ESPN College Football

It's common now for true freshmen -- particularly quarterbacks -- to finish up high school early and show up at their new football homes in time for spring practice. More often than not they get a head start learning the offense or defense but rarely immediately jump into starting roles.

Still, some true freshmen make an immediate impact.

There appears to be some consensus out there which Pac-12 true freshmen on hand this spring are headed for playing time in 2012: California quarterback Zach Kline and Oregon defensive end Arik Armstead.

Just Monday, Cal coach Jeff Tedford tried to tamp down expectations for Kline, but assessments Tuesday from CBS Sports and Sports Illustrated won't do anything to dampen the hype.

Here's what Bruce Feldman thinks about Kline and Armstead:

1-Zach Kline, Cal, QB: It's been a loooooooong time since Jeff Tedford's team has had a really good QB. That last guy Aaron Rodgers left Cal after the 2004 season and it's been a bunch of misfires since. A lot of those quarterbacks who have had a shot at taking over, came to Berkeley with sizable credentials, but none of the other QBs Tedford has had since arrived more polished than the 6-2, 205-pound Kline. The Danville, CA native who has worked with former Cal coach Roger Theder for years, has good footwork, a quick release and is very accurate. Kline also seems to respond very well to competition. Zach Maynard, who had an up-and-down 2011, is the guy he'd have to overtake. Maynard, Tedford pointed out, did play better late in the season, but Kline is worth watching closely.

The Bears coach, whose teams have not finished in the AP Top 25 five years running now, has tried to temper some of the hype around Kline, by saying Maynard is still the program's starting QB. "I absolutely have concern about that," Tedford told reporters Monday about the lofty expectations on his young quarterback. "There's such a thing of putting too much on a kid early. I want him to come in here and be able concentrate on what he's doing and learn the offense and do his best without all the expectations."

8-Arik Armstead, Oregon, DL: Many projected the Californian as a top offensive tackle prospect, but he signed on with the Ducks, where he's seen Nick Alliotti's D have a lot of success with its' towering D-linemen. The 6-7, 282-pound Armstead, also a terrific basketball player, has a chance to boost a defensive end rotation that needs to replace Terrell Turner.

And here's Sports Illustrated's take:

Zach Kline, QB, Cal: Cal's class suffered major losses after recruiting ace and former defensive line coach Lupoi moved to Washington in January, but the Bears held onto Kline, a highly touted pro-style passer who has been attending camps at Berkeley since he was in the eighth grade. Rivals' No. 44 overall recruit and an East Bay native, Kline is already on campus and will compete for the starting job with incumbent Zach Maynard when camp opens in March.

Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon: Armstead had quite the wild recruiting ride. The five-star defensive end -- who is actually rated higher as an offensive tackle, but will exclusively play defense in college -- committed to USC in June 2010, de-committed from the Trojans in the fall of 2011 and looked like he was headed to Cal until assistant Tosh Lupoi moved to Washington in January. That's when Ducks coach Chip Kelly moved in, impressing Armstead enough to get him to sign and enroll early at Oregon. Rivals' No. 61 player should make an impact both on the field and on the court in Eugene: The 6-foot-8, 280 pound Armstead will also play basketball for the Ducks.

It's not unreasonable to believe that either one of these guys will play in 2012, but the Pac-12 blog remains skeptical as to whether they will log any starts. And if I were betting who gets more quality playing time, it would be Armstead, though there seems to be a nagging consensus that he should seriously consider listening to people -- just about everyone -- and switch to offensive tackle.

Certified workaholic Jeff Tedford actually took last weekend off. He climbed Mt. Diablo with his wife. He got to look around and smell the fresh air. You know: Just breathe.

Heavily, in fact. "She tried to kill me," Tedford quipped.

It appears that Tedford, however, didn't experience any profound revelations about his quarterback situation atop the mountain. While Bears fans have long been clamoring for the second-coming of Aaron Rodgers -- many teams have, by the way -- it appears they might have to settle for the second-coming of Zach Maynard.

And, yes, Tedford is aware that fans are skeptical about Maynard and are eager to see true freshman Zach Kline, the nation's No. 2 prep quarterback, who graduated early in order to participate in spring practices.

When asked about what Maynard needs to work on, Tedford instead talked about what he did well over the last third of the season.

"I think he's taken big steps understanding what we're doing on offense and I think through his experience he understands how to manage the game," he said.

And when asked about Kline, Tedford tried to put the brakes on runaway expectations.

"While he's a gifted guy, I think we have to be careful to not put too much pressure on him," he said.

Tedford then invoked a name: Kyle Boller. Some of you might recall the nickname applied to Boller by certain wide-eyed Cal fans when he arrived in 1999: Baby Jesus. Yeah, that indicates high -- impossible? -- expectations. Boller was mostly a babe in the woods until Tedford arrived in 2002 and transformed a less than 50 percent passer with 38 interceptions over his first three years into a first-round NFL draft pick.

So, sure, if Kline is lights-out from the beginning, he might get into the mix, but Maynard and Allan Bridgford -- the top two quarterbacks from 2011 -- will be getting the first snaps when practices start on March 13.

"[It's] not much different than it looked before," Tedford said.

What Tedford sees -- and wants to build on -- is Maynard's final four regular season games. What fans who are skeptical see is Maynard's mid-season lull, punctuated by four interceptions vs. UCLA, and a poor performance in the Holiday Bowl against Texas.

Tedford also answered a question concerning persistent rumors of Maynard having academic eligibility issues: "There's nothing there as of now that would say anything different," he said.

As for Kline, Tedford is clearly aware of how hype works and how it can create all sorts of issues, on the field and in the locker room. He wants to avoid that. If Kline is the second-coming -- of Rodgers -- he needs to make that evident by his consistent play on the practice field. He needs to make everyone realize, from Tedford to his teammates, that he's the best quarterback on the roster right now and gives Cal its best chance to win in 2012.

"He's a very good player. There is no doubt about it," Tedford said. "But he's got to go through the bases. It's a different game at this level. We'll see how it goes but I don't think we need to put undue pressure on him."

Couple of notes:

• Tedford said these players won't participate in spring practices due to injury: cornerback Marc Anthony, safety Michael Coley, center Dominic Galas, cornerback Stefan McClure, defensive end Brennan Scarlett, full back Eric Stevens and running back Dasarte Yarnway.
• While Tedford is no fan of spring games, the Bears will have a sort of spring game on April 21. It's uncertain of the format and location. Tedford said that if the Bears are healthy, it will be a full-go scrimmage.

Joe Ayoob was a much-hyped junior college transfer to California in 2005, but his career never really took flight.

It has now. In fact, Ayoob has etched his name into the record book.

Throwing footballs? Neh. For tossing a paper airplane.

Inside a hanger at McClellan Air Force Base outside Sacramento on Sunday, Ayoob threw a paper airplane 226 feet, 10 inches -- shattering the previous world record record of 207 feet, four inches.

Scoff if you want, but the video is pretty darn cool.

"I grew up making paper airplanes," Ayoob said. "I used to make paper airplanes and throw them all the way home from school when I was little. So it was kind of up my alley. I thought it was a cool idea.

"Some people might think, 'What's the big deal? It's just a paper airplane. But it's a world record. It took a lot of time for John, and it took a lot of time for me working with John to achieve this. ... It's very rewarding, and I'm very proud of this record."

Ayoob had the misfortune of following Aaron Rodgers at Cal. Their similar junior college resumes inspired comparisons that were out of whack and impossible to match. But now Ayoob has something Rodgers doesn't have, though Rodgers' Super Bowl ring and an NFL MVP award are pretty cool, too.

"He may be a little jealous, because I know he's a very competitive guy," Ayoob said. "I'd encourage him to fold a plane and see what he can do. I'm sure, as I am jealous of him, he will be jealous of me. He does things on a much grander scale these days, so it's very cool to see him have all that success.

"But I do have an airplane record on him. I can say that, at least."

Pro Football Weekly released its 2011 All-NFL team this week, and it's got an extraordinary amount of Pac-12 flavor.

How much flavor? How about the Offensive MVP (Aaron Rodgers), Defensive MVP (Terrell Suggs), and Coach of the Year (Jim Harbaugh)? How about three offensive players, four defensive players and a specialist?

Here's the team.

Pro Football Weekly/Professional Football Writers of America
2011 All-NFL Team
Offense
Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers / Packers
Running backs
Maurice Jones-Drew / Jaguars
LeSean McCoy / Eagles
Wide receivers
Calvin Johnson / Lions
Wes Welker / Patriots
Tight end
Rob Gronkowski / Patriots
Center
Maurkice Pouncey / Steelers
Offensive guards
Jahri Evans / Saints
Carl Nicks / Saints
Offensive tackles
Jason Peters / Eagles
Joe Thomas / Browns
Defense
Defensive ends
Jared Allen / Vikings
Jason Pierre-Paul / Giants
Defensive tackles
Haloti Ngata / Ravens
Justin Smith / 49ers
Outside linebackers
DeMarcus Ware / Cowboys
Terrell Suggs / Ravens
Inside linebacker
Patrick Willis / 49ers
Cornerbacks
Darrelle Revis / Jets
Johnathan Joseph / Texans
Safeties
Troy Polamalu / Steelers
Eric Weddle / Chargers
Specialists
Placekicker
David Akers / 49ers
Punter
Andy Lee / 49ers
Punt returner
Patrick Peterson / Cardinals
Kickoff returner
Joe McKnight / Jets
Special-teamer
Matthew Slater / Patriots
Most Valuable Player — Packers QB Aaron Rodgers
Defensive MVP — Ravens OLB Terrell Suggs
Coach of the Year — 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh
Rookie of the Year — Panthers QB Cam Newton
Offensive Rookie of the Year — Panthers QB Cam Newton
Most Improved Player of the Year — Giants WR Victor Cruz
Comeback Player of the Year — Lions QB Matthew Stafford
Executive of the Year — 49ers GM Trent Baalke
Assistant Coach of the Year — Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips

The first thing someone needs to buy Rich Rodriguez's staff at Arizona? A road map. And maybe some green plants to ease their acclimation to desert life.

Rodriguez completed his staff hires Wednesday, finally announcing that he'd lured Jeff Casteel away from West Virginia, as well as two other Mountaineers defensive coaches: David Lockwood (defensive backs) and Bill Kirelawich (defensive line). He also hired Spencer Leftwich (tight ends), who was at Pittsburgh this past season.

This is a good -- and proven -- staff. Casteel's 3-3-5 defense seems a perfect fit for the Pac-12, and Rodriguez seems to have gotten all the guys he wanted. If you know the backstory, that didn't happen at Michigan, and more than a few folks will tell you that's a major reason why things didn't work out.

My single critique: It's too bad Rodriguez couldn't find a way to retain Tim Kish, a respected defensive coach who did a good job holding the Wildcats together as interim coach after Mike Stoops was fired.

If Rodriguez had retained Kish, then he would have taken pressure off offensive line coach Robert Anae, Rodriguez's only assistant with any substantial West Coast experience. None of the new coaches even visited Tucson during the interview process, according to the Arizona Daily Star. Going forward, when these new coaches need to know, say, where San Diego is or whether Portland is north or south of Seattle, the only guy who will know the answers without taking out a map is Anae.

We kid, of course. But Rodriguez did take a specific route when hiring his staff: He hired his guys and didn't worry about their regional experience or about preserving much continuity with the previous staff.

Wait that's not completely fair. Casteel did graduate and get a master's degree from California University. That it was in Pennsylvania and not Berkeley, we will overlook.

You can read the staff bios here. You will see a lot of West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Michigan as well as some Louisiana, Indiana and Florida. Oh, there's a smattering of UNLV, UTEP and New Mexico State, but the Pac-12 experience is about zero.

That will, at least in the short term, lead to challenges. Recruiting is about relationships, and those will need to be built up, particularly with West Coast high school coaches. Further, there will be a lack of familiarity in conference play. Stoops told me before his second season that the quality of quarterback play and the top-to-bottom sophistication of conference offenses was a shock to his Big 12 sensibilities. It all felt like rumors and hype, then he started to watch film and game plan.

No offense to the Big East, but Casteel didn't see many Carson Palmers, Aaron Rodgerses, Andrew Lucks or Matt Barkleys during his 11 years at West Virginia. Quarterbacks who can put the ball wherever they want to create myriad challenges for a defense.

Further, there's the culture shock. Kirelawich (pronounced Kerr-LAV-itch) has been at West Virginia since 1979. Bill, let me be the first to say this: It's a dry heat. I've been to Morgantown just once -- a college road trip, one that went quite well I might add -- and from my vague memory it is nothing like Tucson. Nothing.

For example: Morgantown is called "Tree City USA." Tucson is not. Cactus? Tucson has plenty of those. Trees, not so much.

Good Mexican food, though. Gents, I recommend getting these guys to cater one of those long staff meetings.

Still, my guess is Rodriguez and his staff feel a sense of adventure and newness. The unfamiliarity might turn out to be invigorating. And the Pac-12 blog is firmly on record that a head coach needs to have complete faith in the members of his staff.

A significant part Rodriguez's backstory at Michigan -- an unquestioned failure -- was of constant undermining by a variety of forces. That won't be part of the story here.

Rodriguez got his men. Now all they have to do is lead Arizona to its first Rose Bowl.

Junior college players are seen as quick fixes. They have less eligibility remaining than that of a true freshman and are often viewed as risky. Some Pac-12 schools barely -- or never -- recruit JC guys. Others recruit a handful every year.

One name: Aaron Rodgers.

OK, a second (and more recent one): John White.

Here's an ESPN recruiting update on what's going on with some of the top JC guys in the nation. It's clear that new Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez is looking hard at a couple of top prospects.

Writes Corey Long: "With Rich Rodriguez just coming onto the job, he'd like to get some offensive weapons to come in and run his spread option right away. Look for the Wildcats to go hard after former FSU commit De'Joshua Johnson."

Here are some others prospects of note:

Gerald Bowman, S, Los Angeles Pierce
6-foot-1, 215 pounds
Considering: USC, Oklahoma and Miami
One of the nation's top junior college safeties, Bowman was originally an all-state performer while at Philadelphia Imhotep Prep. Bowman has been a two-time all-conference performer while at Pierce. He has taken visits to his top three schools, and also visited Cal. Other offers include Oregon, Ole Miss, Arizona, Tennessee, UCLA and West Virginia.

De'Joshua Johnson, WR/RS
5-10, 155
Considering: Arizona, Texas Tech, Mississippi State, Middle Tennessee and Bowling Green
The former Florida State commit wanted to return to Florida to play college football, but it's doubtful that can happen. Recently it appeared like Middle Tennessee was primed to pull a surprise, but Arizona might be the favorite now. Rodriguez recruited Johnson while coaching at Michigan and has a good connection with prospects from Pahokee (Fla.) High School. Oklahoma also offered Johnson, who earned NJCAA All-American honorable mention as a return specialist.

Mike Pennel, DT, Scottsdale (Ariz.)
6-4, 340
Considering: Arizona State, Kansas State, Arkansas, Texas A&M and Hawaii
Pennel committed to Arkansas earlier in the process but decommitted on Dec. 5. He will not sign until February and that could force him to check out other options. Pennel has taken visits to Arkansas and Texas A&M so far. Pennel had 13 tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble.

Mohammed "Mo" Seisay, CB, Eastern Arizona
6-2, 200
Considering: Arizona, Nebraska, Ole Miss
Seisay made the Conference USA All-Freshman team in 2010 while enrolled at Memphis. As of November, he had six interceptions and returned two for touchdowns. Other offers came from Indiana, Arkansas, Kansas State, Illinois and North Carolina.

And here are some notable JC guys who have already committed to Pac-12 teams.

Alexandru Ceachir, OL, Santa Monica (Calif.)
6-5, 300
Committed to Utah
Originally from Moldova (a European country located between Romania and Ukraine), Ceachir played European club football before moving to America. He took an official visit to Colorado and also held offers from Arkansas, Fresno State and Utah.

Kyle Long, OL, Saddleback College (Calif.)
6-7, 290
Committed to Oregon
Long, son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Howie Long, originally committed to FSU on a baseball scholarship and later transferred to Virginia to play football. A former ESPNU 150 prospect in 2008 out of Charlottesville (Va.) Saint Anne's-Belfield, Long was a first-team all-conference performer in 2011. He had offers from UCLA, Washington, Auburn, FSU and SMU.

No! No! I want an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle!

• Rich Rodriguez and Todd Graham go way back, so the Arizona-ASU rivalry just got more interesting. The Wildcats are eyeballing some QBs.
• Paola Boivin's exasperation in this column about Graham amused me. The whining is thick in Pittsburgh, which recently ditched the Big East for the ACC due to self-interest.
• Aaron Rodgers is the best QB in the NFL, but he's still mad about California's Rose Bowl snub of 2004. And the Bears donned burnt Orange to liven up practice.
• Life for Colorado defensive coordinator Greg Brown -- and other Pac-12 DCs -- will be tougher in 2012.
• Oregon WR Josh Huff played through pain this year. RB LaMichael James won't confirm it, but The Oregonian reported he's headed into the NFL draft.
• Oregon State athletic director Bob De Carolis is unhappy with losing but believes in coach Mike Riley.
• There is no one or thing to blame for Stanford QB Andrew Luck finishing second for the Heisman Trophy a second consecutive year (other than RGIII, maybe).
• Yes, things are a bit odd at UCLA practice. More on Jim Mora's coaching staff.
• Ten reasons for USC QB Matt Barkley to stay for his senior season.
• Thoughts on Hawaii taking a look at both of Utah's coordinators for its head coaching vacancy.
• What was the biggest play of Washington's season?
• The Mike Leach radio tour continues so Washington State fans can hear the mellifluous sounds of Leach's voice. He's the Sinatra of coach chat.

Third in a series looking at potential dream and nightmare scenarios for all Pac-12 teams.

Understand: These are not predictions. They are extreme scenarios and pieces of fiction. You can read last year's versions here.

We're going in reverse order of my post-spring power rankings (which might not be identical to my preseason power rankings).

Up next: California

Best case

California fans were giddy well before Zach Maynard completed his 24th consecutive pass against Fresno State in Candlestick Park, but just about everyone wearing blue knew whose revered name had just been knocked from atop the school record book during a 38-17 victory.

"That's true," said Cal coach Jeff Tedford. "But Maynard runs a lot better than Aaron Rodgers did, so I don't want to compare them."

Colorado was eager to take vengeance for an embarrassing 52-7 loss in Berkeley the year before, but it couldn't stop Maynard and his half-brother Keenan Allen, who caught 11 passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-19 victory in Boulder.

After beating the Fighting Blue Hose of Presbyterian 103-4 -- third string centers with bad shotgun snaps! -- the Bears head to Seattle to take on Washington, which has won two consecutive games in the series, the first an embarrassing blowout, the second on a last-second TD that handed Cal a losing record for the first time in nine years under Tedford.

Maynard throws three TD passes, Isi Sofele and Covaughn DeBoskie-Johnson both eclipse 100 yards rushing and the Bears defense sacks Huskies QB Keith Price four times in a 31-13 drubbing.

"I am struggling with this," types GooooooooooBEARS -- a longtime anti-Tedford gadfly -- in the comments section of the Pac-12 Blog. "For so long, I have been hating on Tedford. But... well. I just need to be alone for a little bit to get back in touch with myself."

A 15,000-word essay appears on the California Golden Blogs -- complete with 15 different charts and graphs -- that claims to mathematically prove that Maynard is the reincarnation of Samuel Adrian "Slingin' Sammy" Baugh.

"It actually pencils out nicely," says Tsit-Yuen Lam, Berkeley Mathematics Professor of the Graduate School Emeritus. "I still think Tedford should go for it on fourth down more often, but that's a topic for another day."

The Bears go nose-to-nose with No. 1 Oregon before falling 24-20, becoming the first team to hold the Ducks below 50 points.

A 55-yard field goal with four seconds left from Giorgia Tavecchio bests USC, 27-24. After a 30-20 win over Utah, the 6-1 Bears move up to 10th in both major polls.

The Old Blues starting thinking Rose Bowl. But those dreams get torn apart during a mistake-laden upset loss at UCLA. Fans consider a bandwagon jump.

"Hey, gang, I recommend keeping a level head," types GooooooooooBEARS. "We love our team. We love our coach. We must have faith and support them. Unite, Blues! We've only begun to fight!"

The Bears pound Washington State and Oregon State, which sets up the Biggest of Big Games against No. 1 Stanford, which is fresh off a victory over previously-No. 1 Oregon.

Tedford walks into a team meeting on Monday. He wordless flips on cut-ups of the 2010 Big Game, which featured Cal picking a pre-game fight then showing no fight while the Cardinal bludgeoned the Bears 48-14, Stanford's most lopsided win in the rivalry in 80 years. He shows QB Andrew Luck running over safety Sean Cattouse. He shows a post-game interview of then-Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh: "Our guys really kept their cool and I think that was a big difference today. They kept their poise. I don't like that kind of football where you try and talk and intimidate. ... Just play football. Shut up and play football."

Tedford then turns to his team: "Shut up and play football."

Cal upsets the Cardinal 35-27, with Cattouse sealing the deal with an 87-yard interception return of a Luck pass.

The Bears nip Arizona State to finish the regular season 10-2. They then whip Texas 45-3 in the Alamo Bowl. Cal fans spend most of the game, which was decided by halftime, serenading Longhorns coach Mack Brown, who in 2004 talked his team into the Rose Bowl over a more deserving Cal squad.

Cal earns a final No. 9 ranking.

Wisconsin blows out Stanford in the Rose Bowl, and immediately thereafter offensive linemen Jonathan Martin and David DeCastro as well as linebackers Shayne Skov and Chase Thomas opt to join Luck in the NFL draft a year early. Coach David Shaw steps down to pursue a career on Wall Street, and athletic director Bob Bowlsby brings back Walt Harris, "to take care of unfinished business."

Worst case

Zach Maynard was brilliant for three quarters. Then, early in the fourth against Fresno State, he falls awkwardly out of bounds.

Cal wins 28-20, but Maynard suffers what is notoriously called a "high ankle sprain."

Brock Mansion gets the start at Colorado, and the Buffaloes get their revenge for their 2010 beatdown in Berkeley, beating the Bears 24-21.

After pounding Presbyterian, Cal falls 28-20 at Washington.

"I think we'll get Zach back after the bye week at Oregon," says a hopeful Jeff Tedford.

Maynard does return at Autzen Stadium, but he's sacked six times and is noticeably limping in the fourth quarter. He also throws two interceptions.

With Mansion back under center for Cal, USC rolls over the Bears inside half-empty AT&T Park. At 2-4, things start to get tense in Berkeley.

"Is it just me, or are things tense in Berkeley?" a one sentence post on the California Golden Blogs queries.

Tedford opts to start Allan Bridgford against Utah, and Bridgford is solid in a 28-24 victory. He then leads the Bears to a win at UCLA, which evens their record at 4-4, but he gets hurt in the second quarter against Washington State. Maynard comes off the bench but isn't sharp. The Cougars prevail on a late Jeff Tuel TD pass.

The first "Cal needs to fire Tedford" column appears in the San Jose Mercury News. The column says, "Tedford led the Bears back from oblivion, but then he hit a plateau. Instead of rising above that plateau, the program has redirected to another unhappy valley. Credit Tedford for what he accomplished but he must be held accountable for what he hasn't. Not only has he failed to maintain a winning program, he now has led it back to losing."

Tedford refuses to engage the topic, but his players rally around him and beat Oregon State 20-17, kicker Giorgio Tavecchio giving Tedford the game ball after he kicked a late winning field goal.

But that rally doesn't last through the Big Game. David Shaw, coach of unbeaten, top-ranked Stanford, perhaps showing a bit more mercy than his predecessor, yanks his starters early in the fourth quarter of a 38-10 victory.

The Bears, with Maynard at quarterback and still needing just one win to earn bowl eligibility, play with surprising verve at Arizona State. But they fall 24-20

"It's not Coach Tedford's fault," receiver Keenan Allen says after a second-consecutive 5-7 finish. "Players win or lose games. And if we'd had Zach healthy the entire season, we'd have won a lot more games and we wouldn't be having this conversation."

But too many Cal fans have turned against Tedford. Athletic director Sandy Barbour announces that "with great regret" she is terminating him.

Tedford sits out a year before being hired by the Oakland Raiders, whom he leads to a victory in Super Bowl XLVIII.

Stanford wins the national championship, whipping Alabama 41-10.

"What the heck -- I'm coming back!" announces quarterback Andrew Luck, which inspires every Cardinal to do the same and not leave early for the NFL draft.

Barbour hires Eugene F. Teevens III -- most know him as "Buddy" -- to replace Tedford. "I thought he was so close to doing some good things at Stanford," Barbour explains.

Every team has hope heading into the offseason. And every team has concerns.

Ergo, we're going to run through the conference and look at the chief matters -- on the up and downside -- for each Pac-12 team.

Next up:

California

Biggest reason for hope: The band is back together on the coaching staff.

When California surged out of the Pac-10 cellar and challenged USC for conference supremacy, Jeff Tedford was calling plays, Jim Michalczik was coaching the offensive line and Eric Kiesau oversaw the receivers. In those days, the Bears offense was potently balanced between the run and pass and, most important, it was feared. That hasn't been the case of late, and perhaps part of that drop-off was due to the departures of Kiesau in 2005 and Michalczik in 2008. Well, the reunion tour starts in 2011. Tedford not only will call plays but he will take a strong role with the quarterback coaching, such as attending all meetings. Michalczik is back coaching the line but also is the coordinator, while Kiesau oversees the passing game and running backs coach Ron Gould is the running game coordinator. These guys have worked well together in the past, so it's perfectly reasonable to believe they will do so again.


Biggest reason for concern: Two letters: QB

Of course, even the best coaches can't do much without talent, and it's even more challenging for a team to play at a high level without a talented quarterback. Quarterback has transformed from a Cal position of strength -- Kyle Boller, Aaron Rodgers, early Nate Longshore -- to a position of inconsistency and even weakness. Tedford cut his quarterback competition down to three guys fairly early in spring practices: Zach Maynard, Brock Mansion and Allen Bridgford and then it became clear that Maynard was ahead because he was seeing the most action with the No. 1 offense. Maynard, a transfer from Buffalo who is also the half-brother of receiver Keenan Allen, is a run-pass threat whose potential has obviously intrigued Tedford, who's typically been more of a QB-in-the-pocket sort of coach. If the Bears get solid play at QB, they will be contenders in the Pac-12 North Division. If they don't, they could finish near the bottom.

Happy Friday.

Follow me on Twitter.

To the many who asked: I have no idea when the NCAA will rule on USC's appeal. On Saturday, it will be 12 weeks since USC met with the appeals mmittee. I thought it might happen this week. If it doesn't happen next week, the term "absurd" will start to apply.

The notes.

Chris from Seattle writes: You've been calling Arizona's group of receivers "the best in the conference." I'd like to submit that, it's far less clear than you are painting it. The way I see it, UW is equally as deep at receiver. Kearse and Aguilar are two returning seniors who merit pre-season all-conference mention and Kearse is potentially a first teamer and all-american. From there, James Johnson (stellar freshman year who is returning to form), Kevin Davis (really turning it on this spring), DiAndre Campbell (great hands and big plays this spring), and Cody Bruns (another returning senior) are all in the mix for the third spot. But, let's not forget that Kasen Williams (the Parade All-America player of the year - if you have forgotten) will be showing up in the fall. I'd say that group would go toe-to-toe with UA's group any day! Sure, UA has a better QB at the moment, but if we're talking about talent at the receiver position, I think you haven't done your homework and I'd appreciate it if you stop matter-of-factly stating they are the best in the conference. In your UA spring review, you said, "the conference's deepest, most talented crew of receivers." I call BULL! Prove me wrong!

Ted Miller: OK, I'll prove you wrong, you, you, Bull Caller!

Washington has good receivers, but the Huskies don't match up with the Wildcats.

So let's do our homework!

You note Jermaine Kearse (63 receptions, second-team All-Pac-10) and Devin Aguilar. Aguilar caught 28 passes last season. Every one else you mention is a "maybe." Why do I type that? Here are the official stats. Johnson caught one pass last year. Bruns? Seven.

And, really, Kearse has plenty of room to improve -- see dropped passes, see struggles versus physical cornerbacks.

Down in Tucson, you have the best receiver in the Pac-12: Juron Criner (82 receptions, first-team All-Pac-10).

Then you have David Douglas (52 receptions), David Roberts (45), Terrence Miller (29) and Richard Morrison (19). Oh, and you also have Texas transfer Dan Buckner, who caught 44 passes for 445 yards and four touchdowns in 2009 for the Longhorns.

I'd even counter that Arizona's "maybes" are every bit the match of Washington's: redshirt freshmen Tyler Slavin, Austin Hill, and speedster Garic Wharton.

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JJ from McCall, Idaho writes: Looking at returning running backs, it's amazing to see USC in 10th position. What happened to all those 5 star recruits?

Ted Miller: USC isn't exactly hurting at running back. In fact, off the top of my head, I'd rate the Trojans fourth in the Pac-12 at the position behind Oregon, Washington and Stanford.

First, let's recall the Trojans averaged 190 yards rushing per game in 2010. That ranked third in the conference.

Second, Marc Tyler, who rushed for 913 yards and averaged 5.3 yards per carry, is back. Yes, he's injury prone, but not so injury prone that he didn't nearly crack the 1,000-yard mark in 2010.

And there is plenty of young talent, starting with Dillon Baxter and D.J. Morgan. Further, the Pac-12 blog has always thought that if Curtis McNeal, academically ineligible in 2010, got touches, he'd make plays.

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Matt from Salt Lake City writes: With the Utah Utes bringing in a new O and with [quarterback Jordan Wynn] out of the spring how far behind is Wynn and do you think he can get the new O going and be ready for the fall?

Ted Miller: No matter how much of a "glass half-full guy" you are, it's not ideal for Wynn to be sitting out spring practices after undergoing shoulder surgery. A full spring practice with new offensive coordinator Norm Chow and pro style offense would have been valuable.

But there are a couple of things that work in Wynn and Utah's favor here. For one, Wynn is only a few weeks from full-go throwing again, so he'll have a full summer to work with his receivers and backs and get a general feel for the playbook.

Second, Wynn told me he played a pro style offense in high school, so this shouldn't be an overwhelming transformation. He actually called it a "better fit" than the Utes old spread-option. Third, Chow was most taken with Wynn's intelligence, noting that Wynn seems to be picking things up quickly in meetings and film sessions. Said Chow, "Just sitting in meetings with him, it's extremely obvious he's very bright. To me the key element for a quarterback is you've got to be smart. He gets it all."

Further, Wynn is a one-and-a-half-year starter. He's a veteran who knows game speed. That should help him digest things during fall camp.

Again, not ideal. But far from a cause for panic.

If Utah fans are looking for something to worry about -- and what fan isn't? -- backup quarterback might be a good place to release a harrumph or two. It doesn't seem like either Tyler Shreve or Griff Robles have figured things out.

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Thomas from San Francisco writes: Cal fans are a bit up in arms about a quote from Jeff Tedford in your latest article, and I was hoping for some clarification. Specifically, this quote: "I have it back in focus now, not to worry about the external things," he said. "That one year [2009] we went [8-5] and it felt like we went [5-8], it felt like people were real irritable about that. I was irritable, too. About their reaction to [8-5]. Now, I'm just back to focusing on what it takes to get us back on the upward trend again." You bracketed "2009" and "8-5" which means he didn't actually say those terms, but you interpreted him to be referring to 2009 and 8-5. Is it possible he was referring to going 8-4 in 2005? Or something else? It is concerning because it sounds like Tedford is happy with 8-5, which he should not be (especially because there were a handful of blowout losses in those 5 losses, which you note in the story). Is there any way you can post the full Q&A? Or at least enough to get the context of what he was saying? Or simply why you interpreted him to be referring to 2009/8-5?

Ted Miller: You are an observant reader. Oh, you Cal fans!

What Tedford said was a little confusing to me at the time also. The recording is gone, but, to paraphrase, he said "a couple of years ago" in the context of this quote but said "8-3" as the record, as well as the 3-8 reverse. Obviously, there is no 8-3 season, though he could have been referring to finishing the 2005 regular season 8-3 and then winning the Las Vegas Bowl over BYU.

So I did make an assumption based on a couple of things: He said "couple of years ago," which suggested two to me. And I remembered very little carping after the 2005 season, seeing that was the first season after Aaron Rodgers (Joe Ayoob!), though Bears fans feel free to correct me.

Either way, to me, the gist is the same: In the past, he allowed fan reaction to irritate him after an eight-win season. He's now trying to ignore fan reaction after a five-win season because he's got plenty of other things to think -- and get irritated -- about.

I've never had the feeling that Tedford would be happy with 8-5. I do think that he was a bit surprised how quickly Cal fans became bored with winning seasons.

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Todd from Mission Viejo, Calif., writes: Regarding the Pac-12 media deal, should I be worried about the Pac-12 signing a long-term deal (say 15 years)? Yes, it would provide stability, but if the college sports media market continues to grow, could the media rights become undervalued for the final part of its contract. Would it not be better to sign a medium length media deal, then renegotiate to reflect the new value of the media property?

Ted Miller: Larry "Let's make a deal!" Scott is seeking a 10-year deal worth $220 million, according to multiple reports, including the Wall Street Journal, which I think got the number from the myriad great articles Jon Wilner has been doing on the behind-the-scenes machinations.

If there is a downside to a 10-year, $220 million deal, I don't know what it is. Other than it's not a 10-year $230 million deal, with the extra $10 million going to the Pac-12 blog, which of course would buy a yacht and throw a righteous party for you loyal readers.

Miriam from Stanford, Calif., writes: In addition to reading the stories on the blog, I often go to your lunch links to find interesting news items about Stanford and other teams. I know that you don't always include a link for every team every day, but I've noticed a lot of times when you seem to have a story for every team except Stanford (see 4/6/11, 4/12/11). Is it really that much harder to find news stories about Stanford than about the other teams in the conference? Or is it just my selection bias coming into play, only noticing when my team is the one missing?

Ted Miller: Yes, it is that much harder to find stories on Stanford football, and it annoys me, too. I even groused about this to Wyndam Makowsky of The Stanford Daily, noting that the Daily's enlightened policy of covering all of Stanford's 14,524 sports teams vexed me when, really, people only care about football.

Some teams get so much local coverage, it's often difficult to figure out which articles to post and which to exclude. That's not the case with Stanford, in large part because Bay Area newspapers have significantly rolled back their staff numbers.

Every weekday morning I go through a series of websites -- newspapers, responsible fan blogs, even the official website -- that offer Stanford coverage. If you don't see a Stanford link at lunch, it's because I couldn't find a story.

Same thing goes for every Pac-12 team.

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Daniel from Eugene, Ore., writes: You probably already know this is out there, but I thought it'd be nice if you could post this. Really a quality podcast all about the Ducks.

Ted Miller: Wow, you put the bad boys of podcasting, Ty and Dan of "Solid Verbal," on the same wavelength with The One They Call "Rob Moseley" and you've got the makings of an epic Guy Ritchie shoot-em-up.

BERKELEY, Calif. -- Quarterbacks are always a big story. Quarterback competitions are typically bigger stories. But quarterback is an almost singular story this spring at California.

For one, no one has any idea who the 2011 starter will be, an uncertainty that has been rare since coach Jeff Tedford took over in 2002. Tedford announced last week that he'd reduced the candidates list from five to three -- senior Brock Mansion, junior Buffalo transfer Zach Maynard and sophomore Allan Bridgford -- but it's unlikely that troika will be winnowed to one until late in preseason camp.

Finally, more than a few critics are questioning Tedford's once impeccable bona fides for developing quarterbacks. Sure, Tedford has mentored six who became first-round NFL draft picks: Kyle Boller, David Carr, Trent Dilfer, Joey Harrington, Aaron Rodgers and Akili Smith. But in our "what-has-he-done-lately?" world, folks are asking, well, what has Tedford done lately with quarterbacks, with an incriminating finger-pointing at the less-than-stellar production from Joe Ayoob, Nate Longshore and Kevin Riley.

Tedford will call plays this fall and he has been heavily involved with the quarterbacks this spring. He attends all position meetings and spends plenty of practice time with the QBs and new assistant Marcus Arroyo.

Tedford is as aware as anyone that bouncing back from a down campaign -- his first losing season in nine years in Berkeley -- will require at least solid play at quarterback.

"For us to get back to 10- or 11-win seasons, we have to have better play at the quarterback position," he said.

So far, no quarterback has asserted himself.

Mansion, due to experience, would in most situations be considered the front-runner. But he didn't do well in four starts after replacing Riley. His efficiency rating ranked last in the Pac-10 by a wide margin, and he threw five interceptions with just two TDs.

Said Tedford: "You can tell that Brock is better because of the experience he had last year. He's more comfortable. And he's even learned some things physically. You can see the maturity there a little bit. Still not where we need to be."

More than a few folks believe Maynard, the best athlete of the three and half-brother to standout receiver Keenan Allen, to be the front-runner. As a sophomore starter at Buffalo in 2009, he completed 57.5 percent of his passes for 2,694 yards and 18 touchdowns with 15 interceptions and added 455 yards rushing and one TD.

Said Tedford: "He does have some athleticism. He can make plays with his legs. He throws the ball accurately. He can throw all the balls on the field. He's a lefty. He can throw the deep ball. He's got zip on the ball. His main thing is just going to be the mental part of understanding our offense and understanding what we're looking for."

Tedford also said that the Bears' offense has some spread-option elements it could adapt for Maynard.

Bridgford is reputed to be a strong pure passer, but he's coming back from shoulder surgery and his mobility also is an issue. The scuttlebutt is he's presently in third place and could be challenged by redshirt freshman Austin Hinder, who Tedford said was a strong No. 4.

Said Tedford of Bridgford: "Smart guy. Can throw the ball. He can throw all the balls on the field. Escape dimension? Haven't seen that yet. That's a concern, but he's not a lead foot by any means."

Trying to figure out where things stand isn't easy. Even Allen clings to neutrality, at least publicly. And players appear to be as in the dark as fans about who will prevail.

"I know you guys all want to know that -- we all want to know as well," offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz said. "I have a lot of confidence in the coaching staff. They are going to put the right guy on the field."

It's been a while since Tedford and Cal found the "right" guy to put behind center. The Bears' success in 2011 probably hangs on Tedford rediscovering his inner QB Yoda.

BERKELEY, Calif. -- California coach Jeff Tedford hears the negative chatter but he's trying not to listen. The operative word there being "trying." He understands why some Golden Bears fans are grumbling, but such talk nonetheless frustrates him.

Tedford rebuilt a lousy program and created a high standard to which Cal fans happily became accustomed. Yet over the past few seasons, he has not consistently met that high standard.

"All of a sudden, you have an eight-win season and it's not good enough," Tedford said. "Then, all of the sudden, you have a [losing season] and it's, 'Wow, what happened here?'"

Things turned sour in Berkeley in 2010; a 5-7 finish that was Tedford's first losing season (fewer than seven wins) in nine years leading the program. Meanwhile, on the south side of the Bay Area equation, archrival Stanford won a BCS bowl game and appears poised to start 2011 ranked in the top 10. That juxtaposition doesn't sit well with the Old Blues.

It no longer matters where Tedford started, taking over a 1-10 program in 2002 that had won seven or more games just four times in the 24 previous seasons. Forget that from 1978 to 2001 Cal won three or fewer games nine times. Sure, back then a couple of seven-win seasons -- heck, even 5-7 -- would have seemed pretty nice.

No longer.

But it's more than that, Tedford's critics will tell you.

What happened to Tedford, the quarterback guru? Tedford transformed Kyle Boller from a five-star recruiting bust into a first-round NFL draft pick. He then discovered Aaron Rodgers out of nowhere and made him into a first-round pick. Nate Longshore appeared poised to join them after he led the Bears to a 5-0 start and No. 2 national ranking in 2007. But really, since Longshore sprained his ankle during a marquee win at Oregon on Sept. 29, 2007 -- Cal fans just fainted recalling the memory of what happened next -- the Bears haven't benefited from consistent play at quarterback.

It's not just losing, either. It's the nature of the defeats. In Tedford's first seven seasons, the Bears suffered only two defeats by more than two touchdowns. Over the past two seasons, they've lost eight games by 17 or more points and six by 27 or more.

Further, the staff turnover, particularly at offensive coordinator, has been notable. Not including himself, Tedford has gone through four offensive coordinators before arriving at his present, complicated configuration, with offensive line coach Jim Michalczik returning as coordinator, running backs coach Ron Gould set as running game coordinator, receivers coach Eric Kiesau set as passing game coordinator and Tedford (again) helping with the quarterbacks and (again) calling plays.

A couple of years ago, Tedford listened to the nattering nabobs of negativism and he wanted to smack them. Now, he's trying to be philosophical about criticism. Trying.

"I have it back in focus now, not to worry about the external things," he said. "That one year [2009] we went [8-5] and it felt like we went [5-8], it felt like people were real irritable about that. I was irritable, too. About their reaction to [8-5]. Now, I'm just back to focusing on what it takes to get us back on the upward trend again."

If you're the sort who prefers optimism, there's grounds for that, too. For one, Michalczik and Kiesau were with Tedford during the "glory years." There's history and comfort there. And Michalczik is widely considered an elite line coach, perhaps the best in the Pac-12. The play of the Bears' O-line wasn't as good the past two seasons while Michalczik was with the Oakland Raiders.

Further, Tedford is reengaging on the offensive side, and not only by calling plays, as he did during his early years at Cal. He's also working extensively with the quarterbacks, even to the point of sitting in on all QB meetings.

"Consistency at quarterback has been something that has hurt us at times," Tedford said.

Another big-picture item for Cal fans to be upbeat about: An uptick in recruiting that, perhaps not coincidentally, began when stadium and facilities renovation projects began in earnest after protesters -- old school Berkeley! -- were forced out of the trees. The Bears are nomads this spring, traveling from site to site in search of good grass to practice on, and they will play "home" games in AT&T Park this year. But when Memorial Stadium reopens in 2012, the structure will match the grandeur of its Strawberry Canyon home.

As for hot-seat talk (it's probably more accurate to call Tedford's chair lukewarm) the players are aware of said chatter. They don't live in a protective bubble. And they are aware that pointed observations about the blowout defeats also fall on them, whether those embarrassments were about poor preparation, a lack of mental toughness in the face of adversity or (gulp) a propensity to quit when an opponent asserts itself.

"We all love Coach," offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz said. "His past record of success, that's why we are all here. There's no grumbling [in the locker room]. We're more disappointed in ourselves. We feel like we let the coaching staff down."

And of late, Cal fans feel let down. When the Bears were controversially blocked from playing in their first Rose Bowl since 1959 by Texas and the BCS computers following the 2004 season -- Cal fans just fainted for a second time while reading this story -- the consolation was a confident belief that it was just a matter of time before a Tedford squad ended that lengthy, painful Rose-less run.

The clock is still ticking -- 52 years and counting -- on that one, though.

It's Valentines Day. I know. Awesome.

Because we are so captivated by the spirit of the holiday, which isn't a holiday, we're handing out Roses to the Pac-12. Just like our hero does.

A Rose for Arizona quarterback Nick Foles: Nick, you lose all five starting offensive linemen, but don't think of this rose as something you'd get at a funeral. Really.

A Rose for Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict: Vontaze, buddy, stop and smell the flowers. Er, rose. Chill. Breathe. You're going to have several million dollars in the bank 14 months from now. No need to act so crazy.

A Rose for California coach Jeff Tedford: Jeff, it's not really about the rose. It's the guy giving it to you. It's Aaron Rodgers. He's back. With four more years of eligibility.

A Rose for Colorado running back Rodney Stewart: Does anyone know you rushed for 1,318 yards last season? No? Well, here's a rose and a guess you're going to be the "Who the heck is that guy?" player in the Pac-12.

A Rose for Oregon coach Chip Kelly: You don't like my rose, Chip? Oh, did I mention that Nick Fairley is allergic to roses? And that this rose doubles as a time machine? And you can go back and get quarterback Darron Thomas to make the right read on the first play of the second quarter?

A Rose for Oregon State: But it's not just a rose. It's a Rose Bowl. You like?

A Rose for Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck: Not to get all serious, but we're glad you're back. Stay healthy.

A Rose for UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel: "Hey, Rick, the Pac-12 blog told me to give you this rose. I coach defense. My name is Dick LeBeau. Can I have a job?"

A Rose for USC coach Lane Kiffin: It's from the NCAA. Note reads: "Sorry. We were wrong about you and the Trojans." Anybody have any idea what that means?

A Rose for the Utah student section: They don't know about the MUSS yet, do they?

A Rose for Washington running back Chris Polk: Guess who finally gets the credit he deserves in 2011? Can I interest you in a Pac-12 rushing title, perhaps?

A Rose for Washington State: It has six petals. One for each win in 2011.

Welcome to the mailbag.

You can follow me on Twitter here.

To the notes.

Nathan from Boston writes: You mentioned that Jeff Tedford's not quite on the hot seat, and it coincides with Aaron Rodgers' rise to the Super Bowl. Clearly, Rodgers should have gotten more credit for what the did at Cal and gotten drafted higher. Perhaps, it was Rodgers giving to Tedford rather than the other way around, as was the perception. Furthermore, Tedford is in a perfect area for recruiting. So, I think he's very overrated, and question why he's not "firmly" on the hot seat.

Ted Miller: The Bay Area is the "perfect" area for recruiting? Neh. It's decent, probably underrated, in fact, but there are parts of Florida, Texas, Southern California, Louisiana and Georgia I'd rate as just a bit more perfect.

And Tedford's reputation wasn't built just on Rodgers, who is one of six quarterbacks he coached who became first-round NFL draft picks, the others being Kyle Boller, David Carr, Trent Dilfer, Joey Harrington and Akili Smith. And those guys' fair-to-lousy levels of success in the NFL suggests, in fact, that Tedford might be "giving" more than he is "receiving."

That said, Tedford's run of quarterbacks has dried up of late, consider Joe Ayoob, Nate Longshore, Kevin Riley and the late-season performance of Brock Mansion in 2010 (though let's recall that at one point Longshore looked like a future first-round draft pick before he lost his mojo).

As for Rodgers, his extended marinating on the Green Bay bench probably served him well. Instead of being thrust into service as a rookie or first-year player, Rodgers was able to learn the nuances of the NFL game over three seasons before becoming the starter.

While I don't see Tedford as being on the "hot seat" -- barring an absolute disaster, I think he'll be back as the Bears coach in 2012 -- he does deserve increased scrutiny. His transformation of the program, which was 1-10 the season before he arrived in 2002, was impressive. Cal, however, now has higher expectations -- expectations beyond seven or eight wins and certainly beyond the 5-7 finish in 2010. And a quick glance at the Bears' depth chart and their schedule in 2011 doesn't suggest a bounce back to nine or so wins.

On the other hand, the defense perked up under Clancy Pendergast last year, recruiting is going extremely well, and the return of offensive line coach Jim Michalczik (not official yet) and receivers coach Eric Kiesau feels like Tedford is reconnecting to his glory days. If the Bears find the right quarterback, they will be formidable again going forward.

But, yes, it is fair to say that Tedford is no longer untouchable.

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Justin from Omaha writes: What would be a successful first year in the Pac-12 for the Buffaloes? I am excited for the 2011 season but, I have know idea what to expect. I don't think they are South contenders but, is being maybe 3 or 4 a possibility?

Ted Miller: Would you think less of me if I said I'm with you: I don't know what to expect.

The only Colorado game I watched in its entirety last season was the 52-7 beatdown defeat at California. Justin from Butte, Mont., wrote last week that I might be weighing that game too heavily, and I agree with him. But I also noted that the Buffaloes have a new coach, new staff, a questionable defense and a bit of uncertainty at quarterback.

Colorado is not a "Little Sisters of the Poor" program, and old Pac-10 fans who think the Buffaloes aren't going to be competitive from the get-go are probably going to be surprised. They were competitive last year in the Big 12 and beat Georgia. While my initial feeling is the Buffs won't end up bowl-eligible and will fall toward the bottom of the South Division in 2011, I also wouldn't be shocked if they scrapped their way to around .500.

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George from Phoenix writes: Please put out the wildfire of ASU hype and stellar predictions for next year! I'm already seeing reports of us taking the South and potentially more. I'm having flashbacks of DE yr 2 pre season. "We went 10-3 in DE's first year, will be roses the next", etc, etc, etc...thud!Don't most teams have a build up / ok year before hitting it big? Ore had a good year, then roses, then NC. Isn't that how it usually happens?

Ted Miller: No. Sorry. I am hyping.

I like the Sun Devils' offensive line (imagine that!). I like the skill positions and speed on both sides of the ball. I think either quarterback, Brock Osweiler or Steven Threet, can win games. I have a feeling linebacker Vontaze Burfict grows up next fall and becomes an All-American and NFL first-round pick. I like Omar Bolden as a shut-down cornerback with leadership skills. I like Junior Onyeali as a super young talent at end.

I worry a little about depth at defensive tackle with the departure of Lawrence Guy, but not that much.

This team is nothing like 2008, a team with HUGE questions on the offensive line. The Sun Devils should win the South and end up ranked in the top-25.

Again, sorry for the hype.

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Shane from Corvallis, Ore., writes: I know quiz was a great teammate and player. and maybe it's just me trying to be optimistic, but any chance that quiz leaving might be addition by subtraction..., i was thinking that maybe quiz leaving will force Riley and company to modify their game style for the better.

Ted Miller: Shane, I like the effort but you, my friend, are reeeeaaaaching!

Jacquizz Rodgers is a dynamic weapon because he's such a complete player: He runs, he catches, he blocks and he's a great locker room guy. The Beavers will not be better because he's gone. Not saying they are going to stink without him, only that if Rodgers was coming back, expectations for 2011 would be much higher.

The problems in 2010 had nothing to do with Jacquizz.

• Breaking in a new quarterback. Even though Ryan Katz has notable talent, the Beavers offense has, historically, been hard on first-year starters.
• Bad-to-mediocre offensive line play. The Beavers' line took a step back last year. It must improve for 2011 to turn out better.
• James Rodgers gets hurt in he fifth game. Recall that the Beavers were 3-2 -- with road losses to TCU and Boise State -- and won at Arizona with Rodgers. No way the Beavers fail to reach a bowl game if he never got hurt.
• Defensive inconsistency. It seemed like the Beavers lacked a dynamic guy in their front seven, other than defensive tackle Stephen Paea.

Finally, the depth chart behind Rodgers is unproven. The Beavers always seem to find a running back. But, at present, we really don't know who that will be.

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Aaron from Flagstaff, Ariz., writes: Just wondering how you would figure out how many recruits your college can get each year. I thought ASU was very limited, and now we are at 17 recruits.

Ted Miller: Two rules: 85 total players on scholarship, 25 per recruiting class.

(And if you want to read a great story about how coaches fiddle with these rules by "oversigning," check out Andy Staples' story here).

Arizona State had a very small senior class, which was why the 2011 recruiting class was -- and still is, really -- expected to be small. At the end of the process, you still can only give out 85 scholarships per team, per year.

But there's been some roster attrition -- quarterback Samson Szakacsy, defensive tackle Lee Adams, cornerback Josh Jordan and tight end Steven Figueroa have left the program -- and two players listed with this year's class, quarterback Mike Bercovici and punter Josh Hubner, are already enrolled.

Doing roster math from the outside isn't easy because there are always things going on "inside." But, unless you want to get highly detailed, just understand the numbers 85 and 25.

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Greg from Seattle writes: Hey Ted, did you ever see this?

Ted Miller: Pretty darn polished by Washington running back Johri Fogerson.

The SEC dominates college football, but the ACC and Pac-10 rock the NFL Pro Bowl.

Wheeeee!

As my esteemed colleague Heather Dinich pointed out in the ACC blog, the ACC led all conferences for the third consecutive year with 19 players selected to play in the Pro Bowl, which will be held on Jan. 30 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The SEC was second with 13 selections and the Pac-10 was third with 12. The Big Ten and the Big 12 had nine each.

But, of course, seeing that the Pac-10 at present has just 10 teams versus 12 for the ACC, SEC and Big 12, the numbers need to be adjusted for players per team. By that measure, the ACC is still No. 1 with 1.58 Pro Bowl players per ACC team, while the Pac-10 is second with 1.2 per team.

Here's the list of Pac-10 players in the Pro Bowl.

Marcedes Lewis, TE, Jacksonville (UCLA)
Steven Jackson, RB, St. Louis (Oregon State)
DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia (California)
Tony Gonzalez, TE, Atlanta (California)
Ryan Kalil, C, Carolina (USC)
Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jaguars (UCLA)*
Haloti Ngata, DT, Baltimore (Oregon)
Terrell Suggs, DE, Baltimore (Arizona State)
Nnamdi Asomugha, CB, Oakland (California)
Troy Polamalu, S, Pittsburgh (USC)
Clay Matthews, LB, Green Bay (USC)
Lance Briggs, LB, Chicago (Arizona)

*Out of game due to injury

You also may have noticed that a Jets-Packers Super Bowl would mean both starting quarterbacks -- Mark Sanchez for the Jets (USC) and Aaron Rodgers for the Packers (California) -- hail from the Pac-10.