ESPN College Football

All players are equal, but some players are more equal than others. That's the basis of our Most Important Player series.

First off, quarterbacks are excluded to make things more interesting. It goes without saying that Arizona's Matt Scott, USC's Matt Barkley and Washington's Keith Price are their teams' most important players. Their losses would be catastrophic.

And most important doesn't necessarily have to be "best." An All-American's backup can be pretty darn good, too.

Our most important guys are players who could swing a win total one way or the other, based on their living up to expectations. Or their absence.

California: WR Keenan Allen

2011 production: Allen caught 98 passes for 1,343 yards with six touchdowns. He averaged 13. 7 yards per reception.

Why Allen is so important: There are two things here. First, Allen is not only Cal's best receiver -- and one of the best receivers in the nation -- he is, second, Cal's only receiver at present. Seriously. A first-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2011 and No. 15 player on our postseason list of the conference's top-25 players, he is the only -- and unquestionably -- irreplaceable player on the Bears roster. Are we overstating this? No. The Bears lose their Nos. 2, 3 and 4 receivers from 2011. Their No. 5 receiver, tight end Spencer Hagan, is back. He caught 12 passes. So who is their second-leading returning pass-catcher who actually played receiver? That would be Jackson Bouza, a walk-on who caught three passes. Coach Jeff Tedford has candidly admitted that he needs three of his five incoming freshmen receivers to be ready to contribute next fall. While redshirt freshman Maurice Harris, who has great hands but has been inconsistent this spring, and converted defensive back Joel Willis, have a chance to be in the mix, you shouldn't be surprised if Bryce Treggs and Darius Powe end up as Nos. 2 and 3 receivers in 2012. Bottom line: If QB Zach Maynard doesn't have Allen, who is sitting out this spring as he recovers from an ankle injury, the Bears passing game would be crippled.

Through me the way to the suffering city; Through me the everlasting pain; Through me the way that runs among the Lost. Justice urged on my exalted Creator: Divine Power made me, The Supreme Wisdom and the Primal Love. Nothing was made before me but eternal things And I endure eternally. Abandon all hope - You Who Enter Here.

• Rich Rodriguez has become one of the guys around campus.
• House of Sparky's legends tournament is down to the Final Four greatest Sun Devils of all time.
• A look back at Marvin Jones and what he did for Cal in 2011.
• Walk-on John Schrock hasn't rolled over in Colorado's quarterback competition.
• Five questions to ponder as the Ducks start spring. The Tra Carson transfer is official.
• Oregon State will try to do what it can with a thin unit of offensive linemen this spring.
• Andrew Luck to will have a private workout with the Indianapolis Colts.
• Jim Mora says spring will be a time for installing as players adjust to their new coaches and schemes.
• Defensive line rotation is a big factor for the Trojans.
• Utah's coaching staff is pleased with the progress of the quarterbacks. One depth chart change as Utah returns to the field today.
• Some video interviews from Washington's practice are up at the Seattle Times. Here's Keith Price and Jesse Callier.
• WSU running back Marcus Mason talks about the Cougars scrimmage and the new offense.

For many of the former Cal football players who weren't invited to the NFL combine last month, Wednesday was their lone chance to show the NFL scouts what they are capable of -- even if the weather wasn't completely cooperating.

Wide receiver Michael Calvin logged a consensus 4.32 in the 40-yard dash -- a mark that would have been faster than any player at this year's combine.

"When I got to the end, I turned around and everybody was staring at me and looking down comparing times, trying to make sure it was a consistent time," Calvin said in a news release from the school. "I knew it was a good thing, to see that I ran something fast."

Calvin also showed well in the broad jump (11'1") and the vertical jump (40.5"). The broad jump mark would have matched the best jump at the combine and the vertical jump would have tied for fourth best.

"It's a chance for me to show the assets that I have," Calvin said. "Being under the radar, it's good to get this kind of exposure. Showing some speed definitely helps, but I would also have liked to have run some routes. Everything looks great on paper, but I know these guys want to see what you can actually do as a far as position work goes."

The uncooperative weather rained out the position drills.

Linebacker Mychal Kendricks -- who posted a 4.47 in the 40 at the combine, which was tops among inside linebackers -- shaved a tenth of a second off his 20-yard shuttle time.

"Anything can happen in this draft,” Kendricks said. “You just want to get your foot in the door, and once you do, you have to take full advantage. Whether it’s in the first round, second or seventh, you just want to get picked somewhere you fit in. It’s all about what you can do on the field after you get picked. I plan on doing a lot of work on and off the field.”

Some results made available by the school and notes from the pro day:

• Calvin: 4.32 40-yard dash; 40.5” vertical; 11’1” broad jump; 4.09; 20-yard shuttle; 6.79 3-cone drill.
• Safety D.J. Campbell: 4.51 40-yard dash; 38” vertical; 10’7” broad jump; 4.18 20-yard shuttle; 22 bench press reps.
• Wide receiver Coleman Edmond: 41” vertical; 11’1” broad jump; 4.10 20-yard shuttle.
• Kendricks: 4.09 20-yard shuttle; 6.70 3-cone drill.
• Defensive lineman Ernest Owusu: 4.76 40-yard dash; 30” vertical; 9’4” broad jump; 39 bench press reps.
• Campbell’s 22 bench press reps would have been tied for first among safeties at the 2012 combine, while his 4.51 40-yard dash and 38” vertical jump would been second-best, and his 10’7” broad jump would have been tied for second-best among safeties.
• Kendricks’ time of 6.70 in the 3-cone drill would have been the best among linebackers and tied for 10th overall at the 2012 combine (Kendricks did not do the 3 cone drill at the 2012 combine).
• Former Cal players punter Bryan Anger, wide receiver Marvin Jones, offensive lineman Mitchell Schwartz were in attendance at pro day but did not participate in any measurable drills (all three participated in the combine last month).

Dorfman, I've thought long and hard about this. Your Delta Tau Chi name is ... Flounder.

• New Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez and the Wildcats start spring practices Monday. A spring practice primer.
• Former California LB Mychal Kendricks and WR Marvin Jones improved their stock at the NFL combine.
• Colorado coach Jon Embree feels good heading into spring practices.
• It continues to appear that Oregon is aiming for a summary disposition with the NCAA. Ticket prices have gone up at Autzen Stadium.
• Former Oregon State punter Johnny Hekker is eyeballing the NFL.
• UCLA kicker Kip Smith is transferring.
• This USC cornerback is looking for redemption.
• Are new Washington State coach Mike Leach's zero-tolerance discipline policies good for the Cougars or not? Some more thoughts here.

They took my saddle in Houston, broke my leg in Santa Fe.
Lost my wife and a girlfriend somwhere along the way.

• A podcast with Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez talking about all things Wildcats.
• Three former Sun Devils on College Football Hall of Fame ballot. Doug Haller has a conversation with offensive coordinator Mike Norvell.
• Breaking down former Cal players Mychal Kendricks and Marvin Jones at the combine.
• A couple of Colorado workout videos (complete with slow-motion grunting!)
• Defending NCAA violations comes at a price for the University of Oregon.
• Oregon State making some changes to offseason training program.
• Stanford head coach David Shaw said he'd be shocked if former tight end Coby Fleener isn't drafted in the first round.
• Should Dan Guerrero still be at UCLA?
• ESPNLosAngeles looks at USC's linebacking situation.
• According to a university report, the "economic impact" of Utah football increased 60 percent since the move to the Pac-12.
• Bob Condotta dips into his mailbag to answer Washington questions.
• A profile of WSU outsdie linebackers coach Paul Volero.

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

You can see Ted Miller's preseason top 25 here.

No. 15 Keenan Allen, WR, California

2011 numbers: Allen caught 98 passes for 1,343 yards with six touchdowns. He averaged 13. 7 yards per reception.

Preseason ranking: Unranked.

Making the case for Allen: 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 in third in the conference. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound junior put up his huge numbers despite Cal quarterback Zach Maynard -- Allen's half-brother -- ranking 69th in the nation and 10th in the Pac-12 in passing efficiency. If Maynard improves in 2012, Allen's numbers should go up, particularly with the graduation of second-leading receiver Marvin Jones. If there was a downside to Allen's 2011 season, it was him playing better over the first half of the season -- he averaged 138 yards receiving per game in the first six games -- than the second, when he failed to eclipse 100 yards receiving over the final seven games. And you can be sure he'd like to reach the endzone a few more times.

16. Marquis Lee, WR, USC

17. Nick Perry, DE, USC

18. Nick Foles, QB, Arizona

19. T.J. McDonald, S, USC

20. Dion Jordan, DE, Oregon

21. John White IV, RB, Utah

22. Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

23. Nickell Robey, CB, USC

24. Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford

25. David Paulson, TE, Oregon

Pac-12 receivers caught three touchdown passes in the Senior Bowl on Saturday, a 23-13 North victory at Ladd-Peebles Stadium (40,646) in Mobile, Ala.

California's Marvin Jones caught an 8-yard scoring toss from Wisconsin's Russell Wilson in the second quarter. Arizona State's Gerell Robinson hauled in a 41-yard touchdown from Michigan State's Kirk Cousins, which gave the North a 20-6 lead. The South got an answer with Arizona quarterback Nick Foles’ 20-yard touchdown toss to his former teammate in Tucson, Juron Criner.

Foles, after a middling week of practice, had a strong showing in the game, completing 11 of 15 passes for 136 yards. Criner caught six for 77 yards. He and Boise State's Kellen Moore were the only two of the six quarterbacks in the game who didn't throw interceptions.

Robinson caught two passes for 64 yards. Washington had two players in the game. Running back Chris Polk had six carries for 19 yards, while defensive tackle Alameda Ta'amu had two tackles for a loss.

Cal's Mitchell Schwartz started at right tackle for the North.

Former Arizona receiver Juron Criner continues to rally at the Senior Bowl, as he has clearly boosted his stock this week.

From ESPN's Todd McShay: "Arizona WR Juron Criner has had a sneaky-strong week, showing smoothness for his size (6-2, 220) and impressive hands. Criner uses his frame effectively when shielding defenders from the ball, and his 10-4 hands were on display today on over-the-shoulder grabs and catches in traffic. He continued to help himself with another solid effort."

And then there's this from Rob Rang of CBS: "Though he certainly doesn't possess the big play speed of Arkansas' Joe Adams or Houston's Patrick Edwards, he's frankly been a more reliable target this week than either of the other two big possession receivers NFLDraftScout.com currently rates ahead of him -- North Carolina's Dwight Jones and Texas A&M's Jeff Fuller."

Also, it appears Criner's former quarterback, Nick Foles, was better on Day 3. From McShay: "Day 3 was a bit better for Arizona's Nick Foles, who showed better balance and accuracy. Foles is playing smart and making good decisions, though we would like to see him be a bit more aggressive. He's making a lot of safe throws, but we'd like to see him let it rip a bit more and show off his arm talent. He's doing what's asked of him within the system but little more, but there's not a lot of excitement or creativity in his game this week."

Rang liked other former Pac-12 players, including a couple from California. He's already touted former Bears wide receiver Marvin Jones, but offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz also caught his eye:

OT Mitchell Schwartz, California: Overshadowed in the Pac-12 due to the presence of two elite prospects in USC's Matt Kalil and Stanford's Jonathan Martin, Schwartz has stood out this week due to his size (6-5, 317), long arms (33 1/8"), strength and surprising agility. He's held up well at right tackle in pass blocking drills and has done a nice job of sealing off defensive linemen in the running game and has been able to get to the second level, as well. Schwartz has been especially impressive in pass blocking drills, where he's repeatedly stoned Penn State's Jack Crawford and Virginia's Cam Johnson, among others.

The Senior Bowl offers a prospect a chance to move up NFL draft charts, and many scouts and GMs are looking at the QB pecking order behind Stanford's Andrew Luck and Baylor's Robert Griffin III. That's where Arizona's Nick Foles has a chance to land.

But Foles hasn't made a big first impression at Senior Bowl practices, according to Todd McShay.

"Plenty of NFL talent evaluators I talked to entering the week named Foles as a player to watch, but he has failed to blow scouts and front-office types away. He simply hasn't shown anything over the first two days here that we haven't already seen on tape, and he's fallen short of the performance level in some of his best games from 2011.

"Foles has been a little less consistent with his accuracy, and as we've seen in the past he tends to do a lot of checking down and dumping off. That two-day practice showing alone isn't enough to change Foles' entire evaluation, but after watching things up close I've been surprised how much better [Oklahoma State's Brandon] Weeden's performance has been."

Another former Wildcat has made an impression — in good ways and bad ways — and that's Foles' top target, Juron Criner.

Arizona WR Juron Criner had a hard time creating separation and didn't show much explosiveness out of breaks, but he caught everything thrown his way. Criner was excellent on Day 2 with his ability to extend his arms and snatch balls out of the air.

Some other Pac-12 players made an impression.

From the Philadelphia Eagles Blog, two Pac-12 players moved up:

Marvin Jones/WR/Cal: Jones, 6-2, 198, was a reliable wideout all through his college career and today showed he has the skills to play at the next level. Jones ran crisp, precise routes which enabled him to get separation from defenders. He also displayed the ability to turn it on with a single step and beat defenders in the deep field. Jones caught everything thrown in his direction and has scouts believing he’ll be a solid fit as a third wide out in the NFL.

Senio Kelemete/OL/Washington: Kelemete looked like the most athletic offensive lineman on the field today and did a great job handling the left tackle spot, where he spent the day. He moves his feet well, displays terrific quickness and handled the speed rushers that lined up against him. The big question about Kelemete is whether his 6-3 ? frame will allow him to play left tackle at the next level or whether he’ll be forced to move to guard.

On the downside, there was Utah OT Tony Bergstrom and Washington RB Chris Polk:

Tony Bergstrom/OL/Utah: Bergstrom, 6-5, 315, looked outclassed on a number of snaps today and was consistently beaten by defensive tackles. He showed little in the way of balance, strength or the ability to stay on his feet.

Chris Polk/RB/Washington: Polk has been running hard on the inside yet shows no elusiveness or creativity. He gets high in his stance and on several occasions during Tuesday practice was stopped dead in his tracks by defenders and showed no ability to bounce around piles or elude would-be tacklers.

Also, Huskies DT Alameda Ta'amu didn't impress CBS draft guru Rob Rang:

The duo stood in strong contrast to Washington's Alameda Ta'amu and Boise State's Billy Winn, each of whom have been disappointments, thus far. Ta'amu is a powerful run plugger sure to intrigue 3-4 teams looking for a nose guard. His power and mass (6-2, 341) makes him a classic block-eater but his lack of any type of pass rush ability is painfully apparent during drills. If his opponent has the anchor and core flexibility to handle Ta'amu's bull rush, the big Husky can offer little else. Winn, who was used inside and out while with the Broncos, may be proving himself to be a 'tweener with a lackluster performance, thus far. He hasn't shown the agility to slip blocks nor the power to push the pocket.

But, as it's important to note, NFL beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and impressions will go up and down during the week. Consider this on Ta'amu.

Watching Washington DT Alameda Ta’amu, it’s really impressive the kind of raw power he possesses when asked to simply overwhelm opposing lineman through contact. He also has a sneaky quick set of hands when trying to shed and can keep himself clean. However, he has a tough time keeping his pad level down through contact and far too often is easy to block because of it.

As a person who has covered multiple Senior Bowls, I can tell you that impressions are complicated. You stand at practice and you can only focus on one position group at a time. You watch 10 plays here. You watch 10 plays there. The 10 plays you see with either could end up being far different than the 10 plays that follow when you move on. The same with the NFL guys you chat with. And those guys often don't want to show their cards anyway.

So the analysis you read at the end of the week rather than the beginning tends to be more complete.

Former California receiver Marvin Jones has been invited to the Senior Bowl, where he will join former Bears teammate, offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz.

Cal linebacker Mychal Kendricks had earlier accepted an invitation for this year’s contest but will not be participating.

The 63rd Senior Bowl, the premier college football all-star game, showcases college football’s top seniors. It will be played Saturday in Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala., at 4 p.m. ET. NFL Network will televise the contest live and also beginning Monday, Jan. 23, will provide coverage of all practices leading up to the contest.

“It is a great honor to be in this game, representing not only myself, but the University of California,” Jones said in a statement. “To play amongst the best of the best in this year’s class while being coached by some of the best coaches in the league adds a great deal of excitement.”

Jones played in 43 games during his four seasons in Berkeley, making 38 starts. He finished his career among Cal’s all-time leaders in receiving yards (2,260, 6th), 100-yard receiving games (6, T6th), receptions (156, T7th) and receiving touchdowns (13, T8th). This past season, Jones recorded career highs in receptions (62) and receiving yards (846), both second on the club behind Keenan Allen, while starting and making at least one catch in all 13 games to extend his streak to the final 38 games of his career. Jones earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors and also picked up a spot on the ESPN.com Pac-12 Blog’s all-underrated team as a senior.

STANFORD, Calif. – The Cardinal overcame a sluggish first half to top Cal 31-28 in the 114th Big Game. And, per usual for this gathering, it came down to the final minute.

Cal made a game of it in the fourth quarter, cutting a 28-13 deficit to 28-21 with 10:53 remaining. Zach Maynard connected with Spencer Hagan for a 3-yard touchdown pass, then converted the 2-point conversion to Marvin Jones.

But the Cardinal went on a 14-play drive, eating up 57 yards and 7 minutes, 40 seconds that ended in a 35-yard Jordan Williamson field goal – making it a two-possession game with three minutes remaining.

The Bears drove to the Stanford 1-yard line with 18 seconds left and C.J. Anderson scored to cut Stanford’s lead to 31-28. But the Bears were unable to recover the onside kick. It went right to Cardinal tight end Coby Fleener, who made the catch in the air and then fell to the ground to secure the win.

Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck shook off a bumpy first half to finish 20-of-30 for 257 yards and two second-half touchdowns. He also threw an interception for the fourth consecutive game – though it came when his receiver slipped on the wet grass.

Tyler Gaffney and Ty Montgomery each had rushing touchdowns and fullback Ryan Hewitt and tight end Levine Toilolo had touchdown receptions.

Maynard finished 20-of-29 with 279 yards and two touchdowns.

Cal running back Isi Sofele rushed for 85 yards on 22 carries.

We’re about to kickoff at Stanford Stadium in the 114th Big Game. A few things to keep an eye on.

1. While Cal gets a lot of publicity for its talented wide receivers, Keenan Allen and Marvin Jones, running back Isi Sofele's production has been a significant determining factor in the outcome of games. When he rushes at least 18 times, Cal is 6-0. When he doesn’t hit that number, the Bears are 0-4. Coincidence?
2. Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck has thrown an interception in three straight games -- the longest streak of his career. However, it’s not his worst “block” of interceptions. That came last season when he had back-to-back games with two interceptions against Notre Dame and Oregon.
3. Stanford running back Stepfan Taylor is 10 yards away from his second consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season. Taylor only has four 100-yard rushing games this season. But the past three games Taylor has rushed for 99, 95 and 99 yards.

Happy Friday.

Lead me on Twitter!

To the notes!

John from Los Angeles writes: What, in your opinion, do you think, has made the SEC the preeminent conference in the country? I remember the good old days when Washington, Colorado, UCLA, and USC were in the top 5 and top 10, with some National Championships along the way (Personally, I thought it had a lot to do with recruiting the Los Angeles area). But with the rise of the SEC do you think it has more to do with the changing of the game? More specifically, the move to more spread offenses and the need for speedier athletes, which the SEC currently has? Or do you think it has a lot to do with the defensive lineman in the SEC, who seem to be so much better than West Coast d-lineman? A lot of people say conference strength is cyclical, but is the current change in the game really cyclical or has it just evolved? Maybe it is demographics, as more and more people move to the Sunbelt and the talent pool has gotten bigger? Sorry, a lot to digest here from a concerned West Coast football fan.

Ted Miller: This could be a 15,000-word essay. Or a 400-page book. But here's a CliffsNotes version.

• Money: The SEC's rise parallels the rise of the BCS and the game growing from a pretty big business to a multi-billion dollar business. The SEC always had huge stadiums packed to overflow, but over the past 15 or so years, the conference has been able to monetize its popularity. What does money do? It hires elite coaches like Nick Saban, Urban Meyer and Steve Spurrier and it pays top assistant coaches what head coaches make in other conferences.
• Recruiting: Demographics have concentrated more talent in the Southeast than anywhere else. You've got big guys and fast guys and fast big guys. (I mean Anthony Johnson: Are you kidding me?). The population may be greater in California, which still produces the premium quarterbacks, but a walk across a football field on a Friday night in the Southeast will have you asking if these are truly high school teams.
• Culture: College football is king in the South (not the NFL, as it is everywhere else). Almost all the best athletes play football, and dream of playing in college, even though playing the most physically and mentally taxing sport in the Southeast humidity is worse than anywhere else. Want to know where all the West Coast linemen are? Playing basketball. Go to a big high school hoops tournament this winter. See all those 6-foot-5 guys? They will never sniff a Division I basketball court but they could have become NFL tight ends or offensive tackles. 100s of young men on the West Coast miss out every year on Pac-12 scholarships because they choose -- or are steered to -- basketball.
• Self-fulfilling prophecy: Those who have been reading the Pac-12 blog since 2008, know I've taken on the topic of the SEC's dominance multiple times. Three years ago, I was more resistant to it. Not because I was a "Pac-10 homer," but because I didn't completely buy the "SEC rules" argument. That was three SEC national titles ago, including one lost by a Pac-10 team -- Oregon -- that I thought was going to stomp the team it lost to (Auburn). My feeling is all that "SEC rules!" talk, which has been around since Bear Bryant was the toast to of Tuscaloosa, was repeated so often, it became a recognized truth before it actually was true. And that perception helped the conference grow stronger and stronger until it became true. How? It also became a potent recruiting selling point. Consider the words of former top-rated recruit Ronald Powell of Moreno Valley, Calif. Yeah, not easy to hear for Pac-12 defensive coaches.

By the way, I know some of you might be tired of this topic. It seems like we take it on a few times a year. The reason I do that, though, is because it appears in the mailbag at least a handful of times every week. It seems like a topic that continues to be of genuine interest.

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Brian from Beaverton, Ore., writes: While you can't argue with the overall effectiveness of James at running back this year, have you noticed that even though they are running the spread offense, the majority of these running plays do not appear to be as read heavy between [QB Darron] Thomas and [RB LaMichael] James as they were last year? With Thomas being such an effective duel threat quarterback they are effectively removing an offensive weapon when he isn't taking the read option as much. This is allowing the defense to load up the tackle box and focus on the running back. Last year the defense had to be more honest because Thomas was more effective at holding onto the option and rushing himself. Do you see this as a fundamental change within the system or am I reading too much into it?

Ted Miller: Chip Kelly has said repeatedly that Thomas is just doing his proper reads and has not been steered away from running the ball.

Of course, sometimes Chip just says "high" because a reporter said "low." I know that an opposing coach who was talking to me about the 3-4 looks Oregon sometimes uses on defense laughed in my face when I told him that Kelly said they didn't use a 3-4 defense. His response, which employed several colorful terms, was Kelly is full of malarkey and that reporters are stupid.

Thomas rushed for 486 yards in 13 games last year. He's rushed for 100 yards through five games. That does seem like a statistical trend suggesting he's running less. Is that just him reading what the defense gives him? I doubt it.

That said, Thomas rushed 10 times for 52 yards and scored both his rushing TDs against Arizona. So the threat is still there.

And, if I were going to crawl inside Chip Kelly's head and look around, I'd say that's exactly what he wants.

Because the Ducks run a spread-option, an opposing defense has to spend time accounting for the QB run. That takes up precious time. And if a defense coordinator takes note that Thomas rushed only five times in the first three games and decides to de-emphasize that possibility, he could get burned -- see Arizona.

Coaches spend a lot of time thinking about tendencies and what their opposition might be thinking. I think Kelly -- quite reasonably -- likes the idea of Thomas running less because it puts him at less risk for injury. But he also likes burning your butt when you start to think Thomas won't run.

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Mark from La Quinta, Calif., writes: Do you agree with your colleague Jesse Palmer when he stated that Cal had the two best wide outs in the conference? Or was he hyping the game as a lot of announcers tend to do on games they are broadcasting?

Ted Miller: There are so many good receiver combos in the Pac-12 it's hard to choose, but Palmer's position is defensible: Entering the weekend, Keenan Allen ranked third and Marvin Jones sixth in the Pac-12 in receiving yards per game. No other tandem matched that. And that's notable because QB Zach Maynard only ranked fifth in passing yards per game (268.2).

Allen will be in the mix with USC's Robert Woods, Washington State's Marquess Wilson and Arizona's Juron Criner for first-team All-Pac-10. He's a big-time player. I suspect Jones will get drafted this spring.

So these guys are both good, experienced, A-list players.

So do I share Palmer's take? I might not have in the preseason, and I might not at season's end, but at this point, yes, they are the best 1-2 punch in the conference.

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Jacob from Fort Hood, Texas, writes: I feel as though Foles is getting the shaft because he is on a losing record team, but can you tell me why he isn't even being considered for the Heisman award even though he has more passing yardage than nearly every qb in the country? It doesn't make sense to me. Maybe you can shed some light on how the voting works and who is deserving in reality of the Heisman trophy. Is it more of a beauty pageant than an award for shear talent? Also, if Foles continues down the path that he is heading what round of the draft do you think that he will be picked up in?

Ted Miller: The Heisman Trophy goes to a player for one of two reasons (and sometimes both). 1. Outrageous numbers; 2. Best player on best team. Often, those two are blended.

To start, Foles wasn't billed as a top candidate entering the season. Further, he is hurt because his team is 1-4.

To overcome those two issues, Foles would have to have outrageous numbers. He's got very good numbers, but not outrageous ones. He presently ranks 22nd in the nation in passing efficiency. And though he's piled up a lot of yards, 10 other QBs match or beat Foles' 14 TD passes.

As for the NFL draft, it's hard to say. I would be more surprised if he lasted past the third round than if he was selected in the first round. If you've ever chatted with him, he's a lot like Andrew Luck in terms of makeup. Smart, humble, eager to give credit to his teammates. And clearly very competitive.

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Evan from Charlottesville, Va., writes: You've written a couple times on the puzzling exclusion of LaMichael James from the current Heisman discussion. What is particularly confusing to me, however, is the fact that you yourself left him off of your ESPN Heisman Watch ballot this week. Assuming you vote Andrew Luck at number one, who filled out the rest of your ballot in spots two through five? And if you rated any other running backs ahead of James, what was your reasoning?

Ted Miller: We do a top-five for ESPN.com each week. Here's mine from last week.

1. Andrew Luck. 2. Kellen Moore; 3. Trent Richardson; 4. Robert Griffin; 5. Marcus Lattimore

(In retrospect, I should have dropped Lattimore after two straight underwhelming games).

My reasoning for leaving James off the ballot was twofold: 1. He didn't play well on a big stage against LSU (which he admitted); 2. His competition since then has been weak. His performance this week against a solid Cal defense will likely push him into my top five. Of course, now he's hurt and likely to miss at least a couple of weeks.

And if he doesn't, that would certainly add to his aura of being Heisman-worthy.

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Spencer from Baton Rouge, La., writes: Because I live a couple thousand miles away from the West Coast, Thursday's game against Oregon was the first time I have watched Cal play this season. Having listened to the other games via online radio streams, I knew Maynard struggled with accuracy. But I was shocked to see how poor his throwing mechanics are. How does a QB guru such as Jeff Tedford let such play fly? Granted, Maynard has not yet thrown the interceptions that Riley and Mansion did (which I attribute to poor decision making), but it is extremely surprising that Tedford would feel comfortable with the way Maynard throws the ball.

Ted Miller: Without asking Tedford, my guess is that he chose not to mess with Maynard's natural throwing motion too much. Maynard is 22-years-old. Making drastic changes wouldn't be easy, especially with Maynard arriving at Cal as a junior, not a true freshman.

Sure, Maynard did have to sit out last year after transferring from Buffalo, meaning he could have refined his technique to a degree. I suspect Tedford has worked with him on his technique. But it might have been pretty late in the game for wholesale changes.

And I'm guessing that Maynard will get lots of work with Tedford based on how he threw at Oregon.

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Rotfogel from Oakland writes: You have Cal only scoring 17? Oregon's porous defense is going to hold the Pac 12's best WR tandem and offensive to 17? Maybe, highly unlikely but as you've said, Oregon is a tough place to play. I'm kinda happy you made that the score though, Cal's defense is far and away the Pac 12s best, hopefully they show it tonight.

Ted Miller: I predicted 44-17. Oregon won 43-15.

I know: Gloating is unseemly. So sorry about that.

And is it just me or does it seem like the mailbag fills up more when I'm wrong than when I'm right?

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Pete from Los Angeles writes: Not sure if you saw this, but the Times of London's prestigious international rankings of the top 400 universities was released this week, and the Pac 12 has 4 schools in the top 25...in the world! No other AQ conference comes close. Once again shows that the Pac 12 is dominant in at least one category!

Ted Miller: We are so smart.

Will I pick up any second-hand smart from hanging around with you guys?

USC receiver Robert Woods, Washington cornerback Desmond Trufant and kicker Erik Folk have been named Pac-12 Players of the Week.

Woods, a sophomore from Carson, Calif., caught 17 passes for 177 yards in No. 25 USC’s season-opening home win against Minnesota. The 17 receptions broke Johnnie Morton’s school mark of 15 (set in 1993). It was the second-most receptions in a game by a Pac-12 receiver (2 shy of the record). Woods hauled in three touchdowns (7, 43 and 2 yards, all in the first half) to tie a school game record. He also returned three kickoffs for 73 yards. He had 11 grabs for 115 yards in the first half.

Trufant, a junior from Tacoma, Wash., led both teams with a career-high 11 tackles in the Huskies' 30-27 win against reigning NCAA FCS champion Eastern Washington. Trufant also had perhaps the most important play of the game as he intercepted a pass in the end zone with just 29 seconds remaining in the final quarter. Additionally, Trufant forced a fumble that was recovered by the UW in the first quarter.

Folk, a senior from Woodland Hills, Calif., was a 3-for-3 on field goals for the Huskies. All three of Folks field goals came from at least 40 yards, as he hit from 53, 47 and 40 yards. His 53-yarder was just a yard shy of his career best.

Also nominated for offensive player of the week honors were quarterbacks Nick Foles of Arizona, Brock Osweiler of Arizona State, Andrew Luck of Stanford, and Marshall Lobbestael of Washington State; running backs Malcolm Agnew of Oregon State, John White of Utah and Chris Polk of Washington; wide receivers Marvin Jones of California and Paul Richardson of Colorado; and tight end Joseph Fauria of UCLA. Also nominated on defense were defensive end C.J. Parish of Arizona, linebackers Vontaze Burfict of Arizona State, Mychal Kendricks of California, Shayne Skov of Stanford, Brian Blechen of Utah and Alex Hoffman-Ellis of Washington State; and cornerback Torin Harris of USC. Also nominated for special teams play were returner Jamal Miles of Arizona State, tackle Matt Kalil of USC and place kickers Jordan Williamson of Stanford and Coleman Petersen of Utah.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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