together, and you can see that by how the offensive members are responding."

Barkley wants to be the best. He admits that is a primary goal. He expects to become a Heisman Trophy candidate. And he expects to become a high NFL draft choice; though it's not a topic he will talk about, more than a few folks figure this is his last season at USC.

But the best way to accomplish his personal goals is to reverse the downward course of what had been a college football dynasty. Barkley's Heisman chances and perhaps even his NFL prospects will decline if the Trojans don't win.

"All that doesn't mean anything unless this year produces results," he said. "If this season doesn't produce what I want to do, which is be the best in the country, then it's worth nothing. If I'm playing my best football, it gives our team the best chance to be successful."

And if he plays his best football, Barkley believes he'll become the best quarterback in the land.