Pac-12: James Johnson
Every spring, players break out. Here are a few that stood out in the Pac-12.
Ka'Deem Carey, RB, Arizona: Carey was a hyped recruit from Tucson -- Canyon del Oro High -- and the local boy seems likely to make good this year after rushing for 425 yards as a freshman. He led a solid crew of backs this spring.
Brice Schwab, OT, Arizona State: It's been a long time coming for Schwab, who has gone from heralded junior-college transfer to bust to likely starting right tackle. Schwab's problem when he arrived was conditioning: He was huge but it wasn't good weight. And he was way too weak. He started four games in 2010 and struggled, then redshirted last season in order to get in better shape. Once a 340-pounder, he's now 6-foot-7, 295. And he's a better player.
Deandre Coleman, DE, California: Said coach Jeff Tedford of the 6-5, 311-pound junior: "He may be one of the best that we've ever had." That about sums it up. Coleman dominated this spring, looking like an all-conference candidate.
Tony Jones, RB, Colorado: Replacing the highly productive Rodney Stewart was a spring priority and Jones, a sophomore, answered the bell. Jones is built a little like the diminutive "Speedy" -- 5-7, 175 pounds -- and he has a versatile range of skills, just like Stewart. With questions at quarterback, he will be asked to do a lot. Just like Stewart.
Colt Lyerla, TE, Oregon: Lyerla should be a big weapon for whomever wins the Ducks' quarterback job. The 6-5, 238 pound sophomore should step in for the departed David Paulson and could end up as one of the Ducks' leading receivers. He caught just seven passes last year, but five went for touchdowns. He's a special athlete with a year of seasoning, which often is the foundation for a breakout.
Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State: Cooks has speed and quickness and will play opposite one of the best receivers in the conference in Markus Wheaton. He caught 31 passes for 391 yards and three TDs last year while being extremely raw. He's less raw now and has good upside. And it will help that defenses will obsess over Wheaton.
James Vaughters, LB, Stanford: The coaches have said they are going to let the leash off of this aggressive, physically imposing linebacker and see what happens. We know he'll be at middle linebacker (as opposed to just a third-down specialist last year) where he's expected to wreak havoc.
Steven Manfro, RB, UCLA: Speed and quickness. There is a difference, but Manfro has both. He excelled in the spring sessions and though he sits third on the UCLA depth chart, he might work his way into carries if he continues to show explosive breakaway ability.
Isiah Wiley, CB, USC: Wiley quietly started the final six games in 2011 and played fairly well. While he's a senior, this is only the JC transfer's second year in the program. This spring, he took a step forward and seems likely to start opposite Nickell Robey.
V.J. Fehoko, LB, Utah: With possibly the best defensive line in the conference in front of him and offenses keying in on Trevor Reilly, Fehoko could be in position to be extremely productive filling the shoes of Chaz Walker. Similar build as Walker, who tallied 118 tackles last year.
James Johnson, WR, Washington: After an injury-plagued career, Johnson is finally healthy and in the starting lineup. The physical tools are all there and the quarterback is in place for him to put up some solid numbers -- if he can stay on the field.
Andrei Lintz, WR, Washington State: This converted tight end was the talk of WSU's spring session. He has the hands and size to be effective over the middle and he showed great chemistry with Jeff Tuel during the 15 practices. The more attention Marquess Wilson draws, the more opportunities there will be for Lintz to excel.
Ka'Deem Carey, RB, Arizona: Carey was a hyped recruit from Tucson -- Canyon del Oro High -- and the local boy seems likely to make good this year after rushing for 425 yards as a freshman. He led a solid crew of backs this spring.
Brice Schwab, OT, Arizona State: It's been a long time coming for Schwab, who has gone from heralded junior-college transfer to bust to likely starting right tackle. Schwab's problem when he arrived was conditioning: He was huge but it wasn't good weight. And he was way too weak. He started four games in 2010 and struggled, then redshirted last season in order to get in better shape. Once a 340-pounder, he's now 6-foot-7, 295. And he's a better player.
Deandre Coleman, DE, California: Said coach Jeff Tedford of the 6-5, 311-pound junior: "He may be one of the best that we've ever had." That about sums it up. Coleman dominated this spring, looking like an all-conference candidate.
Tony Jones, RB, Colorado: Replacing the highly productive Rodney Stewart was a spring priority and Jones, a sophomore, answered the bell. Jones is built a little like the diminutive "Speedy" -- 5-7, 175 pounds -- and he has a versatile range of skills, just like Stewart. With questions at quarterback, he will be asked to do a lot. Just like Stewart.
Colt Lyerla, TE, Oregon: Lyerla should be a big weapon for whomever wins the Ducks' quarterback job. The 6-5, 238 pound sophomore should step in for the departed David Paulson and could end up as one of the Ducks' leading receivers. He caught just seven passes last year, but five went for touchdowns. He's a special athlete with a year of seasoning, which often is the foundation for a breakout.
Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State: Cooks has speed and quickness and will play opposite one of the best receivers in the conference in Markus Wheaton. He caught 31 passes for 391 yards and three TDs last year while being extremely raw. He's less raw now and has good upside. And it will help that defenses will obsess over Wheaton.
James Vaughters, LB, Stanford: The coaches have said they are going to let the leash off of this aggressive, physically imposing linebacker and see what happens. We know he'll be at middle linebacker (as opposed to just a third-down specialist last year) where he's expected to wreak havoc.
Steven Manfro, RB, UCLA: Speed and quickness. There is a difference, but Manfro has both. He excelled in the spring sessions and though he sits third on the UCLA depth chart, he might work his way into carries if he continues to show explosive breakaway ability.
Isiah Wiley, CB, USC: Wiley quietly started the final six games in 2011 and played fairly well. While he's a senior, this is only the JC transfer's second year in the program. This spring, he took a step forward and seems likely to start opposite Nickell Robey.
V.J. Fehoko, LB, Utah: With possibly the best defensive line in the conference in front of him and offenses keying in on Trevor Reilly, Fehoko could be in position to be extremely productive filling the shoes of Chaz Walker. Similar build as Walker, who tallied 118 tackles last year.
James Johnson, WR, Washington: After an injury-plagued career, Johnson is finally healthy and in the starting lineup. The physical tools are all there and the quarterback is in place for him to put up some solid numbers -- if he can stay on the field.
Andrei Lintz, WR, Washington State: This converted tight end was the talk of WSU's spring session. He has the hands and size to be effective over the middle and he showed great chemistry with Jeff Tuel during the 15 practices. The more attention Marquess Wilson draws, the more opportunities there will be for Lintz to excel.
What we learned in the Pac-12 this spring
May, 14, 2012
May 14
4:30
PM ET
By
Kevin Gemmell | ESPN.com
How much can we really learn from spring? Funky scrimmages with backwards scoring systems; depleted depth charts; completely new installs for four teams. Actually, more than you'd think. Here are five things we learned about the Pac-12 during spring.
- Quarterbacks are still in limbo: Be it Stanford, Arizona State, UCLA, Oregon or Colorado, almost half of the teams still don’t know who is going to be under center when the season starts. Stanford funneled its list of five down to two, Josh Nunes and Brett Nottingham. ASU still has a three-way battle with Michael Eubank, Mike Bercovici and Taylor Kelly -- though coach Todd Graham said they have a better idea than they are probably letting on publicly. The very private competition between Marcus Mariota and Bryan Bennett at Oregon remains in question -- though Mariota was spectacular in the spring game while Bennett faltered. Still, coach Chip Kelly said that one game isn’t going to be his basis for comparison. UCLA coach Jim Mora wanted to name a starter by the end of spring, but no one has “grabbed” it, so we’ll have to wait until August before learning whether Brett Hundley, Kevin Prince or Richard Brehaut gets the gig. And at Colorado, the competition was put on hiatus when Nick Hirschman broke a bone in his foot and couldn’t compete in spring drills. One has to think that was a huge advantage for Connor Wood to get almost all of the reps with the first-team offense.
- Not everyone has quarterback issues: Teams thought to have quarterback question marks heading into spring seemed to have resolved them. In Utah, Jordan Wynn is completely healthy, and both coach Kyle Whittingham and offensive coordinator Brian Johnson have declared Wynn their guy. While Mike Leach hasn’t officially declared Jeff Tuel his starter, it’s hard to imagine anyone else winning the job in the fall, short of Tuel suffering a significant injury or amnesia. He had a splendid spring, and appears to be a great fit for Leach’s offense. And at Arizona, Matt Scott seized the job early and left little room for any competition. Coach Rich Rodriguez has been gushing about how quickly Scott has adjusted to the offense. At Cal, Zach Maynard, once thought to be challenged by freshman Zach Kline, appears to not only have held on to the job, but distanced himself from pursuers.
- Wide receivers aplenty: And there are plenty of those in the conference. USC has probably the best tandem in the country in Robert Woods and Marqise Lee. Cal’s Keenan Allen (though he missed spring drills) should continue to put up big numbers, and Washington State’s Marquess Wilson should flourish in the Cougars’ new system with Tuel as his quarterback. Markus Wheaton and Brandin Cooks could challenge the USC duo statistically if quarterback Sean Mannion continues to develop. There are stars on the rise at Arizona State (Jamal Miles) and Stanford (Ty Montgomery), and a potential star at Washington (James Johnson). Look out Biletnikoff, the Pac-12 is a comin'…
- The conference of defense? The Pac-12 might never bunk its reputation as an offensive-centric conference (especially when it keeps churning out offensive talent). But there is a surplus of talented defenses and defensive players who were on display this spring. Washington seems to have plugged its leaks with new defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox. There’s a 3-4 trend sweeping the conference, and with notable playmakers like Star Lotulelei (Utah), John Boyett (Oregon), Dion Jordan (Oregon), Chase Thomas (Stanford), Josh Shirley (Washington), T.J. McDonald (USC) and DeAndre Coleman (Cal), it’s easy to see why some of the Pac-12 defenses will get the same kind of love as the offenses do in 2012.
- Confidence is at an all-time high: As it should be in the spring. The four new coaches all feel confident about the systems they have installed. Stanford feels as good as it ever has about its running game. USC and Oregon should get lofty preseason rankings, and this is the time of the year when fans go through the schedules game by game and always seem to come up with a minimum of six wins. Sorry to say, there are teams in the conference that won’t make it to a bowl game this season. But when you hear the coaches talk about their teams, you’d think the conference is going to go 12-0 in the postseason. This is a magical time for fans filled with hope and possibility. Enjoy it while it lasts.
2011 overall record: 7-6
2011 conference record: 5-4 (3rd, North)
Returning starters: Offense: 8; defense: 7; kicker/punter: 0
Top returners
QB Keith Price, TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, WR Kasen Williams, S Sean Parker, CB Desmond Trufant, DT Danny Shelton, DE Josh Shirley
Key losses
RB Chris Polk, OT Senio Kelemete, WR Jermaine Kearse, DT Alameda Ta'amu, LB Cort Dennison
2011 statistical leaders (*returner)
Rushing: Chris Polk (1,488 yards)
Passing: Keith Price* (3,063 yards)
Receiving: Jermaine Kearse (699 yards)
Tackles: Cort Dennison (128)
Sacks: Josh Shirley* (8.5)
Interceptions: Sean Parker* (4)
Spring answers
1. For the defense: Coach Steve Sarkisian rebuilt his defensive staff around star coordinator Justin Wilcox, and the early returns are promising. And not just because of the coaches. There's more talent on defense than the Huskies showed during a terrible 2011 campaign. The chief task this spring, however, was blending in the new coaches -- five of them, including offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau -- with the players and Sarkisian's ways.
2. Secondary not an issue: The Huskies have some folks who can play -- and have played -- in the secondary, starting with cornerback Desmond Trufant and safety Sean Parker. There's also Justin Glenn, Greg Ducre, Will Shamburger and Tre Watson, a transfer from Central Washington. Plus, touted safety Shaq Thompson arrives in the fall, and redshirt freshman Travis Feeney is promising.
3. Not unskilled: There was reason entering spring to fret about the skill positions, other than quarterback. The Huskies lost running back Chris Polk as well as receivers Jermaine Kearse and Devin Aguilar. But, after spring, things seem at least solid. At tailback, it's probably going to be by committee with Jesse Callier and Bishop Sankey, as well as junior-college transfer Antavius Sims and redshirt freshman Dezden Petty. And maybe Deontae Cooper comes back healthy? At receiver, James Johnson, Kasen Williams, Cody Bruns, who redshirted last season, and Kevin Smith (if healthy) give the Huskies a solid crew. Some redshirt freshmen and intriguing incoming players could also get into the mix.
Fall questions
1. Oooooo-Line? The Huskies should be welcoming back four starters, but guard Colin Porter was forced to retire due to injuries, and other guys were beat up this spring. If Colin Tanigawa, who missed all of spring with a knee injury, tackle Erik Kohler and center Drew Schaefer all come back healthy, then things should be OK. But that remains to be seen.
2. LB woes? It's still uncertain whether the Huskies will be primarily 3-4 of 4-3 on defense, so we don't know how things will shake out at linebacker. We do know that the Huskies were bad there last year. Three safeties -- Taz Stevenson, Nate Fellner and Evan Zeger -- moved to LB to bolster things, while John Timu, Princeton Fuimaono -- both returning starters -- Thomas Tutogi, Garret Gilliland and Jamaal Kearse are in the mix. Next to the offensive line, this is a position where fans should feel free to be concerned.
3. Backing up Price? Redshirt freshman Derrick Brown is No. 2 at present, mostly by default. But two touted freshmen arrive in the fall: Jeff Lindquist and Cyler Miles. Brown improved over the course of the spring, but the freshmen are good enough to challenge him immediately. And, keep in mind, the No. 2 QB isn't important until he becomes your most important player.
2011 conference record: 5-4 (3rd, North)
Returning starters: Offense: 8; defense: 7; kicker/punter: 0
Top returners
QB Keith Price, TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, WR Kasen Williams, S Sean Parker, CB Desmond Trufant, DT Danny Shelton, DE Josh Shirley
Key losses
RB Chris Polk, OT Senio Kelemete, WR Jermaine Kearse, DT Alameda Ta'amu, LB Cort Dennison
2011 statistical leaders (*returner)
Rushing: Chris Polk (1,488 yards)
Passing: Keith Price* (3,063 yards)
Receiving: Jermaine Kearse (699 yards)
Tackles: Cort Dennison (128)
Sacks: Josh Shirley* (8.5)
Interceptions: Sean Parker* (4)
Spring answers
1. For the defense: Coach Steve Sarkisian rebuilt his defensive staff around star coordinator Justin Wilcox, and the early returns are promising. And not just because of the coaches. There's more talent on defense than the Huskies showed during a terrible 2011 campaign. The chief task this spring, however, was blending in the new coaches -- five of them, including offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau -- with the players and Sarkisian's ways.
2. Secondary not an issue: The Huskies have some folks who can play -- and have played -- in the secondary, starting with cornerback Desmond Trufant and safety Sean Parker. There's also Justin Glenn, Greg Ducre, Will Shamburger and Tre Watson, a transfer from Central Washington. Plus, touted safety Shaq Thompson arrives in the fall, and redshirt freshman Travis Feeney is promising.
3. Not unskilled: There was reason entering spring to fret about the skill positions, other than quarterback. The Huskies lost running back Chris Polk as well as receivers Jermaine Kearse and Devin Aguilar. But, after spring, things seem at least solid. At tailback, it's probably going to be by committee with Jesse Callier and Bishop Sankey, as well as junior-college transfer Antavius Sims and redshirt freshman Dezden Petty. And maybe Deontae Cooper comes back healthy? At receiver, James Johnson, Kasen Williams, Cody Bruns, who redshirted last season, and Kevin Smith (if healthy) give the Huskies a solid crew. Some redshirt freshmen and intriguing incoming players could also get into the mix.
Fall questions
1. Oooooo-Line? The Huskies should be welcoming back four starters, but guard Colin Porter was forced to retire due to injuries, and other guys were beat up this spring. If Colin Tanigawa, who missed all of spring with a knee injury, tackle Erik Kohler and center Drew Schaefer all come back healthy, then things should be OK. But that remains to be seen.
2. LB woes? It's still uncertain whether the Huskies will be primarily 3-4 of 4-3 on defense, so we don't know how things will shake out at linebacker. We do know that the Huskies were bad there last year. Three safeties -- Taz Stevenson, Nate Fellner and Evan Zeger -- moved to LB to bolster things, while John Timu, Princeton Fuimaono -- both returning starters -- Thomas Tutogi, Garret Gilliland and Jamaal Kearse are in the mix. Next to the offensive line, this is a position where fans should feel free to be concerned.
3. Backing up Price? Redshirt freshman Derrick Brown is No. 2 at present, mostly by default. But two touted freshmen arrive in the fall: Jeff Lindquist and Cyler Miles. Brown improved over the course of the spring, but the freshmen are good enough to challenge him immediately. And, keep in mind, the No. 2 QB isn't important until he becomes your most important player.
Some quotes from the Pac-12 coaches conference call earlier today.
- Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez on how his players grasped his philosophy: "I think they grasped it pretty well from the progress from the first practice to the last. We tried to coach them up and educate them on how practice is going to run and the tempo we were going to go out and the things we wanted to achieve in each and every practice. For the first practice, which was tough on guys, about halfway through they were gassed and done and struggling to the end, to the last practice of spring they were moving around a little better ... I think they saw a whole other level of continuing we have to be in just to get through practice, let alone to play at the pace we want to play at."
- ASU coach Todd Graham on the quarterback situation: "Obviously, we're a lot closer than what it appears probably from the outside. It was a great evaluation for us. And to be honest it's very difficult to rep three guys and I was very impressed that we were able to install the amount of the offense that we did install and we did it with three different guys."
- Cal coach Jeff Tedford on the progress of quarterback Zach Maynard: "I thought he did a nice job. We were so far ahead of last year when he was new into the system. We were able to do much more on offense this spring and move along and much more efficient. You could really tell his experience from the season had really paid off with the speed of the game and the management of the game. He really improved obviously through a year. Spring was very effective for him."
- Colorado coach Jon Embree on splitting quarterback reps this fall: "With two to three going after it you have to be creative. We'll do some different things to make sure they get quality reps. It may be by day, it may be by drill ... if it's a clear cut deal, I'm not going to waste time. I think it's important that the team knows and that quarterback know that they're going to be leading the team."
- Oregon coach Chip Kelly on quarterback Bryan Bennett after the spring game: "He was fine. I saw him Monday and he was good. There's not much we can do about the games of the past. He's getting in and watching film on his own because we're in that part of the season. I saw him in there watching tape and getting ready for camp coming up. Everything is a learning experience for everybody in our program. It was a good learning experience for Bryan to go through."
- Oregon State coach Mike Riley on Sean Mannion's progress: "To summarize it, I think he had a very valuable freshman year. He's a tremendously hard worker. Conscientious. So what we're looking for is just continued growth. Quarterbacking is a never-ending story of decision making, getting the ball out of your hands. Getting it to the right guy. I thought he had an excellent spring that way. He'll take all of that work into the summertime and be prepared for fall camp so we're just looking for bigger and better things."
- Stanford head coach David Shaw on The Big Game in October: "I think the biggest change is all of the activities around the game, it's going to be hard to do all of those because they're not at the end of the season. The last couple of years it's been the second to last game of the regular season. But now, so early in the season, we've got too much work to do. We can't afford to have too many distractions. I've talked to coach Tedford and we're going to try to organize that week to where we can still do some of the traditional things, maybe just earlier in the week. We're just mid-season. We can't have too many other things going on."
- UCLA coach Jim Mora on the need to cut scholarships (he said they need to cut three): "Probably a combination of both [grayshirting and current players]. I've talked to all our recruits and all our current players about their futures at UCLA."
- USC coach Lane Kiffin said he wants to see improvements in the running game: "I think we did improve in the second half of the season comparable to the first half ... obviously we lost our left tackle Matt Kalil, so that will be tough to replace. But Curtis coming back after a 1,000-yard season. He's coming into his senior year. I'm looking for him to improve with D.J. Morgan going into his second year of playing with us. We aren't very deep, but we would like to definitely improve our rushing stats."
- Utah coach Kyle Whittingham on what he learned in the first year in the Pac-12: "I don't know if we learned anything new. We had an idea going in that it was going to be very competitive ... it was very apparent on tape that there was a lot of good athletes in this conference and some great coaching and that was the case. I can't say that anything surprised us."
- Washington coach Steve Sarkisian on finding a third wide receiver: "We know who Kasen Williams is. We know who James Johnson is. Who's going to be the third guy that's a consistent contributor. Can Cody Bruns get healthy and do it? Can a young guy? Can a Jamaal Jones, DiAndre Campbell, a Marvin Hall, one of those types of guys, step up. That will be big."
- Washington State defensive coordinator Mike Breske on the new system: "Speaking for my first go-around with coach Leach going through spring ball, it was a little bit unusual in terms of 70-75 percent of the balls in the air from a defensive perspective. Growing process, [it was] coaches learning kids, kids learning about their coaches and how to practice, that type of thing. Once we got to practice 15 we accomplished a lot of the things we were looking for going into the spring."
We're continuing with our under the radar series.
The idea is to pick out a player who is not a big name but who may be underrated. Or, at least, a guy who will need to step up and play a critical role in 2012.
We're going in reverse alphabetical order, mainly so Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times doesn't have time to trump us with one of his blog polls on Washington.
Washington: WR James Johnson
2011 production: Appeared in 11 of 13 games last year, starting four. Finished with 28 catches for 366 yards and four touchdowns.
Making the case for Johnson: I met James Johnson in 2007 and immediately recognized the potential. It was impossible not to. There are good high school football players, and then there are those head and shoulders above the competition. Johnson was one of those guys. I'd talked with him after games, among a sea of other reporters. But the first time I sat down with him in 2008, he said something that struck me -- "I have to believe that no one can cover me." I admired his confidence. And for the record, I can't recall a high school DB that could cover him. He still holds the San Diego Section record for most career receiving yards. He had swagger without being cocky.
Here's to hoping he still has that confidence, because after a long bout with high-ankle sprains, he's been Washington's forgotten receiver. People that follow the Huskies closely know the name. And he had two touchdowns against Nebraska last year. But the rest of the conference will probably say "Who?" after he catches touchdown after touchdown from Keith Price.
Johnson is under the radar because he hasn't put together a real body of work yet as a starter. He has the frame (6-1, 200 pounds) and the hands to be an elite receiver in the conference. And he has a quarterback who is on pace to put up record numbers. Those all combine for a potentially big year for Johnson. I know who he is. Most Washington fans do as well. This season, if he stays healthy, the rest of the conference is going to find out.
And if you want to know more about his background, check out this amazing piece by UW's Gregg Bell. It's an inspiring read.
The idea is to pick out a player who is not a big name but who may be underrated. Or, at least, a guy who will need to step up and play a critical role in 2012.
We're going in reverse alphabetical order, mainly so Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times doesn't have time to trump us with one of his blog polls on Washington.
Washington: WR James Johnson
2011 production: Appeared in 11 of 13 games last year, starting four. Finished with 28 catches for 366 yards and four touchdowns.
Making the case for Johnson: I met James Johnson in 2007 and immediately recognized the potential. It was impossible not to. There are good high school football players, and then there are those head and shoulders above the competition. Johnson was one of those guys. I'd talked with him after games, among a sea of other reporters. But the first time I sat down with him in 2008, he said something that struck me -- "I have to believe that no one can cover me." I admired his confidence. And for the record, I can't recall a high school DB that could cover him. He still holds the San Diego Section record for most career receiving yards. He had swagger without being cocky.
Here's to hoping he still has that confidence, because after a long bout with high-ankle sprains, he's been Washington's forgotten receiver. People that follow the Huskies closely know the name. And he had two touchdowns against Nebraska last year. But the rest of the conference will probably say "Who?" after he catches touchdown after touchdown from Keith Price.
Johnson is under the radar because he hasn't put together a real body of work yet as a starter. He has the frame (6-1, 200 pounds) and the hands to be an elite receiver in the conference. And he has a quarterback who is on pace to put up record numbers. Those all combine for a potentially big year for Johnson. I know who he is. Most Washington fans do as well. This season, if he stays healthy, the rest of the conference is going to find out.
And if you want to know more about his background, check out this amazing piece by UW's Gregg Bell. It's an inspiring read.
Taking stock of the ninth week of games in the Pac-12.
Team of the week: Stanford. The Cardinal, winners of 10 in a row by 25 or more points, proved it could win a nailbiter when it outlasted USC 56-48 in triple overtime.
Best game: Stanford-USC featured a little bit of everything, with both teams playing at a high level throughout. The centerpiece, though, was: 1. Stanford QB Andrew Luck tossing a pick-6 interception to Nickell Robey that gave USC a 34-27 lead with 3:08 left; and, 2. Luck leading a 10-play, 76-yard TD drive to tie the game with 38 seconds left. In overtime, both offenses ruled over the exhausted defenses until a Trojans fumble ended the game suddenly. Hard to believe Stanford led 10-6 at halftime.
Biggest play: In order to not make this all about USC-Stanford, this incredible play from Arizona defensive back Robert Golden has to be seen to be believed. Washington QB Keith Price hit receiver James Johnson, who bobbled the ball into Golden's hands. Then Golden rambled his way for a circuitous 91-yard interception return for a TD. Sure, the Wildcats lost, but this was clearly the play of the day.
Offensive standout: Washington running back Chris Polk scored five touchdowns and became the first player in school history with 100 yards rushing and receiving in a single game. Polk had 34 carries for 144 yards and four TDs and he caught four passes for 100 yards with another score in the Huskies 42-31 win over Arizona.
Defensive standout: UCLA's freshman safety Tevin McDonald, who has stepped in for the injured Tony Dye, intercepted three passes in the Bruins' 31-14 win over California. Those picks set up two touchdowns and a field goal. He now has three career interceptions. He also had three tackles. And, yes, I can't believe I missed this while handing out helmet stickers Saturday night.
Special teams standout: Oregon's De'Anthony Thomas returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown in the Ducks' 43-28 win over Washington State. He scored just after the Cougars had narrowed the gap to 29-20 with 3:52 left in the third quarter. He also rushed four times for 26 yards and caught two passes for 54 yards, including a 45-yard TD.
Smiley face: A week after perhaps UCLA's worst performance of the year -- and perhaps Rick Neuheisel's tenure in Westwood -- at Arizona on ESPN, the Bruins bounced back with one of their best, dominating California 31-14. And if the Bruins upset Arizona State on Saturday, guess who suddenly controls their own South Division destiny? And if the Bruins win the South, how could Neuheisel possibly be fired?
Frowny face: California. Wow. That was really, really bad. A week after stomping Utah, the Bears waved a white flag at UCLA. And after QB Zach Maynard tossed four interceptions, it's hard to believe coach Jeff Tedford isn't reviewing his options at the position. Oregon State is the runner-up here after getting pushed around at Utah. Bad Bears! Bad Beavers!
Thought of the week: Oregon visits Washington on Saturday in the final game before Husky Stadium begins a major renovation. Ducks-Huskies is the most bitter rivalry in the Pac-12. No offense to other rivalries, but it seems as though just about any post on the Pac-12 blog -- Who's the best backup kicker? -- degenerates into a back-and-forth between Ducks and Huskies. That said: it's been a mismatch for a long time in Oregon's favor. The Ducks have won seven in a row, their longest streak in the series, by at least 20 points. The average margin of victory during the run is 26.4 points. If you are 18 years old, you can barely remember when the Huskies were even competitive in the series, which isn't a good thing in recruiting. So what's the thought of the week? It's this: At some point, Washington is going to beat Oregon again.
Questions for the week: California, Utah and UCLA are all 4-4. Each, therefore, needs two wins to earn bowl eligibility. The Pac-12 clearly lacks depth this year, but the conference really could use a few more bowl-eligible teams to fill out its seven bowl contracts. The question is: Which, if any, of these inconsistent teams finds enough gumption to win two more games?
Team of the week: Stanford. The Cardinal, winners of 10 in a row by 25 or more points, proved it could win a nailbiter when it outlasted USC 56-48 in triple overtime.
[+] Enlarge
Kirby Lee/Image of Sport/US PresswireQuarterback Andrew Luck and the Cardinal take down the Trojans in three OTs to remain unbeaten.
Kirby Lee/Image of Sport/US PresswireQuarterback Andrew Luck and the Cardinal take down the Trojans in three OTs to remain unbeaten.Biggest play: In order to not make this all about USC-Stanford, this incredible play from Arizona defensive back Robert Golden has to be seen to be believed. Washington QB Keith Price hit receiver James Johnson, who bobbled the ball into Golden's hands. Then Golden rambled his way for a circuitous 91-yard interception return for a TD. Sure, the Wildcats lost, but this was clearly the play of the day.
Offensive standout: Washington running back Chris Polk scored five touchdowns and became the first player in school history with 100 yards rushing and receiving in a single game. Polk had 34 carries for 144 yards and four TDs and he caught four passes for 100 yards with another score in the Huskies 42-31 win over Arizona.
Defensive standout: UCLA's freshman safety Tevin McDonald, who has stepped in for the injured Tony Dye, intercepted three passes in the Bruins' 31-14 win over California. Those picks set up two touchdowns and a field goal. He now has three career interceptions. He also had three tackles. And, yes, I can't believe I missed this while handing out helmet stickers Saturday night.
Special teams standout: Oregon's De'Anthony Thomas returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown in the Ducks' 43-28 win over Washington State. He scored just after the Cougars had narrowed the gap to 29-20 with 3:52 left in the third quarter. He also rushed four times for 26 yards and caught two passes for 54 yards, including a 45-yard TD.
Smiley face: A week after perhaps UCLA's worst performance of the year -- and perhaps Rick Neuheisel's tenure in Westwood -- at Arizona on ESPN, the Bruins bounced back with one of their best, dominating California 31-14. And if the Bruins upset Arizona State on Saturday, guess who suddenly controls their own South Division destiny? And if the Bruins win the South, how could Neuheisel possibly be fired?
Frowny face: California. Wow. That was really, really bad. A week after stomping Utah, the Bears waved a white flag at UCLA. And after QB Zach Maynard tossed four interceptions, it's hard to believe coach Jeff Tedford isn't reviewing his options at the position. Oregon State is the runner-up here after getting pushed around at Utah. Bad Bears! Bad Beavers!
Thought of the week: Oregon visits Washington on Saturday in the final game before Husky Stadium begins a major renovation. Ducks-Huskies is the most bitter rivalry in the Pac-12. No offense to other rivalries, but it seems as though just about any post on the Pac-12 blog -- Who's the best backup kicker? -- degenerates into a back-and-forth between Ducks and Huskies. That said: it's been a mismatch for a long time in Oregon's favor. The Ducks have won seven in a row, their longest streak in the series, by at least 20 points. The average margin of victory during the run is 26.4 points. If you are 18 years old, you can barely remember when the Huskies were even competitive in the series, which isn't a good thing in recruiting. So what's the thought of the week? It's this: At some point, Washington is going to beat Oregon again.
Questions for the week: California, Utah and UCLA are all 4-4. Each, therefore, needs two wins to earn bowl eligibility. The Pac-12 clearly lacks depth this year, but the conference really could use a few more bowl-eligible teams to fill out its seven bowl contracts. The question is: Which, if any, of these inconsistent teams finds enough gumption to win two more games?
Lunch links: QB injuries for Cougs, Buffs
October, 27, 2011
10/27/11
2:30
PM ET
By
Ted Miller | ESPN.com
One of the peculiar imbecilities of our time is the grid of morality we have placed on human behavior: so that every act of man must be measured against an arbitrary latitude of right and longitude of wrong-in exact minutes, seconds, and degrees!
- Things didn't bounce Arizona's way the last time it visited Washington.
- It's not certain when -- or if -- Arizona State CB Omar Bolden will return this season.
- California QB Zach Maynard feels more comfortable.
- Colorado redshirt freshman QB Nick Hirschman is likely to make his first college start at Arizona State, replacing injured starter Tyler Hansen.
- An update on Oregon CB Cliff Harris' driving status. More on that here as well as some notes, one of which says QB Darron Thomas expects to play against Washington State.
- Oregon State's youngsters are coming of age.
- What to watch with USC-Stanford. This union is pushing the pile.
- For better or worse, UCLA stands pat. A familiar name will boost the depleted Bruins corps of WRs.
- USC's offensive line is better but it hasn't yet arrived. QB Matt Barkley is ready to go head-to-head with Andrew Luck.
- Utah expects to get its top playmaker back for Oregon State's visit.
- Washington WR James Johnson rebounds after sophomore slump.
- Washington State players are stung by criticism. A calf, not shoulder, injury may end QB Jeff Tuel's season.
Who gets a helmet sticker for a job well done (on a bad day for the Pac-12)?
Matt Barkley, USC: The Trojans QB completed 26 of 39 passes for 324 yards for five touchdowns with no interceptions in USC's 38-17 win over Syracuse.
Marquess Wilson, Washington State: The Cougars receiver caught six passes for 236 yards and two TDs in a 42-24 loss at San Diego State.
LaMichael James, Oregon: The Ducks running back rushed for 204 yards on 12 carries with three TDs with a long of 90 yards, which obscured a 50-yard TD run. Hey, it was during a 56-7 win over Missouri State, but still... a 50 and 90 yard run?
James Johnson, Washington: The Huskies receiver, who suffered a sophomore slump in 2010, caught six passes for 108 yards with two touchdowns in the 51-38 loss at Nebraska.
The Cal defense: We give the Bears defense a helmet sticker so folks will know it didn't yield a point in the 63-12 win over Presbyterian. Those points came on a pick-6 and a blocked punt. The Bears defense yielded three first downs and 48 total yards.
John White, Utah: The Utes' running back rushed for 174 yards on 22 carries with three TDs in a 54-10 win over rival BYU. That's an average of 7.9 yards per rush.
Rodney Stewart, Colorado: The Colorado running back rushed 19 times for 98 yards and caught seven passes for 93 yards in the Buffaloes' 28-14 win over Colorado State.
Levine Toilolo, Stanford: The Cardinal tight end caught four passes for 102 yards with a touchdown in the win 37-10 win over Arizona.
Matt Barkley, USC: The Trojans QB completed 26 of 39 passes for 324 yards for five touchdowns with no interceptions in USC's 38-17 win over Syracuse.
Marquess Wilson, Washington State: The Cougars receiver caught six passes for 236 yards and two TDs in a 42-24 loss at San Diego State.
LaMichael James, Oregon: The Ducks running back rushed for 204 yards on 12 carries with three TDs with a long of 90 yards, which obscured a 50-yard TD run. Hey, it was during a 56-7 win over Missouri State, but still... a 50 and 90 yard run?
James Johnson, Washington: The Huskies receiver, who suffered a sophomore slump in 2010, caught six passes for 108 yards with two touchdowns in the 51-38 loss at Nebraska.
The Cal defense: We give the Bears defense a helmet sticker so folks will know it didn't yield a point in the 63-12 win over Presbyterian. Those points came on a pick-6 and a blocked punt. The Bears defense yielded three first downs and 48 total yards.
John White, Utah: The Utes' running back rushed for 174 yards on 22 carries with three TDs in a 54-10 win over rival BYU. That's an average of 7.9 yards per rush.
Rodney Stewart, Colorado: The Colorado running back rushed 19 times for 98 yards and caught seven passes for 93 yards in the Buffaloes' 28-14 win over Colorado State.
Levine Toilolo, Stanford: The Cardinal tight end caught four passes for 102 yards with a touchdown in the win 37-10 win over Arizona.
I know that one day Veronica and I are gonna to get married on top of a mountain, and there's going to be flutes playing and trombones and flowers and garlands of fresh herbs. And we will dance till the sun rises. And then our children will form a family band. And we will tour the countryside and you won't be invited.
- A Big H needs to step up for Arizona.
- Bo Moos, son of Washington State AD Bill Moos, has moved up at Arizona State.
- Brock Mansion stays positive as California's backup quarterback, waiting for perhaps a shot at redemption. A Q&A with Bears coach Jeff Tedford.
- Some Colorado thoughts after 10 days of camp. A frosh cornerback steps up.
- A new projection of Oregon's depth chart. Perhaps a little worrisome that wide receiver Josh Huff is in a boot.
- The news continues to be good for wide receiver James Rodgers. A look at the Beavers after one week.
- Stanford AD Bob Bowlsby thinks making freshmen sit would be a good thing. New coach David Shaw embraces high expectations.
- Neat story about UCLA's Renaissance Man.
- Intrigue continues in USC's running back competition. The O-line isn't playing well, particularly inside.
- Has Utah found an answer at cornerback? Pushing through the dog days.
- Wide receiver James Johnson tries to bounce back after a sophomore slump for Washington. Running back Chris Polk is ready for his close-up.
- Quarterback Jeff Tuel is The Man for Washington State. The Cougs are losing their Grippi.
- Jon Wilner provides his AP poll ballot.
Mailbag: Arizona's receivers aren't the best!
April, 15, 2011
4/15/11
7:14
PM ET
By
Ted Miller | ESPN.com
Happy Friday.
Follow me on Twitter.
To the many who asked: I have no idea when the NCAA will rule on USC's appeal. On Saturday, it will be 12 weeks since USC met with the appeals mmittee. I thought it might happen this week. If it doesn't happen next week, the term "absurd" will start to apply.
The notes.
Chris from Seattle writes: You've been calling Arizona's group of receivers "the best in the conference." I'd like to submit that, it's far less clear than you are painting it. The way I see it, UW is equally as deep at receiver. Kearse and Aguilar are two returning seniors who merit pre-season all-conference mention and Kearse is potentially a first teamer and all-american. From there, James Johnson (stellar freshman year who is returning to form), Kevin Davis (really turning it on this spring), DiAndre Campbell (great hands and big plays this spring), and Cody Bruns (another returning senior) are all in the mix for the third spot. But, let's not forget that Kasen Williams (the Parade All-America player of the year - if you have forgotten) will be showing up in the fall. I'd say that group would go toe-to-toe with UA's group any day! Sure, UA has a better QB at the moment, but if we're talking about talent at the receiver position, I think you haven't done your homework and I'd appreciate it if you stop matter-of-factly stating they are the best in the conference. In your UA spring review, you said, "the conference's deepest, most talented crew of receivers." I call BULL! Prove me wrong!
Ted Miller: OK, I'll prove you wrong, you, you, Bull Caller!
Washington has good receivers, but the Huskies don't match up with the Wildcats.
So let's do our homework!
You note Jermaine Kearse (63 receptions, second-team All-Pac-10) and Devin Aguilar. Aguilar caught 28 passes last season. Every one else you mention is a "maybe." Why do I type that? Here are the official stats. Johnson caught one pass last year. Bruns? Seven.
And, really, Kearse has plenty of room to improve -- see dropped passes, see struggles versus physical cornerbacks.
Down in Tucson, you have the best receiver in the Pac-12: Juron Criner (82 receptions, first-team All-Pac-10).
Then you have David Douglas (52 receptions), David Roberts (45), Terrence Miller (29) and Richard Morrison (19). Oh, and you also have Texas transfer Dan Buckner, who caught 44 passes for 445 yards and four touchdowns in 2009 for the Longhorns.
I'd even counter that Arizona's "maybes" are every bit the match of Washington's: redshirt freshmen Tyler Slavin, Austin Hill, and speedster Garic Wharton.
JJ from McCall, Idaho writes: Looking at returning running backs, it's amazing to see USC in 10th position. What happened to all those 5 star recruits?
Ted Miller: USC isn't exactly hurting at running back. In fact, off the top of my head, I'd rate the Trojans fourth in the Pac-12 at the position behind Oregon, Washington and Stanford.
First, let's recall the Trojans averaged 190 yards rushing per game in 2010. That ranked third in the conference.
Second, Marc Tyler, who rushed for 913 yards and averaged 5.3 yards per carry, is back. Yes, he's injury prone, but not so injury prone that he didn't nearly crack the 1,000-yard mark in 2010.
And there is plenty of young talent, starting with Dillon Baxter and D.J. Morgan. Further, the Pac-12 blog has always thought that if Curtis McNeal, academically ineligible in 2010, got touches, he'd make plays.
Matt from Salt Lake City writes: With the Utah Utes bringing in a new O and with [quarterback Jordan Wynn] out of the spring how far behind is Wynn and do you think he can get the new O going and be ready for the fall?
Ted Miller: No matter how much of a "glass half-full guy" you are, it's not ideal for Wynn to be sitting out spring practices after undergoing shoulder surgery. A full spring practice with new offensive coordinator Norm Chow and pro style offense would have been valuable.
But there are a couple of things that work in Wynn and Utah's favor here. For one, Wynn is only a few weeks from full-go throwing again, so he'll have a full summer to work with his receivers and backs and get a general feel for the playbook.
Second, Wynn told me he played a pro style offense in high school, so this shouldn't be an overwhelming transformation. He actually called it a "better fit" than the Utes old spread-option. Third, Chow was most taken with Wynn's intelligence, noting that Wynn seems to be picking things up quickly in meetings and film sessions. Said Chow, "Just sitting in meetings with him, it's extremely obvious he's very bright. To me the key element for a quarterback is you've got to be smart. He gets it all."
Further, Wynn is a one-and-a-half-year starter. He's a veteran who knows game speed. That should help him digest things during fall camp.
Again, not ideal. But far from a cause for panic.
If Utah fans are looking for something to worry about -- and what fan isn't? -- backup quarterback might be a good place to release a harrumph or two. It doesn't seem like either Tyler Shreve or Griff Robles have figured things out.
Thomas from San Francisco writes: Cal fans are a bit up in arms about a quote from Jeff Tedford in your latest article, and I was hoping for some clarification. Specifically, this quote: "I have it back in focus now, not to worry about the external things," he said. "That one year [2009] we went [8-5] and it felt like we went [5-8], it felt like people were real irritable about that. I was irritable, too. About their reaction to [8-5]. Now, I'm just back to focusing on what it takes to get us back on the upward trend again." You bracketed "2009" and "8-5" which means he didn't actually say those terms, but you interpreted him to be referring to 2009 and 8-5. Is it possible he was referring to going 8-4 in 2005? Or something else? It is concerning because it sounds like Tedford is happy with 8-5, which he should not be (especially because there were a handful of blowout losses in those 5 losses, which you note in the story). Is there any way you can post the full Q&A? Or at least enough to get the context of what he was saying? Or simply why you interpreted him to be referring to 2009/8-5?
Ted Miller: You are an observant reader. Oh, you Cal fans!
What Tedford said was a little confusing to me at the time also. The recording is gone, but, to paraphrase, he said "a couple of years ago" in the context of this quote but said "8-3" as the record, as well as the 3-8 reverse. Obviously, there is no 8-3 season, though he could have been referring to finishing the 2005 regular season 8-3 and then winning the Las Vegas Bowl over BYU.
So I did make an assumption based on a couple of things: He said "couple of years ago," which suggested two to me. And I remembered very little carping after the 2005 season, seeing that was the first season after Aaron Rodgers (Joe Ayoob!), though Bears fans feel free to correct me.
Either way, to me, the gist is the same: In the past, he allowed fan reaction to irritate him after an eight-win season. He's now trying to ignore fan reaction after a five-win season because he's got plenty of other things to think -- and get irritated -- about.
I've never had the feeling that Tedford would be happy with 8-5. I do think that he was a bit surprised how quickly Cal fans became bored with winning seasons.
Todd from Mission Viejo, Calif., writes: Regarding the Pac-12 media deal, should I be worried about the Pac-12 signing a long-term deal (say 15 years)? Yes, it would provide stability, but if the college sports media market continues to grow, could the media rights become undervalued for the final part of its contract. Would it not be better to sign a medium length media deal, then renegotiate to reflect the new value of the media property?
Ted Miller: Larry "Let's make a deal!" Scott is seeking a 10-year deal worth $220 million, according to multiple reports, including the Wall Street Journal, which I think got the number from the myriad great articles Jon Wilner has been doing on the behind-the-scenes machinations.
If there is a downside to a 10-year, $220 million deal, I don't know what it is. Other than it's not a 10-year $230 million deal, with the extra $10 million going to the Pac-12 blog, which of course would buy a yacht and throw a righteous party for you loyal readers.
Miriam from Stanford, Calif., writes: In addition to reading the stories on the blog, I often go to your lunch links to find interesting news items about Stanford and other teams. I know that you don't always include a link for every team every day, but I've noticed a lot of times when you seem to have a story for every team except Stanford (see 4/6/11, 4/12/11). Is it really that much harder to find news stories about Stanford than about the other teams in the conference? Or is it just my selection bias coming into play, only noticing when my team is the one missing?
Ted Miller: Yes, it is that much harder to find stories on Stanford football, and it annoys me, too. I even groused about this to Wyndam Makowsky of The Stanford Daily, noting that the Daily's enlightened policy of covering all of Stanford's 14,524 sports teams vexed me when, really, people only care about football.
Some teams get so much local coverage, it's often difficult to figure out which articles to post and which to exclude. That's not the case with Stanford, in large part because Bay Area newspapers have significantly rolled back their staff numbers.
Every weekday morning I go through a series of websites -- newspapers, responsible fan blogs, even the official website -- that offer Stanford coverage. If you don't see a Stanford link at lunch, it's because I couldn't find a story.
Same thing goes for every Pac-12 team.
Daniel from Eugene, Ore., writes: You probably already know this is out there, but I thought it'd be nice if you could post this. Really a quality podcast all about the Ducks.
Ted Miller: Wow, you put the bad boys of podcasting, Ty and Dan of "Solid Verbal," on the same wavelength with The One They Call "Rob Moseley" and you've got the makings of an epic Guy Ritchie shoot-em-up.
Follow me on Twitter.
To the many who asked: I have no idea when the NCAA will rule on USC's appeal. On Saturday, it will be 12 weeks since USC met with the appeals mmittee. I thought it might happen this week. If it doesn't happen next week, the term "absurd" will start to apply.
The notes.
Chris from Seattle writes: You've been calling Arizona's group of receivers "the best in the conference." I'd like to submit that, it's far less clear than you are painting it. The way I see it, UW is equally as deep at receiver. Kearse and Aguilar are two returning seniors who merit pre-season all-conference mention and Kearse is potentially a first teamer and all-american. From there, James Johnson (stellar freshman year who is returning to form), Kevin Davis (really turning it on this spring), DiAndre Campbell (great hands and big plays this spring), and Cody Bruns (another returning senior) are all in the mix for the third spot. But, let's not forget that Kasen Williams (the Parade All-America player of the year - if you have forgotten) will be showing up in the fall. I'd say that group would go toe-to-toe with UA's group any day! Sure, UA has a better QB at the moment, but if we're talking about talent at the receiver position, I think you haven't done your homework and I'd appreciate it if you stop matter-of-factly stating they are the best in the conference. In your UA spring review, you said, "the conference's deepest, most talented crew of receivers." I call BULL! Prove me wrong!
Ted Miller: OK, I'll prove you wrong, you, you, Bull Caller!
Washington has good receivers, but the Huskies don't match up with the Wildcats.
So let's do our homework!
You note Jermaine Kearse (63 receptions, second-team All-Pac-10) and Devin Aguilar. Aguilar caught 28 passes last season. Every one else you mention is a "maybe." Why do I type that? Here are the official stats. Johnson caught one pass last year. Bruns? Seven.
And, really, Kearse has plenty of room to improve -- see dropped passes, see struggles versus physical cornerbacks.
Down in Tucson, you have the best receiver in the Pac-12: Juron Criner (82 receptions, first-team All-Pac-10).
Then you have David Douglas (52 receptions), David Roberts (45), Terrence Miller (29) and Richard Morrison (19). Oh, and you also have Texas transfer Dan Buckner, who caught 44 passes for 445 yards and four touchdowns in 2009 for the Longhorns.
I'd even counter that Arizona's "maybes" are every bit the match of Washington's: redshirt freshmen Tyler Slavin, Austin Hill, and speedster Garic Wharton.
JJ from McCall, Idaho writes: Looking at returning running backs, it's amazing to see USC in 10th position. What happened to all those 5 star recruits?
Ted Miller: USC isn't exactly hurting at running back. In fact, off the top of my head, I'd rate the Trojans fourth in the Pac-12 at the position behind Oregon, Washington and Stanford.
First, let's recall the Trojans averaged 190 yards rushing per game in 2010. That ranked third in the conference.
Second, Marc Tyler, who rushed for 913 yards and averaged 5.3 yards per carry, is back. Yes, he's injury prone, but not so injury prone that he didn't nearly crack the 1,000-yard mark in 2010.
And there is plenty of young talent, starting with Dillon Baxter and D.J. Morgan. Further, the Pac-12 blog has always thought that if Curtis McNeal, academically ineligible in 2010, got touches, he'd make plays.
Matt from Salt Lake City writes: With the Utah Utes bringing in a new O and with [quarterback Jordan Wynn] out of the spring how far behind is Wynn and do you think he can get the new O going and be ready for the fall?
Ted Miller: No matter how much of a "glass half-full guy" you are, it's not ideal for Wynn to be sitting out spring practices after undergoing shoulder surgery. A full spring practice with new offensive coordinator Norm Chow and pro style offense would have been valuable.
But there are a couple of things that work in Wynn and Utah's favor here. For one, Wynn is only a few weeks from full-go throwing again, so he'll have a full summer to work with his receivers and backs and get a general feel for the playbook.
Second, Wynn told me he played a pro style offense in high school, so this shouldn't be an overwhelming transformation. He actually called it a "better fit" than the Utes old spread-option. Third, Chow was most taken with Wynn's intelligence, noting that Wynn seems to be picking things up quickly in meetings and film sessions. Said Chow, "Just sitting in meetings with him, it's extremely obvious he's very bright. To me the key element for a quarterback is you've got to be smart. He gets it all."
Further, Wynn is a one-and-a-half-year starter. He's a veteran who knows game speed. That should help him digest things during fall camp.
Again, not ideal. But far from a cause for panic.
If Utah fans are looking for something to worry about -- and what fan isn't? -- backup quarterback might be a good place to release a harrumph or two. It doesn't seem like either Tyler Shreve or Griff Robles have figured things out.
Thomas from San Francisco writes: Cal fans are a bit up in arms about a quote from Jeff Tedford in your latest article, and I was hoping for some clarification. Specifically, this quote: "I have it back in focus now, not to worry about the external things," he said. "That one year [2009] we went [8-5] and it felt like we went [5-8], it felt like people were real irritable about that. I was irritable, too. About their reaction to [8-5]. Now, I'm just back to focusing on what it takes to get us back on the upward trend again." You bracketed "2009" and "8-5" which means he didn't actually say those terms, but you interpreted him to be referring to 2009 and 8-5. Is it possible he was referring to going 8-4 in 2005? Or something else? It is concerning because it sounds like Tedford is happy with 8-5, which he should not be (especially because there were a handful of blowout losses in those 5 losses, which you note in the story). Is there any way you can post the full Q&A? Or at least enough to get the context of what he was saying? Or simply why you interpreted him to be referring to 2009/8-5?
Ted Miller: You are an observant reader. Oh, you Cal fans!
What Tedford said was a little confusing to me at the time also. The recording is gone, but, to paraphrase, he said "a couple of years ago" in the context of this quote but said "8-3" as the record, as well as the 3-8 reverse. Obviously, there is no 8-3 season, though he could have been referring to finishing the 2005 regular season 8-3 and then winning the Las Vegas Bowl over BYU.
So I did make an assumption based on a couple of things: He said "couple of years ago," which suggested two to me. And I remembered very little carping after the 2005 season, seeing that was the first season after Aaron Rodgers (Joe Ayoob!), though Bears fans feel free to correct me.
Either way, to me, the gist is the same: In the past, he allowed fan reaction to irritate him after an eight-win season. He's now trying to ignore fan reaction after a five-win season because he's got plenty of other things to think -- and get irritated -- about.
I've never had the feeling that Tedford would be happy with 8-5. I do think that he was a bit surprised how quickly Cal fans became bored with winning seasons.
Todd from Mission Viejo, Calif., writes: Regarding the Pac-12 media deal, should I be worried about the Pac-12 signing a long-term deal (say 15 years)? Yes, it would provide stability, but if the college sports media market continues to grow, could the media rights become undervalued for the final part of its contract. Would it not be better to sign a medium length media deal, then renegotiate to reflect the new value of the media property?
Ted Miller: Larry "Let's make a deal!" Scott is seeking a 10-year deal worth $220 million, according to multiple reports, including the Wall Street Journal, which I think got the number from the myriad great articles Jon Wilner has been doing on the behind-the-scenes machinations.
If there is a downside to a 10-year, $220 million deal, I don't know what it is. Other than it's not a 10-year $230 million deal, with the extra $10 million going to the Pac-12 blog, which of course would buy a yacht and throw a righteous party for you loyal readers.
Miriam from Stanford, Calif., writes: In addition to reading the stories on the blog, I often go to your lunch links to find interesting news items about Stanford and other teams. I know that you don't always include a link for every team every day, but I've noticed a lot of times when you seem to have a story for every team except Stanford (see 4/6/11, 4/12/11). Is it really that much harder to find news stories about Stanford than about the other teams in the conference? Or is it just my selection bias coming into play, only noticing when my team is the one missing?
Ted Miller: Yes, it is that much harder to find stories on Stanford football, and it annoys me, too. I even groused about this to Wyndam Makowsky of The Stanford Daily, noting that the Daily's enlightened policy of covering all of Stanford's 14,524 sports teams vexed me when, really, people only care about football.
Some teams get so much local coverage, it's often difficult to figure out which articles to post and which to exclude. That's not the case with Stanford, in large part because Bay Area newspapers have significantly rolled back their staff numbers.
Every weekday morning I go through a series of websites -- newspapers, responsible fan blogs, even the official website -- that offer Stanford coverage. If you don't see a Stanford link at lunch, it's because I couldn't find a story.
Same thing goes for every Pac-12 team.
Daniel from Eugene, Ore., writes: You probably already know this is out there, but I thought it'd be nice if you could post this. Really a quality podcast all about the Ducks.
Ted Miller: Wow, you put the bad boys of podcasting, Ty and Dan of "Solid Verbal," on the same wavelength with The One They Call "Rob Moseley" and you've got the makings of an epic Guy Ritchie shoot-em-up.
The Grinch hated Christmas — the whole Christmas season.
Oh, please don't ask why, no one quite knows the reason.
It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.
It could be his head wasn't screwed on just right.
But I think that the most likely reason of all
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.
Oh, please don't ask why, no one quite knows the reason.
It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.
It could be his head wasn't screwed on just right.
But I think that the most likely reason of all
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.
- Arizona receiver Juron Criner hasn't decided yet if he's coming back for his senior year or entering the NFL draft. Checking in with defensive end Brooks Reed.
- An Arizona State recruiting pipeline stays open.
- Some pictures of the renovation of California's Memorial Stadium.
- Colorado picks up another recruiting commitment, and makes a push for another.
- Oregon has owned the second half this year. The Ducks are trying to avoid distractions.
- Oregon State picks up another recruit for its defense.
- Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh takes home a Coach of the Year Award with a meaningful name.
- You can read the text of UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel's conference call with reporters Saturday c0ncerning his firing of two assistants here (first of four parts).
- Another lingering question for USC: How good will quarterback Matt Barkley be next year? Is the Trojans offensive line about to get even thinner?
- The MAACO Las Vegas bowl is really a no-lose game for Utah.
- Whatever happened to Washington receiver James Johnson, who was supposed to become a star this season?
- Washington State adds a junior college defensive end.
Opening the mailbag: Can Locker, Huskies bounce back at USC?
September, 30, 2010
9/30/10
6:58
PM ET
By
Ted Miller | ESPN.com
Ah, now the Pac-10 schedule starts in earnest.
You can follow me on Twitter.
To the notes.
Quinn from Issaquah, Wash., writes: Following last weeks embarrassment against Nebraska, do you feel that Jake Locker has enough moxie to bounce back and pull of the upset this weekend against an overrated USC team? The Huskies defense has holes left and right, but nonetheless this team as an entire unit is the toughest challenge thus far for the Trojans. USC allowed over 300 yards to both the worst team in the pac 10 (a pitiful WSU squad) and the worst team in the big 10 (bush league Minnesota). With the bye week to prepare and perhaps some added motivation/insight from Sark, this seems as opportune a time as they will have to beat a ranked team. Seattle keeps waiting for this program to take the next step.
Ted Miller: Yes, Locker has the moxie. And, yes, at USC would be a great time for him to turn in a big-time performance and hush his critics.
Now, I'm not so sure that USC is "overrated," particularly at 18th in the nation. There certainly aren't 17 teams in the nation that would be favored vs. the Trojans, nor would most AP voters put money where there ballots are on the teams they keep ranking ahead of the Trojans.
Folks: It might be a mistake to write the Trojans off yet. Of course, if the Huskies go into the Coliseum and pull the upset, well, then it might be time.
The bye week after the Nebraska disaster certainly should help Washington. For one, there's extra game planning. Second, they get back two starters who missed the Nebraska game: WR James Johnson and MLB Cort Dennison.
I'd rate the Huskies chances as decent, though I still favor the Trojans, who shouldn't be lacking motivation after last year's upset loss in Seattle.
As for the program taking the next step: Keep in mind you're only in year two with Steve Sarkisian, who already has taken recruiting a major step forward. And in 2008, the Huskies went 0-12.
The end of the 2009 season perhaps gave Huskies fans too much optimism, something that the upbeat Sarkisian did little to keep in check. The expectations for a ranked team competing in the top-half of the Pac-10 that developed might have been premature. We've got plenty of season to play, and the Huskies still might surge, but the early returns are they don't have the talent on either line to play with the elite on a weekly basis.
Mark from Sacramento writes: I know the pac-10 season in just starting, but at what point (number of losses) does Tedford start looking at playing the younger QB's to get them experience instead of senior Riley? Tedford has only recruited one good QB (A. Rodgers), so the so-called QB guru needs to step it up.
Ted Miller: Jeff Tedford is going to play the QB he thinks will give him the best chance to win this season. Clearly, he thinks that's Kevin Riley. He's not going to bench Riley -- whose numbers, by the way, really aren't bad -- and start looking ahead to 2011 anytime soon.
Now, if the losses start to pile up, and Riley isn't doing well, then Tedford might turn to Beau Sweeney to see if he could give the Bears a spark. But I'd rate the odds of that happening as small.
And, keep in mind Tedford the QB guru may have only had major success with Aaron Rodgers at Cal, but his QB pedigree is pretty darn strong from his years at Oregon and Fresno State.
John from Corvalis via Tokyo writes: I have respect for the Arizona St. defense. I am not even going to negatively comment on you picking the Beavers to lose to Arizona St. at Reser (a place where the Beavers have played fairly well recently). Arizona St. could win, I think it will be a good game. Yet I really feel like you have overrated them to say that their defense is as talented as Boise State's and TCU's. Boise St. shutdown the Ducks offense last year and returned nearly the whole team. TCU I believe has led the Nation in Defense two years running. Like I said, Arizona State has a good defense, but they had more blown coverage vs. Oregon than the Beavers had against Boise St. and I think Kellen Moore is a better passer than Darron Thomas (although ASU was selling out against UofO's run game for obvious reasons). Please explain this huge compliment that you have paid them.
Ted Miller: Last year, playing a Pac-10 schedule as well as a game at Georgia, Arizona State ranked 13th in the nation and Boise State 14th in total defense. TCU, of course, was No. 1, but it lost its two best players -- end Jerry Hughes and LB Daryl Washington.
At present, Boise State is is third in total defense, TCU 12th. The Sun Devils are way down at 49th.
But! ASU has played Wisconsin and Oregon, which are presently ranked Nos. 3 and 13 in the nation in total offense, averaging 560 yards and 484 yards per game.
Oregon had 405 yards vs. ASU; Wisconsin 440 (but just 20 points).
Boise State held Oregon State to 237 yards and TCU held the Beavers to 255. But Louisville also held the Beavers to just 319 yards in Reser Stadium. Kentucky had 466 yards against that defense at Louisville. SMU had 361 yards vs. TCU. The Mustangs only had 420 vs. Washington State.
Are you drowning in numbers already?
My point is: Based on who Arizona State, Boise State and TCU have played, the numbers are comparable, though our sample size -- one quarter of the season -- is too small to make ultimate judgments.
So let's then lean on this then: Boise State and TCU play good team defense. More players from Arizona State, however, are going to get drafted by NFL teams.
And I think you'll get a good look at how good the Sun Devils defense is on Saturday.
Paul from Carpinteria, Calif, writes: After watching UCLA dominate the Longhorns last Saturday one thing was extremely clear. Akeem Ayers may the best defensive player in football and this guy has to be double or triple teamed on every down. Is it just me or is this guy a freak of an athlete who is going to be a top 10 pick next year.
Ted Miller: It is just you. Ayers is a pansy.
Kidding! Akeem, please. Kidding!
Paul, not sure if he requires a double- or triple-team every play but he's a leading candidate for Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. As for his NFL prospects, he's moved up from 18th to 11th on Mel Kiper's "Big Board."
Jonathan from Pullman, Wash., writes: As a student at Washington State University, I would just like to say this: PLEASE STOP GIVING US SO MUCH RESPECT!!! We are an utterly despicable, joke of a football team. Have you even seen us play? We have been the Bad News Bears for what is now the third consecutive year. So please stop saying we will be competitive in games, because we won't. UCLA will man handle us just like every other opponent we face.
Ted Miller: This is the first time I've been told to stop respecting a team so much.
OK, Mr. Sunshine, sounds like a guy needs a long night at "The Coug."
Spencer from Salt Lake City writes: You've got a feel for the hate between BYU/Utah now that the Utes are headed your way. Check this out, this is great. You'll love it.
Ted Miller: Not bad. Not sure our friends from BYU will like it much, but I guess that's the point.
Of course, now you've got to find someone to hate in the Pac-12. Any suggestions, folks?
Steve from Portland writes: You say in your article :"Just ask Oklahoma State, which the Ducks manhandled in the 2008 Holiday Bowl" .....this actually confirms my assumption that you are a MORON!!! First, Oklahoma State was "Man-handling" Oregon the entire first 1/2 until Dez Bryant went out with Injury ....and they narrowly escaped winning that game. The Ducks are a JOKE and have yet to win any big game against a seriously Physical team (and no I don't consider USC as a physical team). The Ducks have had arguably 2 truly tough tests in the last decade....Boise State and Ohio State and they failed miserably in both of them because they were playing good Defenses!! The only GOOD defense that Peter Carroll's USC came up against while he was there ...was TEXAS ...and well ...you know what happened in that National Championship .....The Pac 10 has always been weak in Defense up until the last couple years with Standford looking like a REAL Football team . My guess is the DUCKS get Whooped the the Cardinal .....other than the cardinal ...most of the PAC-10 is a joke ...and want a be conference.
Ted Miller: You had me at MORON, Steve!
Here is the box score from the 2008 Holiday Bowl. The key number is 565.
And here are Mike Gundy's comments.
And here is the box score USC's only game against a good defense, Texas, in the 2005 national title game: The key number is 574 (other than the final score, of course).
Joe from Roseburg, Ore., writes: Could you announce that we are having a black-out at Autzen for this weekends game, and that all the fans attending should try and wear some black duck apparel. Try and spread the word.
Ted Miller: No, I can't do that.
Now, if you went for a Lightning Yellow-out, I'd be all for that.
You can follow me on Twitter.
To the notes.
Quinn from Issaquah, Wash., writes: Following last weeks embarrassment against Nebraska, do you feel that Jake Locker has enough moxie to bounce back and pull of the upset this weekend against an overrated USC team? The Huskies defense has holes left and right, but nonetheless this team as an entire unit is the toughest challenge thus far for the Trojans. USC allowed over 300 yards to both the worst team in the pac 10 (a pitiful WSU squad) and the worst team in the big 10 (bush league Minnesota). With the bye week to prepare and perhaps some added motivation/insight from Sark, this seems as opportune a time as they will have to beat a ranked team. Seattle keeps waiting for this program to take the next step.
Ted Miller: Yes, Locker has the moxie. And, yes, at USC would be a great time for him to turn in a big-time performance and hush his critics.
Now, I'm not so sure that USC is "overrated," particularly at 18th in the nation. There certainly aren't 17 teams in the nation that would be favored vs. the Trojans, nor would most AP voters put money where there ballots are on the teams they keep ranking ahead of the Trojans.
Folks: It might be a mistake to write the Trojans off yet. Of course, if the Huskies go into the Coliseum and pull the upset, well, then it might be time.
The bye week after the Nebraska disaster certainly should help Washington. For one, there's extra game planning. Second, they get back two starters who missed the Nebraska game: WR James Johnson and MLB Cort Dennison.
I'd rate the Huskies chances as decent, though I still favor the Trojans, who shouldn't be lacking motivation after last year's upset loss in Seattle.
As for the program taking the next step: Keep in mind you're only in year two with Steve Sarkisian, who already has taken recruiting a major step forward. And in 2008, the Huskies went 0-12.
The end of the 2009 season perhaps gave Huskies fans too much optimism, something that the upbeat Sarkisian did little to keep in check. The expectations for a ranked team competing in the top-half of the Pac-10 that developed might have been premature. We've got plenty of season to play, and the Huskies still might surge, but the early returns are they don't have the talent on either line to play with the elite on a weekly basis.
Mark from Sacramento writes: I know the pac-10 season in just starting, but at what point (number of losses) does Tedford start looking at playing the younger QB's to get them experience instead of senior Riley? Tedford has only recruited one good QB (A. Rodgers), so the so-called QB guru needs to step it up.
Ted Miller: Jeff Tedford is going to play the QB he thinks will give him the best chance to win this season. Clearly, he thinks that's Kevin Riley. He's not going to bench Riley -- whose numbers, by the way, really aren't bad -- and start looking ahead to 2011 anytime soon.
Now, if the losses start to pile up, and Riley isn't doing well, then Tedford might turn to Beau Sweeney to see if he could give the Bears a spark. But I'd rate the odds of that happening as small.
And, keep in mind Tedford the QB guru may have only had major success with Aaron Rodgers at Cal, but his QB pedigree is pretty darn strong from his years at Oregon and Fresno State.
John from Corvalis via Tokyo writes: I have respect for the Arizona St. defense. I am not even going to negatively comment on you picking the Beavers to lose to Arizona St. at Reser (a place where the Beavers have played fairly well recently). Arizona St. could win, I think it will be a good game. Yet I really feel like you have overrated them to say that their defense is as talented as Boise State's and TCU's. Boise St. shutdown the Ducks offense last year and returned nearly the whole team. TCU I believe has led the Nation in Defense two years running. Like I said, Arizona State has a good defense, but they had more blown coverage vs. Oregon than the Beavers had against Boise St. and I think Kellen Moore is a better passer than Darron Thomas (although ASU was selling out against UofO's run game for obvious reasons). Please explain this huge compliment that you have paid them.
Ted Miller: Last year, playing a Pac-10 schedule as well as a game at Georgia, Arizona State ranked 13th in the nation and Boise State 14th in total defense. TCU, of course, was No. 1, but it lost its two best players -- end Jerry Hughes and LB Daryl Washington.
At present, Boise State is is third in total defense, TCU 12th. The Sun Devils are way down at 49th.
But! ASU has played Wisconsin and Oregon, which are presently ranked Nos. 3 and 13 in the nation in total offense, averaging 560 yards and 484 yards per game.
Oregon had 405 yards vs. ASU; Wisconsin 440 (but just 20 points).
Boise State held Oregon State to 237 yards and TCU held the Beavers to 255. But Louisville also held the Beavers to just 319 yards in Reser Stadium. Kentucky had 466 yards against that defense at Louisville. SMU had 361 yards vs. TCU. The Mustangs only had 420 vs. Washington State.
Are you drowning in numbers already?
My point is: Based on who Arizona State, Boise State and TCU have played, the numbers are comparable, though our sample size -- one quarter of the season -- is too small to make ultimate judgments.
So let's then lean on this then: Boise State and TCU play good team defense. More players from Arizona State, however, are going to get drafted by NFL teams.
And I think you'll get a good look at how good the Sun Devils defense is on Saturday.
Paul from Carpinteria, Calif, writes: After watching UCLA dominate the Longhorns last Saturday one thing was extremely clear. Akeem Ayers may the best defensive player in football and this guy has to be double or triple teamed on every down. Is it just me or is this guy a freak of an athlete who is going to be a top 10 pick next year.
Ted Miller: It is just you. Ayers is a pansy.
Kidding! Akeem, please. Kidding!
Paul, not sure if he requires a double- or triple-team every play but he's a leading candidate for Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. As for his NFL prospects, he's moved up from 18th to 11th on Mel Kiper's "Big Board."
Jonathan from Pullman, Wash., writes: As a student at Washington State University, I would just like to say this: PLEASE STOP GIVING US SO MUCH RESPECT!!! We are an utterly despicable, joke of a football team. Have you even seen us play? We have been the Bad News Bears for what is now the third consecutive year. So please stop saying we will be competitive in games, because we won't. UCLA will man handle us just like every other opponent we face.
Ted Miller: This is the first time I've been told to stop respecting a team so much.
OK, Mr. Sunshine, sounds like a guy needs a long night at "The Coug."
Spencer from Salt Lake City writes: You've got a feel for the hate between BYU/Utah now that the Utes are headed your way. Check this out, this is great. You'll love it.
Ted Miller: Not bad. Not sure our friends from BYU will like it much, but I guess that's the point.
Of course, now you've got to find someone to hate in the Pac-12. Any suggestions, folks?
Steve from Portland writes: You say in your article :"Just ask Oklahoma State, which the Ducks manhandled in the 2008 Holiday Bowl" .....this actually confirms my assumption that you are a MORON!!! First, Oklahoma State was "Man-handling" Oregon the entire first 1/2 until Dez Bryant went out with Injury ....and they narrowly escaped winning that game. The Ducks are a JOKE and have yet to win any big game against a seriously Physical team (and no I don't consider USC as a physical team). The Ducks have had arguably 2 truly tough tests in the last decade....Boise State and Ohio State and they failed miserably in both of them because they were playing good Defenses!! The only GOOD defense that Peter Carroll's USC came up against while he was there ...was TEXAS ...and well ...you know what happened in that National Championship .....The Pac 10 has always been weak in Defense up until the last couple years with Standford looking like a REAL Football team . My guess is the DUCKS get Whooped the the Cardinal .....other than the cardinal ...most of the PAC-10 is a joke ...and want a be conference.
Ted Miller: You had me at MORON, Steve!
Here is the box score from the 2008 Holiday Bowl. The key number is 565.
And here are Mike Gundy's comments.
And here is the box score USC's only game against a good defense, Texas, in the 2005 national title game: The key number is 574 (other than the final score, of course).
Joe from Roseburg, Ore., writes: Could you announce that we are having a black-out at Autzen for this weekends game, and that all the fans attending should try and wear some black duck apparel. Try and spread the word.
Ted Miller: No, I can't do that.
Now, if you went for a Lightning Yellow-out, I'd be all for that.
Pac-10 lunch links: Things get texty between Sark, Kiffin
September, 29, 2010
9/29/10
2:30
PM ET
By
Ted Miller | ESPN.com
I love you, dude.
I love you, Bro Montana.
I love you, holmes.
I love you, Broseph Goebbels.
I love you, muchacha.
I love you, Tycho Brohe.
I love you, Bro Montana.
I love you, holmes.
I love you, Broseph Goebbels.
I love you, muchacha.
I love you, Tycho Brohe.
- Nick Foles for Heisman isn't a goof.
- The always entertaining Noel Mazzone talks about the Arizona State offense. A healthy Gerell Robinson means the Sun Devils have more weapons.
- With California off this week, there's plenty of time to look back.
- Oregon says it's going to be ready for Stanford's power-running attack. Nice column here by George Schroeder on Chip Kelly's new contract.
- It's fair to say Oregon State WR James Rodgers remains questionable for Saturday's game with ASU. On the plus side: Many happy returns.
- Stanford and Oregon are both high-powered. But the Cardinal passing game isn't hitting on all cylinders.
- UCLA is still struggling to keep QB Kevin Prince healthy. The Bruins defense has grown up quickly.
- Things get texting between USC's Lane Kiffin and Washington's Steve Sarkisian. FB Stanley Havili remembers what happened last year in Husky Stadium.
- The return of WR James Johnson should boost the Washington passing game. Some practice notes.
- Washington State gets physical at practice.
Washington opens preseason camp today. Here's a quick look.
Who's back: Nine starters on offense, eight on defense, both specialists.
Big names: Quarterback Jake Locker, running back Chris Polk, receiver Jermaine Kearse, linebacker Mason Foster.
What's new: The Huskies staff returns intact in Steve Sarkisian's second year.
Key competition: With 17 position players back, most of the competition is for backup roles. The biggest question is how things will stack up at defensive end, with Kalani Aldrich and Everrette Thompson trying to regain their form after injuries. The pecking order at free safety is still in question. Backup quarterback behind Locker is unresolved.
Breaking out: Chris Izbicki needs to step up at ight end after Kavario Middleton was kicked off the team. Receiver James Johnson figures to take another step forward after a strong true freshman season. There's a sense that junior tackle Senio Kelemete has All-Conference potential, as does sophomore cornerback Desmond Trufant.
Quote: Sarkisian on the value of having Locker back for his senior year: “Historically in this conference, the teams that have won Pac-10 championships or have been in that race at the end have had veteran leadership at that position. Ultimately, if you really want to win a Pac-10 championship, you have to find a way to win on the road. We will take the advantage of having that senior quarterback who has been in those environments.”
Notes: Defensive end Andru Pulu, a potential starter, was kicked off the team after he was sentenced to six months in jail for breaking a man's nose in an off-campus fight in March ... The Huskies added touted linebacker Josh Shirley to their recruiting class after he was booted from UCLA for allegedly participating in a purse theft with three other freshmen ... Locker made two East Coast trips in support of a Heisman Trophy campaign. You can keep up with Locker on his website ... Two members of the 2010 recruiting class will grayshirt: defensive back John Timu and defensive end Brent Williams ... Safety Justin Glenn, who broke his leg at Notre Dame last season, is still not ready for contact.
Who's back: Nine starters on offense, eight on defense, both specialists.
Big names: Quarterback Jake Locker, running back Chris Polk, receiver Jermaine Kearse, linebacker Mason Foster.
What's new: The Huskies staff returns intact in Steve Sarkisian's second year.
Key competition: With 17 position players back, most of the competition is for backup roles. The biggest question is how things will stack up at defensive end, with Kalani Aldrich and Everrette Thompson trying to regain their form after injuries. The pecking order at free safety is still in question. Backup quarterback behind Locker is unresolved.
Breaking out: Chris Izbicki needs to step up at ight end after Kavario Middleton was kicked off the team. Receiver James Johnson figures to take another step forward after a strong true freshman season. There's a sense that junior tackle Senio Kelemete has All-Conference potential, as does sophomore cornerback Desmond Trufant.
Quote: Sarkisian on the value of having Locker back for his senior year: “Historically in this conference, the teams that have won Pac-10 championships or have been in that race at the end have had veteran leadership at that position. Ultimately, if you really want to win a Pac-10 championship, you have to find a way to win on the road. We will take the advantage of having that senior quarterback who has been in those environments.”
Notes: Defensive end Andru Pulu, a potential starter, was kicked off the team after he was sentenced to six months in jail for breaking a man's nose in an off-campus fight in March ... The Huskies added touted linebacker Josh Shirley to their recruiting class after he was booted from UCLA for allegedly participating in a purse theft with three other freshmen ... Locker made two East Coast trips in support of a Heisman Trophy campaign. You can keep up with Locker on his website ... Two members of the 2010 recruiting class will grayshirt: defensive back John Timu and defensive end Brent Williams ... Safety Justin Glenn, who broke his leg at Notre Dame last season, is still not ready for contact.
Receiver is a difficult position to evaluate this year. Just about every team has a solid (or better) lead receiver back and some intriguing, but inexperienced, talent around him. But, other than Washington, no team should feel completely secure.
There is, however, a lot of potential at the position. Many of the names below who appear as secondary options could end up competing for All-Pac-10 spots.
Note: Tight ends and running backs don't count here.
Great shape
There is, however, a lot of potential at the position. Many of the names below who appear as secondary options could end up competing for All-Pac-10 spots.
Note: Tight ends and running backs don't count here.
Great shape
- Washington: The Huskies entire two-deep is back, topped by second-team All-Pac-10 pick Jermaine Kearse and Devin Aguilar, who ranked seventh in the conference in receiving yards per game in 2009. James Johnson was probably the best freshman receiver in the conference last year.
- Oregon State: James Rodgers is clearly the No. 1 returning receiver in the conference. Markus Wheaton, Jordan Bishop and Darrell Catchings offer promising depth, but they combined for 25 receptions last year (Catchings was injured).
- Oregon: The Ducks aren't flashy, but they welcome back their top three receivers from last year. By season's end, Jeff Maehl was one of the best in the conference. Things would have been better if Tyrece Gaines and Diante Jackson weren't ruled academically ineligible.
- Arizona: After Delashaun Dean got himself kicked off the team, the Wildcats must replace their Nos. 1 and 4 WRs, which is why they aren't in "great shape." Still, Juron Criner tops a solid returning crew.
- UCLA: The Bruins welcome back their top-two WRs -- Taylor Embree and Nelson Rosario -- and Colorado transfer Josh Smith figures to make an immediate impact. Sophomores Damien Thigpen and Morrell Presley also seem poised for breakthroughs.
- USC: While he was hurt much of last year, Ronald Johnson is a top home run threat. Brice Butler and David Ausberry will have to fight to stay ahead of a talented crew of incoming freshmen.
- Stanford: The Cardinal welcome back their top-two receivers in Ryan Whalen and Chris Owusu. That's the good news. The question is who will become options No. 3 and 4?
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Ben MargotOregon State's James Rodgers caught 91 passes for 1,034 yards and nine TDs last year.
AP Photo/Ben MargotOregon State's James Rodgers caught 91 passes for 1,034 yards and nine TDs last year.- California: The Bears only lose No. 2 WR Verran Tucker and the underwhelming Nyan Boateng, but, other than Marvin Jones, they didn't get much production here in 2009.
- Arizona State: The Sun Devils lost their top-two WRs, but the cupboard isn't empty, with Oregon transfer Aaron Pflugrad, who would have started for the Ducks in 2009, and JC transfer George Bell, Gerell Robinson, Jamal Miles and Kerry Taylor. Still, it's not a proven group.
- Washington State: The Cougars went through spring with just four scholarship receivers, a crew topped by Jared Karstetter and Gino Simone. The incoming recruiting class features five receivers, and at least a couple will get on the field. The Cougars are OK here but they did rank last in the conference in passing in 2009.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Ted Miller
Miller has been covering college football since 1997, starting with Auburn and then heading West to Washington and the Pac-12. His columns for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer won first place in the 2007 APSE Best Writing contest. The Atlanta native and University of Richmond graduate presently lives with his wife in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Kevin Gemmell
Gemmell covered San Diego State and the Mountain West Conference for three years before joining ESPN.com. As a Santa Clara graduate, his hope is that the Broncos will one day re-institute football. Until then, he lives vicariously through his readers. Gemmell lives in California with his wife and son.
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