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Safety in the Pac-10 this year? Solid for the most part.

Only UCLA, Oregon State and Washington "officially" welcome back both of their starting safeties, with the Bruins boasting perhaps the best in free safety in the nation: Rahim Moore. Only Arizona State and USC must find two new safeties.

So how do things stack up?

Great shape

• UCLA: Moore, a true junior and 25-game starter, led the nation with 10 interceptions in 2009 and is a consensus All-American. Tony Dye ranked fourth on the Bruins with 73 tackles.
• Oregon: Sure, the Ducks lost hard-hitting T.J. Ward to the NFL, but Ward was hurt much of last season, so John Boyett, the first freshman to lead the Ducks in tackles, and Javes Lewis, who played both free safety and rover, are returning starters, as is Eddie Pleasant, a linebacker starter in 2009 who's moved to rover.
• Oregon State: Lance Mitchell and Cameron Collins give the Beavers a solid, experienced combination and Suaesi Tuimaunei also has starting experience.

Good shape

• Washington: Nathan Felner and Nate Williams are both returning starters, but the competition is ongoing among players with experience, not to mention touted incoming freshman Sean Parker.
• Arizona: The Wildcats lost Cam Nelson, and Robert Golden might move back to cornerback after playing strong safety last year. Still, there's talent here. Adam Hall, a touted, 6-foot-4, 212-pound 2009 recruit, might make a move.
• Arizona State: Both starters, Jarrell Holman and Ryan McFoy, are gone, but Clint Floyd and Keelan Johnson have started games and junior Eddie Elder has been surging since the spring.
• California: While the Cal secondary didn't play well in 2009, Sean Cattouse is solid. Senior Chris Conte has converted to safety from cornerback, but he could be challenged in camp for the starting job.
• Stanford: Strong safety Delano Howell should blossom as a junior, and Michael Thomas has potential at free safety. Still, the Cardinal secondary got burned in 2009 and is probably the team's biggest question mark.

We'll see

• USC: The Trojans are replacing all four starters in their secondary, and the days of giving them a free pass based on recruiting rankings are over. Still, Jawanza Starling, T.J. McDonald and Drew McAllister (if he's healthy) are a talented trio.
• Washington State: WSU lost free safety Xavier Hicks, but LeAndre Daniels, Chima Nwachukwu, Tyree Toomer, Casey Locker and Jamal Atofau give the Cougars hope at the position.

First in a series of Pac-10 thoughts that might come from unusual angles (you can see Arizona's 2009 prediction here).

Don't be surprised if... The Wildcats defense is all about big plays -- both positive and negative ones.

Consider the Arizona defense, which is replacing seven starters from a unit that ranked second in the Pac-10, including quality leaders such as tackle Earl Mitchell and safety Cam Nelson.

Also consider the combination of Ricky Elmore and Brooks Reed at end. They might become the best pass rushing tandem in the conference.

See three new linebackers and two voids in the secondary. And then see ball-hawking cornerback Trevin Wade.

Two things stand out when you look at the Wildcats defensive depth chart in 2010: 1. Inexperience, particularly at linebacker; 2. Playmakers, particularly Wade, Reed and Elmore.

So: Good things. And bad things.

Here's what I expect to see in 2010:

• Reed and Elmore will lead a pass rush that records perhaps three sacks per game. Also, expect to see the capable D'Aundre Reed making things even more challenging for an O-line by lining up as a "third" end in obvious passing situations.
• That pressure, combined with Wade's presence -- guess here is QBs will try not to throw his way -- will create plenty of turnover opportunities.

That's the positive. But here's the negative:

• Inexperience at LB means the secondary will need to offer more run-support. And when safeties lean forward, bad things can happen behind them.
• With the arrival of co-defensive coordinator Greg Brown, the Wildcats figure to use more press-man coverage and less zone (we'll see). One-on-one matchups are risky, particularly vs. quality QBs, which are plentiful in the conference.
• Knowing that the Wildcats will have a strong pass rush and that they are questionable at linebacker, opposing offenses will dink and dunk with the hopes of catching one of those inexperienced LBs out of position. That's how short screens and hot routes become 55-yard catch-and-runs.

Every defensive coach loves sacks and takeaways. And they hate yielding explosion plays.

The Wildcats look like they could see a fair share of the former and latter in 2010. How the numbers swing one way or the other will be telling.

ARIZONA

2009 overall record: 8-5

2009 conference record: 6-3 (tied for second)

Returning starters

Offense: 9, Defense: 4, punter/kicker: 2

Top returners: QB Nick Foles, WR Juron Criner, RB Nic Grigsby, C Colin Baxter, CB Trevin Wade, DE Brooks Reed, DE Ricky Elmore

Key losses: WR Terrell Turner, OT Mike Diaz, DT Earl Mitchell, LB Xavier Kelly, FS Cam Nelson, CB Devin Ross

2009 statistical leaders (*returning starter)

Rushing: Keola Antolin* (643)

Passing: Nick Foles* (2,466)

Receiving: Juron Criner* (582)

Tackles: Devin Ross (81)

Sacks: Ricky Elmore* (11.5)

Interceptions: Trevin Wade* (5)

Spring Answers

1. So far so good with four coordinators: It was only a first run through spring practices but the Wildcats new arrangement with both offensive and defensive co-coordinators seemed to work well throughout spring practices. For one, it appears they've got a plan for the press box and play calling. Further, it helps that coach Mike Stoops is familiar with sharing a coordinator job (he shared the defensive job at Kansas State). It also probably helps that all four guys seem to like each other.

2. There's a lot of skill here: Start with quarterback Nick Foles. Then there's Juron Criner, who is as physically talented as any receiver in the Pac-10. Then there's Bug Wright, David Douglas, Delashaun Dean, Travis Cobb and Gino Crump. And Nic Grigsby, Keola Antolin and Taimi Tutogi in the backfield. Lots of guys who can do things with the ball in their hands.

3. The ends are the beginning: Ends Ricky Elmore and Brooks Reed are a good start for a rebuilding defense that lost seven starters. If a defense can pressure the quarterback -- and Elmore and Reed can -- that makes things easier everywhere else.

Fall questions

1. How will Matt Scott be used: While Scott lost the starting quarterback job to Foles early last season, the coaches still think he's capable of helping the offense, particularly with his speed. Scott also looked like a more confident and refined passer this spring -- guidance from new QB coach Frank Scelfo helped -- so he figures to have a few personal packages inserted into the game plan. And if Foles falters or gets hurt, Scott is a nice plan B.

2. How quickly will the new LBs pick things up? It's not easy to replace seven starters, but it seems particularly burdensome to have voids at all three all LB spots. Things are even more difficult when you're counting on a pair of JC transfers -- Derek Earls in the middle and Paul Vassallo on the weak side -- to immediately step into the starting lineup. The Wildcats will be fine in the secondary -- watch out for incoming freshman Marquis Flowers to get into the mix -- because that's Stoops' specialty. And there's some intriguing talent at defensive tackle, including redshirt freshman Sione Tuihalamaka. But the linebacker question wasn't answered this spring.

3. Paging Nic Grigsby: Grigsby can be a dynamic player with the ball. He's got home run speed and 2,424 career rushing yards. He averages 5.3 yards per carry. He's a good receiver out of the backfield. But he needs to find a way to stay healthy, which he didn't this spring or much of last year. With capable players like Antolin, Tutogi, Greg Nwoko and Daniel Jenkins eager for touches, at some point coaches might just sit Grigsby and go with guys who can stay on the field.

To the notes.

Robert from Seattle writes: Who does the Pac-10 ultimately answer to? The fans or to the presidents? A follow-up not-so-quick question. If the Pac-10 wants to survive as a conference, what do they do?

Ted Miller: Who does the Pac-10 answer to? Easy: $.

Commissioner Larry Scott's charge going forward is to maximize sports revenue, which means football and men's basketball (but mostly football). Of course, he doesn't want to completely compromise the culture and values of the conference -- academic or otherwise -- but my guess is his first interest is revenue.

He has two basic issues ahead of him that he'd like to have a handle on before he goes off to negotiate new media/TV deals after the first of the year (the Pac-10's contracts with Fox and ESPN-ABC expire after the 2011-2012 academic year).

The first is expansion: Would adding teams increase revenue per team? The 10 existing members want their pie slices to grow, not get smaller, with expansion. So he's looking for teams that: 1. are interested in joining the Pac-10; 2. would increase revenue. Much of that, of course, is tied to the idea of creating more value -- real and perceived -- when negotiating new TV contracts.

The second issue -- if he cannot bring the presidents an expansion plan that works -- is defending the Pac-10's interest if expansion becomes the rage back east.

If, suddenly, a 16-team Big Ten and 16-team SEC are nose-to-nose for domination, Scott has to figure out what that means for the Pac-10. At the BCS meetings, Scott said he doesn't necessarily believe that would force the Pac-10 to follow the leaders. Maybe. But maybe not.

It's possible that the new, powerful super-conferences would make demands, such as second automatic berth in BCS bowl games (and perhaps an option for a third) as well as other special accommodations. That could create a significant revenue imbalance.

Moreover, Scott has to be aware of what might happen if there is a long-term and significant revenue imbalance between the Pac-10 and the super conferences.

For example, what happens if the SEC-16 starts to pay assistant coaches an average salary of $750,000, while Pac-10 assistants average just $250,000? Or think about this: What if Florida offered Mike Stoops $2.5 million to leave Arizona to become the Gators defensive coordinator? Or what if the existing imbalances in facilities become so pronounced that a significant percentage of recruits from southern California start heading east?

The Pac-10 could suddenly learn what it feels like to be a non-AQ conference. Heck, it could become a non-AQ conference.

Still, as I wrote on Thursday, we are wallowing in speculation and hypotheticals.

Ultimately, Scott's job is simple: He's going to try to improve the Pac-10's position in the marketplace, but, failing that, he needs to at least maintain it.

Matt from Athens, Ga., writes: When is the last time a USC player was not drafted in the 1st round? Does that point to any talent drop-off at USC or is it more particular players not fitting teams' needs in a given year?

Ted Miller: Last time? All the way back to ... 2007.

This is a good note from the Orange County Register though: "In the 75-year history of the National Football League draft, USC (63), Miami (56) and Ohio State (53) have produced the most first-round selections. On Thursday night in the 2010 first round, they combined for zero."

As for USC's talent, I don't think this is a moment to say the sky is falling. USC figures to have perhaps six players go in the next two rounds: Everson Griffen, Taylor Mays, Charles Brown, Damian Williams, Joe McKnight and Anthony McCoy. That ain't too shabby.

Michael from Tucson, Ariz., writes: Your Pac-10 predictions discount an Arizona team the returns almost the entire talent-ridden offense that, despite new coordinators, will run the same offense. As for the defense, it's still a Stoops team that always ranks high defensively, star talent or not. What's keeping the Cat's out of Pac-10 favorites?

Ted Miller: First, those aren't "predictions" -- they are "power rankings." They are based at the present moment. Things can change (and probably will).

A few points.

First, Arizona not only lost two coordinators, it lost two very good coordinators in new Louisiana Tech head coach Sonny Dykes and new Florida State defensive coordinator Mark Stoops. That can't be written off. The new foursome of co-coordinators are all smart, respected coaches, but it's prudent to take a wait-and-see attitude to how this unusual arrangement will work out going forward.

Second, Mike Stoops knows defense, without a doubt. But just like everyone else he needs players. As for "always" ranking highly: The 2007 unit ranked seventh in the Pac-10 in scoring defense and fifth in total defense.

Third, the 2010 defense must replace seven starters, including both defensive tackles, all three linebackers and half its secondary. That seven includes three second-team All-Pac-10 players from each level (tackle Earl Mitchell, linebacker Xavier Kelly and free safety Cam Nelson). Moreover, they are counting on a pair of JC transfers to start at linebacker. I'm skeptical of JC transfers until proven otherwise.

Now, despite all this, the Wildcats still look like a bowl team -- in large part because, as you note, the offense should be able to score on anybody. Therefore, they are a member of what I see as the Pac-10's extremely competitive and deep middle. I rank USC, Oregon and Oregon State as a clear top three. But from Nos. 4 to No. 8, you could arrange and re-arrange teams and not get much of an argument from me.

Luke from Philadelphia writes: I am a fan/follower of PSU and the Big Ten. But I am really excited about what looks like a lot of changes out there in Pac-10 country. Naturally I hate USC, so seeing them humbled last year was awesome. It's great to see the rest of your conference rise up and bring more drama to the season and the Rose Bowl. What's the feeling out there in the west? Did Pac-10 fans traditionally feel proud of USC for being the football flagship and thus feel sad about their becoming mortal in 2009? Or are they as happy as I am to see some drama in the conference, even if it means the Pac-10 could actually lose a Rose Bowl or two?

Ted Miller: Not getting a sense of any sadness from the other nine teams of USC slipping back -- potentially slipping back, I should type -- particularly when I was in Westwood last week.

A wide-open Pac-10 is more fun. For a while there, it felt like everyone was playing for second place behind the Trojans, though it's important to note that three times during the Pete Carroll Era, USC only shared the title with another conference team (2002, 2006, 2007).

As for pride in USC, it was more a case of a desire for more sympathy and less "Pac-1" ridiculousness. The Trojans would have dominated any other conference just as they did the Pac-10 from 2002-2008.

Would they have won seven consecutive SEC titles? Probably not. But I also think that if USC had played in the SEC, it would have won more national titles during that span.

Gerald from Norcross, Ga., writes: How's the Eric Berry versus Taylor Mays comparison looking?

Ted Miller: Fair to say that Berry is the decisive winner after going No. 5 overall. Heck, Pete Carroll even rated Mays below Texas' Earl Thomas by taking Thomas over Mays with the No. 14 pick.

And how about this: Who would have thought that Mays wouldn't even be the first Pac-10 safety selected (Cleveland just picked Oregon's T.J. Ward with the sixth pick of the second round)?

Tough day for Mays no doubt. But he'll eventually get drafted and have plenty of opportunities to prove his doubters wrong.

Craig from Corvallis, Ore., writes: Do you think that a super conference for the Pac-10 would be considered if it partially revived the old Southwest Conference? The conference could have two divisions, the pacific and southwest. The Pacific would be composed of the original Pac-8 members. The Southwest would include the Arizona schools and six Texas schools. Unfortunately, some of the old Southwest members would have to be left out (I know Arkansas would not mind, they are probably very happy in the SEC). I think the best fit would include: Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor, SMU, TCU and Texas Tech (or Rice). It would be a bold move by Larry Scott but very interesting for the world of college football. I think it would be interesting to see SMU brought back to the forefront of college football after their long dark-age.

Ted Miller: The Country-Western Conference!

It would be even better if you dropped Baylor and added Oklahoma, though that breaks from your old Southwest Conference theme.

This is an interesting idea, and not a bad one. I think the chances of something like this happen are decidedly remote, but I've read ideas that were far worse.

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Will have a lot more from Arizona spring practices, but here are some notes and depth chart updates after a round of interviews.

• Coach Mike Stoops said he still hasn't decided who will call plays on offense and defense. He said that he'll make that decision after evaluating his options during spring practices. Stoops lost both coordinators this offseason -- Sonny Dykes on offense and Mark Stoops on defense -- and replaced them with co-coordinators, Bill Bedenbaugh and Seth Littrell on offense and Greg Brown and Tim Kish on defense. Only Brown, who came from Colorado, wasn't already on staff.
• Three key players will sit out this spring. Starting guard Vaughn Dotsy had back surgery on Wednesday. Running back Greg Nwoko is still recovering from a shoulder injury. Projected starting defensive tackle Dominique Austin is out with a toe injury.
• While Nick Foles is the No. 1 quarterback, coaches are emphasizing that backup Matt Scott will play a role this year. And if he outplays Foles this spring, the QB competition will be on again in the preseason.
• The Wildcats are replacing all three starting linebackers from 2009. Junior college transfers Paul Vassallo and Derek Earls are listed as the first-team "Will" and "Mike" linebackers, respectively. Jake Fischer is No. 1 at "Sam."
• Joe Perkins steps in for Cam Nelson at free safety, while Marcus Benjamin replaces Devin Ross at cornerback opposite Trevin Wade.
• With Austin out, JC transfer Jonathan Hollins steps in at defensive tackle besides nose tackle Lolomana Mikaele.
• Richard Morrison has moved from quarterback to receiver.
• With offensive lineman Adam Grant getting a sixth year of eligibility, he slides in at left tackle with Phillip Garcia opposite him on the right side. Colin Baxter is the center and Conan Amituanai is the left guard. With Dotsy out, Jovon Hayes, Chris Putton and Trace Biskin will get looks.

The second of a 10-part series that looks at where Pac-10 teams are strongest and weakest as they begin spring practices.

Arizona.

Strong: Offensive skill positions.

Why it's a strength: The Wildcats welcome back just about all their top skill guys -- their top-two quarterbacks (Nick Foles and Matt Scott), top three rushers (Nic Grigsby, Keola Antolin and Greg Nwoko) and five of their top six receivers (Juron Criner, Delashaun Dean, Bug Wright, David Douglas and David Roberts). The only loss is 2009's leading receiver Terrell Turner. Even the early departure of TE Rob Gronkowski is eased by the fact that he didn't play in a single game last year.

Weak: Up the middle defense.

Why it's a weakness: It's a weakness because the Wildcats must replace both defensive tackles, all three linebackers and free safety Cam Nelson. Moreover, they head into spring without a lot of obvious answers at those position, seeing that the defense's top four tacklers and five of the top six are all gone. Lolomana Mikaele was listed as the backup at both DTs positions at the end of last year, but he finished with just 12 tackles. Two junior college transfers, linebackers Derek Earls and Paul Vassallo, are expected to earn starting positions. Toss in new co-coordinators -- though Tim Kish was promoted from linebackers coach -- and there are a lot of questions on this side of the ball.

Happy Friday.

To the notes.

Donald from Eugene writes: If the PAC10 actually does expand to 12 teams, the conventional wisdom is they would create North and South divisions. However, that would leave NW schools with the distinct possibility of not traveling to Southern California for two straight seasons thus killing recruiting (see Big12 North.) Wouldn't it make more sense to try the "AFC/NFC" split and put for instance UW, UO, Stan, UCLA, UA and CU in one division and the other six in the other? The teams would still play their traditional rival, it just would be out of division. That way every team will be assured of traveling to the Bay Area and SoCal on a regular basis.

Ted Miller: Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner.

I've been a bit surprised by how so many people have pooh-poohed the idea of Pac-10 expansion -- read: Colorado and Utah -- simply because of the supposedly calamitous results of a North-South split.

How will the Northwest schools survive without an annual visit to recruiting hotbeds in California [insert sob]!

As Donald notes: Fine, then forget the whole North-South thing and let's go with much more felicitously named "Ted" and "Donald" divisions.

My division is USC, Stanford, Washington State, Arizona State, Utah and Oregon State.

Donald's division is UCLA, California, Washington, Arizona, Colorado and Oregon.

(Please, that was random. Don't read anything into which teams I selected).

Each Pac-12 team plays five divisional games as well as its traditional rival in the other division annually (we announce the first annual hate-fest between Utah vs. Colorado!). Each team then rotates two games among the other five teams in the other division.

Note how the Oregon-Washington rivalry gets preserved! And how we kept Jim Harbaugh and Lane Kiffin in the same division, which I am certain will be great fun.

That's eight conference games, which means teams then can load up on patsies for their four-game nonconference schedule -- if they wish -- which would mean more bowl-eligible teams and more seasons with two BCS bowl teams.

Sure, some conference hits and misses will provide an advantage. But that's how it is in every conference that doesn't play a round-robin schedule.

In a few years, media pundits would go, "Sheesh! The Pac-12 has 10 bowl-eligible teams! What a conference!"

What about losing the convenience -- and cost-effectiveness -- of regional travel provided by North-South divisions? Well, travel would remain mostly like it is now. So big deal.

By the way, though Donald and I are clearly brilliant, this has been done before. There's an obscure constellation in the college football universe know as the "Atlantic Coast Conference," which is broken up into the the "Heather" and "Dinich" divisions. Or they might be the "Atlantic" and "Coastal" divisions, I forget.

And, by the way, as a son of the South, I can tell you that there ain't no coast near Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Duke or Virginia.

Kevin from Phoenix writes: I have to take issue with the Spring Rankings. Arizona replaces 12 starters? I'd be curious to know what math you used to get 12 out of nine.

Ted Miller: OK.

Arizona's departing 2009 starters, per its depth chart.

Offense (5): WR Terrell Turner, OT Mike Diaz, OG Herman Hall, OT Adam Grant, HB Chris Gronkowski.

Defense (7): DT Earl Mitchell, NT Donald Horton, LB Sterling Lewis, LB Vuna Tuihalamaka, LB Xavier Kelly, FS Cam Nelson, CB Devin Ross.

The list doesn't including TE Rob Gronkowski because he sat out the entire season.

Kenny from Florence, Ariz., writes: I don't understand your logic in your spring power rankings. Putting USC, Oregon State, Cal, UW, & Stanford all above Arizona. Is it because of the Holiday Bowl performance? Ok well let's remember what happened during the Pac-10 conference season: Arizona beat USC in LA, Oregon St. in Corvallis, Stanford in Tucson.

Ted Miller: The Holiday Bowl performance was fairly yucky. But that's not why I rated Arizona seventh.

As you will note from above, the Wildcats lose three starting offensive linemen, three linebackers, both defensive tackles and two very good defensive backs.

And most of those guys weren't just starters -- they were mainstays (five second-team All-Pac-10 guys, including four on defense).

That's a lot to replace, particularly with two new coordinators. And keep in mind that the Wildcats will be using two pair of co-coordinators in 2010 after using just one guy in each role last year.

There may be a period of adjustment there.

It's perfectly reasonable to believe the Wildcats will plug-and-play and away they will go. But I will put them at No. 7 -- in a very deep Pac-10 -- until I see what those plugs might look like.

And I will be in Tucson during spring practices, so perhaps I will be impressed. I typically am when I watch a Mike Stoops team practice.

Kai from Castro Valley, Calif., writes: If someone were to go back in time and tell the 2000 Ted Miller how much teams have changed (i.e. number of bowl appearances in 2000-2009 compared to 1990-1999), which team do you think you wouldn't believe changed this much? In other words which team had the most phenomenal change good or bad from the start to the end of the decade? (Personally it's WSU for me).

Ted Miller: If the 2000 me met the 2010 me he tell me to get to the gym and lay off the beef and bourbon.

There are so many surprises in the decade.

The biggest surprise would be Washington, the 11-1, 2000 Pac-10 champion, winning 12 games from 2004-2008.

The second biggest surprise would have the rise of USC under Pete Carroll -- "USC hired Pete Carroll?" the 2000 me would ask. "That surely was a colossal failure!"

The third biggest surprise would have been the rise of Washington State: 30 wins, three consecutive top-10 rankings from 2001-2003. And Mike Price leaving the Cougars for Alabama. And how that turned out.

The fourth biggest surprise would be Oregon State's sustained success. I mostly thought that 2000 was a brilliant flash of football serendipity. It wasn't.

Gordie from Pasadena, Calif., writes: Let's say the Pac-10 picks up Utah and Colorado, and the Big Ten picks up Missouri. So does that mean the Big 12 becomes the Big 10 and the Big Ten becomes the Big Twelve (since it already has eleven teams)?

Ted Miller: Ha! Nice.

Gary from Portland writes: Recruiting revealed, the layers peeled back like an onion.

Ted Miller: Hit that link: You will be amused.

Ethan from San Francisco writes: You win... I have no idea where your Thursday quote [above the "Pac-10 lunch links"] came from.

Ted Miller: Glad you asked because it comes from one of my all-time favorite novels: Don DeLillo's "Underworld."

It's a dense, 800-plus-page read, so it won't be everyone's favorite brew, but the first 60 pages are set around Bobby Thomson's home run -- "The shot heard round the world" -- to beat the Brooklyn Dodgers and win the New York Giants the 1951 National League Pennant.

Go to a bookstore and read those 60 pages. It's some of the best writing you will ever read.

Before listing my preseason All-Pac-10 team in August, I wrote this: "Perhaps this list will be much different by mid-December."

So take a look.


Some changes are obvious. Gronkowski, Best, Thurmond and O'Dowd were switched out because of injuries. That also applies in large part to Carter, who played with a sprained knee much of the season.

Some nagged at me a bit.

Safety: Nelson had a great season at safety, but Moore led the nation with nine picks. I know lots of you folks aren't impressed with the way Mays played this year, but most coaches and scouts don't share your opinion. He's still going to be a first-round pick.

Offensive line: Baxter and Lauvao did nothing wrong. Peat just had a very good season, while Alfred in some ways gets a tip of the cap for a great career playing in obscurity for a lousy team.

Defensive end: Davis and Tukuafu have had great careers, and it was hard to leave off Arizona's Ricky Elmore, who led the conference in sacks. Just how things go.

Quarterback: Masoli is preseason All-Pac-10, puts up great numbers, leads his team to the Rose Bowl and drops off the first team? Yeah, I winced at that, too. But Canfield had a great year and put up great numbers. And, yes, it matters that he is a senior and Masoli will be back next fall.

Arizona took another step forward under coach Mike Stoops in 2009.

Last year, the Wildcats earned their first bowl berth since 1998. This year, the Wildcats, picked eighth in the preseason media poll, tied for second in the Pac-10, despite breaking in a new quarterback, and earned a berth in the Holiday Bowl.

They also beat rival Arizona State for a second-consecutive year and ended a seven-game losing streak to USC.

The key moment was the decision to change quarterbacks from Matt Scott to Nick Foles after the offense looked terrible at Iowa on Sept. 19. Foles almost immediately established himself as a budding star, and his precise passing and quick release were critical when running back Nic Grigsby suffered a shoulder injury that killed most of his season.

Offensive MVP -- Quarterback Nick Foles.

Foles, a sophomore, didn't make his first start until the season's fourth game but he made up for lost time, completing 66 percent of his passes and throwing for 2,420 yards with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Defensive MVP -- Defensive end Ricky Elmore.

Yes, Arizona fans, it stinks that Elmore didn't earn All-Pac-10 honors. He would have been second-team for the Pac-10 blog if the Pac-10 blog had a second-team. Elmore basically came out of nowhere to lead the Wildcats -- and the Pac-10 -- with 10.5 sacks, and he was particularly important because Brooks Reed battled a sprained ankle much of the season.

Turning point -- The obvious turning point is the decision to go with Foles over Scott, who started the first three games. But, really, the the story of the Wildcats season was perseverance. Multiple times they suffered dispiriting losses -- at Iowa, at Washington, at California and in double-overtime against Oregon -- but in each case they bounced back and didn't suffer a hangover. That is the sign of a maturing program, which in itself is a turning point.

What's next -- The Wildcats figure to be in the thick of the Pac-10 race next year, particularly if tight end Rob Gronkowski opts to return after missing the entire 2009 campaign with a back problem. The defense will take a few significant hits -- safety Cam Nelson, cornerback Devin Ross, tackle Earl Mitchell and all three linebackers -- but that shouldn't be insurmountable, particularly with Reed and Elmore back. Of course, the biggest hit might be defensive coordinator Mark Stoops getting hired away.

The state of Oregon is the center of the college football universe. Or, at least, the Pac-10 universe.

So pack the Birkenstocks.

No. 1 and seven through 10 stay the same and USC again mans the middle -- still feels odd typing that -- but there was lots of movement in the top half.

By the way, welcome back Cal.

1. Oregon: The Ducks have won with flash. And they've won with grit. They'll need both to beat Oregon State on Dec. 3 and earn the program's first trip to the Rose Bowl since the 1994 season.

2. Oregon State: You again! The Beavers are like the Tortoise in Aesop's Fables. While the Hares hop about and make a lot of noise, the Tortoise just does its thing, slow, steady and relentless. The Beavers need only beat the Ducks to earn their first Rose Bowl berth since 1965.

3. California: In 2007, the Bears fell apart when they fell off their lofty perch. In 2009, the Bears showed character after their fall. An optimist might cogitate over that and conclude that this disappointing season could be a springboard to, perhaps, the "next step."

4. Stanford: Was "hubris" Stanford's undoing in the Big Game, as coach Jim Harbaugh worried about last week? A good way to feel better, Cardinal, is to take out frustrations on a limping Notre Dame team that -- oh my -- struggles against the run.

5. USC: By not playing, USC had a good week. With Stanford's loss, the Trojans now seem primed to earn a Holiday Bowl berth. That is, if they can beat UCLA and Arizona.

6. Arizona: This will be a season of what-might-have-beens for the Wildcats. Two losses due on unusual deflections. Another in double overtime. And toss in a fourth in which they used the wrong starting quarterback (at Iowa). I'm pretty hard-boiled about things, but watching stricken senior safety Cam Nelson fight to maintain his composure -- successfully, by the way -- during postgame interviews Saturday night stood as a reminder about how much these games mean to these guys. The Wildcats' resolve will be tested over the next two weeks on the road at Arizona State and at USC.

7. UCLA: After five consecutive conference losses, the Bruins have won three in a row and are now bowl eligible. Things are much happier in Westwood these days.

8. Arizona State: The loss at UCLA insured the Sun Devils will suffer consecutive losing seasons for the first time since 1946-47. A win over rival Arizona on Saturday might partially salve those wounds. A loss will make for a loooong offseason.

9. Washington: The Huskies are coming off a bye. Want to know how to ruin many of the positives from Steve Sarkisian's first season? Lose the Apple Cup at home to woeful, injury-riddled Washington State.

10. Washington State: Want to know how to spin a miserable season forward in a positive way? Post an Apple Cup victory in Husky Stadium.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Little game of Pac-10 Jeopardy: This nationally ranked team controls its own conference destiny and it never rains in its home stadium.

Oregon!

	Chris Morrison/US PRESSWIRE
	Even with a tough upcoming schedule, coach Mike Stoops believes Arizona's best football is ahead.

No, though we enjoy that jocular pregame announcement at Autzen Stadium as much as anybody. And, please, remember to phrase your answer in the form of a question.

Who is Arizona?

Right!

No, really. Who is Arizona?

The Wildcats, ranked 18th in the BCS standings, are 5-2 overall and, at 3-1 in conference play, are alone in second place in the standings. If not for an odd and controversial deflection at Washington, the Wildcats would be sniffing the top 10.

Yet few folks seem to know much about them.

They rank No. 1 in the Pac-10 and 14th in the nation in total offense (455 yards per game) and third in the conference in total defense (315 ypg). They are balanced on offense -- 12 rushing touchdowns, 12 passing touchdowns -- and they do a good job of stopping the run, ranking 17th in the nation (101.3 ypg).

Yet the buzz around the program -- outside of Tucson, at least -- is only a light hum.

"That's all the time. We're always laying low," said Wildcats senior safety Cam Nelson, who knows personally about being underrated.

"We don't get much credit, which doesn't bother us. We don't need anybody to know us. We like being a no-name team that's going to sneak up and make a big run."

Nelson sounds more resigned than perturbed. As for that big run, don't disregard the notion. The schedule ahead is brutal (perhaps the toughest in the nation) but nothing worth achieving is ever easy to obtain.

Arizona should know. It has been waiting a long time for a Rose Bowl berth. Like, er, forever.

We must pause now and acknowledge what Wildcats coach Mike Stoops has been relentlessly telling his team for the past two weeks (Arizona had a bye last week): Do not overlook Washington State, which comes to town on Saturday.

"Our guys are smart enough to understand ... anybody can beat anybody if you give them the opportunity," Stoops said.

But, outside of the locker room, we are free to consider this slate of four games: at California, Oregon, at Arizona State and at USC.

Is it far-fetched to imagine the Wildcats running that gauntlet unscathed? Absolutely. But not impossible.

Arizona whipped Cal 42-27 last year. It's won two of three from Oregon. It beat the rival Sun Devils 31-10 last year. USC only beat the Wildcats 17-10 in 2008, and these Trojans don't appear as salty as those.

Moreover, the Wildcats have reached this point -- on the cusp of consecutive bowl berths for the first time since 1997-98 -- despite major injury issues.

They lost their best player, tight end Rob Gronkowski, before the season began with a back injury. They've played their last four games without their best pass-rusher, end Brooks Reed. Two of their top three running backs, starter Nic Grigsby and No. 3 Greg Nwoko, likely will miss the Washington State game with shoulder injuries, while No. 2 Keola Antolin is still nursing a sprained ankle. The offensive line has been down one or two starters much of the season.

Said Stoops, "I think our best football is still in front of us. It's going to need to be."

The good news is that Reed appears set to play Saturday, and Nelson believes the return of one of the best ends in the Pac-10 will have a big impact for a unit that has struggled to consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks.

"It will help a whole lot," Nelson said. "Brooks' intensity on the field, the way he plays and carries himself, you'll see a big change in the defense. D'Aundre Reed has stepped in and done a good job, but there's no substitution for Brooks on the field. He plays reckless, hard. He's fast every play, trying to cause a turnover. Once we get him back, things will be a whole lot different. There will be more pressure, which will make it easier on the back end for us."

Speaking of back ends: Nelson has no problem talking about the rigorous back end of the schedule and what it's going to take to win-out. That doesn't, however, mean he's overlooking Washington State.

"Regardless of their record, they are still a Pac-10 team," he said. "Every week is a challenge."

But if Arizona is up to that challenge from now until Dec. 5 at USC, it may accomplish something it's never done before.

What is earn a Rose Bowl berth?

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

USC tailback Allen Bradford, Arizona safety Cam Nelson and Trojans punt returner Damian Williams are the Pac-10 players of the week.

Bradford and Williams played key roles in USC’s 42-36 win over Oregon State. Bradford rushed 15 times for a career-high 147 yards (9.8 yards per carry) and two touchdowns. He led the Trojan ground attack that rushed for 227 yards.

Williams returned a punt 63-yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, which proved to be the winning score. He also had six receptions for 58 yards to account for 126 all-purpose yards. He currently leads the Pac-10 in punt returns with an 18.0-yard average. It marks the second special teams player of the week award for Williams this season.

Nelson keyed the defense in the Wildcats’ 27-13 win over UCLA. He recorded six tackles, all solo, including two quarterback sacks (-11). He also forced two fumbles, with both of them setting up Arizona touchdowns. The Wildcat defense limited UCLA to no offensive touchdowns, 10 first downs, 211 yards total offense (65 rushing, 146 passing) and just 2-of-15 on third-down conversion attempts.

Also nominated for offensive player of the week honors were running backs Jahvid Best of California and Toby Gerhart of Stanford, wide receiver Juron Criner of Arizona, tight end David Paulson of Oregon and quarterback Sean Canfield of Oregon State. Also nominated on defense were linemen Will Tukuafu of Oregon and Cameron Jordan of California Also nominated for special teams play were return man Jeremy Ross of California, punter Jeff Locke of UCLA and Rory Cavaille.

	AP Photos
	Washington quarterback Jake Locker and Arizona's quarterback Nick Foles are both looking to make statements this Saturday.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Washington, like many teams, has a "24-hour rule," which means every victory or defeat is left in the past as the team turns its entire focus onto the next opponent.

Ah, but sometimes rules are made to be broken, just as Huskies quarterback Jake Locker refused to talk to reporters after the controversial 37-30 overtime defeat at Notre Dame for the first time in his career.

"I didn't feel like I was in the best emotional state to answer questions," Locker said.

Locker wasn't so much sad. Think of a stronger word for angry and then apply it. Locker and the Huskies were unhappy with the officiating. And they were unhappy about blowing myriad opportunities to take control of the game.

"Jake was stressed out," running back Chris Polk said. "He didn't say anything to anybody. It really took a toll on him. But he's OK now."

He needs to be. The Arizona team coming to Husky Stadium on Saturday is better than the Fighting Irish, particularly on defense.

And this game has some heft to it. The Huskies have lost two in a row since upsetting USC and are facing the prospect of 2009 becoming a close-but-no-cigar season.

Arizona, which is coming off a bye week, can make a statement against the Huskies in the Pac-10 race that might earn the Wildcats a national ranking.

Wildcats safety Cam Nelson wouldn't say the Huskies got jobbed by the officials at Notre Dame, but his admiration for Locker is clear -- and not just because of how quickly Locker became an adept passer after many had pigeonholed him as a running back playing quarterback.

"Funny story: My sophomore year I knocked myself out of the game hitting Jake," Nelson said. "I was kind of looking forward to a rematch with him."

He's more likely to face it in pass coverage. Locker, once a 235-pound bull of a runner, is presently the conference's leading passer with 257 yards per game. His seven touchdown passes is tied for the conference lead. Meanwhile, he's only rushed for 107 yards.

"I think he's as good a player as there is in college football," Arizona coach Mike Stoops said.

Stoops and Nelson also are happy with their quarterback, Nick Foles, who made an impressive debut at Oregon State in the Wildcats 37-32 victory. Foles leads the conference in passing efficiency and has hurled five touchdown passes with no interceptions.

Nelson said the poise Foles showed making his first start in a hostile environment didn't surprise him.

"We knew he was going to make good passes and smart decisions," Nelson said. "It was just everyone else who didn't know about Nick who doubted him."

Foles' giving the Wildcats a passing attack they didn't have in the first three games will take pressure off Nelson and the defense and should bolster an already strong running game. The bye week also appears to have helped the offense, which should get back running backs Nic Grigsby (shoulder) and Keola Antolin (ankle) as well as two starting offensive linemen who are recovering from concussions.

Foles will face a test at rejuvenated -- read: loud -- Husky Stadium, which can make things tough on a young quarterback. Nelson and the Wildcats defense also will face a Washington offense that has picked up its rushing attack with Polk now ranking sixth in the conference with 90 yards per game.

Polk has two touchdowns this year. Check that. His second TD was overruled in the replay booth at Notre Dame.

While their fans are still grumbling -- and not without justification -- the Huskies need to get over their experience at Notre Dame.

"We're over it," Polk said. "We know we should have won and they know we should have won. I'm at peace with it. Everyone in the nation knows and we know and they know. But there's nothing we can do."

Other than look ahead to a matchup in Husky Stadium that could have significant ramifications in the Pac-10 race.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller
The Pac-10 is solid at safety -- it's not all about Taylor Mays either.

In fact, the stockpile in the secondary likely will make choosing an All-Pac-10 team a big challenge.

1. USC: It doesn't matter if Josh Pinkard stays at safety or moves to corner: The Trojans are stacked here, starting with Mays, a two-time All-American. Will Harris is hardly a stop-gap if he steps in for Pinkard, and there's good depth.
2. California: While the Bears lack the Trojans' star quality, they are experienced, productive and deep with Marcus Ezeff and Brett Johnson leading the charge.
3. Arizona: Cam Nelson is an all-conference-type player, while Robert Golden is an all-conference-type talent who is transitioning from cornerback.
4. Oregon: T.J. Ward is one of the conference's premier hitters. He figures to become a complete player this fall. Javes Lewis won the competition at rover to replace Patrick Chung.
5. Stanford: Bo McNally is a reliable veteran and Delano Howell, albeit green as the former running back switches to defense, will improve the Cardinal's athleticism.
6. UCLA: Sophomore Rahim Moore looks like a budding star. Tony Dye leads the battle at strong safety over fellow sophomore Glenn Love.
7. Oregon State: Junior Suaesi Tuimaunei will replace Al Afalava at strong safety and Lance Mitchell will set in for Greg Laybourn at free. While they lack experience -- Tuimaunei started twice in 2008 -- they are more athletic than their predecessors.
8. Arizona State: Perhaps it's a sign of the Sun Devils' depth that expected starters Clint Floyd and Ryan McFoy are listed second-team on the depth chart behind Jarrell Holman and Keelan Johnson. Coach Dennis Erickson said Monday he hasn't decided who will start. This gives us pause, though there's no lack of athletic ability here.
9. Washington State: The Cougars probably feel pretty good about Xavier Hicks and Chima Nwachukwu, a solid pair of returning starters.
10. Washington: Nate Williams is a solid strong safety and redshirt freshman Greg Walker has flashed ability at free, but the Huskies have a long way to go in the secondary.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

While Arizona's opener against Central Michigan isn't the marquee game of the week, it might be called the sneaky-interesting game of the week.

That's because it matches Chippewas star Dan LeFevour, one of the nation's top quarterbacks, against the Wildcats' no-name defense.

	Dale Zanine
	Dan LeFevour has already passed for over 9,400 yards in his career.

LeFevour, a senior leading a spread-option offense for a third consecutive season, piled up 3,376 yards of total offense last year and accounted for 27 touchdowns. He's a potent threat both running (592 yards) and passing (2,784 yards). Think Jake Locker but as a more refined passer.

"Dan's a great player," Arizona coach Mike Stoops said. "He deserves all those accolades. He's one of the best we'll see all year at the position."

Speaking of accolades, at what point does Arizona's defense start to get some?

Arizona welcomes back seven starters from a unit that ranked third in the Pac-10 in both scoring (21.3 points per game) and total defense (313 yards per game), and when you talk to different coaches across the conference, there is widespread admiration for the soundness of the Wildcats' scheme.

"They have had a really disciplined scheme for years," USC coach Pete Carroll said before playing Arizona last year. "They are basically a zone team and they mix their pressures nicely. A lot of zone pressure, not too much man to man pressure, but they just have a real good sense of playing zones and they fill up the field and make it look like the field is too small. There's not a lot of spaces and they break up the ball well and they position and anticipate beautifully. They are going to keep you in front of them. They are not going to give you any big plays which is a good idea in this conference. They are real disciplined at it. So they show real consistency and when their playmakers start to grow up in their system like they have had in the past, they are able to make a lot of things happen."

Carroll can BS with the best of them, but that is clearly a thoughtful, respectful answer.

And guess what? Those playmakers are growing into their system, which means it might not be a no-name defense for long. Defensive end Brooks Reed, safety Cam Nelson, cornerback Devin Ross, strong safety Robert Golden, defensive tackle Earl Mitchell and linebacker Vuna Tuihalamaka each could become all-conference-type players.

But coordinator Mark Stoops isn't eager to celebrate individuals.

"We're not overwhelming at any one position, but we have good players across the board. We're pretty solid," he said. "But if you don't play within the system, for each other, with your hair on fire, you're very average. I don't care if you're Miami, Oklahoma or USC."

Mark Stoops made the point that the only time the defense got blown up in 2008 was the first half against Oregon when the Ducks scored 45 points.

"It was embarrassing," he said. "That was the only time last year that was pure frustration."

Number of Arizona adjustments at halftime? Zero. It was merely a case of reminding players to take care of their technique and responsibilities within the scheme.

After the break, Oregon scored only 10 points, and the Wildcats nearly came back from a 28-point halftime deficit before falling 55-45.

Central Michigan, which is breaking in three new starting offensive lineman, won't likely be able to run the ball consistently. LeFevour has two good receivers in Antonio Brown and Bryan Anderson, so this likely will be a strength-on-strength matchup with the secondary, with LeFevour's scrambles also challenging the Wildcats.

The Chippewas are favored to win their third MAC title over the past four seasons, and LeFevour is looking to make a national statement.

This is far from a gimme for the Wildcats, who have blown nonconference games against inferior foes the past two seasons.

"They're not going to be awestruck by the environment," Mike Stoops said.