ESPN College Football

2011 record: 6-8
2011 conference record: 5-4 (first in South)
Returning starters: Offense: 7; defense: 7; kicker/punter 1

Top returners
RB Johnathan Franklin, TE Joseph Fauria, DE Datone Jones, LB Patrick Larimore, LB Damien Holmes, S Tevin McDonald.

Key losses
WR Nelson Rosario, OT Mike Harris, C Kai Maiava

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)
Rushing: Johnathan Franklin* (976 yards)
Passing: Kevin Prince* (1,828 yards)
Receiving: Nelson Rosario (1,161 yards)
Tackles: Patrick Larimore* (81)
Sacks: Datone Jones* (3)
Interceptions: Andrew Abbott* (4)

Spring answers
1. Nice to meet you: Step one for a new coaching staff is to acclimate their players to not only their systems, but how they go about running their program. UCLA's players learned quickly that Jim Mora and Co. don't waste time. Players were introduced to a high-tempo practice session that took some getting used to, but ultimately they figured it out by the end of spring.

2. New look-offense: Players seemed to pick up new offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone's pass-happy scheme rather quickly -- and by the spring game, the quarterbacks were tossing multiple touchdowns. Each quarterback has said the new offense is less complex, but allows him to make quicker decisions. Because it's so pass-oriented, it caters to the talents of the quarterbacks. Which one starts, however, is still up for grabs (see below).

3. Defensive depth: The move of Holmes from defensive end to outside linebacker has opened up another spot on a fairly deep defensive line. Jones should flourish as a pass-rusher in the 3-4 scheme. Cassius Marsh, Brandon Willis and Owamagbe Odighizuwa bring depth and talent to a position group that should be the strength of UCLA's defense.

Fall questions
1. To be continued ...: Mora said he was hoping to name a quarterback by the end of spring. No dice. He wants a longer look at Brett Hundley, Kevin Prince and Richard Brehaut before deciding. Each brings his own skill set and talents. Brehaut put up impressive numbers in the spring game and Hundley is oozing potential. This is the most important decision of Mora's young career as a college coach. No need to rush it.

2. Depth needed: The Bruins can fill out most spots, but there are still depth questions on the offensive line, at linebacker and in the secondary. Xavier Su'a-Filo returns -- which helps at tackle -- and linebacker Eric Kendricks had a good spring. But there are competitions other than quarterback to keep an eye on as they spill over into the fall. Which leads us to ...

Incoming help? It's possible that some of the players coming in could make an immediate impact. Which ones, however, remains a question. Defensive end Ellis McCarthy is likely to contribute right away; Ishmael Adams could pitch in in the secondary. Offensive linemen Simon Goines and Carl Hulick could also be in the mix.

Our topic today: Which team that has a TBA at quarterback is in the best shape?

The choices: Arizona State, Colorado, Oregon, Stanford and UCLA. (We're leaving Washington State out because Jeff Tuel is a heavy front-runner, no matter how coy Mike Leach is about things).

Kevin Gemmell: Oregon -- by far -- is in the best shape of the teams yet to name a quarterback. For starters, they have the most exciting player in the conference in De'Anthony Thomas. Regardless of whether Bryan Bennett or Marcus Mariota wins the job, Thomas is going to take a 2-yard swing pass and turn it into a 50-yard touchdown. Probably a few times. He's going to make the new guy look really, really good.

And it's not like the Ducks have a history of rebuilding projects whenever Chip Kelly needs a new quarterback. How'd Darron Thomas work out? A berth in the national championship game and a Rose Bowl victory. Not bad. Same could be said for obscure JC transfer Jeremiah Masoli, who only led the Ducks to the 2010 Rose Bowl.

The offensive line should be fine protecting him with key returners like Hroniss Grasu, Carson York and Nick Cody. Plus, Oregon rotates offensive linemen so liberally the quarterback is going to have fresh bodies flanking him.

There are plenty of weapons already in place for the starter-to-be. Be it Josh Huff (status pending), tight end Colt Lyerla, who is a star on the rise, and Kenjon Barner to carry the load on the ground.

When you look at the rest of the teams sans starting quarterbacks, there are just too many questions to confidently say it's going to be a smooth transition. UCLA and ASU are starting from scratch with new coaches and new systems. Colorado is probably headed for a long season and Andrew Luck's successor has to replace -- well -- Andrew Luck. Good luck with that (pun, definitely not intended).

Oregon's transition might not be silky-smooth, but it's going to be a lot easier than the other four teams trying to replace a starter. The schedule works to the Ducks' favor with the first four games at home, which should give the new guy plenty of time to get comfortable. They might find themselves in a shootout at Washington State in the fifth game, but they don't even need to leave the Pacific Northwest until mid-October.

This offense is plug-and-play and whoever gets the job is going to be just fine.

Ted Miller: Sometimes you're screwed on a Take 2 when you go second. Kevin states a strong case. Does anyone really believe the Ducks' quarterback will be a liability this year? The answer is no.

Of course, that level of certainty could be burden, as could taking over the starting job for a top-five team. No team in the nation with uncertainty at QB this spring will be ranked higher in the preseason. Know what a disappointing regular season now looks like in Eugene? 10-2. In other words, this Ducks QB job brings a lot of pressure and high expectations. Being "pretty good for a first-year starter" will rate a fail with many fans.

None of that will be the case at UCLA. Bruins fans are starved for quarterback play that is just north of mediocre. The good news is that they will get at least that this fall. And they may be pleasantly surprised.

Start with this: Offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone. He transformed Brock Osweiler from a basketball player playing football to a second-round NFL draft pick. Mazzone is a charismatic guy -- though a follically challenged one -- who knows how to teach. He's been called a QB guru. Guys like Tim Tebow, Philip Rivers and Christian Ponder seek him out.

Then there are the three guys competing. You have the quarterback of the future in redshirt freshman Brett Hundley, and you have two seniors who have seen just about everything in Kevin Prince and Richard Brehaut. Hundley has tons of potential. He's an athletic guy who's pass-first. Sort of like Osweiler, only 4 inches shorter.

Prince and Brehaut have been maligned by Bruins fans, and not entirely without justification. Both have produced strong games. And both have played poorly. Inconsistency is not a good thing for a quarterback. But both have nothing to lose in their final year of college football. If both are healthy, they can be solid QBs. They certainly are better suited for Mazzone's spread than the pistol they've been running the past two years.

The talent around them isn't bad. There's a good stable of running backs with Johnathan Franklin, Malcolm Jones and the rising Steven Manfro. TE/WR Joseph Fauria is going to be a high NFL draft pick next spring. The offensive line has a chance to be, well, OK.

Mazzone has options here, too. He can hand the job to Hundley, knowing he's got two experienced guys who can play if he needs them. Or he can start one of his veterans and bring Hundley in for special packages, perhaps steadily increasing his reps as the season goes on. (Mazzone, like most coaches, has always said he prefers just one guy, so know that second scenario is mostly me throwing a speculative thought into the air).

Further, whoever wins the job won't be operating under the microscope like the Oregon starter will. Expectations for the Bruins aren't high. If the QB is just solid -- say, ranking sixth or seventh in the conference in passing efficiency -- then he will be widely viewed as succeeding. And if he can get seven or eight wins, Bruins fans will extend new coach Jim Mora's honeymoon a season.

Despite the Pac-12 conference being home to some of the best quarterbacks and wide receivers in the country, some teams do occasionally run the football. Some better than others. Some really better than others.

Our friends at Athlon Sports continue their series of assorted Pac-12 rankings. They've given us the Pac-12 coaches and quarterbacks, and now they are up with their running back rankings.

Here's how the top 20 shakes out, which includes last year's production, expectations for 2012 and surrounding personnel:

[+] Enlarge
Jim Z. Rider/US PresswireOregon's De'Anthony Thomas and Kenjon Barner (24) look to be the Pac-12's top RB duo.
1. De'Anthony Thomas, Oregon
2. Kenjon Barner, Oregon
3. John White, Utah
4. Stepfan Taylor, Stanford
5. Isi Sofele, Cal
6. Cameron Marshall, Arizona State
7. Johnathan Franklin, UCLA
8. Curtis McNeal, USC
9. Ka'Deem Carey, Arizona
10. Jesse Callier, Washington
11. Malcolm Agnew, Oregon State
12. Rickey Galvin, Washington State
13. Tony Jones, Colorado
14. Bishop Sankey, Washington
15. Tyler Gaffney, Stanford
16. C.J. Anderson, Cal
17. Nelson Agholor, USC
18. Deantre Lewis, Arizona State
19. Carl Winston, Washington State
20. D.J. Morgan, USC

Initial thoughts:

• Unlike the quarterback rankings last week, where Ted and I both had some ideas on how we'd move things around, this top 10 seems pretty solid, give or take one or two spots. There will be some games when Barner takes the lead and others where Thomas does. And in the games when they both do, look out. So those two are interchangeable, but certainly worthy of the top two spots based on the scheme they are in and the numbers they are likely to produce.
• White will probably have better overall numbers than Taylor, because he's likely to have more carries. Taylor is Stanford's primary guy, but the Cardinal rotate liberally -- and with the aforementioned Gaffney, the emergence of Ricky Seale and Barry Sanders coming in, that could cut into some of his carries. But you can still ink Taylor in for 1,000 yards and close to double-digit touchdowns. Stanford and Utah have big holes to fill on the offensive line, but both backs are talented enough to absorb the change.
• Sofele is a good running back, but Anderson has come on strong and Daniel Lasco and Brendan Bigelow are expected to play bigger roles this season. Five might be a bit high -- depending on his job status.
• Interested to see what Marshall does without Noel Mazzone as his offensive coordinator. Interested to see what Franklin does with Mazzone as his offensive coordinator. Arizona State is pretty deep at the position, but Marshall is the guy.
• Without depth, McNeal is going to have to carry a lot of the load. And he's not exactly known for his durability. If the Trojans can get a couple of guys behind him to take a few snaps, he could be top five by season's end.
• Depending on how quickly the Wildcats pick up the offense, Carey is another guy who could potentially crack the top five. He has enough snaps under his belt and was productive enough in a different kind of spread that he should have very good numbers -- if he gets enough per-game carries.
• It looks more and more like Washington is moving more toward a by-committee approach with Callier and Sankey at the top of the list. Their overall ranking will depend on how many carries per game they get. By Week 3, we might be flip-flopping them.
• The final three years at Texas Tech, Mike Leach's rushing attack ranked 115th ('09), 94th ('08) and 119th ('07) nationally. Running backs come second in his offense. Just the way it is.
• Jones is a good playmaker on a team starving for them. But until we know who is going to throw the ball and catch the ball in Colorado, this ranking seems about right. He does have a couple of pretty good linemen blocking for him though, which could help him crack the top 10 by season's end.

Kevin Gemmell talks with UCLA running back Johnathan Franklin about spring football

LOS ANGELES -- Damien Holmes came out of this whole position change thing looking pretty selfless. Truth be told, it's what he was hoping for all along.

When the UCLA defensive end heard that the Bruins were planning to switch from a 4-3 scheme to a 3-4 under Lou Spanos, his imagination began to run wild with thoughts of jumping hook-to-curl routes and pick-sixes. At 6-foot-4 and a leaner 260 pounds, he would be a perfect outside linebacker, he thought to himself.

“Once I knew there was going to be an emphasis on the 3-4, I decided in my mind I wanted to do the switch,” Holmes said. “Going up to the coaches’ office, I was going to talk to them about it and express how I was feeling. It turned out that’s the day they told me about the switch.”

It ended up being a mutual decision -- and likely one that will benefit a rush defense that ranked 11th in the conference last year and gave up slightly more than 190 yards per game.

"I’m loving the switch," Holmes said. "It’s so fun. You get more responsibility and you get to show off a little more of what you have as a player. I love that I can rush one play and then drop into coverage on the next play. It’s been a lot of fun."

Spanos stressed that UCLA won't be "pigeonholed" into a the 3-4 and that they'll be multiple. That's what makes a dynamic player like Holmes so valuable. He can set the edge standing up, rush with his hand on the ground or drop back into coverage.

"He's versatile and he'll do both in our scheme," Spanos said. "He has a nice balance. Very smart, very instinctive. Hardworking. Takes to coaching. He's doing a very good job for us."

In other news:

• Librado Barocio -- a walk-on cornerback -- is out indefinitely after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament, head coach Jim Mora said after practice on Thursday. The non-contact injury occurred on Tuesday when the sophomore planted his foot during a coverage drill.

"It's really unfortunate when anyone gets hurt," Mora said. "But a kid like that, he dies out here every day to be great. And you hate to see that."

• Running back Johnathan Franklin, who has struggled with fumbling demons throughout his career, said he's taken some more drastic steps this year to ensure ball protection. Aside from the 5-10 minutes of ball security drills at practice, Franklin now either walks around campus with a football -- daring teammates to try to get it -- or he's constantly flexing a tennis ball to improve his grip.

"Ball security is really something I'm focused on this spring," he said. "I'm just working on keeping it high and tight."

• Thursday was not a watershed day for the quarterbacks -- all of whom either made bad decisions or threw interceptions during the live session. And the fact that the defense is playing well is making it that much tougher for Mora & Co. to gauge the QBs.

"It's a little difficult for our quarterbacks because our front seven is playing tenacious football," Mora said. "They are pinning their ears back and coming after it. So, you love it, but at the same time you need to see the quarterbacks."

Does that mean he'll tell the defense to back off so he can get a better look at the QBs?

"I will never tell those guys to back off," he said. "That's against my nature. I'm a defensive guy. I'll tell them to heat it up a little more."

• Mora said that Saturday's scrimmage will be more like a "modified" scrimmage, citing all of the injuries. Rather, they'll do some situational scrimmaging -- such as an overtime period.

"For us to come out and run a 91-play scrimmage right now wouldn't be prudent just with the guys that we have missing," Mora said.

"Carrie, you haven't touched your apple cake."
"It gives me pimples, Mama."
"Pimples are the Lord's way of chastising you."

• Arizona linebacker Dame Ndiaye was once homeless, now he has a home with the Wildcats. Kudos to Mike Schmitz of the Daily Wildcat for this really nice read.
• Mo Latu keeps slimming down for ASU and adjusting to life on offense.
• Some Cal depth chart projections.
• Some more options on Colorado replacing injured wide receiver Paul Richardson.
• Rahsaan Vaughn trying to find his place in Oregon's receiving corps.
• Oregon State running back Jordan Jenkins is ready to make a push for the starting spot.
• Some Stanford news and notes on both sides of the ball. Running back Stepfan Taylor will be the focal point of the offense.
• UCLA running back Johnathan Franklin says the Bruins have to erase the past (video).
• USC defensive back Josh Shaw is expecting to have his hardship waiver reviewed by the NCAA.
• If you didn't get enough of Utah receiver DeVonte Christopher from Ted Miller's story today, here's another one from Dirk Facer at the Deseret News.
• Steve Sarkisian quotables from Wednesday's practice with some info on Jesse Callier and Sean Parker taking limited reps.
• A video interview with WSU offensive lineman Elliott Bosch.

Points, points, points. This is the Pac-12 after all, where offense rules. Last season, five Pac-12 teams ranked in the top 30 in scoring average. Others, however, weren't as explosive. Colorado (12th in the conference/109th nationally), Oregon State (11/100), UCLA (10/88) and Utah (9/tied for 74th) all had trouble consistently finding pay dirt. So this week we're looking at which of these four teams has the best chance to show significant offensive improvement.

Ted Miller: Oregon State’s offense was bad last year. That’s the obvious bad news. More obvious bad news: It was bad for a fundamental reason: It couldn’t run the ball, ranking 118th in the nation with just 86.9 yards per game. The end result was an offense that ranked 11th in the Pac-12 in scoring (21.8 points per game) and 10th in total offense (373.7 yards per game). And while we’re being party poopers, why not note there are only eight healthy offensive linemen this spring, which makes it impossible to field a full second team?

Ah, but we come not to bury the Beavers, but to praise them! This half of the Pac-12 blog is providing Oregon State fans an iron-clad guarantee: The Beavers' offense will be better in 2012. Perhaps much better. And that’s why we believe they will win enough to earn a bowl berth after consecutive seasons at home during the postseason.

Why? Let’s start in the cockpit with quarterback Sean Mannion, who won the starting job as a freshman over returning starter Ryan Katz, only to discover THE NEW CAR! he’d been given the keys to was a Pinto. With little support from a running game to keep defenses honest, Mannion threw a lot but not always successfully, ranking ninth in the conference in passing efficiency with 16 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. But two numbers are notable: First, he completed 64.5 percent of his passes and was sacked just 27 times in 473 attempts. That suggests two things. Mannion is both accurate and has good pocket presence. Accurate? That completion percentage ranked fifth in the conference, ahead of Oregon’s Darron Thomas and Arizona State’s Brock Osweiler. As for pocket presence, the Beavers ranked fifth in the conference in sacks surrendered despite ranking third in pass attempts. And that was with no running game.

Mannion’s supporting cast at receiver is strong. Three of the top four receivers are back, including Markus Wheaton and speedy flanker Brandin Cooks. And essentially the entire cast at running back is back.

So, really, it comes down to the offensive line, where three starters are back, not including tackle Michael Philipp, a 2010 starter who is trying to get a once-promising career back on track. Don’t expect to hear glowing reports this spring. Tackle Colin Kelly and guard Grant Enger, both returning starters, are out with injuries, so there’s a lack of bodies. But in the fall they should be healthy just as a pair of intriguing reinforcements arrive: touted freshman Isaac Seumalo, rated the No. 19 overall player in the nation in 2012 by ESPN Recruiting, and junior-college transfer Stan Hasiak, who saw plenty of action during his tumultuous time at UCLA. Both are potential – even likely -- starters.

Mannion flashed plenty of potential in 2011. He will be far more seasoned in 2012. The offensive line will be better, too, which means at least a mediocre running game to keep defenses from pinning their ears back and going after the quarterback.

In other words, the Beavers offense will be much improved overall in 2012. Now ... about that defense ...

Kevin Gemmell: I'm glad you brought up Osweiler, because he's somewhat pertinent to the team I'm picking to improve offensively -- UCLA.

All together now: "Ding, dong, the pistol is dead." And not a half-snap too soon. Time to make way for the shotgun.

To see where the Bruins are headed on offense, you need only to look back at what Osweiler did the past two seasons with the Sun Devils -- specifically what he was able to do with Noel Mazzone running the show.

Now Mazzone is new coach Jim Mora's offensive coordinator at UCLA. I know there is a multi-quarterback competition in the works. That certainly will have some bearing. But even so, it's almost impossible for the Bruins not improve on last year's 23.1-ppg scoring average with this time-tested offense.

Consider the Sun Devils of 2009, pre-Mazzone: 90th in total offense (334.4 yards per game) and 91st in scoring average (22.3 points per game). Now, look at Mazzone's first season in 2010: 29th in total offense (425.6) and 28th in scoring average (32.2). Last year: 25th in total offense (445.8) and 28th in scoring offense (33.2).

Translation: The guy knows how to move the ball and create points.

I talked earlier this week with Brett Hundley, one of those quarterbacks in the hunt for the starting gig, he says this offense is much simpler and allows the quarterback to play more quickly and think less. Makes sense. And whoever wins the gig will have an experienced running back in Johnathan Franklin beside him. The fifth-year senior was 24 yards short of a 1,000-yard season despite an impressive 5.9 yards per carry average.

But this offense is about moving the ball in the air. And finding three or four receivers to consistently perform is going to be just as important as finding the right guy standing five to seven yards behind the center. Mazzone has said he's not married to four- or five-receiver sets. So bona-fide talent Joseph Fauria should get plenty of chances to catch the ball from the tight end position. Devin Lucien, Shaq Evans and Ricky Marvray are the likely wide receiver trio. But unlike the previous offense, the receivers won't be square pegs in round holes. This offense should accentuate the speed and athleticism that UCLA always seems to have, but never knows quite what to do with it.

The Bruins were in the bottom half of the nation in sacks allowed last year, but the return of tackle Xavier Su'a-Filo, who is back after an LDS mission, should help bolster the line. All indications out of spring are that he looks solid. Jeff Baca and Greg Capella both saw significant playing time last season (Capella started 14 games and Baca 13), so that experience should help cut back on the sacks.

Now, to the quarterback spot. Kevin Prince has the most experience, followed by Richard Brehaut. Both are seniors. But there is a call from fans to completely cleanse themselves of the previous regime and start fresh with Hundley, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound dual-threat quarterback who might be the most athletic of the bunch.

Whoever wins the job is destined for a pretty good season. Because given Mazzone's history of turning slugs into sluggers, UCLA looks like the team to drag itself up from the Pac-12's offensive cellar.

Noel Mazzone doesn't care how many touchdowns Kevin Prince or Richard Brehaut threw. Or how many Brett Hundley didn't throw, for that matter.

He doesn't care about how many yards Johnathan Franklin ran for, or how many catches Joseph Fauria made or how many holes Greg Capella opened.

He simply doesn't care.

"To me, it's all a clean slate," said UCLA's new offensive coordinator. "I purposely don't spend time studying film from last year. Never mistake potential for performance. Everything is performance-based. All I know -- all I care about -- is what started on Jan. 9 for me. I don't care what you did last season. The question is, are you performing now?"

The Bruins don't open spring ball until April 3. But that doesn't mean Mazzone and new head coach Jim Mora aren't watching, evaluating, making mental notes about who is grinding and who is goofing. Mazzone didn't go so far as to say a culture change is needed at UCLA. Rather, it's an attitude change.

"Whatever school, high school, college, or NFL team you go to, you want to create an attitude," he said. "That's our purpose. We want to create an attitude and find the qualities we're looking for to be a UCLA football player. That's all I concern myself with.

"Be physical. Be fast. And finish. The football plays will take care of themselves. If we can get our kids to play with great tempo and great toughness and learn to finish what they start -- whether it be a play, a drive, in the weight room or in class or whatever they do in life -- if we can get them into that kind of mindset, that's our priority."

Mazzone, a seasoned offensive mind with more than 30 years coaching offense, comes to UCLA after spending the last two seasons with Arizona State, where he was widely credited with turning around the Sun Devils' once anemic offense. In the two years before Mazzone arrived (2008 and 2009), ASU ranked 100th and 90th, respectively, in total offense. In 2010, Mazzone's first year, the Sun Devils improved to 29th. Last season, 25th.

He said UCLA fans can expect a similar scheme.

"It's the only thing I know," he said. "I can't do anything else. I don't know anything else."

Though based on the personnel, the Bruins probably aren't going to be the spitting image of the 2011 Sun Devils. Once UCLA starts up spring ball, Mazzone said he'll have a better idea of which direction the team is going to take schematically.

"My philosophy is I want to get the best players on the football field," he said. "If it happens to be a tight end and two wides and two running backs, that's what it will be. If it's a running back and four wide receivers, that's what it will be. If I'm lucky enough to have good players at several positions, we'll have multiple sets. I just want to get the ball in the playmaker's hands."

And like the majority of the conference, UCLA's future at quarterback isn't set. Sticking to his guns, Mazzone said his decision is not going to be weighted by experience or inexpereince. He has only one preference when picking a quarterback.

"I prefer guys that can score points," he said. "I don't care who it is. I'm not too worried about experience. I'm looking for productivity and the ability to move the football and be a leader for our offense. I don't care if it's a true freshman or a redshirt senior. It really doesn't matter. I'll let them compete and let the best guy that fits that criteria be our guy."

We chatted Thursday about the Pac-12 and a foolproof way to make $5 million immediately following the chat.

You missed it? Too bad.

Here's the unexpurgated transcript -- other than the business tip.

And here are some highlights.

Mike (Elk Grove): What chance does USC have in getting Isaac Seumalo to switch from Oregon State...

Ted Miller (3:00 PM): Always a chance but the "Dad is a coach at Oregon State" deal feels like it would be hard to break, particularly when the Beavers & coach Mike Riley are facing an important season.

DawgFan09 (Snowpocalypse - WA): Hey Ted - bet you're glad you're not around the Seattle area for our icestorm With the new hires and recruiters we have - who are the biggest names the Dawgs can pull in on Feb 1?Banner included? we need the beef!

Ted Miller (3:02 PM): Hey, the weather down here in Scottsdale isn't great either... yesterday I saw some clouds and it was only in the mid-60s. As for the Huskies: I wouldn't expect too many dramatic changes for this recruiting class. There may be 1 or 2 surprises, but it's so late in the process. Of course, we'll see.

James (WA): UW has upped the ante on coaches' salaries. Is UW simply the first of a wave of raises to occur throughout the conference (outside of USC)? Or is UW simply committing more financially to football than other schools?

Ted Miller (3:07 PM): Washington, historically, has paid more for football. Recall how everyone reacted to Rick Neuheisel getting $1 million in 1999. But salaries are going to go up throughout the conference. The interesting thing is, failure is forcing up the prices. Programs that fired head or assistant coaches are bouncing salaries. Programs that are stable don't seem to be.

Brian (LA): best running back in the conference next season? McNeal?

Ted Miller (3:13 PM): maybe, but he's got to stay healthy. Some good ones coming back: John White at Utah, Isi Sofele at Cal, Stepfan Taylor at Stanford, Cameron Marshall at ASU, Kenjon Barner at Oregon, Johnathan Franklin at UCLA... and there are always young guys who emerge. But McNeal should benefit from all the weapons USC has on offense. Can't gang up on running game.

duck (a pond): Darron Thomas to NFL???

Ted Miller (3:15 PM): odd decision in my view... it will be interesting to see if he gets drafted. I wish him luck. It's a hit for the Ducks, but Bryan Bennett looked pretty good when he came of the bench and the offense has plenty of playmakers.

Colt (SLC): Do the Utes get their first ever Top 25 Recruiting Class this year?

Ted Miller (3:16 PM): I don't think it will get to top-25, but it likely will be one of the better classes Utah has signed.

beachDuck (SD): which team is the biggest surprise in the Pac-12 this year? Which new coach performs the best?

Ted Miller (3:26 PM):Utah, if it gets a healthy Jordan Wynn back, looks strong in the South. And I think Cal has a nice shot of finishing second in the North.

Geezer (Anchorage): The week 4 starter at QB for Stanford will be Mr. ______?

Ted Miller (3:27 PM):Brett Nottingham.

Joey Buttafuoco (NY): yo Teddy, what are the three most intriguing PAC 12 games this season?

Ted Miller (3:33 PM):Oregon at USC; USC at Utah; Oregon at Cal. And I'll throw Washington at LSU and Notre Dame at USC.

Miller Time (Pasadena):Any chance that Mora would go with a young/new QB (Hundley) with a new offense over the Seniors Prince and Brehaut??

Ted Miller (3:36 PM): absolutely... that completion figures to be wide-open, with Mora eyeballing the future. I think Prince/Brehaut have to be decisively better to win the job. That, by the way, could happen.

McCartney (Colorado):Will the bleeding in Boulder stop this year. Is a return to relevance near?

Ted Miller (3:37 PM):I think 2012 will be another tough one, in large part because the offense is rebuilding with a new QB. But the young guys playing this year and next will be the foundation for a step forward in 2013.

Capn Morgan (Pullman, WA):With the fanfare of Mike Leach and all the new things he's bringing to Pullman, what should be a reasonable expectation for WSU fans? I get the feeling going to the Macaroni Bowl isn't going to cut it this year.

Ted Miller (3:53 PM):I think Coug fans, after this horrible downturn, should be pleased with any bowl. I see 6-6 or 7-5 as reasonable. As good as Leach is, he's breaking in new schemes with new players. I'd be surprised if he suddenly produces a 9-win team.

Lou (San Jose): Ted, to follow-up on earlier question, do you think UW's hiring of Kiesau specifically was driven more by filling their own need, or hurting an opponent

Ted Miller (4:02 PM):It would be pretty silly to hire a receivers coach and name him offensive coordinator just to hurt his former team. After Tedford hires another guy, you're left with an offensive coordinator. Sark needed a guy to help with the passing offense who was OK with not calling plays. Kiesau is highly respected. It seems like a good hire, whether it hit Cal hard or not.

UCLA BRUINS

Record: 6-7, 5-4 Pac-12

Did any other team in the country have a more bizarre season than the Bruins? Quarterback switches/injuries, head-scratching wins -- and losses -- and a lame duck coach in a conference championship game. Things certainly got weird in Westwood.

Wide receiver Nelson Rosario has all of the tools to be one of the elite wide receivers in the conference -- or country for that matter. In a run-first pistol system, he still caught 61 balls for 1,106 yards and four touchdowns. Tight end Joseph Fauria was perhaps the most consistent offensive player with 34 catches and six scores.

Whoever takes over as coach for the departed Rick Neuheisel isn't coming in with empty cupboards. The Bruins have enough talent on both sides of the ball to still be a force in the division. But bringing all of that talent together into a consistent, cohesive unit, is the biggest task for the next head coach. There clearly was enough talent to beat Arizona State, and enough inconsistency to lose to Arizona.

Co-offensive MVPs: Johnathan Franklin and Derrick Coleman share the honors for their tandem work at the running back position. Both had three games where they went for more than 100 yards. Franklin did a little more of the heavy lifting, rushing for 947 yards and 6.0 yards per carry. Coleman sealed the deal with 11 rushing touchdowns and 726 yards. Together they helped UCLA to the nation's 30th best rushing offense, averaging 190.6 yards per game.

Defensive MVP: Linebacker Patrick Larimore came up big with 81 tackles this season -- including 50 solo stops. He saved his best statistical games for the toughest opponents, coming up with eight solo stops against Stanford, seven against Texas and seven against Arizona State.

Turning point: A missed field goal by Arizona State gave the Bruins a shocking 29-28 win over the No. 19 Sun Devils, securing UCLA a very fragile grasp of the Pac-12 South that eventually allowed them access into the conference title game. Even though they lost two of their next three, it allowed them to extend their season -- and Neuheisel's UCLA career, by one more game.

Up next: Thanks to an NCAA waiver, the Bruins are bound for the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl Dec. 31 at AT&T Park in San Francisco, where they'll face another team with a recently fired head coach, Illinois. Oh, the irony.

Utah and UCLA were written off after their seventh games. The Utes got stomped at Cal, and the Bruins were humiliated at Arizona on ESPN. Utah fell to 0-4 in the Pac-12. UCLA seemed on the cusp of a coaching search.

And now they play Saturday in Salt Lake, each riding a two-game conference winning streak, with the winner earning bowl eligibility. And UCLA in the South Division lead.

Stuff changes. The unexpected can happen.

So maybe we'll see plenty of passing on Saturday. Just don't count on it.

UCLA and Utah like to run the ball and aren't terribly good at passing it. UCLA ranks 11th and Utah 12th in the conference in passing yards per game. They've combined for 23 TD passes, which is fewer than USC, Stanford, Washington and Oregon.

This won't be a four-hour game.

UCLA is better on offense overall and is better at running it, see its 191 yards per game out of a pistol offense. It averages 4.8 yards per carry, while the Utes average 3.6. It has three legitimate rushing weapons in running backs Johnathan Franklin and Derrick Coleman and quarterback Kevin Prince, while the Utes rely almost entirely on John White.

"[White] has been a big part of our success," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. "When he goes over 100 yards, we win, and when he doesn't, we've lost."

Utah is much better on defense, though. It ranks second in the conference against the run and third in total defense. UCLA is 11th against the run and 10th in total defense.

The Utes' front-seven is particularly tough.

"A huge challenge," Bruins coach Rick Neuheisel said. "Our offense is predicated on winning at least your share at the line of scrimmage and being able to run the football. And they are as stout as anybody we've played this year."

Beyond the Xs and Os, there's the Norm Chow factor. The legendary offensive coordinator was hired by Whittingham after he parted ways with Neuheisel after three mostly poor seasons. All parties have played down any perception of bad blood this week, as well as any major competitive advantage.

"I think the advantage or disadvantage is a wash," Whittingham said. "I don't think that will play into it at all. I think they've changed both coordinators, so I don't see that as an advantage one way or another."

Still, Chow will be able to provide the Utes coaches plenty of insider details about the Bruins' players, their tendencies, likes and dislikes and strengths and weaknesses.

"He's going to know our personnel as well as anybody, so we have to understand that," Neuheisel admitted.

Still, Neuheisel observed, the game will come down to "blocking and tackling" as most games do. And turnovers.

As for what the game means in the big picture, Neuheisel didn't take the bait. He brought up Pac-12 and postseason possibilities in advance of the Arizona game, and that didn't go well.

"Our future is Saturday," he said. "Nothing else matters. We made that mistake before talking about this, that or the other thing."

UCLA's visit to Arizona on Oct. 20 was a complete disaster for the Bruins. The 48-12 blowout defeat to a team that had lost 10 consecutive games to FBS teams and had just fired its coach had no redeeming value for the program and its embattled coach, Rick Neuheisel. ESPN's typically measured Rece Davis, who was doing play-by-play, opined: "Somebody in a gold helmet has to show some pride."

He was right. The Bruins looked like they were tanking it. That they didn't care. And that almost certainly would earn Neuheisel a boot out of Westwood.

But there's often a disconnect between easy fan and media judgments and the reality of a locker room. UCLA quarterback Kevin Prince called the loss at Arizona "devastating," but he firmly rejected the notion of the Bruins mailing it in because they no longer cared about Neuheisel's fate.

"We definitely like Coach Neuheisel and want him to stay. There's no question about that," Prince said. "There was nothing like us going into the Arizona game and saying, 'Hey, let's tank this so Neuheisel doesn't keep his job.' That's absurd. I know that fans probably think that. The Arizona game? Sometimes things just happen. Fans will make up conspiracy theories, but at the end of day we want to win games and we don't want any changes here. We like the coaches we have."

That, of course, could just be good-soldier speak. After all, Prince isn't the sort to trash talk his coach, or even provide a non-answer that allows folks to read between the lines. It strains credulity to believe that Bruins are in lockstep in support of their coach and his staff, which features two new coordinators this season.

But then a 31-14 win at California happened, the first time this season the Bruins played well in all three phases.

Further, the Bruins' season could be transformed -- and Neuheisel resurrected -- if they beat No. 19 Arizona State on Saturday. Not only would a victory improve their record to 5-4 overall -- just one win away from bowl eligibility -- it would give the Bruins control of the Pac-12's South Division. UCLA and Arizona State would be tied atop the division at 4-2 in conference play (USC isn't eligible due to NCAA sanctions), but the Bruins would own the tiebreaker due to head-to-head victory.Rick Neuheisel badly needs a win when the Bruins take on No. 19 Arizona State Saturday.

Which would mean that the Bruins actually control their Rose Bowl destiny. They are a six-game winning streak away from being the Rose Bowl champs.

Ridiculous? Perhaps. But Neuheisel could tell you about a team that started 0-3-1 in 1984 and won the Rose Bowl. So this isn't the most ridiculous scenario ever.

One of them. But not the most.

Things already are pretty odd. Who thought after Prince started 3-of-7 with three interceptions against Texas and got benched that we'd ever hear him receiving justified praise again as the Bruins' quarterback?

Prince has thrown just one more interception since his ill-fated afternoon against the Longhorns. He was the difference-maker against Cal, rushing for a career-high 163 yards on 19 carries, just as he was while leading a comeback victory over Washington State after Richard Brehaut was lost for the season with a broken leg.

His career, which includes 20 starts, has been star-crossed, riddled with injuries and inconsistency. And yet here is. Again.

"No. 1, he hasn't given up on himself," Neuheisel siad. "He believes he's got what it takes, and we do, too. No. 2, he's healthy. It's not been that way for most of his career. And I was really pleased that he ran as physically as he ran the other night. That's got to be where we plant our flag."

In other words, even with the Bruins getting four receivers back from their suspensions for their parts in the brawl with Arizona, the Bruins are not going to start passing a lot. They average 196 yards passing per game, but their most effective plays seem to be runs out of the pistol formation. With Prince being an increasingly legitimate run threat, that should make things easier for running backs Johnathan Franklin and Derrick Coleman.

"Prince is playing extremely well right now," Arizona State coach Dennis Erickson said. "If they can run the football, they can create a lot of problems for you."

The Sun Devils have been just OK against the run this year, yielding 141 yards per game.

Of course, entertaining grand notions for UCLA remains a stretch. The program has failed to post a signature conference win under Neuheisel and has been excruciatingly inconsistent. More than once, talk of a corner-turn has been hushed by a dreadful performance. Beating Arizona State is the sort of thing Neuheisel hasn't done in three-plus seasons at UCLA, though he's posted some nice nonconference wins over Tennessee and Texas.

One of many big changes Neuheisel made this year was taking over coaching his quarterbacks. He is notoriously hard on QBs, having been one himself for the Bruins, and cameras eagerly seek him out when his quarterback makes a mistake. The sideline jabbering is not terribly distinguished, and more than a few folks have seen it as a significant problem on multiple levels.

But Prince feels like his relationship with Neuheisel has gotten stronger this year.

"I feel like it's been better because he is now the quarterbacks coach," Prince said. "The communication between us is better. We don't see eye-to-eye all the time, but we can communicate and work things out."

They also are on the same wavelength when it comes to dealing with criticism, which both know well.

Said Prince: "I don't listen to the criticism. I just continue to play the game and try to have fun and win."

Said Neuheisel: "The only thing you can do is ignore that .... It does me no good. I can't answer all the critics. All I can do is my best. I wake up every morning excited about going to work."

It appears Prince and Neuheisel are in sync when it comes to dealing with criticism. But can they -- and the rest of the Bruins -- get in sync and string a few consistent performances together?

If it happens, there may be a shocker in the South Division, and part of that would be Neuheisel keeping his job.

Paul Wulff and Rick Neuheisel entered the season with the same problem. They needed to win in order to keep their jobs, and there were plenty of folks who didn't think they would.

Five weeks into the season, Neuheisel's Bruins are 2-3 and his seat is hotter, while Wulff's Cougars are 3-1 and his seat is cooler.

The messages coming out of the beleaguered outposts, however, reflect the coachspeak necessity to reject the ephemeral whims of public -- and media -- opinion.

For the surging Cougars, Wulff strikes a cautionary note. "We haven't accomplished a lot yet," he said.

For the struggling Bruins, Neuheisel points to reasons for hope. "Look at the tape," he said. "You can see how close we are. And if that doesn't motivate you to want to be better and continue to work to be better then I don't know what does."

And they are both right.

Wulff's team is playing better and winning and as a result his seat is cooler, but the Cougars schedule has helped plenty. It's a good bet the Bruins would be 3-1 with the Cougars schedule, too. At least.

As for the Bruins, Neuheisel reasonably points out that his team has lost to three unbeaten teams: Houston, No. 11 Texas and No. 7 Stanford. It's a good beat the Cougars would be 2-3 with the Bruins schedule.

When the Cougars and Bruins tangle Saturday, the relative feelings about either coach could be in flux again, particularly if we see a repeat of last year.

In the Rose Bowl in 2010, UCLA jumped ahead 20-7, then yielded three consecutive TDs as the Cougars took a 28-20 lead. From that point on, however, the Bruins just ran over the Cougs defense, scoring three consecutive TDs to win 42-28, using almost exclusively running plays.

UCLA rushed 57 times for 437 yards -- 7.8 yards per carry -- with five TDs. Johnathan Franklin rushed for 216 yards and Derrick Coleman for 185 yards, and both of those guys will be eyeballing a Cougars rushing defense that yielded 227 yards to San Diego State and 161 yards to Colorado.

"That's going to be our challenge," Wulff said. "We've to make them earn yards on the ground."

On the other side of the ball, the Bruins rank 10th in the conference in pass-defense and are beaten up in the secondary, though Neuheisel said he thinks he could get a couple of guys back who didn't play against Stanford, such as safeties Tony Dye and Dalton Hilliard and linebacker Glenn Love.

Washington State quarterback Marshall Lobbestael -- he's still the starter, though Jeff Tuel could see action after fracturing his collarbone in the season-opener -- ranks 13th in the nation in passing efficiency and sixth in the nation in passing with 333.8 yards per game.

So, not unlike last year's game, UCLA will try to run. Washington State will try to pass. Both might struggle to stop the other.

But how are these teams different from last year?

Neuheisel said it's obvious on film that the Cougars are improved. It's also different how Wulff pooh-poohs grand pronouncements from reporters, such as an inquiry asking if the Cougars have turned the proverbial corner.

"It's an easy thing for people to say," Wulff said. "We've taken a step. I know we've take a step in the right direction." But then he added, again, that, "We haven't accomplished a lot yet."

Even the thrilling win at Colorado doesn't inspire much joy from Wulff, at least with reporters.

"It was a last quarter win but we didn't play a great football game," he said. "There were a lot of things we could have done a heck of a lot better. I don't look at it as an emotional game at all. It was an emotional ending. But we need to play better football than we did."

Obviously, Wulff is fighting any potential "we've arrived" complacency that might invade his locker room.

Meanwhile, Neuheisel is trying to keep his team optimistic with his relentless message of hope. For example, his defense ranks 105th in the nation, allowing 33.6 points per game.

"I think we are getting better," he said. "We're playing faster. We've played some pretty darn good football teams."

The grind for a coach on the hotseat is relentless. It can feature cycles of dramatic highs and stunning lows. As we head into the second October weekend, Wulff and his team are trending up, and Neuheisel and his team are trending down. It's probably more fun in the coaching offices in Pullman than in Westwood this week.

Said Wulff, "It feels different. There's a little bit more pep in your step when you come to work."

Ah, but peppy steps sometimes land on banana peals. And those dragging along with their heads down might espy a lucky quarter.

Things can change quickly in college football.

Who gets a helmet sticker for a job well done (on a bad day for the Pac-12)?

Nick Foles, Arizona: Foles completed 34 of 42 passes for 412 yards with five TDs and no interceptions in the Wildcats' 41-10 win over Northern Arizona.

Robert Woods, USC: Woods caught a school-record 17 passes for 177 yards and three touchdowns in the Trojans' 19-17 win over Minnesota.

Marvin Jones & Keenan Allen, California: The Bears receivers each eclipsed 100 yards receiving, combining for 230 yards in the 36-21 win over Fresno State. Jones caught two touchdown passes.

Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State: The Sun Devils linebacker had three sacks in the 48-14 win over UC Davis.

Chris Polk, Washington: Polk rushed for 125 yards in the 30-27 win against Eastern Washington less than three weeks after having minor knee surgery.

Brian Blechen, Utah: Blechen intercepted two passes to go along with seven tackles in the Utes' 27-10 win over Montana State.

Johnathan Franklin, UCLA: The Bruins running back rushed for 128 yards on 16 carries -- an eight yard average -- with a touchdown in the 38-34 loss to Houston.

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

You can view the final list here.

We also previously went over players who just missed the countdown, and therefore are top candidates to fight their way onto to postseason list.

And let's face it, postseason rankings are more important than preseason rankings.

Here's the final per-team tally.

Stanford: 6
Oregon: 4
USC: 4
Washington: 3
Arizona: 2
Washington State: 2
Arizona State: 1
California: 1
Colorado: 1
UCLA: 1
Oregon State, Utah: 0

Stanford fans who groused about their numbers after the 2010 season -- two -- probably are happier with this ranking. Utah and Oregon State fans probably aren't.

Feel free to send me your thoughts and quibbles on who should have made it but didn't. Just make sure you state your case AND perhaps suggest who they should replace and why.