Pac-12: Pac-12
I go to parties sometimes until four
It's hard to leave when you can't find the door
It's tough to handle this fortune and fame
Everybody's so different I haven't changed.
It's hard to leave when you can't find the door
It's tough to handle this fortune and fame
Everybody's so different I haven't changed.
- Arizona expects to get a reenergized USC team next week.
- It's been a long road back for Arizona State RB Deantre Lewis.
- California has an "OR" between QBs Jared Goff and Zach Kline on its depth chart, though Goff is expected to start against Washington State.
- Colorado remains upbeat and is focused on Oregon.
- Oregon isn't worried about the altitude at Colorado.
- Oregon State coach Mike Riley reiterated that he's not interested in the USC job.
- Stanford isn't thinking revenge against Washington.
- UCLA WR Shaq Evans is mellow until he gets on the field.
- Interim coach Ed Orgeron and USC are fired up for a fresh start.
- Utah QB Travis Wilson pays tribute to his buddy, former UCLA player Nick Pasquale.
- K/P Travis Coons is making a big contribution to Washington.
- Notes & quotes from Washington State's practice.
Lots to talk about this week.
Swing by here at 11 a.m. PT to participate. If you don’t leave the chat feeling better about yourself, you’ll receive a full no refund.
As always, a couple of pop culture, movie, TV, literature or music questions will be entertained. (At the advice of readers, I finally started “Breaking Bad.” The tortoise scene was pretty screwed up).
Swing by here at 11 a.m. PT to participate. If you don’t leave the chat feeling better about yourself, you’ll receive a full no refund.
As always, a couple of pop culture, movie, TV, literature or music questions will be entertained. (At the advice of readers, I finally started “Breaking Bad.” The tortoise scene was pretty screwed up).
History is ancient for Stanford, Washington
October, 2, 2013
Oct 2
1:00
PM ET
By
Kevin Gemmell | ESPN.com
No. 5 Stanford hosts No. 15 Washington on Saturday. History scholars are not welcome.
Two years ago, Stanford ran all over Washington -- setting a school record with 446 rushing yards in a 65-21 win. That game was, for all intents and purposes, the beginning of Washington’s 2011 defensive downfall that crested with an Alamo Bowl embarrassment against Baylor.
Last year, in a rapid change of fortunes, it was Washington’s defense that rose to the occasion and held Stanford’s offense to 170 total yards, zero offensive touchdowns and just 65 rushing yards in a 17-13 win. The Cardinal were coming off of a then-shocking 21-14 win over No. 2 USC. That game might have been, for all intents and purposes, the beginning of the end of the Lane Kiffin era. But that's another story for another day.
So what does the recent history between these two teams mean? Squat. Diddly-squat, to be exact. This is a very different Washington defense than the one that rolled over two year ago. Just as Stanford’s offense is completely different than the one that struggled to move the ball last year in Seattle.
“We’re definitely a new football team,” Washington coach Steve Sarkisian said. “From two years ago we’ve made some pretty significant changes on the defensive side of the football from the staff standpoint. And I think offensively we’ve made some significant changes in scheme and style of play that has changed us dramatically over a two-year period.”
Indeed, Washington’s defense under Justin Wilcox has improved dramatically over the last season and a half. Through four games this season the Huskies are allowing fewer than 11 points per game. Offensively, the new up-tempo scheme is producing almost 600 yards per game, and the Huskies average nearly 40 points per contest.
Though the feeling of last season's loss still lingers for some Stanford players, it won’t be a factor in Saturday’s matchup.
“Disappointment,” said Stanford defensive back Alex Carter in talking about last season's meeting. “I know we felt like we had really given up an opportunity for our team to make a statement. For us, I think we just realize that last year was last year. It happened. This year we’re a different team with a different mentality. We’re just focused on this game.”
As for finding little tricks and intricacies from last season's game? Stanford coach David Shaw said don’t count on it.
“I never take the previous year’s game too seriously,” he said. “We look at them from a schematic and personnel standpoint. They have a lot of film from this year. We go back and watch a lot of schematic things, but what actually happens in games, there’s never a carry over. Last year when we played them, we didn’t think we were going to go in there and rush for 300 yards cause we knew they were a more sound, physical, athletic defense. We knew it was going to be tough sledding, just like it was, and just like we believe this year is going to be tough sledding also.”
So far, things have gone according to plan for both teams. The Huskies (4-0 overall, 1-0 Pac-12) have successfully negotiated a nonconference slate that included a win over Boise State and road win against Illinois. And despite the weather last week, they handled Arizona 31-13.
Stanford (4-0, 2-0) has looked explosive offensively, averaging more than 41 points per game. Quarterback Kevin Hogan ranks fifth nationally in QBR and the offense -- while still run-based -- has become more wide receiver-centric in the passing attack.
“They’ve changed some,” Sarkisian said. "Two years ago Andrew Luck was the quarterback and they were doing their thing with Andrew. They've worked themselves into Kevin Hogan and they have a lot of variety. Defensively it’s a lot of the same faces, just more mature. They pose a great deal of challenges for us.”
Two years ago, Stanford ran all over Washington -- setting a school record with 446 rushing yards in a 65-21 win. That game was, for all intents and purposes, the beginning of Washington’s 2011 defensive downfall that crested with an Alamo Bowl embarrassment against Baylor.
[+] Enlarge
Otto Greule Jr/Getty ImagesStanford and Washington don't expect much carryover from last season's game, a defensive struggle won by the Huskies, when the teams meet Saturday.
So what does the recent history between these two teams mean? Squat. Diddly-squat, to be exact. This is a very different Washington defense than the one that rolled over two year ago. Just as Stanford’s offense is completely different than the one that struggled to move the ball last year in Seattle.
“We’re definitely a new football team,” Washington coach Steve Sarkisian said. “From two years ago we’ve made some pretty significant changes on the defensive side of the football from the staff standpoint. And I think offensively we’ve made some significant changes in scheme and style of play that has changed us dramatically over a two-year period.”
Indeed, Washington’s defense under Justin Wilcox has improved dramatically over the last season and a half. Through four games this season the Huskies are allowing fewer than 11 points per game. Offensively, the new up-tempo scheme is producing almost 600 yards per game, and the Huskies average nearly 40 points per contest.
Though the feeling of last season's loss still lingers for some Stanford players, it won’t be a factor in Saturday’s matchup.
“Disappointment,” said Stanford defensive back Alex Carter in talking about last season's meeting. “I know we felt like we had really given up an opportunity for our team to make a statement. For us, I think we just realize that last year was last year. It happened. This year we’re a different team with a different mentality. We’re just focused on this game.”
As for finding little tricks and intricacies from last season's game? Stanford coach David Shaw said don’t count on it.
“I never take the previous year’s game too seriously,” he said. “We look at them from a schematic and personnel standpoint. They have a lot of film from this year. We go back and watch a lot of schematic things, but what actually happens in games, there’s never a carry over. Last year when we played them, we didn’t think we were going to go in there and rush for 300 yards cause we knew they were a more sound, physical, athletic defense. We knew it was going to be tough sledding, just like it was, and just like we believe this year is going to be tough sledding also.”
So far, things have gone according to plan for both teams. The Huskies (4-0 overall, 1-0 Pac-12) have successfully negotiated a nonconference slate that included a win over Boise State and road win against Illinois. And despite the weather last week, they handled Arizona 31-13.
Stanford (4-0, 2-0) has looked explosive offensively, averaging more than 41 points per game. Quarterback Kevin Hogan ranks fifth nationally in QBR and the offense -- while still run-based -- has become more wide receiver-centric in the passing attack.
“They’ve changed some,” Sarkisian said. "Two years ago Andrew Luck was the quarterback and they were doing their thing with Andrew. They've worked themselves into Kevin Hogan and they have a lot of variety. Defensively it’s a lot of the same faces, just more mature. They pose a great deal of challenges for us.”
Video: Herbstreit on Washington-Stanford
October, 2, 2013
Oct 2
11:00
AM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
Kirk Herbstreit previews Saturday's showdown between Washington and Stanford.
Some Pac-12 numbers for your review.
Number to the left is national rank.
Scoring offense
2. Oregon, 59.8 points per game
3. UCLA, 52.7
11. Arizona State, 44.3
19. Utah, 42.0
20. Oregon State, 41.6
T21. Stanford, 41.3
Total offense
2. UCLA, 614.3 yards per game
3. Oregon, 599.3
5. Washington, 574.0
15. Arizona State, 505.0
16. Utah, 504
19. California, 498.3
Note: Ten Pac-12 offenses average more than 400 yards per game. But Cal shows how yards aren't the end-all. It ranks 10th in the conference in scoring with 29.2 points per game. It would seem we'll see a lot of offense Thursday night when UCLA visits Utah. But you know what should raise the most eyebrows? Stanford averaging 41.3 points per game. The Cardinal averaged 27.9 ppg last year and won the Pac-12.
Rushing offense
1. Oregon, 332.5 yards per game
9. Arizona, 291.5
11. Washington, 288.8
13. UCLA, 284.3
Passing offense
2. Oregon State, 420.6
4. California, 373.0
7. Arizona State, 358.8
12. UCLA, 330.0
14. Washington State, 327.4
25. Colorado, 295.7
Note: On the downside -- Of this group, only UCLA is running the ball well, too. The other five are the bottom five in the conference in rushing, though at No. 8, Arizona State is respectable with 146.2 yards rushing per game.
Scoring defense
T4. Oregon, Washington, 10.8 points per game
12. Arizona, 14.3
29. UCLA, 18.0
Total defense
13. Washington, 288.0
19. USC, 306.8
23. Oregon, 320.5
25. Washington State, 323.8
Yards yielded per play (FBS foes only)
3. Washington, 3.80 yards per play
T4. Oregon, 3.82
18. UCLA, 4.42
19. Arizona, 4.47
23. Stanford, 4.64
29. USC, 4.81
31. Washington State, 4.83
Pass efficiency defense
2. Washington
9. Oregon
13. Arizona
22. USC
Note: What's becoming increasingly clear is Washington's Justin Wilcox is not just a good defensive coordinator, he ranks among the nation's best. He has transformed the Huskies. Of course, the Huskies face Stanford, Oregon and Arizona State over the next three weeks. That will be three HUGE tests for Wilcox and his defense.
Rushing
1. Bishop Sankey, Washington, 151.8
3. Ka'Deem Carey, Arizona, 143.7
5. Jordan James, UCLA, 141.3
17. Tre Madden, USC, 116.6
Note: Three of the nation's top five rushers in the Pac-12? Pretty impressive. It will be interesting to see if James and Madden remain among the nation's top rushers. If the Bruins and James continue to run well, Noel Mazzone's offense will be tough to stop. If the Trojans run the ball as effectively as they did at Arizona State, the passing game with Cody Kessler might get some room to breathe.
Pass efficiency
11. Kevin Hogan, Stanford
12. Keith Price, Washington
15. Travis Wilson, Utah
16. Brett Hundley, UCLA
17. Sean Mannion, Oregon State
21. Marcus Mariota, Oregon
Note: Again, Hogan atop this list should worry all Pac-12 teams. Mannion's 21 TD passes is four more than anyone else in the country, and his second interception of the season, thrown against Colorado, bounced off his receiver's chest. It's not unreasonable to say that if the Beavers hadn't lost to Eastern Washington in the opener, Mannion would be getting a raised eyebrow or two as a Heisman Trophy candidate.
Receiving yards per game
1. Paul Richardson, Colorado, 162.3
2. Brandin Cooks, Oregon State, 161.4
14. Jaelen Strong, Arizona State, 108.3
22. Dres Anderson, Utah, 101.0
Note: Strong is looking every bit like the budding star coach Todd Graham predicted he'd be. Cooks decisively won the battle with Richardson last weekend. If you're looking for a WR to replace USC's Marqise Lee in the Biletnikoff discussion, Cooks is your guy. He's not only stepped out of Markus Wheaton's shadow, he's starting to look like he's better than Wheaton.
Random notes: Stanford and Arizona are tied for second in the nation in tackles for a loss allowed, surrendering just 3.25 per game. Oregon is tied for eighth at 3.75. ... The much-maligned Oregon State defense is 15th in the nation in third down percentage (0.286). The Beavers are also eighth in the nation with eight interceptions. ... UCLA is No. 1, Washington No. 3 and Stanford No. 7 in the nation in third-down conversion percentage on offense. ... Eight of the top 25 players in all-purpose yards come from the Pac-12.
Number to the left is national rank.
Scoring offense
2. Oregon, 59.8 points per game
3. UCLA, 52.7
11. Arizona State, 44.3
19. Utah, 42.0
20. Oregon State, 41.6
T21. Stanford, 41.3
Total offense
2. UCLA, 614.3 yards per game
3. Oregon, 599.3
5. Washington, 574.0
15. Arizona State, 505.0
16. Utah, 504
19. California, 498.3
Note: Ten Pac-12 offenses average more than 400 yards per game. But Cal shows how yards aren't the end-all. It ranks 10th in the conference in scoring with 29.2 points per game. It would seem we'll see a lot of offense Thursday night when UCLA visits Utah. But you know what should raise the most eyebrows? Stanford averaging 41.3 points per game. The Cardinal averaged 27.9 ppg last year and won the Pac-12.
Rushing offense
1. Oregon, 332.5 yards per game
9. Arizona, 291.5
11. Washington, 288.8
13. UCLA, 284.3
Passing offense
2. Oregon State, 420.6
4. California, 373.0
7. Arizona State, 358.8
12. UCLA, 330.0
14. Washington State, 327.4
25. Colorado, 295.7
Note: On the downside -- Of this group, only UCLA is running the ball well, too. The other five are the bottom five in the conference in rushing, though at No. 8, Arizona State is respectable with 146.2 yards rushing per game.
Scoring defense
T4. Oregon, Washington, 10.8 points per game
12. Arizona, 14.3
29. UCLA, 18.0
Total defense
13. Washington, 288.0
19. USC, 306.8
23. Oregon, 320.5
25. Washington State, 323.8
Yards yielded per play (FBS foes only)
3. Washington, 3.80 yards per play
T4. Oregon, 3.82
18. UCLA, 4.42
19. Arizona, 4.47
23. Stanford, 4.64
29. USC, 4.81
31. Washington State, 4.83
Pass efficiency defense
2. Washington
9. Oregon
13. Arizona
22. USC
Note: What's becoming increasingly clear is Washington's Justin Wilcox is not just a good defensive coordinator, he ranks among the nation's best. He has transformed the Huskies. Of course, the Huskies face Stanford, Oregon and Arizona State over the next three weeks. That will be three HUGE tests for Wilcox and his defense.
Rushing
1. Bishop Sankey, Washington, 151.8
3. Ka'Deem Carey, Arizona, 143.7
5. Jordan James, UCLA, 141.3
17. Tre Madden, USC, 116.6
Note: Three of the nation's top five rushers in the Pac-12? Pretty impressive. It will be interesting to see if James and Madden remain among the nation's top rushers. If the Bruins and James continue to run well, Noel Mazzone's offense will be tough to stop. If the Trojans run the ball as effectively as they did at Arizona State, the passing game with Cody Kessler might get some room to breathe.
Pass efficiency
11. Kevin Hogan, Stanford
12. Keith Price, Washington
15. Travis Wilson, Utah
16. Brett Hundley, UCLA
17. Sean Mannion, Oregon State
21. Marcus Mariota, Oregon
Note: Again, Hogan atop this list should worry all Pac-12 teams. Mannion's 21 TD passes is four more than anyone else in the country, and his second interception of the season, thrown against Colorado, bounced off his receiver's chest. It's not unreasonable to say that if the Beavers hadn't lost to Eastern Washington in the opener, Mannion would be getting a raised eyebrow or two as a Heisman Trophy candidate.
Receiving yards per game
1. Paul Richardson, Colorado, 162.3
2. Brandin Cooks, Oregon State, 161.4
14. Jaelen Strong, Arizona State, 108.3
22. Dres Anderson, Utah, 101.0
Note: Strong is looking every bit like the budding star coach Todd Graham predicted he'd be. Cooks decisively won the battle with Richardson last weekend. If you're looking for a WR to replace USC's Marqise Lee in the Biletnikoff discussion, Cooks is your guy. He's not only stepped out of Markus Wheaton's shadow, he's starting to look like he's better than Wheaton.
Random notes: Stanford and Arizona are tied for second in the nation in tackles for a loss allowed, surrendering just 3.25 per game. Oregon is tied for eighth at 3.75. ... The much-maligned Oregon State defense is 15th in the nation in third down percentage (0.286). The Beavers are also eighth in the nation with eight interceptions. ... UCLA is No. 1, Washington No. 3 and Stanford No. 7 in the nation in third-down conversion percentage on offense. ... Eight of the top 25 players in all-purpose yards come from the Pac-12.
Here's a quick look at Week 6 in the conference. All times are ET.
Thursday
No. 12 UCLA (3-0, 0-0) at Utah (3-1, 0-1) 10 p.m. FoxSports1: UCLA leads the series with Utah 9-2 and the Bruins are 3-2 in Salt Lake. Utah, however, has won two of the last three games, winning in 2007 and 2011 before losing last year 21-14. Utah's leading receiver Dres Anderson’s father Flipper played receiver for UCLA from 1984-87. Flipper Anderson led the Bruins in receiving yards in 1986 and 1987 and ranks 10th in UCLA history with 2,023 career yards. He went on to a 10-year NFL career. Dres Anderson has three straight 100-yard games (103 yards vs. Weber State, 101 vs. Oregon State and a career-high 141 vs. BYU). Utah coach Kyle Whittingham is 6-2 coming off regular-season byes with both losses coming in Pac-12 play (to Washington in 2011 and USC in 2012). Utes QB Travis Wilson is 15th in the nation in passing efficiency. UCLA QB Brett Hundley is 16th. Hundley is 19th in the nation with 282.7 yards passing per game. Wilson is 23rd with 279.5. Both teams also run well. The Bruins average 284.3 yards rushing per game. Utah averages 218.8. Both teams were off last weekend.
Saturday
Washington State (3-2, 1-1) at California (1-3, 0-1) 4 p.m. FoxSports1: California leads the series 44-25-5 and has won eight consecutive meetings. The teams have not met in Berkeley since 2009 after playing the 2011 meeting in San Francisco at AT&T Park, home of baseball’s San Francisco Giants. The Cougars’ last win in the series came at Memorial Stadium, a 48-38 victory in 2002 behind Jason Gesser’s 432 yards and four touchdowns along with Eric Coleman’s blocked punt he returned for a touchdown. Both teams prefer to throw the ball. Cal ranks fourth in the nation with 373 yards per game, while the Cougars are 14th with 329.3 yards per game. Neither runs well, with Cal ranking 97th in the nation in rushing and the Cougs at 121st. Both teams were forced to make QB changes in losses last weekend -- Bears QB Jared Goff due to fumble issues and Connor Halliday due to injury. Nonetheless, it appears that neither team will change starters.
No. 2 Oregon (4-0, 1-0) at Colorado (2-1, 0-1) 6 p.m. Pac-12 Network: Oregon leads the series 9-8, including a 70-14 win last year. The most notable meeting, of course, was the Ducks’ 38-16 win in the Fiesta Bowl after the 2001 season, when Oregon would finish No. 2 behind Miami. The Ducks are second in the nation in scoring offense with 59.8 points per game. They are third in the nation in total offense with 599.3 yards per game. The Ducks lost their first two turnovers of the season last weekend in torrential showers against California. Colorado throws the ball well but can't stop the pass -- it yields 300 yards passing per game. It stops the run well -- 10th in the nation in run defense -- but ranks 103rd in the nation in rushing. That run defense figures to be challenged by the Ducks, who rank No. 1 in the nation with 332.5 yards rushing per game.
No. 22 Arizona State (3-1) vs. Notre Dame (3-2) at AT&T Stadium, 7:30 p.m. NBC: The Sun Devils have lost both previous games with Notre Dame, going down in 1998 and 1999 by scores of 28-9 and 48-17, respectively. In the history of USC and Notre Dame football, a team has played both programs in consecutive weeks on 12 separate occasions. No team has ever won both of those contests. ASU RB Marion Grice has 12 touchdowns through four games this season. In his last seven games dating back to last season, Grice has found the end zone 18 times (13 rushing, five receiving) -- scoring at least one touchdown in each of those contests. In 2013, he is averaging a touchdown every 7.3 times he touches the ball (12 TDs on 87 touches/13.8 percent of touches). Jaelen Strong is off to one of the best starts for a WR in school history, amassing 433 yards (108.2 ypg) on 31 receptions (7.8 rpg) in his first four games. Twenty of those 31 receptions this season have resulted in first downs. He has also drawn six pass interference penalties against him this season, four of which have resulted in first downs, giving him a total of 24 of ASU’s 104 first downs this season (23.1 percent). QB Taylor Kelly is one of just three FBS quarterbacks in 2013 to pass for over 300 yards in each of their starts this season (Sean Mannion of Oregon State and Keith Wenning of Ball State being the others). The Sun Devils haven’t fared well against the run the past three weeks, making Saturday’s matchup intriguing as Notre Dame hasn’t done well running the ball this season. The Fighting Irish rank 93rd nationally in rushing offense (135.5 ypg) while ASU is ranked 92nd nationally in rushing defense (192.3 ypg)
No. 15 Washington (4-0, 1-0) at No. 5 Stanford (4-0, 2-0) 10:30 p.m. ESPN: Washington leads the series 41-38-4 but Stanford had won six of the previous seven games before the Huskies notched a 17-13 upset of the No. 8 Cardinal last year. The Huskies won that game due to a great defensive effort and two big offensive plays: a 61-yard run from Bishop Sankey on a fourth-and-one play and a 35-yard TD catch from Kasen Williams in the fourth quarter. Sankey enters the week as the nation’s No. 1 rusher with 151.8 yards per game. He broke Corey Dillon’s UW record with 40 carries (for 161 yards) last week vs. Arizona. He’s rushed for 100 or more in seven of the last nine and for 200 in two of his last five. Stanford QB Kevin Hogan is 11th in the nation in passing efficiency. Huskies QB Keith Price is 12th. Washington has run over 80 plays in all four games (85, 85, 81, 86).
Thursday
No. 12 UCLA (3-0, 0-0) at Utah (3-1, 0-1) 10 p.m. FoxSports1: UCLA leads the series with Utah 9-2 and the Bruins are 3-2 in Salt Lake. Utah, however, has won two of the last three games, winning in 2007 and 2011 before losing last year 21-14. Utah's leading receiver Dres Anderson’s father Flipper played receiver for UCLA from 1984-87. Flipper Anderson led the Bruins in receiving yards in 1986 and 1987 and ranks 10th in UCLA history with 2,023 career yards. He went on to a 10-year NFL career. Dres Anderson has three straight 100-yard games (103 yards vs. Weber State, 101 vs. Oregon State and a career-high 141 vs. BYU). Utah coach Kyle Whittingham is 6-2 coming off regular-season byes with both losses coming in Pac-12 play (to Washington in 2011 and USC in 2012). Utes QB Travis Wilson is 15th in the nation in passing efficiency. UCLA QB Brett Hundley is 16th. Hundley is 19th in the nation with 282.7 yards passing per game. Wilson is 23rd with 279.5. Both teams also run well. The Bruins average 284.3 yards rushing per game. Utah averages 218.8. Both teams were off last weekend.
Saturday
Washington State (3-2, 1-1) at California (1-3, 0-1) 4 p.m. FoxSports1: California leads the series 44-25-5 and has won eight consecutive meetings. The teams have not met in Berkeley since 2009 after playing the 2011 meeting in San Francisco at AT&T Park, home of baseball’s San Francisco Giants. The Cougars’ last win in the series came at Memorial Stadium, a 48-38 victory in 2002 behind Jason Gesser’s 432 yards and four touchdowns along with Eric Coleman’s blocked punt he returned for a touchdown. Both teams prefer to throw the ball. Cal ranks fourth in the nation with 373 yards per game, while the Cougars are 14th with 329.3 yards per game. Neither runs well, with Cal ranking 97th in the nation in rushing and the Cougs at 121st. Both teams were forced to make QB changes in losses last weekend -- Bears QB Jared Goff due to fumble issues and Connor Halliday due to injury. Nonetheless, it appears that neither team will change starters.
No. 2 Oregon (4-0, 1-0) at Colorado (2-1, 0-1) 6 p.m. Pac-12 Network: Oregon leads the series 9-8, including a 70-14 win last year. The most notable meeting, of course, was the Ducks’ 38-16 win in the Fiesta Bowl after the 2001 season, when Oregon would finish No. 2 behind Miami. The Ducks are second in the nation in scoring offense with 59.8 points per game. They are third in the nation in total offense with 599.3 yards per game. The Ducks lost their first two turnovers of the season last weekend in torrential showers against California. Colorado throws the ball well but can't stop the pass -- it yields 300 yards passing per game. It stops the run well -- 10th in the nation in run defense -- but ranks 103rd in the nation in rushing. That run defense figures to be challenged by the Ducks, who rank No. 1 in the nation with 332.5 yards rushing per game.
No. 22 Arizona State (3-1) vs. Notre Dame (3-2) at AT&T Stadium, 7:30 p.m. NBC: The Sun Devils have lost both previous games with Notre Dame, going down in 1998 and 1999 by scores of 28-9 and 48-17, respectively. In the history of USC and Notre Dame football, a team has played both programs in consecutive weeks on 12 separate occasions. No team has ever won both of those contests. ASU RB Marion Grice has 12 touchdowns through four games this season. In his last seven games dating back to last season, Grice has found the end zone 18 times (13 rushing, five receiving) -- scoring at least one touchdown in each of those contests. In 2013, he is averaging a touchdown every 7.3 times he touches the ball (12 TDs on 87 touches/13.8 percent of touches). Jaelen Strong is off to one of the best starts for a WR in school history, amassing 433 yards (108.2 ypg) on 31 receptions (7.8 rpg) in his first four games. Twenty of those 31 receptions this season have resulted in first downs. He has also drawn six pass interference penalties against him this season, four of which have resulted in first downs, giving him a total of 24 of ASU’s 104 first downs this season (23.1 percent). QB Taylor Kelly is one of just three FBS quarterbacks in 2013 to pass for over 300 yards in each of their starts this season (Sean Mannion of Oregon State and Keith Wenning of Ball State being the others). The Sun Devils haven’t fared well against the run the past three weeks, making Saturday’s matchup intriguing as Notre Dame hasn’t done well running the ball this season. The Fighting Irish rank 93rd nationally in rushing offense (135.5 ypg) while ASU is ranked 92nd nationally in rushing defense (192.3 ypg)
No. 15 Washington (4-0, 1-0) at No. 5 Stanford (4-0, 2-0) 10:30 p.m. ESPN: Washington leads the series 41-38-4 but Stanford had won six of the previous seven games before the Huskies notched a 17-13 upset of the No. 8 Cardinal last year. The Huskies won that game due to a great defensive effort and two big offensive plays: a 61-yard run from Bishop Sankey on a fourth-and-one play and a 35-yard TD catch from Kasen Williams in the fourth quarter. Sankey enters the week as the nation’s No. 1 rusher with 151.8 yards per game. He broke Corey Dillon’s UW record with 40 carries (for 161 yards) last week vs. Arizona. He’s rushed for 100 or more in seven of the last nine and for 200 in two of his last five. Stanford QB Kevin Hogan is 11th in the nation in passing efficiency. Huskies QB Keith Price is 12th. Washington has run over 80 plays in all four games (85, 85, 81, 86).
Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion has been named the Pac-12 offensive player of the week, along with ASU safety Alden Darby as defensive player and Oregon WR/KR Bralon Addison as special teams player.
Some more on the trio per the league’s release:
Some more on the trio per the league’s release:
Mannion, a junior from Pleasanton, Calif., set a school record with six touchdown passes in a single game in the Beavers’ 44-17 victory over Colorado at Reser Stadium. Mannion completed 27 of 52 passes for 414 yards and one interception as the Beavers move to 2-0 in Conference play and 3-1 overall. He now has 21 touchdowns on the year and 52 in his career, good for third-most in program history. Mannion leads the nation in passing yards per game (403.6 ypg) and total offense (390.2 ypg). He is also on pace to throw 50 touchdown passes this season, which would rank fourth in the NCAA record book. The honor is the second for Mannion in three weeks and marks the first Pac-12 multi-award winner in 2013.
Darby, a senior from Long Beach, Calif., racked up two interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the Sun Devil’s 62-41 win at home against USC on Saturday night. His fumble recovery led to an ASU field goal that put the Sun Devils ahead 20-14 before the half, while his 46-yard interception return extended the lead to 34-21 and was the second of four straight ASU touchdowns in the quarter. Darby was also third among tacklers in the game with seven, including five solo tackles.
Addison, a sophomore from Missouri City, Texas., returned two punts for 142 yards and a Conference-record tying two touchdown returns in the Duck’s 55-16 win over California on Saturday. He returned punts of 75 and 67 yards for scores in heavy rains in Eugene and is first in the country in punt return average (36.50 ypg). Thanks to Addison, Oregon is third-best in the nation in punt return average (24.78 ypg).
Also nominated for offensive player of the week honors were running backs/tailbacks Marion Grice of Arizona State, Byron Marshall of Oregon, Justin Davis of USC and Bishop Sankey of Washington; and wide receiver Devon Cajuste of Stanford. Also nominated for defensive player of the week honors were linebackers Trent Murphy of Stanford and Princeton Fuimaono of Washington; defensive end Scott Crichton of Oregon State; and cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu of Oregon. Also nominated for special teams player of the week honors were kickers Zane Gonzalez of Arizona State, Travis Coons of Washington and Oregon State safety Zack Robinson.
So how do your Pac-12 reporters stack things up after the season's first five weeks?
Glad you asked.
Kevin's top-25 vote for the ESPN.com power rankings.
And here's mine:
Glad you asked.
Kevin's top-25 vote for the ESPN.com power rankings.
1. Alabama
2. Oregon
3. Stanford
4. Ohio State
5. Georgia
6. Clemson
7. Louisville
8. UCLA
9. Washington
10. Florida State
11. Texas A&M
12. LSU
13. Oklahoma
14. Michigan
15. Miami
16. South Carolina
17. Northwestern
18. Baylor
19. Florida
20. Texas Tech
21. Oklahoma State
22. Maryland
23. Arizona State
24. Fresno State
25. Northern Illinois
And here's mine:
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Oregon
4. Stanford
5. Ohio State
6. Florida State
7. Georgia
8. Louisville
9. UCLA
10. Texas A&M
11. Washington
12. Oklahoma
13. Baylor
14. LSU
15. South Carolina
16. Northwestern
17. Miami
18. Oklahoma State
19. Florida
20. Texas Tech
21. Arizona State
22. Fresno State
23. Maryland
24. Michigan
25. Northern Illinois
Just two weeks ago we handed Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion the highest honor the Pac-12 blog can bestow --the coveted player of the week post. And while his six-touchdown performance against Colorado is certainly worthy of a second honoring, it’s tough to ignore the sensational special teams play of Oregon’s Bralon Addison.
Twice Addison returned a punt for a touchdown against Cal. Neither wind, nor rain, nor soggy Golden Bear could bring him down. Coming into the game he had returned four punts for 77 yards. He nearly doubled that with a 75-yard punt return in the second quarter and a 67-yard return in the third.
"[Addison] really set the tone in the second half in a big way there,” Oregon coach Mark Helfrich said. “That one in the third quarter was awesome. We covered huge blocks down the field. It was a team effort and that was something we really hammered home last week."
"Eleven guys run the ball, 11 guys play defense, 11 people on special teams have to do their job to make one of their plays happen."
Addison also carried once for 11 yards and caught three balls for 13 yards, giving him a grand total of 166 total yards -- an impressive number given the weather conditions.
“As a team you can see we were happy we finally got a touchdown on a punt return,” Addison said. "Coach [Tom] Osbourne has been talking about it for the past three weeks. We’ve been one block away, and tonight everyone finished their jobs. We did a great job of staying focused all week and working hard on special teams. Those guys did their job and I did mine and we just celebrated as a team.”
His punt returns ended up being the difference in a record-setting performance for Oregon. The Ducks have now scored 50-plus points in four consecutive games -- a school record.
Twice Addison returned a punt for a touchdown against Cal. Neither wind, nor rain, nor soggy Golden Bear could bring him down. Coming into the game he had returned four punts for 77 yards. He nearly doubled that with a 75-yard punt return in the second quarter and a 67-yard return in the third.
"[Addison] really set the tone in the second half in a big way there,” Oregon coach Mark Helfrich said. “That one in the third quarter was awesome. We covered huge blocks down the field. It was a team effort and that was something we really hammered home last week."
"Eleven guys run the ball, 11 guys play defense, 11 people on special teams have to do their job to make one of their plays happen."
Addison also carried once for 11 yards and caught three balls for 13 yards, giving him a grand total of 166 total yards -- an impressive number given the weather conditions.
“As a team you can see we were happy we finally got a touchdown on a punt return,” Addison said. "Coach [Tom] Osbourne has been talking about it for the past three weeks. We’ve been one block away, and tonight everyone finished their jobs. We did a great job of staying focused all week and working hard on special teams. Those guys did their job and I did mine and we just celebrated as a team.”
His punt returns ended up being the difference in a record-setting performance for Oregon. The Ducks have now scored 50-plus points in four consecutive games -- a school record.
Pac-12 lunch links: Washington-Stanford
September, 30, 2013
Sep 30
2:30
PM ET
By
Ted Miller | ESPN.com
I will let you go, Ricky. But first, I want you to say..."I ... love ... crepes."
- The firing of USC coach Lane Kiffin might not be a good thing for Arizona.
- Arizona State made a South Division statement with its win over USC.
- California's woes continue with DE Chris McCain getting kicked off the team.
- Colorado WR tries to stay patient after a quiet game at Oregon State.
- Oregon is flashy, yes, but it is also mentally tough.
- The bye week comes at a perfect time for Oregon State, which needs to get healthy.
- Stanford shows a new side with a more dangerous passing game.
- UCLA is rising and USC is falling, but it's no time for the Bruins to gloat (Bruins fans, of course, feel free to let loose with barbaric yawps).
- The challenge now for USC? Hiring the right coach, which is easier said than done.
- Utah's big test will be slowing down UCLA QB Brett Hundley.
- Washington's visit to Stanford features an A-list battle of unbeatens.
- Some thoughts on Washington State's, er, difficult game with Stanford.
Video: One Good Thing -- Pac-12 teams
September, 30, 2013
Sep 30
2:00
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
ESPN.com's Kevin Gemmell discusses one good thing in the Pac-12: the conference has five teams ranked in the top 25 and four in the top 15.
Taking stock of Week 5 in the Pac-12.
Team of the week: Arizona State’s home victory over USC was an announcement to the rest of the country that the Sun Devils deserve to be ranked, and the country responded by putting ASU back in the Top 25 at No. 22. More important than national perception, however, is that the Sun Devils didn’t fall to 0-2 in conference play, which would have been devastating for the team’s season-long goals. They picked up a South Division win and are still in control of their destiny in the division. One last nonconference game next week against Notre Dame and then it’s all league games the rest of the way -- including a pivotal Oct. 19 game against Washington and the all-important No. 23 game at UCLA.
Best game: In a week where the average margin of victory was 29 points in the five games, the “closest” was Washington’s 18-point victory over visiting Arizona. But there was a sense Washington was in control all 60 minutes. Oregon was fun to watch simply for the fact that not even Mother Nature could play defense against the Ducks. Stanford was fun to watch because the Cardinal looked explosive. Oregon State was fun to watch because it was a complete performance. But the ASU-USC game probably had the most drama. We had an idea of what was at stake, and even when USC cut it to 48-34 with 9:54 left in the game, there was still that lingering thought that maybe it wasn’t over. Of course, ASU scored two more touchdowns to put it away. And the end result was Lane Kiffin’s dismissal.
Biggest play: After USC took a 21-20 lead in the opening minute of the second half, the Sun Devils responded 21 seconds later with a 74-yard touchdown from Taylor Kelly to D.J. Foster. But that wasn’t the biggest play. On USC’s next series, less than a minute later, Alden Darby jumped a Cody Kessler pass and returned it 46 yards for a score, giving the Sun Devils a 34-21 lead less than two minutes into the third quarter. He had two picks on the day, and the pick-six was a massive momentum swing, and it happened while Pat Haden and USC decision-makers were huddling to decide Kiffin’s future.
Offensive standout: Tough to ignore the kind of numbers Sean Mannion is putting up. After matching a school record two weeks ago at Utah with five touchdown passes, he surpassed the record by throwing for six touchdowns and 414 yards in the blowout win over Colorado. He did have an interception, but only because his receiver’s hands and chest got in the way and it was tipped in the air. Mannion now has 21 touchdowns on the year to just two picks.
Defensive standout: Has to be Darby, who totaled seven tackles to go with his two interceptions and a fumble recovery. Defensive standout 1B goes to Stanford’s Trent Murphy. Is there any outside linebacker with better hands? Or does he only show them off at CenturyLink Field? Saturday he intercepted a point-blank pass in the backfield from Austin Apodaca and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown. If that looked familiar, he did the same thing last year at the CLink against Washington.
Special teams standout: With four games in the Pacific Northwest Saturday, weather was dominant storyline when it came to special teams. We saw numerous fumbles, bad snaps and weather-induced wackiness. But there was nothing wacky about Oregon’s Bralon Addison, who returned two punts for touchdowns. The first was a 75-yard return in the second quarter that was pure sideline speed. The second, a 67-yard return, required a little more dancing and cutting -- and avoiding being knocked down by his teammate before the play even got started.
Smiley face: The Pac-12 once again has five teams ranked in the Top 25 in both polls with ASU’s victory over USC. And Oregon State is receiving votes in the coaches poll.
Frowny face: Injuries always get a frowny face -- and Saturday saw two of the league’s superstars go down with injuries. Oregon’s De’Anthony Thomas was injured on the kickoff and didn’t return. And USC wide receiver Marqise Lee suffered a knee injury that hopefully looked worse than it really is.
Thought of the week: The Beavers are back, sort of. Oregon State finally strung together a game where its defense matched the offense. And Colorado is a much-improved team from last season. Are the Buffs bowl bound? Probably not. But they aren’t the Buffs of last year, which gives a little credence to Oregon State’s dominating performance. The initial thought was that the Beavers would be 7-0 or 6-1 heading into their Oct. 26 showdown with Stanford. And they might still be (though Washington State isn’t going to make it easy). Not suggesting you go all-in on the Beavers. Remember, they are only a week removed from a miraculous win over San Diego State. But don't sell just yet, either.
Question of the week: The Trojans have a bye week to patch holes and put “Operation: Changing Lanes” in action. Do they look to an NFL name or a college name? UCLA is showing that a former NFL coach can have success in Los Angeles, even if he’s not an alumnus. USC is an attractive gig, and you can bet there were a lot of back-channel phone calls going out over the past 72 hours.
Team of the week: Arizona State’s home victory over USC was an announcement to the rest of the country that the Sun Devils deserve to be ranked, and the country responded by putting ASU back in the Top 25 at No. 22. More important than national perception, however, is that the Sun Devils didn’t fall to 0-2 in conference play, which would have been devastating for the team’s season-long goals. They picked up a South Division win and are still in control of their destiny in the division. One last nonconference game next week against Notre Dame and then it’s all league games the rest of the way -- including a pivotal Oct. 19 game against Washington and the all-important No. 23 game at UCLA.
Best game: In a week where the average margin of victory was 29 points in the five games, the “closest” was Washington’s 18-point victory over visiting Arizona. But there was a sense Washington was in control all 60 minutes. Oregon was fun to watch simply for the fact that not even Mother Nature could play defense against the Ducks. Stanford was fun to watch because the Cardinal looked explosive. Oregon State was fun to watch because it was a complete performance. But the ASU-USC game probably had the most drama. We had an idea of what was at stake, and even when USC cut it to 48-34 with 9:54 left in the game, there was still that lingering thought that maybe it wasn’t over. Of course, ASU scored two more touchdowns to put it away. And the end result was Lane Kiffin’s dismissal.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Rick ScuteriD.J. Foster played a part in Arizona State's offensive explosion against USC.
Offensive standout: Tough to ignore the kind of numbers Sean Mannion is putting up. After matching a school record two weeks ago at Utah with five touchdown passes, he surpassed the record by throwing for six touchdowns and 414 yards in the blowout win over Colorado. He did have an interception, but only because his receiver’s hands and chest got in the way and it was tipped in the air. Mannion now has 21 touchdowns on the year to just two picks.
Defensive standout: Has to be Darby, who totaled seven tackles to go with his two interceptions and a fumble recovery. Defensive standout 1B goes to Stanford’s Trent Murphy. Is there any outside linebacker with better hands? Or does he only show them off at CenturyLink Field? Saturday he intercepted a point-blank pass in the backfield from Austin Apodaca and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown. If that looked familiar, he did the same thing last year at the CLink against Washington.
Special teams standout: With four games in the Pacific Northwest Saturday, weather was dominant storyline when it came to special teams. We saw numerous fumbles, bad snaps and weather-induced wackiness. But there was nothing wacky about Oregon’s Bralon Addison, who returned two punts for touchdowns. The first was a 75-yard return in the second quarter that was pure sideline speed. The second, a 67-yard return, required a little more dancing and cutting -- and avoiding being knocked down by his teammate before the play even got started.
Smiley face: The Pac-12 once again has five teams ranked in the Top 25 in both polls with ASU’s victory over USC. And Oregon State is receiving votes in the coaches poll.
Frowny face: Injuries always get a frowny face -- and Saturday saw two of the league’s superstars go down with injuries. Oregon’s De’Anthony Thomas was injured on the kickoff and didn’t return. And USC wide receiver Marqise Lee suffered a knee injury that hopefully looked worse than it really is.
Thought of the week: The Beavers are back, sort of. Oregon State finally strung together a game where its defense matched the offense. And Colorado is a much-improved team from last season. Are the Buffs bowl bound? Probably not. But they aren’t the Buffs of last year, which gives a little credence to Oregon State’s dominating performance. The initial thought was that the Beavers would be 7-0 or 6-1 heading into their Oct. 26 showdown with Stanford. And they might still be (though Washington State isn’t going to make it easy). Not suggesting you go all-in on the Beavers. Remember, they are only a week removed from a miraculous win over San Diego State. But don't sell just yet, either.
Question of the week: The Trojans have a bye week to patch holes and put “Operation: Changing Lanes” in action. Do they look to an NFL name or a college name? UCLA is showing that a former NFL coach can have success in Los Angeles, even if he’s not an alumnus. USC is an attractive gig, and you can bet there were a lot of back-channel phone calls going out over the past 72 hours.
If you don't like where you are in the Power Rankings, play better.
See last week's Power Rankings here.
1. Oregon: Another week, another blowout win. The only worry is RB De'Anthony Thomas' ankle. A visit to Colorado on Saturday doesn't promise much of a test for the Ducks.
2. Stanford: A dominating win in the rain against Washington State. The maturation of a downfield passing game should worry the rest of the Pac-12. The Cardinal look like a team without any obvious holes.
3. Washington: After winning impressively over unbeaten Arizona, the Huskies move up with the Bruins idle. They are 4-0 for the first time since 2001 and have yet to trail this season.
4. UCLA: UCLA had a bye this week, so it got to watch things go splat for its friends at USC. Sure that greatly pained them. At this point, the Bruins top challenger in the South Division appears to be Arizona State. See below. Up next is a potentially tricky trip to Utah on Thursday.
5. Arizona State: While we can speculate on what USC brought to Tempe, the Sun Devils' offense positively dominated a defense that had been the Trojans' lone bright spot. The ASU run defense, however, continues to be a major concern.
6. Oregon State: The Beavers have steadily climbed since their opening loss to Eastern Washington. Sean Mannion to Brandin Cooks is the best pass-catch combination in the conference, and the defense seems to be finding itself. A week off to get healthy is a good thing.
7. Utah: The Utes were off over the weekend. UCLA visits Salt Lake City on Thursday. Utah, meet opportunity. Opportunity, meet Utah.
8. Arizona: There was some grit shown on both sides of the ball at Washington, but the Wildcats got worn down. The defense is better, yes, but it's not ready to dominate. And the offense shows few signs of having a Pac-12-quality passing game.
9. Washington State: Stanford showed the Cougars how far they are from the top third of the conference. A visit to California on Saturday could, however, show how far the Cougs are from the bottom now. Seems like a critical game for bowl hopes.
10. Colorado: The Buffaloes looked rusty at Oregon State, but they also looked overmatched. While the 2-0 start was encouraging, the start of conference play reminded folks that this is still a major rebuilding job.
11. California: A mix of torrential rain and a pass-happy offense is not a good thing. It's even worse when the opponent is No. 2 Oregon. The Bears could use a more manageable foe. Washington State could provide that. But is there a QB controversy?
12. USC: When your coach gets fired midseason, you end up right here. Of course, some USC fans feel better today than they did a week ago.
See last week's Power Rankings here.
1. Oregon: Another week, another blowout win. The only worry is RB De'Anthony Thomas' ankle. A visit to Colorado on Saturday doesn't promise much of a test for the Ducks.
2. Stanford: A dominating win in the rain against Washington State. The maturation of a downfield passing game should worry the rest of the Pac-12. The Cardinal look like a team without any obvious holes.
3. Washington: After winning impressively over unbeaten Arizona, the Huskies move up with the Bruins idle. They are 4-0 for the first time since 2001 and have yet to trail this season.
4. UCLA: UCLA had a bye this week, so it got to watch things go splat for its friends at USC. Sure that greatly pained them. At this point, the Bruins top challenger in the South Division appears to be Arizona State. See below. Up next is a potentially tricky trip to Utah on Thursday.
5. Arizona State: While we can speculate on what USC brought to Tempe, the Sun Devils' offense positively dominated a defense that had been the Trojans' lone bright spot. The ASU run defense, however, continues to be a major concern.
6. Oregon State: The Beavers have steadily climbed since their opening loss to Eastern Washington. Sean Mannion to Brandin Cooks is the best pass-catch combination in the conference, and the defense seems to be finding itself. A week off to get healthy is a good thing.
7. Utah: The Utes were off over the weekend. UCLA visits Salt Lake City on Thursday. Utah, meet opportunity. Opportunity, meet Utah.
8. Arizona: There was some grit shown on both sides of the ball at Washington, but the Wildcats got worn down. The defense is better, yes, but it's not ready to dominate. And the offense shows few signs of having a Pac-12-quality passing game.
9. Washington State: Stanford showed the Cougars how far they are from the top third of the conference. A visit to California on Saturday could, however, show how far the Cougs are from the bottom now. Seems like a critical game for bowl hopes.
10. Colorado: The Buffaloes looked rusty at Oregon State, but they also looked overmatched. While the 2-0 start was encouraging, the start of conference play reminded folks that this is still a major rebuilding job.
11. California: A mix of torrential rain and a pass-happy offense is not a good thing. It's even worse when the opponent is No. 2 Oregon. The Bears could use a more manageable foe. Washington State could provide that. But is there a QB controversy?
12. USC: When your coach gets fired midseason, you end up right here. Of course, some USC fans feel better today than they did a week ago.
Haden couldn't support a sinking ship
September, 29, 2013
Sep 29
4:16
PM ET
By
Gene Wojciechowski | ESPN.com
The stories will say that Lane Kiffin had lost a fan base, lost his team and lost too many games by too many points. And the stories will be true -- Kiffin's biscuits had been burning on the coaching hot seat for days, weeks, months.
But if we're going to put on our truth helmets, the stories should also say that Kiffin was fired because an athletic director lost his resolve. He was fired because USC alums and boosters, almost prideful in their arrogance, think a roster of 56 scholarship players -- oops, make that 55 with the loss of the team's only true star, wide receiver Marqise Lee -- shouldn't affect the Trojans' program.
Pat Haden, the AD who just two months ago said he was "100 percent" supportive of Kiffin, decided he was zero percent behind his coach after Saturday evening's 62-41 loss at Arizona State. This is the same AD who said he would judge Kiffin not just by wins and losses, but by other factors, including academics, NCAA compliance and the character of his players.
"And Lane Kiffin gets very high marks in all of those areas," Haden said at the time.
What a joke. Of course it was about the wins and losses. It's always about the wins and losses at USC -- and, to be fair, at almost any other major college football program.
To read the rest of Gene Wojciechowski's story, click here.
Lane Kiffin firing not a hasty decision
September, 29, 2013
Sep 29
3:56
PM ET
By
Arash Markazi | ESPN.com
TEMPE, Ariz. -- USC athletic director Pat Haden left the sideline twice during the second half of the Trojans' 62-41 loss to Arizona State on Saturday night.
Once was during Arizona State's 28-0 run in the third quarter, when he huddled up with some of his advisors and presumably made the decision to pull the plug on Lane Kiffin's tenure as USC's coach now rather than later.
The second was when he trailed the cart driving Marqise Lee back to USC's locker room in the fourth quarter after Lee suffered a left knee injury. Haden wanted to talk to Lee and make sure he was OK before returning to the sideline.
The two might not seem connected on the surface but they speak to an athletic director who has his finger on the pulse of the football team and its players more than most administrators.
Haden can often be seen talking to players before and after games. He is a regular at USC practices and often talks to players and their families not just about football but also about their lives and classes. He has an open-door policy when he's in his office and it's not uncommon to see players pop in and talk to him.
That's not to say Kiffin's players played a role in his firing (other than their play on the field, of course), but it is to say Haden had seen and heard enough from them and their families, in addition to the product we all see on the field, to feel comfortable in making the decision that he made.
To read the rest of Arash Markazi's story, click here.
Once was during Arizona State's 28-0 run in the third quarter, when he huddled up with some of his advisors and presumably made the decision to pull the plug on Lane Kiffin's tenure as USC's coach now rather than later.
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The two might not seem connected on the surface but they speak to an athletic director who has his finger on the pulse of the football team and its players more than most administrators.
Haden can often be seen talking to players before and after games. He is a regular at USC practices and often talks to players and their families not just about football but also about their lives and classes. He has an open-door policy when he's in his office and it's not uncommon to see players pop in and talk to him.
That's not to say Kiffin's players played a role in his firing (other than their play on the field, of course), but it is to say Haden had seen and heard enough from them and their families, in addition to the product we all see on the field, to feel comfortable in making the decision that he made.
To read the rest of Arash Markazi's story, click here.
PAC-12 SCOREBOARD
Thursday, 10/3
10:00 PM ET 12 UCLA Utah - FOX Sports 1
- Tickets
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Saturday, 10/5
4:00 PM ET Washington State California - FOX Sports 1
- Tickets
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6:00 PM ET 2 Oregon Colorado 7:30 PM ET 22 Arizona State Notre Dame 10:30 PM ET 15 Washington 5 Stanford
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.
