ESPN College Football

Happy Friday.

• More on Arizona going copper top: It's part of a Pac-12 trend.
• A former Arizona State QB talks to current Sun Devils QBs.
• More on California's dismissal of OLB Cecil Whiteside.
• Colorado gets some good news on defense.
• It doesn't matter who plays QB for Oregon because the supporting cast is so strong.
• A consideration of Oregon State's recent bit of off-field trouble.
• Stanford's endowing coaching positions is a stroke of genius.
• If you had any doubts that USC WR Marqise Lee is a great athlete, well, don't.
• Ticket sales are going well at Utah, which isn't good news for some fans. Is it possible for the Utes to go all the way?
• Is Washington closing in on its No. 1 QB recruiting target?
• Ranking the Pac-12 jerseys from a Washington State perspective... guess who comes in last?
• How might Week 1 go with the Pac-12 Network and its TV partners?

As part of “College Football Live’s” 100 Days Till Kickoff countdown, here’s a look at the top 10 players in the Pac-12.

This list, by the way, may or may not match the Pac-12 blog's preseason top 25, which will be posted later in the summer.

1. Matt Barkley, QB, USC: Best QB in the nation. Would have been a top-10 pick in this past NFL draft. Could go No. 1 overall in 2013. He completed 69 percent of his passes for 3,528 yards, with 39 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2011.

2. De'Anthony Thomas, RB/WR, Oregon: Thomas is one of the nation's most explosive players and a leading Heisman Trophy candidate. He rushed for 595 yards and seven TDs in 2011, averaging 10.8 yards per carry. He caught 46 passes for 605 yards and nine TDs. He averaged 27.3 yards per kick return with two TDs.

3. Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah: Lotulelei may be the nation's best defensive tackle. He likely will be an early first-round pick in the 2013 NFL draft. The Morris Trophy winner as the Pac-12's best D-lineman, he had 44 total tackles, with nine coming for a loss. He had 1.5 sacks, a pass break-up, forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

4. Robert Woods, WR, USC: Woods, first-team All-Pac-12 in 2011, earned first-team All-American honors from the AP, The Sporting News and was second-team with Walter Camp. He caught 111 passes for 1,292 yards with 15 TDs in 2011.

5. Marqise Lee, WR, USC: Lee might share All-American honors with Woods this season. He stepped up late in 2011 when Woods was hurt, catching seven of his 11 TD passes over the final five games and hauling in 21 passes for 411 yards in the final two -- wins over Oregon and UCLA. For the season, he caught 73 passes for 1,143 yards with 11 touchdowns. He also averaged 28.5 yards on 10 kickoff returns, with an 88-yard TD.

6. Keith Price, QB, Washington: As a first-year, sophomore starter, Price passed for 3,063 yards with 33 touchdown passes, with those numbers ranking second and first all-time for the Huskies. His 66.9 completion percentage and 161.09 passing efficiency rating were both school records.

7. Chase Thomas, OLB, Stanford: Thomas was first-team All-Pac-12 and an All-American for The Sporting News in 2011. He had 52 total tackles and led the Pac-12 with 17.5 tackles for a loss, three more than anyone else. He was also second in the conference with 8.5 sacks and five forced fumbles.

8. Keenan Allen, WR, California: Allen earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors after ranking second in the Pac-12 in receiving yards. His 103.3 receiving yards per game ranked 10th in the nation and third in the conference. He caught 98 passes for 1,343 yards with six touchdowns and averaged 13.7 yards per reception in 2011.

9. Marquess Wilson, WR, Washington State: Wilson earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2011 and is an All-American candidate in 2012. He ranked first in the Pac-12 and sixth in the nation with 115.7 yards receiving per game. His 12 touchdown receptions ranked second in the conference. His 16.9 yards per catch ranked third. He caught 82 passes for 1,388 yards with 12 touchdowns.

10. Kenjon Barner, RB, Oregon: Barner was the nation's best backup running back in 2011 behind LaMichael James. He ranked eighth in the Pac-12 in rushing at 78.2 yards per game. He rushed for 939 yards and 11 TDs in 2011 and caught 17 passes with three other TDs. He has rushed for 1,856 yards and 20 TDs in his career.

How much can we really learn from spring? Funky scrimmages with backwards scoring systems; depleted depth charts; completely new installs for four teams. Actually, more than you'd think. Here are five things we learned about the Pac-12 during spring.

1. Quarterbacks are still in limbo: Be it Stanford, Arizona State, UCLA, Oregon or Colorado, almost half of the teams still don’t know who is going to be under center when the season starts. Stanford funneled its list of five down to two, Josh Nunes and Brett Nottingham. ASU still has a three-way battle with Michael Eubank, Mike Bercovici and Taylor Kelly -- though coach Todd Graham said they have a better idea than they are probably letting on publicly. The very private competition between Marcus Mariota and Bryan Bennett at Oregon remains in question -- though Mariota was spectacular in the spring game while Bennett faltered. Still, coach Chip Kelly said that one game isn’t going to be his basis for comparison. UCLA coach Jim Mora wanted to name a starter by the end of spring, but no one has “grabbed” it, so we’ll have to wait until August before learning whether Brett Hundley, Kevin Prince or Richard Brehaut gets the gig. And at Colorado, the competition was put on hiatus when Nick Hirschman broke a bone in his foot and couldn’t compete in spring drills. One has to think that was a huge advantage for Connor Wood to get almost all of the reps with the first-team offense.
2. Not everyone has quarterback issues: Teams thought to have quarterback question marks heading into spring seemed to have resolved them. In Utah, Jordan Wynn is completely healthy, and both coach Kyle Whittingham and offensive coordinator Brian Johnson have declared Wynn their guy. While Mike Leach hasn’t officially declared Jeff Tuel his starter, it’s hard to imagine anyone else winning the job in the fall, short of Tuel suffering a significant injury or amnesia. He had a splendid spring, and appears to be a great fit for Leach’s offense. And at Arizona, Matt Scott seized the job early and left little room for any competition. Coach Rich Rodriguez has been gushing about how quickly Scott has adjusted to the offense. At Cal, Zach Maynard, once thought to be challenged by freshman Zach Kline, appears to not only have held on to the job, but distanced himself from pursuers.
3. Wide receivers aplenty: And there are plenty of those in the conference. USC has probably the best tandem in the country in Robert Woods and Marqise Lee. Cal’s Keenan Allen (though he missed spring drills) should continue to put up big numbers, and Washington State’s Marquess Wilson should flourish in the Cougars’ new system with Tuel as his quarterback. Markus Wheaton and Brandin Cooks could challenge the USC duo statistically if quarterback Sean Mannion continues to develop. There are stars on the rise at Arizona State (Jamal Miles) and Stanford (Ty Montgomery), and a potential star at Washington (James Johnson). Look out Biletnikoff, the Pac-12 is a comin'…
4. The conference of defense? The Pac-12 might never bunk its reputation as an offensive-centric conference (especially when it keeps churning out offensive talent). But there is a surplus of talented defenses and defensive players who were on display this spring. Washington seems to have plugged its leaks with new defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox. There’s a 3-4 trend sweeping the conference, and with notable playmakers like Star Lotulelei (Utah), John Boyett (Oregon), Dion Jordan (Oregon), Chase Thomas (Stanford), Josh Shirley (Washington), T.J. McDonald (USC) and DeAndre Coleman (Cal), it’s easy to see why some of the Pac-12 defenses will get the same kind of love as the offenses do in 2012.
5. Confidence is at an all-time high: As it should be in the spring. The four new coaches all feel confident about the systems they have installed. Stanford feels as good as it ever has about its running game. USC and Oregon should get lofty preseason rankings, and this is the time of the year when fans go through the schedules game by game and always seem to come up with a minimum of six wins. Sorry to say, there are teams in the conference that won’t make it to a bowl game this season. But when you hear the coaches talk about their teams, you’d think the conference is going to go 12-0 in the postseason. This is a magical time for fans filled with hope and possibility. Enjoy it while it lasts.

2011 overall record: 10-2
2011 conference record: 7-2 (1st, South)
Returning starters: Offense: 9; defense: 8; kicker/punter: 2

Top returners
QB Matt Barkley, S T.J. McDonald, OL Khaled Holmes, WR Robert Woods, WR Marqise Lee, RB Curtis McNeal, DL Devon Kennard, DL Wes Horton, CB Nickell Robey, LB Dion Bailey, LB Hayes Pullard, K Andre Heidari

Key losses
OL Matt Kalil, DL Nick Perry, FB Rhett Ellison, DL DaJohn Harris, DL Christian Tupou, LB Chris Galippo, RB Marc Tyler, WR Brandon Carswell, LS Chris Pousson

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)
Rushing: Curtis McNeal* (1,005 yards)
Passing: Matt Barkley* (3,528 yards)
Receiving: Robert Woods* (1,292 yards)
Tackles: Dion Bailey*, Hayes Pullard* (81)
Sacks: Nick Perry (9.5)
Interceptions: T.J. McDonald* (3)

Spring answers

1. Marqise Lee is ready for prime time: It’s no secret that Lee is a talented player who put together a terrific freshman season, but he took that performance to an even higher level this spring when he was the best player on the field for the Trojans. We’re seeing a rare athlete in Lee, one whose acrobatic style is being compared to Lynn Swann.

2. The USC defense is worthy of mention: There is so much attention paid to Matt Barkley and his offensive weapons -- and deservedly so -- but this spring was a reminder that the Trojans defense is going to be pretty good too. The back seven will be a strength, as the starters return intact plus there is a nice supply of talented depth.

3. The future of the USC quarterback spot is in good hands: Spring was an extended audition for Max Wittek and Cody Kessler, as Barkley was limited in his reps. Both players had their moments as they look to settle into the No. 2 role and the inside track to be Barkley’s heir apparent. The Trojans also got a verbal commitment from Max Browne (No. 2 rated pocket passer in ESPN 150), who will enroll next spring.

Fall questions

1. Interior of the D-line: One of the keys of spring was replacing two senior starters from the middle of the line. George Uko stepped in at defensive tackle and had flashes of real solid play. After Uko, however, things are not so clear. There is no established backup for him and no set starter at nose tackle, as J.R. Tavai and Antwaun Woods continue to battle for the job.

2. Lack of depth at tailback: The Trojans have a returning 1,000-yard rusher in Curtis McNeal but not a lot of experience behind him. D.J. Morgan had 42 carries in 2011, Buck Allen redshirted last season and Nelson Agholor has yet to join the team. That’s the extent of the playing time for the 2012 USC reserve tailbacks.

3. Protecting the blind side: There wasn’t a ton of worry last year about left tackle with Matt Kalil but replacing him has not been easy. Kevin Graf got the first look, but then the coaches moved Aundrey Walker into the spot. Lane Kiffin said Walker was not consistent but he showed enough with the potential of the size benefits he brings that he will stay as the starter heading into fall camp.

USC receiver Marqise Lee has been named a member of Bruce Feldman's 2012 "Freaks" list, his annual accounting of some of college football's most freakish athletes.

Of Lee, he writes:

Projected by many to play safety for the Trojans, Lee outshined his former high school teammate, five-star WR recruit George Farmer, from the moment both arrived at USC. By the end of the 2011 season, Lee may have even surpassed star Robert Woods. (Lee caught 39 passes for 609 yards and six TDs in USC's final four games of the season.) Lee's athleticism had Lane Kiffin saying the rising sophomore could leave the school as the program's best receiver ever. This spring, the 6-1, 200-pound Lee moonlighted as a long jumper on the USC track team where he had Trojans coaches raving there, too, after leaping 24-4. Lee said he's found that the jumping training has helped hone his body control and anticipation as a receiver, which means he may be ready to take another leap as a football player this fall.

In the original post, I missed Colorado DT Eric Richter. Writes Feldman:

The 6-3, 315-pound Californian only got in action for seven plays last fall for the Buffs, but it's not for a lack of strength. When CU players were tested this offseason on the bench press, Richter banged out 51 reps at 225, 10 more reps than he did a year ago. "He doesn't need a cheerleader, he doesn't need a audience," says CU strength coach Malcolm Blacken, "he just needs a lot of weight on the bar to get motivated. A strength coach's dream -- a real living and breathing Frankenstein!"

Oregon's De'Anthony Thomas and Arizona State's Rashad Ross -- both on the short list of college football's fastest player, along with USC's Farmer -- were named honorable mention.

It has nothing to do with the Pac-12, but his No. 1 guy, SMU's Margus Hunt, has a fascinating backstory.

McLovin? What kind of a stupid name is that, Fogell? What, are you trying to be an Irish R&B singer?

• Life has been hectic for former Arizona QB Nick Foles.
• Arizona State coach Todd Graham on Pittsburgh: It was a mistake.
• A chat with former California offensive lineman Mitchell Schwartz as he joins the Cleveland Browns.
• Will this guy be Colorado's tight end of the future.
• Keeping track of Oregon's De'Anthony Thomas. A good cause over at Addicted to Quack.
• Lots of good stuff in this Oregon State notebook.
• The youth on UCLA's staff should help it connect with its players. This Bruin might go both ways.
• We learned this spring that USC WR Marqise Lee might be the only receiver in the country as good as Robert Woods.
• Former Utah tackle Tony Bergstrom is now a Raider.
• Why didn't former Washington RB Chris Polk get drafted? Tosh Lupoi gets a couple of recruiting connections.
• Looking at the Washington State offense, post-spring.

The Pac-12 wide receiver hierarchy probably looks a little something like this: Robert Woods, Marqise Lee (feel free to flip-flop those two at your leisure), Keenan Allen, Marquess Wilson. Some pretty elite guys.

That's usually followed with an: "Oh yeah, doesn't Oregon State have a guy that's pretty good, too?"

"Haha, yeah, that sounds about right," says Markus Wheaton with a chuckle.

To the folks in Corvallis, he's a bona fide superstar. But in a conference that will probably own the Biletnikoff Award this year, separating yourself as a superstar in a pack of superstars isn't always easy.

"I try not to worry about that stuff," Wheaton said. "I'm more focused on what we've got here."

It's got to bruise the ego even a little bit, though. Right?

"Not really. It just makes you want to work harder," Wheaton said.

Wheaton was definitely a victim of the Beavers' lack of success last season. He only found the end zone once, but caught 73 balls for 986 yards and was the ultimate security blanket for green quarterback Sean Mannion.

"If we won nine games last year like we did a couple of years ago, more people would know about him," said OSU head coach Mike Riley. "That's a big factor. I think our team will be better next year and that will help. He just needs to keep growing and doing what he does. Then our team needs to improve around him."

Mannion showed tremendous potential in his first season as a starter -- throwing for 16 touchdowns, more than 3,300 yards and completing 64.5 percent of his balls. He also looked like a first-year starter, tossing 18 interceptions.

With a more efficient Mannion and a stronger running game to support the passing attack, Wheaton figures to make the jump from "that Oregon State guy" to being known as one of the elite receivers in the conference.

"For me, it's all about working on the small things," Wheaton said. "I've worked on my blocking, because I want that to be a big part of my game. But for us, it's going to be the details. Too many times last year the little things got away from us. This year's team is going to be very detail-oriented."

Riley recalls when Wheaton first came to OSU. He was pure speed, without much nuance for the position. Now he's evolved to a point where Riley considers him in that top class of Pac-12 receivers.

"He can run with anybody, catch with anybody and has great ability to run with the ball after the catch," said Riley -- who also integrates Wheaton into the running game. Last year he carried 25 times for 7.6 yards per carry. "He's just a fast, gifted athlete. Early on for him, it was just run. Now he's learned how to run a route and he's got good chemistry with the quarterback."

Wheaton is not a particularly vocal guy. That's something he's working on. He knows the very youthful Beavers roster is thirsty for leadership. He's raising his voice more, but wants his teammates to learn by his example.

"I'm consistently pushing him," OSU wide receivers coach Brent Brennan said recently. "And the best thing about him is he wants to be coached. He wants to be better. He wants to learn. He wants to improve his game. I'm constantly in his ear, on his butt about what's right, what's not right, what can be faster, what his tendencies are ... he continues to learn and improve."

Matt Hays of The Sporting News, presently known as Urban Meyer's BFF, has published his post-spring ranking of the top 25 players in college football. He writes: "These rankings are based on a combination of on-field performance and next level potential."

The list includes seven Pac-12 players. The SEC leads all conferences with nine (Washington fans: You might take note that practically the entire LSU defense made the cut).

Particularly interesting is the comment from an NFL scout on each player.

Here are the Pac-12 players on the list with comment.

1. Matt Barkley, QB, USC
NFL scout says: “He would have been a top-5 pick this year. He’ll probably be No.1 overall next year.”


2. Marqise Lee, WR, USC
NFL scout says: “These are the guys where you wish we had the one-and-done rule of the NBA.”


9. Robert Woods, WR, USC
NFL scout says: “He’s going to play a long time in this league. He has position smarts; he knows the game and is loaded with ability.”


14. De'Anthony Thomas, WR-RB, Oregon
NFL scout says: “He’s a fun guy to watch -- but he’s 160 pounds. How many guys in this league are 160 pounds?”


17. Shayne Skov, LB, Stanford
NFL scout says: “A classic middle linebacker. Hopefully he’s the same player after the injury. He’s one of those guys where you say, that kid’s a football player.”


19. Keith Price, QB, Washington
NFL scout says: “I don’t know if he plays quarterback at this level, but he has one big thing going for him: he has Sark [Washington coach Steve Sarkisian] coaching him. If anyone can get him ready to play at this level, Sark can.”


22. Keenan Allen, WR, California
NFL scout says: “He’s not a name the average college football fan would know, but he’ll be a name you’ll know in the NFL in no time.”

Happy Friday.

• Rich Rodriguez talks about Arizona's spring and other topics. Help at linebacker from Arkansas?
• Arizona State fans: Ask not what your Sun Devils can do for you, but what you can do for your Sun Devils! Read: Write a check! Cameron Marshall is the centerpiece of a deep backfield.
• More on California's struggles to finance its stadium and facilities renovations.
• Colorado must deal with red tape before renovating Folsom Field. Is it just me, Buffs, or do you guys have a lot of rules?
• A Q&A with Oregon running back Kenjon Barner. Ducks coach Chip Kelly talks about the ESPN Mag report on marijuana use on his team.
• Some interesting comments from Oregon State players on smoking pot. Making things easier for the Beavers linebackers.
• The big question is obvious: How will Stanford replace Andrew Luck?
• UCLA's practice field will get new turf. This Bruins running back is making a move this spring.
• Nice feature on USC receiver Marqise Lee, who has come a long way.
• Utah's secondary has lawyered up. The Utes O-line knows it must protect the quarterback.
• What happens if Washington quarterback Keith Price completes 70 percent of his passes? To quote a great America: Winning! And is Josh Shirley going to become a pass-rushing force?
• It's good that Washington State and Bill Doba are forgiving and forgetting -- and should probably remember the good times. The compelling brilliance of this headline on the WSU Football Blog can't be too celebrated. A homage to Keats?

Last week we gave you our thoughts on which Pac-12 team had the best specific position group -- taking into account playmakers at the top of the group and overall depth at the position.

Knowing full well he'd catch some grief, Kevin Gemmell still picked the Stanford linebacking corps, citing All-American candidates Chase Thomas and Shayne Skov and a very deep list of players who can fill out the Cardinal 3-4 scheme.

Ted Miller went top heavy, pointing out USC's fantastic wide receiver duo of Robert Woods and Marqise Lee, but also noting that players such as George Farmer, De'Von Flournoy and Victor Blackwell could provide some depth behind those two.

Did we pick the wrong units?

What about Utah's defensive line. The Utes boast the best defensive lineman in the conference in Star Lotulelei and are talented across the line.

What about the Oregon linebacking corps headlined by Michael Clay. They are athletic, deep and talented. Clay and Kiko Alonso are potential all-conference guys in 2012.

ASU has a pretty good stable of running backs. Cameron Marshall has impressed in the spring and James Morrison and a healthy Deantre Lewis make it that much deeper. JC transfer Marion Grice and incoming freshman D.J. Foster add to that depth.

Which team has the best position group?

Catching up on the scrimmages and spring games in the south division.

ARIZONA

The Wildcats quarterbacks combined for six passing touchdowns -- including four from Matt Scott, who completed 22 of 35 passes for 315 yards. Arizona threw 55 times and ran 43 times in addition to working through several different scenarios.

“I shouldn’t expect too much with the first year in the system, but with Matt Scott I’m going to expect a lot,” head coach Rich Rodriguez told the Tucson Citizen. “And I think Matt can deliver.”

Tyler Slavin caught three touchdowns and Richard Morrison caught a pair. Dan Buckner hauled in the sixth.

Safety Marquis Flowers brought in the lone interception of the day and linebacker Jake Fischer matched a team high with six tackles after missing all of 2011 with a knee injury.

The day was marred, however, by another knee injury. Safety Adam Hall tweeted Saturday night that he tore his ACL -- a similar tear to the one he had last spring that kept him out of all but one game in 2011.

ARIZONA STATE

The three-way quarterback competition isn't settled, but head coach Todd Graham said he'd like to see someone take the lead before the end of the spring session, writes Doug Haller of the Arizona Republic.

Michael Eubank threw three touchdowns -- a pair to Gary Chambers and a third to Rashad Ross. But he also threw a pair of interceptions.

Haller reports that Taylor Kelly looked effecient, throwing an 11-yard touchdown to tight end Max Smith and Mike Bercovici tossed three touchdowns -- all in the overtime session of the scrimmage.

Defensively, the Sun Devils forced a trio of turnovers and three times stopped the offense on fourth-and-1.

COLORADO

The Buffs ran a 42-play scrimmage with the emphasis on the offense. Head coach Jon Embree said he was happy with the performance of Connor Wood, who completed 7 of 10 passes for 137 yards and touchdowns to Jarrod Darden and Dustin Ebner.

"I thought No. 5 was sharp," Embree said. "He missed a couple of deep balls ... but I thought he played well."

Embree also said that running back Tony Jones separated himself from the rest of the pack and looked solid during the spring session. Jones carried four times for 23 yards on Saturday. Josh Ford, however, stood out with 141 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries -- though Colorado's defensive line has been patchwork.

Embree said that if Colorado wants to reach a bowl game in 2012, they are going to have to rely on some of the players coming in this fall.

"I still think it's achievable, but how far we go towards that goal and how we accomplish it, we're going to lean on some guys coming in," Embree said. "So how quickly -- and I told this to the seniors and the rest of the team -- how quickly you're able to help them assimilate, help them know how to practice, know how to work, will help us get to that goal.

"If you want to look at it as they're the bad guy because they coming here to compete for a job, then we'll all have the same fate -- we'll all be home for Christmas."

USC

The Trojans secondary picked up a pair of interceptions -- one from safety Drew McAllister off of Cody Kessler and the other from cornerback Brian Baucham off of Matt Barkley -- as the defense outshined the offense at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Barkley completed 23 of 39 passes for 212 yards with a touchdown -- a 1-yard pass to Marqise Lee. Kessler (3-of-6, 68 yards) picked up the majority of his passing yards on a 44-yard touchdown to fullback Soma Vainuku.

"It was definitely a learning experience," Kessler told USC's blog.

Linebacker Hayes Pullard and cornerback Anthony Brown each had six tackles, while linebacker Dion Bailey added five stops. Cornerback Isiah Wiley had five deflections to go with his four tackles. There were three sacks (by defensive ends Devon Kennard, Greg Townsend Jr. and Morgan Breslin).

"I think the young linebackers are playing really well," Lane Kiffin told Erik McKinney of WeAreSC. "Like I mentioned, the defensive backs have improved a lot. That was really critical, especially with a new coach back there."

UTAH

Quarterback Jordan Wynn completed 7 of 12 passes for 149 yards with a touchdown and zero interceptions as the Utes' offense continues to find its rhythm under new offensive coordinator Brian Johnson.

“Brian wants to take more shots downfield than we have recently and we can do that now because we have the speed in the wideouts to create separation and we have quarterbacks who can throw with accuracy,” head coach Kyle Whittingham said. “Our quarterback situation is the best it has been in years."

Dave Kruger, LT Filiaga and Trevor Reilly all recorded sacks for the defense and Terrell Reese returned an interception for 43 yards to go with a pair of tackles for a loss.

Luke Matthews and Kenneth Scott both had touchdown catches. DeVonte Christopher had two catches, but led the receivers with 70 yards.

Really good story in today's Orange County Register by Michael Lev about the trials of USC wide receiver Marqise Lee.

Lev chronicles Lee's journey in and out of foster homes and the gang violence that affected him personally with the murder of one of his half-brothers.

From Lev's story:

Somehow, despite despair engulfing him and bad influences surrounding him, Lee managed to stay out of trouble. He managed to stay focused on his goals -- going to college, taking care of his family, maybe playing pro sports.

"It's unbelievable," [USC coach Lane] Kiffin says. "If you go through his story, you would see how many chances he had to give in -- how many chances he had to make an excuse for not being successful, academically or athletically. If you follow stories like that, the majority of kids don't resist those urges. They end up falling prey."

Those who know him say Lee, 20, is an unusually resilient and self-motivated young man. "He's a fighter," friend and teammate Robert Woods says.

This is a piece that doesn't need any extra commentary. Just an amazing story that stands on its own that I thought you guys would like.

Our question this week: Who has the best position group in the conference?

Lots of teams have a strength at a certain area -- running back, receiver, linebacker, etc. -- but whose team strength is the strongest?

Our thoughts.

Kevin Gemmell: Anytime you have a four-man position group and half of them could be All-Americans, that's phenomenal. And that's what Stanford is looking at this year and that's why I'm picking its linebackers as the best individual position group in the conference.

It starts on the outside with Chase Thomas (52 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 17.5 tackles for a loss) -- a first-team All-Pac-12 performer and All-American. On the other side, Trent Murphy (40 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 10 tackles for a loss) is underappreciated because of all the attention Thomas gets. But Murphy is a beast at 6-foot-6, 255 pounds.

Then you move to the inside linebackers where Shayne Skov is one of the best in the nation. There is a to-be-determined punishment pending for his DUI arrest and he's still recovering from a season-ending knee injury from last year. But once he's paid his penance and is 100 percent healthy, he'll be on par with the best middle linebackers in the country.

Who lines up next to Skov is a question. And also a good problem for the Cardinal to have. Jarek Lancaster (team-leading 70 tackles) and A.J. Tarpley (57 tackles) were both outstanding in Skov's absence last year. Lancaster in particular came on very strong at the end of the season.

Highly touted sophomore James Vaughters is also slotted for inside linebacker. The coaching staff treated Vaughters with kid gloves last season -- using him mostly as an extra pass-rusher on third downs, where he tallied 11 tackles, four for a loss, and a sack. But he's expected to be unleashed in 2012.

Another aspect that makes this group so scary is the overall depth. Because of guys like Lancaster, Tarpley, Vaughters, Alex Debniak, Kevin Anderson and incoming freshman Noor Davis, the Cardinal are in a position to absorb a significant injury like they did with Skov last season. Of course, no one wants to see that happen for any team. But injuries are part of the game. And if something happens to one of Stanford's starters, there is significant talent that can rotate in.

One thing to keep in mind is the loss of co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Jason Tarver. He was a brilliant operator of the 3-4 defense -- which is why he's now a defensive coordinator in the NFL. He did an amazing job coaching up Lancaster and Tarpley, which helped Stanford boast the No. 1 rush defense in the conference last year. Allowing just 84.4 yards per game on the ground, Stanford was the only Pac-12 team to hold opponents below 100 yards per game on average.

Factor in the talent returning on the defensive line and that makes the linebacking corps that much better. Stanford not only has the deepest and most talented group in the conference, but you can make an argument that as a unit it is one of the best groups in the country.

Ted Miller: I know you guys are going to get on Kevin for picking Stanford, but I agree with him: Stanford's linebacking corps is the best complete unit in the Pac-12 in terms of both skill and depth. But, of course, a "ditto" doesn't make for much of a "Take 2" now, does it?

I like California's running backs, Oregon's LBs, Arizona State's RBs and Utah's defensive line, but I'm going to go with USC's receivers.

The Trojans aren't terribly deep at receiver. In fact, they are decidedly top-heavy. But what a top.

First, you have junior Robert Woods, a 2011 first-team All-American. He ranked eighth in the nation with 107.7 yards receiving per game in 2011. He's the leading candidate heading into 2012 to win the Biletnikoff Award given annually to the nation's best receiver.

Second, you have Marqise Lee, second-team All-Pac-12, who actually outplayed a banged-up Woods over the home stretch of the 2011 season. He ranked 15th in the nation with 95.3 yards receiving per game. He also is a Biletnikoff candidate, and it wouldn't be too shocking if both of these guys earned All-America honors this upcoming season.

They combined for 26 touchdown receptions. The next highest total in the Pac-12 for a receiving combo was 19 (Oregon's De'Anthony Thomas and Lavasier Tuinei).

Put it this way: If you made a list of the top-five receivers in the nation this fall, most folks would include Woods and Lee.

Now, it's not unreasonable to question the Trojans' depth at the position. Both Brice Butler and Kyle Prater opted to transfer. Both are capable and would have made this unit scary good. While there's plenty of talent behind Woods and Lee, it's unproven.

That said: It's entirely possible speedy sophomore George Farmer has his own star turn this fall. Folks thought that might happen last year for everybody's prep All-American, but injuries and an odd position change to running back slowed that down. No question Farmer has All-American talent. If he stays healthy, the Trojans could end up with a troika that is almost impossible to defend, one that is superior to many NFL teams. For real.

Other guys who have the ability to help: Junior De'Von Flournoy and redshirt freshman Victor Blackwell. In the fall, true freshmen Nelson Agholor and Darreus Rogers could potentially get into the mix.

So there will be solid options for the Nos. 3, 4 and 5 receivers.

Still, this is about the top. It's not hyperbole to project that Woods and Lee, with QB Matt Barkley returning, are in position to write themselves onto a very short list of the best receiver combinations in college football history this fall.

Here are some things you might not know about Utah's top receiver, DeVonte Christopher.

In 2007, he was Nevada's Gatorade Player of the Year. As a quarterback.

In 2008, he briefly lived with Utah's starting quarterback. That QB, guy by the name of Brian Johnson, is now the Utes offensive coordinator.

In 2010 and 2011, he led the Utes in receptions.

And, on Sept. 10, 2011, he was the best receiver on the field in the LA Coliseum.

That last bit of info might be most significant. While some might not know much about Christopher, his catching 11 passes for 136 yards and a touchdown in a down-to-the-wire loss at USC is meaningful. On that day, Utah's first Pac-12 conference game, celebrated Trojans receivers Robert Woods and Marqise Lee combined for 10 receptions for 136 yards and no scores.

Two weeks later, Christopher caught five passes for 125 yards in a bad home loss to Washington, a game that was low-lighted from a Utes perspective by the loss of quarterback Jordan Wynn to a season-ending shoulder injury.

Because of that, the Utes offense, by necessity, changed. Balance gave way to John White right, John White left and John White up the middle. Utah passed for 883 yards in the first four games (221 yards per game) and 1,369 in the final nine (152 yards per game), ranking last in the Pac-12 in passing offense. Christopher's season became a what-might-have-been.

"I definitely look forward to going into the season with Jordan as our starter," Christopher said.

(That said, Christopher is also quick to tip his cap to Jon Hays, a transfer from Nebraska-Omaha, who replaced Wynn and was good enough to go 6-3 as the starter: "One thing I've got to do is give Jon Hays credit. He was thrown into the fire. He only came in during fall camp. I think that guy did a great job for us last year.").

In a conference loaded with outstanding receivers -- it's a decent bet that both 2012 first-team All-Americans will come from the Pac-12 -- Christopher mostly operates under the radar. But the 6-foot-1, 200-pound senior is the leader of a sneaky good Utes crew that only needs someone to consistently deliver the rock.

Utah's defense is going to be good. How good the offense is likely will determine if the Utes improve on last year's 8-5 finish.

How things might look on offense is a bit of a mystery due to an unexpected change at coordinator. Christopher admits that he was surprised that the 25-year-old Johnson was promoted to replace Norm Chow, with coach Kyle Whittingham going from a coaching legend past retirement age to a the nation's youngest coordinator. But once be got past surprise he said he was "ecstatic." He and Johnson go way back.

When Christopher arrived at Utah in 2008, his dorm room wasn't ready. So for a while he lived with Johnson and graduate assistant Robert Conley. While it's easy to wonder if that experience might complicate their present relationship -- from teammates and friends to coach and player -- Christopher said it actually enriches it.

"It's not really that weird because Brian has always had a mentality like a tutor," Christopher said. "The transition to him being a full-time coach wasn't big for me."

As for schematic issues, Christopher thinks Utah fans are going to like some changes Johnson is adopting. While the Utes will continue to run a mostly pro-style offense with a hard-nosed, downhill running game, Johnson is putting his own stamp on things.

"They will see a more up-tempo style," Christopher said. "We're going to definitely going to balance it out more with Jordan back in there. You can expect to see multiple sets with the power running game and play-action passing. A little of the spread, here and there."

Christopher also likes what he's seen out of Wynn so far this spring. He said Wynn is throwing well and, like other observers, he has noted that Wynn has bulked up, now tipping the scales at 207 pounds. Of course, Wynn getting buff might not only be about football.

"He's from San Diego, so it might have been for the beach-- I'm not too sure," Christopher said.

Utah is buffing up as a team as it gets ready for a second go-around in the Pac-12. Christopher said it was fun playing in bigger stadiums and in front of more fans last year. He also said the biggest difference in the conference compared to the Mountain West was depth.

"In the Mountain West, the starters are good but they have depth issues," he said. "In the Pac-12, the next guy is just as capable as the starter. That's the one thing I thought was the biggest difference."

Christopher is well-aware that just about everyone already has handed the South Division to USC. The general belief nationally is the Trojans are about national titles in 2012, with conference division titles being only a preliminary base to touch.

But Christopher and his teammates know how close they were last year at USC. They are yielding nothing. And, by the way, Christopher, while rejecting an opportunity to celebrate himself, yields nothing on where he stands among Pac-12 receivers.

Said Christopher, "Man, I just tell people to turn on the TV when we play. I try my best to let my play do the talking."

Brett Perrotta and the folks at ESPN Stats & Info put together a really interesting comparison of USC's explosive 2005 team to the ordinance potential of the 2012 squad.

And the conclusion is the Trojans -- particularly quarterback Matt Barkley and his receiving duo of Robert Woods and Marqise Lee -- could well surpass the statistical success of Matt Leinart and the weapons he had at his disposal.

Writes Perrotta:

Barkley's numbers from 2011 were better across the board than Matt Leinart's were when he won the Heisman Trophy in 2004. Barkley threw for more yards and touchdowns while completing a higher percentage of his passes in 2011 than Leinart did in 2004.

What's particularly scary for Pac-12 defenses is that Barkley has improved from year to year. His touchdowns have gone up and interceptions have dropped every year at USC, while Leinart's numbers were relatively unchanged during his three seasons leading the Trojans.

It makes for a fun comparison. And often when you are comparing teams or players, there are generational issues to consider. Johnny Unitas vs. Joe Montana; the '85 Chicago Bears defense vs. the 2000 Baltimore Ravens defense etc. But these two teams are so close together that a fairly accurate comparison can be made. The game hasn't changed that dramatically in the last seven years.

This is obviously just a projection and there is no real basis for comparison until the 2012 season is at an end. But when you look at the side-by-sides and project what could happen in the coming season, it makes for an interesting debate.