ESPN College Football

The masses never revolt of their own accord, and they never revolt merely because they are oppressed. Indeed, so long as they are not permitted to have standards of comparison they never even become aware that they are oppressed.

• Arizona's Hank Hobson should bolster the Wildcats' thin LBs corps.
• Arizona State notes, including an item on a new RBs coach with a familiar last name.
• A Q&A with California QBs Zach Kline and Austin Hinder.
• Colorado's veteran QBs, who had little success, are not yielding to a youth movement.
• Checking in with former Oregon RB LaMichael James.
• Oregon State CB Jordan Poyer tells us about belief.
• Stanford leads the Pac-12 in graduation rate. And in this Big Game, the Cardinal win big.
• Another Walk-on Wednesday for UCLA.
• USC QB Max Wittek has sprained his MCL, which won't help him in the QB competition.
• Is Utah's offensive line actually a strength?
• News, notes and video from Washington's spring practices.
• Toward the bottom of this is an interesting consideration of former Washington State coach Paul Wulff.
• Kevin is doing the mailbag Friday. He told me to demand that you send your questions here. And, in the process, humble yourself before his image.

Our countdown of the top 25 players in the 2012 season continues.

You can see the preseason top 25 here.

No. 6: Kenjon Barner, RB, Oregon

2012 numbers: Rushed for 1,767 yards on 278 carries (6.1 average), 135.9 yards per game and 21 touchdowns. He also caught 20 balls for 256 yards and two touchdowns.

Preseason ranking: No. 13

Making the case for Barner: Barner, a consensus All-American, and his predecessor and best buddy, LaMichael James, are peas in a pod. Or, if you don't like that cliché, just know they sit beside each other in the Oregon record book. Barner's 21 rushing touchdowns tie him with James for most in a single season for a Ducks back. Barner also is the school's second leading rusher behind James with 3,623 yards. His 5,869 career all-purpose yards are 21 yards shy of James' school record. He got the jump on James when he rushed for a school-record 321 yards on a career-high 38 attempts and tied for a career-high with five touchdowns in a victory at USC. While Barner operated mostly in James' shadow for three years, he entered the season as the Ducks' featured back and exceeded already high expectations, earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors, which was darn near as impressive as his All-America honors, considering Arizona's Ka'Deem Carey and UCLA's Johnathan Franklin also were named All-Americans. And, like James, Barner, rated the No. 5 available running back in the draft by Mel Kiper, is expected to have an NFL career. Most important, of course, Barner, understated but always insightful, is a member of the Pac-12 blog's All-Interview team. He will be missed by reporters as well as Ducks fans.

No. 7: Johnathan Franklin, RB, UCLA
No. 8: Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford
No. 9: Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah
No. 10: Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon State
No. 11: Anthony Barr, LB, UCLA
No. 12: Jordan Poyer, CB, Oregon State
No. 13: Zach Ertz, TE, Stanford
No. 14: Matt Barkley, QB, USC
No. 15: Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA
No. 16: Trent Murphy, OLB, Stanford
No. 17: Chase Thomas, OLB, Stanford
No. 18: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
No. 19: David Yankey, OL, Stanford
No. 20: Dion Jordan, DE/OLB, Oregon
No. 21: Scott Crichton, DE, Oregon State
No. 22: Ed Reynolds, S, Stanford
No. 23: Michael Clay, LB, Oregon
No. 24: Taylor Kelly, QB, Arizona State
No. 25: Reggie Dunn, KR, Utah

Toby Gerhart preceded him at Stanford. Then came Oregon's LaMichael James, casting a big shadow for two seasons. While 2012 seemed like it set up well for Stanford running back Stepfan Taylor to finally see his name on the college football marquee, he's nonetheless looking up at Oregon's Kenjon Barner, Arizona's Ka'Deem Carey and UCLA's Johnathan Franklin in the pecking order of Pac-12 running backs.

Taylor has practically become famous, in fact, for being overlooked and underrated. It's a perception that is frequently noted just before a coach or player praises Taylor for his all-around skills as well as his character.

"For some reason, I don't know why, I think he is extremely underrated," said Oregon coach Chip Kelly, whose Ducks play host to Taylor and Stanford on Saturday.

Said Stanford coach David Shaw, "He epitomizes what we are all about."

Taylor, a Doak Walker Award semifinalist, is hardly anonymous. You don't become the first player in Stanford history to record back-to-back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons and be known only as What's His Name.

He is 169 rushing yards from reaching 4,000 in his career and 203 yards from breaking the school's career rushing record held by Darrin Nelson. Taylor’s 36 career rushing touchdowns are third all-time on The Farm. He needs one more to tie "Touchdown" Tommy Vardell for second.

Taylor presently ranks 22nd in the nation and fourth in the Pac-12 with 106.1 yards per game. He's also the Cardinal's second leading receiver with 28 catches for 184 yards and two scores. Last week in the win over Oregon State, Taylor fumbled for the first time in nearly a calendar year, snapping a streak of 261 consecutive rushes without a fumble dating back to Nov. 26, 2011.

Oh, and he can block, too.

"He's the best pass-blocking running back in our conference, and it's not even close," Shaw said.

You put this all together, and the most popular conclusion is that Taylor's payoff will be in the NFL, where his toughness, ability to run between the tackles and diversity of skills will be more fully appreciated.

"Oh, gosh, I think he's a really, really good player. I really like him," Oregon State coach Mike Riley said. "I think he's an NFL back. He's powerful, he's quick, he's smart, he's durable. He just keeps pounding at you. Of course, that's kind of Stanford's mentality, and he fits into it really well."

Riley knows firsthand. The Beavers own one of the nation's toughest run defenses, but Taylor gashed it for 114 yards on 19 carries in a 27-23 victory last weekend. However, it was a screen pass at the end of the third quarter that earned Taylor the most kudos. He took the short dump pass 40 yards for a critical touchdown that started the Stanford comeback, and just about every Oregon State defender had a shot at him but couldn't get Taylor down, most notably safety Anthony Watkins, whom Taylor dispatched with a brutal stiff-arm at the 12-yard line.

As for Taylor being underrated and underappreciated, the person who seems to care least about that is Taylor.

"I don't really think about that," he said. "I feel like people who watch football recognize what I do. I just go out there and play my game, control what I can control. That's the main thing. And try to get the win. That's my main focus."

Said Shaw, "He's the last person who wants to talk about himself."

Taylor might have to talk about himself if the Cardinal upset the No. 2 Ducks. By just about every estimation, Taylor will have to come up big for Stanford to have a chance. Stanford must run well and possess the football against a beaten-up Oregon defense, thereby keeping the Ducks' explosive offense on the sidelines.

Oregon pounded the Cardinal the previous two years, both times handing Stanford its only regular-season loss. While Taylor said, "It's the next game on our schedule; it just happens to be Oregon," he also admitted veteran Stanford players might have something of a "chip on our shoulder" when it comes to the Ducks.

And Taylor might be ready for his national close-up.

If he were to put up big numbers in a win over Oregon on Saturday, here's a guess that he'd become suddenly popular among fans of many college football teams, including Notre Dame, Kansas State and Alabama.

Taking stock of Week 10 in the Pac-12.

Team of the week: In August, Oregon was supposed to be the supporting actor in the red-letter showdown with USC in the Coliseum. Instead, it's the Ducks who have emerged as the national title contender, and that was made clear by their thunderous offensive showing in a 62-51 victory. The 730 total yards and points were the most ever compiled against a Trojans defense.

Best game: It was a weekend of blowouts, so there wasn't much in terms of nail-biters. But the offensive firepower in the USC-Oregon game -- 1,345 yards of combined offense -- was highly entertaining, unless you are a purveyor of fine defense. Of course, both defenses had proved themselves as at least solid in the previous eight games, so the offensive explosion seemed to be more about outstanding execution than breakdowns.

Biggest play: Arizona State had just gone up 19-10 at Oregon State early in the second quarter. The Beavers' new starting QB, Cody Vaz, wasn't clicking. The Beavers looked to be in trouble at home. Then running back Terron Ward, filling in for an injured Storm Woods, went 53 yards for a touchdown. It was the first strike in a run of 26 consecutive points for the Beavers, who overcame a number of key injuries to keep trucking in the Pac-12 pecking order.

Offensive standout: Oregon RB Kenjon Barner quite simply posted one of the all-time great performances by a running back in Pac-12/10/8 history when he rushed for 321 yards and five touchdowns against the Trojans. It shattered LaMichael James' school record (288 yards) and is the fourth-best total in conference history. That he did it on the road in such a big game is what makes it truly special. And it likely firmed up his status as a top Heisman Trophy candidate.

Defensive standout: UCLA inside linebacker Eric Kendricks is the best defensive player you might not have heard of. In the Bruins' 66-10 bludgeoning of Arizona, he piled up 11 tackles -- nine solo -- with two sacks. He leads the Pac-12 and ranks 25th in the nation with 9.67 tackles per game.

Special-teams standout: Are you kidding me? Reggie freaking Dunn... what have you been eating? Dunn returned a third -- THIRD! -- kickoff in the past two games 100 yards for a touchdown in Utah's blowout win over Washington State. Three 100-yard kickoff returns in a season is an NCAA record, as is his four in his career.

Smiley face: Stanford QB Kevin Hogan was given an opportunity and took advantage. He completed 18 of 23 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns and led the Cardinal with 48 yards rushing in a blowout win over Colorado. Sure, it was Colorado, but Hogan has stepped up his play while Josh Nunes has been unable to tame his inconsistency. If he takes over as the Cardinal's starting QB, as expected, it will be because he earned it with his play.

Frowny face: The state of Arizona didn't distinguish itself on the road this past weekend. Arizona, coming off an impressive win over USC, got pummeled by UCLA 66-10. Arizona State jumped to an early lead at Oregon State but was overwhelmed in the second half. The Sun Devils have lost three in a row since a 5-1 start that had fans crowing. The Wildcats were thinking South Division crown after consecutive impressive wins over Washington and USC. Now both have fallen in the South pecking order. These teams' fans, who get along just grandly, have been going back and forth this season about which team is better, often forcing the poor ol', innocent Pac-12 blog into the middle of their squabble. What's become clear is the final verdict will only be delivered on Nov. 23 when they meet in the Territorial Cup.

Thought of the week: We will learn a lot about USC's resilience and Lane Kiffin's coaching in the next month. The Trojans have suffered through a supremely disappointing season, but there is still a lot to play for. They still could end up in the Rose Bowl. All they need to do is win out. At the very least, they could win the South Division. But is that enough to motivate the Trojans to continue to work hard to get better? Will these guys stick together under Kiffin and continue to fight? This team could collapse and end the season with five consecutive defeats. Just imagine: USC at 6-6. In the preseason, the Trojans looked like a potentially dominant national title contender. Now they are in danger of falling out of the national polls ... and on their face. But, hey, this is football. If you can't make the scoreboard smile at you, it's your own fault.

Questions for the week: If Oregon goes to the national title game, which Pac-12 team will do enough to play its way into the Rose Bowl, if any? The Rose Bowl wants a Big Ten-Pac-12 matchup, but for the Pac-12 to get a second BCS bowl team -- and an at-large selection to the Rose Bowl in this scenario -- it must push a team into the top 14 of the final BCS standings. It appears we have four candidates, but none is a sure thing by any stretch: Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA and USC. Oregon State will play Stanford this weekend. UCLA will face both Stanford and USC this month, and already has lost to Oregon State. USC, which already has lost to Stanford, and Oregon State only would meet in the Pac-12 title game. It will be interesting to see whether a team makes a charge and rises in the standings, or whether this becomes a muddle and no one qualifies.

LOS ANGELES -- Oregon turned in a singular, historic offensive performance against USC in the Ducks' 62-51 victory on Saturday in front of 93,607 fans in the Coliseum. No team has ever gained 730 yards or scored 62 points on the Trojans.

That's in 120 years of football. Heck, it's 107 yards more than Notre Dame piled up in 1946 in setting the mark that lasted 66 years.

The man at the center of this Ducks feeding frenzy is an unassuming guy who just earned his emphatic "hello world" moment: Running back Kenjon Barner. And by "hello world," we mean, "Here's your ticket to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony."

Said one observer, "I think that he's the best player -- that's singular, not plural. I think he deserves the Heisman. He should be right up there with everyone else. He's been doing it day in and day out. If they weren't beating people so bad, he'd probably have 2,000 yards right now. He's great."

That observer would be LaMichael James, a former Ducks running back and Heisman finalist himself, and he was reacting to Barner shattering James' team single-game rushing record of 288 yards, set last year against Arizona. Shattering? Barner rushed for 321 yards and five touchdowns against a Trojans' run defense that entered the game ranked 29th in the country, giving up 123 yards per game. That defense gave up just six rushing touchdowns in its previous eight games.

Barner and James, now with the San Francisco 49ers, just happen to be best buddies who talk frequently.

"I'm happy that he broke that record," James said. "Anytime your best friend can break your record, it means more. It's like, 'Man, my record got broken. But Kenjon broke it, so it's OK.'"

Barner entered the game ranked 10th in the nation in rushing. He now has 1,295 yards on the ground, and his 143.88 yards per game would have ranked second last week. He now averages 7.23 yards per carry and has scored 19 touchdowns, numbers that will rank among the very best in the nation this week.

With a potential injury to Collin Klein, Kansas State's multi-talented field general, it's possible Barner could even become a threat for the Heisman front-runner position.

Barner, who also caught two passes for 26 yards, including a 12-yard reception that converted a key third down in the fourth quarter, would hardly rate as euphoric after the game. He didn't seem too surprised with the way his and the Ducks offense's evening went.

"I've said it before and I'll keep saying it. People doubt, I don't," he said. "I know what I'm capable of. I know what this team is capable of."

Barner had 169 yards at halftime and 250 yards entering the fourth quarter. Of his 38 carries, he lost yardage on only one.

And, yes, he'd like to get Heisman consideration.

"It would absolutely be meaningful," he said. "Who doesn't want to get invited to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony?"

Barner's touchdown runs covered 27, 5, 9, 5 and 22 yards. He sliced the Trojans from the outside and diced them inside. The 5-foot-11, 192-pound senior simply couldn't be stopped.

"He's a warrior -- he's had an unbelievable impact on our team," Oregon coach Chip Kelly said. "He's the one leader of [the offense] and he's really embraced that role and our guys follow him. Not only does he talk about it, but he lives it. It's the same way in practice.'

And Barner is a true believer in the Tao of Chip Kelly. Ask him about big-picture questions, the kind of query that Kelly knocks away with a smirk, and he doesn't even sniff the bait.

Such as: Did he and the Ducks make a statement by running all over the Trojans?

"There is no statement to be made," he said. "We just come out and play football. If you come out playing with a mindset of your having to make a statement, you're not focused on the task at hand."

At 9-0, and on the cusp of moving up in the BCS standings, Oregon again looks like a national title contender. While Barner won't look past the next weekend, or attempt to sell his team to national pollsters and pundits, he will make clear what he thinks of the 2012 Ducks.

Said Barner, "I feel like we're the best team in the country on any night."

Maybe. It's becoming increasingly clear that the Ducks might be -- again -- the best offensive team in the country. And that Barner may be the best offensive player.

Is Oregon-USC about a passing of the guard?

The one absolute history teaches us is there will be change. Nothing lasts forever. Empires fall. In ancient times, no one could conceive a world without Roman domination. Look at Italy now.

USC has 11 national championships. Oregon has none. And it wasn't too long ago that USC under Pete Carroll made a dynastic run that terrorized college football. From 2002 to 2008, USC was college football's pre-eminent power, the lone program that made the SEC quake in fear.

But there is a distinct sense that Chip Kelly and the Oregon Ducks are headed to the Coliseum on Saturday to grab the Pac-12 sword from Tommy Trojan and take it back to Eugene.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. In the preseason, the overwhelming consensus was USC was ready to reclaim its place atop college football. The Trojans, emerging from a two-year postseason ban courtesy of the NCAA, welcomed back 19 starters from a team that went 10-2 and won at Oregon. They looked like a potentially all-time great team on offense, with a talented defense playing a strong supporting role.

Meanwhile, Oregon was replacing six offensive starters, including a two-year starter at quarterback in Darron Thomas and its all-time leading rusher, LaMichael James. The defense looked stout, but there were plenty of questions. It seemed premature, despite three consecutive Pac-12 titles, to call the Ducks a "reload, not rebuild" outfit.

Au contraire.

Oregon has been a well-oiled machine. It has rolled over everyone like an army of steamrollers and sat its starters for large portions of the second half. Sure, the schedule hasn't featured any A-list foes. But Arizona, Arizona State and Washington are a combined 14-10 with wins over Oklahoma State, Stanford, Oregon State and USC, and the Ducks beat them by a combined count of 144-42.

USC has flashed brilliance at times on both sides of the ball this season, but that only serves to provide a stark contrast for the moments of inexplicable mediocrity and sloppiness. The Trojans are 120th -- last! -- in the nation in penalties and penalty yards per game. And last by a fairly wide margin.

Quarterback Matt Barkley has thrown eight interceptions. He threw seven all of last year.

And to cut to the chase, USC already has two losses, to Stanford and Arizona, that have thrown a blanket of "Neh" over what was supposed to be not only the Pac-12 game of the year, but also perhaps the national game of the year.

So it's fair to ask what it might mean -- big picture -- if Oregon prevails and then goes on to win a fourth consecutive Pac-12 title: Are the Ducks poised to displace USC atop the conference for the long term?

USC fans would rightly counter, "Well, how about the Ducks win a national title first?" That's fair.

Oregon fans probably would admit there's a reasonable -- and nagging -- qualifier here also: "As long as coach Chip Kelly stays in Eugene."

While Oregon probably wouldn't tumble into mediocrity if Kelly bolted for the NFL -- the program is too rich and too Nike'd -- this run of dominance feels like its foundation is built on Kelly's cult of "Win the Day" personality.

But the Pac-12 blog, just like Kelly quashing an interesting question, won't deal in hypotheticals.

So then, if the Ducks roll over the Trojans on Saturday by multiple touchdowns -- an unthinkable idea in the preseason -- and go on to win a fourth consecutive Pac-12 title, that feels like it could be a resonating statement.

Further, USC has two more years of scholarship sanctions. It can sign no more than 15 players for the next two recruiting classes (though there's some backwards-looking wiggle room coach Lane Kiffin has skillfully exploited) and can't exceed more than 75 players on scholarship, instead of the standard 85. All along, the point has been repeatedly made that USC will be most taxed by sanctions over the next two to three years.

Meanwhile, a glance at Oregon's roster, led by redshirt freshman QB Marcus Mariota, and sophomore fancypants De'Anthony Thomas, suggests the Ducks aren't going anywhere. This is almost certainly a preseason top-five team in 2013.

It seems like a potential old-school to new-school transition is at hand. From a program with iconic uniforms and pageantry that is immediately recognizable to college football fans across the country, to a program that changes uniforms every week and isn't afraid to wear lime-green socks.

Of course, the reality is USC won't go easily into the night. It has too much tradition. And let's not forget this: Location, location, location. USC's presence in Southern California's recruiting hotbed means the potential for program greatness is built-in.

And maybe USC pulls the shocker on Saturday and gets to smirk back at all the doubters.

Yet if Oregon takes care of business as most now expect, something might very well change. When someone asks, "Tell me about the Pac-12?" The new response will be, "Well, of course, there's Oregon first. You know about them, right?"

It's Oregon's bye week. What else are we going to talk about? Which Ducks back has the better shot at winning the Heisman?

Ted Miller: With De'Anthony Thomas and Kenjon Barner, it's pick your poison. Both are players who tax a defense. But the Heisman Trophy has always been about more than being good and posting good numbers. Barner very well could win the Pac-12 rushing title, but that's sort of what Oregon running backs do. The Ducks have been the best rushing team in the conference since Chip Kelly first showed up in 2007.

What Thomas has is pizzazz. When he gets the ball, everyone holds their breath. It's the Reggie Bush effect. At any moment, not only could Thomas go yard, he could go yard in a way that makes folks go, "Are you kidding me? I've got to see that again!"

Truth is, Thomas has been fairly quiet of late. He has solid numbers as a receiver, runner and return man, but they certainly aren't going to wow you. His numbers must get better for him to be considered a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate.

I believe they will. And I believe they will when he posts spectacular, Are-You-Kidding-Me? plays in big games, such as he did in the Rose Bowl against Wisconsin. I believe the Black Mamba is about to provide a series of deadly strikes as the Pac-12 race heats up. He's going to get Arizona State. Then he's going to get Colorado. Then, with the entire nation watching, he's going to -- snap! -- get USC.

Those plays will pile up on "SportsCenter." Those plays will form a portfolio of spectacularness. Those plays will offset a lot of other guys’ fancy-pants numbers.

Thomas will get himself invited to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony not because of numbers. He will get there due to his highlight reel.

Kevin Gemmell: When we decided on this topic, the first thing that popped into my head was that it smacked of an old "Saturday Night Live" sketch -- the old Bob Swerski’s Superfans. In one sketch, a question was posed: “Da’ Bears versus Da’ Bulls?” And the answer was this (imagine the Chicago Southside accent): “The senseless waste of pitting these two mighty forces of nature against each other, like matter versus anti-matter, will be a tragedy, not only for the teams involved, but for our planet. All nations must band together, to ensure that such a conflagration never takes place.”

Obviously when you are comparing Thomas and Barner, you are comparing two phenomenal football players.

First off, there is nothing fancy-pants about the way Barner does his work. He grinds when he has to, but he also has the big-play potential. For the record, Thomas’ longest rushing play this year is a 59-yard touchdown. Barner’s is an 80-yard touchdown. You don’t go 80 yards without a little pizzazz of your own.

I love a good DAT highlight as much as the next guy. And I still have him in the top five on my ESPN.com Heisman ballot. But I have Barner higher, for the simple reason that I think, right now, Barner is the more valuable player for the Ducks and therefore a better Heisman candidate.

And as he continues to get about three carries for every one that Thomas gets, he’s only going to distance himself. I’m totally on board with the idea that every time Thomas touches the ball, your heart skips a beat. But the longer he goes without those jaw-droppers -- and the more Barner keeps piling up 100-yard games -- the tougher it’s going to be for Thomas to close the gap.

Anyone concerned that Barner couldn’t fill the deep crevasse left by LaMichael James (by the way, that never should have been a concern) should rest easy knowing that in six games, Barner has 727 yards, is averaging 6.3 yards per carry and has nine rushing touchdowns. Some Thomas highlights might end up on "SportsCenter," but it’s a good bet that they will be preceded by two Barner touchdowns as part of a 150-yard performance.

The Heisman isn’t all about numbers. But that’s a huge part of it. And the fact that Barner has them and Thomas doesn’t simply can’t be ignored.

Oregon is seeking to become the first team since the 1966-69 USC Trojans to win the Pac-12 football title outright in four consecutive seasons.

But they’ll have to do it without LaMichael James.

In Chip Kelly’s three seasons as Oregon’s head coach, he’s done nothing but win three Pac-12 titles. In those three seasons, he has had dynamic playmakers that excelled in his spread option system.

Those playmakers have had a knack for breaking long runs, rushing for 20 or more yards once every 15.9 attempts, best in the nation among FBS teams with at least 10 games against AP Top 25 opponents since the start of 2009.

In the last two seasons, the Ducks’ high-octane offense ranked first in both touchdown drives of three plays or fewer (39) and touchdown drives in less than two minutes (90).

The main catalyst for Oregon’s offense has been James, the Pac-12’s second all-time leading rusher with 5,082 rushing yards in his three seasons. He has 34 rushes of at least 30 yards since the start of 2009, ranking first in FBS during that span.

For any program, it would be nearly impossible to replace a playmaker like James. However, the Ducks have two capable backs to effectively replace James’ production in Kenjon Barner and De’Anthony Thomas.

James, Barner and Thomas all ranked in the top four of the Pac-12 in yards per rush last season (minimum 50 rushes). As a team, the Ducks had the highest yards per rush average in FBS (6.7 yards per rush).

Oregon was even more successful running the ball on first downs last year. James led the way with 122 carries for 968 yards (7.9 yards per rush). It wasn’t all James however, as Barner and Thomas combined for 94 carries for 702 yards (7.5 yards per rush).

When James dislocated his elbow last year, Oregon did not lose a step. In the two games without him, Barner and Thomas carried the ball 49 times for 352 yards (7.2 yards per rush).

The speed of Oregon’s rushing attack has been illustrated by its success rushing outside of the tackles. Last season, James averaged 9.5 yards per rush outside the tackles while the two returnees went for 8.7 yards per rush.

Barner and Thomas’ versatility allowed them to line up at different positions and contribute in the passing game, combining for 63 receptions for 789 yards and 12 touchdowns. James had 17 receptions for 210 yards and one touchdown last season.

James thrived under Kelly’s system. However, statistics show Barner and Thomas can continue the recent trend of a potent Ducks rushing attack.

Our countdown of the Pac-12's top 25 players in 2012 continues.

Most of this looks back, but, of course, there also is a good dose of projecting forward. A lot of good players, as it happens every year, won't make the preseason list. It is in their hands to make the postseason list.

You can review our 2011 postseason top 25 here.

13. Kenjon Barner, RB, Oregon

2011 numbers: Rushed for 939 yards and 11 TDs. Also caught 17 passes for 184 yards and three TDs.

2011 postseason ranking: unranked

Making the case for Barner: Barner makes the biggest leap in the top 25 for an unranked player from 2011, in large part because the Pac-12's best backup running backs now becomes one of its best running backs. Perhaps the best. Barner's 78.2 yards rushing per game ranked eighth in the conference in 2011, which is pretty impressive for a backup. He also averaged a stout 6.2 yards per carry, which ranked third in the conference. That average shouldn't be surprising because Barner has averaged more than 6 yards per carry the past three seasons while backing up LaMichael James. He enters his senior season with 1,856 career rushing yards and 27 total TDs. Further, when James was hurt, Barner always proved a more than adequate replacement. He rushed for 171 yards on 31 carries against Arizona State, the first of three consecutive games over 100 yards rushing when James was banged up. His fourth 100-yard rushing game last year came against USC, when he went for 123 yards on 15 carries with two scores. And don't forget Barner's ability as a receiver. He caught two passes for 52 yards and a TD against Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl, and it may be unwise to view De'Anthony Thomas as the only Duck who can strike from multiple positions on the field. Not many returning backups get named to watch lists for the Maxwell Award (college player of the year), the Doak Walker Award (running back) and the Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player). Finally, Barner, who is best buds with James, is a humble, team-first guy who also can be insightful when talking about the Ducks, as you can see in this video. That doesn't count in these rankings, but it seems like it's worth noting.

No 14: Nickell Robey, CB, USC
No. 15: John White IV, RB, Utah
No. 16: John Boyett, S, Oregon
No. 17: Jordan Poyer, CB, Oregon State
No. 18: Khaled Holmes, C, USC
No. 19: Cameron Marshall, RB, Arizona State
No. 20: Dion Bailey, LB, USC
No. 21: Shayne Skov, LB, Stanford
No. 22: Curtis McNeal, RB, USC
No. 23: Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington
No. 24: Isi Sofele, RB, California
No. 25: Jeff Tuel, QB, Washington State

Happy Friday.

Here's where you go to answer this important question: "If I follow the Pac-12 blog on Twitter, how will the gods reward me with riches and glory?"

And, no, I don't think the Honey Badger, Tyrann Mathieu, will transfer to any Pac-12 school.

To the notes!

Smudge from Irvine, Calif., writes: How important are the preseason rankings for USC's national title hopes (and which preseason rankings really matter)? Will there be further preseason rankings released before the season starts? If so, I suspect USC could leapfrog LSU now that the Honey Badger is gone.

Ted Miller: The coaches poll, as much as it pains me to type this, is the only preseason poll that "matters." It and the Harris Interactive College Football Poll make up two thirds of the BCS formula -- the six computer polls make up the other third. The Harris Poll doesn't have a preseason poll and first gets published the second week of October. The idea there is that it allowed pollsters to see teams play before they rank them, an idea that more than a few folks have hailed through the years. But the Harris Poll has mostly resembled the AP and Coaches poll since it started.

Preseason rankings are important because they provide an immediate stagger among teams. If you start off No. 1 and win all your games, you are fairly certain to remain there, even if the teams that started 8th and 14th also are undefeated. And, if you start off No. 1 and lose, you likely won't fall as far as a team ranked 14th that loses. That means you can climb back into the picture more easily.

USC's preseason ranking of No. 3 is a pretty solid position, starting with the fact that No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama play each other.

LSU is a worse team without Mathieu. He's a game-changer. Just ask Oregon. But LSU is loaded on defense and in the secondary. The drop-off won't be catastrophic. In fact, I suspect USC losing DE Devon Kennard to injury might prove to be a bigger hit because the Trojans are thin on the D-line and LSU is not in the secondary.

For example, the Trojans defense probably would find it easier to adjust to the loss of T.J. McDonald, perhaps the best safety in the nation, because they are deep at the position, rather than Kennard. I think LSU would have suffered much worse losing, say, QB Zach Mettenberger, who's never thrown a pass for the Tigers, than Mathieu because the void behind Mettenberger is pretty vast.

Chip Kelly from Hot Tub, My office writes: Ted, Who should be Oregon's starting QB?

Ted Miller: OK. You guys win. You wore me down. I will tell you -- and you Hot Tub Chillin' Chip -- who Oregon's 2012 QB should and will be.

Bryan Mariota.

You see how I did that? I used Bryan Bennett's first name and Marcus Mariota's last name and zaniness ensued. That's why I'm the No. 1 ranked blogger inside this Starbucks right now. (Unless Debra the Knitting Blogger comes back for another Frappuccino. Girl can turn a righteous phrase about stitching).

The honest answer -- and, yes, it pains me to type this -- is I have no idea. No one outside of the closed walls of the football program does, and I tend to believe the battle truly is ongoing for both Chip Kelly and offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich. I've seen no more of either than you have. I saw Bennett play well when he replaced Darron Thomas last year against Arizona State and then started at Colorado. I also saw Mariota dramatically outplay Bennett in the spring game. That, our sabermetric-savvy friends would tell you, is too small a sample size to form any conclusions.

My impression, more so than with any other QB competition in the conference, is both are ready to go, ready to play well from the start. Before spring practices, I favored Bennett by a significant margin based on what I'd seen from -- and heard about -- him. After spring practices, I've tended to favor Mariota by a slight margin, based almost entirely on how he rose to the occasion and Bennett seemed to take a step back. That said, I think it's been underrepresented just how much better Mariota's supporting cast was in the spring game.

But, again, these are just superficial impressions. As I've noted before, I thought Nate Costa was going to beat out Darron Thomas before the 2010 season. So if I made a prediction, Chip would read it and do the opposite, just to make sure the Pac-12 blog was forced to again wallow in wrongness.

Gekko Mojo from Memphis writes: Nothing from you on Deontae Cooper's tragic third ACL tear? Really? You cover the medical retirement of a walk-on receiver at Oregon, but not this? Odd.

Ted Miller: I feel terrible about Cooper. Young man can't catch a break.

We had a news story here. We linked local reports here. And Mason Kelly wrote about it here.

It would have been difficult to write much about Cooper from our remove. The sophomore has never played a down for the Huskies and I've never spoken to him.

As for Oregon receiver Justin Hoffman, he was a senior who started six games last year. Here's the short post we did on him.

Further, timing also matters in these matters. Hoffman's retirement was announced on July 20. You could fairly call that a slow news time in college football. Cooper re-injured his knee at the beginning of preseason camp, when there's a lot going on.

Thomas from Charlottesville, Va., writes: Regarding Colorado and Utah, everyone keeps saying they now have a year in the league, so things will be easier for them. But in truth, aren't both teams going to be traveling to venues they have not played in before for every road game? In other words, how much do you think it impacts CU and Utah to still be the new guys since they are going to be in new stadiums for every road game in conference play this season?

Ted Miller: That's a fair point. For a second year, Colorado and Utah's conference road venues will be unfamiliar. That could register more as a negative than as a positive.

That said, I suspect a road game is a road game to most college players. Think of it like this: Most college players are around only four or five years. And most only see action for two or so years, plus or minus. With rotating home-and-home schedules, not to mention three conference misses, the most a vast majority of college player will experience playing in a conference road venue is two times.

For example, Oregon safety John Boyett will be a four-year starter this year. And when the Ducks go to the Coliseum on Nov. 3, it will be only his second time playing there.

There could be something said for support staff, those who organize trips, being unfamiliar with new hotels and new road venues. Or coaches not being familiar with stadiums or visiting locker rooms. But I don't think it's a major issue.

Matthew from Corvegas, Ore., writes: Ted,Am I the ONLY one that realizes the Ducks are not a top 5 (or 10, even) team? I mean, they don't have a QB or a RB. Barner won't be healthy the whole season, that DaT likes to fumble.

Ted Miller: Yep. You are the only one.

Chris from Penticton, British Columbia: I had the pleasure of getting to know the late Bud Riley as he lived his last years in our beautiful area.A fanatical Utah fan, I found a friend in a man who revered the game of college football as much as I did.His story, from a kid in Alabama to high school football coach in the small mining town of Wallace, Idaho....on to University of Idaho, Oregon State and the CFL...was wonderful to listen to. Through my connection to Bud, Mike got me tickets to a 2008 game in Corvallis where #1 USC came to town....one of my most memorable NCAA experiences. Sitting in the section were numerous Oregon State alumni players who asked me to be sure to give their good wishes to Bud when I got home. Rest in peace, Coach. Ted, I am sure you would have loved this guy...with his deep southern accent and matter-of-factness, Coach Riley was a gem. I will truly miss him.

Ted Miller: A nice tribute. I hope Mike has a moment during preseason preparations to check out your kind words.

JP from Salt Lake City writes: Just bought and will read Delillo's Underworld on your recommendation. Would you consider posting your top ten must read books?

Ted Miller: Congrats. Be forewarned: It's a dense, at times difficult book. Here's a really interesting, sports-centric Q&A with DeLillo about "Underworld," particularly the first part, which is a scintillating account of Bobby Thomson's Shot Heard 'Round the World.

It's darn near impossible for me to make a top-10 list. I think it would change daily. And I actually answered a question like this a year ago. Here's what I wrote:

If I were making a reading list, here's a start: White Noise, by Don DeLillo, Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy, The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway, Light in August, by William Faulkner, The Crying of Lot 49, by Thomas Pynchon, The Corrections, by Jonathan Franzen, The Bushwhacked Piano, by Thomas McGuane, The French Lieutenant's Woman, by John Fowles, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Lucky Jim, by Kingsley Amis, House Made of Dawn, by N. Scott Momaday, On the Road, by Jack Kerouac, Slaughterhouse Five, by Kurt Vonnegut, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, by Michael Chabon, The Sot-Weed Factor, by John Barth, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams, Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison, The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, by John le Carre, A Fan's Notes, by Frederick Exley, Still Life With Woodpecker, by Tom Robbins and To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.

See... I included DeLillo's "White Noise," which is far more accessible than "Underworld." I'd also now sub Franzen's "Freedom" for "The Corrections."

That's a lot more than 10, but you guys know I tend to be long-winded.

Last week we gave you our thoughts on which Pac-12 players who weren't on last year's all-conference team have the best shot at postseason honors this year. Our parameters were that the player couldn't have been any higher than honorable mention last year.

This was actually one of the more painstaking Take 2s, because there were a lot of different players we could write about. I, ultimately, went offense in choosing Arizona State running back Cameron Marshall while Ted Miller looked to defense and USC linebacker Hayes Pullard.

So we're putting the question to you this week. Which of these players has the best chance to land on either the all-conference first or second teams at the end of the year? Keep in mind, it's very possible that most or all of these guys could land on the list. We're looking for the one with the best chance. And in case you need a refresher on who did or didn't make the squad last year, here's the list.

Kiko Alonso, LB, Oregon: Could be headed for a big year after earning Rose Bowl defensive player of the game honors, where he tallied five tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2.5 tackles for a loss and an interception. Plus only two of the six linebackers on last year's all-conference teams are back -- meaning there is room for some new faces.

Cameron Marshall, RB, Arizona State: A 1,000-yard rusher last season who shared the league high in rushing touchdowns (18) with LaMichael James. Now that he's in a run-first offense, will his numbers be enough to push him on to the all-conference squad?

Hayes Pullard, LB, USC: Like Alonso, he seems poised to have a breakout year. Was honorable mention last season after tying for the team lead in tackles (81), tallied 6.5 tackles for a loss with four sacks and a pair of forced fumbles. There is a lot of depth at linebacker this year -- both inside and out -- so even though there is room for new faces, guys like Pullard and Alonso will need to separate themselves to get postseason honors.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington: Another tough call since there are only two spots for tight ends, and Coby Fleener and David Paulson were the obvious picks last year. Lots of depth around the conference at this position, but ASJ figures to be right in the mix for a postseason honor.

Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon State: Clearly one of the top wide receivers in the conference -- but only one touchdown last season. Sean Mannion's continued maturation should help give those numbers a boost. But with Robert Woods, Marqise Lee, Keenan Allen and Marquess Wilson in the league, will it be too tough for him to break through?

Our countdown of the Pac-12's top 25 players in 2012 continues.

Most of this looks back, but, of course, there also is a good dose of projecting forward. A lot of good players, as it happens every year, won't make the preseason list. It is in their hands to make the postseason list.

You can review our 2011 postseason top 25 here.

19. Cameron Marshall, RB, Arizona State

2011 numbers: Though ASU had a higher pass-run ratio last year, Marshall still carried the ball 230 times, running for 1,050 yards. He matched LaMichael James for most rushing touchdowns in the conference with 18 while averaging 4.6 yards per carry. He also caught 24 balls (second among Pac-12 running backs) for 188 yards.

2011 postseason ranking: Unranked

Making the case for Marshall: As we continue to venture deeper into this list, making the case for guys becomes much easier. Marshall made the case for himself last season when he was one of seven Pac-12 backs to rush for more than 1,000 yards. And he did it in a spread offense that was pass first. With Todd Graham's new run-first, up-tempo spread attack, we could see Marshall's numbers skyrocket. It's very conceivable that when we publish the postseason top 25, Marshall could find himself in the top 10. At 5-foot-11, 223-pounds, he's proven to be durable enough to play through injury -- as was the case last season. He's an NFL prototype and should be the centerpiece of the Sun Devils' offense this season. The scheme will be more downhill-centric, which should accentuate Marshall's talents and frame. His pass-protection skills are sound -- considering the offense he played in previously -- as are his hands out of the backfield. Marshall is, without a doubt, one of the most complete backs in the conference.

No. 20: Dion Bailey, LB, USC
No. 21: Shayne Skov, LB, Stanford
No. 22: Curtis McNeal, RB, USC
No. 23: Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington
No. 24: Isi Sofele, RB, California
No. 25: Jeff Tuel, QB, Washington State

The question before us today: Which Pac-12 player is ready to rise to All-Pac-12 this fall? Our parameter is this: He can't have been any better than honorable mention All-Pac-12 in 2011.

There are a lot of good choices. Here are a couple from our -- and I think we can all agree on this -- very large Pac-12 blog brains.

Kevin Gemmell: There's a reason Cameron Marshall was left off of the All-Pac-12 teams last year. It didn't have as much to do with Marshall as the four guys who were named to the first and second teams ahead of him.

LaMichael James ... good. Chris Polk ... good. Stepfan Taylor ... good. John White IV ... good. Cameron Marshall ... good ... but not good enough -- at least not last season. Yes, he tied with James for most rushing touchdowns in the conference (18), but of the seven backs who rushed for more than 1,000 yards, Marshall had the lowest yards per carry with 4.6. His touchdowns, combined with his 1,050 yards was more than enough to make him deserving of honorable mention.

This year, if Marshall stays healthy, he has as good a chance as any running back in the conference to land on either the first- or second-team. For starters, he's 100 percent. All of those aforementioned numbers -- that was done despite a nagging ankle injury all season. He's surgically repaired and ready to go.

Also, the scheme he's in plays to his skill set much better than the previous one. He was able to be a 1,000-yard rusher in a spread offense that had a pass-run ratio of 56 percent. A lot of Marshall's runs last year were stretches outside the tackles -- sideline-to-sideline. Marshall is fast, but that's not the strength of his game.

At 5-foot-11, 223 pounds, Marshall is a wrecking ball with potential energy that's waiting to be unleashed. He's better meeting tacklers head on and driving through them than he is dancing around them. He has quickness and can be elusive, but that quickness will serve him better going downhill and exploding through the hole than it will trying to stretch out the defense. That should also play particularly well in the Pac-12, where linebackers are traditionally speedier than beefier.

I like him to land on the postseason list, but when you consider the backs in this conference -- White, Taylor, Kenjon Barner, Curtis McNeal, Silas Redd, Isi Sofele -- it's no guarantee. A couple of guys are going to be disappointed. Winning helps, too, so the Sun Devils can do Marshall a huge favor by avoiding long stretches of mediocre play -- which is what plagued them at the end of last season.

Also, to his credit, Marshall is a very complete back and a good blocker. Of those other backs just mentioned, only Taylor had more catches last year (25) than Marshall (24). None of those other backs broke the 20s and only Barner (17) and White (13) were in the teens.

Marshall is one of the four best, most complete backs in the Pac-12. And if he stays healthy, there's a good chance he'll be rewarded with a spot on the all-conference team.

Ted Miller: A very good choice for Kevin. Here's a ditto from me. Of course, as he notes, there's a lot of depth at running back in the conference this year.

Same could be said of linebacker, my position of focus after Kevin took the offense. Stanford, USC and Oregon are loaded at linebacker. I particularly think Ducks linebacker Kiko Alonso is headed for a big year if he can stay focused.

But we're tapping USC weakside LB Hayes Pullard. Here's a guess that many educated Oregon fans who were going, "It must be a DUCK!" Are now going, "Oh, yeah. He's really good. I sort of hate Pullard, in fact."

You see, Pullard's name was called many, many times in Autzen Stadium last fall during the Trojans' upset victory over the Ducks. Fourteen times, to be exact. Twice he hushed the crowd with sacks. Another time, he forced a fumble. Toss in an outstanding game against rival UCLA, and it could be argued -- and has been -- that he played better than fellow linebacker Dion Bailey down the stretch, and Bailey was second-team All-Pac-12 and the conference's Freshman Defensive Player of the Year.

Pullard, a 6-1, 235-pound redshirt sophomore, tied Bailey for the team lead in tackles last year (81, though Bailey missed a game). He also had 6.5 tackles for a loss, four sacks, two forced fumbles and two pass breakups.

Former USC linebacker Chris Galippo, in fact, picked Pullard as his breakout player for 2012, telling Michael Lev of the Orange County Register, “He’s probably the best tackler on the team, besides T.J. (McDonald),” Galippo said. “Just the way he gets to the ball and makes plays. Being as young as he was, he’s only going to get better.”

Pullard playing like he did late in the season suggests All-Pac-12.

The only problem, just like running back, is the depth of talent at the position -- Bailey, Stanford's Shayne Skov and Chase Thomas, Oregon's Alonso and Michael Clay, among others. Further, the Trojans are questionable on the defensive line. It's far more difficult for a linebacker to look impressive when he's dodging D-linemen skating backwards.

Still, if the Trojans are to contend for a national title, as many expect, they will need to be elite on defense. If that comes to pass, expect many to point at Pullard as a big reason why.

All of this running back chatter this week -- USC being called the top rushing attack in the country, the Trojans gaining Penn State running back Silas Redd -- got Ted and I thinking: Who is the favorite to lead the conference in rushing this year?

We've already had two running backs on our 2012 preseason top 25, and you can bet more are coming.

The conference had seven 1,000-yard rushers last year. Five of them are back, four of them are options. Of course, there are always "others" out there who could make a run at the rushing title. So who is the favorite to take home the Pac-12 rushing crown in 2012?

Kenjon Barner: The Oregon running back didn't break the 1K barrier last year, coming just short with 939 yards. Of course, that was because LaMichael James had 95 more carries than Barner. The Ducks are likely going to lead the conference in rushing again, so it stands to reason that Barner will be in the mix for the rushing title. An extra 95 carries certainly would help.

Isi Sofele: The Cal back, who finished fifth in rushing, was one of just five players to average more than 100 yards per game on the ground last season (101.7), totaling 1,322 yards and 10 touchdowns. While he might be splitting more carries this year, he's also less likely to see stacked boxes as Zach Maynard becomes a more efficient quarterback. Safeties will have to step back to respect him and receiver Keenan Allen, which could mean more efficient runs for Sofele.

Stepfan Taylor: You can only be called underrated for so long. And Taylor is a guy who has been called underrated so many times that it's lost its intended effect. So let's say it like it is -- Taylor is an elite Pac-12 running back. He's gone for more than 1,000 yards in back-to-back years and was fourth in the conference last year with 1,330 -- and that's with a committee of backs behind him. Look for him to get a lot of work as the Cardinal break in a new QB.

John White IV: Utah's workhorse led the conference by a wide margin in number of attempts last season with 316. That helped him to 1,519 rushing yards, which was second only to the departed James. He also was second in touchdowns (15) and yards per game (116.8). The Utes should be stronger in the passing game this year, which should take some of the pressure off of White. Does that make him a more efficient back?

Other: Curtis McNeal was a 1,000-yard rusher last year. He'll be sharing carries now that Redd is in town, but with an explosive 6.9 yards per carry, is it possible he takes the rushing crown? Or will Redd, who cut his teeth as a 1,000-yard rusher in the Big Ten blow away the field? ASU's Cameron Marshall is in a system that's going to favor his skill set. Could he be the guy?

Our countdown of the Pac-12's top 25 players in 2012 continues.

Most of this looks back but, of course, there also is a good dose of projecting forward. A lot of good players, as it happens every year, won't make the preseason list. It is in their hands to make the postseason list.

You can review our 2011 postseason Top 25 here.

No. 22 Curtis McNeal, RB, USC

2011 numbers: Rushed for 1,005 yards and six touchdowns on 145 carries -- boasting an outstanding 6.9 yards per carry. He also caught three balls for 19 yards.

2011 postseason ranking: Unranked.

Making the case for McNeal: Yes, Ted and I formulated this list (after reading tea leaves and backpacking through Greece on our way to consult with the Oracle at Delphi) before Silas Redd decided to join USC. And no, Redd's presence doesn't take away from McNeal being on this list. After being academically ineligible in 2010, McNeal worked his way back on to the team and eventually was starting at the end of last season. There's something to be said for a guy who has everything taken away and then works his tail off to get it back. He didn't buckle -- he buckled down -- and became one of seven Pac-12 running backs to clear 1,000 yards. McNeal is a worker. And his 6.9 yards per carry, second only to LaMichael James' 7.3 yards per last season, is evidence of his talents and explosiveness. Naturally, Redd's presence will take some carries away from McNeal. And he might even be relegated to "change-of-pace" back. But Redd still has to prove himself to his teammates. McNeal has nothing to prove in USC's locker room. Whether it's McNeal or Redd who gets the majority of the carries, neither will be facing eight-man fronts because of who the Trojans have at quarterback and the wide receiver positions. And with four starters returning to the offensive line, McNeal is a good bet to break 1,000 yards again -- especially since he'll have a 13th and possibly 14th game to do it.

No. 23: Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington
No. 24: Isi Sofele, RB, California
No. 25: Jeff Tuel, QB, Washington State