Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh made official a number of coaching hires Tuesday that have been previously reported.
Vic Fangio, who has spent the previous 24 years coaching in the NFL, is the Cardinal's new defensive coordinator.
Randy Hart, who served as Notre Dame's defensive line coach last season after 21 years at Washington, will coach the defensive line.
Brian Polian will be the special teams coordinator after serving in the same capacity for the last five seasons at Notre Dame.
Also, Ron Lynn, who has served as assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator for the past two seasons, will assume the position of director of player development.
Read the official release here.
Vic Fangio, who has spent the previous 24 years coaching in the NFL, is the Cardinal's new defensive coordinator.
Randy Hart, who served as Notre Dame's defensive line coach last season after 21 years at Washington, will coach the defensive line.
Brian Polian will be the special teams coordinator after serving in the same capacity for the last five seasons at Notre Dame.
Also, Ron Lynn, who has served as assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator for the past two seasons, will assume the position of director of player development.
Read the official release here.
Pac-10 expansion to get earnest consideration
February, 9, 2010
Feb 9
6:08
PM ET
Debating Pac-10 expansion is no longer idle chit-chat. Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott made that clear during a teleconference with reporters Tuesday.
"It really is over the next six to 12 months that we'll start having serious analysis and serious conversations," Scott said about potential expansion.
Scott was joined on the conference call by Kevin Weiberg, his new right-hand man. Weiberg, the former Big 12 commissioner and Big Ten executive, was named deputy commissioner and chief operating officer this week.
Scott said he spent the first six months of his tenure listening to administrators throughout the conference. Now he's turning his focus toward action.
"The announcement of Kevin is really the start of changes and repositioning you'll see for the conference over the next 12 to 18 months," he said.
That time period is vital because the conference's TV and media contracts expire after the 2011-12 academic year. The conference needs a significant upgrade in revenue if it is going to keep up with the other BCS conferences, particularly the SEC and Big Ten.
And expansion could make the conference more alluring during negotiations.
"It makes sense [to consider expansion], if you are going to do it, to do it when you can monetize it and get value for it commercially," Scott said.
It also appears that some sort of Pac-10 network -- it could be a partnership with another BCS conference -- will get serious consideration. Scott said Weiberg's experience building the Big Ten network was "very significant."
"A network is absolutely one of the solutions we will look at," Scott said.
Scott said there have been no serious discussions with any potential candidates if the Pac-10 were to expand. He only said he'd noticed an increased "curiosity" about expansion among conference members, which was, in part, inspired by the Big Ten announcing it was looking into expansion.
Still, it's fair to say a subject of seemingly endless debate -- expansion -- might be resolved within the next year.
"It really is over the next six to 12 months that we'll start having serious analysis and serious conversations," Scott said about potential expansion.
Scott was joined on the conference call by Kevin Weiberg, his new right-hand man. Weiberg, the former Big 12 commissioner and Big Ten executive, was named deputy commissioner and chief operating officer this week.
Scott said he spent the first six months of his tenure listening to administrators throughout the conference. Now he's turning his focus toward action.
"The announcement of Kevin is really the start of changes and repositioning you'll see for the conference over the next 12 to 18 months," he said.
That time period is vital because the conference's TV and media contracts expire after the 2011-12 academic year. The conference needs a significant upgrade in revenue if it is going to keep up with the other BCS conferences, particularly the SEC and Big Ten.
And expansion could make the conference more alluring during negotiations.
"It makes sense [to consider expansion], if you are going to do it, to do it when you can monetize it and get value for it commercially," Scott said.
It also appears that some sort of Pac-10 network -- it could be a partnership with another BCS conference -- will get serious consideration. Scott said Weiberg's experience building the Big Ten network was "very significant."
"A network is absolutely one of the solutions we will look at," Scott said.
Scott said there have been no serious discussions with any potential candidates if the Pac-10 were to expand. He only said he'd noticed an increased "curiosity" about expansion among conference members, which was, in part, inspired by the Big Ten announcing it was looking into expansion.
Still, it's fair to say a subject of seemingly endless debate -- expansion -- might be resolved within the next year.
Washington State has added a 24th member to its 2010 recruiting class with the signing of defensive end Xavier Cooper of Curtis High School in Tacoma, Wash.
Cooper, 6-foot-4, 265 pounds, recorded 24 sacks over the past two seasons, according to the bio provided by the school.
“Xavier will bring a level of athleticism to our defensive line," coach Paul Wulff said in a statement. "He has a great deal of potential and as he develops in the weight room, he is going to help us on the defensive line.”
Cooper, 6-foot-4, 265 pounds, recorded 24 sacks over the past two seasons, according to the bio provided by the school.
“Xavier will bring a level of athleticism to our defensive line," coach Paul Wulff said in a statement. "He has a great deal of potential and as he develops in the weight room, he is going to help us on the defensive line.”
Pac-10 lunch links: Tedford says QB competition is on
February, 9, 2010
Feb 9
2:30
PM ET
In the shadow under the green visor of the cap Ignatius J. Reilly's supercilious blue and yellow eyes looked down upon the other people waiting under the clock at the D.H. Holmes department store, studying the crowd of people for signs of bad taste in dress. Several of the outfits, Ignatius noticed, were new enough and expensive enough to be properly considered offenses against taste and decency. Possession of anything new or expensive only reflected a person's lack of theology and geometry; it could even cast doubts upon one's soul.
- Did Arizona sacrifice the state's top 2011 recruit when it took an early commitment from another QB? Some Wildcats notes.
- Arizona State thought it might get a game with Cincinnati before it ended up with two FCS foes.
- Transcript of California coach Jeff Tedford's live chat -- he starts off by saying that the QB job is open for competition. It's actually pretty informative.
- What's your favorite Oregon uniform combination?
- Recruiting rankings and Oregon State. One word: Ha!
- Is USC's marquee O-line recruit, Seantrel Henderson, committed to the Trojans, or is he looking around?
- The WSU Football Blog pointed something out after the Super Bowl: Drew Brees wanted to be a Coug.
- Always some studs and duds among highly rated recruits.
Between now and spring practices: Washington State
February, 9, 2010
Feb 9
2:07
PM ET
Ted Miller takes a look at what's ahead for the Cougars.
Our final top 30 player rankings from 2009 will start from the bottom and work up to No. 1.
Click here for Nos. 14-30. Preseason rankings are here.
12. Taylor Mays, S, USC (1): While it's hard to quantify what Mays might have gained socially, intellectually and emotionally from returning for his senior year, it's fair to say he didn't gain much professionally. He likely fell from a top-10 NFL draft pick to perhaps a late first rounder, though you should count on Mays' stock recovering at the NFL combine. (You don't hear as much criticism of Mays among NFL scouts and coaches, by the way). Mays, a four-year starter, also didn't exactly have a terrible season. He earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors again and ranked second in the conference with 96 tackles, despite missing a game with a knee injury that seemed to bother him much of the season. He had one interception, four pass breakups and a number of ball-dislodging hits.
13. Ed Dickson, TE, Oregon: When Arizona's Rob Gronkowski went down with a season-ending back injury, Dickson became the conference's best tight end by default. Then, Dickson earned the perch by posting outstanding numbers, ranking second on the Ducks with 42 receptions for 551 yards and six touchdowns. It's likely he will be an early NFL draft pick.
14. Tyson Alualu, DE, California (26)
15. Alterraun Verner, CB, UCLA (15)
16. Jahvid Best, RB, California (2)
17. Charles Brown, OT, USC (17)
18. Syd'Quan Thompson, CB, California (8)
19. Keaton Kristick, LB, Oregon State (28)
20. Nick Foles, QB, Arizona (NR)
21. Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, DE, Washington (23)
22. Mike Mohamed, LB, California (NR)
23. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford (NR)
24. Donald Butler, LB, Washington (NR)
25. Everson Griffen, DE, USC (30)
26. Ricky Elmore, DE, Arizona (NR)
27. Trevin Wade, CB, Arizona (NR)
28. Kenny Rowe, DE, Oregon (NR)
29. Earl Mitchell, DT, Arizona (NR)
30. Travis Goethel, LB Arizona State (NR)
Click here for Nos. 14-30. Preseason rankings are here.
12. Taylor Mays, S, USC (1): While it's hard to quantify what Mays might have gained socially, intellectually and emotionally from returning for his senior year, it's fair to say he didn't gain much professionally. He likely fell from a top-10 NFL draft pick to perhaps a late first rounder, though you should count on Mays' stock recovering at the NFL combine. (You don't hear as much criticism of Mays among NFL scouts and coaches, by the way). Mays, a four-year starter, also didn't exactly have a terrible season. He earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors again and ranked second in the conference with 96 tackles, despite missing a game with a knee injury that seemed to bother him much of the season. He had one interception, four pass breakups and a number of ball-dislodging hits.
13. Ed Dickson, TE, Oregon: When Arizona's Rob Gronkowski went down with a season-ending back injury, Dickson became the conference's best tight end by default. Then, Dickson earned the perch by posting outstanding numbers, ranking second on the Ducks with 42 receptions for 551 yards and six touchdowns. It's likely he will be an early NFL draft pick.
14. Tyson Alualu, DE, California (26)
15. Alterraun Verner, CB, UCLA (15)
16. Jahvid Best, RB, California (2)
17. Charles Brown, OT, USC (17)
18. Syd'Quan Thompson, CB, California (8)
19. Keaton Kristick, LB, Oregon State (28)
20. Nick Foles, QB, Arizona (NR)
21. Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, DE, Washington (23)
22. Mike Mohamed, LB, California (NR)
23. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford (NR)
24. Donald Butler, LB, Washington (NR)
25. Everson Griffen, DE, USC (30)
26. Ricky Elmore, DE, Arizona (NR)
27. Trevin Wade, CB, Arizona (NR)
28. Kenny Rowe, DE, Oregon (NR)
29. Earl Mitchell, DT, Arizona (NR)
30. Travis Goethel, LB Arizona State (NR)
Pac-10 hires former Big 12 commissioner
February, 8, 2010
Feb 8
8:37
PM ET
The Pac-10 announced Monday hired former Big 12 commissioner and Big Ten executive Kevin Weiberg as deputy commissioner and chief operating officer. The release states:
Hmm. Does that sound like something the Pac-10 might be interested in?
A little "yes"and a little "maybe."
Good hire.
Here's an interesting article about Weiberg's decision to leave the Big 12 in 2007.
Weiberg, who will start April 12, is currently chief executive officer of iHoops, a joint venture between the NCAA and NBA, formed to develop a structure and programs to improve the quality of youth basketball in America.
Prior to iHoops, Weiberg served as vice president of university planning and development for the Big Ten Network, expanding the range and scope of network programming, during early stages of its development. In addition, he served as deputy commissioner of the Big Ten Conference under Jim Delany, from 1989 to 1998, and was instrumental in the integration of Penn State into the conference.
Weiberg served as commissioner of the Big 12 Conference from 1998 to 2007, overseeing its transformation into one of the most competitive and financially successful conferences in the country. Revenues doubled during his tenure.
Note three things: 1. Weiberg knows expansion. 2. Weiberg knows setting up a conference TV network. 3. Weiberg knows what increasing revenue looks like.Hmm. Does that sound like something the Pac-10 might be interested in?
A little "yes"and a little "maybe."
Good hire.
Here's an interesting article about Weiberg's decision to leave the Big 12 in 2007.
Stanford off to fast start for 2011 recruiting
February, 8, 2010
Feb 8
4:28
PM ET
Recruiting never ends -- we already are well into the 2011 recruiting campaign -- and Stanford has taken the early lead with four commitments from the ESPNU 150 2011 Watch List.
Oregon, USC and Washington State have one apiece.
Oregon
ATH Tyson Coleman, Lake Oswego, Ore
Stanford
RB Amir Carlisle, Sunnyvale, Calif.
QB Evan Crowder, San Diego
WR Ty Montgomery, Dallas
WR Justin Scott, Camilla, Ga
USC
DT Antwaun Woods, Woodland Hills, Calif.
Washington State
RB Bishop Sankey, Spokane, Wash.
Oregon, USC and Washington State have one apiece.
Oregon
ATH Tyson Coleman, Lake Oswego, Ore
Stanford
RB Amir Carlisle, Sunnyvale, Calif.
QB Evan Crowder, San Diego
WR Ty Montgomery, Dallas
WR Justin Scott, Camilla, Ga
USC
DT Antwaun Woods, Woodland Hills, Calif.
Washington State
RB Bishop Sankey, Spokane, Wash.
Pac-10 lunch links: Chip Kelly cashes in
February, 8, 2010
Feb 8
2:30
PM ET
See the kids just getting out of school
They can't wait to hang out and be cool
Hang around 'til quarter after twelve
That's when they fall in line
Kids got the beat
They can't wait to hang out and be cool
Hang around 'til quarter after twelve
That's when they fall in line
Kids got the beat
- This columnist likes who Mike Stoops hired as his coordinators. And when Stoops said this receiver was fast, he wasn't just talking smack.
- Arizona State will play two FCS teams in 2010 because it can't find an FBS partner. A look at the Sun Devils top-10 football stories of the past decade.
- This California recruit seems pretty smart.
- Chip "Ka-ching" Kelly: A big year for the Ducks means a big year for Kelly's bank account.
- Oregon State picks up another recruit, one with an interesting last name.
- More from one of Stanford's marquee recruits, who dropped Notre Dame for the Cardinal.
- Who won signing day: USC or UCLA?
- Former USC linebacker Rey Maualuga admits he has a problem. More on Lane Kiffin's psychically sensing UCLA-ness in recruits. Reggie Bush needs to stop keeping up with the Kardashian and try to take care of his responsibilities.
- Checking in with Washington's mysterious super-recruit.
- Some thoughts on the Pac-10's strong recruiting haul.
- You might find some of these in the Pac-10 gift store.
Which guys will you start hearing about this spring? And then continue hearing about into the fall?
Here are some guesses.
Arizona
LB Derek Earls, 6-3, 220 and/or LB Paul Vassallo, 6-3, 240
The Wildcats must replace all three starting linebackers from 2009. It's almost certain at least one of these two JC transfers starts.
Arizona State
OT Brice Schwab, 6-7, 310
Schwab, a touted JC transfer who originally committed to USC, is expected to immediately work his way into the Sun Devils' starting lineup, giving their beleaguered offensive line a boost.
California
RB Trajuan Briggs, 5-11, 200
Through the years, Cal has thrived with a tandem of running backs. With the departure of Jahvid Best, Shane Vereen moves up to No. 1. But who's his wingman? Coach Jeff Tedford gushed about Briggs at signing day, and he'll be there to compete this spring.
Oregon
DE Isaac Remington, 6-5, 265 and/or DE Anthony Anderson
The Ducks lost two starting defensive linemen, including end Will Tukuafu. Kenny Rowe is the undersized speed rusher on one side, but can Remington immediately push himself into the mix on the other? And will Anderson step up after making noise as a freshman on the scout team?
Oregon State
WR Markus Wheaton, 6-0, 167
The Beavers don't have any flashy newcomers this spring, but Wheaton, who caught eight passes last year, is a potentially dynamic player who might assert himself this spring.
Stanford
WR Jamal-Rashad Patterson, 6-3, 201
Stanford doesn't have any new guys around for spring practices, but Patterson, a touted 2009 recruit who caught one pass as a true freshman, probably senses his opportunity. With Toby Gerhart gone, and quarterback Andrew Luck back, the Cardinal figures to throw the ball more in 2010, which means the receivers will need to step up.
UCLA
TE Joseph Fauria, 6-7, 245
The Bruins lost two quality senior tight ends, but this Notre Dame transfer figures to step right in and compete for playing time.
USC
WR Kyle Prater, 6-5, 200
With the departure of Damian Williams, there will be opportunities for young USC receivers. Prater's big frame would be a nice complement to Ronald Johnson's speed.
Washington
RB Deontae Cooper, 6-1, 185
With starter Chris Polk sitting out this spring after shoulder surgery, Cooper should get plenty of opportunities to make a statement that he's ready to contribute as a true freshman.
Washington State
OT David Gonzales, 6-5,290 and/or G Wade Jacobson, 6-5, 300
Washington State has to get better on the offensive line. These two might begin to fight their way into the starting lineup this spring.
Here are some guesses.
Arizona
LB Derek Earls, 6-3, 220 and/or LB Paul Vassallo, 6-3, 240
The Wildcats must replace all three starting linebackers from 2009. It's almost certain at least one of these two JC transfers starts.
Arizona State
OT Brice Schwab, 6-7, 310
Schwab, a touted JC transfer who originally committed to USC, is expected to immediately work his way into the Sun Devils' starting lineup, giving their beleaguered offensive line a boost.
California
RB Trajuan Briggs, 5-11, 200
Through the years, Cal has thrived with a tandem of running backs. With the departure of Jahvid Best, Shane Vereen moves up to No. 1. But who's his wingman? Coach Jeff Tedford gushed about Briggs at signing day, and he'll be there to compete this spring.
Oregon
DE Isaac Remington, 6-5, 265 and/or DE Anthony Anderson
The Ducks lost two starting defensive linemen, including end Will Tukuafu. Kenny Rowe is the undersized speed rusher on one side, but can Remington immediately push himself into the mix on the other? And will Anderson step up after making noise as a freshman on the scout team?
Oregon State
WR Markus Wheaton, 6-0, 167
The Beavers don't have any flashy newcomers this spring, but Wheaton, who caught eight passes last year, is a potentially dynamic player who might assert himself this spring.
Stanford
WR Jamal-Rashad Patterson, 6-3, 201
Stanford doesn't have any new guys around for spring practices, but Patterson, a touted 2009 recruit who caught one pass as a true freshman, probably senses his opportunity. With Toby Gerhart gone, and quarterback Andrew Luck back, the Cardinal figures to throw the ball more in 2010, which means the receivers will need to step up.
UCLA
TE Joseph Fauria, 6-7, 245
The Bruins lost two quality senior tight ends, but this Notre Dame transfer figures to step right in and compete for playing time.
USC
WR Kyle Prater, 6-5, 200
With the departure of Damian Williams, there will be opportunities for young USC receivers. Prater's big frame would be a nice complement to Ronald Johnson's speed.
Washington
RB Deontae Cooper, 6-1, 185
With starter Chris Polk sitting out this spring after shoulder surgery, Cooper should get plenty of opportunities to make a statement that he's ready to contribute as a true freshman.
Washington State
OT David Gonzales, 6-5,290 and/or G Wade Jacobson, 6-5, 300
Washington State has to get better on the offensive line. These two might begin to fight their way into the starting lineup this spring.
Our final top 30 player rankings from 2009 will start from the bottom and work up to No. 1.
Click here for Nos. 16-30. Preseason rankings are here.
14. Tyson Alualu, DE, California (26): Alualu, first-team All-Pac-10 in 2009 after earning second-team honors the year before, isn't flashy but he's productive and likely will have a nice NFL career. He finished third on the Bears with 65 tackles, including 7.5 sacks, 11.5 tackles for a loss and two forced fumbles.
15. Alterraun Verner, CB, UCLA (15): Verner, also first-team All-Pac-10 in 2009 after earning second-team honors the year before, was fifth on the Bruins with 72 tackles, including five for a loss. His five interceptions tied for second in the conference and gave him 13 for his career. The four-year starter also was an outstanding student and was a semifinalist for the Lott Trophy, presented to the nation's top defensive player on and off the field.
16. Jahvid Best, RB, California (2)
17. Charles Brown, OT, USC (17)
18. Syd'Quan Thompson, CB, California (8)
19. Keaton Kristick, LB, Oregon State (28)
20. Nick Foles, QB, Arizona (NR)
21. Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, DE, Washington (23)
22. Mike Mohamed, LB, California (NR)
23. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford (NR)
24. Donald Butler, LB, Washington (NR)
25. Everson Griffen, DE, USC (30)
26. Ricky Elmore, DE, Arizona (NR)
27. Trevin Wade, CB, Arizona (NR)
28. Kenny Rowe, DE, Oregon (NR)
29. Earl Mitchell, DT, Arizona (NR)
30. Travis Goethel, LB Arizona State (NR)
Click here for Nos. 16-30. Preseason rankings are here.
14. Tyson Alualu, DE, California (26): Alualu, first-team All-Pac-10 in 2009 after earning second-team honors the year before, isn't flashy but he's productive and likely will have a nice NFL career. He finished third on the Bears with 65 tackles, including 7.5 sacks, 11.5 tackles for a loss and two forced fumbles.
15. Alterraun Verner, CB, UCLA (15): Verner, also first-team All-Pac-10 in 2009 after earning second-team honors the year before, was fifth on the Bruins with 72 tackles, including five for a loss. His five interceptions tied for second in the conference and gave him 13 for his career. The four-year starter also was an outstanding student and was a semifinalist for the Lott Trophy, presented to the nation's top defensive player on and off the field.
16. Jahvid Best, RB, California (2)
17. Charles Brown, OT, USC (17)
18. Syd'Quan Thompson, CB, California (8)
19. Keaton Kristick, LB, Oregon State (28)
20. Nick Foles, QB, Arizona (NR)
21. Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, DE, Washington (23)
22. Mike Mohamed, LB, California (NR)
23. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford (NR)
24. Donald Butler, LB, Washington (NR)
25. Everson Griffen, DE, USC (30)
26. Ricky Elmore, DE, Arizona (NR)
27. Trevin Wade, CB, Arizona (NR)
28. Kenny Rowe, DE, Oregon (NR)
29. Earl Mitchell, DT, Arizona (NR)
30. Travis Goethel, LB Arizona State (NR)
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.
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.
Opening the mailbag: Bafflement over recruiting rankings
February, 5, 2010
Feb 5
6:34
PM ET
Happy Friday.
To the notes.
Amalgam from the College Football Cosmos writes: I don't get recruiting rankings. Why do so many five-star guys fail and low-star guys succeed? And why is there so much variety about final team rankings?
Ted Miller: Obviously, Amalgam's question is a blend of the many recruiting questions that inundated the mailbag this week.
As far as critiquing team rankings, I'm not going to do that. I know the fellows from Scouts Inc. that do recruiting rankings for ESPN.com bust their butts poring over film and trying to legitimately rate individuals and classes.
The differences between recruiting services? How could you expect anything else in a business that involves the always inexact science of evaluating and projecting of human potential?
One thing, however, I do think gets under-represented to the public are the fairly straight-forward reasons that star-ratings often don't hold true in college.
First, there's basic math: The huge pool of low-rated players vs. the small pool of highly rated players skews things a bit when a former two-star guy becomes a No. 1 NFL draft choice and everyone starts going, "SEE! Recruiting rankings are meaningless."
But there's another issue: Physical maturity.
When you meet a five-star recruit in person, you immediately see the same thing the recruiting services saw on film: A full-grown man.
You typically -- not always but typically -- see a guy with a full-beard who's filled out his frame and is buffed up. You see an 18-year-old who could pass for 25.
You see a man who has been dominating a bunch of boys. It's impossible not to rate this guy highly because he looks better on film than anyone else.
But when he gets to college a couple of things sometimes happen.
First, he stops being dominant. A lot of the five-star guys have been dominant their entire lives. They've never been knocked on the rears. How they react to that is often telling.
Second, he may turn out to be a finished product who's already physically peaked. Often guys like this become solid but never dominant college players and they fall short of the NFL. You see this with a lot of with linemen who arrive as 6-foot-6, 310-pound freshmen already bench pressing over 400 pounds. By their senior years, they are... 6-foot-6, 315-pound seniors bench pressing over 450 pounds. And their feet never really got any quicker.
Meanwhile, there are those baby-faced guys who are 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds as high school seniors for whom college operates as a phone booth did for Superman.
One of the things you see when you hang around super-elite programs -- USC, Florida, Texas, Ohio State, Alabama, Oklahoma, etc. -- is they look different. At the Rose Bowl, it was impossible to ignore that the Buckeyes just looked bigger than the Ducks -- not really the starters but the 85-man team as a whole.
You go to a USC practice and you can't help but go, "Golly, who's that dude? He's a monster!"
Then you learn he's a senior and former five-star recruit who doesn't play much.
Coaches like Mike Riley often get praised -- and rightly so -- for finding diamonds in the rough, but know that there's also a certain amount of freedom involved in operating outside the high expectations of recruiting rankings and being able to evaluate an athlete and analyze what sort of football player might be inside.
It's balderdash when top-25 coaches say they're not influenced by star-ratings and recruiting rankings. I've been told by a couple of coaches that they've signed highly-rated players they didn't particularly like because of recruiting rankings.
The ideal situation -- and Pete Carroll always insisted that this is how the Trojans operated -- is to be an elite school staffed with outstanding talent evaluators who don't get fooled by the "finished products" who won't pan out.
Ryan from New York writes: UCLA signed no TEs and lost two to graduation. And only one WR, with both starters being juniors. Not sure how you missed that. It's amazing to me how you guys fall for Slick Rick's spin. He has a Svengali effect on you media types that cracks me up. You'll do or say anything for a quote.
Ted Miller: UCLA signed John Young, who is a tight end. The Bruins actually seem pretty solid at the position with Cory Harkey and Nate Chandler, both juniors, while sophomore Morrell Presley is a hybrid tight end/receiver.
Neuheisel said he wished he'd signed another receiver, but the only real issue with the Bruins class is the lack of a quarterback, which happened when Brett Nottingham decommitted and went with Stanford.
One of the problems with recruiting is folks put too much value on assigned positions. When I was doing write-ups on each class this week, one of the things I noticed was how often a coach called a player one thing while recruiting lists had him at another position.
But, really, it doesn't matter in the least. There are only four positions: quarterback, specialists (kicker, punter), linemen and athletes. Good coaches aren't slaves to high school positions.
UCLA's class is loaded with athletes. These are guys who could end up as running backs, receivers, defensive backs, tight ends or even linebackers and rush ends.
Here's a guess that Neuheisel is salivating over the possibilities with guys like Anthony Barr.
And I was fairly disappointed with the quotes I got from Neuheisel on signing day. He was far more happy than colorful.
Kenny from Corvallis writes: Regarding your article about recruiting and kids changing their mind.. These coaches have nothing to complain about. A verbal commitment means nothing. Sure, for the kids that absolutely know where they want to play and want to end their recruitment, great. But all an early signing period does is allows coaches to force the hands of players who may honestly not know where they want to go, rather just committed after an awesome weekend away at college where they most certainly were treated like stars.
Ted Miller: You make a fair point. An early signing period would give leverage to coaches.
But it also would allow a young man to opt out of the process -- which can be a pain for the entire family -- as well as allow a player to grab an opportunity quickly. Decommitments make headlines, but pulled scholarship offers are more frequent. Moreover, an early signing period is a nice insurance policy should an athlete get injured his senior season.
An early signing period would allow a player to know if a program really wants him. Also, coaches would be less casual about making offers they don't fully intend to honor.
Elite players can do anything they want. Do you think Lane Kiffin got mouthy with offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson when Henderson decided to wait until USC meets with the NCAA before signing? Absolutely not.
Finally, an early signing period works in favor of school's that aren't perennial powers, which I think is a good thing. For one, it might reduce the number of last-minute raids of recruiting classes.
Scott from Yakima, Wash., writes: I saw something in the news reports about Josh Shirley having a secret commitment to UCLA for a few weeks. Why keep it secret? My question is ... do you think Neuheisel used that secret to try to hurt USC? Imagine that a few weeks ago, they look at each other and wink and say, lets keep this quiet but give out the appearance of being a lock to go to USC. That will trick USC into not pursuing other LBs as much, and then late in the process when Josh goes elsewhere, they will not have enough time to scramble to get another LB in there.
Ted Miller: Scott, I am shocked -- SHOCKED! -- that the UCLA coach would do anything sneaky during recruiting that might hurt USC.
Neuheisel was open about Shirley's "secret" commitment to the Bruins on signing day, saying it was Shirley's idea.
Moreover, a Bruins booster might counter that it would be impossible for a UCLA recruit to keep a secret from USC coach Lane Kiffin. After all, Kiffin said on signing day that he knows which recruits want to go to USC and which will end up at UCLA almost immediately. Said Kiffin: "I think, I've been gone three years but much hasn't changed. As you meet the kids there is a sense and I was reminded of the kids that go to UCLA and the kids that come to USC, and to be back here, I watched it over the weekend just to see if it's the same, and it's really still the same. I guess we waste time continuing to recruit them, we know within the first 10 minutes whether they're the type of guys that want to play here or there."
Mike from Lacey, Wash., writes: The [University of Washington] Daily has an article "It's time to legitimize the UW-Oregon rivalry" which calls for awarding a "Columbia Cup" to the winner of the Ducks-Huskies matchup each year. It says it could become something like Michigan-Ohio State or Texas-Oklahoma. Interesting idea. With all the recruiting frenzy that is going on right now, this is what recruits play for. I like it, it has GAMEDAY potential.
Ted Miller: Sounds cool to me. Oregon-Washington is an underrated rivalry, and it should return to the national picture as the Huskies return to respectability under Steve Sarkisian.
Drake from Los Angeles writes: Have you ever considered putting out team by team analyses in reverse alphabetical order? I'm a UCLA student and fan, and along with the Washington and Washington State (and, ahem USC) fans, I'm sure we are all tired of having to wait all day for our recruiting rankings or whatever just because we land at the end of the alphabet.
Ted Miller: And risk the wrath of the "A" and "C" schools! No way!
The "W" and "U" folks are tough, but those "A" and "C" people... they're just crazy.
To the notes.
Amalgam from the College Football Cosmos writes: I don't get recruiting rankings. Why do so many five-star guys fail and low-star guys succeed? And why is there so much variety about final team rankings?
Ted Miller: Obviously, Amalgam's question is a blend of the many recruiting questions that inundated the mailbag this week.
As far as critiquing team rankings, I'm not going to do that. I know the fellows from Scouts Inc. that do recruiting rankings for ESPN.com bust their butts poring over film and trying to legitimately rate individuals and classes.
The differences between recruiting services? How could you expect anything else in a business that involves the always inexact science of evaluating and projecting of human potential?
One thing, however, I do think gets under-represented to the public are the fairly straight-forward reasons that star-ratings often don't hold true in college.
First, there's basic math: The huge pool of low-rated players vs. the small pool of highly rated players skews things a bit when a former two-star guy becomes a No. 1 NFL draft choice and everyone starts going, "SEE! Recruiting rankings are meaningless."
But there's another issue: Physical maturity.
When you meet a five-star recruit in person, you immediately see the same thing the recruiting services saw on film: A full-grown man.
You typically -- not always but typically -- see a guy with a full-beard who's filled out his frame and is buffed up. You see an 18-year-old who could pass for 25.
You see a man who has been dominating a bunch of boys. It's impossible not to rate this guy highly because he looks better on film than anyone else.
But when he gets to college a couple of things sometimes happen.
First, he stops being dominant. A lot of the five-star guys have been dominant their entire lives. They've never been knocked on the rears. How they react to that is often telling.
Second, he may turn out to be a finished product who's already physically peaked. Often guys like this become solid but never dominant college players and they fall short of the NFL. You see this with a lot of with linemen who arrive as 6-foot-6, 310-pound freshmen already bench pressing over 400 pounds. By their senior years, they are... 6-foot-6, 315-pound seniors bench pressing over 450 pounds. And their feet never really got any quicker.
Meanwhile, there are those baby-faced guys who are 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds as high school seniors for whom college operates as a phone booth did for Superman.
One of the things you see when you hang around super-elite programs -- USC, Florida, Texas, Ohio State, Alabama, Oklahoma, etc. -- is they look different. At the Rose Bowl, it was impossible to ignore that the Buckeyes just looked bigger than the Ducks -- not really the starters but the 85-man team as a whole.
You go to a USC practice and you can't help but go, "Golly, who's that dude? He's a monster!"
Then you learn he's a senior and former five-star recruit who doesn't play much.
Coaches like Mike Riley often get praised -- and rightly so -- for finding diamonds in the rough, but know that there's also a certain amount of freedom involved in operating outside the high expectations of recruiting rankings and being able to evaluate an athlete and analyze what sort of football player might be inside.
It's balderdash when top-25 coaches say they're not influenced by star-ratings and recruiting rankings. I've been told by a couple of coaches that they've signed highly-rated players they didn't particularly like because of recruiting rankings.
The ideal situation -- and Pete Carroll always insisted that this is how the Trojans operated -- is to be an elite school staffed with outstanding talent evaluators who don't get fooled by the "finished products" who won't pan out.
Ryan from New York writes: UCLA signed no TEs and lost two to graduation. And only one WR, with both starters being juniors. Not sure how you missed that. It's amazing to me how you guys fall for Slick Rick's spin. He has a Svengali effect on you media types that cracks me up. You'll do or say anything for a quote.
Ted Miller: UCLA signed John Young, who is a tight end. The Bruins actually seem pretty solid at the position with Cory Harkey and Nate Chandler, both juniors, while sophomore Morrell Presley is a hybrid tight end/receiver.
Neuheisel said he wished he'd signed another receiver, but the only real issue with the Bruins class is the lack of a quarterback, which happened when Brett Nottingham decommitted and went with Stanford.
One of the problems with recruiting is folks put too much value on assigned positions. When I was doing write-ups on each class this week, one of the things I noticed was how often a coach called a player one thing while recruiting lists had him at another position.
But, really, it doesn't matter in the least. There are only four positions: quarterback, specialists (kicker, punter), linemen and athletes. Good coaches aren't slaves to high school positions.
UCLA's class is loaded with athletes. These are guys who could end up as running backs, receivers, defensive backs, tight ends or even linebackers and rush ends.
Here's a guess that Neuheisel is salivating over the possibilities with guys like Anthony Barr.
And I was fairly disappointed with the quotes I got from Neuheisel on signing day. He was far more happy than colorful.
Kenny from Corvallis writes: Regarding your article about recruiting and kids changing their mind.. These coaches have nothing to complain about. A verbal commitment means nothing. Sure, for the kids that absolutely know where they want to play and want to end their recruitment, great. But all an early signing period does is allows coaches to force the hands of players who may honestly not know where they want to go, rather just committed after an awesome weekend away at college where they most certainly were treated like stars.
Ted Miller: You make a fair point. An early signing period would give leverage to coaches.
But it also would allow a young man to opt out of the process -- which can be a pain for the entire family -- as well as allow a player to grab an opportunity quickly. Decommitments make headlines, but pulled scholarship offers are more frequent. Moreover, an early signing period is a nice insurance policy should an athlete get injured his senior season.
An early signing period would allow a player to know if a program really wants him. Also, coaches would be less casual about making offers they don't fully intend to honor.
Elite players can do anything they want. Do you think Lane Kiffin got mouthy with offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson when Henderson decided to wait until USC meets with the NCAA before signing? Absolutely not.
Finally, an early signing period works in favor of school's that aren't perennial powers, which I think is a good thing. For one, it might reduce the number of last-minute raids of recruiting classes.
Scott from Yakima, Wash., writes: I saw something in the news reports about Josh Shirley having a secret commitment to UCLA for a few weeks. Why keep it secret? My question is ... do you think Neuheisel used that secret to try to hurt USC? Imagine that a few weeks ago, they look at each other and wink and say, lets keep this quiet but give out the appearance of being a lock to go to USC. That will trick USC into not pursuing other LBs as much, and then late in the process when Josh goes elsewhere, they will not have enough time to scramble to get another LB in there.
Ted Miller: Scott, I am shocked -- SHOCKED! -- that the UCLA coach would do anything sneaky during recruiting that might hurt USC.
Neuheisel was open about Shirley's "secret" commitment to the Bruins on signing day, saying it was Shirley's idea.
Moreover, a Bruins booster might counter that it would be impossible for a UCLA recruit to keep a secret from USC coach Lane Kiffin. After all, Kiffin said on signing day that he knows which recruits want to go to USC and which will end up at UCLA almost immediately. Said Kiffin: "I think, I've been gone three years but much hasn't changed. As you meet the kids there is a sense and I was reminded of the kids that go to UCLA and the kids that come to USC, and to be back here, I watched it over the weekend just to see if it's the same, and it's really still the same. I guess we waste time continuing to recruit them, we know within the first 10 minutes whether they're the type of guys that want to play here or there."
Mike from Lacey, Wash., writes: The [University of Washington] Daily has an article "It's time to legitimize the UW-Oregon rivalry" which calls for awarding a "Columbia Cup" to the winner of the Ducks-Huskies matchup each year. It says it could become something like Michigan-Ohio State or Texas-Oklahoma. Interesting idea. With all the recruiting frenzy that is going on right now, this is what recruits play for. I like it, it has GAMEDAY potential.
Ted Miller: Sounds cool to me. Oregon-Washington is an underrated rivalry, and it should return to the national picture as the Huskies return to respectability under Steve Sarkisian.
Drake from Los Angeles writes: Have you ever considered putting out team by team analyses in reverse alphabetical order? I'm a UCLA student and fan, and along with the Washington and Washington State (and, ahem USC) fans, I'm sure we are all tired of having to wait all day for our recruiting rankings or whatever just because we land at the end of the alphabet.
Ted Miller: And risk the wrath of the "A" and "C" schools! No way!
The "W" and "U" folks are tough, but those "A" and "C" people... they're just crazy.
Washington State announced Friday that junior college receiver Isiah Barton has signed and will enroll this coming fall, which makes him the 23rd member of the Cougars recruiting class.
Barton, 6-1, 190, transfers from Fresno City College, where he led the Valley Conference in all-purpose yards at 141.8 per game. He prepped at Westchester High School in Los Angeles.
“I think Isiah is an outstanding football player," coach Paul Wulff said in a statement. "He should give us some immediate help. He will give us quickness and speed at the slot and receiver positions as well as maturity. We’re very happy he is on board.”
For more, go here.
Barton, 6-1, 190, transfers from Fresno City College, where he led the Valley Conference in all-purpose yards at 141.8 per game. He prepped at Westchester High School in Los Angeles.
“I think Isiah is an outstanding football player," coach Paul Wulff said in a statement. "He should give us some immediate help. He will give us quickness and speed at the slot and receiver positions as well as maturity. We’re very happy he is on board.”
For more, go here.
Our final top 30 player rankings from 2009 will start from the bottom and work up to No. 1.
Click here for Nos. 18-30. Preseason rankings are here.
16. Jahvid Best, RB, California (2): Despite missing the final four-plus games of the year after suffering a severe concussion against Oregon State, Best rushed for 867 yards and 12 touchdowns -- with a 6.1 yards per carry average -- and caught 22 passes for 213 yards and four TDs. Injury, though, wasn't the only reason Best dropped from No. 2. In the Bears blowout losses to Oregon and USC, he was a non-factor, rushing for 62 and 49 yards, respectively.
17. Charles Brown, OT, USC (17): Brown was the best offensive lineman in the Pac-10 this year, and his ranking just 17th shows you that it wasn't a great year for individual offensive linemen. While Brown didn't always dominate -- the Trojans touted O-line underachieved in 2009 -- he's generally projected to be a first-day pick in the NFL draft this spring.
18. Syd'Quan Thompson, CB, California (8)
19. Keaton Kristick, LB, Oregon State (28)
20. Nick Foles, QB, Arizona (NR)
21. Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, DE, Washington (23)
22. Mike Mohamed, LB, California (NR)
23. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford (NR)
24. Donald Butler, LB, Washington (NR)
25. Everson Griffen, DE, USC (30)
26. Ricky Elmore, DE, Arizona (NR)
27. Trevin Wade, CB, Arizona (NR)
28. Kenny Rowe, DE, Oregon (NR)
29. Earl Mitchell, DT, Arizona (NR)
30. Travis Goethel, LB Arizona State (NR)
Click here for Nos. 18-30. Preseason rankings are here.
16. Jahvid Best, RB, California (2): Despite missing the final four-plus games of the year after suffering a severe concussion against Oregon State, Best rushed for 867 yards and 12 touchdowns -- with a 6.1 yards per carry average -- and caught 22 passes for 213 yards and four TDs. Injury, though, wasn't the only reason Best dropped from No. 2. In the Bears blowout losses to Oregon and USC, he was a non-factor, rushing for 62 and 49 yards, respectively.
17. Charles Brown, OT, USC (17): Brown was the best offensive lineman in the Pac-10 this year, and his ranking just 17th shows you that it wasn't a great year for individual offensive linemen. While Brown didn't always dominate -- the Trojans touted O-line underachieved in 2009 -- he's generally projected to be a first-day pick in the NFL draft this spring.
18. Syd'Quan Thompson, CB, California (8)
19. Keaton Kristick, LB, Oregon State (28)
20. Nick Foles, QB, Arizona (NR)
21. Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, DE, Washington (23)
22. Mike Mohamed, LB, California (NR)
23. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford (NR)
24. Donald Butler, LB, Washington (NR)
25. Everson Griffen, DE, USC (30)
26. Ricky Elmore, DE, Arizona (NR)
27. Trevin Wade, CB, Arizona (NR)
28. Kenny Rowe, DE, Oregon (NR)
29. Earl Mitchell, DT, Arizona (NR)
30. Travis Goethel, LB Arizona State (NR)
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Ted Miller
Miller has been covering college football since 1997, starting with Auburn and then heading West to Washington and the Pac-10. His columns for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer won first place in 2007 APSE Best Writing contest. The Atlanta native and University of Richmond graduate presently lives with his wife in Scottsdale, Ariz.
