ESPN College Football

Wanted to hit the notes that were neglected during my week of vacation.

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ESPN_Pac10

Troy from Portland writes: One thing I have struggled with is why OSU seems unattractive to the high end receivers. Is it just the locale? After the success of 2000, and the receiver that shall not be named, my assumption was OSU showed itself as a destination that could showcase a talent with its system.

Ted Miller: You are right. Oregon State hasn't had any good receivers since Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh teamed up in 2000.

Other than James Newson (first-team All-Pac-10 in 2003). Or Mike Hass (two-time first-team All-Pac-10 and the 2005 Biletnikoff Award winner as the nation's best receiver). Or Sammie Stroughter (first-team All-Pac-10 in 2008). Or this James Rodgers guy (first-team All-Pac-10 in 2009).

Do you FEEL my sarcasm spewing through your computer screen?

In fact, seeing that the Beavers have seven times produced a first- or second-team All-Pac-10 receiver over the past 10 seasons, you might ACTUALLY say that no other Pac-10 program -- other than USC -- even approaches Oregon State's success producing elite, productive receivers over the past decade.

Now, if you are talking about recruiting rankings, perhaps you are correct. Plenty of other programs have been able to attract 18-star recruits who went on to find comfortable spots on the bench where they could, presumably, read about those lowly 1/2-star recruits for the Beavers catching a bunch of passes and earning postseason honors.

Eric from Arizona writes: You are killing me. Even in most other Pac-10 teams' "worst case" scenarios they beat the Sun Devils. I am not optimistic about the Devils this year, but come on. You don't even give us a shot when the other team's wheels fall off? Worst case, a demoralized Huskies team still beat ASU with a backup quarterback no one has heard of? Is ASU that bad? Have we been bad neighbors? Are you mad about the immigration law? Are you frustrated with the 115 degree temps? What have we done to deserve this?

Ted Miller: Yes, I am frustrated with the 115 degree temps. You folks are great neighbors. I don't do politics on the Pac-10 blog.

Look, I hear you. One of the challenges of doing these "best and worst case" pieces is making sure all the dots connect. And there's also the "collateral damage" of teams that serve as sacrificial lambs in the worst-case scenarios.

The reason Arizona State loses to Washington in the Huskies' "worst case" is twofold: 1. I have picked Arizona State to finish ninth in the conference, so it makes sense based on my media poll vote that it will take it on the chin a few times; 2. It would be far more galling for Huskies fans to lost to Washington State than Arizona State.

As for how "bad" the Sun Devils are, it's more a case of the conference's depth. I see ASU as team that should be competitive in just about every game it plays, and I certainly wouldn't be shocked if the Sun Devils ended up in a bowl game.

Morgan from Los Angeles writes: I follow college football recruiting pretty religiously and recently I have found myself confused at how USC is not seeming to be affected by its scholarship restriction. According to most recruiting Web sites, they already have close to 10 commits for the class of 2011, but have many, many other offers out there for top prospects. How can this be? If even 1/4 of the other recruits that they have offered accept the scholarships, it seems as though they would be over their limit given the sanctions they are operating under. When the sanctions came down, I thought they would be forced to be much more selective and possibly even retract some offers for prospects in this class. Can you help me understand?

Ted Miller: USC is appealing its NCAA sanctions, therefore its 2011 recruiting class won't be limited. You should expect the Trojans to do everything they can to stock up this go-round.

And top prospects will continue to look seriously at USC even when the sanctions do hit. Why? Because USC remains USC: It's an NFL factory and one of the premier programs in the country.

Peter from Palo Alto, Calif., writes: How is Rose Bowl selection affected by the bowl-ineligibility of USC. If USC wins the PAC-10 and is disqualified, does the Rose Bowl have to take the second place PAC-10 team? Or is the Rose Bowl free to select whomever they like from other conferences?

Ted Miller: Here's how it goes this season: USC won't win the Pac-10, even if it does. So the conference actually functions as a nine-team league this season (and if USC loses its appeal, it also won't be eligible in 2011). The top team from that nine will go to the Rose Bowl.

Unless, of course, that team is selected for the national title game. At that point, there is a new BCS rule you may want to be aware of: "For the games in January 2011 through 2014, the first year the Rose Bowl loses a team to the [national championship game] and a team from the non-AQ group is an automatic qualifier, that non-AQ team will play in the Rose Bowl."

So, say, undefeated Stanford is selected to play Alabama in the national title game on Jan. 10 in University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. That wouldn't mean that the next team in the Pac-10 standings would become the Rose Bowl representative -- the slot would go to a non-AQ team.

Jason from Emeryville, Calif., writes: Where do you feel the Pac 10 championship game should be played, and where do you think it will end up being played in the future?

Ted Miller: I think the best course is to allow the No. 1 seed to host the game.

The wisdom there is twofold: 1. Giving the No. 1 seed an advantage is both fair and better for the conference's national title prospects; 2. The game is far more likely to sell out than if it were at a neutral site.

On the downside, not knowing where the game will be played in advance of the season makes it harder to plan, both for the Pac-10 (which wants to make the championship game an "event") and for any broadcast partners. Moreover, it wouldn't be ideal if the game ended up in Pullman or Corvallis.

But based on what we've seen so far out of commissioner Larry Scott, I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't have a grand plan, which might include giving the game a permanent home -- perhaps University of Phoenix Stadium -- or rotating the game among major Pac-10 cities.

Damon from Tucson writes: I just read your Best case-worst case: Arizona and it all sounds pretty good, but in the worst case part you talk about UA and ASU both being 5-6. You say that each needs to win the game in order to become bowl eligible. This is correct for Arizona however if you are counting ASU's wins against Portland State and NAU then you must know that a school can only count one win against FCS opponents toward bowl eligibility, so ASU must be 7-5 at the end of the year to play in a bowl. Just thought I would point that out.

Ted Miller: You are correct. My bad. Arizona State, because it plays two FCS foes this season, needs to finish 7-5 to become bowl-eligible.

Brandon from Davenport, Iowa writes: Your "worst case scenario" for Arizona is losing to Iowa by less than two touchdowns?!? Seems to me that is more of a best-case scenario. Arizona lost too much talent to beat Iowa with the defense that they have this season.

Ted Miller: Hmm. Got a couple of notes like this. Iowa fans seem really confident.

We shall see.

Bryan from Berkeley, Calif., writes: Like you I have had a great time laughing at [former Arizona State receiver] Isaiah Mustafa's Old Spice ads and was wondering if you have seen his new video responses to twitter and fan mail. Thought you might enjoy it. This new level of ridiculousness can be seen in this link.

Ted Miller: If that doesn't make you laugh, you are probably dead.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

My name is Maximus Decimus Masolius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.

• An Arizona legend is retiring from the NFL.
• Arizona State has a big foot.
• The future is bright at California, this season and beyond. A late Sunday update from Cal practice.
• Oregon believes it is strong enough to take Boise. Nice George Schroeder column on Boise State coach Chris Petersen.
• Oregon State is taking Portland State seriously. Turns out Sammie Stroughter was a steal in the seventh round.
• Stanford's official Web site has done a great job with some video previews of the Cardinal.
• UCLA quarterback Kevin Prince has been waiting two years to play football again.
• With Ronald Johnson out, other USC receivers will need to step up. Aaron Corp is struggling with the QB decision.
• Washington is eyeballing No. 11 LSU. Looking at the injury issues.
• Washington State will be young when it opens against Stanford.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

We are less than a week away.

So we've got that going for us.

What's on your mind?

Nick from Portland writes: Is the Pac 10 blog experiencing technical difficulties today? I'm looking to get my fix of news for August 28th but it only goes as recent as the 24th.

Ted Miller: Yes, but a lot of smart people are working very hard to get things fixed.

Israel from El Paso, Tex., writes: So, as a USC fan I'm not completely sold on Matt Barkley being named the starter for USC. Far be it for me to question Pete Carroll's eye for talent, but sometimes does it seem like Coach Carroll will play inconsistent guys with flashes of greatness at the cost of winning (i.e. Joe Mcknight @ Oregon St. or Everson Griffen @ pick a time). What's your take on this, is Pete sacrificing this season for the next few seasons or is Barkley the guy to take USC back to the national title game right now? Your choice Ted, soothe me or terrify me.

Ted Miller: Let's understand the bedrock of this decision first: Aaron Corp is injured. It is unlikely he will be full speed by the opener against San Jose State on Sept. 5.

If Corp never got hurt, despite the gist of what the USC coaches are saying, he probably would have started the opener.

Now, the Trojans coaches have a couple of strategic issues at work here within their locker room: 1. They don't want it to seem they are going with a stop-gap solution; 2. They want Matt Barkley to go into the season feeling as confident as possible -- and his teammates to feel the same.

So Pete Carroll anointed Barkley. For now. Unless he doesn't play well.

This is not to say that Barkley isn't special. It's been clear for a while that Barkley's refined talent, poise and intelligence have intrigued Carroll and his staff.

My sense is that the USC coaches believe Barkley might actually go out and kick butt, first against San Jose State and then at Ohio State. And, if so, that means "away we go" with the next big thing in college football.

And if he doesn't? Corp's leg should be ready to go -- or at least a lot better -- before the Sept. 12 visit to the Horseshoe.

---

Jess from North Bend: Do you think voters are weighing team's schedules when they fill out their ballots? For instance, teams like Ole Miss and Boise St. are being picked very high. They are both very good football teams without a doubt. However, it seems people are giving them even more love since they play very soft schedules. Why should a team be ranked higher because they have a better chance of success with an easier schedule? Doesn't it give them an advantage on top of an advantage?

Ted Miller: Jess, I hope this annoys you because then we can share our annoyance, which always makes it better.

Yes, people do that. And it's wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

The rankings, as the AP expressly states when a writer is asked to vote, are not about predicting a team's finish based on how they will do vs. their schedule. It's about how good you think a team is relative to others.

Now, I don't want to sound like I always follow the ranking rules. I punish teams for weak schedules. For example, while Texas Tech improved to 4-0 after playing Eastern Washington, Nevada, SMU and Massachusetts last year, I dropped them each week. I thought the Red Raiders were a good team, but I jumped teams over them based on what had actually happened during the season -- even teams I thought they'd whip.

Some might not like that. I call it holding programs accountable when coaches and ADs conspire to hide from competition. If more voters did the same, we'd have less cowardly scheduling.

I ranked Ole Miss No. 13 in my vote for ESPN.com's preseason Power Rankings. I think the 12 teams I ranked in front of Ole Miss would -- or will, in the case of Alabama and LSU -- beat them.

I could be wrong, of course.

And the Rebels, whose nonconference schedule includes Memphis, SE Louisiana, UAB and Northern Arizona -- for shame! -- will not move up until Sept. 24 when a visit to South Carolina figures to provide something of a true measuring stick. They won't have a shot at pushing into the top-10 of my poll until they play Alabama on Oct. 10.

If the Rebels believe they are special, they should have found a tough nonconference foe to prove it against. It seems like it's not a coincidence that the Rebels lost to their one tough nonconference foe last year: Wake Forest.

I had Boise State 18th. The Broncos have a chance to climb based on what happens Sept. 3.

---

Finnster fro Bothell, Wash., writes: What's up with the NCAA Clearinghouse this year? In the past, I only remember hearing about it when players had particular issues; this year it seems like they are coming up alot.

Ted Miller: You probably have a player you are following, that's why the Clearinghouse seems so prominent.

This happens every season -- a backlog of players who need clearance to be eligible and a bureaucracy that moves at a glacial pace.

Want to know why it's so slow? The same reason rules enforcement is so slow and inconsistent. There's no money in it. Now, the NCAA (self-) promotions budget! That's special!

No offense to the NCAA Clearinghouse but I hate the NCAA Clearinghouse.

It's the bane of coaches, fans and beat writers (Repeat this exchange 50 times: Reporter: Any word from the Clearinghouse? Coach: No.)

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

This is the first of our position rankings. On Tuesday, which is Pac-10 day on ESPN.com -- hey, take the day off; it should be a national holiday! -- we will continue with quarterbacks, which is one of our monumental stories for tomorrow's package. Feel free to disagree. This took quiet a while to put together, with lots of shuffling and re-thinking, etc.

USC: Damian Williams and Ronald Johnson are one of the best pairs in the nation. They combined for 17 touchdowns in 2008. There's outstanding depth and athleticism behind them, led by David Ausberry.
Arizona: This is a shaky No. 2 because Delashaun Dean has been hurt almost all of camp, but he and Terrell Turner combined for 86 receptions last year. William "Bug" Wright and Juron Criner ar
e up-and-comers.
UCLA: Terrence Austin and Taylor Embree combined for 93 receptions last year but only one touchdown. Nelson Rosario should be more a factor this fall, while freshman speedster Randall Carroll and Ricky Marvray look ready to contribute.
Arizona State: Chris McGaha, Kerry Taylor and Kyle Williams combined for 81 receptions and eight touchdowns last year, while Gerell Robinson looks a lot better after struggling as a true freshman.
Oregon: This might be a little high, considering the Ducks' top two receivers from 2008, Terence Scott and Jaison Williams, are gone. Jeff Maehl -- 39 receptions, five touchdowns -- is the only returning receiver with double-digit receptions. But speedy Jamere Holland and newcomers Lavasier Tuinei, Tyrece Gaines, and Diante Jackson have opened eyes during practices (though Gaines and Jackson have battled injuries).
California: Everybody from 2008 is back as is talented sophomore Marvin Jones, who missed most of last year with a knee injury. The crew had potential last year, but it wasn't realized. There's more experience now, so it's likely things will trend up at the position for the Bears.
Oregon State: James Rodgers is a great start, but Sammie Stroughter and Shane Morales will be the toughest combination to replace in the conference. And this ranking doesn't include the injured Darrell Catchings, which means this is a young and unproven unit. Damola Adeniji, Jordan Bishop, Casey Kjos, Geno Munoz and Markus Wheaton have had their moments this preseason.
Washington: D'Andre Goodwin, Jermaine Kearse and Devin Aguilar combined for 100 receptions last year. The bad news is they scored only three touchdowns. Toss in freshman James Johnson, and this is one of the Huskies strongest positions. They may well be better than eighth, but they've got to prove themselves.
Stanford: The Cardinal is expecting dramatic gains for its passing offense with quarterback Andrew Luck. And the receiving corps might be ready to jump aboard. Ryan Whalen and Doug Baldwin combined for 64 receptions last year, and Chris Owusu and some intriguing young players, such as Jamal-Rashad Patterson, will help. But after averaging 152 yards passing last year, the receivers, like the Huskies crew, need to prove themselves.
Washington State: The Cougars had the worst passing offense in the conference last year -- six touchdowns, 21 interceptions -- and the departed Brandon Gibson represented a third of that production. Speedy Jeshua Anderson could be a more refined receiver this fall, and there's some youngsters who might make an impact. Injuries have hurt during the preseason.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- There have been no press conferences, no dramatic headlines nor any sort of coronation, but it's becoming increasingly clear that Sean Canfield will be Oregon State's starting quarterback on Sept. 5 when Portland State comes to town.

And it's not just that fellow senior Lyle Moevao, the starter in 2008, isn't fully recovered from a shoulder injury.

	AP Photo/Wily Low
	Sean Canfield says that he is "that guy who needs to lead this team to where it wants to go."

Canfield, beginning last spring and continuing through preseason practices, has been at the top of his game. Folks who have been watching practices every day use terms like "lights out."

According to coach Mike Riley, Canfield has completed nearly 70 percent of his throws during fall camp, which "has never happened before, for anybody."

Well, somebody, somewhere might have done that, but it's clear that Canfield's play has raised a few eyebrows in the coaching offices.

Canfield doesn't hesitate to agree. He's feeling it.

"I think I'm that guy," he said. "I feel like I'm that guy who needs to lead this team to where it wants to go."

Speaking of going places, it's hard to believe Canfield arrived at this point. If anyone understands what Moevao might be going through, it's Canfield, because last year his career was mostly written off while he was the one recovering slowly from a shoulder problem and Moevao was turning heads.

Moevao passed for 2,500 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2008, and almost surely would have eclipsed the 3,000-yard mark if he hadn't gotten hurt.

Meanwhile, Canfield was quietly stuck on the bench, and most folks only remembered him as the guy who threw 15 interceptions while being the the primary starter over Moevao in 2007.

Moevao, at 5-foot-11, 225 pounds, wasn't the pretty picture that the 6-foot-4, 214-pound Canfield was, but he was a charismatic, cool-as-a-cucumber leader who made it abundantly clear he just loved playing football.

Canfield noticed.

"Early on, it was a growth and development thing for me as far as leadership and quarterbacking," he said. "I've always known I had the physical tools. It's a credit to Lyle. He's a great leader and he has a lot of fun when he plays. I picked up on that."

Then Moevao got hurt in the eighth game against Arizona State.

Enter a new-and-improved Canfield, who came off the bench and led the Beavers to a victory over the Sun Devils and then also won games as the starter against UCLA and Arizona.

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN,com's Ted Miller

Oregon State receiver Darrell Catchings will be out four weeks after breaking a bone in his right hand over the weekend, the school announced.

Catchings only caught seven passes last year, but the junior had an outstanding spring and was expected to be a centerpiece of the passing offense, which lost its two leading receivers from 2008, Sammie Stroughter and Shane Morales.

With Catchings out, true freshman Markus Wheaton, one of the stars thus far of preseason camp, will into Catchings' spot -- "X' receiver -- while Damola Adeniji will shift to "Z" behind James Rodgers.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Every team enters spring practices with at least a couple of personnel questions, even those with their starting lineup returning nearly intact.

Sometimes those questions don't get answered. Other times they do.

Such as ...

Arizona: The Wildcats lost two of their three starting linebackers, but coach Mike Stoops said he believes they will be better at the position in 2009, with junior Vuna Tuihalamaka making a special impression in the middle this spring.

Arizona State: The Sun Devils lost middle linebacker Morris Wooten, but the LB position looks like it could run six-deep in 2009, particularly with the expected arrival of super-recruit Vontaze Burfict in the fall. The return of former starter Gerald Munns, who left the team for personal reasons, helps as does the emergence of young players whose speed upgrades are intriguing.

California: Not to get stuck on a linebacker theme, but most previews of the Bears will raise questions about them losing three longtime starters at linebacker. Hanging around this spring, however, you get the feeling this position will be fine. In fact, a couple of touted incoming JC transfers will make the fall competition intense. Look for Mike Mohamed and Mychal Kendricks to make a play for All-Conference honors.

Oregon: The Ducks lost three of four starting defensive linemen, including end Nick Reed, so this seemed like as big a question mark as the offensive line entering spring. Apparently not, at least according to coach Chip Kelly. Will Tukuafu should emerge from Reed's shadow as one of the conference's best ends, and tackle Brandon Bair and end Kenny Rowe stepped up. There's still competition at one tackle, but the Ducks' recruiting class included six defensive linemen, at least a couple of whom figure to see action.

Oregon State: The Beavers lost receivers Sammie Stroughter and Shane Morales, but by the end of spring that didn't seem like a problem, even with James Rodgers sitting out with a shoulder injury. Junior Darrell Catchings broke through and redshirt freshman Jordan Bishop lived up to high expectations and others flashed potential.

Stanford: The passing game -- on offense and defense -- has been a problem for Stanford. For the offense, redshirt freshman quarterback Andrew Luck was just short of spectacular this spring. For the defense, the insertion of Delano Howell at strong safety and Michael Thomas at cornerback upgrades the secondary's athleticism.

UCLA: The secondary began spring needing two new starters, but a handful of guys stepped up to complement cornerback Alterraun Verner and free safety Rahim Moore. While Aaron Hester and Glenn Love are the favorites to start at corner and strong safety, respectively, sophomores Courtney Viney and Tony Dye and redshirt freshman E.J. Woods will get extended looks in the fall.

USC: Lose three elite linebackers? Find three more. Malcolm Smith, Chris Galippo and Michael Morgan might not have the experience or pedigree of their predecessors, but they are faster and may end up being nearly as good.

Washington: A lot was made of how well quarterback Jake Locker adjusted to a pro-style offense this spring -- and rightfully so -- but that pro-style passing attack needs targets, so perhaps that part of the pass-catch equation is being undersold. D'Andre Goodwin, Jermaine Kearse and Devin Aguilar give the Huskies three respectable receivers, and tight ends Kavario Middleton and Chris Izbicki are solid.

Washington State: One area where the Cougars have quality starters and quality depth is running back, with Dwight Tardy stepping up to the challenge of California transfer James Montgomery this spring, and Logwone Mitz and 220-pound Marcus Richmond adding depth.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Oregon State Beavers 2008 overall record: 9-4 2008 conference record: 7-2 Returning starters Offense 6, defense 3, kicker/punter 2 Top returners RB Jacquizz Rodgers, QB Lyle Moevao, WR James Rodgers, C Alex Linnenkohl, LB Keaton Kristick, DT Stephen Paea Key losses WR Sammie Stroughter, WR Shane Morales, LT Andy Levitre, DE Victor Butler, DE Slade Norris, CB Keenan Lewis, CB Brandon Hughes 2008 statistical leaders (* returners) Rushing: Jacquizz Rodgers* (1,253) Passing: Lyle Moevao* (2,534) Receiving: Sammie Stroughter (1,040) Tackles: Greg Laybourn (113) Sacks: Victor Butler (12) Interceptions: Keenan Lewis (4) Spring answers 2009 Schedule Sep. 5 Portland State Sep. 12 at UNLV Sep. 19 Cincinnati Sep. 26 Arizona Oct. 3 at Arizona State Oct. 10 Stanford Oct. 24 at USC Oct. 31 UCLA Nov. 7 at California Nov. 14 Washington Nov. 21 at Washington State Dec. 3 at Oregon 1. Canfield can get on field: With 2008 starter Lyle Moevao out with a shoulder injury, Sean Canfield took advantage of the opportunity and showed he's good enough to start. While he was off during the spring game, tossing three interceptions, Canfield ran the huddle well and was in sync with a rebuilding receiving corps. 2. Catchings on: Speaking of receivers, Darrell Catchings turned in a strong spring, and the unit as a whole eased worries about losing Sammie Stroughter and Shane Morales. Jordan Bishop, Geno Muoz and Casey Kjos, among others, showed that the Beavers appear plenty deep at the position, with lead Beaver James Rodgers coming back from a shoulder injury in the fall. 3. Reload at LB: While the defense lost eight starters, there are few worries at linebacker. Keaton Kristick was the known quantity going in, while sophomore middle linebacker David Pa'aluhi was one of the breakout performers this spring. Keith Pankey and Dwight Roberson will continue to be a two-headed monster on the weak side. Fall questions 1. Corner questions: The Beavers are replacing two cornerbacks who were drafted by NFL teams. Their high-pressure defense requires the cornerbacks to be able to lock down receivers one-on-one. For much of spring, the new guys didn't do that -- they got burned. Over and over again, though no-hit rules on the quarterbacks might have skewed things a bit. The pecking order here feels unresolved. 2. Sack men: Ben Terry, Kevin Frahm and Gabe Miller looked good this spring at defensive end. But they are replacing Victor Butler and Slade Norris, who combined for 22 sacks last year. Yes, big shoes to fill. And, with green corners, it might be even more important for the pressure to get to the quarterback as fast as possible. This is a wait-and-see until the games begin. 3. Who's the QB? It should be a positive that the Beavers have two capable senior quarterbacks with starting experience. That's the way coach Mike Riley sees it. But it also becomes a tough issue, because there is only one starting job. Does Moevao slide because he missed spring while Canfield played well? Or does Moevao prevail if things are close because of the way he played last year? And will the loser of this competition be able to keep it together and be a "team" guy?

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

[Note this is a corrected post... apologies for not factoring in the underrated Big East].

The Big East nipped the Pac-10 for the lead among conferences in the 2009 NFL draft.

The eight-team Big East supplied 27 total players in the draft, or 3.4 players per team. The Pac-10 supplied 32 selections (3.2 players per team). The 12-team SEC was third with 37 selections overall, or 3.1 per team. The 12-team ACC was third with 33 (2.8 per team).

Last year, the Pac-10's led with 3.4 per team vs. 2.92 per team for the SEC and ACC (2.75).

USC led the way with 11 players selected, including three in the first round, though many are shaking their heads of linebacker Rey Maualuga's tumble into the second round. Every draft-eligible Trojan who started last season was picked.

Oregon State was second with seven players selected and Oregon was third with six. Arizona State, with a pair of seventh-round selections, maintained a 45-year streak with at least one player drafted.

Not all the news was good: Stanford, UCLA and Washington each had no players selected.

Here's the complete list

Arizona

Eben Britton, OT, Jacksonville, second
Mike Thomas, WR, Jacksonville, fourth

Arizona State

Troy Nolan, S, Houston, seventh
Paul Fanaika, OG, Philadelphia, seventh

California

Alex Mack, C, Cleveland, first
Zach Follett, LB, Detroit, seventh
Cameron Morrah, TE, seventh

Oregon

Patrick Chung, S, New England, second
Jairus Byrd, CB, Buffalo, second
Max Unger, C, Seattle, second
Fenuki Tupou, OT, Philadelphia, fifth
Ra'Shon Harris, DT, Pittsburgh, sixth
Nick Reed, DE, Seattle, seventh

Oregon State

Andy Levitre, OG, Buffalo, second
Keenan Lewis, CB, Pittsburgh, third
Victor Butler, OLB, Dallas, fourth
Slade Norris, OLB, Oakland, fourth
Brandon Hughes, CB, San Diego, fifth
Al Afalava, S, Chicago, sixth
Sammie Stroughter, WR, Tampa Bay, seventh

Stanford

NONE

UCLA

NONE

USC

Mark Sanchez, QB, New York Jets, first (No. 5)
Brian Cushing, OLB, Houston, first (No. 15)
Clay Matthews, OLB, Green Bay, first (No. 26)
Rey Maualuga, LB, Cincinnati, second
Fili Moala, DT, Indianapolis, second
Patrick Turner, WR, Miami, third
Kaluka Maiava, LB, Cleveland, fourth
Kyle Moore, DE, Tampa Bay, fourth
David Buehler, PK, Dallas, fifth
Cary Harris, CB, Buffalo, sixth
Kevin Ellison, S, San Diego, sixth

Washington

NONE

Washington State

Brandon Gibson, WR, Philadelphia, sixth

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

I wrote yesterday that defensive ends were our last position to rate, but I forgot receivers and linebackers -- or, actually, I thought this entry and this entry did the trick but they didn't.

Whoops!

So there are two more...

The gist of that entry on receivers tells our story here:

Quick: Name the Pac-10's marquee receivers in 2009?

Don't look to the All-Pac-10 list. All four first- and second-team receivers are gone (Mike Thomas, Sammie Stroughter, Patrick Turner and Michael Jones).

And on the honorable mention list there's only USC's Damian Williams and Washington's D'Andre Goodwin.

In other words, everyone in the conference, other than USC, has a bit of the ole "We'll see."

Great shape

• USC: Damian Williams is an All-American candidate and Ronald Johnson is a marquee athlete. They combined for 17 touchdown receptions last year -- no other returning combination in the conference is even close. And there's good young depth.
• Arizona: Mike Thomas is a big loss, but Delashaun Dean and Terrell Turner combined for 86 receptions last year. While depth is an issue, word is David Douglas and William Wright could break though.
• UCLA: Terrence Austin, Taylor Embree and Domonique Johnson combined for 127 receptions -- but only two touchdowns -- last year. Toss in talented sophomore Nelson Rosario and some touted incoming freshman and the Bruins have the "catch" side of pass-catch mostly covered.

Good shape

• Arizona State: Michael Jones is gone, but Chris McGaha, Kerry Taylor and Kyle Williams are a good troika to welcome back. They combined for 81 receptions last year.
• California: This is a case of experience and potential trumping production. Just about everyone is back and the crew, led by Nyan Boateng and Verran Tucker, has a lot of talent. Much depends on guys like Michael Calvin and Marvin Jones breaking through. Injuries are an issue this spring for Calvin and maybe Boateng.
• Stanford: Starters Ryan Whalen and Doug Baldwin are both back. They combined for 64 receptions in the Cardinal's mostly anemic passing offense. There are high hopes that sophomore Chris Owusu adds some athleticism to the unit.

We'll see

• Oregon: The Ducks didn't throw that well last year and their two best receivers, Terence Scott and Jaison Williams, are gone. Jeff Maehl -- 39 receptions, five touchdowns -- is the only returning receiver with double-digit receptions. Hopes are high for Chris Harper, Drew Davis, Jamere Holland and the incoming recruits, but that falls under "we'll see."
• Oregon State: Sammie Stroughter and Shane Morales were the Beavers' receiving corps last year -- see 124 receptions, nearly 1,800 yards and 15 touchdowns. They're gone. Slot James Rodgers is mostly a fly sweep guy. The hope is young guys will step up.
• Washington: The good news is the entire crew is back, led by D'Andre Goodwin, who ranked among the Pac-10 leaders with 60 receptions for 692 yards. But the Huskies only had six touchdown receptions in all of 2008.
• Washington State: Brandon Gibson's 673 yards and two touchdowns represented a third of the Cougars' passing offense last year. He's gone. Jeshua Anderson caught 33 passes a year ago, but there's a lot of youth and inexperience after him.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

One of the charms of college football is the mostly predictable roster rotation. Young guys break through, become stars and then leave after their third, fourth or fifth year. Then a new cast tries to fill the void.

While there are numerous size 36 EEE shoes to fill -- figuratively speaking, of course -- in the Pac-10 this spring, we'll focus on five here.

	Jeff Golden/Getty Images
	It's going to be tough for the Trojans to replace Rey Maualuga.

And because quarterback competitions across the conference are so obvious, we're going to make this a "non-quarterback" category.

Also note that spring is a time for the experimentation. Coaches love to mix-and-match players, so there might be some surprises we didn't anticipate.

Big shoes: USC LB Rey Maualuga

Stepping in: Sophomore Chris Galippo

• Out goes everybody's All-American Maualuga, in goes everybody's 2006 prep All-American Galippo, a sure tackler who packs a punch at 255 pounds. He had 12 tackles, two coming for a loss, and an interception last season. He saw action as a true freshman before suffering a herniated disk in his back, an injury that also limited him last season. He seemed healthy the second half of the season, but back injuries are tricky. That might be the biggest issue standing between Galippo and future stardom.

Big shoes: California C Alex Mack

Stepping in: Junior Richard Fisher or junior Chris Guarnero

• Fisher is a former walk-on and a vegetarian. For real. He was listed as the backup behind Mack last season. Guarnero started the first three games at left guard before suffering a season-ending toe injury. He is expected back for spring ball. With a new offensive line coach, Steve Marshall, and lots of returning starting experience -- seven players have started at least one game -- there might be lots of experimenting up front this spring.

Big shoes: Oregon DE Nick Reed

Stepping in: Junior Brandon Bair, junior Kenny Rowe, JC transfer Zac Clark

• Reed had 20 tackles for a loss and 13 sacks last year (29.5 for his career). His potential replacements had no sacks last season. Some Oregon fans took issue with my suggesting in our "What to watch this spring," that Bair was the frontrunner to replace Reed. I wrote that because Rowe was listed at 215 pounds on last year's depth chart and was almost exclusively a pass-rush specialist. Meanwhile, Clark is an unknown quantity as an incoming JC transfer. On the other hand, Bair is more in the mold of returning big end Will Tukuafu, so perhaps Rowe, who's listed at 230 pounds on the updated roster, and Clark will battle it out. Guessing this one is wide open, to be honest.

Big shoes: Arizona State FS Troy Nolan

Stepping in: Sophomore Clint Floyd leads a pack of possibilities

• Nolan had 64 tackles and four interceptions playing center field for the Sun Devils' defense, and he'll be the toughest guy to replace for a unit that should be fairly salty next fall. Floyd will get first crack, but junior Max Tabach, redshirt freshman Keelan Johnson and senior Jarrell Holman could make a move.

Big shoes: Oregon State WR Sammie Stroughter (and WR Shane Morales)

Stepping in: Junior Darrell Catchings and redshirt freshman Jordan Bishop

• Stroughter was the Pac-10's only 1,000-yard receiver last year. Morales added 743 yards, while this duo combined for 15 of the Beavers 25 touchdown receptions. Catchings caught only seven passes but was No. 2 on the depth chart. Bishop was impressive while redshirting, particularly during Sun Bowl practices. And slot receiver James Rodgers figures to see more balls downfield this fall after mostly being a fly-sweep specialist the past two seasons.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Over the coming weeks, we're going to stop looking back at 2008 and move ahead to the issues that will occupy spring practices across the Pac-10.

Consider this an appetizer.

Every spring, the biggest and most hyped competitions happen at quarterback. It's fair to say only Oregon, Oregon State and Washington have clearly established starters at the position, and Ducks and Beavers coaches might tell you there will be competition.

Nate Costa? Sean Canfield? Both won starting jobs in Eugene and Corvallis before (though certainly Costa's injury issues make him a longshot).

So quarterback will be front-and-center, as always. And for good reason. Let's remember many traced the perception of a down 2008 in the conference to instability at quarterback and a decline in passing offenses.

But a quarterback does not alone make an efficient passing offense.

Quick: Name the Pac-10's marquee receivers in 2009?

Don't look to the All-Pac-10 list. All four first- and second-team receivers are gone (Mike Thomas, Sammie Stroughter, Patrick Turner and Michael Jones).

And on the honorable mention list there's only USC's Damian Williams and Washington's D'Andre Goodwin.

The teams that return the most experience and production in the pass-catch category?

UCLA, California, Washington, Stanford and Washington State.

Those teams ranked fifth, seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th in passing offense last year.

Every team has spring issues unique to itself.

But if you're looking for one overriding theme for the conference looking forward to the 2009 season, it is this:

Will the Pac-10 return to its high-flying passing roots, or will passing offenses be grounded again?

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

So who do you think would win if USC played Florida this weekend? Me too.

• Arizona State's 2009 schedule is suddenly more manageable, but fewer fans may show up because of higher ticket prices.
• Jon Wilner is encouraged by recent events at Cal.
• Oregon is looking at scheduling options to increase its profile. Steve Greatwood isn't leaving Oregon just yet.
• Oregon State receiver Sammie Stroughter and safety Al Afalava were added to the East-West Shrine Game West team roster.
• UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel isn't backing down vs. USC in recruiting.
• USC coach Pete Carroll on the final polls
• Nick Daschel reviews the Pac-10 decade and ranks the teams.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Oregon State fans still smarting from the Civil War implosion against Oregon should take heart in this: The Beavers have officially arrived, particularly if they beat Pittsburgh in the Sun Bowl and finish ranked in the final top 25 for the third consecutive season, a boast that no other Pac-10 team other than USC can make.

And no other team in the nation can claim two victories over USC since 2002. Nor can any conference team claim five consecutive bowl victories.

Naturally, it didn't start out impressive -- the Beavers are addicted to validating low expectations early in the season.

Most projected the Beavers would finish in the middle of the conference because of obvious issues: The entire front seven from 2007 had to be replaced; things were unsettled on the offensive line; and it certainly wasn't clear positive production could be counted on at quarterback.

Some pundits probably felt smug when the Beavers started 0-2 and got walloped at Penn State, 45-14.

Then the Beavers got off the canvas and won eight of nine -- the lone defeat coming by three points at Utah (and it's still mind-boggling how the Beavers blew that one) -- before, er, that final game.

Turning point: It would be easy to flag the USC victory as the turning point, but it actually happened 12 days before when the Beavers kicked the crud out of Hawaii, 45-7, outgaining the Warriors, 485-211. Everything worked that day. This freshman named Jacquizz Rodgers scored two touchdowns and rushed for 112 yards, while quarterback Lyle Moevao passed for 268 yards and three touchdowns.

Offensive MVP: Hmm... who should this be? Let's go with Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year, Jacquizz Rodgers, who finished with 1,253 yards and 11 touchdowns despite getting only four carries in the final two games. Rodgers was the point man -- 186 yards on the ground -- against USC, and he never let up.

Defensive MVP: It's a pity more folks don't know about "Hollywood" Victor Butler, who's one of the more outgoing and entertaining players in the Pac-10. Oh, and he's as quick on his feet as he is with a quip: His 16.5 tackles for a loss -- including eight sacks -- ranked fourth in the conference. He also forced three fumbles.

What's next: The Beavers lose a lot of good players: Receivers Sammie Stroughter and Shane Morales, offensive linemen Andy Levitre and Adam Speer, ends Victor Butler and Slade Norris and all four starters in the secondary. It looks like a rebuilding year in 2009. Of course, the same was said of 2008. And with James and Jacquizz Rodgers returning, as well as quarterbacks Lyle Moevao and Sean Canfield, it would be a mistake to count out Oregon State.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Helmet stickers for those who stood out during the weekend's games.

The Oregon offense: It's impossible to salute just one person. Sophomore quarterback Jeremiah Masoli passed for 274 yards and three touchdowns. Senior running back Jeremiah Johnson, who sat out last year's Civil War with a knee injury, rushed 17 times for 227 yards. The sum effort was 694 total yards and 65 points. Kudos also should go to coordinator Chip Kelly who proved he wasn't just a flash in the pan who was gifted a maturing Dennis Dixon in 2007 but a coach who's future prospects are bright. When asked about Masoli's upset, his Cheshire cat grin said everything without a word.

The USC defense: Saddled with a massive strategic disadvantage against Notre Dame and its offensive brain trust, the Trojans nonetheless struggled along and managed to hold the Irish to just four first downs and 91 total yards. Good for those scrappy little Trojans.

The Arizona State defense: Call this celebrate the units week in Pac-10 helmet stickers. But, really, how can you not give joint credit to a defense that scored four touchdowns?

Sammie Stroughter: Stroughter's career has had many well-documented twists and turns, but his Reser Stadium finale showed what a fine talent he is. With the Beavers' running game struggling, Stroughter caught seven passes for 145 yards and returned three punts for 79 yards, giving him 224 total yards in his final home game.