ESPN College Football

USC receiver Marqise Lee has been named a member of Bruce Feldman's 2012 "Freaks" list, his annual accounting of some of college football's most freakish athletes.

Of Lee, he writes:

Projected by many to play safety for the Trojans, Lee outshined his former high school teammate, five-star WR recruit George Farmer, from the moment both arrived at USC. By the end of the 2011 season, Lee may have even surpassed star Robert Woods. (Lee caught 39 passes for 609 yards and six TDs in USC's final four games of the season.) Lee's athleticism had Lane Kiffin saying the rising sophomore could leave the school as the program's best receiver ever. This spring, the 6-1, 200-pound Lee moonlighted as a long jumper on the USC track team where he had Trojans coaches raving there, too, after leaping 24-4. Lee said he's found that the jumping training has helped hone his body control and anticipation as a receiver, which means he may be ready to take another leap as a football player this fall.

In the original post, I missed Colorado DT Eric Richter. Writes Feldman:

The 6-3, 315-pound Californian only got in action for seven plays last fall for the Buffs, but it's not for a lack of strength. When CU players were tested this offseason on the bench press, Richter banged out 51 reps at 225, 10 more reps than he did a year ago. "He doesn't need a cheerleader, he doesn't need a audience," says CU strength coach Malcolm Blacken, "he just needs a lot of weight on the bar to get motivated. A strength coach's dream -- a real living and breathing Frankenstein!"

Oregon's De'Anthony Thomas and Arizona State's Rashad Ross -- both on the short list of college football's fastest player, along with USC's Farmer -- were named honorable mention.

It has nothing to do with the Pac-12, but his No. 1 guy, SMU's Margus Hunt, has a fascinating backstory.

We know Oregon's De'Anthony Thomas is fast. We saw him in the Rose Bowl go all lickity split through the Wisconsin defense.

But over the weekend he got bested by a Husky and Beaver in the 100 meters in the Oregon Twilight track & field meet at Hayward Field.

And that Beaver, Oregon State's leading receiver Markus Wheaton, showed that the Ducks aren't the only Pac-12 football team with world class speed.

Wheaton finished second at 10.58 and Thomas was third at 10.65. Washington's Ryan Hamilton won at 10.51 (there was a 5.4 meter-per-second tailwind, according to Ken Goe). Beavers running back Malcolm Marable was fifth in section one at 11.12.

Oregon fans might not know this but Markus Wheaton is Kenny Wheaton's cousin. Rumor has it Kenny Wheaton once made a big play for the Ducks, but that moment has become obscure because you never get to see it replayed at Autzen Stadium.

Noted Goe on Thomas' effort: "He started well and led after 60 meters. But then Hamilton and Wheaton both passed him."

And there's this from Oregon State track coach Kelly Sullivan: “Markus did a great job in the 100-meter dash because he got second overall. There is a bit of a rivalry going on between the OSU football guys and the Oregon guys, which was good and it was a personal record for him.”

Here's what I want: Thomas, Wheaton and USC WR George Farmer -- in full pads -- racing 100 yards from goal line to goal line on the Rose Bowl field.

Maybe this can be an event for Pac-12 media day in July? Make it happen, Larry Scott!

Last week we gave you our thoughts on which Pac-12 team had the best specific position group -- taking into account playmakers at the top of the group and overall depth at the position.

Knowing full well he'd catch some grief, Kevin Gemmell still picked the Stanford linebacking corps, citing All-American candidates Chase Thomas and Shayne Skov and a very deep list of players who can fill out the Cardinal 3-4 scheme.

Ted Miller went top heavy, pointing out USC's fantastic wide receiver duo of Robert Woods and Marqise Lee, but also noting that players such as George Farmer, De'Von Flournoy and Victor Blackwell could provide some depth behind those two.

Did we pick the wrong units?

What about Utah's defensive line. The Utes boast the best defensive lineman in the conference in Star Lotulelei and are talented across the line.

What about the Oregon linebacking corps headlined by Michael Clay. They are athletic, deep and talented. Clay and Kiko Alonso are potential all-conference guys in 2012.

ASU has a pretty good stable of running backs. Cameron Marshall has impressed in the spring and James Morrison and a healthy Deantre Lewis make it that much deeper. JC transfer Marion Grice and incoming freshman D.J. Foster add to that depth.

Which team has the best position group?

Our question this week: Who has the best position group in the conference?

Lots of teams have a strength at a certain area -- running back, receiver, linebacker, etc. -- but whose team strength is the strongest?

Our thoughts.

Kevin Gemmell: Anytime you have a four-man position group and half of them could be All-Americans, that's phenomenal. And that's what Stanford is looking at this year and that's why I'm picking its linebackers as the best individual position group in the conference.

It starts on the outside with Chase Thomas (52 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 17.5 tackles for a loss) -- a first-team All-Pac-12 performer and All-American. On the other side, Trent Murphy (40 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 10 tackles for a loss) is underappreciated because of all the attention Thomas gets. But Murphy is a beast at 6-foot-6, 255 pounds.

Then you move to the inside linebackers where Shayne Skov is one of the best in the nation. There is a to-be-determined punishment pending for his DUI arrest and he's still recovering from a season-ending knee injury from last year. But once he's paid his penance and is 100 percent healthy, he'll be on par with the best middle linebackers in the country.

Who lines up next to Skov is a question. And also a good problem for the Cardinal to have. Jarek Lancaster (team-leading 70 tackles) and A.J. Tarpley (57 tackles) were both outstanding in Skov's absence last year. Lancaster in particular came on very strong at the end of the season.

Highly touted sophomore James Vaughters is also slotted for inside linebacker. The coaching staff treated Vaughters with kid gloves last season -- using him mostly as an extra pass-rusher on third downs, where he tallied 11 tackles, four for a loss, and a sack. But he's expected to be unleashed in 2012.

Another aspect that makes this group so scary is the overall depth. Because of guys like Lancaster, Tarpley, Vaughters, Alex Debniak, Kevin Anderson and incoming freshman Noor Davis, the Cardinal are in a position to absorb a significant injury like they did with Skov last season. Of course, no one wants to see that happen for any team. But injuries are part of the game. And if something happens to one of Stanford's starters, there is significant talent that can rotate in.

One thing to keep in mind is the loss of co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Jason Tarver. He was a brilliant operator of the 3-4 defense -- which is why he's now a defensive coordinator in the NFL. He did an amazing job coaching up Lancaster and Tarpley, which helped Stanford boast the No. 1 rush defense in the conference last year. Allowing just 84.4 yards per game on the ground, Stanford was the only Pac-12 team to hold opponents below 100 yards per game on average.

Factor in the talent returning on the defensive line and that makes the linebacking corps that much better. Stanford not only has the deepest and most talented group in the conference, but you can make an argument that as a unit it is one of the best groups in the country.

Ted Miller: I know you guys are going to get on Kevin for picking Stanford, but I agree with him: Stanford's linebacking corps is the best complete unit in the Pac-12 in terms of both skill and depth. But, of course, a "ditto" doesn't make for much of a "Take 2" now, does it?

I like California's running backs, Oregon's LBs, Arizona State's RBs and Utah's defensive line, but I'm going to go with USC's receivers.

The Trojans aren't terribly deep at receiver. In fact, they are decidedly top-heavy. But what a top.

First, you have junior Robert Woods, a 2011 first-team All-American. He ranked eighth in the nation with 107.7 yards receiving per game in 2011. He's the leading candidate heading into 2012 to win the Biletnikoff Award given annually to the nation's best receiver.

Second, you have Marqise Lee, second-team All-Pac-12, who actually outplayed a banged-up Woods over the home stretch of the 2011 season. He ranked 15th in the nation with 95.3 yards receiving per game. He also is a Biletnikoff candidate, and it wouldn't be too shocking if both of these guys earned All-America honors this upcoming season.

They combined for 26 touchdown receptions. The next highest total in the Pac-12 for a receiving combo was 19 (Oregon's De'Anthony Thomas and Lavasier Tuinei).

Put it this way: If you made a list of the top-five receivers in the nation this fall, most folks would include Woods and Lee.

Now, it's not unreasonable to question the Trojans' depth at the position. Both Brice Butler and Kyle Prater opted to transfer. Both are capable and would have made this unit scary good. While there's plenty of talent behind Woods and Lee, it's unproven.

That said: It's entirely possible speedy sophomore George Farmer has his own star turn this fall. Folks thought that might happen last year for everybody's prep All-American, but injuries and an odd position change to running back slowed that down. No question Farmer has All-American talent. If he stays healthy, the Trojans could end up with a troika that is almost impossible to defend, one that is superior to many NFL teams. For real.

Other guys who have the ability to help: Junior De'Von Flournoy and redshirt freshman Victor Blackwell. In the fall, true freshmen Nelson Agholor and Darreus Rogers could potentially get into the mix.

So there will be solid options for the Nos. 3, 4 and 5 receivers.

Still, this is about the top. It's not hyperbole to project that Woods and Lee, with QB Matt Barkley returning, are in position to write themselves onto a very short list of the best receiver combinations in college football history this fall.

LOS ANGELES -- The guy who had the best touchdown-to-interception ratio in the Pac-12 last season is tossing a few more picks during spring ball than his coach would like to see. But USC coach Lane Kiffin isn’t too worried about quarterback Matt Barkley, who has thrown seven interceptions in eight practices. No expletives are being hurled, no panic buttons being pushed.

“He can still declare for the supplemental draft so I can’t yell at him quite yet,” Kiffin joked after practice Thursday night.

Not to worry, Kiffin said, explaining that the rise in picks is a product of Barkley not being able to work with his usual guys. Robert Woods is out for spring. Marqise Lee is balancing football with track and George Farmer continues to be hampered by a hamstring injury.

“Part of it is him getting a little bored,” Kiffin said. “He scrambles out and gets frustrated because he doesn’t have his normal guys out there and he throws the ball downfield. We’ll get him back out of it. We don’t like it, but it’s not the end of the world. As we get closer to game time, we’ll get him back to normal.”

Kiffin said to keep Barkley motivated, they have installed some different routes and concepts they’ve taken from the NFL.

“It’s been good to expose him to those and really challenge him to continue to master what he already has, but also add to his game,” Kiffin said.

Last season, Barkley threw 39 touchdowns to just seven interceptions. His 69.1 completion percentage was tied for second-best in the conference.

In other practice notes:

• With so many injuries at wide receiver, Lee has been rotating in at every receiver spot. Kiffin recently said he thought Lee has the chance to be the best wide receiver ever at USC. “Marqise is doing great,” Kiffin said. “We’re so hurt so we move him around so much that he has to play every position with Robert and George not being there. But it’s good for him, any time you have to play all the spots. We really try to wear him out when we get him because we lose him sometimes [to track] so we try to maximize the time we get with him.”
• The Trojans were scheduled to hold a scrimmage on Saturday – which will be open to the public at 11 a.m. at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum – but might have to put that on hold due to the number of injuries. Tight end Junior Pomee re-injured his foot on Thursday, and with Xavier Grimble, Randall Telfer and Christian Thomas all dinged up, there aren’t many options left at tight end. Kiffin said they might ditch the scrimmage and just hold a normal practice. "Unfortunately we can't seem to keep a tight end healthy," said Kiffin. "The problem right now is the offensive skill players [who are out with injury] aren't allowing us to practice the way we'd like, but we're making the best of it."
• Tre Madden, who made the move last week from linebacker to running back, fumbled for the third time in three practices.

Billy, this is Chad Bradford. He's a relief pitcher. He is one of the most undervalued players in baseball. His defect is that he throws funny. Nobody in the big leagues cares about him because he looks funny. This guy could be not just the best pitcher in our bullpen, but one of the most effective relief pitchers in all of baseball. This guy should cost $3 million a year. We can get him for $237,000.

• Former Arizona stars Nick Foles and Juron Criner aren't that fast.
• Former Arizona State quarterback Brock Osweiler didn't do much at the NFL combine.
• A Colorado spring practice primer.
• Former Oregon cornerback Cliff Harris owns up to some "boneheaded" mistakes.
• Checking in with former Oregon State receiver James Rodgers at the NFL combine.
• Some notes from Stanford coach David Shaw's pre-spring news conference. The quarterback competition is wide open.
• Who is the No. 1 player to watch this spring for USC? It might surprise you (but I agree with the selection).
• Checking in with former Utah players at the NFL combine.
• What did former Washington running back Chris Polk have to say at the NFL combine?
• Washington State is undergoing tough training under new coach Mike Leach.

Pac-12 spring preview: South Division

Spring practice is almost here. Here's a snapshot at what to expect from the Pac-12 South in the coming weeks.

ARIZONA

Spring practice starts: March 4

Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Hello, my name is ... Like the other two teams in the South Division with new head coaches (Arizona State and UCLA) much of Arizona's first few weeks will be Rich Rodriguez evaluating his personnel and getting to know what he has to work with. Likewise, the players are going to have to figure out what this new coaching staff is about. Everything from how they do pre-practice stretches to how they call the cadence is going to change.
• New scheme and a new scheme: A spread option on offense and a 3-3-5 on defense. That's a lot of new material to digest on both sides of the ball. Until Rodriguez can recruit the players he likes into his scheme, he's going to have to make it work with the players he has. Fortunately on the defensive side of the ball, Arizona has good depth in the secondary with Cortez Johnson, Marquis Flowers, Shaquille Richardson, Jourdon Grandon and Tra'Mayne Bondurant. The Wildcats should also get a boost with the return of injured players Jake Fischer (LB), Jonathan McKnight (CB) and Adam Hall (S).
• Perfect fit? Former starter Matt Scott, who was beaten out by Nick Folesin 2009, is expected to reprise his starting role under Rodriguez. He redshirted the 2011 season and -- magically -- Foles never got hurt last year despite taking 23 sacks and countless hits. Scott is considered the more versatile quarterback and should fit nicely into the new run-based spread attack.

ARIZONA STATE

Spring practice starts: March 13

Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• QB competition: We know what kind of offense new coach Todd Graham is going to run; now it's a matter of figuring out who is going to run it. Graham has his choice of three players -- Mike Bercovici, Taylor Kelly or Michael Eubank -- to replace NFL-bound Brock Osweiler. Graham said earlier this month that there are no favorites heading into the competition and each one brings his own skill set to the table. Eubank has the size (6-foot-5, 235 pounds), Bercovici (6-1, 205) is a mechanic and Kelly (6-1, 202) is a little bit of everything.
• Get the locker room: By the end of the 2011 season, ASU's locker room wasn't just divided, it was completely splintered. Graham's task -- and that of his new coaching staff -- is to pick up the pieces, mend internal fences and find some chemistry on both sides of the ball. Linebacker Brandon Magee, long considered a great locker room leader, should help get the Sun Devils back on track as he returns from a season-ending Achilles injury.
• Hands competition: The Sun Devils lose three of their top four wide receivers from last season -- Gerell Robinson, Aaron Pflugrad and Mike Willie. Jamal Miles returns after finishing second on the team last season with 60 catches and six touchdowns. Rashad Ross figures to be the No. 2 guy, but establishing depth in that corps -- especially if Graham wants to be up-tempo -- is key.

COLORADO

Spring practice starts: March 10

Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Momentum, maybe? For as rough as 2011 was for the Buffs, they ended the year on a high note, winning two-of-three down the stretch -- including a 17-14 win over Utah in the season finale. But there is also the possibility that things might get worse before they get better. With just four returning starters on offense, spring in Boulder will likely be more about teaching and less about refining.
• Where to start (offense)? Well, quarterback might be a good place. In the court of public opinion, Connor Wood, a transfer from Texas, seems to be the favorite. Nick Hirschman appeared in five games last season, mostly in mop-up time when the game was already out of hand. It's also possible a starter could be named by the end of spring ball. Finding offensive weapons to surround the new quarterback will also be a challenge. Wide receiver Paul Richardson caught 39 balls last season, and running back Tony Jones showed a flare for catching the ball out of the backfield. He'll likely step in as the new workhorse back for the departed Rodney Stewart.
• Where to start (defense)? Last in this. Last in that. Last in almost every team statistic the Pac-12 has to offer. But there are some intriguing youngsters on the roster. Cornerback Greg Henderson was all-conference honorable mention as a freshman with a team-high nine passes broken up. Jered Bell also returns from injury after blowing out a knee last preseason. If healthy, he's expected to be a big contributor in the secondary. Linebacker Jon Majorreturns as the team's leading tackler, and if Doug Rippy is fully recovered from his knee injury, he'll look to build on what was a pretty good season last year before getting hurt.

UCLA

Spring practice starts: April 3

Spring game: May 5

What to watch:

• QB up for grabs: Like the majority of the conference, UCLA enters spring with a quarterback competition. New offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone said he doesn't care how much experience (or lack thereof) a player has -- if he can play, he wins the job. So don't be surprised if Brett Hundley passes Kevin Prince and Richard Brehautas the new man leading the Bruins. Fans have been clamoring for a change. Hundley might be it.
• Attitude adjustment: One of the first things new head coach Jim Mora did was slam the team for its tradition of going "over the wall," a time-honored senior ditch day, saying if they want to jump the wall, they should just keep on going. How's that for sending a message? UCLA has earned a reputation for being soft and underachieving despite good talent. Attitude and toughness is needed -- and so far, Mora appears to be hammering that point home.
• Speaking of toughness ... The defense has to get tougher. No two ways about it. It was weak against the run last season, allowing more than 190 yards per game on the ground; couldn't get to the quarterback; and couldn't get off the field almost 50 percent of the time on third down. It's time for potential all-conference players such as defensive end Datone Jones to start living up to the hype and the defense as a whole to stop getting pushed up and down the field. At 6-5, 275 pounds, Jones has the physical makeup to be a major force in the conference and catapult himself into the elite class of collegiate defensive players.

USC

Spring practice starts: March 6

Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Ignore the hype: Few teams ended last season hotter than USC and returning quarterback Matt Barkley. The Heisman talk has already started, the way-too-early rankings already have the Trojans as national championship contenders, and the public perception is that the offense is unstoppable. Nice to hear, but hype is a double-edged sword. Head coach Lane Kiffin has a knack for deflecting hype. This season will be his toughest test to date.
• Insurance? The Trojans are loaded on both sides of the ball with returning players. But after the starting 22, things start to get dicey. Developing depth and keeping the starters healthy is a top priority -- particularly on the offensive and defensive lines and at running back, where experience is thin outside of the starters. The entire back seven returns on defense -- headlined by hard-hitting safety T.J. McDonald. Stopping the pass has been a major priority for Kiffin, and if this group stays healthy it should see the pass-efficiency numbers improve even more.
• Other options: Along those same lines, wide receivers Robert Woods and Marqise Lee make up the most feared receiving duo in the conference -- maybe the country. But who are the Nos. 3 and 4 receivers behind them? George Farmer? Victor Blackwell? De'Von Flournoy? Don't overlook the tight end duo of Xavier Grimble and Randall Telfer, which should rival Stanford's Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo as the best tight end tandem in the conference.

UTAH

Spring practice starts: March 20

Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• Youthful approach: Head coach Kyle Whittingham turned some heads by naming former Utah quarterback Brian Johnson as his offensive coordinator. Johnson, who recently turned 25, said he's not looking to make wholesale changes to the offense, though he wants to put his stamp on it and continue to build around running back John White IV, who had a breakout season in his first year of major college football. Having quarterback Jordan Wynn back healthy should also help as the team transitions to Johnson running the offense.
• Fixing the line: Who is going to protect Wynn (if he does indeed win back the starting job) and make holes for White? That's a major concern heading into spring as the Utes have to replace a pair of all-conference linemen in Tony Bergstrom and John Cullen. The Utes should be set at the interior but have to adjust to a new position coach, with Tim Davis leaving for Florida after just one season and Dan Finn -- a former Utah graduate assistant who was brought on to help Davis -- taking over the whole line following a one-year stint at San Diego State.
• Work the experience: The defensive line should be one of the best in the conference, especially with the return of Star Lotulelei, who won the Morris Trophy last season as the conference's best defensive lineman. With the Kruger brothers returning to the line -- Joe at defensive end and Dave at tackle -- Derrick Shelby is the lone starter who has to be replaced. There's also some pretty good depth in the secondary that was tops in the conference last season in pass-efficiency defense.

Our countdown of the Pac-12's top-25 players continues.

You can see Ted Miller's preseason top 25 here.

No. 16 Marqise Lee, WR, USC

2011 numbers: Lee caught 73 passes for 1,143 yards with 11 touchdowns. He also averaged 28.5 yards on 10 kickoff returns, with an 88-yard TD.

Preseason ranking: Unranked.

Making the case for Lee: Lee, 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, was the Trojans' "other" super frosh receiver, but he ended up having the season many predicted for George Farmer and was every bit the equal of All-American Robert Woods by season's end. Lee led the Trojans with 15.7 yards per reception and earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors. He would have led the conference in kickoff returns if he had enough touches to qualify. Further, Lee really stepped up late in the season when Woods was banged-up. He caught seven of his 11 TD passes over the final five games and hauled in 21 passes for 411 yards in the final two -- wins over Oregon and UCLA. Lee and Woods will be widely regarded as the best WR tandem in the nation in 2012. Both will be All-American candidates. (And, don't look now, but it might be harder to earn first-team All-Pac-12 honors at WR than All-American honors.)

17. Nick Perry, DE, USC

18. Nick Foles, QB, Arizona

19. T.J. McDonald, S, USC

20. Dion Jordan, DE, Oregon

21. John White IV, RB, Utah

22. Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

23. Nickell Robey, CB, USC

24. Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford

25. David Paulson, TE, Oregon

So I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every single day that you see me, that's on the worst day of my life.

• Rich Rodriguez gets a recruit for Arizona through a fishing buddy, but he's got some new competition for a top target.
• Arizona State adds a couple of JC commitments.
• The 2012 recruiting class matters a lot to California and coach Jeff Tedford.
• Colorado is stocking up QBs. Some recruiting perspective for Buffs fans.
• More on Oregon getting a big-time commitment on Sunday. But what about A-list O-linemen?
• What's life like for Oregon State's recruiting operations guy?
• UCLA picks up a nice commitment at quarterback.
• USC's George Farmer is ready to make an impression.
• Does the quiet surrounding the Utah offensive coordinator vacancy mean the hire will come from within? We shall see. (It is interesting that Aaron Roderick was listed as only the receivers coach in the preseason media guide as well as in the Utes' weekly game releases but is listed as "co-offensive coordinator" on the website -- "co" with former coordinator Norm Chow).
• Washington remains in the hunt for a lot of A-list recruits.
• Washington State hits the islands in recruiting. A look at how Mike Leach assembled his staff.

It astonishes me that Mr. LaBoeuf has been shot, trampled, and nearly bitten his tongue off, and yet not only does he continue to talk but he spills the banks of English.

• Arizona's recruiting picks up its pace, and part of that is due to the coaching change at Arizona State.
• Change at Arizona State will start in the weight room.
• The California Golden Blogs discusses the departure of Tosh Lupoi: DOOOOOOM!
• These Colorado recruits have good Buff bloodlines.
• Things look good for Oregon on the offensive line. And same thing with the D-line.
• A look at Oregon and Oregon State's NFL draft prospects.
• A Stanford recruiting roundup.
• UCLA snags an elite DT away from California, though it has nothing to do with Lupoi.
• USC's George Farmer is switching back to receiver from running back. The Trojans are still working the scholarship math -- you can see recent transfers actually help in some ways.
• Utah picks up a couple of commitments as well as an administrator with a familiar name.
• Lots of info and perspective here on Washington's hiring of Lupoi.
• Jeff Choate talks about leaving Boise State for Washington State.

Happy Friday.

• First, Arizona needs to stop Washington running back Chris Polk.
• Arizona State offensive lineman Adam Tello un-retired to help his team.
• California's Greensboro, N.C., connection has paid off. Cal is healthy.
• A freshman takes off his redshirt to help Colorado at running back.
• Oregon running back Kenjon Barner took a huge, scary hit last year against Washington State, but he's bounced back nicely.
• This Ute was almost a Beaver.
• Stanford is all about power. And there's a little bit of Luck involved, too.
• UCLA needs a fast start against California.
• USC is worried about the health of receiver Robert Woods and running back George Farmer. Gary Klein looks at the Kiffins, Monte and Lane, father and son, co-workers.
• Considering Utah's transition to the Pac-12.
• Washington coach Steve Sarkisian feels good about his team's bounce-back from Stanford.
• Can Washington State handle Oregon's pressure inside Autzen Stadium?

Happy Friday.

• Is Arizona quarterback Nick Foles overrated?
• A final decision has been made to redshirt Arizona State running back Deantre Lewis. The Sun Devils are not without weapons.
• Quarterback Zach Maynard's recent struggles are all too familiar for California fans.
• Anthony Perkins provides much-needed leadership for Colorado's secondary.
• Oregon defensive end Dion Jordan escaped tragedy and now he's starting to triumph.
• It appears that running back Malcolm Agnew will play against BYU, not redshirt because of a pesky hamstring.
• Getting to know Stanford cornerback Johnson Bademosi.
• Some notes from UCLA's practice.
• Suddenly Utah has issues at receiver.
• The spotlight is now finding Washington quarterback Keith Price.
• To be honest, Washington State players admit some awe playing against Andrew Luck. It's not certain that quarterback Jeff Tuel won't start against Stanford.

Happy Friday.

• This do-everything back has boosted Arizona's running game.
• Jamal Miles' position for Arizona State? Playmaker.
• California was only half-good at Oregon.
• Colorado RB Rodney Stewart is doing everything he can to help the Buffs win.
• Some Oregon observations with an eye toward Nov. 12, when the Ducks visit you-know-who.
• Oregon State is hoping it doesn't have to throw 66 times against Arizona, as it did last week at ASU.
• Stanford QB Andrew Luck downplays his calling his own plays. In other news, Cormac McCarthy downplays that whole "writing sentences" thing.
• What to watch with UCLA and Washington State.
• USC's top recruit George Farmer is a case study in how things don't always go as planned (and that's not necessarily a bad thing).
• Utah's season could swing wildly -- one way or the other -- based on what it does against Arizona State.
• Renovations at Washington's Husky Stadium are about to begin.
• Winning some games has made life easier for Washington State's coordinators.

Death is always on the way, but the fact that you don't know when it will arrive seems to take away from the finiteness of life. It's that terrible precision that we hate so much. But because we don't know, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well. Yet everything happens a certain number of times, and a very small number, really.

• A young defensive lineman gets an opportunity at Arizona.
• It's not only about catching the football for this Arizona State receiver.
• California is already getting ready for Oregon, and it's interesting that quarterback Zach Maynard thought Colorado's Folsom Field is louder than Washington's Husky Stadium.
• Colorado wide receiver Paul Richardson promises to break out of a mini-slump. A running back volunteers to help the secondary.
• Very sad: Mike Helfrich, the father of Oregon offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich, died before last Saturday's game at Arizona.
• What's wrong with Oregon State?
• Stanford's co-defensive coordinator Jason Tarver is an interesting guy who could have done a lot of other things rather than coach football. If Stanford safety Michael Thomas seems theatrical at times, there's a good reason.
• A young safety needs to step up for UCLA. Some notes and an injury update.
• Is George Farmer, one of USC's top 2011 signees, going to switch from receiver to running back?
• Utah's tough defense will be tested by Washington.
• It appears Washington has found its next great tight end.
• Washington State receiver Marquess Wilson is a difference-maker.

Get this: Talented first-year freshman receiver George Farmer, redshirting the 2011 season, has begun practicing at running back and could play the position long-term, Trojans coach Lane Kiffin said Wednesday.

Farmer, a five-star prospect from Gardena Serra (Calif.), was thought by many to be a potential starter at receiver this season before he arrived on campus over the summer. But he was bothered by nagging injuries in fall camp and never got much of a chance to audition for a starting spot, losing out to high school teammate Marqise Lee.

Of late, though, Farmer has practiced well -- especially on service team, emulating different opponents -- and impressed the Trojans' coaching staff with his resolve to get on the field sooner rather than later.

"He's been playing quarterback, tailback and receiver, and we've actually been putting him at running back in individuals and he looks great there," Kiffin said. "That could work out. That's something he did before he got to Serra, played running back.

"That could be real exciting. It would give us a big, physical guy and one of the fastest guys in the country."

At 6-1, 205, Farmer doesn't have the ideal body type for the tailback spot. But he could craft himself a niche as an upright runner in the mold of an Adrian Peterson, or he could simply become a dual threat running back/receiver for the Trojans, which they would obviously love.

The main motivation behind the move appears to be big-play potential. USC doesn't have another player as quick as Farmer at running back, save for maybe D.J. Morgan, who has had problems with keeping control of the ball so far this year.

"As we look at that position, we're still lacking in game-breaking speed back there as we continue to see in games," Kiffin said.

In any case, Farmer will most likely not be suiting up this season. Kiffin said there was a thought to pull off his redshirt and play him this season once he started heating up in recent weeks, but the Trojans decided to stick with the decision to keep him off the field.