ESPN College Football

Heading into the 2010 season, it was not uncommon for media sorts to volunteer Oregon State as a program that had the best staff of assistant coaches in the Pac-10.

Why? Good numbers without stockpiles of elite recruits. Non-elite recruits becoming NFL draft choices. Thirty-six wins over the previous four seasons. You know, the usual suspects.

Oh, but how two down seasons can change things. After going a combined 8-16 over the past two years, many Beavers fans are either calling for head coach Mike Riley's head, or they are at least calling for the heads of his coordinators: Mark Banker on defense and Danny Langsdorf on offense.

How quickly can things change? Well, I wrote this heading into 2010 as part of a "Don't be surprised if..." series: "Don't be surprised if ... Beavers offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf becomes a hot head-coaching candidate when new starting quarterback Ryan Katz posts surprisingly strong numbers this fall."

Katz posted pretty good numbers in 2010 -- 60 percent completion rate, 18 TDs, 11 interceptions -- but he was promptly and surprisingly displaced as the starter by redshirt freshman Sean Mannion at the beginning of the 2011 season. And Langsdorf is now fighting for his job instead of presiding over his own program.

In fact, there now appears to be some question as to whether Riley will take over play-calling responsibilities from Langsdorf in 2012, which Riley gave to Langsdorf midway through the 2008 season. This question is being -- legitimately -- asked because Riley is calling plays this spring.

Riley was noncommittal -- and a tad uncomfortable -- with this line of inquiry Monday, and you can see video of his thoughts here. He called it "not a big deal." He said he was calling plays so he could see how the offense reacted against certain looks from the defense: "It's a way to orchestrate a big-picture look," he said.

When asked if it was for spring only, he said, "For right now, it's only for spring."

That qualifies as a "maybe," not a "Yes" or "No."

So here's my defense of Langsdorf, who also coaches the Beavers QBs. It might not be completely comforting for Beavers fans, but I think it's fair and accurate: The reason the Beavers offense has struggled the past two seasons ... drum roll please ... is a lack of good players.

I know: Thud.

The 2010 season likely would have been different if receiver James Rodgers hadn't blown out his knee during an impressive win at Arizona on Oct. 9. And the Beavers would have qualified for a bowl game if typically reliable tight end Joe Halahuni hadn't dropped a 2-point conversion that would have beaten homestanding Washington in double-overtime.

2011? Well, that was just pretty lousy. Riley, Langsdorf, Banker, the players -- everyone associated with the program -- surely spent some time wondering where they failed.

Still, as the Pac-12 blog observed while praising Langsdorf just two years ago:

In his six seasons as offensive coordinator, the Beavers have posted five of their top-nine all-time seasons of total offense. Remember the early careers of quarterbacks Matt Moore, Sean Canfield and Lyle Moevao? One word: Yucky. Remember their late careers? Two words: Dramatic transformation. Canfield earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors in 2009 and joined Moore in the NFL.

In 2008, with Langsdorf calling plays, the Beavers ranked 32nd in the nation with 30.5 points per game and 30th in the nation with 407.1 yards per game. In 2009, they ranked 26th in points (31.5 ppg) and 34th in yards (410.6 ypg).

In other words, Langsdorf has been a successful coordinator and playcaller. At least when he's shown up for battle with more than a pillow shield and plastic sword.

Things set up fairly well for the offense heading into 2012. Langsdorf has his returning starter at QB in Mannion. He has a good crew of receivers, led by Markus Wheaton. But the offense will struggle if it can't generate a running game, which mostly hinges on improved play on the offensive line, which has been sub-par two years running.

One of the criticisms of Riley has been his loyalty to his assistant coaches, but he's made tough decisions recently, including firing longtime linebackers coach Greg Newhouse in March of 2011 (mostly because of recruiting shortcomings). If Riley takes away play-calling responsibilities from Langsdorf, it will be a painful blow to both men.

But it appears that possibility is at least being considered, so it will be worth asking about in advance of the season opener on Sept. 1 against Nicholls State.

Most Pac-12 teams will have new faces on hand this spring -- early-entry high school or JC players or transfers -- who are expected to provide immediate help, if not win starting jobs.

Here are seven we expect to make a mark in 2012 (feel free to comment on how you can't believe we left out so-and-so).

LB Brian Wagner, Arizona: Wagner was prolific tackler at Akron, collecting at least 100 stops in three years as a starter and earning All-MAC honors in two out of his three seasons with the Zips. He might not have top-flight Pac-12 speed, but the Wildcats are fairly desperate at linebacker.

QB Connor Wood, Colorado: Wood, a Texas transfer, was expected to win the job even before Nick Hirschman re-injured his foot. But with Hirschman out, it's Wood's offense -- at least for the spring. In the fall, Jordan Webb, a two-year starter at Kansas with two years of eligibility remaining, is expected to join the fray.

DE Arik Armstead, Oregon: The true freshman arrives in Eugene this spring after one of the more closely watched recruiting sagas on the West Coast. While more than a few folks believe the 6-foot-8, 280 pounder is a prototypical left OFFENSIVE tackle, he's going to at least start off on defense at Oregon. He's athletic enough to play end, and could immediately be in the picture to replace the departed Terrell Turner.

TE Caleb Smith, Oregon State: The Beavers use both a tight end and an H-back, and Smith, a touted recruit from Kentridge High School in Renton, Wash., looks like a good candidate to replace departed -- and productive -- H-back Joe Halahuni. He could challenge sophomore Connor Hamlett, the backup tight end in 2011, for the starting job.

DE Brandon Willis, UCLA: Willis' wanderlust has been almost comical -- he's transferred between UCLA and North Carolina twice -- but he was once a touted recruit and could compete for immediate playing time on an experienced but underachieving Bruins D-line.

RB Kelvin York, Utah: York, a 5-foot-11, 225-pound transfer out of Fullerton College, picked the Utes over a host of suitors. At the very least will be Robin to John White's Batman. It's also possible they could be 1A and 1B, almost splitting carries equally.

RB/WR Antavius Sims, Washington: Sims is a JC transfer who signed with the Huskies in 2011 but didn't qualify academically. He was expected to play cornerback, but has been shifted to offense so he can use his speed both as a runner and receiver.

Taking stock of the sixth week of games in the Pac-12.

Team of the week: Oregon State finally notched its first win of the season, beating Arizona 37-27. The Beavers jumped to a big lead then watched the Wildcats storm back. But instead of yielding in the fourth quarter in front of their nervous home fans, the Beavers made plays on offense, defense and special teams to win.

Best game: UCLA 28, Washington State 25. Beleaguered UCLA QB Kevin Prince came off the bench for an injured Richard Brehaut -- he was booed by his home fans as he entered the game -- and led the Bruins back from an eight-point fourth quarter deficit. He threw a go-ahead 7-yard touchdown pass -- his second of the game -- to Shaq Evans with 3:26 to play.

Biggest play: Oregon State saw its 30-6 lead almost disappear. Leading just 30-27 in the fourth quarter, the Beavers faced a fourth and goal on Arizona's 2-yard line. Instead of taking the easy field goal, coach Mike Riley went for the jugular. And QB Sean Mannion found TE Joe Halahuni for the touchdown that gave Oregon State breathing room with 5:22 remaining.

Offensive standout: Oregon RB LaMichael James rushed for 239 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries before dislocating his elbow in the fourth quarter of a victory over California.

Defensive standout: Despite being banged up, Oregon State safety Lance Mitchell rolled up seven tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery in a victory over Arizona.

Special teams standout: After Stanford fumbled away the opening kickoff, Colorado lined up for a short field goal. But Stanford LB Max Bergen blocked the attempt and returned it 75-yards for a touchdown.

Special teams standout II: Oregon State's Clayton York blocked a second-quarter Arizona punt, picked up the loose ball at the Wildcats' 5-yard line and ran it in for a score (officially, it was a 41-yard return).

Special teams standout III: Oregon State punter Johnny Hekker averaged 46.3 yards on four punts, killing three inside the Arizona 20-yard line. But none was more important than his 63-yard boot that pinned the Wildcats on their 5-yard line early in the fourth quarter. Arizona had just cut the Beavers' lead to 30-27, but the field position change brought on by this punt changed the game's momentum -- and led to the big play described above.

Smiley face: Just about everything had gone wrong for Oregon State and UCLA this year. But both the Bruins and Beavers kept fighting and overcame fourth-quarter adversity to record wins that could change the trajectory of their seasons.

Frowny face: Arizona special teams. A blocked punt for a TD. A missed 28-yard field goal. A fumbled kickoff. A missed extra point. Just terrible. The Wildcats are 2 of 6 on field goals this year and have missed four PATs.

Thought of the week: No. 18 Arizona State's visit to No. 9 Oregon is the first matchup of ranked Pac-12 teams this year. ESPN's College GameDay will be on hand, and this is a big opportunity for both teams. If the Sun Devils were to pull the upset, they'd announce themselves nationally. And they'd be in position to host to the Pac-12 championship game, which most projected in the preseason as a certainty for the North champ. If the Ducks win impressively, they could start to repair their national image, which was hurt by the national championship and LSU games, and maybe re-enter the periphery of the national title hunt.

Questions for the week: What's up with California, which plays a second consecutive Thursday night ESPN game against USC? The Trojans visit the Bears -- the game is at Cal's home-away-from-home, AT&T Park -- after a bye week, so they've had extra time to prepare. Last year, USC bludgeoned Cal 48-14, with QB Matt Barkley throwing five first-half TD passes. Trying to end a two-game conference losing streak should be motivation enough for Cal, but the memory of that embarrassing whipping also should be in the corner of the Bears minds.

Two desperate teams put on a strange game in Corvallis, and Oregon State managed to notch its first win, 37-27, at reeling Arizona's expense.

Oregon State charged to a 30-6 lead early in the third quarter as the Wildcats were sloppy and, seemingly, indifferent.

Then the Wildcats and QB Nick Foles -- who looked like he might be knocked out of the game at one point -- stormed back to close the gap to 30-27 early in the fourth quarter.

What once looked like a disaster for embattled coach Mike Stoops now looked like one for embattled coach Mike Riley.

But the Beavers used a 63-yard punt to gain a critical field position advantage -- pinning the Wildcats on their 5-yard line -- and then drove 43 yards for a critical, game-salvaging TD. The Beavers scored said TD on a fourth-and-2 pass from Sean Mannion to Joe Halahuni.

The Wildcats then drove to the Beavers 1-yard line, but a seeming TD pass from Foles to WR Dan Buckner was dropped.

Foles completed 29-of-39 for 354 yards with two interceptions and a TD.

Mannion completed 32-of-41 for 267 yards with two TDs and two interceptions.

The Wildcats also had two fumbles, but the bigger difference might have been the running game. The Beavers produced one -- 123 yards -- and the Wildcats couldn't -- 53 yards.

Oregon State is now 1-4 and 1-2 with BYU visiting next weekend.

Arizona falls to 1-5 and 0-4. It's off until playing host to UCLA on Oct. 20, a Thursday night game.

Previously, the Wildcats tough schedule was a reasonable excuse for their poor record. No longer.

The heat on Stoops is going to kick up a few notches.

Ten issues to consider heading into the fourth week of games.

Pressure Barkley: USC QB Matt Barkley comfortable in the pocket? That's not a good thing for a defense, particularly when he gets to find receiver Robert Woods. USC has allowed just two sacks this year, and Arizona State will be missing its best pass-rusher -- defensive end Junior Onyeali, who's out indefinitely with a knee injury -- so the Sun Devils might need to get creative with blitzes. You know, like they've done with linebacker Vontaze Burfict this year, see four sacks.

Foles on his own? Arizona QB Nick Foles is a heck of a player but he will not beat Oregon on his own. He needs help from the Pac-12's worst running game, its worst defense and an offensive line that has yielded seven sacks.

Washington D needs to step up: Arizona has the worst defense in terms of yards allowed in the conference, but the Huskies are the worst in terms of points surrendered: 36.7 ppg. And the Huskies are 11th in the conference in yards allowed, too. Coordinator Nick Holt is the conference's best paid defensive coordinator (without the last name "Kiffin," at least), and it was widely believed in the preseason that the Huskies had enough talent to be an A-list defense this fall. The early results have been terrible. A visit from California to start the Pac-12 schedule is a heck of an opportunity for Holt and the UW D to reverse their fortunes.

No slow start in the 'Shoe, Colorado: As pointed out by the Boulder Daily Camera: "The Buffs have been outscored 40-20 in the first half in the first three games and 14 of the Buffs' 20 first-half points came against [Colorado State]." It wouldn't be a good idea to fall behind early against Ohio State in the Horseshoe. For one, having lost 19 in a row on the road, it likely wouldn't help the Buffaloes' confidence. Second, Ohio State's grind-it-out offense is much better playing from ahead than playing from behind -- see below.

Brehaut takes over: Richard Brehaut has an opportunity to decisively win the UCLA QB job. He just needs to put up numbers in a victory at Oregon State. Most observers have long felt coach Rick Neuheisel has favored Kevin Prince in the Bruins' seemingly endless QB competition, but Neuheisel will favor the guy who gets him a W. Brehaut should have a chance against the Beavers' pass defense, which is the worst in the Pac-12.

Osweiler bounce back: ASU QB Brock Osweiler was lights out at home against Missouri but he struggled at Illinois. Now he's back home facing USC, which has beaten the Sun Devils 11 consecutive times. Osweiler needs to regain his Missouri form -- or at least approximate it -- in order for Arizona State to jump to the front of the Pac-12 South Division pecking order.

Ducks make statement: After losing to LSU in Cowboys Stadium, which inspired many national pundits to write Oregon off, the Ducks quietly rolled up a pair of dominant wins at home against inferior foes. But now Oregon opens the Pac-12 schedule on ESPN2 with a chance to make a statement: "We're still here." If the Ducks can match -- or eclipse -- Stanford's impressive 37-10 win in Tucson last weekend, they likely will hush some of the doubters.

Zach Maynard's first big road test: The Cal QB has been solid in the Bears' first three games, including winning at Colorado, but playing at Husky Stadium is not something he's done before, certainly not during his days as the starting QB at Buffalo. While the Huskies' defense has been vulnerable, it's also faced three experienced QBs. Expect the Huskies to throw a lot at Maynard, whose biggest weakness in the early going has been accuracy.

Colorado run D vs. Ohio State: Colorado ranks fifth in the Pac-12 in rushing defense, and it will surely gang up on the run at Ohio State. The Buckeyes had only 209 total yards at Miami last weekend, including 35 yards passing. The way to stop the Buckeyes' offense, who completed a dreadful 4 of 18 passes against the Hurricanes, is to force them to throw. Can the Buffs do that?

Mannion the man? While Oregon State redshirt freshman QB Sezan Mannion saw a lot of action in the first two games, this is his first official game as the Beavers' starter. He's going to get some help with receiver James Rodgers and tight end Joe Halahuni returning to action, but it will be up to Mannion to deliver the ball on time and in the right spot against UCLA.

There's a pretty good reason coaches don't like to use the term "must-win." Losing such a game forces a team -- and a coach -- into a corner. As in: If you lose a "must-win" then your season must-sink.

Still, sometimes it's hard not to see a line drawn in the sand. There certainly seems to be one between UCLA and Oregon State, two desperate teams that have looked mostly awful to start the season.

The home-standing Beavers: 1. Opened with a loss to an FCS team, Sacramento State. 2. Got shut out at Wisconsin, 35-zip.

The visiting Bruins: 1. Sandwiched a loss at Houston and a blowout home defeat to Texas -- teams UCLA beat in 2010 -- around a lackluster win against a bad San Jose State squad. 2. Coach Rick Neuheisel's seat is among the warmest in the country.

A must-win for Oregon State?

"Boy, it sure feels like it," coach Mike Riley said. "I don't ever use that term because you're going to have to play the next ones anyway."

He then added, "If we want to have a good year, we've got to get some confidence. We've got to win a game."

A must-win for UCLA?

"I think both Oregon State and UCLA are certainly at that point in their season where they need to win, to get this thing jump started," Neuheisel said. "If [Riley] has called it a must-win, it's easy for me to do the same."

Riley's Beavers are notorious for slow starts and for overcoming those slow starts. But this is the slowest of slow starts. Sure, the 2004 Beavers started 1-4 but finished 7-5. And the Beavers won nine games after starting 0-2 in 2008. But 0-3? The last time that happened was 1996, when Jerry Pettibone was the coach and Oregon State was still one of the nation's top ha-ha-look-at-them! sad-sack programs.

And at 0-3, it's difficult to see where the Beavers could get the six victories over the final nine games. Those are wins they would need to avoid a second-consecutive losing season, which hasn't happened since 1997-98, Riley's first two years in Corvallis.

For Neuheisel, losing at Oregon State with a visit to Stanford ahead -- a likely 1-4 start -- would almost certainly spell the end of his tenure. LA reporters would start writing "Who's next?" coaching stories, and the debate would no longer be about whether Neuheisel survives but whether he finishes the season.

So, yeah, while this game won't send ripples across the college football nation, it's very important to the two programs.

The Beavers collective mood should be better than UCLA's. For one, it's getting some key injured players back: Most specifically receiver James Rodgers and tight end Joe Halahuni. Those two should significantly bolster the passing attack, which will now be led by redshirt freshman quarterback Sean Mannion, who has eclipsed 2010 starter Ryan Katz.

"I've always thought if we could get all of our guys healthy together this would be a very good receiving corps," Riley said.

Rodgers return was only made certain Wednesday. He hasn't played since blowing out his knee at Arizona on Oct. 9, 2010.

On the downside for Oregon State, it will be down two starting defensive tackles. Castro Masaniai will be serving a suspension for an offseason arrest, while Dominic Glover hasn't been cleared academically.

The potential to run inside for UCLA should help Bruins quarterback Richard Brehaut's chances. He was named the starter this week over Kevin Prince, who threw three interceptions against Texas. Brehaut was the quarterback of record when the Bruins beat Oregon State 17-14 last year, but the key in that game was 210 yards rushing. And the Beavers don't have DT Stephen Paea in the middle any more.

UCLA remains uncertain at quarterback, but this is a good opportunity for Brehaut to stake his claim to the full-time job. The Beavers rank last in the Pac-12 in pass efficiency defense. They've yet to record an interception while yielding seven touchdowns and a 69 percent completion rate.

"I think [Brehaut] has a high regard for his ability and is desperate to prove he's the guy," Neuheisel said.

The same can be said for Neuheisel.

At 2-2, there is hope in Westwood. Lose at Stanford but beat Washington State at home, and the Bruins are 3-3 at midseason with a manageable schedule ahead. A bowl is still possible. And Neuheisel could still survive.

Riley is one of the nicest guys in coaching. But he's not spending too much time worrying about Neuheisel's precarious situation. He's got his own must-win motives.

Said Riley, "It would be a really big thing for this team to win a game."

» Power Rankings: ACC | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC

If you don't like where you are in the power rankings, play better.

See last week's power rankings here.

1. Stanford: The Cardinal was dominant in its first legitimate test of the season, winning its now-nation-leading 11th in a row, but the loss of linebacker Shayne Skov to a knee injury could prove costly.

2. Oregon: The Ducks did what they needed to do: Completely outclass Missouri State in a fairly entertaining -- "Wow, did you see that!" -- way.

3. USC: The Trojans finally flexed their muscles for four quarters. When they do that, they are a top-15 perhaps even top-10 team. So will they do that at Arizona State on Saturday?

4. Arizona State: Sure, the Sun Devils blew a game they should have won at Illinois. But they still have the best nonconference win -- against Missouri -- of any team in the conference. The Sun Devils and Utah have established themselves as the teams to beat in the South Division (Trojans ineligible).

5. Utah: The Utes opened up a can of whup-butt at BYU in a blowout shocker. Got to like the killer instinct on both sides of the ball. The Utes played hard until the very end, even though the game was out of hand in the third quarter.

6. California: We still don't know who the Bears are. We should get a better idea during their visit to Washington on Saturday. The winner pushes into the No. 3 slot in the North Division.

7. Washington: Boy, that third quarter at Nebraska. Yucky. Huskies fans, you can get mad about the officiating -- it should be reprimanded this week -- but your chief concern should be the defense.

8. Arizona: Look, this is a horrible schedule for a team that could have used a soft start to the season -- look longingly at Stanford's slate -- but the Wildcats still flashed just enough potential to suggest this team is good enough to get to a bowl game. But only if the locker room holds together until Week 6.

9. Washington State: Wow, rough a punter and everything goes splat. It appears that the Cougars will have to settled for "better" rather than "magical." But how good will better be? And will it be good enough to save Paul Wulff's job?

10. Colorado: Colorado took control of Colorado State and showed signs of life on both sides of the ball. You ask, Buffs, why are you below WSU? Well, did you see what UNLV did to Hawaii?

11. UCLA: There was some thought of dumping the Bruins into the basement because they don't have the excuses -- injuries -- Oregon State does. But UCLA does have a win and hasn't lost to an FCS team and hasn't been shut out. And the Bruins and Beavers play the Desperation Bowl on Saturday.

12. Oregon State: The good news is the Beavers didn't lose this weekend. The better news is some guys -- tight end Joe Halahuni and, maybe, receiver James Rodgers -- are getting healthy.

Happy Friday.

Follow me on Twitter. And maybe I'll invite you over to my new pad.

To the notes!

Julia from Portland writes: How could you not give De'Anthony Thomas a helmet sticker? Or is it just you being a Husky?

Wright from LA writes: No, Aaron Pflugrad on the helmet stickers? Weren't you at the game?

Ted Miller: Etc. Etc.

First, the Pac-12 blog has talked with other ESPN.com bloggers about the passion folks seem to have for the ole helmet stick program on the blog network. That you care so much is a good thing.

What I have learned about helmet stickers: There's always someone deserving who gets left off, and that clearly-- without question! -- is an injustice of monumental proportions, which probably emerges from my fundamental evilness. And that Oregon fans believe every player on their team deserves a helmet sticker every week, and if that doesn't happen it's clearly because, at 30 years of age, I moved to Seattle from the Southeast and during my nine years living there was infected by a purple Huskies passion.

Here are some guidelines for helmet stickers, which my bosses tell me should number only five or so but I always go over.

First, big numbers in big games get priority. If Cliff Harris returns two punts for TDs this weekend against Missouri State, I probably will not give him a helmet sticker. If he does so against Stanford, I will.

Second, it's mostly one per team, unless something outrageous happens or it was a particularly big game. You'll note Colorado got two helmet stickers last week -- in a loss no less. Well, that's what happens when two players set school records in major statistical categories (yards passing, yards receiving) against a quality opponent.

That's why Arizona State receiver Aaron Pflugrad didn't make the cut. To me, QB Brock Osweiler's performance was more significant, though Pflu did have a great game. Call it a QB bias.

Same for Oregon running back De'Anthony Thomas. Ducks QB Darron Thomas threw six TD passes. Thomas had a heck of a game, particularly bouncing back from his fumble-itis against LSU, but... well, six TD passes.

Some questioned the inclusion of Utah receiver DeVonte Christopher, who "only" caught 11 passes for 136 yards in a loss to USC. First off: Did you watch the game? Christopher looked like the best player on the field, and that field included a lot of good players, including USC receiver Robert Woods.

But "spreading the wealth" also played a role, and will continue to. It seemed to me somebody from the USC-Utah game deserved notice, other than grumpy sports books in Vegas.

But Julia and Wright, to make it up to you, here's a helmet sticker. Just for you two.

Matt from Keizer, Ore., writes: My Oregon Ducks are playing the FCS Missouri State Whatever-they-are this weekend. I found out that they were originally scheduled to play respectable Utah, except that was scheduled WAAAAYYY back in the days of the antiquated Pac-10. So they canceled it because it would have been a conference game and Oregon already had enough of those on it's schedule. But yet just last week, California traveled to Colorado and played their game, yet it just wasn't counted as a conference game. Can you give me any insight as to why this similar situation played out so differently?

Ted Miller: Know what I like? Being lazy.

Others have done the work answering this question for me. Ken "Greenlight" Goe explained that Oregon and Utah rescheduled because the Utes needed to shuffle things in order to keep BYU on its slate. And, really, a nonconference slate of at BYU, Oregon and at Pittsburgh is kind of masochistic.

And Jonathan Okanes -- of the Contra Costa Okaneses -- explains here that California and Colorado decided to keep the game because, well, it was easier than finding new opponents.

Ricky from Dallas writes: Is it just me, or does the poor offensive and QB play at Oregon St seem like it should be blamed on the coaching staff? Katz seemed to do so well during his first 2 years under center, but the coaches have a terrible and inconsistent rotation at the QB position right now, so neither QB can get anything going. Should the Beavers stick with Katz, and realize that losing your 2 biggest stars actually does hurt your QB too? I think he will get better as the season progresses, if given the shot.

Ted Miller: Seems like you could throw blame around a lot of places at Oregon State.

Let's start with this, though: Injuries. Give the Beavers receiver James Rodgers, tight end Joe Halahuni, defensive tackle Dominic Glover (academics) and cornerback Brandon Hardin, etc., and they might not be sitting here at 0-2 with all sorts of problems.

As for Katz, he is a second-year starter (not third) who had a promising 2010 season. He has a big arm and is a good athlete. So just about everyone -- including me -- believed he was headed for a star turn this year.

But here's the deal. Redshirt freshman Sean Mannion started catching his coaches' fancy in spring practices and that continued this preseason. The way Mike Riley has described it is Katz hasn't regressed -- though I suspect there might be some frustration that he doesn't look better -- but that Mannion has asserted himself.

To put it simply, when Katz and Mannion practiced, side-by-side, Mannion looked like the better quarterback on a consistent basis. If that is the case, and you believe Riley and his coaches really, really want to win, then how could they not go with Mannion?

Think of it like this: What if Andrew Luck transferred to Oregon State in August? Would you say that Katz should remain the starter because of seniority? Or would you go with the guy who makes more plays in practice?

That said: I can understand Katz's frustration. He basically became the No. 2 guy after he played poorly in the first half against Sacramento State. After all he did in 2010, he got a quick hook and wasn't given a chance to redeem himself.

But Riley has emphasized that this wasn't just about the first half of Sacramento State. It was about Mannion coming into the game in the second half and validating a growing feeling about him: That he's the Beavers best QB right now and in the future.

Did it go down ugly? Sure. But benching a QB is never easy. Should Riley and offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf made the change before the opener? Maybe. But I'm guessing they were hoping that Katz would prove a "gamer" and be lights out to start the season and change their minds.

Look, Pac-12 football is a big-boy game. I feel for Katz. But Riley made a decision that he feels is best for the team. This isn't Riley's first rodeo. My guess is that he's probably right.

Tyler from Phoenix writes: What happens to Washington State in the event that they are undefeated, or are even just doing well enough so that they question Tuel as the starter? Does he regain his place?

Ted Miller: So you're asking me if Washington State is undefeated when QB Jeff Tuel gets healthy in six or so weeks, should coach Paul Wulff keep Marshall Lobbestael as the starter or go with Tuel?

Before I answer, let's pause and let Coug fans soak in the glory of that query. You guys have missed such speculation, eh?

If the Cougs are 6-0 and fresh off a win over Stanford, there is zero chance of Wulff sitting Lobbestael and replacing him with Tuel. In fact, Tuel would probably would go, "Are you nuts?!" if he were told to get ready to start against Oregon State.

It does become a legit issue if Lobbestael continues to play like he has, though. If the Cougs are, say, 4-2, should Wulff make a change? Should a starter lose his job because of an injury? Or should Wulff decide that he's not going to break up the rhythm of a team that's (finally) winning?

I don't know if there's a correct answer to that. My guess is Wulff will go by "feel." What's his gut tell him is the right thing to do? He'd consult his assistants, talk to both players and make a call.

He might opt to play two guys. Or go with Tuel only if Lobbestael has a downturn. Or he could just say, "Tuel is our guy."

If you want to know what I'd likely do -- and, really, how could you not -- I'd be reluctant to mess with the chemistry of a fast start. If Lobbestael ranks among the Pac-12 leaders in passing efficiency six weeks into the season, I'd stick with him.

And there is this: Tuel, a true junior, has an available redshirt year.

It seems shocking to those of us who saw Ryan Katz as a quarterback with tremendous upside and the leader of the Oregon State offense, but he is no longer the Beavers starter.

Coach Mike Riley announced Tuesday that the job now belongs to redshirt freshman Sean Mannion.

The Beavers are 0-2 and have looked bad getting there. But this decision was rooted in spring practices when Mannion showed promise while Katz was hurt, and it came down to pure competition.

Mannion has consistently outplayed Katz in practice as well as during the 0-2 start.

"It was fairly early in camp," Riley said when asked when he first considered Mannion potentially eclipsing Katz on the depth chart.

Mannion, 6-foot-5, 218 pounds, first replaced Katz in the opener against Sacramento State, a shocking 29-28 home defeat to an FCS team. While Katz started at Wisconsin, Mannion played nearly the entire game.

In two games, Mannion produced a 131.0 efficiency rating. Katz was at 78.9. Mannion completed 66 percent of his passes with no interceptions. Katz completed 52 percent with one pick.

Katz, a big-armed junior, passed for 2,401 yards and 18 touchdowns with 11 interceptions in 2010 and seemed poised for a breakthrough this fall. But it quickly became clear that Riley and his offensive coaches believe that Mannion has more present and future potential running the Beavers offense.

It doesn't appear Katz is taking the change very well, which is understandable but could become an issue in the locker room. You'd think if anyone can calm Katz, it would be Riley, as light a touch as there is in college coaching. But Riley also knows that situations like this can become divisive, which he'd likely move quickly to quash.

The Beavers have a bye this week to complete the transition. They will play host to UCLA on Sept. 24.

Mannion's job now is to win over his teammates and the locker room. He needs to inspire confidence over the next two weeks of practice. And then he needs to justify his coaches' decision with his performance. It will help that he'll get tight end Joe Halahuni back and, perhaps, receiver James Rodgers. That should significantly bolster the passing game.

For Katz, he'll have to decide if he wants to stick around or transfer.

Of course, it's entirely possible we haven't seen the last of him this season. If Mannion falters, or if he gets hurt, then Katz could get another chance.

All Katz has to do is look north to Washington State, where Jeff Tuel's backup, Marshall Lobbestael, has become the toast of Pullman.

Last weekend, Oregon State got beat by an FCS team. This weekend, No. 8 Wisconsin made it look like an FCS team.

The Beavers simply were outclassed. They were outrushed 208 yards to 21.

But the passing is what Beavers fans likely will be most focused upon: As in who's doing it.

It appears that Ryan Katz, even though he started the game, is no longer Oregon State's quarterback.

He completed just 2 of 3 throws for 17 yards. He seemed to enter the game mostly to run the ball, see four carries for 17 yards.

Meanwhile, redshirt freshman Sean Mannion completed 25 of 38 for 244 yards.

It would appear he's the man going forward, though there could be more intrigue here.

While this slow start would seem worse than Oregon State's traditional slow starts, it still might be premature to write the Beavers off. After a bye week, they figure to get healthier. When UCLA comes to town to start the Pac-12 season, tight end Joe Halahuni will be back and receiver James Rodgers could be back.

It's possible that Oregon State will be a very different team once the Pac-12 schedule starts.

But it's fair to say the situation at quarterback needs to clear up.

Oregon State coach Mike Riley isn't the sort of guy to toss over a table and spill 100 cups of Gatorade on his players to make sure they know how unhappy he is, but he's also not going to pat the Beavers on the back and wipe away their tears after an embarrassing loss to Sacramento State.

He's going to look for answers -- tough answers if need be. The one he immediately came up with Monday is announcing the quarterback job will be split between Ryan Katz, the 2010 starter, and redshirt freshman Sean Mannion.

Mannion played well in the loss to the Hornets; Katz did not. Ergo, the potential shakeup, though it's unclear how things will be rotated when the Beavers visit No. 8 Wisconsin on Saturday.

Yeah, Wisconsin. Not good. The Badgers are a big, physical team with a new, impressive dual-threat QB in Russell Wilson, a transfer from NC State. The Beavers lost at home to an FCS team. Now they are going on the road to play a national title contender.

The first issue: What went wrong for the Beavers against the Hornets in a 29-28 overtime defeat?

Riley isn't certain. And he admitted he didn't see such a flat performance coming.

"We trusted this team's work ethic," he said. "They were really good in fall camp. Everything up to that was positive. Why all of a sudden would you doubt what they are all about as far as getting ready to play?"

What's most worrisome: Riley thought the Beavers seemed tight, though they were playing at home against a supposedly overmatched foe. Sure, eight true freshmen and eight redshirt freshmen saw their first career action, in large part due to epidemic injuries, but that still doesn't fully explain a listless performance.

What does Riley expect -- hope? -- to see in front of 80,000 fans in Camp Randall Stadium?

"Poise is No. 1," he said. "We had some stage fright in our opener. It looked like we played with not much emotion but I sensed it was a fear."

Unfortunately, the injury luck still hasn't turned positive, even with the return of DT Kevin Frahm (knee) and potential return of DT Dominic Glover (academics). The lone bright spot from the Sacramento State game was true freshman running back Malcolm Agnew, who rushed for a nation-leading 223 yards. He's now doubtful for the visit to Wisconsin because of a hamstring injury suffered Tuesday.

The hits keep coming. The injury situation has been so bad that Riley made a decision he knew would inspire criticism: He opted to selectively enforce preseason player suspensions because of the thinness of the depth chart.

Fact is, it could get ugly at Wisconsin. It would be a tough matchup for the Beavers even at 100 percent. But with several key starters out -- most notably WR James Rodgers, TE Joe Halahuni and CB Brandon Hardin -- it's probably going to be a challenge for Riley to just restore his team's confidence.

There is a silver lining, though. The Beavers have a bye next week. Halahuni is likely back for UCLA's visit on Sept. 24. And Rodgers could be back, too. That will be a big boost in terms of skill and leadership, particularly in the passing game.

The hope is things will sort themselves out at QB this weekend -- and here's a guess Riley would prefer for Katz to reassert himself -- and the momentum will take a positive swing as Pac-12 play opens.

Otherwise, the Beavers could be looking at consecutive losing seasons for the first time since 1997-98.

Say the Oregon fans: At least there's Sacramento State. Thanks Hornets.

Say the Oregon State fans: At least there's LSU. Thanks Tigers.

Otherwise, either Ducks or Beavers fans would be crowing at the other's expense this week. As it is, both are miserable.

And they should be.

Oregon laid an egg instead of taking advantage of a major opportunity against LSU. The loss, naturally, inspired more of the same talk about the present leader of the Pac-12 not being able to physically keep up with an elite SEC team.

We went that route, too. But let's pause for a moment and wonder how that game might have gone for the Ducks if the teams had the same number of turnovers and penalties. You know: What if the game happened the way Oregon wanted it to instead of the way it actually did.

That same approach, which all unhappy football fans use the day after, is surely being employed by Oregon State adherents.

Beavers, yes, you are now on the ignoble list of FBS teams that have lost to FCS teams. In fact, you are on the list of FBS teams from BCS AQ conferences that have lost to FCS teams. Put all those letters together and they spell, "Embarrassing."

But we come not here to bury fans from the state of Oregon but to console them!

First, you have this: These defeats did nothing to damage your Rose Bowl chances. There are 11 games left. The only fact as of today is the best you can do in the regular season is go 11-1.

Oregon, you might have played yourself out of the national title chase. Or you might not have. Fair to say, it will take a lot of losing all over the country and impressive winning from the Ducks to get pollsters to rank the Ducks Nos. 1 or 2.

Oregon State, you might have a little embarrassing left to do. You are going to Wisconsin on Saturday. Did you watch the Badgers against UNLV? One word: Gulp. Hard to imagine that being a pleasant trip, though Beavers fans surely will enjoy one of the nation's great college towns.

But Beavers, you aren't whole. You are without your big front teeth and wonderful paddle tail: receiver James Rodgers, cornerback Brandon Hardin, defensive tackle Kevin Frahm, defensive tackle Dominic Glover and tight end Joe Halahuni. That's a lot of quality starters to be missing.

Many of those guys will be back at some point: Frahm this week, Halahuni by the Sept. 24 game with UCLA. Rodgers ... hopefully sometime.

But let's be honest Oregon State: This is a team with issues. Coach Mike Riley said as much during the preseason. Sure injuries have been brutal, leading to 14 players making their first career starts and a school-record eight true freshman playing. But even without the injuries, this team didn't look like a threat in the Pac-12 North Division.

That said: Slow starts are often a staple of good seasons in Corvallis.

The 2000 team that went 11-1 nearly lost its opener to Eastern Washington. The 2004 team started 1-4 but went 7-5. In 2006, the Beavers got bombed at Boise State but went 10-4. In 2007, they got stomped at Cincinnati but went 9-4. In 2008, Penn State delivered the beatdown, but that team went 9-4.

In fact, the Beavers best seasons seem to have featured multiple early defeats -- in many years bad ones -- which likely will be the case after the trip to Madison. So maybe this is just the unhappy required part of a pattern for success?

Just like Oregon, which has now lost four consecutive marquee nonconference games to A-list foes with extra time to prepare. That pattern, nonetheless, has been imposed upon the two-time defending conference champions, not exactly a struggling program.

Ducks, Beavers: It's Labor Day. Let it go sometime around 10 a.m. PDT. Find a fan of opposite color and rib him or her, and take it back good naturedly.

It's a long season. But you don't know that it's going to be a looooooong season just yet. Eleven more games to turn those frowns upside down.

Welcome to the final preseason Pac-12 power rankings!

You can review the post-spring power rankings here. There is a good deal of movement. And a lot of different iterations -- including change at the very top -- were heavily considered.

This week's vote is based on one factor: If the Pac-12 had a tournament this week on a neutral field, how do you think things would finish. That means, for example, a team's schedule doesn't matter. But preseason camp momentum -- read: an absence of controversy or injuries -- does.

Going forward, the power rankings will be far more focused on that immediate present reality: How did teams handle their business that past weekend? It won't necessarily be a projection of finish.

And, for those new to the power rankings, the motto here is simple: If you don't like where you are in the power rankings, play better.

1. Oregon: Based on what we typed above, one might think the Ducks would fall behind Stanford. And our thought process in early August was exactly that -- see here -- as our top-25 poll included other factors, such as schedule, such as Stanford playing host to Oregon this season. But here's the deal: Oregon is the top bird until somebody shoots it out of the air.

2. Stanford: A lot of folks are questioning Stanford. The Pac-12 blog is, too. My question: Will Andrew Luck and the Cardinal win the national championship this season. My hunch? A strong maybe.

3. USC: If the Trojans were eligible for the postseason, the gap between them and Nos. 1 and 2 would be fairly small. As it is, the gap between USC and the top two spots is fairly gigantic.

4. Arizona State: The Pac-12 blog has been banging the Sun Devils' drum since late in the 2010 season. And if this team was getting ready to send out the depth chart it appeared to have last December -- just about everyone back -- I'd project it in the top-15. But with all the attrition -- injuries, players quitting, etc. -- it's hard to know who the Sun Devils will be.

5. Washington: The Huskies' big question was replacing quarterback Jake Locker. Ther second question was at linebacker. It seems more than a few folks are optimistic those questions will be adequately answered. There's a lot to like on this roster, particularly what looks to be a dramatically improved defense.

6. Utah: It's hard to project Utah because we've never seen them before in this environment. What we can say is the success of this season hangs on keeping quarterback Jordan Wynn's surgically repaired shoulder safe.

7. Arizona: Just when we were starting to think the Wildcats might be an underrated team, they lose their best cover corner -- Jonathan McKnight -- for the season to a knee injury. While Arizona State and Oregon State have had the worst injury luck of the offseason, the Wildcats aren't far behind.

8. UCLA: The Bruins feel like a sleeper. It almost seems as simple as this: If UCLA is merely adequate at quarterback, it will be a bowl team and a factor in the Pac-12 South.

9. California: See what we typed for UCLA, only in the North Division. Further, the Bears look like they are going to play a lot of their talented true and redshirt freshmen classes. That should at least be very interesting.

10. Colorado: Not unlike Utah, we don't really know what we're going to get with the Buffaloes. There was a big temptation to rank them higher -- this is an experienced team with more talent than many old school Pac-10 folks think. But how could we rank the Buffs ahead of Cal after what happened in Berkeley last season?

11. Oregon State: Beavers fans are erupting... no way! Yes way. On the list of injured or at least uncertain: receiver James Rodgers, tight end Joe Halahuni, cornerback Brandon Hardin, defensive tackle Dominic Glover, defensive tackle Kevin Frahm and linebacker Cameron Collins. And many more, actually. The Beavers entered preseason practices with a lot of questions -- as coach Mike Riley repeatedly said -- they will head into the first week with perhaps more than they did at the beginning of August.

12. Washington State: There was some thought of bouncing the Cougars out of the basement. They, unlike a number of teams, have stayed relatively healthy during camp, and just about every report coming out of Pullman is colored with optimism. But the same rule that applies to Oregon in a positive way applies to the Cougars in a negative one: You're here until you prove otherwise.

Oregon State and Arizona State seem to be battling to become the Pac-12's biggest MASH unit.

Most folks already know about the uncertainty of receiver James Rodgers (knee) and tight end Joe Halahuni (shoulder), who are doubtful to play at Wisconsin on Sept. 10. But there are a couple of other injuries worth following that are also critical.

• On the "fairly good," side of the injured list is DT Kevin Frahm. He had surgery on Monday to repair a torn meniscus. The hope is he will return to practice in time to play at Wisconsin.
• The news is not so good for cornerback Brandon Hardin and his shoulder. He'll need surgery to fix a fracture, and the procedure could end his season. At the minimum, he'll be out six weeks. Sophomore Rashaad Reynolds will step into a starting role.
• Defensive tackle Dominic Glover still hasn't been cleared academically. What once seemed like a minor issue is taking longer than expected to resolve, which is reason to be nervous.
• Things are cloudy at tight end until Halahuni comes back. Freshman Kellen Clute hurt his knee in the scrimmage, and two redshirt freshmen, Tyler Perry and Connor Hamlett, will be suspended for a game, though it's unclear which game at this point.
• Also, linebacker Cameron Collins continues to be limited by an abdominal issue. He had offseason surgery and has missed a lot of practice time.

Getting away from injuries, it appears that true freshman Malcolm Agnew is on the cusp of earning the starting spot at running back. The last true freshman to start at the position for the Beavers turned out OK, you might recall.

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

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

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

Up next: Oregon State

Best case

Even the Wisconsin fans couldn't help but notice the crescendo building from the orange and black pie slice in the visitor's section at Camp Randall Stadium.

"Cripes sakes!" says a Wisconsin fan. "What's all that racket?"

"It's for the little guy, don'tcha know," says another. "'That one in the No. 1 jersey. Pass me a brat!"

James Rodgers takes the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.

"By golly, I tells ya, sure as God made little green apples, he's a fast one!" says the first.

"Ohh, yaaa...Yoo Betcha!" replies the second.

Wisconsin scores a late touchdown and holds on for a 30-28 victory, but the Beavers matching up well physically with the Big Ten favorites bodes well for the season.

"This bodes well for the season," coach Mike Riley says. "You never like losing, but what I saw today made me optimistic after a tough go with injuries in preseason camp."

Rodgers didn't play in the opening win over Sacramento State and his entry was a bit of a surprise.

"That, yeah, well, James thought it would be fun not to tell any of y'all about that," Riley said. "Our little surprise for the Beaver Nation."

Rodgers catches two touchdown passes in a 28-17 win over UCLA.

The Beavers drop a 28-24 decision at Arizona State to fall to 2-2, which is good news: The only time two early losses didn't auger a good season since 2006 was last fall, and that was due to Rodgers knee injury.

"I know it's a great story, but is he a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate?" ESPN College GameDay's Chris Fowler asks. "Eight touchdowns in four games. Rodgers is well on his way to 1,000 yards receiving and 500 yards rushing. And he leads the nation in kickoff returns."

"I hear you, but his team needs to win," replies Kirk Herbstreit.

The Beavers win their next four, besting Arizona, BYU, Washington State and, in overtime, Utah.

"Stanford might be looking ahead to its matchup with Oregon," Fowler says.

Nope. The unbeaten Cardinal rolls 35-21.

Oregon State wins at California and nips Washington. The Beavers, at 8-3, are ranked 17th when they head to Oregon for another high stakes Civil War. The unbeaten Ducks are No. 1 in the nation, with many pundits already salivating over a matchup of the Alabama defense and the Oregon offense.

Rodgers stands up in the locker room. The din of Autzen Stadium can be heard -- felt -- through the walls. "I'm from Texas. I had to learn to dislike Oregon. My freshman year, I scored the game-winning touchdown on a 25-yard fly sweep in this damn stadium in double overtime. I never thought that would be my only victory over them. I know this is only a football game. And know what? I like a lot of guys in that other locker room. LaMichael James is a good dude. We go bowling together. I kick his butt in bowling [laughter]. But [Rodgers voice rises] I am sick of Oregon. Everything about them. Everybody is sick of Oregon. But we will all -- everyone in this room, my brothers! -- will continue to be sick, to suffer, to have something inside us, biting at us, until we go out there and shut. Them. Up. Until we go out there and beat their butts.

"Know what? @%$@! Oregon!"

As his teammates mob Rodgers moments after he hauled in the game-winning 2-point conversion in triple-overtime, they chant together, "@%$@! Oregon!"

"Well, at least we're still going to the Rose Bowl!" angry Ducks fans shout as the ebullient Beavers head back to their locker room.

Utah beats Oregon 45-42 in the first Pac-12 championship game. The Utes, in their first year in the conference, go to the Rose Bowl. Oregon settles for the Alamo Bowl, where it loses to Oklahoma State.

Oregon State beats Texas A&M 24-17 in the Holiday Bowl and finishes 10-3 and ranked 12th. Oregon finishes 17th.

Chip Kelly becomes Georgia's new head coach.

On July 20, the NCAA docks Oregon 15 scholarships and gives it a one-year postseason ban.

Worst case

Though it was using vanilla schemes, the performance against Sacramento State suggests Oregon State has issues. A 45-17 loss at Wisconsin makes it abundantly clear the Beavers do.

The Beavers, not deep to begin with, are missing too many key starters, most notably receiver James Rodgers, H-back Joe Halahuni, cornerback Brandon Hardin, linebacker Cameron Collins and defensive tackle Kevin Frahm.

"I'm hoping we get some guys back," coach Mike Riley says. "James is still a ways away, though."

Frahm and Collins return and the Beavers beat UCLA. Halahuni comes back for the Arizona State game, but the Beavers are overwhelmed 35-20. Arizona takes revenge for a 2010 defeat with an overtime victory in Reser Stadium.

Rodgers returns against BYU. He catches six passes for 80 yards and a TD, and the Beavers win 28-24. But he's clearly not his old self.

Oregon State, highly motivated after losing at home to Washington State in 2010, improves to 4-3 with a win over the Cougars. But all the news isn't good.

"We're shutting James down," Riley says. "He's got an NFL future, and we need to protect that. His knee needs to be cleaned up, and if they do it now he'll be 100 percent before the NFL combine."

Bowl hopes end after four consecutive defeats. The Beavers limp into Eugene to face unbeaten and top-ranked Oregon.

"Chip, a lot of folks are saying this is the best team of all time," Chris Fowler says from the GameDay set in front of Autzen Stadium. "What do you think?"

"Maybe," Kelly replies.

"What are your feelings on the NCAA clearing you and the program of all wrong-doing in the Willie Lyles investigation?" Fowler asks.

"Who?" Kelly replies. "Oh, you mean, Will. My feelings are ... good."

Oregon whips the Beavers 55-10.

The Ducks roll Alabama 48-17 in the BCS national title game.

"That," says Alabama coach Nick Saban afterward, "is the best football team I've ever seen. And that include my tenure with the Miami Dolphins."

Oregon announces it's expanding Autzen Stadium to 100,000 seats and that Nike has figured out a way to get the work done in advance of the 2012 season.

The Ducks sign the nation's No. 1 recruiting class. Kelly signs a lifetime contract. Oregonian columnist John Canzano requests that he be put on the Oregon State beat. His request is granted.