Pac-12: Colorado Buffaloes
Colorado needs a fast start with its backloaded schedule to be successful in 2012, and that means a couple of things need to happen this summer.
Happy Friday.
This is where you follow me on Twitter.
To the notes.
Dave from Birmingham writes: Not sure I get you. Why would you not want the four best teams to play in a playoff? That's what a playoff is about. I know there's a subjective part to this but that's inevitable. Is everyone that afraid of a consensus favoring the SEC because the SEC is the best conference?
Ted Miller: In a word, yes. And no matter how you frame it, that so-called consensus remains subjective. And I know this from experience.
In 1996, I worked at the Mobile Register and I was arguing with Mike Griffith, who then covered Alabama for the Register and voted in the AP poll. Now, everybody argues with Mike, but I thought he was being particularly obtuse this particular afternoon because he was touting Arizona State. I was blathering that Arizona State would have four losses if it played in the SEC.
Yes, I once was one of them. Why? Because that was the way I was raised. Football in the south, as writer Rick Bragg once ostentatiously pandered, is like a "knife fight in a ditch"! That's a bunch of silliness, but such sentiments nonetheless are inculcated into fans and they seep into the media coverage -- in the Southeast as well as other parts of the country where fetishizing the peculiarity of the South is embraced. So I understand the roots of the "just because" reaction of so many SEC fans. And I experienced its power as a sportswriter.
When I moved out to Seattle to cover Washington, I still had a "just because" feeling about West Coast vs. Southeast football. When Miami came to Husky Stadium in 2000, I thought the Hurricanes would blast the Huskies. Ergo, my initial transformative moment was watching Washington physically manhandle the Hurricanes. Don't be fooled by the final score: The Huskies owned Miami that day.
My point: Regional biases are strong and they cloud thinking, even when they feel rational. That's why there needs to be a safeguard in our new four-team playoff system for some degree of objectivity, which prioritizing conference champions provides.
I know any questions about SEC super-awesomeness make SEC folks angry. I know: Six crystal footballs. No one is doubting the SEC's ability to dominate the BCS system. And I have no doubt that dominance of a subjective system -- a beauty contest, really -- has helped push the SEC closer to something that can be judged as a more objective superiority (read: self-fulfilling prophecy).
But if we're going to have a national college football playoff, we need to create a selection process that doesn't leave open the possibility of a tag always going to a runner from a certain conference, just because.
Edward from Atlanta writes: Do you think USC coach Lane Kiffin and his staff are better at recruiting than Pete Carroll and his staff? I look at the fact that Lane Kiffin is only working with 15 scholarships and he is still bringing in top recruits after everything that has taking placed. Just imagine if he did had all his scholarships he would probably have a top 3 or top 5 recruiting class every year.
Ted Miller: No.
Kiffin and his staff are recruiting very well, but they can't do much better than Pete Carroll and his staff did from 2002-2009. You say top-three to -five each year? Carroll landed the No. 1 class multiple times. Any rare rating outside the top five was deemed an off-year. Carroll's recruiting run rates among the best run a program has produced -- think Bobby Bowden in the glory years at Florida State.
It's also worth noting that Carroll and Kiffin share two ace recruiters: Kiffin and Ed Orgeron.
Jeff from Tempe, Ariz., writes: Who do you think is going to be the starting quarterback for ASU to begin the season?
Ted Miller: That's a tough one. When I watched practice, I thought Mike Bercovici was so much better as a passer that he should be the guy. But then you have to realize that new coach Todd Graham wants to run some spread option, and that requires the quarterback to be a running threat. Bercovici is no running threat, while 6-foot-5, 242-pound Michael Eubank is. And Eubank has potential as a passer, though at present he's raw.
The easy answer is start Bercovici but use some packages with Eubank. But that's sort of a fan answer. Most coaches don't like playing two quarterbacks. They'll tell you if you play two, it means you don't have any. And QBs are not big fans of sharing the job.
I used to be a Bercovici lean, but now I'm leaning toward Eubank. Here's why: This team is much better at running back than at receiver. Even with Bercovici's live arm, this probably is going to be a run-first offense, and it makes things much more difficult for a defense if it must account for the QB as a runner. Eubank can become at least an adequate passer. Bercovici is unlikely to do the same as a runner.
Mark from Garden Grove, Calif., writes: If you could play matchmaker, which Big Ten/Pac-12 schools would you pair for the 2017 season -- and why?
Ted Miller: OK, I'll bite, basing things on where the college football world is today.
Rapsai from Eugene, Ore., writes: Ted, with Oregon's lack of depth at RB, do you see Josh Huff maybe sliding into the backfield to play some RB for the Ducks next season?
Ted Miller: A perfectly reasonable solution if there are injury issues in the backfield.
Does it make me a bad person that I don't think the Ducks are going to hurting at running back? I just think with Chip Kelly's emphasis on speed in recruiting that the Ducks will pretty much have an answer at RB, no matter how many guys get hurt. Recall that Kenjon Barner started out as a defensive back.
John from Los Angeles writes: I guess this falls into my "you know your old when you have a story for everything" file. In reading the post about Jonathan Ogden going into the HOF, I noticed your comment on his massive size. My buddies and I take a football road trip every year. We used to include the Baltimore Ravens in the trip because Will Demps (former Ravens safety) played at the high school where my buddy is the AD and he would get us tickets. Anyway, after a game against the Bengals at Cincinnati we are standing next to the Ravens team bus talking to Demps, Ogden and his people come up next to us - and he literally blocks out the sun!! You truly cannot appreciate how BIG the guy is until you stand right next to him. My buddy is wearing his USC cap (he is a big fan), so to amuse myself I keep whispering "Jack, show Ogden your hat." My friend kept his back to Ogden the entire time.
Ted Miller: I remember covering the 1996 Citrus Bowl between Ohio State and Tennessee -- which was cool because both were ranked No. 4 entering the game -- and walking up to the Ohio State bus. I saw No. 75 horsing around around this itty-bitty guy with a bald head who was No. 27.
The itty bitty guy was 6-foot-3, 240-pound, Heisman Trophy-winning running back Eddie George, and No. 75 was 6-foot-7, 325-pound Orlando Pace, who at that moment was the biggest dude I'd ever seen.
And Ogden -- at 6-foot-9, 345 -- darn near dwarfs Pace.
Only guy who ever impressed me as more spectacularly large was Shaquille O'Neal.
This is where you follow me on Twitter.
To the notes.
Dave from Birmingham writes: Not sure I get you. Why would you not want the four best teams to play in a playoff? That's what a playoff is about. I know there's a subjective part to this but that's inevitable. Is everyone that afraid of a consensus favoring the SEC because the SEC is the best conference?
Ted Miller: In a word, yes. And no matter how you frame it, that so-called consensus remains subjective. And I know this from experience.
In 1996, I worked at the Mobile Register and I was arguing with Mike Griffith, who then covered Alabama for the Register and voted in the AP poll. Now, everybody argues with Mike, but I thought he was being particularly obtuse this particular afternoon because he was touting Arizona State. I was blathering that Arizona State would have four losses if it played in the SEC.
Yes, I once was one of them. Why? Because that was the way I was raised. Football in the south, as writer Rick Bragg once ostentatiously pandered, is like a "knife fight in a ditch"! That's a bunch of silliness, but such sentiments nonetheless are inculcated into fans and they seep into the media coverage -- in the Southeast as well as other parts of the country where fetishizing the peculiarity of the South is embraced. So I understand the roots of the "just because" reaction of so many SEC fans. And I experienced its power as a sportswriter.
When I moved out to Seattle to cover Washington, I still had a "just because" feeling about West Coast vs. Southeast football. When Miami came to Husky Stadium in 2000, I thought the Hurricanes would blast the Huskies. Ergo, my initial transformative moment was watching Washington physically manhandle the Hurricanes. Don't be fooled by the final score: The Huskies owned Miami that day.
My point: Regional biases are strong and they cloud thinking, even when they feel rational. That's why there needs to be a safeguard in our new four-team playoff system for some degree of objectivity, which prioritizing conference champions provides.
I know any questions about SEC super-awesomeness make SEC folks angry. I know: Six crystal footballs. No one is doubting the SEC's ability to dominate the BCS system. And I have no doubt that dominance of a subjective system -- a beauty contest, really -- has helped push the SEC closer to something that can be judged as a more objective superiority (read: self-fulfilling prophecy).
But if we're going to have a national college football playoff, we need to create a selection process that doesn't leave open the possibility of a tag always going to a runner from a certain conference, just because.
Edward from Atlanta writes: Do you think USC coach Lane Kiffin and his staff are better at recruiting than Pete Carroll and his staff? I look at the fact that Lane Kiffin is only working with 15 scholarships and he is still bringing in top recruits after everything that has taking placed. Just imagine if he did had all his scholarships he would probably have a top 3 or top 5 recruiting class every year.
Ted Miller: No.
Kiffin and his staff are recruiting very well, but they can't do much better than Pete Carroll and his staff did from 2002-2009. You say top-three to -five each year? Carroll landed the No. 1 class multiple times. Any rare rating outside the top five was deemed an off-year. Carroll's recruiting run rates among the best run a program has produced -- think Bobby Bowden in the glory years at Florida State.
It's also worth noting that Carroll and Kiffin share two ace recruiters: Kiffin and Ed Orgeron.
Jeff from Tempe, Ariz., writes: Who do you think is going to be the starting quarterback for ASU to begin the season?
Ted Miller: That's a tough one. When I watched practice, I thought Mike Bercovici was so much better as a passer that he should be the guy. But then you have to realize that new coach Todd Graham wants to run some spread option, and that requires the quarterback to be a running threat. Bercovici is no running threat, while 6-foot-5, 242-pound Michael Eubank is. And Eubank has potential as a passer, though at present he's raw.
The easy answer is start Bercovici but use some packages with Eubank. But that's sort of a fan answer. Most coaches don't like playing two quarterbacks. They'll tell you if you play two, it means you don't have any. And QBs are not big fans of sharing the job.
I used to be a Bercovici lean, but now I'm leaning toward Eubank. Here's why: This team is much better at running back than at receiver. Even with Bercovici's live arm, this probably is going to be a run-first offense, and it makes things much more difficult for a defense if it must account for the QB as a runner. Eubank can become at least an adequate passer. Bercovici is unlikely to do the same as a runner.
Mark from Garden Grove, Calif., writes: If you could play matchmaker, which Big Ten/Pac-12 schools would you pair for the 2017 season -- and why?
Ted Miller: OK, I'll bite, basing things on where the college football world is today.
- Oregon-Ohio State: Urban Meyer vs. Chip Kelly. 'Nuff said.
- Arizona-Michigan: The Rich Rodriguez Bowl.
- Stanford-Wisconsin: Two really good schools that play smashmouth football.
- Oregon State-Michigan State: All that green would have the Beavers feeling like they're play Oregon.
- USC-Penn State: Two old-school powers whose uniforms are among the most recognizable.
- Nebraska-Arizona State: Any Sun Devils recall 1996?
- Northwestern-California: Two elite academic universities.
- Washington-Iowa: A rematch of the 1982, 1991 Rose Bowls, both won by the Huskies.
- Colorado-Purdue: Two great mascots. (Colorado would have been a good one for Nebraska, too.)
- Utah-Illinois: Utes vs. Fighting Illini.
- Washington State-Minnesota: The Cold Bowl.
- UCLA-Indiana: Two old-school basketball powers playing football.
Rapsai from Eugene, Ore., writes: Ted, with Oregon's lack of depth at RB, do you see Josh Huff maybe sliding into the backfield to play some RB for the Ducks next season?
Ted Miller: A perfectly reasonable solution if there are injury issues in the backfield.
Does it make me a bad person that I don't think the Ducks are going to hurting at running back? I just think with Chip Kelly's emphasis on speed in recruiting that the Ducks will pretty much have an answer at RB, no matter how many guys get hurt. Recall that Kenjon Barner started out as a defensive back.
John from Los Angeles writes: I guess this falls into my "you know your old when you have a story for everything" file. In reading the post about Jonathan Ogden going into the HOF, I noticed your comment on his massive size. My buddies and I take a football road trip every year. We used to include the Baltimore Ravens in the trip because Will Demps (former Ravens safety) played at the high school where my buddy is the AD and he would get us tickets. Anyway, after a game against the Bengals at Cincinnati we are standing next to the Ravens team bus talking to Demps, Ogden and his people come up next to us - and he literally blocks out the sun!! You truly cannot appreciate how BIG the guy is until you stand right next to him. My buddy is wearing his USC cap (he is a big fan), so to amuse myself I keep whispering "Jack, show Ogden your hat." My friend kept his back to Ogden the entire time.
Ted Miller: I remember covering the 1996 Citrus Bowl between Ohio State and Tennessee -- which was cool because both were ranked No. 4 entering the game -- and walking up to the Ohio State bus. I saw No. 75 horsing around around this itty-bitty guy with a bald head who was No. 27.
The itty bitty guy was 6-foot-3, 240-pound, Heisman Trophy-winning running back Eddie George, and No. 75 was 6-foot-7, 325-pound Orlando Pace, who at that moment was the biggest dude I'd ever seen.
And Ogden -- at 6-foot-9, 345 -- darn near dwarfs Pace.
Only guy who ever impressed me as more spectacularly large was Shaquille O'Neal.
One of the first two African-American football players at Colorado (with Frank Clarke), Wooten lettered three years as a left guard in Dal Ward's Wing-T/Single-Wing offense, earning All-America honors in 1958 and All Big-Seven in 1956 and 1957. Most known as a 6-foot-2, 230-pound guard who was agile and powerful, he also played tackle on defense.
His impact was immediate. In 1956, he helped the Buffs to an 8-2-1 record and the school's first ever bowl victory -- a 27-21 win in the Orange Bowl. The next year Colorado led the nation in rushing with 322.3 yards per game and they were second in total offense (415.2) -- and a lot of that had to do with the holes Wooten was opening up. Then in 1958, Colorado achieved its first ever Top 10 ranking, climbing to No. 9 nationally after a 5-0 start.
In 1959 he was a fifth-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns, where he went on to play nine seasons, earning All-Pro status, before closing out his career with one season in Washington. He went on to have a decorated career in NFL administration, streamlining programs centered on continuing education and financial planning for players. After working in Dallas, Philadelphia and Baltimore, he retired from the NFL in 2003.
In 1989 he was named as a first-team member of Colorado's All-Century Team. To honor him, the Buffs hand out the John Wooten Award annually, which goes to the team's most improved player.
His impact was immediate. In 1956, he helped the Buffs to an 8-2-1 record and the school's first ever bowl victory -- a 27-21 win in the Orange Bowl. The next year Colorado led the nation in rushing with 322.3 yards per game and they were second in total offense (415.2) -- and a lot of that had to do with the holes Wooten was opening up. Then in 1958, Colorado achieved its first ever Top 10 ranking, climbing to No. 9 nationally after a 5-0 start.
In 1959 he was a fifth-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns, where he went on to play nine seasons, earning All-Pro status, before closing out his career with one season in Washington. He went on to have a decorated career in NFL administration, streamlining programs centered on continuing education and financial planning for players. After working in Dallas, Philadelphia and Baltimore, he retired from the NFL in 2003.
In 1989 he was named as a first-team member of Colorado's All-Century Team. To honor him, the Buffs hand out the John Wooten Award annually, which goes to the team's most improved player.
2011 overall record: 3-10
2011 conference record: 2-7 (T 5th, South)
Returning starters: Offense: 4; defense: 7; kicker/punter: 2
Top returners
OT David Bakhtiari, DE Chidera Uzo-Diribe, LB Jon Major, LB Doug Rippy, S Ray Polk
Key Losses
QB Tyler Hansen, RB Rodney Stewart, WR Toney Clemons, WR Paul Richardson (injury), DE Josh Hartigan
2011 statistical leaders (*returner)
Rushing: Rodney Stewart (854 yards)
Passing: Tyler Hansen (2,883 yards)
Receiving: Toney Clemons (680 yards)
Tackles: Jon Major* 85
Sacks: Josh Hartigan (7)
Interceptions: Jason Espinoza (2)
Spring answers
1. Center of attention: No, not QB. Center! Gus Handler won the No. 1 spot at center, which allowed Daniel Munyer to move guard. The offensive line is promising.
2. Mi Kasa es su Kasa: Wow, that was bad. Apologies. There was a significant void at tight end entering spring, which surely chagrined a former CU TE, coach Jon Embree. But Nick Kasa emerged this spring as a guy who could be a solid offensive weapon. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound senior, a converted defensive end, is physical enough to help the running game but also should help the passing game.
3. Replacing Rodney: While RB Rodney Stewart wasn't big, he played a big role for the Buffaloes for four years. He was solid as a runner, receiver and blocker. So who steps in to replace him? That would be Tony Jones, who is firmly No. 1 on the depth chart after a strong spring when he showed he also could be a versatile weapon for the offense.
Fall questions
1. Who's the QB? Connor Wood was given a great opportunity to take hold of the starting QB job this spring but he wasn't consistent, which means things remain open. Nick Hirschman will be a contender in the fall after sitting out the spring with a foot injury. Or maybe incoming freshman Shane Dillon will jump to the fore. And perhaps Jordan Webb, a former Kansas starter, will complete his transfer to Boulder. Things are wide open.
2. Youngsters on D-ine: The spring verdict wasn't good on the D-line, at least other than end Chidera Uzo-Diribe and DT/DE Will Pericak. That means there will be plenty of opportunities for the eight incoming D-linemen to get into the rotation or even start.
3. Secondary concerns: The coaches like Ray Polk at safety. Parker Orms can help if he can stay healthy. Greg Henderson got a lot of experience starting as a true freshman at cornerback. But the secondary was a problem for the Buffs last year and could be again in 2012. That said, there are four incoming freshmen corners who could significantly bolster the athleticism in the back half, particularly highly rated Yuri Wright and Kenny Crawley.
2011 conference record: 2-7 (T 5th, South)
Returning starters: Offense: 4; defense: 7; kicker/punter: 2
Top returners
OT David Bakhtiari, DE Chidera Uzo-Diribe, LB Jon Major, LB Doug Rippy, S Ray Polk
Key Losses
QB Tyler Hansen, RB Rodney Stewart, WR Toney Clemons, WR Paul Richardson (injury), DE Josh Hartigan
2011 statistical leaders (*returner)
Rushing: Rodney Stewart (854 yards)
Passing: Tyler Hansen (2,883 yards)
Receiving: Toney Clemons (680 yards)
Tackles: Jon Major* 85
Sacks: Josh Hartigan (7)
Interceptions: Jason Espinoza (2)
Spring answers
1. Center of attention: No, not QB. Center! Gus Handler won the No. 1 spot at center, which allowed Daniel Munyer to move guard. The offensive line is promising.
2. Mi Kasa es su Kasa: Wow, that was bad. Apologies. There was a significant void at tight end entering spring, which surely chagrined a former CU TE, coach Jon Embree. But Nick Kasa emerged this spring as a guy who could be a solid offensive weapon. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound senior, a converted defensive end, is physical enough to help the running game but also should help the passing game.
3. Replacing Rodney: While RB Rodney Stewart wasn't big, he played a big role for the Buffaloes for four years. He was solid as a runner, receiver and blocker. So who steps in to replace him? That would be Tony Jones, who is firmly No. 1 on the depth chart after a strong spring when he showed he also could be a versatile weapon for the offense.
Fall questions
1. Who's the QB? Connor Wood was given a great opportunity to take hold of the starting QB job this spring but he wasn't consistent, which means things remain open. Nick Hirschman will be a contender in the fall after sitting out the spring with a foot injury. Or maybe incoming freshman Shane Dillon will jump to the fore. And perhaps Jordan Webb, a former Kansas starter, will complete his transfer to Boulder. Things are wide open.
2. Youngsters on D-ine: The spring verdict wasn't good on the D-line, at least other than end Chidera Uzo-Diribe and DT/DE Will Pericak. That means there will be plenty of opportunities for the eight incoming D-linemen to get into the rotation or even start.
3. Secondary concerns: The coaches like Ray Polk at safety. Parker Orms can help if he can stay healthy. Greg Henderson got a lot of experience starting as a true freshman at cornerback. But the secondary was a problem for the Buffs last year and could be again in 2012. That said, there are four incoming freshmen corners who could significantly bolster the athleticism in the back half, particularly highly rated Yuri Wright and Kenny Crawley.
Take 2: Best shape without starting QB?
May, 11, 2012
May 11
12:00
PM ET
By
Kevin Gemmell and
Ted Miller | ESPN.com
Our topic today: Which team that has a TBA at quarterback is in the best shape?
The choices: Arizona State, Colorado, Oregon, Stanford and UCLA. (We're leaving Washington State out because Jeff Tuel is a heavy front-runner, no matter how coy Mike Leach is about things).
Kevin Gemmell: Oregon -- by far -- is in the best shape of the teams yet to name a quarterback. For starters, they have the most exciting player in the conference in De'Anthony Thomas. Regardless of whether Bryan Bennett or Marcus Mariota wins the job, Thomas is going to take a 2-yard swing pass and turn it into a 50-yard touchdown. Probably a few times. He's going to make the new guy look really, really good.
And it's not like the Ducks have a history of rebuilding projects whenever Chip Kelly needs a new quarterback. How'd Darron Thomas work out? A berth in the national championship game and a Rose Bowl victory. Not bad. Same could be said for obscure JC transfer Jeremiah Masoli, who only led the Ducks to the 2010 Rose Bowl.
The offensive line should be fine protecting him with key returners like Hroniss Grasu, Carson York and Nick Cody. Plus, Oregon rotates offensive linemen so liberally the quarterback is going to have fresh bodies flanking him.
There are plenty of weapons already in place for the starter-to-be. Be it Josh Huff (status pending), tight end Colt Lyerla, who is a star on the rise, and Kenjon Barner to carry the load on the ground.
When you look at the rest of the teams sans starting quarterbacks, there are just too many questions to confidently say it's going to be a smooth transition. UCLA and ASU are starting from scratch with new coaches and new systems. Colorado is probably headed for a long season and Andrew Luck's successor has to replace -- well -- Andrew Luck. Good luck with that (pun, definitely not intended).
Oregon's transition might not be silky-smooth, but it's going to be a lot easier than the other four teams trying to replace a starter. The schedule works to the Ducks' favor with the first four games at home, which should give the new guy plenty of time to get comfortable. They might find themselves in a shootout at Washington State in the fifth game, but they don't even need to leave the Pacific Northwest until mid-October.
This offense is plug-and-play and whoever gets the job is going to be just fine.
Ted Miller: Sometimes you're screwed on a Take 2 when you go second. Kevin states a strong case. Does anyone really believe the Ducks' quarterback will be a liability this year? The answer is no.
Of course, that level of certainty could be burden, as could taking over the starting job for a top-five team. No team in the nation with uncertainty at QB this spring will be ranked higher in the preseason. Know what a disappointing regular season now looks like in Eugene? 10-2. In other words, this Ducks QB job brings a lot of pressure and high expectations. Being "pretty good for a first-year starter" will rate a fail with many fans.
None of that will be the case at UCLA. Bruins fans are starved for quarterback play that is just north of mediocre. The good news is that they will get at least that this fall. And they may be pleasantly surprised.
Start with this: Offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone. He transformed Brock Osweiler from a basketball player playing football to a second-round NFL draft pick. Mazzone is a charismatic guy -- though a follically challenged one -- who knows how to teach. He's been called a QB guru. Guys like Tim Tebow, Philip Rivers and Christian Ponder seek him out.
Then there are the three guys competing. You have the quarterback of the future in redshirt freshman Brett Hundley, and you have two seniors who have seen just about everything in Kevin Prince and Richard Brehaut. Hundley has tons of potential. He's an athletic guy who's pass-first. Sort of like Osweiler, only 4 inches shorter.
Prince and Brehaut have been maligned by Bruins fans, and not entirely without justification. Both have produced strong games. And both have played poorly. Inconsistency is not a good thing for a quarterback. But both have nothing to lose in their final year of college football. If both are healthy, they can be solid QBs. They certainly are better suited for Mazzone's spread than the pistol they've been running the past two years.
The talent around them isn't bad. There's a good stable of running backs with Johnathan Franklin, Malcolm Jones and the rising Steven Manfro. TE/WR Joseph Fauria is going to be a high NFL draft pick next spring. The offensive line has a chance to be, well, OK.
Mazzone has options here, too. He can hand the job to Hundley, knowing he's got two experienced guys who can play if he needs them. Or he can start one of his veterans and bring Hundley in for special packages, perhaps steadily increasing his reps as the season goes on. (Mazzone, like most coaches, has always said he prefers just one guy, so know that second scenario is mostly me throwing a speculative thought into the air).
Further, whoever wins the job won't be operating under the microscope like the Oregon starter will. Expectations for the Bruins aren't high. If the QB is just solid -- say, ranking sixth or seventh in the conference in passing efficiency -- then he will be widely viewed as succeeding. And if he can get seven or eight wins, Bruins fans will extend new coach Jim Mora's honeymoon a season.
The choices: Arizona State, Colorado, Oregon, Stanford and UCLA. (We're leaving Washington State out because Jeff Tuel is a heavy front-runner, no matter how coy Mike Leach is about things).
Kevin Gemmell: Oregon -- by far -- is in the best shape of the teams yet to name a quarterback. For starters, they have the most exciting player in the conference in De'Anthony Thomas. Regardless of whether Bryan Bennett or Marcus Mariota wins the job, Thomas is going to take a 2-yard swing pass and turn it into a 50-yard touchdown. Probably a few times. He's going to make the new guy look really, really good.
[+] Enlarge
Steve Dykes/Getty ImagesChip Kelly might not know who Oregon's starting QB will be, but he can be sure that he'll have a talented supporting cast on offense.
Steve Dykes/Getty ImagesChip Kelly might not know who Oregon's starting QB will be, but he can be sure that he'll have a talented supporting cast on offense.The offensive line should be fine protecting him with key returners like Hroniss Grasu, Carson York and Nick Cody. Plus, Oregon rotates offensive linemen so liberally the quarterback is going to have fresh bodies flanking him.
There are plenty of weapons already in place for the starter-to-be. Be it Josh Huff (status pending), tight end Colt Lyerla, who is a star on the rise, and Kenjon Barner to carry the load on the ground.
When you look at the rest of the teams sans starting quarterbacks, there are just too many questions to confidently say it's going to be a smooth transition. UCLA and ASU are starting from scratch with new coaches and new systems. Colorado is probably headed for a long season and Andrew Luck's successor has to replace -- well -- Andrew Luck. Good luck with that (pun, definitely not intended).
Oregon's transition might not be silky-smooth, but it's going to be a lot easier than the other four teams trying to replace a starter. The schedule works to the Ducks' favor with the first four games at home, which should give the new guy plenty of time to get comfortable. They might find themselves in a shootout at Washington State in the fifth game, but they don't even need to leave the Pacific Northwest until mid-October.
This offense is plug-and-play and whoever gets the job is going to be just fine.
Ted Miller: Sometimes you're screwed on a Take 2 when you go second. Kevin states a strong case. Does anyone really believe the Ducks' quarterback will be a liability this year? The answer is no.
Of course, that level of certainty could be burden, as could taking over the starting job for a top-five team. No team in the nation with uncertainty at QB this spring will be ranked higher in the preseason. Know what a disappointing regular season now looks like in Eugene? 10-2. In other words, this Ducks QB job brings a lot of pressure and high expectations. Being "pretty good for a first-year starter" will rate a fail with many fans.
None of that will be the case at UCLA. Bruins fans are starved for quarterback play that is just north of mediocre. The good news is that they will get at least that this fall. And they may be pleasantly surprised.
Start with this: Offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone. He transformed Brock Osweiler from a basketball player playing football to a second-round NFL draft pick. Mazzone is a charismatic guy -- though a follically challenged one -- who knows how to teach. He's been called a QB guru. Guys like Tim Tebow, Philip Rivers and Christian Ponder seek him out.
[+] Enlarge
Chris Williams/Icon SMINew UCLA offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone has a reputation as a QB guru; now he just needs to pick one for the Bruins.
Chris Williams/Icon SMINew UCLA offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone has a reputation as a QB guru; now he just needs to pick one for the Bruins.Prince and Brehaut have been maligned by Bruins fans, and not entirely without justification. Both have produced strong games. And both have played poorly. Inconsistency is not a good thing for a quarterback. But both have nothing to lose in their final year of college football. If both are healthy, they can be solid QBs. They certainly are better suited for Mazzone's spread than the pistol they've been running the past two years.
The talent around them isn't bad. There's a good stable of running backs with Johnathan Franklin, Malcolm Jones and the rising Steven Manfro. TE/WR Joseph Fauria is going to be a high NFL draft pick next spring. The offensive line has a chance to be, well, OK.
Mazzone has options here, too. He can hand the job to Hundley, knowing he's got two experienced guys who can play if he needs them. Or he can start one of his veterans and bring Hundley in for special packages, perhaps steadily increasing his reps as the season goes on. (Mazzone, like most coaches, has always said he prefers just one guy, so know that second scenario is mostly me throwing a speculative thought into the air).
Further, whoever wins the job won't be operating under the microscope like the Oregon starter will. Expectations for the Bruins aren't high. If the QB is just solid -- say, ranking sixth or seventh in the conference in passing efficiency -- then he will be widely viewed as succeeding. And if he can get seven or eight wins, Bruins fans will extend new coach Jim Mora's honeymoon a season.
We're continuing with our under the radar series.
The idea is to pick out a player who is not a big name, but who may be underrated. Or, at least, a guy who will need to step up and play a critical role in 2012.
We're going in reverse alphabetical order.
Colorado: DE Chidera Uzo-Diribe
2011 production: Totaled 18 tackles -- all solo -- and had 5.5 sacks. He also forced a team-high three fumbles.
Making the case for Uzo-Diribe: Of the eight defensive linemen named to the first and second team all-conference defense last year, only two of them (Nick Perry and Dion Jordan) had more sacks than Uzo-Diribe, who finished ninth in the conference. He tied for fifth in the conference in forced fumbles. But Colorado's poor defensive showing last season (last in scoring defense, 10th in total defense) didn't do much to help his credibility. He's an explosive player at 6-foot-3, 255 pounds and is certainly a defender that opposing offenses can't overlook. The biggest issue for him this spring was being more consistent against the run, and he seems to be making strides. He's poised for another good season -- potentially a breakout season -- and if some of Colorado's younger defenders can step up, he could be in line for some of the postseason honors that evaded him last year.
The idea is to pick out a player who is not a big name, but who may be underrated. Or, at least, a guy who will need to step up and play a critical role in 2012.
We're going in reverse alphabetical order.
Colorado: DE Chidera Uzo-Diribe
2011 production: Totaled 18 tackles -- all solo -- and had 5.5 sacks. He also forced a team-high three fumbles.
Making the case for Uzo-Diribe: Of the eight defensive linemen named to the first and second team all-conference defense last year, only two of them (Nick Perry and Dion Jordan) had more sacks than Uzo-Diribe, who finished ninth in the conference. He tied for fifth in the conference in forced fumbles. But Colorado's poor defensive showing last season (last in scoring defense, 10th in total defense) didn't do much to help his credibility. He's an explosive player at 6-foot-3, 255 pounds and is certainly a defender that opposing offenses can't overlook. The biggest issue for him this spring was being more consistent against the run, and he seems to be making strides. He's poised for another good season -- potentially a breakout season -- and if some of Colorado's younger defenders can step up, he could be in line for some of the postseason honors that evaded him last year.
Want to see many of the names that will be featured on Colorado's defensive depth chart next fall?
Go here.
The Buffaloes are going to be young next fall on both sides of the ball, but particularly on defense. Lots of freshmen will play -- guaranteed. And that is by design. Defensive coordinator Greg Brown and head coach Jon Embree made something clear during spring practices to the returning players: "Impress us now, or get replaced by incoming freshmen."
There's a reason for the likely youth movement: The Buffs were lousy on defense in 2011, ranking last in the Pac-12 in scoring (36.5 points per game) and 10th in total defense (439.3 yards per game). Further, Pac-12 quarterbacks feasted on the secondary, which yielded not only the most touchdown passes (34) -- six more than anyone else -- but also grabbed the fewest interceptions (seven) in the conference.
If Colorado is going to move up in the South Division pecking order during the program's second year in the conference, those numbers need to improve.
Colorado finished spring drills last weekend, so it seemed like a good time to check in with Brown to look back and look ahead to the fall.
First off, last year your official depth chart was a 3-4 scheme. This spring, you guys started out with a 4-3. Can you give me a Cliffs Notes version of your base scheme?
Greg Brown: It's really still the same. We're like last year but like most teams can play either, kind of multiple up front.
When you went over film from last year, what stood out to you as issues with the defense?
GB: Too many big plays were given up. Too many points were scored. We had a laundry list of a lot of things. Too many injuries. The roster was thin. It was one of those years we'd like to see not repeated.
The Big 12 is hardly an offense-poor conference. You've coached there and the Pac-12. Were there any adjustments for your players moving from the Big 12 to Pac-12?
GB: Absolutely. Not to take anything away from the Big 12. That's a terrific league that stands on its own merits, that's for sure. But you just have some unique offensive minds in the Pac-12, different styles of attack that we had not seen in the Big 12. There's nobody in the Big 12 that plays the same style as Oregon. Nobody plays the same style as Stanford or Washington. They are all unique and were tough styles to contend with. We've got a lot of offensive-minded head coaches and very innovated offensive coordinators.
You guys were heavy on D-linemen in the recruiting class. How many first-year players do you anticipate playing next fall?
GB: We brought eight (defensive linemen) in. We're thinking at least half that amount, probably higher. Between the defensive line, which is eight-slash-nine because we've got a guy who could go either way, and we've got five cornerbacks, and the great majority of those guys are going to play. They won't redshirt. We're not counting on anybody redshirting. We'll see if they can't do it yet, then they'll have to. But other than that, we have no numbers. Spring ball was a feat to get accomplished. Because of our lack of numbers, we ended up doing so much seven-on-seven because we didn't have the D-line to do it [full scrimmage]. We really didn't have the secondary to do much seven-on-seven,either. It was largely a battle of walk-ons this spring at Colorado. We're welcoming with open arms all the incoming troops because they are going to play.
Give me a couple of names of standouts this spring? Who impressed you?
GB: [Defensive end] Chidera Uzo-Diribe, he had a very good spring. He's got skill. He's got speed. He's got size. And he's tenacious. He's a good player. He played last year for us and was fine but he stepped up this spring and filled a void -- we had two defensive ends graduate. He stepped up and really became a guy. He would be the top dog in the D-line. If there is one other defensive lineman who can play, it's Will Pericak. He's a good player -- steady, consistent. He's been around the block. Has size. He's played for a long time here. Good player. You've got those two up front. After that, there's really nobody to write about [on the defensive line]. We're just waiting on the young kids to get here.
How about linebacker?
GB: Linebacker-wise, our best player is Doug Rippy. He's our captain, a team leader. He ended up missing, from the Washington game on last year, missing the season. He tore his ACL in that game and he was held out of spring ball and can't do anything yet. But we're looking to get him back. Jon Major is another 'backer who is back, has a lot of experience. He's a jack of all trades for us, can do a lot of things. Smart, can rush the passer, cover. He makes plays. He's good. Linebacker is where the most numbers are back. After that, you've got some guys who have played. Derrick Webb has played. He can run and hit. Then there's a smattering of younger kids who have some ability. They just haven't proven anything yet. They're up and coming.
And then the secondary?
GB: We've got one returning guy. That's Ray Polk; he's a safety. Good player. Big kid who can run and hit. Been starting here a long time. Good future in front of him. Ray's issue was he could only do non-contact stuff during spring. He had surgery on a torn ligament in his wrist. So he did seven-on-seven and that was probably it. The next one to talk about back there would be [cornerback] Greg Henderson. He came in as a true freshman and won a starting job. He took advantage of the opportunity and won a job and he kept it all year. He continually progressed every week. This spring, he got better as you'd expect. They come in as freshmen and just look to survive, which he did more than ably. But we're looking for improvement this year and looking for him to be a guy. He's athletic. He can run, he's smart. And he's tough. And as much as anything, he stayed healthy. After him, a guy who is a good player for us, is Parker Orms. He plays nickel, safety and corner. He plays all three. Good athlete, tough kid. He missed quite a bit of the year. He only played five games for us. And he got hurt this spring, which is unfortunate. He tore his hamstring. He played three days of spring then tore that thing. In the five games he played for us last year, we either won or had a chance to win because he allowed us to do things on defense we could not do when he was not in there.
So the freshmen will be in the mix pretty quickly in the secondary, too?
GB: Oh, no question. We told all the kids on defense this spring, particularly on the D-line and in the secondary, "OK, all you guys, here is your chance. This is your chance. We don't want to hear anything in the fall about, 'Hey, I'm not getting any reps.' Here is your chance now! Because believe it or not, in the fall with those kids coming in, they are going to get all those reps. We'll see what you guys can do now.' And here come the new kids. We know who has helped us in the past. For the rest of the spots? Hey, we're plugging in brand new kids and let's go.
How much can this defense improve in 2012?
GB: You can. All these 15 defensive players who are coming in that we're looking to help us, you wish you could snap your fingers and be two years in the future, matured and bigger, strong, faster, eating on the training table, learning how to play. That would be nice. But the reality of it is there are going to be growing pains. These guys have some talent, but they also are going to be true freshmen and will make their share of mistakes. But, sure, we can improve. We have to manage what we're doing. We have an outstanding coaching staff on that side of the ball with Kanavis McGhee and Mike Tuiasosopo. They are great tacticians. As is linebackers coach Brian Cabral. We're looking for improvement.
Go here.
The Buffaloes are going to be young next fall on both sides of the ball, but particularly on defense. Lots of freshmen will play -- guaranteed. And that is by design. Defensive coordinator Greg Brown and head coach Jon Embree made something clear during spring practices to the returning players: "Impress us now, or get replaced by incoming freshmen."
[+] Enlarge
Chris Williams/Icon SMIDefensive coordinator Greg Brown will be working with a lot of freshmen this fall, including eight on the defensive line.
Chris Williams/Icon SMIDefensive coordinator Greg Brown will be working with a lot of freshmen this fall, including eight on the defensive line.If Colorado is going to move up in the South Division pecking order during the program's second year in the conference, those numbers need to improve.
Colorado finished spring drills last weekend, so it seemed like a good time to check in with Brown to look back and look ahead to the fall.
First off, last year your official depth chart was a 3-4 scheme. This spring, you guys started out with a 4-3. Can you give me a Cliffs Notes version of your base scheme?
Greg Brown: It's really still the same. We're like last year but like most teams can play either, kind of multiple up front.
When you went over film from last year, what stood out to you as issues with the defense?
GB: Too many big plays were given up. Too many points were scored. We had a laundry list of a lot of things. Too many injuries. The roster was thin. It was one of those years we'd like to see not repeated.
The Big 12 is hardly an offense-poor conference. You've coached there and the Pac-12. Were there any adjustments for your players moving from the Big 12 to Pac-12?
GB: Absolutely. Not to take anything away from the Big 12. That's a terrific league that stands on its own merits, that's for sure. But you just have some unique offensive minds in the Pac-12, different styles of attack that we had not seen in the Big 12. There's nobody in the Big 12 that plays the same style as Oregon. Nobody plays the same style as Stanford or Washington. They are all unique and were tough styles to contend with. We've got a lot of offensive-minded head coaches and very innovated offensive coordinators.
You guys were heavy on D-linemen in the recruiting class. How many first-year players do you anticipate playing next fall?
GB: We brought eight (defensive linemen) in. We're thinking at least half that amount, probably higher. Between the defensive line, which is eight-slash-nine because we've got a guy who could go either way, and we've got five cornerbacks, and the great majority of those guys are going to play. They won't redshirt. We're not counting on anybody redshirting. We'll see if they can't do it yet, then they'll have to. But other than that, we have no numbers. Spring ball was a feat to get accomplished. Because of our lack of numbers, we ended up doing so much seven-on-seven because we didn't have the D-line to do it [full scrimmage]. We really didn't have the secondary to do much seven-on-seven,either. It was largely a battle of walk-ons this spring at Colorado. We're welcoming with open arms all the incoming troops because they are going to play.
Give me a couple of names of standouts this spring? Who impressed you?
[+] Enlarge
Dustin Bradford/Icon SMI Defensive end Chidera Uzo-Diribe has made an impression on coaches this spring.
Dustin Bradford/Icon SMI Defensive end Chidera Uzo-Diribe has made an impression on coaches this spring.How about linebacker?
GB: Linebacker-wise, our best player is Doug Rippy. He's our captain, a team leader. He ended up missing, from the Washington game on last year, missing the season. He tore his ACL in that game and he was held out of spring ball and can't do anything yet. But we're looking to get him back. Jon Major is another 'backer who is back, has a lot of experience. He's a jack of all trades for us, can do a lot of things. Smart, can rush the passer, cover. He makes plays. He's good. Linebacker is where the most numbers are back. After that, you've got some guys who have played. Derrick Webb has played. He can run and hit. Then there's a smattering of younger kids who have some ability. They just haven't proven anything yet. They're up and coming.
And then the secondary?
GB: We've got one returning guy. That's Ray Polk; he's a safety. Good player. Big kid who can run and hit. Been starting here a long time. Good future in front of him. Ray's issue was he could only do non-contact stuff during spring. He had surgery on a torn ligament in his wrist. So he did seven-on-seven and that was probably it. The next one to talk about back there would be [cornerback] Greg Henderson. He came in as a true freshman and won a starting job. He took advantage of the opportunity and won a job and he kept it all year. He continually progressed every week. This spring, he got better as you'd expect. They come in as freshmen and just look to survive, which he did more than ably. But we're looking for improvement this year and looking for him to be a guy. He's athletic. He can run, he's smart. And he's tough. And as much as anything, he stayed healthy. After him, a guy who is a good player for us, is Parker Orms. He plays nickel, safety and corner. He plays all three. Good athlete, tough kid. He missed quite a bit of the year. He only played five games for us. And he got hurt this spring, which is unfortunate. He tore his hamstring. He played three days of spring then tore that thing. In the five games he played for us last year, we either won or had a chance to win because he allowed us to do things on defense we could not do when he was not in there.
So the freshmen will be in the mix pretty quickly in the secondary, too?
GB: Oh, no question. We told all the kids on defense this spring, particularly on the D-line and in the secondary, "OK, all you guys, here is your chance. This is your chance. We don't want to hear anything in the fall about, 'Hey, I'm not getting any reps.' Here is your chance now! Because believe it or not, in the fall with those kids coming in, they are going to get all those reps. We'll see what you guys can do now.' And here come the new kids. We know who has helped us in the past. For the rest of the spots? Hey, we're plugging in brand new kids and let's go.
How much can this defense improve in 2012?
GB: You can. All these 15 defensive players who are coming in that we're looking to help us, you wish you could snap your fingers and be two years in the future, matured and bigger, strong, faster, eating on the training table, learning how to play. That would be nice. But the reality of it is there are going to be growing pains. These guys have some talent, but they also are going to be true freshmen and will make their share of mistakes. But, sure, we can improve. We have to manage what we're doing. We have an outstanding coaching staff on that side of the ball with Kanavis McGhee and Mike Tuiasosopo. They are great tacticians. As is linebackers coach Brian Cabral. We're looking for improvement.
While competitions for starting jobs are what we talk about most during spring practices, the biggest issue is avoiding key injuries.
Take 2: Who will improve on offense?
April, 6, 2012
Apr 6
12:00
PM ET
By
Kevin Gemmell and
Ted Miller | ESPN.com
Points, points, points. This is the Pac-12 after all, where offense rules. Last season, five Pac-12 teams ranked in the top 30 in scoring average. Others, however, weren't as explosive. Colorado (12th in the conference/109th nationally), Oregon State (11/100), UCLA (10/88) and Utah (9/tied for 74th) all had trouble consistently finding pay dirt. So this week we're looking at which of these four teams has the best chance to show significant offensive improvement.
Ted Miller: Oregon State’s offense was bad last year. That’s the obvious bad news. More obvious bad news: It was bad for a fundamental reason: It couldn’t run the ball, ranking 118th in the nation with just 86.9 yards per game. The end result was an offense that ranked 11th in the Pac-12 in scoring (21.8 points per game) and 10th in total offense (373.7 yards per game). And while we’re being party poopers, why not note there are only eight healthy offensive linemen this spring, which makes it impossible to field a full second team?
Ah, but we come not to bury the Beavers, but to praise them! This half of the Pac-12 blog is providing Oregon State fans an iron-clad guarantee: The Beavers' offense will be better in 2012. Perhaps much better. And that’s why we believe they will win enough to earn a bowl berth after consecutive seasons at home during the postseason.
Why? Let’s start in the cockpit with quarterback Sean Mannion, who won the starting job as a freshman over returning starter Ryan Katz, only to discover THE NEW CAR! he’d been given the keys to was a Pinto. With little support from a running game to keep defenses honest, Mannion threw a lot but not always successfully, ranking ninth in the conference in passing efficiency with 16 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. But two numbers are notable: First, he completed 64.5 percent of his passes and was sacked just 27 times in 473 attempts. That suggests two things. Mannion is both accurate and has good pocket presence. Accurate? That completion percentage ranked fifth in the conference, ahead of Oregon’s Darron Thomas and Arizona State’s Brock Osweiler. As for pocket presence, the Beavers ranked fifth in the conference in sacks surrendered despite ranking third in pass attempts. And that was with no running game.
Mannion’s supporting cast at receiver is strong. Three of the top four receivers are back, including Markus Wheaton and speedy flanker Brandin Cooks. And essentially the entire cast at running back is back.
So, really, it comes down to the offensive line, where three starters are back, not including tackle Michael Philipp, a 2010 starter who is trying to get a once-promising career back on track. Don’t expect to hear glowing reports this spring. Tackle Colin Kelly and guard Grant Enger, both returning starters, are out with injuries, so there’s a lack of bodies. But in the fall they should be healthy just as a pair of intriguing reinforcements arrive: touted freshman Isaac Seumalo, rated the No. 19 overall player in the nation in 2012 by ESPN Recruiting, and junior-college transfer Stan Hasiak, who saw plenty of action during his tumultuous time at UCLA. Both are potential – even likely -- starters.
Mannion flashed plenty of potential in 2011. He will be far more seasoned in 2012. The offensive line will be better, too, which means at least a mediocre running game to keep defenses from pinning their ears back and going after the quarterback.
In other words, the Beavers offense will be much improved overall in 2012. Now ... about that defense ...
Kevin Gemmell: I'm glad you brought up Osweiler, because he's somewhat pertinent to the team I'm picking to improve offensively -- UCLA.
All together now: "Ding, dong, the pistol is dead." And not a half-snap too soon. Time to make way for the shotgun.
To see where the Bruins are headed on offense, you need only to look back at what Osweiler did the past two seasons with the Sun Devils -- specifically what he was able to do with Noel Mazzone running the show.
Now Mazzone is new coach Jim Mora's offensive coordinator at UCLA. I know there is a multi-quarterback competition in the works. That certainly will have some bearing. But even so, it's almost impossible for the Bruins not improve on last year's 23.1-ppg scoring average with this time-tested offense.
Consider the Sun Devils of 2009, pre-Mazzone: 90th in total offense (334.4 yards per game) and 91st in scoring average (22.3 points per game). Now, look at Mazzone's first season in 2010: 29th in total offense (425.6) and 28th in scoring average (32.2). Last year: 25th in total offense (445.8) and 28th in scoring offense (33.2).
Translation: The guy knows how to move the ball and create points.
I talked earlier this week with Brett Hundley, one of those quarterbacks in the hunt for the starting gig, he says this offense is much simpler and allows the quarterback to play more quickly and think less. Makes sense. And whoever wins the gig will have an experienced running back in Johnathan Franklin beside him. The fifth-year senior was 24 yards short of a 1,000-yard season despite an impressive 5.9 yards per carry average.
But this offense is about moving the ball in the air. And finding three or four receivers to consistently perform is going to be just as important as finding the right guy standing five to seven yards behind the center. Mazzone has said he's not married to four- or five-receiver sets. So bona-fide talent Joseph Fauria should get plenty of chances to catch the ball from the tight end position. Devin Lucien, Shaq Evans and Ricky Marvray are the likely wide receiver trio. But unlike the previous offense, the receivers won't be square pegs in round holes. This offense should accentuate the speed and athleticism that UCLA always seems to have, but never knows quite what to do with it.
The Bruins were in the bottom half of the nation in sacks allowed last year, but the return of tackle Xavier Su'a-Filo, who is back after an LDS mission, should help bolster the line. All indications out of spring are that he looks solid. Jeff Baca and Greg Capella both saw significant playing time last season (Capella started 14 games and Baca 13), so that experience should help cut back on the sacks.
Now, to the quarterback spot. Kevin Prince has the most experience, followed by Richard Brehaut. Both are seniors. But there is a call from fans to completely cleanse themselves of the previous regime and start fresh with Hundley, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound dual-threat quarterback who might be the most athletic of the bunch.
Whoever wins the job is destined for a pretty good season. Because given Mazzone's history of turning slugs into sluggers, UCLA looks like the team to drag itself up from the Pac-12's offensive cellar.
Ted Miller: Oregon State’s offense was bad last year. That’s the obvious bad news. More obvious bad news: It was bad for a fundamental reason: It couldn’t run the ball, ranking 118th in the nation with just 86.9 yards per game. The end result was an offense that ranked 11th in the Pac-12 in scoring (21.8 points per game) and 10th in total offense (373.7 yards per game). And while we’re being party poopers, why not note there are only eight healthy offensive linemen this spring, which makes it impossible to field a full second team?
Ah, but we come not to bury the Beavers, but to praise them! This half of the Pac-12 blog is providing Oregon State fans an iron-clad guarantee: The Beavers' offense will be better in 2012. Perhaps much better. And that’s why we believe they will win enough to earn a bowl berth after consecutive seasons at home during the postseason.
[+] Enlarge
Jim Z. Rider/US PRESSWIREOregon State quarterback Sean Mannion should see some improvement in his supporting cast as he enters his sophomore season.
Jim Z. Rider/US PRESSWIREOregon State quarterback Sean Mannion should see some improvement in his supporting cast as he enters his sophomore season. Mannion’s supporting cast at receiver is strong. Three of the top four receivers are back, including Markus Wheaton and speedy flanker Brandin Cooks. And essentially the entire cast at running back is back.
So, really, it comes down to the offensive line, where three starters are back, not including tackle Michael Philipp, a 2010 starter who is trying to get a once-promising career back on track. Don’t expect to hear glowing reports this spring. Tackle Colin Kelly and guard Grant Enger, both returning starters, are out with injuries, so there’s a lack of bodies. But in the fall they should be healthy just as a pair of intriguing reinforcements arrive: touted freshman Isaac Seumalo, rated the No. 19 overall player in the nation in 2012 by ESPN Recruiting, and junior-college transfer Stan Hasiak, who saw plenty of action during his tumultuous time at UCLA. Both are potential – even likely -- starters.
Mannion flashed plenty of potential in 2011. He will be far more seasoned in 2012. The offensive line will be better, too, which means at least a mediocre running game to keep defenses from pinning their ears back and going after the quarterback.
In other words, the Beavers offense will be much improved overall in 2012. Now ... about that defense ...
Kevin Gemmell: I'm glad you brought up Osweiler, because he's somewhat pertinent to the team I'm picking to improve offensively -- UCLA.
All together now: "Ding, dong, the pistol is dead." And not a half-snap too soon. Time to make way for the shotgun.
To see where the Bruins are headed on offense, you need only to look back at what Osweiler did the past two seasons with the Sun Devils -- specifically what he was able to do with Noel Mazzone running the show.
Now Mazzone is new coach Jim Mora's offensive coordinator at UCLA. I know there is a multi-quarterback competition in the works. That certainly will have some bearing. But even so, it's almost impossible for the Bruins not improve on last year's 23.1-ppg scoring average with this time-tested offense.
Consider the Sun Devils of 2009, pre-Mazzone: 90th in total offense (334.4 yards per game) and 91st in scoring average (22.3 points per game). Now, look at Mazzone's first season in 2010: 29th in total offense (425.6) and 28th in scoring average (32.2). Last year: 25th in total offense (445.8) and 28th in scoring offense (33.2).
Translation: The guy knows how to move the ball and create points.
I talked earlier this week with Brett Hundley, one of those quarterbacks in the hunt for the starting gig, he says this offense is much simpler and allows the quarterback to play more quickly and think less. Makes sense. And whoever wins the gig will have an experienced running back in Johnathan Franklin beside him. The fifth-year senior was 24 yards short of a 1,000-yard season despite an impressive 5.9 yards per carry average.
[+] Enlarge
Jason O. Watson/US PresswireSophomore Brett Hundley could prove to be UCLA's most athletic option at quarterback.
Jason O. Watson/US PresswireSophomore Brett Hundley could prove to be UCLA's most athletic option at quarterback.The Bruins were in the bottom half of the nation in sacks allowed last year, but the return of tackle Xavier Su'a-Filo, who is back after an LDS mission, should help bolster the line. All indications out of spring are that he looks solid. Jeff Baca and Greg Capella both saw significant playing time last season (Capella started 14 games and Baca 13), so that experience should help cut back on the sacks.
Now, to the quarterback spot. Kevin Prince has the most experience, followed by Richard Brehaut. Both are seniors. But there is a call from fans to completely cleanse themselves of the previous regime and start fresh with Hundley, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound dual-threat quarterback who might be the most athletic of the bunch.
Whoever wins the job is destined for a pretty good season. Because given Mazzone's history of turning slugs into sluggers, UCLA looks like the team to drag itself up from the Pac-12's offensive cellar.
Bakhtiari sees chemistry, urgency with Buffs
April, 4, 2012
Apr 4
1:30
PM ET
By
Ted Miller | ESPN.com
Jamie Sabau/Getty ImagesOffensive tackle David Bakhtiari has high expectations for the Buffaloes this season.But the rebuilding project in Boulder is going to require just as much David Bakhtiari as Paul Richardson. Bakhtiari, the Buffs' left offensive tackle, earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2011 as a sophomore, the only Colorado player to get an All-Conference nod.
He's a want-to guy. A guy who talks about chemistry and a sense of urgency. A guy willing to lead. A guy who seems slightly bothered -- politely so, of course -- when a reporter notes the Buffs' significant holes heading into 2012.
Why should folks believe Colorado can improve on a 3-10 finish despite losing its top passer, top rusher and top-two receivers (Richardson missed four games due to injury)?
"There is definitely a sense of urgency that I can see from last year's team to this year's team," Bakhtiari said. "People are moving around with a purpose. They are buying into our common goal, which is a bowl game. We've decided we are tired of going home in December and watching all these games."
Bakhtiari has been impressed with QB Connor Wood, the Texas transfer who has the inside track to replace Tyler Hansen. He raves about RB Tony Jones, who will step in for Rodney Stewart. Stewart only led the Buffs in rushing four consecutive years and now ranks second on the school's all-time rushing list. And a healthy Richardson is the obvious choice to replace the receptions that departed with Stewart (45) and Toney Clemons (43).
But if the Buffs are going to improve, they are going to need to score more than 19.8 points per game, a total that ranked last in the Pac-12 in 2011. That starts with Bakhtiari and the O-line, which is replacing guards Ethan Adkins and Ryan Miller.
Offensive line coach Steve Marshall, speaking to B.G. Brooks, called Bakhtiari "probably was our most productive player (in 2011) game in and game out." He'll be protecting Wood's blindside as well as leading the charge for a rushing offense that needs to do better than 3.5 yards per carry and 109 yards per game.
Like most Colorado players, Bakhtiari was recruited by Dan Hawkins, a far softer touch than the demanding, straight-talking Embree. (Said Bakhtiari, "Embree is a little more, 'I want production and I'm going to get it.'"). Unquestionably, there was an adjustment to the change in styles in 2011. There was a lot less nurturing and a lot more barking at practices. And Embree isn't afraid to publicly question his players commitment to winning.
But there were hints of accord late last season between coaching staff and locker room. After a 1-9 start, the Buffs won two of their final three games, including a shocking and impressive 17-14 win at Utah, which knocked the Utes out of the Pac-12 title game.
"Guys are now understanding what these coaches want and how they want it to be," Bakhtiari said. "Last year, we were kind of chickens with our heads cut off."
That's a start. It's probably going to take a few more Richardsons and Bakhtiaris to get the Buffs into Pac-12 South Division contention. But that's a start.
Recognition is so important for an offense. Think Andrew Luck -- or Peyton Manning -- wildly gesticulating at the line of scrimmage.
Or, for that matter, Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas doing the same thing.
That was something that stuck with me after I chatted with Oregon sophomore center Hroniss Grasu a couple of weeks ago. We were talking about how he improved at making line calls during the 2011 season, but he went out of his way to note how good Thomas was at helping out, at identifying last-second changes a defense made that perhaps hinted at its ill intentions.
The point: Centers and quarterbacks are the brains of an offense. The center typically makes the calls at the line of scrimmage that make sure everyone is accounted for. And quarterbacks communicate to both the skill players and the line about checks and audibles.
The QB and center work in tandem. They need to be in sync. And having smart, experienced signal-callers and centers is a big deal for an offense. It means an offense can go to the line with more options, and it can check into the right option more often than not. That breeds confidence, both among players and with their coaches.
So which Pac-12 teams are experienced at QB and center? Who has both back, one back or neither?
Thanks for asking.
Arizona: Center
Skinny: While Nick Foles was the Wildcats' quarterback last year, Matt Scott has started five games, so the offense is not in inexperienced hands. Senior center Kyle Quinn did a solid job in 2011, earning honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors. On the downside, the Wildcats are installing a new offense with coach Rich Rodriguez, so past experience isn't as helpful.
Arizona State: Neither
Skinny: QB Brock Osweiler is gone as is center Garth Gerhart. Kody Koebensky likely takes over at center, while the quarterback competition continues to be wide-open. Of course, the Sun Devils are installing a new offense under new coach Todd Graham, so being green isn't as much of an issue.
California: Both
Skinny: QB Zach Maynard should be much more in control as a second-year starter. While center Dominic Galas is back, he's sitting out spring due to a shoulder injury, and it appears he will switch over to guard. Galas, some of you Bears fans might recall, did have some issues with shotgun snaps last year. Chris Adcock or Mark Brazinski could end up winning the job.
Colorado: Center
Skinny: Tyler Hansen is almost certainly going to be replaced at quarterback by Texas transfer Connor Wood, a sophomore with no game experience. It should help Wood, however, to have junior Gus Handler back making the line calls. Daniel Munyer, who's slated to start at guard, also has starting experience at center.
Oregon: Center
Skinny: Center Grasu's first start as a redshirt freshman was against LSU's beastly defensive front. That was a baptism by fire, but he consistently improved throughout the season. QB Bryan Bennett has some experience, including one start, but he will be challenged this spring by redshirt freshman Marcus Mariota.
Oregon State: QB
Skinny: Sean Mannion is back at QB, but center Grant Johnson is gone. The frontrunner to win that job is sophomore Roman Sapolu. The Beavers have injury issues on the line this spring, and that likely will slow down the unit's -- and Sapolu's -- development.
Stanford: Center
Skinny: You might have heard that Andrew Luck is gone. Brett Nottingham and Josh Nunes look like the favorites to replace him, but neither has significant experience. Senior Sam Schwartzstein did a fine job stepping into Chase Beeler's shoes in 2011, but life was, naturally, easier with Luck at QB. More will fall on Schwartzstein in 2012.
UCLA: QB
Skinny: The Bruins have two quarterbacks with significant starting experience back: Kevin Prince and Richard Brehaut. But redshirt freshman Brett Hundley might end up winning the job. All three are learning a new offense this spring under new coach Jim Mora and offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone. Sophomore Jacob Brendel -- or perhaps junior Greg Capella, who mostly started at guard last year -- are the frontrunners to replace Kai Maiava at center.
USC: Both
Skinny: You've maybe heard of Trojans QB Matt Barkley and his receivers, Robert Woods/Marqise Lee, being the best pass-catch trio in the nation. Well, Barkley and senior center Khaled Holmes are the perhaps the best QB-center combination in the nation. Holmes was second-team All-Pac-12 in 2011, and he's probably the best center in the conference.
Utah: Both
Skinny: Junior Jordan Wynn, a three-year starter, only needs to stay healthy for the Utes to get at least solid QB play. Center Tevita Stevens is solid, but he will be breaking in a pair of new OTs.
Washington: Both
Skinny: Junior QB Keith Price was a revelation last year as a first-year starter, far eclipsing the production of his celebrated predecessor, Jake Locker. Senior center Drew Schaefer is a 30-game starter. So this is a strong combo for the Huskies.
Washington State: Both
Skinny: Jeff Tuel feels like a decided frontrunner to retain his starting job at QB, while junior Matt Goetz returns at center. A junior-college transfer in 2011, he started the final nine games of 2011. A year of seasoning -- and in the weight room -- should help Goetz in 2012.
Or, for that matter, Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas doing the same thing.
That was something that stuck with me after I chatted with Oregon sophomore center Hroniss Grasu a couple of weeks ago. We were talking about how he improved at making line calls during the 2011 season, but he went out of his way to note how good Thomas was at helping out, at identifying last-second changes a defense made that perhaps hinted at its ill intentions.
The point: Centers and quarterbacks are the brains of an offense. The center typically makes the calls at the line of scrimmage that make sure everyone is accounted for. And quarterbacks communicate to both the skill players and the line about checks and audibles.
The QB and center work in tandem. They need to be in sync. And having smart, experienced signal-callers and centers is a big deal for an offense. It means an offense can go to the line with more options, and it can check into the right option more often than not. That breeds confidence, both among players and with their coaches.
So which Pac-12 teams are experienced at QB and center? Who has both back, one back or neither?
Thanks for asking.
Arizona: Center
Skinny: While Nick Foles was the Wildcats' quarterback last year, Matt Scott has started five games, so the offense is not in inexperienced hands. Senior center Kyle Quinn did a solid job in 2011, earning honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors. On the downside, the Wildcats are installing a new offense with coach Rich Rodriguez, so past experience isn't as helpful.
Arizona State: Neither
Skinny: QB Brock Osweiler is gone as is center Garth Gerhart. Kody Koebensky likely takes over at center, while the quarterback competition continues to be wide-open. Of course, the Sun Devils are installing a new offense under new coach Todd Graham, so being green isn't as much of an issue.
California: Both
Skinny: QB Zach Maynard should be much more in control as a second-year starter. While center Dominic Galas is back, he's sitting out spring due to a shoulder injury, and it appears he will switch over to guard. Galas, some of you Bears fans might recall, did have some issues with shotgun snaps last year. Chris Adcock or Mark Brazinski could end up winning the job.
Colorado: Center
Skinny: Tyler Hansen is almost certainly going to be replaced at quarterback by Texas transfer Connor Wood, a sophomore with no game experience. It should help Wood, however, to have junior Gus Handler back making the line calls. Daniel Munyer, who's slated to start at guard, also has starting experience at center.
Oregon: Center
Skinny: Center Grasu's first start as a redshirt freshman was against LSU's beastly defensive front. That was a baptism by fire, but he consistently improved throughout the season. QB Bryan Bennett has some experience, including one start, but he will be challenged this spring by redshirt freshman Marcus Mariota.
Oregon State: QB
Skinny: Sean Mannion is back at QB, but center Grant Johnson is gone. The frontrunner to win that job is sophomore Roman Sapolu. The Beavers have injury issues on the line this spring, and that likely will slow down the unit's -- and Sapolu's -- development.
Stanford: Center
Skinny: You might have heard that Andrew Luck is gone. Brett Nottingham and Josh Nunes look like the favorites to replace him, but neither has significant experience. Senior Sam Schwartzstein did a fine job stepping into Chase Beeler's shoes in 2011, but life was, naturally, easier with Luck at QB. More will fall on Schwartzstein in 2012.
UCLA: QB
Skinny: The Bruins have two quarterbacks with significant starting experience back: Kevin Prince and Richard Brehaut. But redshirt freshman Brett Hundley might end up winning the job. All three are learning a new offense this spring under new coach Jim Mora and offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone. Sophomore Jacob Brendel -- or perhaps junior Greg Capella, who mostly started at guard last year -- are the frontrunners to replace Kai Maiava at center.
USC: Both
Skinny: You've maybe heard of Trojans QB Matt Barkley and his receivers, Robert Woods/Marqise Lee, being the best pass-catch trio in the nation. Well, Barkley and senior center Khaled Holmes are the perhaps the best QB-center combination in the nation. Holmes was second-team All-Pac-12 in 2011, and he's probably the best center in the conference.
Utah: Both
Skinny: Junior Jordan Wynn, a three-year starter, only needs to stay healthy for the Utes to get at least solid QB play. Center Tevita Stevens is solid, but he will be breaking in a pair of new OTs.
Washington: Both
Skinny: Junior QB Keith Price was a revelation last year as a first-year starter, far eclipsing the production of his celebrated predecessor, Jake Locker. Senior center Drew Schaefer is a 30-game starter. So this is a strong combo for the Huskies.
Washington State: Both
Skinny: Jeff Tuel feels like a decided frontrunner to retain his starting job at QB, while junior Matt Goetz returns at center. A junior-college transfer in 2011, he started the final nine games of 2011. A year of seasoning -- and in the weight room -- should help Goetz in 2012.
If you missed my Thursday chat, I apologize for the rash that ensued. Hope it doesn't ruin your weekend.
If you'd like to re-live it in its entirety, go here.
Here are some highlights.
David (Salt Lake City): Ted, with all of the new talent at quarterback, do you sense any indication that any of the incoming recruits have a shot at the starting position?
Ted Miller (3:01 PM): It's always a long shot for a true freshman to start at QB, particularly if he doesn't show up early for spring practices, as, for example, Matt Barkley did. I don't think any true freshmen will start at QB in the Pac-12 this year, and that includes Utah and Cal. I do think you will see at least one (maybe two) redshirt freshmen starting.
Ryan (Spokane): Do you expect the Cougs to start competing more, if not winning some of the in-state recruits (Locker, Kasen Williams) now that the Pirate is on the Palouse?
Ted Miller (3:04 PM): Even during Washington State's best years, it didn't typically beat Washington for the state's top recruits. But there's no reason it can't get, say, get three or four of the top ten if Washington gets five or six (others go out of state). Further, winning helps. If the Cougs start going to bowl games under [new coach Mike] Leach, better recruits will come in. But Leach won in the Big 12 without landing A-list recruits, which is a big reason he seems like a great fit in Pullman.
Warren (Lakewood): I believe Oregon state is going to make some noise this year in the pac12 north and that a sleeping giant has been reawakened in the pac12. [Coach Mike] Riley will rally these young guns and behind [Sean] Mannion and that wr corp they have I expect the Beavs to play in a bowl next year. What are your expectations for the Boys of Corvallis?
Ted Miller (3:15 PM): It's good to hear [I actually typed "here" during the chat, which is, well, really embarrassing] Beaver optimism. You guys have seemed kind of grumpy of late. I think the Beavers are good enough to get back to a bowl game in 2012, but it's also hard to project them too high until they answer questions on both lines.
Scott (Tempe): Ted, Heading to the topic of coaching changes in the desert. With Todd Graham displaying to us all his style of recruiting/coaching/discipline, how do you compare him to Rich Rodriguez? Rich Rod gets all the love, but who is the better coach in your eyes and will have the most impact?
Ted Miller (3:18 PM): Rich Rod has won a BCS bowl game and has a long track record of success. That's why he gets the love. But I do appreciate the notes Graham has been hitting: Demanding, discipline, up-tempo, etc. I think Rodriguez was a home run hire. But I also think better of the Graham hire based on what I've seen (and read) about what he's doing. But judgments on coach hires before they play a game is pretty superficial. It's just me -- and others -- yammering.
Nick Stratton (Dewitt, Michigan): How will Stanford's offense look this year without [Andrew] Luck? Who do you think will be the starter?
Ted Miller (3:23 PM): My only slightly educated guess is [Brett] Nottingham, mostly because I heard good things about him last year when he became the backup. I think Stanford will still be very good on offense, though it probably will take a step back without the best QB of a generation. I think the defense also will be good. So I still see the Cardinal as a top-25 team.
Dan (Eugene): Eddie Pleasant will be tougher for the Ducks to replace than Darron Thomas OR LaMichael James. True or false.
Ted Miller (3:30 PM): I would have said true until John Boyett talked up the guys who might step in to me, such as Brian Jackson and Avery Patterson. And I wonder if the transition at QB will be as easy as many fans think. Will Chip Kelly always hit a home run at QB? And as good as Kenjon [Barner] is, LaMike is one of the all-time best Pac-12 RBs.
David (San Francisco, CA): Ted, what do you expect out of Brett Hundley and the UCLA quarterback position this year?
Ted Miller (3:33 PM): I think Hundley will be given every opportunity to win the job, though I'm not sure it's a slam dunk that Kevin Prince won't. Last spring, Hundley wasn't ready, and that was clear. So he needs to be substantially better this spring. But he's a good prospect -- sharp, dual threat, seems to have leadership ability. And I think the work Noel Mazzone did with Brock Osweiler shows he knows how to teach a spread system to a young QB.
Bob (Seattle): Think the dawgs will be alright at LB this season?
Ted Miller (3:42 PM): I don't know... big question. Some guys coming back, but the position was not played well in 2011. You'd hope some of those youthful mistakes will correct themselves. But I saw too many Huskies LBs get stuck on blocks last year to not see it as a question.
Pirates of the Palouse (Pullman): [Jeff] Tuel or [Connor] Halliday?
Ted Miller (3:43 PM): Tuel... folks seem to forget how good he is when healthy. He's an NFL prospect and he has a lot of experience. Also, after being sacked so many times and showing outstanding toughness and resolve, I think he's earned an opportunity to see the postseason.
darrell (tacoma): Who has the weakest nonconference schedule, who has the toughest?
Ted Miller (3:52 PM): Easiest is Oregon (Ark State, Fresno State, Tennessee Tech).Hardest: Oregon State (BYU and Wisconsin with Nicholls State). Hardest game period is Washington at LSU. And USC, with Hawaii, Syracuse and Notre Dame, doesn't have an official patsy.
Daniel (Eugene): What do you think about Arik Armstead also playing basketball for the Ducks? Will dual responsibilities make him a better lineman or just confused, especially with Oregon now contending for March Madness positions?
Ted Miller (3:59 PM): I don't like guys playing hoops and football, though I certainly respect the athleticism it requires. If he asked me my advice, which he won't, I'd say choose a sport. But I'd also then say do what makes you happiest.
If you'd like to re-live it in its entirety, go here.
Here are some highlights.
David (Salt Lake City): Ted, with all of the new talent at quarterback, do you sense any indication that any of the incoming recruits have a shot at the starting position?
Ted Miller (3:01 PM): It's always a long shot for a true freshman to start at QB, particularly if he doesn't show up early for spring practices, as, for example, Matt Barkley did. I don't think any true freshmen will start at QB in the Pac-12 this year, and that includes Utah and Cal. I do think you will see at least one (maybe two) redshirt freshmen starting.
Ryan (Spokane): Do you expect the Cougs to start competing more, if not winning some of the in-state recruits (Locker, Kasen Williams) now that the Pirate is on the Palouse?
Ted Miller (3:04 PM): Even during Washington State's best years, it didn't typically beat Washington for the state's top recruits. But there's no reason it can't get, say, get three or four of the top ten if Washington gets five or six (others go out of state). Further, winning helps. If the Cougs start going to bowl games under [new coach Mike] Leach, better recruits will come in. But Leach won in the Big 12 without landing A-list recruits, which is a big reason he seems like a great fit in Pullman.
Warren (Lakewood): I believe Oregon state is going to make some noise this year in the pac12 north and that a sleeping giant has been reawakened in the pac12. [Coach Mike] Riley will rally these young guns and behind [Sean] Mannion and that wr corp they have I expect the Beavs to play in a bowl next year. What are your expectations for the Boys of Corvallis?
Ted Miller (3:15 PM): It's good to hear [I actually typed "here" during the chat, which is, well, really embarrassing] Beaver optimism. You guys have seemed kind of grumpy of late. I think the Beavers are good enough to get back to a bowl game in 2012, but it's also hard to project them too high until they answer questions on both lines.
Scott (Tempe): Ted, Heading to the topic of coaching changes in the desert. With Todd Graham displaying to us all his style of recruiting/coaching/discipline, how do you compare him to Rich Rodriguez? Rich Rod gets all the love, but who is the better coach in your eyes and will have the most impact?
Ted Miller (3:18 PM): Rich Rod has won a BCS bowl game and has a long track record of success. That's why he gets the love. But I do appreciate the notes Graham has been hitting: Demanding, discipline, up-tempo, etc. I think Rodriguez was a home run hire. But I also think better of the Graham hire based on what I've seen (and read) about what he's doing. But judgments on coach hires before they play a game is pretty superficial. It's just me -- and others -- yammering.
Nick Stratton (Dewitt, Michigan): How will Stanford's offense look this year without [Andrew] Luck? Who do you think will be the starter?
Ted Miller (3:23 PM): My only slightly educated guess is [Brett] Nottingham, mostly because I heard good things about him last year when he became the backup. I think Stanford will still be very good on offense, though it probably will take a step back without the best QB of a generation. I think the defense also will be good. So I still see the Cardinal as a top-25 team.
Dan (Eugene): Eddie Pleasant will be tougher for the Ducks to replace than Darron Thomas OR LaMichael James. True or false.
Ted Miller (3:30 PM): I would have said true until John Boyett talked up the guys who might step in to me, such as Brian Jackson and Avery Patterson. And I wonder if the transition at QB will be as easy as many fans think. Will Chip Kelly always hit a home run at QB? And as good as Kenjon [Barner] is, LaMike is one of the all-time best Pac-12 RBs.
David (San Francisco, CA): Ted, what do you expect out of Brett Hundley and the UCLA quarterback position this year?
Ted Miller (3:33 PM): I think Hundley will be given every opportunity to win the job, though I'm not sure it's a slam dunk that Kevin Prince won't. Last spring, Hundley wasn't ready, and that was clear. So he needs to be substantially better this spring. But he's a good prospect -- sharp, dual threat, seems to have leadership ability. And I think the work Noel Mazzone did with Brock Osweiler shows he knows how to teach a spread system to a young QB.
Bob (Seattle): Think the dawgs will be alright at LB this season?
Ted Miller (3:42 PM): I don't know... big question. Some guys coming back, but the position was not played well in 2011. You'd hope some of those youthful mistakes will correct themselves. But I saw too many Huskies LBs get stuck on blocks last year to not see it as a question.
Pirates of the Palouse (Pullman): [Jeff] Tuel or [Connor] Halliday?
Ted Miller (3:43 PM): Tuel... folks seem to forget how good he is when healthy. He's an NFL prospect and he has a lot of experience. Also, after being sacked so many times and showing outstanding toughness and resolve, I think he's earned an opportunity to see the postseason.
darrell (tacoma): Who has the weakest nonconference schedule, who has the toughest?
Ted Miller (3:52 PM): Easiest is Oregon (Ark State, Fresno State, Tennessee Tech).Hardest: Oregon State (BYU and Wisconsin with Nicholls State). Hardest game period is Washington at LSU. And USC, with Hawaii, Syracuse and Notre Dame, doesn't have an official patsy.
Daniel (Eugene): What do you think about Arik Armstead also playing basketball for the Ducks? Will dual responsibilities make him a better lineman or just confused, especially with Oregon now contending for March Madness positions?
Ted Miller (3:59 PM): I don't like guys playing hoops and football, though I certainly respect the athleticism it requires. If he asked me my advice, which he won't, I'd say choose a sport. But I'd also then say do what makes you happiest.
Colorado has released its pre-spring depth chart, but the biggest news is the announcement that QB Nick Hirschman will be out with a foot injury.
That means Hirschman won't be able to compete with Connor Wood, a Texas transfer, for the starting job. Hirschman was recovering from offseason foot surgery when he hurt his other foot.
From a press release: "[Hirschman] broke the exact same metatarsal bone in his other foot over the weekend (he was walking and just stepped on it wrong, he was not in any athletic activity or conditioning); he flew home to California today where he will have surgery later in the week."
Hirschman started one game last season -- against Arizona State -- but there is strong sentiment that Wood is the frontrunner to replace Tyler Hansen.
Colorado holds its first practice Saturday.
Some more notes:
That means Hirschman won't be able to compete with Connor Wood, a Texas transfer, for the starting job. Hirschman was recovering from offseason foot surgery when he hurt his other foot.
From a press release: "[Hirschman] broke the exact same metatarsal bone in his other foot over the weekend (he was walking and just stepped on it wrong, he was not in any athletic activity or conditioning); he flew home to California today where he will have surgery later in the week."
Hirschman started one game last season -- against Arizona State -- but there is strong sentiment that Wood is the frontrunner to replace Tyler Hansen.
Colorado holds its first practice Saturday.
Some more notes:
- The Buffaloes will use a 4-3 defense after using a 3-4 -- officially -- much of last year. The No. 1 defensive line goes like this: Will Pericak and Eric Richter at the DTs and Juda Parker and Chidera UzoDiribe at the ends.
- Other players out due to injury: CB Jered Bell (knee), DL Nate Bonsu (shoulder), RB Malcolm Creer (knee) and LB Doug Rippy (knee).
- Ray Polk and Parker Orms are the free and strong safeties, respectively, and Josh Moten and Greg Henderson are the corners.
- The offensive line goes like this: David Bakhtiari at LT and Jack Harris at RT, Gus Handler at center and Daniel Munyer and Ryan Dannewitz at left and right guard, respectively.
- Other QBs who will be in the mix: redshirt freshman John Schrock, a walk-on, and redshirt freshman Stevie Joe Dorman. Touted incoming true freshman Shane Dillon will join the fray in August.
- The spring game is April 14 at Folsom Field.
Take 2: Which Pac-12 coach has it tougher?
March, 2, 2012
Mar 2
12:00
PM ET
By
Ted Miller and
Kevin Gemmell | ESPN.com
California's Jeff Tedford and Oregon State's Mike Riley will enter 2012 spring practices facing those delightful "hotseat" questions. It's a drag for them to endure such queries, and reporters get no joy from making the coaches they cover grumpy by probing their feelings on their job security.
But most coaches will tell you that it doesn't take much to warm up the ole coaching throne. After all, it wasn't too long ago that Tedford and Riley were the toasts of Berkeley and Corvallis.
So which other Pac-12 coaches face challenging seasons?
In this Take 2, we find things to worry about at the top of the conference as well as on the bottom.
Kevin Gemmell: Sometimes the burden of expectation is the heaviest of all. And to offer a contrarian perspective, I think Lane Kiffin might have the toughest coaching job in the Pac-12. He was trashed at Oakland. Trashed at Tennessee. Now he has a team that will likely be ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the preseason. There isn't a lot of room to move up. But, oh, how one tiny slip-up could make for a frustrating season. For USC, the goal has to be national title game or bust. Nothing else will do.
Can you imagine if they lose at home to Oregon on Nov. 3? Or worse yet -- to Stanford in the third game of the season? Let's face it, David Shaw knows how to attack the Tampa-2. You don't spend as much time as he did in Baltimore without learning the ins and outs of that scheme. And don't think Oregon isn't looking to avenge the loss at Autzen. Or worse yet -- losing to a team that ISN'T Oregon or Stanford!?
If Kiffin gets his team to the national championship game, it will be met with the requisite "ho hum, that's what he's supposed to do with this group." If he doesn't, he'll be blasted for derailing a freight train with the top quarterback and the top wide-receiver duo in the country.
The other top two teams in the conference -- Oregon and Stanford -- both have quarterback issues. If they drop a game or two, the backlash will likely be minimal because transition usually comes at a cost. Four other teams in the conference have new head coaches -- so expectations are minimal and inconsistency is par for the course.
But not the Trojans -- who have a starting roster dripping with NFL talent. And let's look ahead to 2013. Should the Trojans fail to reach the title game this year, there will certainly be questions about why Kiffin couldn't get it done with Matt Barkley and Robert Woods. So what's to make us believe he could get it done without them? Plus, there are continuing sanctions that handcuff the program even further.
Make no mistake about it, this will be Kiffin's toughest year of coaching. This is an all-or-nothing outing. His team is the best show in a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately town. For Kiffin, there is only one thing that can go right, but a whole lot that can go wrong.
Ted Miller: I agree that Kiffin has a tough task this year with stratospheric expectations, but I suspect my guy -- Colorado coach Jon Embree -- would be willing to take on the pressure of high expectations in exchange for some of that Trojan talent.
What Embree has instead: He's a second-year coach coming off a 3-10 season at a place that is frustrated with losing. Not surprisingly, Colorado fans expect improvement. That's what new hires are supposed to do right? Set a positive trajectory. And what I keep getting from Buffaloes' fans this offseason is questions about bowl games.
Answer: Don't hold your breath.
First, look at the depth chart. Embree must replace his quarterback, top rusher, top two receivers (statistically; junior Paul Richardson is the Buffaloes best offensive player) and his best pass-rusher. While recruiting has been solid, asking freshmen and redshirt freshmen to fill obvious voids probably isn't going to get very far in the Pac-12. What has become clear is Embree inherited a substantial rebuilding project, one that would tax even Nick Saban. Bowl game? It will be surprising if the Buffs don't finish in the South Division cellar again.
And there's another problem. The Buffs probably are going to start 3-0. Hopes are going to soar and fans are going to write the Pac-12 blog, telling me to stick it in my ear. Or perhaps somewhere else. But after beating Colorado State, Sacramento State and winning at Fresno State -- not a sure thing, by the way -- the schedule toughens up. Want to know when the season likely will be made or broken? A winable three-game stretch to start the Pac-12 schedule: at Washington State, UCLA, bye, Arizona State.
To earn a bowl berth, the Buffs probably need to win two of those three games.
After that, oh boy: At USC, at Oregon, Stanford, at Arizona, Washington and Utah. Projecting one win over that stretch is optimistic, even though Colorado beat both Arizona and Utah in 2011. So in other words: A fast start charges up Buff fans, but then a weak finish crushes their optimism -- and causes them to declare Embree's honeymoon over.
As predictions go -- fast start, slow finish -- I'd rate this one as having a high probability of happening. Seemingly random quirks of scheduling can be painful. Just ask former Arizona coach Mike Stoops, whose 10-game losing streak against FBS foes, which got him fired, is more understandable when you note the Wildcats played Oklahoma State, Oregon, Stanford and USC twice each during that span. And, of course, Embree knows all about painfully quirky schedules, having played a 13-game one in 2011 that included no byes, road trips to Hawaii and Ohio State, both Oregon and Stanford from the Pac-12 North -- Utah missed both -- as well as a game with California that didn't count in the conference standings.
For what it's worth, Colorado was probably the best 3-10 team in the nation last year. And the 2011 team, on paper, looks superior to what Embree has for 2012.
Not that Embree can open his pre-spring press conference saying so. He's walking a fine line here. He deserves patience, but can't ask for it. He wants to challenge his team and build its confidence, but trumping up expectations could backfire.
The 2012 season looks like a transitional one in Boulder. In our win-now college football culture, transitional seasons can make life difficult for coaches, particularly those trying to rebuild a program and invigorate a beleaguered fanbase.
But most coaches will tell you that it doesn't take much to warm up the ole coaching throne. After all, it wasn't too long ago that Tedford and Riley were the toasts of Berkeley and Corvallis.
So which other Pac-12 coaches face challenging seasons?
[+] Enlarge
Matt Cashore/US PresswireFor Lane Kiffin and the Trojans there's only one thing that can go right and several that can go wrong.
Matt Cashore/US PresswireFor Lane Kiffin and the Trojans there's only one thing that can go right and several that can go wrong.Kevin Gemmell: Sometimes the burden of expectation is the heaviest of all. And to offer a contrarian perspective, I think Lane Kiffin might have the toughest coaching job in the Pac-12. He was trashed at Oakland. Trashed at Tennessee. Now he has a team that will likely be ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the preseason. There isn't a lot of room to move up. But, oh, how one tiny slip-up could make for a frustrating season. For USC, the goal has to be national title game or bust. Nothing else will do.
Can you imagine if they lose at home to Oregon on Nov. 3? Or worse yet -- to Stanford in the third game of the season? Let's face it, David Shaw knows how to attack the Tampa-2. You don't spend as much time as he did in Baltimore without learning the ins and outs of that scheme. And don't think Oregon isn't looking to avenge the loss at Autzen. Or worse yet -- losing to a team that ISN'T Oregon or Stanford!?
If Kiffin gets his team to the national championship game, it will be met with the requisite "ho hum, that's what he's supposed to do with this group." If he doesn't, he'll be blasted for derailing a freight train with the top quarterback and the top wide-receiver duo in the country.
The other top two teams in the conference -- Oregon and Stanford -- both have quarterback issues. If they drop a game or two, the backlash will likely be minimal because transition usually comes at a cost. Four other teams in the conference have new head coaches -- so expectations are minimal and inconsistency is par for the course.
But not the Trojans -- who have a starting roster dripping with NFL talent. And let's look ahead to 2013. Should the Trojans fail to reach the title game this year, there will certainly be questions about why Kiffin couldn't get it done with Matt Barkley and Robert Woods. So what's to make us believe he could get it done without them? Plus, there are continuing sanctions that handcuff the program even further.
Make no mistake about it, this will be Kiffin's toughest year of coaching. This is an all-or-nothing outing. His team is the best show in a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately town. For Kiffin, there is only one thing that can go right, but a whole lot that can go wrong.
Ted Miller: I agree that Kiffin has a tough task this year with stratospheric expectations, but I suspect my guy -- Colorado coach Jon Embree -- would be willing to take on the pressure of high expectations in exchange for some of that Trojan talent.
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AP Photo/Jack DempseyJon Embree and Colorado will likely need a strong start to the 2012 season to reach a bowl game.
AP Photo/Jack DempseyJon Embree and Colorado will likely need a strong start to the 2012 season to reach a bowl game.Answer: Don't hold your breath.
First, look at the depth chart. Embree must replace his quarterback, top rusher, top two receivers (statistically; junior Paul Richardson is the Buffaloes best offensive player) and his best pass-rusher. While recruiting has been solid, asking freshmen and redshirt freshmen to fill obvious voids probably isn't going to get very far in the Pac-12. What has become clear is Embree inherited a substantial rebuilding project, one that would tax even Nick Saban. Bowl game? It will be surprising if the Buffs don't finish in the South Division cellar again.
And there's another problem. The Buffs probably are going to start 3-0. Hopes are going to soar and fans are going to write the Pac-12 blog, telling me to stick it in my ear. Or perhaps somewhere else. But after beating Colorado State, Sacramento State and winning at Fresno State -- not a sure thing, by the way -- the schedule toughens up. Want to know when the season likely will be made or broken? A winable three-game stretch to start the Pac-12 schedule: at Washington State, UCLA, bye, Arizona State.
To earn a bowl berth, the Buffs probably need to win two of those three games.
After that, oh boy: At USC, at Oregon, Stanford, at Arizona, Washington and Utah. Projecting one win over that stretch is optimistic, even though Colorado beat both Arizona and Utah in 2011. So in other words: A fast start charges up Buff fans, but then a weak finish crushes their optimism -- and causes them to declare Embree's honeymoon over.
As predictions go -- fast start, slow finish -- I'd rate this one as having a high probability of happening. Seemingly random quirks of scheduling can be painful. Just ask former Arizona coach Mike Stoops, whose 10-game losing streak against FBS foes, which got him fired, is more understandable when you note the Wildcats played Oklahoma State, Oregon, Stanford and USC twice each during that span. And, of course, Embree knows all about painfully quirky schedules, having played a 13-game one in 2011 that included no byes, road trips to Hawaii and Ohio State, both Oregon and Stanford from the Pac-12 North -- Utah missed both -- as well as a game with California that didn't count in the conference standings.
For what it's worth, Colorado was probably the best 3-10 team in the nation last year. And the 2011 team, on paper, looks superior to what Embree has for 2012.
Not that Embree can open his pre-spring press conference saying so. He's walking a fine line here. He deserves patience, but can't ask for it. He wants to challenge his team and build its confidence, but trumping up expectations could backfire.
The 2012 season looks like a transitional one in Boulder. In our win-now college football culture, transitional seasons can make life difficult for coaches, particularly those trying to rebuild a program and invigorate a beleaguered fanbase.
Colorado would benefit greatly this spring if it can name a starting QB by the end of spring practices.
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-12. His columns for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer won first place in the 2007 APSE Best Writing contest. The Atlanta native and University of Richmond graduate presently lives with his wife in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Kevin Gemmell
Gemmell covered San Diego State and the Mountain West Conference for three years before joining ESPN.com. As a Santa Clara graduate, his hope is that the Broncos will one day re-institute football. Until then, he lives vicariously through his readers. Gemmell lives in California with his wife and son.
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