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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I know: Thud.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It appears that Norm Chow will finally get a chance to run his own program.

Chow, presently the offensive coordinator at Utah, is expected to be named Hawaii's next head coach, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

It would be a homecoming for Chow, 65, a native of Hawaii who has interviewed many times for positions but never been a head coach.

Before coming to Utah last spring, Chow was the offensive coordinator at UCLA, the Tennessee Titans, USC, North Carolina State and BYU.

The Utes' defensive coordinator, Kalani Sitake, also interviewed for the job, as did Oregon State defensive coordinator Mark Banker.

Can I refill your eggnog for you? Get you something to eat? Drive you out to the middle of nowhere and leave you for dead?

• Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez is still waiting to make a big splash with his hiring of a defensive coordinator.
• Arizona State's players like new coach Todd Graham's energy.
• California suspends a reserve tight end for the Holiday Bowl. Cal has some Texans eager to face Texas.
• Colorado gets another commitment for its defensive line.
• Oregon's running backs vs. Wisconsin's linebackers will be a key matchup in the Rose Bowl. And the Oregon defensive line is getting ready for the Badgers' huge offensive line.
• Oregon State defensive coordinator Mark Banker is interviewing for the head coaching job at Hawaii.
• Checking in with Stanford recruiting.
• The reaction continues to be good from UCLA players and recruits about new coach Jim Mora.
• With defensive end Nick Perry and offensive tackle Matt Kalil off to the NFL, USC awaits decisions from quarterback Matt Barkley and safety T.J. McDonald.
• It was a challenging season for Utah offensive coordinator Norm Chow.
• Washington is building continuity on the offensive line.
• Considering some names Mike Leach might hire at Washington State, including at defensive coordinator.

Happy Friday.

• This Arizona assistant knows all about Colorado.
• Arizona State is Pickens and grinning with this playmaking receiver.
• Isi Sofele is small but runs big. A report from Thursday's practice.
• Speaking of little guys who play hard, Colorado has one, too.
• Oregon QB Darron Thomas is the "other" QB in Saturday's big game. And the Ducks are the "other" team.
• Oregon State defensive coordinator Mark Banker keeps working, taking heat.
• ESPN's College GameDay makes its first trip to Stanford. A breakdown of the big game Saturday.
• UCLA's Randall Carroll has switched things around in more ways than one. That's happened, in part, because Aaron Hester found his way into the doghouse.
• USC plans to pick apart Washington. Some injury updates.
• Utah's secondary is no longer questionable.
• A Washington practice report.
• Washington State is going to play its QB of the future some against Arizona State.
• Athlon made a list of top sports Twitter accounts. You, of course, already know all about this one.

The fifth of 12 quick updates on offseason Pac-12 goings on.

Oregon State in a sentence

• The Beavers have critical questions -- both lines, injury issues, etc. -- that make it difficult to say whether they will end their bowl-less run at just one season.

The big issue

• While a 100 percent healthy return of receiver James Rodgers would pack a positive punch, it's really all about the lines: The Beavers must fill big holes on the their defensive line, while the offensive line, which welcomes back four starters, needs to improve significantly.

Quick hit news

• The early camp news on Rodgers, who underwent two surgical procedures on his right knee, is mostly good. He's practicing in a limited fashion. When he could return to full-contact work and just how much he'll look like his old self when he does remains to be seen.
• Others players who missed spring practices due to injury include quarterback Ryan Katz (wrist), receiver Jordan Bishop (ankle), tight end Joe Halahuni (shoulder) and running back Jordan Jenkins (shoulder). Katz, Bishop and Jenkins were practicing at full speed, while Halahuni is expected to miss at least the first two games, including the visit to Wisconsin.
• The status of starting DT Castro Masaniai, arrested in May after getting into a fight with his girlfriend, remains unclear. He's not yet practicing and he has a court appearance Thursday.
• Another potential starting defensive lineman, Dominic Glover, had some academic issues, but he assured the local beat writers Wednesday that they will be cleared up by by next week.
• Oregon State hired two new assistant coaches, but the bigger news was the firing of linebackers coach Greg Newhouse, who had been at Oregon State for 14 years. Chris Brasfield was hired as running backs coach and Brent Brennan was hired to coach receivers. Defensive coordinator Mark Banker will coach linebackers next fall. He supervised the safeties last season. Cornerbacks coach Keith Heyward will now be in charge of the entire secondary.
• Linebacker Michael Bibbee and safety Dax Dilbeck quit the team. Both were reserve players not expected to start.
• Oregon State played seven ranked teams in 2010 -- five of which were in the top 10 when they faced the Beavers. They will play just three teams ranked in the preseason coaches poll this fall, but all three -- Wisconsin, Stanford and Oregon -- are ranked in the top-10. They also play Arizona State, which is ranked in ESPN.com's preseason power rankings, as well as Utah and BYU.

Who owns Robert Redford?

We may have an angle to fire-up the Utah-Colorado rivalry (albeit a contrived, forced one)!

The response to the Pac-12's blog request for food and drink recommendations in Salt Lake City and Boulder from Utah and Colorado fans has been huge. And when I say "huge," I mean it took me three days to shuffle through all of the notes.

And from reading the notes, it became clear that Colorado fans particularly like "The Sink" -- a Boulder institution -- and many noted that Redford used to work there.

And, of course, Utah fans also know that Redford founded the Sundance Resort in Utah.

So where does Redford's heart belong? Colorado, where he went to school, or Utah, where he built a resort community and lives?

Ready, set ... insult each other! (You may need to consult Oregon and Washington fans about generating endless supplies of bile, though you, of course, have experience with Nebraska and BYU fans).

Anyway, just a thought.

Follow me on Twitter. (Talking to you, Sundance!)

To the notes.

Pedro from Eugene writes: Ted, Today the headline of your links was, "Another Duck knows Lyles." Who cares? Because of who this guy is, hundreds if not thousands of current and past college football players know him. This Oregon thing has been blown so far out of proportion they are writing articles about a guy with a different mentor knowing him; a guy who didn't even play a down of football for Oregon. Wow.

Ted Miller: Pedro, the simple answer is the NCAA is investigating Willie Lyles and other "street agents," and if the NCAA cares, you should care.

Lyles doesn't know thousands of college football players. I doubt he even "knows" a hundred. What I do know is that he knows a lot of players who were highly rated high school prospects, some of whom ended up at Oregon, including Dontae Williams, the player the article is about. Whether Williams played a down or not is irrelevant. He signed with Oregon and was on the team in 2010.

You say "wow," as if you're dumbfounded. You're either trying to spin things or you aren't paying attention. This a serious NCAA matter, whether or not the Ducks are found, in the end, to have violated NCAA rules.

The fundamental lesson in all this, however, is simple. Dear top high school prospects. You do not need to suddenly adopt a "mentor" your junior or senior years of high school. If a guy shows up and offers his mentorship AFTER you already are a nationally known prospect, know that what he offers is worthless to you but probably is valuable to him.

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Dustin from Soldotna, Alaska writes: Ted,I was just reviewing your "Who's back from the top-25?" list. I can agree with all of them, but at the bottom you have the players on the left-out list. I have failed to see anywhere James Rogers being mentioned. I understand there is still a question mark by his name pending his full recovery, but shouldn't he still be considered at the very least with an * by his name? If he is able to play this year, knowing his love and intensity for playing the game he will shine like he has year in and year out. He would have no doubt been on your top-25 at the end of the season and the Beavs would have played in a bowl game without question if he had not been injured in Arizona. Alas that is all just would have, could have, should have stuff, but none-the-less I still think there should be consideration regarding the upcoming season when you compile your list this summer and James Rogers being included.I would love to hear your thoughts.

Ted Miller: Because he was out most of the year, James Rodgers was not considered for the top-25, but it would have been wise of me to at least mention his expected return (hopefully) in 2011. Rodgers WILL be in the preseason top-25 if he is cleared to play.

After all, he was ranked No. 6 heading into the 2010 season.

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Greg from Hillsboro, Ore., writes: Wazzu. 2011 in the Pac-12. No one is paying any attention. I think they will surprise people this next season. I think they will win at least 5 games, maybe as many as 7. Wins: Idaho State, UNLV, @SDSU, @Colorado (they are terrible too), Oregon State. Losses: Stanford, @Oregon, @California, Arizona State. Unknowns/Swings: @UCLA, Utah, @Washington.They might even shock me and win all those swing games and win 8 games.Their DL has more depth, as does the LB group. DB's are a BIG question. Their OL is going to be better, and their WR group is pretty decent/good. And Tuel is a good QB. Lots of returning starters and players with an upgraded talent level. They gave OSU, UCLA, Stanford, Cal and UW all they could handle last year.... WSU will be better than many predict or think.As Gomer Pyle (in)famously said, "Surprise, surprise, surprise!"Doubt not Oregon fans Ted, you know better.

Ted Miller: If Washington State avoids the injury bug, I see it as a threat to win six games and be competitive with just about any team they play. I think the key is line play on both sides of the ball. If the Cougs can run and stop the run -- at least moderately -- much will be different in 2011. I think they are better than "decent" at receiver, and the secondary will be much improved in 2011, particularly if it gets help from a pass rush.

Not sure I'd write in road wins at San Diego State, Colorado and Oregon State. The Aztecs are no pushover, and I'm getting a feeling many of you old school Pac-10 fans are underestimating Colorado. And the Beavers are going to be plenty motivated at home to get revenge versus the Cougars.

Still, your point is solid. Washington State was competitive in 2010. The Cougs will take another step forward in 2011. They are no longer an easy out.

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Eric from Albany, Ore., writes: Hey Ted, I love the coaching changes Riley has made this off-season. I have felt that the beavers have looked a little "old skool" on both sides of the ball for a while now. Last year was certainly a disappointment, but not entirely unexpected. What do you think about the changes at Oregon State? Do you think we can expect an immediate impact or are we more likely to only see an impact in recruiting, which could take a few seasons?

Ted Miller: Considering Oregon State had built a reputation over the past decade-plus of producing plenty of top-flight linebackers, it's hard to say that Greg Newhouse, the longest tenured coach in the program at 14 seasons, was dispatched because of his coaching. Though the Beavers LB play wasn't terribly good in 2010. The move did clearly show that coach Mike Riley was unhappy with the way things were going and he was willing to make a bold move. Riley is known for his loyalty to his staff, so it's doubtful that he made a change just to shake things up.

I don't know much about Brent Brennan (receivers) and Chris Brasfield (running backs). Both will be coaching critical positions for the Beavers in 2011. It would be easier for both to break in if they saw a Rodgers brother lining up with their unit this spring. From what I gather -- and a number of Beavers observers have written it -- recruiting was a big reason for making changes.

One of the more notable changes was defensive coordinator Mark Banker taking over the linebackers and Keith Heyward, who coached cornerbacks in 2010, taking over the entire secondary. That seems like a nice vote of confidence in Heyward. Coaching secondary is the quickest route to a coordinator role.

As for immediate impact, hard to say. Having good players helps. Brennan probably will look like a really good coach if he gets to pair a healthy Rodgers with Markus Wheaton. As for an impact in recruiting, we'll see next February.

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Ryan from Tacoma writes: Just curious, wondering if you can quickly indulge me (and fully aware that if you do indulge me you possibly open yourself up to eventually making statements like "Player X is not in my top 350 because of Y"), but why did you leave Victor Aiyewa out of your top 45?Being a Dawg fan I know how inconsistent he was, but it seems that the conference's leader in tackles for loss should be one of its top 45 players.

Ted Miller: Aiyewa was a tough player to judge. He led the Pac-10 with 21 tackles for a loss, but he didn't earn All-Conference honors. I asked a couple of people about him during the season, and it seemed he was a bit of a "feast or famine" guy. He either made a big play or got blocked.

That was sort of what happened with Arizona DE Ricky Elmore. He led the Pac-10 in sacks with 11 but also was inconsistent at times, though he did end up second-team All-Pac-10.

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Casey from Parts Unknown writes: I understand your perception of Havili being the number #1 fullback in the conference, but let me say you are wrong here. This perception has been driven by all the media. Every time you turn on a USC game the announcers massage the USC ego and talk about what a great player he is. But talk to people who critically watch what happens on the field, NFL scouts, etc and see who they would rather have blocking for Chris Johnson, Adrian Petersen, or Maurice Jones-Drew. Havili is no doubt a good player, but he is not a fullback in the traditional sense. He is a tailback who happens to line up in the fullback position on the field. While he is a good receiver and runner, the main job of a fullback is to block and Havili pales in comparison to Owen in this regard. Ask any linebacker in the Pac-10 who they would rather go up against in the middle of the hole and there would be no stuttering on their part. Let's see, Owen was selected to the Senior Bowl to play fullback, where was Havili? As you stated Owen was 10th in the Heisman voting, where was Havili? Owen won the Paul Hornung Award, where was Havili? As you stated some of this is due to Owen playing linebacker, but it is clear that he will be playing fullback at the next level. When it comes to playing fullback in the traditional sense, I am sorry, there is no comparison.

Ted Miller: I did notice the other day that ESPN.com's NFL draft folks actually have Marecic rated ahead of Havili, which did surprise me.

It will be interesting to see who gets picked first. Marecic is a better blocker than Havili, though I've heard that Havili is a better pass blocker. Also, Marecic is not a natural receiver and Havili is. That's a big skill for a fullback.

There aren't many traditional, lead-blocker fullbacks in the NFL anymore. My feeling is that Havili will be drafted before Marecic because of his versatility. But I could be wrong.

And, again, I love Marecic as a player and student-athlete.

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Scott from Gilbert, Ariz., writes: Cliff Harris on the top 25. No doubt that the guy has skills but it may be his real talent is getting coaches, sports writers, teammates and fans to all shake their heads and say "Man, if that guy just , he would be a top 5 pick!". It takes real talent to get that many people to speak the same phrase in unison.

Ted Miller: The best analysis on Cliff Harris yet.

How galling was Oregon State's first losing season since 2005 for coach Mike Riley? Well, Riley underwent surgical procedures to remove gallstones and then his gallbladder March 12 and 13, so apparently pretty galling.

Snare roll, cymbal crash! (But seriously, folks, I just flew in from Scottsdale and, boy, my arms sure are tired!).

While Riley is the sort who can remain good-natured through most things (even a horrific pun), losing is not really one of them. His seriousness about reversing the Beavers 2010 downturn was perhaps best manifested by a surprising staff change: the dispatch of long-time linebackers coach Greg Newhouse.

The Beavers head into spring practices, which begin Monday, with plenty of questions, but it stands to reason the veteran players are motivated by a disappointing 5-7 finish that was further aggravated by watching state rival Oregon play for the national championship.

"You certainly hope it does," Riley said. "You'd like to think it's made everybody take it up a notch."

The biggest questions surround the Rodgers brothers. How will Oregon State replace running back Jacquizz Rodgers and how healthy will receiver James Rodgers be after two knee surgeries?

The competition at running back includes senior Ryan McCants, junior Jordan Jenkins, sophomore Jovan Stevenson, redshirt freshman Malcolm Marabel and greyshirt freshman Terron Ward. Riley said he'd like to establish a pecking order as soon as possible and then figure out a rotation based on what skills each offer to the offense.

"It's probably very important to distinguish between No. 1 and No. 2 [this spring]," Riley said.

As for James Rodgers, things are fluid. He was granted a medical hardship year, but there have been complications with his recovery -- starting with the need for a second procedure -- and it's unclear if he'll be ready for preseason practices, or how long it will take him to get back to full-speed.

"We'll just have to see where that goes," Riley said.

Receiver is an interesting position for the Beavers. With Rodgers, it looks like a definite strength. Rodgers at flanker and junior Markus Wheaton at split end, with Jordan Bishop, Geno Munoz and Darrell Catchings providing depth, not to mention intriguing big target Obum Gwacham and H-back Joe Halahuni; that's a strong lineup of targets for QB Ryan Katz.

But Rodgers is a question, and the inconsistent Bishop is sitting out spring with a foot injury. Catchings and Gwacham aren't sure things, either.

And in terms of delivering the ball, Katz is coming back from a wrist injury, and Riley likely will be cautious with overworking him. That means more opportunities for Cody Vaz, Sean Mannion and Jack Lomax to compete for the backup job.

Some further notes:

Injuries and departures: Rodgers, Bishop, DT Castro Masaniai (shoulder) are sitting out. Fullback Will Darkins opted not to return for his senior year.

Additions and changes: Five greyshirts have been added to the roster. K Trevor Romaine, LB Will Storey, DT Fred Thompson, RB Terron Ward and LB D.J. Welch, as well as a true-freshmen in offensive lineman Darryl Jackson. Two JC transfer defensive ends will participate in spring practices: Rusty Fernando and Blake Harrah. Munoz has switched from split end to slot receiver. Tyler Anderson has moved from cornerback to fulback. Expected starting CB Jordan Poyer will practice football on Mondays and Wednesdays and play baseball on Fridays.

Coaching changes: Brent Brennan is the new receivers coach and Chris Brasfield will coach running backs. With the departure of Newhouse, defensive coordinator Mark Banker will coach linebackers. Banker oversaw safeties last season. Keith Heyward is now in charge of the entire secondary.

Offensive line reshuffle: The Beavers offensive line was a disappointment in 2010, so it's probably not a surprise that there are some changes, even with four starters returning. Sophomore Josh Andrews has been moved from center, where he was expected to replace Alex Linnenkohl, to left guard. Grant Johnson has moved from LG to C. Michael Philipp is the RT and Mike Remmers is the LT. Last fall, they were reversed. Remmers is a better pass blocker, which means he's better suited to protect Katz's blindside.

Filling in on D: The Beavers must replace six defensive starters, including a DE, a DT, two OLBs and a CB and a S. Poyer and Anthony Watkins are expected to fill the secondary voids, while Taylor Henry, Andrew Seumalo, John Braun and Fernando and Harrah are competing for the end spot opposite Dominic Glover. With Masaniai out, Kevin Frahm, Mana Tuivailala and Ben Motter are the top tackles, though Thompson is an intriguing talent. Cameron Collins and Michael Doctor are the top two candidates at OLB, though Riley is high on Shaydon Akuna and Michael Bibbee, a pair of redshirt freshmen.

Spread? Katz is a good all-around athlete, so Riley said there will be some experiments with the spread-option this spring. "We are going to mess with the zone read like we did with the fly sweep,” he said.

Oregon State has hired two new assistant coaches, but the bigger news is Greg Newhouse is out as linebackers coach.

Newhouse, who's been at Oregon State for 14 seasons, "was offered another position within the program, but elected to pursue other opportunities," according to a news release from the school.

Defensive coordinator Mark Banker will coach linebackers next fall. He supervised the safeties last season. Cornerbacks coach Keith Heyward will now be in charge of the entire secondary.

Meanwhile, Chris Brasfield was hired as running backs coach and Brent Brennan has been hired to coach receivers.

Brasfield, a defensive graduate assistant for Oregon last season, takes over for Reggie Davis, who left for the San Francisco 49ers. Brennan coached receivers at San Jose State last season. Beavers assistant head coach Jay Locey coached receivers last fall but will be in charge of the tight ends this season. Graduate assistant Robin Ross, who was hired for a full-time post at UNLV, coached tight ends in 2010.

Brennen had been at San Jose State since 2005. Before that, he spent four seasons as the wide receivers coach at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. A former UCLA receiver -- he played on the 1994 Rose Bowl team -- he previously was a GA at both Washington (1999) and Arizona (2000).

As for Brasfield, prior to arriving at Oregon in March of 2010, he spent three years as the running backs coach at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. He was a receiver and return specialist at TCU in 1994 and ’95 after transferring from UTEP, where he played from 1991-93.

Here's the Beavers updated coaching roster under Riley: Jay Locey, assistant head coach/tight ends; Mark Banker, defensive coordinator/linebackers; Bruce Read, coordinator of special teams; Danny Langsdorf, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks; Chris Brasfield, running backs; Brent Brennan, wide receivers; Mike Cavanaugh, offensive line; Keith Heyward, secondary; Joe Seumalo, defensive line; Alan Darlin, graduate assistant/asst. linebackers; Mitch Meeuwsen, graduate assistant/asst. secondary.

Every preseason we take a look at potential best-case and worst-case scenarios for every Pac-10 team. While these are often tongue-in-cheek, they nonetheless represent the top and bottom we see for each team.

So it might be worthwhile to revisit each.

Next up is Oregon State, which finished 5-7 and didn't play in a bowl game for the first time since 2005.

Best Case: 11-2 with a Rose Bowl win over Iowa and a final No. 4 ranking.

What was right: Gulp. Not much. Correctly predicted a loss to TCU and wins over Louisville, Arizona State, Arizona and California. But, really, nothing here even remotely feels like what happened to the Beavers this season.

What was wrong: Almost everything, starting with the victory over Boise State. This scenario had the Beavers at 8-1 and ranked No. 6 before losing to unbeaten, third-ranked USC. The Beavers' only win over their final five games was against the Trojans, who had lost three times before going down in Corvallis. Receiver James Rodgers suffered a season-ending knee injury at Arizona in Game 5, and running back Jacquizz Rodgers never became a Heisman Trophy candidate. Stanford blasted Oregon State 38-0, and there wasn't much drama in the Civil War, with Oregon winning 37-20 and earning a berth in the BCS national title game.

Worst case: 5-7, no bowl game

What was right: A lot, starting with the record. The predicted 1-2 start was correct. The win over Arizona State and loss to Washington were correct. The inconsistency of quarterback Ryan Katz was mostly right, as was the ganging up on Jacquizz Rodgers by opposing defenses. The win over Cal was correct. The 5-5 record after 10 games was correct, as were the decisive losses to Stanford and Oregon to end the season at 5-7. Ducks running back LaMichael James was a Heisman Trophy finalist, though not the winner. Oregon won the Pac-10. Rodgers did opt to enter the NFL draft.

What was wrong: Some details. The Beavers won at Arizona but were upset by UCLA and Washington State. They also upset USC, a 36-7 blowout. Oregon won the Pac-10 but lost in the national championship game instead of winning the Rose Bowl. Offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf and defensive coordinator Mark Banker remain on staff. James Rodgers is coming back for a sixth year after being granted a medical hardship waiver by the NCAA for his knee injury.

Conclusion: The worst case was mostly spot on; the best case was not. While James Rodgers' knee injury -- we're not going to predict injuries in this annual exercise -- was a huge blow to the Beavers, the rugged nonconference schedule and struggles of both lines ultimately upended a season that seemed promising in August, when Oregon State was picked in the conference's top three by just about everyone.

USA Today compiles an annual list of head and assistant coach salaries in college football, and your first reaction to the money paid to assistant coaches is likely this: Washington defensive coordinator Nick Holt and UCLA offensive coordinator Norm Chow didn't provide much return on their high compensation this fall.

While the Huskies' defense and the Bruins' offense ranked among the worst units in the conference and the nation, Holt ranked No. 7 ($650,000) and Chow No. 8 ($640,000) among the highest-paid assistant coaches.

But the second glance is more meaningful.

Try to find the Pac-10's third highest-paid assistant coach. I'm going to make some more coffee while you do that.

I'm back, and as best I can tell it's Oregon State defensive coordinator Mark Banker -- easy there, Beavers fans -- who makes $350,004 annually. (Hey, what's that $4 for?). That ranks him 41st among assistant coaches.

(Note: Pay for USC's coaches is not included because USC is a private school and keeps things super-secret. But Trojans defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin has been reported as making about $1 million a year, while defensive line coach Ed Orgeron also would rank among the highest paid assistant coaches. Suffice it to say, USC's staff is among the highest paid in the nation.)

When you wonder why a big TV contract matters, remember this: Pac-12 schools NEED that money. And a critical area of need is paying assistant coaches more money.

While Pac-10 head-coaching salaries also lag behind the SEC, Big Ten and Big 12, assistant coach pay may be a bigger issue. The trend among elite programs is more money and more years on assistant coach contracts. A great head coach will not be a great head coach without at least good crew of assistants. And a mediocre head coach can look great with a great staff.

Say you're a fan of Pac-12 school X. You are not happy with your offense/defense. Go and find the pay of your coordinator and his position coaches on that pay list.

Maybe that's why. You get what you pay for.

The conference will need to pay its assistant coaches more and offer multiyear contracts going forward to remain competitive with the top BCS conferences (read: SEC, Big Ten).

Oregon State's defense had mixed results against TCU in a 30-21 defeat last weekend.

The Beavers muted the Horned Frogs passing game and picked off two passes. They also were pretty good on first and second down.

But the run defense yielded 278 yards, and the Horned Frogs were 11 of 17 on third down, which is back-breaking. TCU was particularly effective running quarterback Andy Dalton and attacking the perimeter of the Beavers defense.

With a bye week to review the film before playing host to Louisville on Sept. 18, it seemed like a good time to check in with defensive coordinator Mark Banker and hear his thoughts on how things went.

Tell me your general impressions after reviewing game tape from TCU.

Mark Banker: From an alignment side of it, communication side of it, the basic things, we were pretty good. We were pleased. Tackling, for a first game, was probably a B+. That has been something that has been a concern over the last few years, and we worked hard on that in the spring and in summer camp to remedy that. From the standpoint of the technical aspect of the game itself, we were really disappointed in our perimeter defense. If you would have told me they were going to run the ball outside on us, I would have been really happy and would have welcomed that. But that's where we broke down. We struggled to get into good leverage positions to turn the ball back into our pursuit. Our pursuit and our effort to the ball all night was excellent. That's a starting point for us and an emphasis for us. The guys really did a good job of executing their primary assignment and going to the ball. The other thing that was interesting in the game was we got them into 17 third-down situations. Over the course of the 2009 season, they probably only averaged maybe eight a game. Unfortunately, we didn't do a good job of getting off the field. Traditionally, situations of third-and-5 or more, you normally see the ball in the air. But they felt they could run the quarterback on the perimeter, as well as his ability to scramble. We fell short in that area. There were some good moments for us. The game was definitely winnable. There wasn't anything we felt, physically, athletically, that our team couldn't handle. We just didn't execute well enough to put our team in a winning situation. But the game is over, we can't do much about it now, other than we took some time during this bye week to make some corrections. We're looking forward to the Louisville game.

Any specific concerns about the run defense?

MB: The understand of everybody's responsibility. In some cases it didn't look like that. Like I said, in some cases we didn't get the positions and leverage we needed to. In some cases, they were able to beat the safeties to the corners, the outside linebacker in some fit positions, where they spill the ball. Those hurt us. It's not so much a concern as it is about correcting it and making sure we understand how it all fits together. Initially, we were concerned about their inside run game. But we feel good about our tackles, specifically Stephen Paea being such a force. At the same time, we're trying to replace a starting middle linebacker [David Pa'aluhi] who we thought we'd have for two more years. So this summer, we were really working on the interior of our defense. But we seemed to play well vs. their inside running game. The breakdowns occurred on the perimeter. It wasn't a physical thing; it was more about an understanding of how to get your fits on the outside perimeter game.

Who had a good game?

MB: A lot of players. You start up front. I think the three tackles -- Paea, Kevin Frahm and Brennan Olander -- consistently played well. I thought DE Gabe Miller played pretty well. DE Taylor Henry in his first full game starting. He did some nice things. I thought that OLB Dwight Roberson showed up and did some good things. He knows that had he made maybe four more plays and finished on some tackles by being in better position, he could have made an impact on the game. But he played pretty well. I thought the two safeties -- Lance Mitchell and Suaesi Tuimaunei -- played well. At the same time, Mitchell, just like Roberson, he had some situations where if he made four more plays in third down situations out on the perimeter, it changes third-down situations. He and Tuimaunei showed up with a lot of tackles, the reason being they ran outside quite a bit. Yet there were still some plays to be made.

How about the pass rush in general: It was a struggle last year. Did you see grounds for hope in 2010?

MB: Absolutely. When you play a game when the quarterback is like a running back and the ends have to be responsible to the end of the line of scrimmage on the QB, but at the same transfer to a pass rush, they did a good job. The ball was out quick, quite often. A couple of times the interior, Stephen Paea, got loose inside and chased Andy Dalton off his set-up point. Very encouraging from that standpoint.

Any personnel changes coming out of Week 1?

MB: We're still looking at the middle linebacker position, who starts the game [between Rueben Robinson and Tony Wilson]. The combination of plays they get. We've got to get deeper on our rotation on the outside. We know who our starters are, but we've got to continue to improve some of our younger players there. We had a position change at the end of summer camp when Cameron Collins, who started for us at safety last year, has moved to outside linebacker. If we thought he was one of the best 11 guys last year, we still feel he's one of the better players on our team. We've got to figure out a way to get him moving along at that position. From a starting standpoint, the only starter I can see at this point in time, possible change, might be inside. But that would just be who starts the game. The same guys will rotate that position. It looks like Kevin Unga, who's been our third [MLB] in camp so far, will push for more playing time.

What about Louisville: Give me a preview of the Cardinals, who lost 23-16 to Kentucky in their opener.

MB: They operate under center and out of the gun. Their base run plays are the zone, the stretch and the counter. They roll with two backs who are a little different in stature. One guy is a 6-1 kid who seems to be 215 pounds and is a very strong runner. He also had a breakaway run and has some good speed. They have another guy who looks to be more of an outside guy. He's a big-time cut-back runner. They are going to possess the ball. I thought the QB would be more of a runner -- like TCU -- we thought we'd see more read-zone option concepts. We saw some from a structure standpoint when they operate out of the gun with an off-set back, but the QB only ran with the ball one time with a designed play. But we still have to be cognizant of that. In the passing game, because of their run game, they are going to use play-action passes, where it's protection first, then pass. They are not a team that sends five people out into the route. They haven't shown empty a lot either. More possession type passes. They took a couple of shots downfield last week, just trying to get positive plays. The drop-back pass game only appeared on obvious passing downs -- third down or second and long. It seems like they are structured to try to have positive plays and then turn things over to their defense to manage the game.

Gentlemen, the hopes and dreams of an entire town are riding on your shoulders. You might never matter again in your life as much as you do right now.

• Alex Zendejas is ready to get his kicks for Arizona.
• All signs point to Steven Threet being named Arizona State's quarterback Monday. Notes from Sunday's practice.
• Training camp ends for California. A round table on the Bears quarterback situation (read: Kevin Riley).
• The quarterback job won, now Oregon is Darron Thomas' team. The decision is met with approval here. The Ducks' depth chart.
• The return of Oregon State lineman Wilder McAndrews is one of the best stories of the preseason. A Q&A with Beavers defensive coordinator Mark Banker.
• This Stanford defensive lineman is already a first-round draft choice. Some Bay Area football notes.
• Sean Westgate doesn't look the part of a linebacker, but he's going to start for UCLA. Rick Neuheisel is trying to put the puzzle pieces together.
• USC receiver Brice Butler is one of a number of Trojans trying to fight their way up the depth chart. The Trojans' offensive line depth takes another hit.
• A lot has been written about Washington quarterback Jake Locker, but this story is worth reading. A Sunday notebook. Defensive lineman Alameda Ta’amu is leaner, better.
• Washington State's defensive line might surprise some folks. The road has been windingfor this Cougars linebacker. For Jeff Tuel: Previous Cougars quarterbacks have struggled before breaking through.
• Some predictions for the season and the week ahead.

Happy Friday.

You can follow me on Twitter.

To the notes.

Tristan from New York writes: As a UCLA fan, I was impressed with Rick Neuheisel's decision to suspend the three freshmen who were accused of theft. They were all given a chance to rejoin the team and re-enroll at UCLA if they improved their behavior. Obviously Josh Shirley just committed to Washington, but how does this bode for Coach Sark and Washington? Seems like a questionable move.

Ted Miller: It means Neuheisel is a disciplinarian and Steve Sarkisian is slack! Kidding.

Coaches walk a tightrope on discipline. Go too harsh and you lose good players and maybe your locker room. Go too lenient and you cultivate a culture of limit-pushing where players act without fear of substantive penalty.

Neuheisel has a reputation -- fair or unfair -- as being a "player's coach" who is slack on discipline. The early impression of Sarkisian is he doesn't take a lot of crap. So the booting by UCLA and salvaging by Washington runs counter to the present impression.

But you know what? Coaches are paid to win. Neuheisel may have felt he needed to make a statement about discipline, so he may have helped his program, in the long run, by taking a notable hard line. Sarkisian really, really needs an outside linebacker. He probably thinks rolling the dice on Shirley will help him win.

You'd hope that Shirley is embarrassed about being caught allegedly stealing a purse and has learned his lesson. So, as a firm believer in second chances, I say good for UCLA and good for Washington.

---

Jeremy from Iowa City, Iowa, writes: With all the information coming out about agents, I saw [a commentator] say that the players should be paid $5000 a year. I used to be in favor of paying players, but then I realized that even just $5000 a year means universities paying out an extra $425000 a year. That probably means the elimination of at least one other men's team because of Title IX (travel and per diem allowance) and most athletic departments are operating in the red. I don't think a lot of big name universities (like Stanford) would be on board for this and I understand why. Do you think they could stop as low as $5000 (like that's going to stop future Reggies) or that it is even reasonable?

Ted Miller: You can't pay football players because you'd then have to pay all athletes -- at least at public institutions -- per Title IX.

Moreover, college athletes do get paid: They get a college scholarship, room and board and a stipend. When people say college athletes aren't paid, they either don't know what they are talking about or are being disingenuous. College athletes get paid about -- conservatively -- $30,000 to $60,000 a year (depending on where they play) even if they never set a foot on the field over five years.

How much did you get paid when you were 18 to 22 years old? Any parents of college-aged children out there think a full-ride scholarship sounds financially super-awesome?

I know, I know: College football generates millions -- heck, billions -- and everybody is getting rich but the athletes.

Know what really generates billions? The jerseys.

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Old Dame from Portland writes: Do you see Oregon State's success hinging on the defense? Last year in losses they gave up 28, 37, 42, 37, and 44 points and on average 400 yards. The only game you could argue the offense was an issue was against Cinci. (don't give me the wind bowl and it's negative yardage punts). With what they have coming back, I don't see the offense being an issue again this year. In past years OSU had near tops in the conference defense but it disappeared last year.

Ted Miller: Well, we'll have to wait and see at quarterback. Recall that Oregon State is replacing the first-team All Pac-10 QB -- Sean Canfield -- with a sophomore who has yet to play a meaningful snap. Ryan Katz has looked great in practice, but you just don't know how he will do when the spotlight shines down on him and he's running from 250-pound ends.

But I hear you on the defense. I haven't had my annual summer chat with defensive coordinator Mark Banker yet, but I'd imagine some of last year's game tape gives him indigestion. The Beavers defense has been near the top of the Pac-10 most years under Banker but last year it ranked sixth in scoring (25 ppg) and sixth in total yards (350 ypg). While a downturn was not completely unexpected -- see the linked Q&A -- what was unexpected was how few big plays the Beavers were able to generate in 2009.

They recorded just 17 sacks, which ranked ninth in the conference, and forced 16 turnovers, the fewest in the conference. For a defense that thrives on pressure, those are worrisome numbers.

At the end of the 2009 season, Oregon State's depth chart was encouraging: Nine starters were scheduled to return, topped by perhaps the conference's best defensive tackle in Stephen Paea. But then two starters with promising upsides quit: end Matt LaGrone and middle linebacker David Pa'aluhi. And outside linebacker Keith Pankey tore his Achilles (he's expected to be ready for fall camp; we'll see). More to worry about.

To me, the guy who holds the key in 2010 is end Gabe Miller. He's a great athlete who appears poised for a breakthrough as a pass rusher. With Paea collapsing pockets from the inside, and Miller hurling himself at the QB from the outside, the Beavers should generate more pressure -- so more sacks and more forced turnovers.

Oregon State is going to be pretty good next year. The difference between seven or eight wins and nine or 10 wins is mostly going to be about solid QB play and more big plays on defense.

---

Matthew from Corvallis writes: ATTENTION TED MILLERATTENTION TED MILLER I have started to notice that you don't seem to think that Oregon State is Oregon's arch nemesis (Please see Oregon's best case - worst case, specifically worst case where Locker wins the Heisman).Just so you know, since Washington hasn't been relevant for quite some time. Also, the Oregon State - Oregon rivalry is BIGGER than Ohio State and Michigan.Please adjust Oregon's worst case scenario, so that Rodgers wins the Heisman, because that really would be the worst thing to happen to UO.Thanks,Beaver Nation P.S. I better see this e-mail on the mailbag blog, or else I'll be forced to switch to Buker's blog, and nobody wants that.

Ted Miller: Have you been to an Ohio State-Michigan game? Yeah, well, me neither. But I hear it's super-cool.

Anyway perhaps that's a future poll question for Oregon fans: Whom do you hate more, the Huskies or Beavers? (I still think the Ducks hate the Huskies more but maybe I'm wrong).

As for Buker's blog, I'd be careful. That guy is all into a mind control and stuff like that. Just look at his picture.

Eighth in a series looking at potential dream and nightmare scenarios for all Pac-10 teams, starting at the bottom and working up from my vote in the Pac-10 media poll.

Understand: These are not predictions. They are extreme scenarios and pieces of fiction.

Up next: Oregon State

Best case

TCU coach Gary Patterson looks at the scoreboard and shakes his head.

"We were lucky to win this one," he says. "Very lucky. That's a very good team and they pushed us around."

Nonetheless, a 24-23 loss doesn't offer Oregon State much consolation, even if it comes against the nation's No. 7 team. The Beavers outgain the Horned Frogs 435 yards to 305, but three turnovers -- two off tipped passes in TCU territory -- and a missed extra point explain the final tally. Jacquizz Rodgers' 135 yards rushing and 65 yards receiving and two TDs are only a footnote.

After a week off, the Beavers take out their frustration on overmatched Louisville. QB Ryan Katz throws two TD passes-- one to each Rodgers brother -- and Jacquizz rushes for 188 yards.

Up next: a visit to No.3 Boise State.

"We have a chance to do something special here and really get everything back from that tough loss to TCU," coach Mike Riley says.

That's exactly what the Beavers do. With the Broncos forced to double-team defensive tackle Stephen Paea inside, end Gabe Miller sacks Kellen Moore three times. The Broncos are unable to run the ball consistently, and the constant pressure gets to Moore, who's uncharacteristically off-target. Meanwhile, Katz plays a mistake-free game, distributing the ball to the Rodgers brothers and breaking off a handful of backbreaking first-down scrambles.

"[The Rodgers brothers] are the two most dangerous players in college football," Katz says afterwards "They make it easy for me. Jacquizz should win the Heisman, but what they really should do is give it to both of them."

What ensues is a six-game winning streak. The Beavers, at 8-1, ascend to No. 6 in the national rankings. With unbeaten, third-ranked USC coming to town, ESPN's "College GameDay" makes its first trip to Corvallis.

"I know Jacquizz Rodgers is the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy at this point," GameDay's Chris Fowler says. "But isn't the bigger story that they may be the best brothers combination on the same team in college football history?"

Replies Lee Corso, "It probably won't happen, but wouldn't it be neat if they both were invited to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony?"

The Trojans jump ahead 14-0 in the first half, with Matt Barkley connecting on two long TD passes to Ronald Johnson and the defense bottling up the Rodgers brothers until Jacquizz slips away for a 56-yard scoring run just before the break. A 23-yard toss from Katz to James Rodgers ties the score in the third, but the Trojans retake the lead early in the fourth when Allen Bradford bursts in from 2-yards out.

Heisman Trophy winners typically produce a signature highlight. Jacquizz Rodgers already has potential candidates for that, but none more spectacular than the screen pass he transforms into a 62-yard, game-tying score with 1:10 left.

The only problem is Johnson silences the euphoric Reser Stadium crowd with a 65-yard kick off return to the Beavers 35-yard line. Three plays later, with five seconds left, Jacob Harfman boots the game-winner from 44 yards.

"This was a tough one," Riley says. "But we've still got a lot to play for. We've got to get re-focused quickly because if we don't Stanford is going to kick our butts."

The Rose Bowl is still up for grabs: The Beavers, Stanford and Oregon only have suffered one conference defeat. After the Beavers dispatch the Cardinal, 30-28, everyone knows the stakes: It's a Civil War for the Roses II.

Riley gathers his players in the locker room.

"Oregon State hasn't been to a Rose Bowl since 1965," he says. "That's going on 46 years. Every person in this stadium knows what's at stake. You carry the hopes of everyone who wears black and orange. Tonight you have an opportunity to make a permanent mark, to be remembered and to create a memory that you will be able to return to fondly for the rest of your lives. But that team over there in that other locker room has an advantage over you. They think they are better than you. They carry that confidence. It's a smirk, isn't it? They are smirking at us in our house. I want you to see that smirk in your mind's eye right now. Hold on to that. If at any moment tonight you start to doubt or start to falter, think of that smirk. Now let's go knock it off their faces."

Speeches don't win football games, though. The game plays out much like the 2009 version. With two minutes left, Oregon leads 27-23 and faces a fourth-and-3 from the Beavers' 33-yard line. Ducks coach Chip Kelly opts to go for it. Quarterback Nate Costa drops back and, under pressure from Paea, shovels the ball to LaMichael James, who breaks to his right toward the sideline. One yard. Two yards. But at the marker he meets safety Lance Mitchell, who blasts James backward inches short of the first down.

Fumble. Keith Pankey recovers at the 50.

On first down, Riley shocks everyone by running a draw play to Rodgers, who bounces outside and is forced out of bounds at the 7-yard line. With just under a minute left, Rodgers gains four yards up the middle. The Beavers use their final timeout. Rodgers goes for two. The Beavers hustle to the line. 11, 10, 9 goes the clock.

Rodgers. Touchdown. Rose Bowl. Pandemonium in Reser Stadium.

With his brother at his side, Rodgers wins the Heisman Trophy. And the Beavers beat Iowa 28-24 in the Rose Bowl and finish 11-2 and ranked fourth.

Worst case

A brutal nonconference schedule sometimes offers opportunity. But playing a pair of top-10 teams ultimately ends up meaning Oregon State is 1-2 heading into conference play.

The Beavers bounce back to beat Arizona State at home, but after consecutive road losses to Arizona and Washington, it becomes clear that sophomore quarterback Ryan Katz is a different player on the road, which is to be expected with a young, first-year starter. Teams crowd the line of scrimmage to stop Jacquizz Rodgers, run bracket coverages on James Rodgers and dare the offense to use other weapons to win. It can't, at least not consistently.

Still, after beating California and Washington State at home and UCLA on the road, the Beavers sit at 5-4 overall and are again in good position to play in a quality bowl game.

But the back-loaded schedule is brutal. USC whips the Beavers 30-17. Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck throws four TD passes in a 35-24 win.

A final opportunity for redemption: Oregon and Stanford are tied atop the Pac-10 (USC also has one loss but is ineligible for the postseason). If the Beavers beat Oregon in the Civil War, it will knock the Ducks out of the Rose Bowl.

But LaMichael James, the nation's leading rusher, outshines Jacquizz Rodgers, rushing for 193 yards and three TDs in the Ducks' blowout, 35-17 win.

"I don't get into that comparing myself to Rodgers -- I leave that to the media and fans," James says afterward. "But you guys did see the game, right?"

James wins the Heisman Trophy and the Ducks roll over Ohio State 27-14 in the Rose Bowl.

Beavers offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf is hired as the head coach at Nevada, while defensive coordinator Mark Banker is hired by Pete Carroll to run the Seattle Seahawks' defense.

Jacquizz Rodgers opts to leave a year early and join his brother in the NFL draft.

There is only one thing for it then -- to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting.

• Some former Arizona players sign free agent contracts, including cornerback Devin Ross.
• Ten players who stood out for Arizona State this spring.
• California quarterback Kevin Riley has found his equilibrium this spring.
• Oregon coach Chip Kelly is trying to take care of himself. Oregon's returning starters at linebacker better watch out for this guy -- he wants a job. Some interesting stuff in this practice report.
• Oregon State defensive coordinator Mark Banker wants an FBI presence at practice. A practice report from Day 13.
• Some old Jim Harbaugh video, including a spot he did for ESPN's SportsCenter.
• Looking at how the UCLA quarterbacks performed this spring. For starter Kevin Prince, the spring game was frustrating.
• Where are the surprises this spring for USC? Some impressions of Trojans draft picks.
• Washington is getting ready for "Friday Night Lights." This Jake Locker guy may turn out OK.
• Washington State football: Excitement and concerns.
• Breaking down Pac-10 NFL draft picks over the past five years.