ESPN College Football

2011 overall record: 6-7

2011 conference record: 4-5 (T 3rd, South)

Returning starters

Offense: 4; defense: 7; kicker/punter: 2

Top returners

RB Cameron Marshall, OT Evan Finkenberg, WR Jamal Miles, LB Brandon Magee, DT Will Sutton

Key Losses

QB Brock Osweiler, WR Gerell Robinson, WR Aaron Pflugrad, C Garth Gerhart, LB Vontaze Burfict, LB Colin Parker, S Clint Floyd

2011 statistical leaders (*returner)
Rushing: Cameron Marshall* (1,050 yards)
Passing: Brock Osweiler (4,036 yards)
Receiving: Gerell Robinson (1,397 yards)
Tackles: Colin Parker (75)
Sacks: Vontaze Burfict (5)
Interceptions: Clint Floyd (4)

Spring answers

1. He's selling, you buying? New head coach Todd Graham describes himself as an "old school" guy, meaning no swearing, no jewelry, yes sir, no sir ... that kind of stuff. His practices are intense, as is the fast-paced offense he's installing. Players talked about being a little shell-shocked by how he does things and the discipline he demands. But so far, they seem to have taken to it.

2. Oh, line: Once thought to be a concern for the Sun Devils after losing three offensive linemen from last year's squad, Graham has gone out of his way to note how good the unit looks. They are set at left tackle with Evan Finkenberg, a two-year starter, but he's versatile enough to play anywhere on the line. Andrew Sampson has 20 consecutive starts. Jamil Douglas, Kody Koebensky and Brice Schwab should fill out the line.

3. Back attack: The Sun Devils have something special in running back Cameron Marshall, who should flourish with Graham's downhill running offense. Behind him is a deep, talented group, but little is known about the pecking order. Kyle Middlebrooks, James Morrison, Deantre Lewis, Marion Grice and incoming freshman D.J. Foster all figure to play some sort of role. Worth keeping an eye on Marshall's surgically repaired foot as well. He's expected to be 100 percent by fall. While this might be ASU's deepest group, there is still some uncertainty to how it will all look in Week 1.

Fall questions

1. QB question mark: Graham hinted that the coaching staff is closer to a decision on their quarterback than they are probably letting on publicly. Still, the public at large is no closer to knowing whether it will be Mike Bercovici, Michael Eubank or Taylor Kelly running the show. Each has their own unique skill sets, but fans are calling for Eubank, who many have dubbed a Cam Newton replica.

2. Magee back? The return of linebacker Brandon Magee, who was limited in spring as he continues to recover from a torn Achilles that kept him out of 2011, would be a monumentally huge step in the right direction for the Sun Devils. And for Graham. Magee is not only a talented linebacker, he's a locker room guy who commands the respect of his teammates. They'll usually step in line with him. And if he's good to go, it would be a big step for the Sun Devils on and off the field.

3. New offense, new(er) receivers: Jamal Miles returns as the second-leading receiver (60 catches) and is a dynamic player, but there isn't a ton of experience at the position as the Sun Devils said goodbye to five scholarship receivers. Projected starters Rashad Ross and Kevin Ozier combined for just 29 catches between them last season. J.J. Holliday, A.J. Pickens and Kevin Anderson all figure to be in the mix as well. Plus there are more coming with the recruiting class and their impact remains to be seen.

Recognition is so important for an offense. Think Andrew Luck -- or Peyton Manning -- wildly gesticulating at the line of scrimmage.

Or, for that matter, Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas doing the same thing.

That was something that stuck with me after I chatted with Oregon sophomore center Hroniss Grasu a couple of weeks ago. We were talking about how he improved at making line calls during the 2011 season, but he went out of his way to note how good Thomas was at helping out, at identifying last-second changes a defense made that perhaps hinted at its ill intentions.

The point: Centers and quarterbacks are the brains of an offense. The center typically makes the calls at the line of scrimmage that make sure everyone is accounted for. And quarterbacks communicate to both the skill players and the line about checks and audibles.

The QB and center work in tandem. They need to be in sync. And having smart, experienced signal-callers and centers is a big deal for an offense. It means an offense can go to the line with more options, and it can check into the right option more often than not. That breeds confidence, both among players and with their coaches.

So which Pac-12 teams are experienced at QB and center? Who has both back, one back or neither?

Thanks for asking.

Arizona: Center
Skinny: While Nick Foles was the Wildcats' quarterback last year, Matt Scott has started five games, so the offense is not in inexperienced hands. Senior center Kyle Quinn did a solid job in 2011, earning honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors. On the downside, the Wildcats are installing a new offense with coach Rich Rodriguez, so past experience isn't as helpful.

Arizona State: Neither
Skinny: QB Brock Osweiler is gone as is center Garth Gerhart. Kody Koebensky likely takes over at center, while the quarterback competition continues to be wide-open. Of course, the Sun Devils are installing a new offense under new coach Todd Graham, so being green isn't as much of an issue.

California: Both
Skinny: QB Zach Maynard should be much more in control as a second-year starter. While center Dominic Galas is back, he's sitting out spring due to a shoulder injury, and it appears he will switch over to guard. Galas, some of you Bears fans might recall, did have some issues with shotgun snaps last year. Chris Adcock or Mark Brazinski could end up winning the job.

Colorado: Center
Skinny: Tyler Hansen is almost certainly going to be replaced at quarterback by Texas transfer Connor Wood, a sophomore with no game experience. It should help Wood, however, to have junior Gus Handler back making the line calls. Daniel Munyer, who's slated to start at guard, also has starting experience at center.

Oregon: Center
Skinny: Center Grasu's first start as a redshirt freshman was against LSU's beastly defensive front. That was a baptism by fire, but he consistently improved throughout the season. QB Bryan Bennett has some experience, including one start, but he will be challenged this spring by redshirt freshman Marcus Mariota.

Oregon State: QB
Skinny: Sean Mannion is back at QB, but center Grant Johnson is gone. The frontrunner to win that job is sophomore Roman Sapolu. The Beavers have injury issues on the line this spring, and that likely will slow down the unit's -- and Sapolu's -- development.

Stanford: Center
Skinny: You might have heard that Andrew Luck is gone. Brett Nottingham and Josh Nunes look like the favorites to replace him, but neither has significant experience. Senior Sam Schwartzstein did a fine job stepping into Chase Beeler's shoes in 2011, but life was, naturally, easier with Luck at QB. More will fall on Schwartzstein in 2012.

UCLA: QB
Skinny: The Bruins have two quarterbacks with significant starting experience back: Kevin Prince and Richard Brehaut. But redshirt freshman Brett Hundley might end up winning the job. All three are learning a new offense this spring under new coach Jim Mora and offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone. Sophomore Jacob Brendel -- or perhaps junior Greg Capella, who mostly started at guard last year -- are the frontrunners to replace Kai Maiava at center.

USC: Both
Skinny: You've maybe heard of Trojans QB Matt Barkley and his receivers, Robert Woods/Marqise Lee, being the best pass-catch trio in the nation. Well, Barkley and senior center Khaled Holmes are the perhaps the best QB-center combination in the nation. Holmes was second-team All-Pac-12 in 2011, and he's probably the best center in the conference.

Utah: Both
Skinny: Junior Jordan Wynn, a three-year starter, only needs to stay healthy for the Utes to get at least solid QB play. Center Tevita Stevens is solid, but he will be breaking in a pair of new OTs.

Washington: Both
Skinny: Junior QB Keith Price was a revelation last year as a first-year starter, far eclipsing the production of his celebrated predecessor, Jake Locker. Senior center Drew Schaefer is a 30-game starter. So this is a strong combo for the Huskies.

Washington State: Both
Skinny: Jeff Tuel feels like a decided frontrunner to retain his starting job at QB, while junior Matt Goetz returns at center. A junior-college transfer in 2011, he started the final nine games of 2011. A year of seasoning -- and in the weight room -- should help Goetz in 2012.

Happy Tuesday.

• Arizona lands Trey Griffey, son of Ken Griffey Jr.
• ASU's offensive lineman Garth Gerhart will miss the Senior Bowl with a finger injury.
• A look at what to expect from Cal's wide receivers under Wes Chandler.
• Colorado going heavy on the defensive linemen in this recruiting class.
• OSU's Brandon Hardin enjoyed his time at the East-West Shrine Game, plus some recruiting news.
• In case you missed this one over the weekend, Oregon commit Jeremy Castro flipped to UCLA.
• Heralded offensive line recruit Josh Garnett will choose between Stanford and Michigan on Thursday.
• Some late Monday night updates from Bob Condotta.
• Utah gets a commit from Southern California tight end.
• USC's football team getting plenty of fan support -- but what about the rest of the programs?

Ten Pac-12 players have been invited to the Senior Bowl, the premier postseason star game, but there's also an interesting sidenote for Washington fans.

Huskies running back Chris Polk is one of the invitees. It turns out that Polk's announcement that he would bypass his senior season and enter the draft was purely academic: Polk is actually a senior.

From the Senior Bowl press release:

Polk was extended a Senior Bowl invite after it was determined that he had exhausted his eligibility at Washington. Despite being listed as a junior, he never applied for a medical redshirt his freshman year (2008) and thus had no more eligibility remaining.

“We made sure that we followed proper protocol before we invited Chris and that entailed getting everything cleared through the NFL and Coach Sarkisian at the University of Washington,” Senior Bowl President and CEO Steve Hale said. “Once it was determined that Chris had exhausted his eligibility at Washington there was no question we wanted him on our roster. He is an excellent player and has a bright future in the National Football League.”

The 10 Pac-12 selections come from five different schools, with Washington leading the way with three.

Arizona: Juron Criner, WR; Nick Foles, QB
Arizona State: Garth Gerhart, OL; Gerell Robinson, WR
California: Mychal Kendricks, LB; Mitchell Schwartz, OL
Utah: Tony Bergstrom, OL;
Washington: Senio Kelemete, OL; Chris Polk, RB; Alameda Ta’amu, DL

The 63rd Senior Bowl is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Jan. 28 in Mobile’s Ladd-Peebles Stadium. The game and all practices will be televised live by NFL Network.

All 10 invitees were named to All-Pac-12 squads, including four first-team selections. It’s a group that includes the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year (Kendricks) and the conference’s leading passer (Foles) and receiver (Robinson).

Here's the rest of the release:

Kelemete (pronounced KEL-uh-MET-tay) started every game at left tackle for the Huskies this season, earning second-team All-Pac-12 honors in the process. He anchored an offensive line that helped pave the way for fellow Senior Bowl invitee Chris Polk to rush for more than 1,000 yards each of the last three seasons. A converted defensive lineman, Kelemete made 37 starts on offense and four on defense over the course of his career.

Polk was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection at running back this season after posting his third straight 1,000-yard rushing season. He totaled 1,488 yards on the ground in 2011, ranking third in the Pac-12 and 16th in the nation. That total was the second-highest single-season output in school history. He also scored 12 touchdowns and averaged 114.5 yards per game. He added two receiving touchdowns for a total of 16 scores on the year, fifth-most in school history for a single-season.

Polk ranks second on UW’s all-time rushing list with 4,049 yards and is only one of seven players in Pac-12 history to break the 4,000-yard mark. His 799 career carries are a school record and he’s tied for eighth in career rushing touchdowns with 26. He also holds the UW mark for most career 100-yard rushing games (21) and is one of only two Huskies to rush for more than 1,000-yards in three different seasons.

Ta’amu (pronounced tah-AH-moo) was an Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 selection for the Huskies from his defensive tackle spot this season. He recorded 30 total tackles, including eight tackles for loss and four sacks. For his career, Ta’amu made 42 starts, totaling 109 tackles, including 19 tackles for loss and nine sacks.

Juron Criner was an Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 selection this season after catching 75 passes for 956 yards and 11 touchdowns in eleven games for the Wildcats. He ranked sixth in the conference with 86.91 receiving yards per game and was eighth in total receiving yards. He had five 100-yard receiving yard games on the year and three games in which he had multiple touchdowns.

Criner is Arizona’s career record holder with 32 receiving touchdowns and is number four all-time in career receptions (209) and receiving yards (2,859). He posted 11 career 100-yard receiving games and five games with ten or more catches.

Garth Gerhart was a second-team All-Pac-12 honoree after starting all 13 games for the Sun Devils in 2011. The center was part of a unit that ranked third in the conference this year in passing offense, averaging 316.7 yards per game. He played in 39 career games at ASU, making 35 starts and is the brother of former Heisman Trophy finalist Toby Gerhart, who currently plays for the Minnesota Vikings.

Gerhart’s teammate, Gerell Robinson was an Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 selection in 2011 after posting the second-highest single-season total for receiving yards in school history. The wide out finished with 1,397 yards—tops in the conference—and totaled six 100-yard receiving games and seven touchdowns. He also set a school record for receiving yards per game (107.5) and his 77 receptions were third-most in ASU history. He closed out his career with a huge game in the Las Vegas Bowl, totaling 13 catches for 241 receiving yards.

A three-year starter for the Sun Devils, Robinson finished his career with 135 receptions for 2,071 yards and 12 touchdowns. He played in 47 career games, making 25 starts.

Cal linebacker Mychal Kendricks was named the Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year in the Pac-12 and was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection after leading the Bears with a career-high 106 tackles and 14.5 tackles for loss. Those totals ranked fifth and third respectively in the Pac-12 this season. He also had two interceptions, three sacks and two pass breakups on the year. A three-year starter for the Bears, Kendricks played in all 51 games possible during his career with 29 starts. He made 258 tackles, including 36.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks. He added seven fumble recoveries, four interceptions, five pass breakups and a forced fumble.

Mitchell Schwartz was a first-team All-Pac-12 pick in 2011 after starting all 13 games at left tackle for the Bears. He was a key member of an offensive line that helped pave the way for Isi Sofele to rack up 1,000-yards rushing this year. He started all 51 games possible during his career, including 35 at left tackle and 16 at right tackle.

Utah offensive lineman Tony Bergstrom was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection this season after leading the Utes with an 85% overall grade on his blocking assignments. The right tackle ‘won’ 546 of 639 assignments in 2011, starting all 12 games in which he played. A Salt Lake City native, Bergstrom made 38 career starts for the Utes, appearing in 48 overall.

Former Arizona QB Nick Foles will be receiving snaps from a Sun Devil at the Senior Bowl on Jan. 28 in Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala.

Foles was named one of three QBs for the South squad, along with Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden and San Diego State’s Ryan Lindley.

The Senior Bowl, the nation's premier college all-star game, also selected former Arizona State center Garth Gerhart.

“I think we’ve identified three solid quarterback prospects in Brandon Weeden, Nick Foles and Ryan Lindley,” Senior Bowl President and CEO Steve Hale said in a statement. “All three guys are 6’4” and above and all possess tremendous arm strength and the leadership abilities that NFL clubs are looking for. We’re excited about bringing them here to the Senior Bowl to compete at the highest level.”

More from the press release:

Foles was an Honorable Mention All-Pac 12 selection in 2011 after throwing for a single-season school record 4,334 yards and 28 touchdowns for the Wildcats. The three-year starter also broke the Arizona record for attempts (560) and completions (387) this season and finished the year with a 69.1% completion percentage. He ranked in the top five in most major passing categories, including completions per game (32.3—2nd), passing yards per game (361.2—3rd), total offense per game (352.6—4th) and total passing yards (4,334—5th).

“It’s a great honor. It’s something that growing up as a kid you always want to play in an all-star game like the Senior Bowl and I have the privilege to be one of six quarterbacks selected,” Foles said.

Foles leaves Arizona as the Wildcat’s all-time leading passer with 10,011 yards and is tied for the lead on the school’s all-time list with 67 touchdown passes. He also holds the school record for career attempts (1,369), completions (933) and total offense (9,722).

“It’s really exciting. It’s a different game now, it’s not college football and it’s not high school so I’m just going to go out there and get a taste of what the NFL is going to be like—that’s what I’m looking forward to,” Foles added.

Utah fans, please gather. Yes, you, Chicken Little, Henny Penny and, most particularly, you, Utesy Losey.

Your coach, Kyle Whittingham, has a message for you.

"The sky is not falling," he said. "We are 2-2 and have done some good things this season."

Yes, the Utes have lost QB Jordan Wynn for at least two or three weeks. But backup Jon Hays can get it done, says your coach.

"He's the guy," Whittingham said. "He's a hard worker. He's competitive. About 6-feet tall, 195-200 pounds. He's got a strong arm and is a very capable runner. We've got to tweak things a little bit offensively to take advantage of his skill set."

Or as Arizona State coach Dennis Erickson said, "They’re still a good football team."

That reassurance now expressed, yes, there will be a strong sense of urgency inside Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday with the Sun Devils visit.

In the preseason, this looked like a critical matchup in the Pac-12 South Division pecking order. With USC ineligible to play in the Pac-12 championship game due to NCAA sanctions, the Sun Devils and Utes were popular choices as the next two favorites. But the No. 22 Sun Devils rolled to a 4-1 start -- 2-0 in conference play -- while the Utes are 0-2 in the conference.

That means if the Utes lose, their hopes of winning the division are close to nil. So, with Wynn out, the Utes are need Hays, a summer transfer from Nebraska-Omaha, to come up big.

Or at least manage the game and not make a bunch of costly mistakes, as inexperienced QBs often do.

"This is a situation where we find out who we really are and what we're made of, when adversity strikes," Whittingham said.

There is good news for Utah, even on the injury front. Other than Wynn, it's pretty healthy, as OT Tony Bergstrom, the Utes best offensive lineman, and tight ends Kendrick Moeai and Jake Murphy are each expected back after missing the Washington game.

Utah still has a good defense and a good running game. Playing at home, it's perfectly capable of playing conservatively and stealing a victory, which would move it back into the thick of the division race, particularly with no Oregon or Stanford on the schedule (ASU only plays Oregon).

In fact, the Sun Devils are the truly banged up team. The latest injuries hit the offensive line: Two starters, center Garth Gerhart and tackle Evan Finkenberg, are both out.

So while this might seem like a potential walk-over for the Sun Devils, don't be so sure.

"Obviously, if you lose your quarterback, it’ll hurt you a little bit," Erickson said. "They have really good players, though. They’re really physical on defense. They’re a really good defensive football team. To me, going up there is going to be difficult, so we have to find a way to play on the road and win some football games on the road."

Also obvious: The Sun Devils figure to gang up on the run and force Hays to throw. While ASU isn't a blitz-happy team, it's sure to challenge Hays with a few jailbreak stunts to see how he handles the pressure.

On offense, the Sun Devils probably won't get too fancy. Run the ball with Cameron Marshall, though his ankle is still bothering him, and use a controlled passing game. They don't want to put pressure on the two new offensive linemen in pass protection. They want to protect the ball, win field position and try to get a few easy scores on a short field.

Still, as bad as the injuries have been for Arizona State, Utah losing Wynn appears to be a huge hit. Perhaps Hays will write his own Cinderella story, but the reality of Pac-12 play also might be setting in for the Utes. Namely: You've got to have depth, and things are particularly grim if you don't have depth at QB.

"There is little margin for error in this conference," Whittingham said. "We knew it would be competitive, and every week is going to be like this. I don't know if people thought we would walk through it, but that's not reality. Our recruiting classes continue to build our roster, but it's a process."

And the process at present means the Utes are forced to rely on a QB who a year ago never expected to play in an FBS, much less a Pac-12, game.

It is very painful for me to be forced to speak the truth. It is the first time in my life that I have ever been reduced to such a painful position, and I am really quite inexperienced in doing anything of the kind.

• The hits keep coming for Arizona's defense: Defensive tackle Justin Washington is out. But the Wildcats are favorites this weekend.
• Arizona State center Garth Gerhart is questionable for the Utah game and other notes.
• A loss is a loss but California has suffered too many blowout versions in recent years. Grading Cal's bye week.
• Colorado senior Tyler Ahles is doing his own version of an Owen Marecic.
• Oregon wants to avoid an offensive repeat of the 2010 Cal game. New jerseys for Thursday's game? Whatever happened to LeGarrette Blount?
• Oregon State and Arizona figure to throw a lot, and that means a long game.
• Grading Stanford's game with UCLA. Linebacker Shayne Skov's replacements passed their first test.
• Rick Neuheisel believes UCLA is close to a turnaround. An injury report.
• What's the upside with USC wideout Robert Woods? The Trojans need linebacker Lamar Dawson to get healthy.
• Utah now turns to quarterback Jordan Wynn's backup, Jon Hays.
• The bye came at a good time for Washington.
• Quarterback Marshall Lobbestael will start again for Washington State at UCLA, but Jeff Tuel could play.

The 43-man Rimington Trophy's watch list includes three Pac-12 centers.

Those players are:

Garth Gerhart, Arizona State
Grant Johnson, Oregon State
Kai Maiava, UCLA

It's notable that Gerhart is the only returning starter at center. Johnson played guard for the Beavers last season, and Maiava missed last season with an ankle injury.

Mel Kiper has made two lists of top NFL prospects by positions: top seniors and and top juniors (or draft-eligible sophomores).

As for the Pac-12 prospects on his lists, it appears the conference is stronger among juniors than seniors. Of course, a lot of early-round talents don't last until their senior seasons. And the offensive talent far eclipses the defensive talent.

Here's where Pac-12 seniors rank among his top five seniors by position. (Note the lack of highly rated defensive players.)

Quarterback
No. 3 Nick Foles, Arizona

Kiper comment: "Is Foles more of a physical prototype than a QB?"

Receiver
No. 4 Juron Criner, Arizona
No. 5 Chris Owusu, Stanford

Tight end
No. 3 David Paulson, Oregon
No. 4 Coby Fleener, Stanford

Offensive guard
No. 2 Ryan Miller, Colorado

Kiper comment: Miller could be the second top-OL guy from Colorado in as many years, following Nate Solder.

Center
No. 4 Garth Gerhart, Arizona State

Safeties
No. 5 Lance Mitchell, Oregon State

Punter
No. 1 Bryan Anger, California

And here's Kiper's take on Pac-12 juniors (and draft eligible sophomores).

Quarterback
No. 1 Andrew Luck, Stanford
No. 2 Matt Barkley, USC

Kiper comment: Amazing that, in terms of eligibility, Luck is still a junior. He'll command the most attention, for sure. Even with a new coach, he will be a front-runner for No. 1 in the 2012 NFL draft from August onward. Barkley has had two solid seasons at USC -- and this while thrown into a pretty tough situation.

Running back
No. 3 LaMichael James, Oregon

Fullback
No. 5 Taimi Tutogi, Arizona

Offensive tackle
No. 1 Matt Kalil, USC
No. 2 Jonathan Martin, Stanford

Kiper comment: Kalil has been a guy pro scouts have known since he arrived at Southern Cal. He has the bloodlines, the frame and the footwork to be a future left tackle in the NFL. Nobody will be under a bigger spotlight at the position this year than Martin, who protects the blind side of Andrew Luck.

Offensive guard
No. 1 David DeCastro, Stanford

Kiper comment: Stanford has a wealth of talent on the offensive line, and the departure of Jim Harbaugh shouldn't diminish what they're able to accomplish. When it comes to the running game, watch DeCastro, who will maul on the interior.

Linebacker
No. 1 Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State

Kiper comment: There are some scary hitters on this list, starting with Burfict, who was most productive against ASU's toughest competition last season. The guy was a force, quite literally, the moment he stepped on campus. Imagine if he'd stayed with USC.

Outside linebacker
No. 2 Chase Thomas, Stanford

Cornerback
No. 2 Cliff Harris, Oregon

Safety
No. 4 T.J. McDonald, USC

Punter
No. 1 Jeff Locke, UCLA

No Pac-12 offensive line is going to scare you heading into 2011. Even Arizona State, which welcomes back its entire 2010 depth chart, doesn't look like a dominant unit.

So there is no Washington in 2000, California in 2004, USC in 2005 or Stanford in 2010. Just about every team has at least some concerns up front.

So how to things stack up? Read on.

Great shape

Arizona State: 11 of 12 from the 2010 two-deep are back, including center Garth Gerhart and tackle Evan Finkenberg. The Sun Devils line was not dominating in 2010, so this unit is not a sure-thing. But it's reasonable to project a solid unit becoming a very good one in 2011.

Good shape

Colorado: Sure, tackle Nate Solder is gone, and center Mike Iltis decided to give up football, but three quality starters are back and several others have experience. Ryan Miller and Ethan Adkins might be the best guard tandem in the Pac-12.

Stanford: The Cardinal lost three starters, but the two coming back are first-team All-Pac-10 guys from 2010 and All-American candidates this fall: tackle Jonathan Martin and guard David DeCastro. The new guys played well this spring. It's possible this line will again be very good, but three new starters is three new starters.

Utah: The Utes welcome back three starters, including both tackles, from a line that was solid in 2010. Tony Bergstrom and John Cullen will be one of the better tackle combinations in the conference, and Tevita Stevens, who played guard last year, provides experience at center.

California: The Bears were uncharacteristically mediocre last year, but they probably weren't as bad as some think, seeing that they didn't have a passing threat to keep defenses honest after QB Kevin Riley got hurt. Three starters are back -- tackle Mitchell Schwartz was second-team All-Pac-10 last year -- and a number of other players have experience.

Oregon: While the Ducks officially lost three starters, tackle Darrion Weems started enough games in 2010 to count as a returning starter. Tackle Mark Asper and guard Carson York are solid, but there are questions after that. The line struggled this spring -- perhaps the D-line is just good? -- and former walkon Ramsen Golpashin was able to hold onto a starting spot. It's nice when a walk-on does well but it does cast the scholarship players in a questionable light.

Washington: Three starters are back and there's optimism the Huskies struggling line is ready to take a step forward. The run blocking was much better over the second half of the season. Still, none of the three returning starters even earned honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors in 2010.

Oregon State: Four starters are back but that might not be good news considering how mediocre-to-bad the line play was in 2010. Still, the Beavers have, traditionally, found a way to get it done up front. Perhaps 2010 was just a blip.

We'll see

UCLA: If healthy, the Bruins could be solid on the O-line, but that's a big if. The unit struggled during spring practices due to injuries, which exposed a lack of depth. It's uncertain when tackle Jeff Baca will be back from a broken ankle and he may be the Bruins best lineman. Center Kai Maiava and guard/tackle Sean Sheller are expected to be OK in the fall, but will they stay that way?

Washington State: The Cougars welcome back three starters and should be better in 2011 due to young players getting experience last fall. But you have to wait-and-see with a unit that gave up 51 sacks a year ago.

USC: The Trojans lost three starters from a line that mostly underachieved in 2010. They have two good starters back -- tackle Matt Kalil and guard Khaled Holmes -- but things are wide-open after that. And the struggles this spring, due in large part to injuries, revealed a worrisome lack of depth.

Arizona: There was plenty of optimism in Tucson that the Wildcats will be fine on the O-line, that losing five starters from a unit that underachieved isn't that big of a deal. But replacing five starters means a team has no idea what things will look like when the lights come on for real. So we'll see.

Arizona State will feature 10 players next fall who will have already graduated, the school announced Monday.

It would have 11, but quarterback Steven Threet was forced to retire because of concussions. Most of the 10 are either starters or significant contributors, including three starters on the offensive line.

The players are:

Derrall Anderson
Omar Bolden
Jonathan Clark
Garth Gerhart
Dan Knapp
Mike Marcisz
Trent Marsh
Colin Parker
Aaron Pflugrad
Adam Tello

The 2011 NFL draft is over, which means it's time to look at who the Pac-12's top senior prospects in 2012 likely will be.

First of all, plenty of top non-seniors from the conference might -- or are likely to -- enter the draft, including Stanford QB Andrew Luck, Oregon RB LaMichael James, Arizona State LB Vontaze Burfict and USC QB Matt Barkley. Those four range from sure to likely first-round draft picks.

But this list includes only players in their final year of eligibility. And some might rate a bit of a reach as NFL prospects.

Arizona: QB Nick Foles, WR Juron Criner, CB Trevin Wade

Arizona State: CB Omar Bolden, DE James Brooks, C Garth Gerhart

California: S Sean Cattouse, TE Anthony Miller, LB Mychal Kendricks, LB D.J. Holt, OT Mitchell Schwartz, P Bryan Anger

Colorado: OG Ryan Miller, RB Rodney Stewart, DT Conrad Obi, TE Ryan Deehan

Oregon: TE David Paulson, SS Eddie Pleasant, OT Mark Asper, LB Josh Kaddu

Oregon State: S Lance Mitchell, WR James Rodgers, FB-TE Joe Halahuni

Stanford: WR Chris Owusu, TE Coby Fleenor, S Delano Howell

UCLA: S Tony Dye, FB Derrick Coleman, TE Cory Harkey

USC: LB Chris Galippo, DE Armond Armstead, TE Rhett Ellison, RB Marc Tyler

Utah: OT Tony Bergstrom, LB Chaz Walker, OT John Cullen

Washington: DT Alameda Ta'amu, WR Jermaine Kearse, OT Senio Kelemete, K Erik Folk

Washington State: DT Brandon Rankin, OG B.J. Guerra, WR Jared Karstetter

TEMPE, Ariz. -- A great man once sagely noted, "It is better to look good than to feel good." But Arizona State hopes to look good, feel good and play, er, well in its new uniforms.

The Sun Devils, the favorites in the Pac-12 South Division in 2011, unveiled their new uniforms and pitchfork logo on Tuesday, but a handful of players got a sneak peek last week when they were asked to don the new duds for promotional photos.

That required keeping the new look a secret, which wasn't easy.

"It was real hard," center Garth Gerhart said. "All my buddies, the offensive linemen, are like, 'Show me some pictures!' My brother [Minnesota Vikings running back Toby Gerhart], guys on the Stanford team I know. They all wanted to know."

Added receiver Gerell Robinson: "Students, fans, parents, grandparents -- everybody was trying to figure out the big secret. I'm just happy it's over."

While the all-black combination was popular among their teammates, Robinson and Gerhart both said they favored the black jersey, gold pants combo.

The pitchfork replaces Sparky, which now becomes just the team mascot.

"It's different. I like it," Robinson said. "It's more aggressive. Sparky had a smile on his face."

But does it matter? Some. Image isn't everything, but it touches on the psychology of competition: You might play better if you like the way you look. Still, new uniforms aren't going to win games.

"As far as stepping between the lines, it really doesn't," Robinson said. "All the uniform talk stops once you walk out of the locker room. You've still got to play football."

But what about recruiting?

"If it was about uniforms, I would have gone to Oregon, signed, sealed and delivered," Robinson said. "They had the best ones at that point in time. It will give us an even playing field in recruiting. Everybody wants to see what's new. Nobody wants to be characterized as an older tradition."

A year ago, Arizona State headed into spring practices with lots of questions, and most projected the Sun Devils were bound for the bottom third of the Pac-10. This week, the Sun Devils begin spring practices with few questions and expectations that they should win the first Pac-12 South title.

Expectations do not win football games, but 18 returning starters from a team that went 6-6 and pushed three top-10 teams to the brink -- Wisconsin, Oregon and Stanford -- is a reasonable foundation for optimism.

Of course, there are still issues, starting with quarterback Brock Osweiler asserting himself as the leader of the offense after Steven Threet was forced to retire due to recurrent concussions. Threet is serving as a student assistant this spring.

"I'd love to have Steven, but without having him, I think it kind of identified who our leader is," coach Dennis Erickson said.

Some notes:

Who's out: Arizona Republic writer Doug Haller was at the first practice Tuesday and provided this list of players who were out or limited: "... defensive end Junior Onyeali, receiver Mike Willie, safety Keelan Johnson, safety Eddie Elder, cornerback Deveron Carr, receiver Aaron Pflugrad and running back Deantre Lewis. Linebacker Brandon Magee was with the baseball team and didn't practice."

Haller also provided a depth chart from the first day.

Osweiler then who? With Threet, Osweiler and Samson Szakacsy, the Sun Devils had three quarterbacks with starting experience. Without Threet and Szakacsy, who left the team to pursue other interests, the Sun Devils have a first-team quarterback with two career starts and no experience behind him. Redshirt freshman Taylor Kelly and big-armed true freshman Mike Bercovici are competing for the backup role, which is often a key spot seeing how often starters get hurt and miss action.

O-line competition: If you're looking for a major reason the Sun Devils have high hopes, look no further than the line, which welcomes back, well, just about everybody from the two-deep. This will be a veteran unit led by senior center Garth Gerhart, younger brother of Toby. More than five guys have starting experience, so there may be some mixing and matching and shuffling as players fight for first-unit spots.

DT is the question: Both starting defensive tackles, Lawrence Guy and Saia Falahola, are gone. The ideal rotation would be Corey Adams and Will Sutton starting, with Bo Moos and Toa Tuitea providing depth. But can Adams stay healthy? Sutton was academically ineligible last year, so he's high on talent and low on experience. Developing depth this spring will be critical. And might the Sun Devils use more three-man fronts? Said Erickson, "We're a 4-3 team," while still leaving the option open.

Can Burfict be perfect? Of course, no one can be perfect, but Burfict, a junior linebacker likely spending his final season in Tempe, will play himself into becoming a first-round NFL draft pick in 2012 if he saves all his nutty behavior for between the whistles, not after. He needs to lead in word and deed, which means growing up and acting and playing like a man. The way-early returns this offseason are positive. "I'm trying to get us to a national championship," Burfict told the Republic, "and to do that, I feel like I need to become more of a leader."

Just for kicks? The Sun Devils must replace kicker Thomas Weber and punter Trevor Hankins. Alex Garoutte and Parker Flynn are competing at kicker, with Garoutte the front-runner. JC transfer Josh Hubner is expected to win the punting job. Will the Sun Devils get quality or merely warm bodies here?

Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing;
'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands;
But he that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed.

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• An interesting conversation with Arizona State center Garth Gerhart.
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• A look at Oregon State's recruiting numbers.
• Son of fired 49ers coach not going to Stanford.
• Not to be positive or anything, but UCLA's offensive line now looks pretty solid.
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• The pieces are in place for Norm Chow at Utah. The Utes are finalists for a tall WR.
• Is Bishop Sankey a good fit for Washington?
• What did Washington State AD Bill Moos have to say?
• Lots of Pac-12 names on this list of Heisman Trophy hopefuls.