ESPN College Football

Our topic today: Which team that has a TBA at quarterback is in the best shape?

The choices: Arizona State, Colorado, Oregon, Stanford and UCLA. (We're leaving Washington State out because Jeff Tuel is a heavy front-runner, no matter how coy Mike Leach is about things).

Kevin Gemmell: Oregon -- by far -- is in the best shape of the teams yet to name a quarterback. For starters, they have the most exciting player in the conference in De'Anthony Thomas. Regardless of whether Bryan Bennett or Marcus Mariota wins the job, Thomas is going to take a 2-yard swing pass and turn it into a 50-yard touchdown. Probably a few times. He's going to make the new guy look really, really good.

And it's not like the Ducks have a history of rebuilding projects whenever Chip Kelly needs a new quarterback. How'd Darron Thomas work out? A berth in the national championship game and a Rose Bowl victory. Not bad. Same could be said for obscure JC transfer Jeremiah Masoli, who only led the Ducks to the 2010 Rose Bowl.

The offensive line should be fine protecting him with key returners like Hroniss Grasu, Carson York and Nick Cody. Plus, Oregon rotates offensive linemen so liberally the quarterback is going to have fresh bodies flanking him.

There are plenty of weapons already in place for the starter-to-be. Be it Josh Huff (status pending), tight end Colt Lyerla, who is a star on the rise, and Kenjon Barner to carry the load on the ground.

When you look at the rest of the teams sans starting quarterbacks, there are just too many questions to confidently say it's going to be a smooth transition. UCLA and ASU are starting from scratch with new coaches and new systems. Colorado is probably headed for a long season and Andrew Luck's successor has to replace -- well -- Andrew Luck. Good luck with that (pun, definitely not intended).

Oregon's transition might not be silky-smooth, but it's going to be a lot easier than the other four teams trying to replace a starter. The schedule works to the Ducks' favor with the first four games at home, which should give the new guy plenty of time to get comfortable. They might find themselves in a shootout at Washington State in the fifth game, but they don't even need to leave the Pacific Northwest until mid-October.

This offense is plug-and-play and whoever gets the job is going to be just fine.

Ted Miller: Sometimes you're screwed on a Take 2 when you go second. Kevin states a strong case. Does anyone really believe the Ducks' quarterback will be a liability this year? The answer is no.

Of course, that level of certainty could be burden, as could taking over the starting job for a top-five team. No team in the nation with uncertainty at QB this spring will be ranked higher in the preseason. Know what a disappointing regular season now looks like in Eugene? 10-2. In other words, this Ducks QB job brings a lot of pressure and high expectations. Being "pretty good for a first-year starter" will rate a fail with many fans.

None of that will be the case at UCLA. Bruins fans are starved for quarterback play that is just north of mediocre. The good news is that they will get at least that this fall. And they may be pleasantly surprised.

Start with this: Offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone. He transformed Brock Osweiler from a basketball player playing football to a second-round NFL draft pick. Mazzone is a charismatic guy -- though a follically challenged one -- who knows how to teach. He's been called a QB guru. Guys like Tim Tebow, Philip Rivers and Christian Ponder seek him out.

Then there are the three guys competing. You have the quarterback of the future in redshirt freshman Brett Hundley, and you have two seniors who have seen just about everything in Kevin Prince and Richard Brehaut. Hundley has tons of potential. He's an athletic guy who's pass-first. Sort of like Osweiler, only 4 inches shorter.

Prince and Brehaut have been maligned by Bruins fans, and not entirely without justification. Both have produced strong games. And both have played poorly. Inconsistency is not a good thing for a quarterback. But both have nothing to lose in their final year of college football. If both are healthy, they can be solid QBs. They certainly are better suited for Mazzone's spread than the pistol they've been running the past two years.

The talent around them isn't bad. There's a good stable of running backs with Johnathan Franklin, Malcolm Jones and the rising Steven Manfro. TE/WR Joseph Fauria is going to be a high NFL draft pick next spring. The offensive line has a chance to be, well, OK.

Mazzone has options here, too. He can hand the job to Hundley, knowing he's got two experienced guys who can play if he needs them. Or he can start one of his veterans and bring Hundley in for special packages, perhaps steadily increasing his reps as the season goes on. (Mazzone, like most coaches, has always said he prefers just one guy, so know that second scenario is mostly me throwing a speculative thought into the air).

Further, whoever wins the job won't be operating under the microscope like the Oregon starter will. Expectations for the Bruins aren't high. If the QB is just solid -- say, ranking sixth or seventh in the conference in passing efficiency -- then he will be widely viewed as succeeding. And if he can get seven or eight wins, Bruins fans will extend new coach Jim Mora's honeymoon a season.

Success at sports is the province of the almost empty head.

• Some thoughts from an Arizona perspective on Davonte' Neal odd recruiting journey, which ended at Notre Dame. More details here.
• Former Arizona State CB Omar Bolden has a lot to prove at the NFL combine.
• Here are the Bay Area players headed to the NFL combine, and a quick preview of them here.
• Former Colorado QB Tyler Hansen has been working out with Tim Tebow and Brady Quinn, and he senses no tension between the two.
• What are the odds Oregon wins the national title?
• Oregon State might undergo a recruiting realignment with its coaches.
• Former Stanford QB Andrew Luck is working out with a QB guru before he heads to the NFL combine.
• Former UCLA defensive coordinator Joe Tresey found another job. A review of the Bruins highly rated recruiting class.
• How do things stack up at QB for USC behind Matt Barkley?
• A shot at casting a movie about Washington State football.

Interesting look at Jake Locker's NFL draft prospects here, for all of you who are ESPN.com "Insiders."

The article compares Locker with former Florida QB Tim Tebow. They share an impressive physical profile but little else. Tebow piled up wins in college. Locker hasn't. Tebow put up jaw-dropping numbers. Locker hasn't.

And yet Tebow was -- and remains -- a questionable NFL prospect. Locker is a likely top-10 pick and may go No. 1 overall next spring.

The story ultimately concludes that Locker must improve his accuracy this season in order to be picked at the top of the draft.

But eventually, the tools need to work, and the accuracy question is the big one surrounding Locker. "He's got to get that number up," said one NFL evaluator, in reference to Locker's completion percentage. "[Sam] Bradford was playing catch a lot of the time in that offense, but his accuracy was never a question."

The magic number for evaluators is 60 percent. As a note on the resume, it's vital. And Locker knows he'll be judged by it. Consider that JaMarcus Russell completed 67.8 percent of his passes as a junior, far superior to Locker's 58.2 as a junior.

Get out your pen and paper. My reply is an iron-clad guarantee: Locker will complete more than 60 percent of his passes in 2010. Period. If I were naming a number, I'd say 65 percent.

And his overall passing numbers will be much better. He'll almost certainly throw for more than 3,000 yards. My guess is he'll be close to 3,750 yards of total offense.

Why? Let me count the ways.

1. His completion percentage has improved an average of 5.5 percent annually over his previous three seasons.
2. He'll be over 60 percent just because he's an experienced senior who will be more comfortable in his second year with Steve Sarkisian's pro-style offense.
3. The 2010 Huskies will be by far the best team Locker has led.
4. Locker will be surrounded by eight other returning offensive starters, including an outstanding crop of skill position players. His top seven receivers from 2009 are all back as are four linemen to protect him in the pocket and 1,000-yard rusher Chris Polk to keep defenses honest.
5. Locker started as a true freshman. He played only four games in 2008 for a terrible team before getting hurt. That's a big reason his career numbers are tepid.
6. The Huskies play 11 BCS teams and BYU. That means no games in which Locker will be on the bench with a 50-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
7. The Huskies' defense is questionable. It's unlikely Locker and the offense will often play conservatively trying to sit on a lead.
8. Sarkisian is a good offensive coach -- see Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart and Mark Sanchez -- as is quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier. Last year, they gave Locker introductory lessons. This year, Locker is taking graduate classes. Said Sarkisian this spring: "In my opinion, the real strides, the real improvement, occur from Year 1 to Year 2. That's historically what we've seen."
9. Did you see the California game? In fact, in the final two games of the 2009 season -- both UW wins -- Locker completed 35 of 51 passes (69 percent) for 444 yards with three touchdowns and one interception while rushing for 171 yards and three TDs.
10. Did you see Locker during spring practices? Three words: sharp, comfortable, confident.

There are plenty of questions with the Huskies. The biggest one: With such a brutal schedule, can they win six or seven games and earn bowl eligibility?

But the Pac-10 blog doesn't view Locker fulfilling his potential and producing a statistical breakthrough in 2010 as much of a mystery. You can count on it.

Howdy. Still on vacation, but the mailbag is not.

To the notes.

Josh from Lynden, Wash., writes: There is a lot being made of the Pac 10 not having a national title contender. Did you see anything in spring ball that would lead you to believe that USC, Oregon or Oregon State could get on a roll this season and be a player in the national picture?

Ted Miller: Couple of things to understand: First, watching one or two practices doesn't typically yield profound insights about a team's ultimate standing. Consider what I wrote about USC last spring. D'oh. Heck, watching every spring practice actually can lead to a false perception inflation or deflation. As in: That defense might look dominant because the O-line is struggling. Or vice versa. Or all those dropped passes or wayward throws might just be a momentary loss of concentration. During practices, success of one unit means a failure on the other. Things on fall Saturdays could look very different.

Second, just because it doesn't look like the Pac-10 has a national title contender right now doesn't mean that will be the case in December. What if USC reverts to its pre-2009 self? Or what if Chip Kelly clicks his heels three times and Nate Costa (or Darron Thomas) seamlessly replaces Jeremiah Masoli as the Oregon QB? And what if Oregon State starts 3-0 with two wins over top-10 teams?

My hunch is the Pac-10 will not contend for a national title this season. But, as many of you enjoy noting, I've been wrong before.

I'm still mad about that one time, by the way.

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Sean from Pullman, Wash., writes: If Paul Wulff has another abysmal with the Cougars, and he is ultimately replaced, who do you think they would hire? According to the CBSSports Hot Seat rankings, it seems as though UTEP's Mike Price might be looking for work somewhere else if he doesn't put up. Do you think Bill Moos would go down that road again or would he want to make a bigger splash with his first big hire as AD?

Ted Miller: My first response is that new athletic director Bill Moos, who played a role in Wulff's hiring, is going to try his best to be patient. If the Cougars are consistently more competitive in 2010; if they show clear improvement -- even if that doesn't mean more than three or so wins -- I think Wulff will get a fourth year. At least, that seems like the wise course to me. Moos isn't the "look-at-me!" sort who is eager to make a big splash just for the heck of it. He wants to do what's best for the program.

But to entertain your negative scenario: Price? I'm not sure that (re-)hiring a coach who just turned 64 is the solution.

Also, as a Pac-10 blog principle, I avoid speculating on whom a program might hire if a sitting coach is fired (unless it's an obvious case of "dead man walking"). I would suggest to Cougars fans your best course is to get behind Wulff and his team with a frenzied, unquestioning optimism. No sense worrying until you absolutely have to.

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Nate from Houston writes: When it comes to USC's non-conference schedule, you believe the Trojans will go 4-0. Virginia at home seems to be the biggest gimme, but between Hawaii, Minn., and ND, which team do you think will be the biggest challenge for the Trojans and why?

Ted Miller: I think USC will win all four by double-figures. Biggest challenge? Probably Notre Dame because the Fighting Irish, who welcome back 17 starters, are the most talented team among the four. The game is in the Coliseum and the Irish haven't beaten the Trojans since 2001. That weighs heavily in USC's favor. On the other hand, I think Brian Kelly is an outstanding coach and by Nov. 27 his players should know him and his system far better than they would in September.

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Sweatervested from Mobile, Ala., writes: Good day to you sir! In your conference rankings you had the SEC 1st (of course.) However, being the wise guy that you are, you said "I have a hunch the SEC won't be on top at season's end." Who are you? Sister Cleo? Who is going to challenge us? Lets see! Texas? Oklahoma? Ohio St.(please)? USC? Oregon (at the very least, you will be able to brag that the best team in the LAC-10 beat a bottom tier SEC team.) Don't you just love us fans of SEC teams?

Ted Miller: It's possible the SEC will take a step back next year, though the conference has earned the benefit of the doubt. The depth is questionable while all the top teams have significant questions, including Alabama (eight defensive starters gone) and Florida (Tim Tebow and eight other guys off to the NFL).

Which conference might prove better? Big 12 for one: Texas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Missouri look like top-25 teams. My darkhorse is the ACC, which nonetheless I ranked fifth at this point. I think Miami is close to a breakthrough and Florida State will move up under Jimbo Fisher, while Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and North Carolina look like top-25 teams. Further, Clemson, Boston College and Wake Forest are solid teams that give the conference depth.

And what if Ohio State, Wisconsin and Iowa all end up in the top-10? Pac-10? It's as deep as any league.

And, yes, I do love you SEC fans.

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Kim from Seattle writes: You may find interest in my Spring Stats blog which displays team losses by position, expressed via percentage of stats lost.

Ted Miller: You stat-heads will enjoy Kim's page -- go here.

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Ken from Seattle writes: Love the "Dirty Job" line drop! That was one of the best lines from a book full chock full of 'em."Don't be ridiculous, Charlie, people love the parents who beat their kids in department stores. It's the ones who just let their kids wreak havoc that everybody hates. "

Ted Miller: You can see my summer reading has started, eh? That was my first Christopher Moore experience and it won't be my last. Hilarious and a page-turning yarn. Seems to me it would make a great movie. A studio should give Moore a wheelbarrow full of money and let him write up a screen play.

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Azhar from Berkeley writes: I liked your old picture better. Make it come back!

Ted Miller: The best way to take in my mug shot is with closed eyes.

But here's a link for the old one if you miss it.

They've done studies, you know. Sixty percent of the time it works, every time.

• Arizona State's new offensive coordinator, Noel Mazzone, was one of Tim Tebow's tutors.
• Jeff Genyk has been hired to upgrade California's special teams. Checking in on Bears spring practices.
• This is an extremely thorough point-counterpoint on how Chip Kelly handled Oregon's recent off-field challenges, which you may have read about. Oh, and this billboard makes a statement about the Ducks who got in trouble.
• Oregon State coach Mike Riley talks about Oregon's off-field issues and his chat with Kelly.
• More on the reinstatement of UCLA offensive guard Stanley Hasiak. Some UCLA notes.
• Who's No. 2 on the list of USC players to watch this spring? This guy.
• Washington announces its spring practice times. Football comes first, but quarterback Jake Locker is playing a little baseball this spring. Sometimes the off-field stuff is positive.

Ho. Ho. Ho.

Santa Claus here. As if I've not got enough going on right now, the Pac-10 blog has enlisted me to reveal what conference teams wanted for Christmas this year.

Not saying they'll get it. Heck, the Pac-10 blog dude has been asking me for a pony since he was 4. No dice. And, by the way, ixnay on the Johnnie Walker Blue, hombre.

The wish list is in reverse order of conference finish. Sort of like a naughty and nice list, with Part I today and Part II tomorrow.

Washington State

Ah, Cougars, you can't just ask for wins. Sorry. Not how things work. But your second choice might be doable: A four-leaf clover. First off, you guys are going to need some luck to win a few games in the rugged Pac-10 next fall in any event. But it's not just about good luck. It's about avoiding bad luck. After two consecutive injury-riddled seasons, things might just get back on track if your two-deep depth chart remains mostly healthy and stable over the 12-game grind.

Arizona State

Oh, Dennis, Dennis, hope your fans know how persistent you are! No, I can't make the party in Coeur d'Alene, but thanks for the invite to your swell vacation pad. And, no, don't think I didn't miss your latest appeal for some offensive help. Some might be surprised that a quarterback didn't top your list, but Santa, being built like an offensive lineman, knows that the big guys up front are the key. So, yes, your appeal for some offensive linemen who can both run block and pass protect is duly noted.

UCLA

A little surprised by this one: Felt sure you Bruins would go negative this year and wish for NCAA sanctions on Pete Carroll and the Trojans. Very noble. I'm a bit skeptical, though. Maybe you've enlisted other supernatural forces for that one, eh Bruin Nation? Of course, there are only so many offensive linemen to go around. Maybe I'll let my head elf, O.J., decide who gets them. Relax! That name is just a coincidence.

Washington

Greedy! Greedy! Greedy! Husky fans, you know darn well you already got your Christmas gift! And to ask for a Husky Stadium renovation also? Wow. Like I said; Greedy! I know one of college football's best venues has fallen into disrepair but everybody knows how you take care of stadium issues. You raise taxes, of course.

California

Here's a wish list lesson: Be specific. No, I can't give a team "consistency." No, I can't wrap up and put a bow around "take the next step." And the last time a program asked for "leadership," I dropped Tim Tebow down the chimney and that seemed to unfairly stack the deck in Gainesville. Still, you Cal fans are creative. I like No. 7 on the list: A magic light bulb. Not sure how you guys heard about that special device that illuminates a locker room for an entire 12-game season, though.

That's it for today.

I'll be back on Christmas Eve to deliver gifts to the top-five teams. Time for some of Mrs. Claus' special eggnog.

Everybody get my Christmas list?

To the notes.

JT from New York writes: Do you think the success of Utah, Cincinnati, Boise, and Oregon, and the fall of USC, Georgia, and Notre Dame, will put a damper on the star system for recruits and the overall ranking of recruiting classes? Seems that the emphasis placed on the incoming guys becomes less and less relevant (or relates less to success) every year given the season ending outcomes.

Ted Miller: Short answer: No.

Folks love reading about recruiting. They love ratings. They love the whole thing, even when they are complaining about it.

Any responsible recruiting guru will tell you that the "star system" is an inexact science, but measuring things in shades of gray is part of college football -- see the national polls and BCS system as a whole.

I also don't know if the recruiting rankings look that much different than the final polls. If you go here, you see a lot of Alabama, Texas, Florida, USC and other national powers.

If you're asking why schools that typically don't rank highly in recruiting seem to end up scattered throughout the national polls annually, there are a handful of explanations.

Evaluation: Some staffs are particularly good at projecting how a high school senior might develop physically over the next few years. They also seem to see the inner football player. Oregon State's Mike Riley would be a good example, as would Arizona's Mike Stoops.

Development: A good strength and conditioning program is critical, and nutritional guidance is often underrated. On the field, it's about assistant coaches who are superior teachers of fundamentals and technique. Often less highly rated guys take coaching better, too.

Coaching: A well-coached team can make up for talent deficiencies by outsmarting its opponent. I'd throw Brian Kelly and Chris Petersen into that pool and I suspect you could add Chip Kelly, though he's been a head coach for just one year. Those guys strike me as schematic savants. But coaching isn't just a big brain. It's also motivating and unifying a locker room. Again, that's Riley and also Jim Harbaugh and, though he's also a newbie, Washington's Steve Sarkisian.

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Kai from Castro Valley, Calif., writes: The new thing in college football is to leave high school early and join college spring camp. What are your thoughts? Good or Bad decision?

Ted Miller: It's not really a new thing. I recall back in 1991 being among the throng who couldn't wait for super-recruit Eric Zeier, the pride of Marietta (Ga.) High School, to win the starting quarterback job of Georgia. But it seems like early-entry -- some call it "greenshirting" -- really became more popular over the past five or six years.

The reason players opt for early-entry is simple: They want to get their career started and showing up early might help them play sooner.

Quarterbacks, particularly, seem to want to get a head start with the playbook and coaching -- see Philip Rivers, John David Booty (who skipped his entire senior year of high school), Tim Tebow, Matthew Stafford, Matt Barkley, Richard Brehaut, etc.

The oft-cited downside: What about enjoying your senior year of high school? Why skip a step growing up?

That's not invalid, though it might be a tad sentimental.

To me it comes down to this: What's right for the young man and his family?

If a player is that focused on football and getting his career started, then there's no reason for him to spend his final months of high school trying to figure out when everybody's parents are going out of town so they can throw a righteous house party.

Also, there are a number of advantages for the student-athlete: He gets more bang for his buck on scholarship -- it's a free semester. And it also gives a young man a chance test drive the school and program before he gets lost in a crowd of 25 or so incoming players.

This is a nice story on the topic by the LA Times' David Wharton.

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Mike from Seattle writes: After reading your post on the pac-10 quarterbacks returning next year I found myself wondering who is the deepest?

Ted Miller: That's tough to evaluate, but here are the backup situations (class standing is for 2010).

Arizona: Junior Matt Scott. He started three games last year, so he's not completely green.

Arizona State: Both junior Samson Szakacsy and sophomore Brock Osweiler saw significant playing time in 2009. Michigan transfer Steven Threat, a junior, started eight games in 2008. One of those three will start.

California: Neither sophomore Beau Sweeney nor junior Brock Mansion have seen significant action.

Oregon: Senior Nate Costa and sophomore Darron Thomas are a solid tandem with some game experience.

Oregon State: Sophomore Ryan Katz and junior Peter Lalich will compete to replace Sean Canfield this spring.

Stanford: Redshirt freshmen Josh Nunes and Robbie Picazo will be very green behind Andrew Luck.

UCLA: Sophomores Richard Brehaut and Nick Crissman will start spring behind sophomore Kevin Prince on the depth chart. Brehaut threw 17 passes in 2009, Crissman two.

USC: Junior Aaron Corp and senior Mitch Mustain will backup sophomore Matt Barkley, unless one opts to transfer.

Washington: Junior Ronnie Fouch stepped in for an injured Jake Locker in 2008, though things didn't go well. Redshirt freshman Keith Price and incoming freshman Nick Montana also are in the mix.

Washington State: Junior Marshall Lobbestael figures to be sophomore Jeff Tuel's primary backup.

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Kevin from Fullerton, Calif., writes: What do you think about the Beavs playing TCU next year along with Louisville and at BSU? Yikes! Not a great schedule for starting fast. I'm excited because those are all great games, but I'm just not confident the Beavs can win big, early OOC games.

Ted Miller: It's great that Oregon State is giving college football fans games that they can get excited about. Both Boise State and TCU probably will start out next year ranked in the top-10, and Oregon State also figures to be ranked in the preseason, perhaps even in the top-15.

Now, we all know that Oregon State has started slowly in recent years, but the 2010 squad will be veteran at just about every position other than quarterback. So the Beavers may be more in sync early.

Win these games, and the Beavers could launch a special season. And, even if they lose, they will have plenty of ranked teams in the Pac-10 they can crawl over as they make their typical late-season run back into the national polls.

Still, it's a brutal slate, particularly playing TCU in Texas and Boise on the blue turf. And some folks still will sniff over TCU and Boise State not being BCS conference teams, no matter where they are ranked. Losing to, say, a 15th-ranked Penn State squad still doesn't carry as much downside as losing to a No. 6 Boise State team.

Please, that's not my idea. Just the way it is.

If I were the Oregon State athletic director, I wouldn't have scheduled these games. If I were an AD, I'd always go with an A, B, C scheduling philosophy, with "A" being a marquee game with a BCS conference foe, a "B" game vs. a solid team -- not a Boise State or TCU -- and always at home and a "C" game with a patsy.

Still, it's hard to raise too much hell about matching up against two ranked programs during the early-season. I can't wait to watch both those games.

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Aaron from "SEC country" writes: Maybe the Pac-10 is generally the #1 conference. When you look at the map, they should be! Where the SEC, Big East, Big 10, Big 12 and ACC - 55 of the 65 AQ schools - are all either contiguous or co-located and must compete with each other for players and exposure, other than outlier Colorado the Pac-10 is the only game in town west of Texas.Example: the SEC. 4 of 9 SEC states are shared with ACC and Big East schools (i.e. Florida, which has 2 ACC schools and a Big East school). The SEC East borders ACC and Big East country to the north and east and Big 10 country to the north. The SEC West borders the Big 12 and Big 10 to the north and west. So, programs like Miami, FSU, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Texas, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Louisville, Missouri and Cincinnati compete directly with the SEC for players, coaches and media attention. Whatever obstacles the Pac-10 has, that sort of direct competition is not among them!Meanwhile, the Pac-10 has a whole 1/4 of the country to itself! So, the question must be asked: isn't the Pac-10 doing a better job of exploiting this clear advantage?

Ted Miller: Maybe.

First, I would direct you to this map of U.S. population density.

Second, I think some of the Pac-10 blog readers would say, "You had me at your first sentence."

While it might seem like Stanford running back Toby Gerhart burst onto the scene late in the 2009 season, he started talking about winning the Heisman Trophy with his dad before the season even started.

"My father said, 'Hey, you know you are like 750-1 odds to win the Heisman Trophy? Think I should throw $10 on you or something?'" Gerhart said.

It would have been a nice play.

The Heisman Trophy will be awarded Saturday at 8 p.m. on ESPN.

Gerhart found out Monday, while surrounded by his Cardinal teammates, that he was one of five finalists invited to the Heisman ceremony in New York.

"It was super-exciting," he said. "Everybody was fist-pumping, chest-bumping. "

But Gerhart, a first-team All-Academic pick in the Pac-10, didn't get to celebrate long. He had to rush to an exam. In fact, he took two after he found out he was headed to New York.

What fun.

Gerhart said he hasn't been to Manhattan since he was "11 or 12," when he visited during a baseball tournament in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Just because Gerhart is a Stanford guy doesn't mean he's going to get reservations at Per Se, go see the new David Mamet play and then hang out late at all the cool clubs.

"I don't know if I'd take the sophisticated route and go see a play," he said. "If I have any free time, I'll probably go hang out in Times Square."

He is looking forward to hanging out with his fellow finalists: Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, Alabama running back Mark Ingram, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow and Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

After all the fun is over, Gerhart and Stanford need to get back to business: A Sun Bowl date on New Year's Eve with Oklahoma.

It was announced this week starting quarterback Andrew Luck is doubtful to play after surgery on the broken index finger of his throwing hand, but Gerhart said he and his teammates believe they can win with senior backup Tavita Pritchard, who has started 19 career games.

"It's definitely going to be different without Luck in the huddle but there's no doubt in my mind that Tavita is going to do well and excel," he said.

But first, he goes to New York with a chance to win the biggest individual award in college sports.

"It's something you dream about but never think you'll really get," he said.

Stanford running back Toby Gerhart is a Heisman Trophy finalist, joining Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, Alabama running back Mark Ingram, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow and Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

It figures to be a tight race, and this is an outstanding fivesome.

Whatever happens, Gerhart always will have his trip to Manhattan.

I can't take credit for the following research, which came from the great minds inside ESPN, but it clearly should give folks a clear picture of what Stanford running back Toby Gerhart has accomplished this year.

One of the uncomfortable parts of making the case for Gerhart is that it requires poking holes in the resumes for the other top candidate, specifically Texas' Colt McCoy and Florida's Tim Tebow.

McCoy and Tebow have played well this season. And both have had historical careers that won't be forgotten. One of them may win the national championship.

But there's simply not any question which player has had the best season while playing against the best competition. That's Gerhart.

Consider some notes, courtesy Chris Fallica, College GameDay researcher.

• Gerhart has faced six of the top 46 rushing defenses and gained at least 123 yards against five of them. His low against those six teams was 96 yards against Oregon State. In those six games, Gerhart gained 881 yards (146.8) and ran for 14 TDs. That average of 146.8 YPG is actually higher than his overall season average of 144.7 YPG.
• Gerhart has finished strong. In his last four games, three of which came against teams currently ranked in the AP Top 20, Gerhart rushed for 742 yards (185.5 YPG) and 12 TDs.
• McCoy also has finished strong but in his last four games, Texas faced zero ranked teams -- two teams that went 1-7 in the Big 12 (Baylor and Kansas) along with Texas A&M and UCF (which are 111th and 112th nationally in pass defense).
• Tebow has finished strong in his last five games but, again, none of those five opponents are ranked. The stretch consisted of Georgia (10th in SEC in scoring defense), Vanderbilt (2-10, winless in SEC), South Carolina, FIU (119th in nation in total defense) and Florida State (108th in nation in total defense).
• In each of the last seven games, Gerhart has rushed for more, individually, than the opposing team has allowed against all other opponents. Some of the highlights: Gerhart gained 178 yards on a USC defense that has allowed 116.5 rush YPG vs all other teams. He gained 223 yards on an Oregon team which has allowed 118.3 rush YPG vs everyone else.
• Gerhart was at his best when he played the best. In four games against teams currently ranked, Gerhart rushed for 158.3 YPG and 12 TDs (against unranked teams, Gerhart ran for 137.9 YPG).
• Texas has faced only one team currently ranked this season (No. 22 Oklahoma State). McCoy threw for 171 yards on 16-of-21 passing and a TD in a game which the Texas defense/special teams accounted for two TDs.
• Florida has also faced only one ranked opponent this year (No. 15 LSU). Tebow was 11-16 for 134 yards with a TD and Int, though that was his first game following a concussion suffered at Kentucky.
• Gerhart didn’t pad his stats against bad teams. Against Washington State and San Jose State (two of the five worst rush defenses in the country), Gerhart gained “only” 121 and 113 yards – figures which represent two of his four lowest rushing totals this season.
• 19 of Colt McCoy’s 27 TD passes and four of his five best passing games have come against teams which currently do not have a winning record. Against opponents with winning records, he's thrown for eight TDs and five Ints.
• Tim Tebow’s last two games accounted for two of his three highest offensive outputs of the season (311 vs FSU, 317 vs FIU). As mentioned above, those teams are in the bottom 13 nationally in total defense.
• Stanford faced only one team from a non-AQ conference this season (San Jose State). The other two non-conference opponents were Wake Forest (ACC) and Notre Dame. Stanford also faced nine Pac-10 opponents. Texas’ four non-conference opponents were UL-Monroe, Troy, UTEP and UCF – all from non-AQ conferences. Florida’s four non-conference opponents were Charleston Southern, Troy, Florida International and Florida State – three of which are from non-AQ conferences.
• The only comparison Gerhart loses? Florida and Texas are undefeated, while Stanford has four losses. Yet the losses weren’t Gerhart’s fault. In them, he ran for 109.3 YPG and 8 TD, while Stanford’s defense allowed 34.8 PPG. Tebow and McCoy had the luxury of playing with the No. 1 and No. 5 total defense (Stanford is 85th) and the No. 1 and No. 9 scoring defense (Stanford is 65th).

Again, this isn't about McCoy and Tebow not being good players or Texas and Florida not being good teams, even though both paths to undefeated were no where near as arduous as what Stanford faced.

It's simply this.

Gerhart is the most outstanding player in college football, which is what the Heisman Trophy is supposed to recognize.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Lots and lots of mail on the Oregon vs. Boise State debate. Not sure how to handle this in the mailbag because it's a complicated issue that can be stated simply: head-to-head vs. body of work.

Not sure if you guys will be entertained by repeating that endlessly.

Or maybe you will be?

To the notes.

James from Springfield, Ore., writes: It's funny how many pollsters find it so difficult or downright impossible to rank Oregon over BSU because of the win in week one. John Hunt of the Oregonian polled some of the AP voters and at least 16 said they would not vote OR over BSU. Wanna guess how many voted UW over USC in week 4 when they had the same record? ZERO. 14 voted OK over BYU in week 2 (BYU 1-0 with win over OK, OK 0-1). Nine voted Cal over OR in week 5 despite the 42-3 beat down & a higher SOS

Jim from Cascade, Idaho writes: I sure hope that your vote at the end of the season to rank the Oregon Ducks ahead of the Boise State Broncos doesn't count for anything. You represent the Pac 10 and of course you want a Pac 10 team ahead of a lowly mid major. That is the problem of this BCS discussion that dominates the media to such foolishness. If the six major conferences had to share their money and prestige with someone else then pretty soon the mid majors could recruit equally. Besides when nothing else makes sense then follow the money. That is exactly why the majors won't share and pay the media to keep it that way. You act like a proper sheep.

Jon from Los Angeles writes: Is Boise State totally WAC? Sure, the Oregon win looks good now, but is there any chance one impressive victory against a great team on a bad night atones for twelve weeks of beating up on virtual DII teams? What's the debate?

Rob from Boise writes: Of course you will back OR in the polls, you are a blogger for the P10. But I question your mental and physical fortitude, because I doubt (strictly from your posturing during that v-blog) that you have ever been pitted against something hard, tough, or perceived better than you. Please don't take this as an ego boost, because if there were nothing to whom you have been physically challenged to then why the hell are you a writer for E(SEC)PN? Face to face matters most in sports, thats why we need a playoff. Have fun in your basement or study or wherever you videoed that, real men will be out on the field or in the arena. It's not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or when the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worth cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at the worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat. -Theodore Roosevelt - words you should take to heart Mr. Miller

Moreno from Suthelrin, Ore, writes: Oregon over Boise in the rankings no doubt. Must be nice to only have to train for ONE REAL SCHOOL all off season. then take the rest of the season off. Oregon proves week after week that they're the best. Boise sneaks past schools that my community college could beat.

Jason Mayer from "The Left Coast" writes: When the college football season is finished and Florida, Texas, and Alabama are all undefeated only two teams can play in the big game. How will this be decided, by looking at their body of work. Why, because they have not played any games head to head. You are crazy to think that body of work could ever trump head to head. Body of work is needed if there is no head to head. I would whole hardily agree that Oregon's body of work is light years ahead of Boise State, but it still doesn't trump head to head. Oregon had their chance to be the dominate team on the football field, not only this year but last year and they lost head to head both times. There is no justifying that away, can't be done without having your head in the sand.

Ted Miller: Hey, I did a video clip about this.

Funny thing: This is as much a debate among media sorts as among fans. I was among the gaggle of sportswriters arguing this very topic as we left Autzen Stadium. We were fairly animated.

It almost feels like we should make another distinction.

If it comes down between Oregon and Boise State for a national championship berth or, perhaps, an at-large BCS berth, maybe the Broncos should have the edge.

I think, in fact, that the Broncos non-AQ status helps them here. Say Arkansas lost on the road to a Big Ten team to open the season, then decisively beat Alabama, Florida and LSU and finished 11-1, while that Big Ten team went unbeaten, without playing, say, Penn State or Ohio State. My guess is Arkansas would get a lot of voter sympathy based on their body of work and voter doubts about the Big Ten.

There wouldn't be this sense of BCS systemic unfairness that is the subtext of much of the emotion here.

But beyond the BCS positioning, and only in the context of the national rankings, maybe Oregon should have the edge.

Why? Well, body of work.

And there's this: If you can't honestly say, "I think Boise State would beat Oregon tomorrow on a neutral field" then you are admitting that the body-of-work argument carries some heft.

Both arguments are compelling. In the end, if I have to choose one, I go with body of work.

---

Mike from Portland writes: Hey Ted! I read your blog every day! One thing I haven't seen you post about is the Pac 10's strength of schedule in hard numbers. Yeah everyone can debate that endlessly, but according the hard facts, aka Sagarin, 9 of the Pac 10 teams rank in the top 20 of his strength of schedule. NINE! And many of those teams are looking pretty good and are doing well with pollsters. I think the pollsters need to be more aware of the hard facts SOS.

Ted Miller: If you wish to see the Pac-10 love from the computers, feel free to go here, or particularly here.

The Pac-10 seems to have joined the SEC in the discussion of best conference this season. But keep in mind we've got lots of football left and then the bowl games. We shall see how things shake out.

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Bentley from Bend, Ore., writes: I am a life-long Trojan fan, and I was at the game last weekend. I am definitely disappointed and crushed, but that is not what I want to ask you about. I want to know why the Pac-10 is getting absolutely no love in terms of players being recognized for the Heisman? I don't get it. The race seems wide open this year with Bradford going down and both McCoy and Tebow not performing like Heisman worthy players. What about James? He didn't even get many touches until the third game of the year and he is still almost at 1,000 yards. He has games of 118, 152 (twice), 154, and 184. He averages 7.0 yards a carry! No one is talking about this guy for Heisman? WHY!?!? Or what about JacQuizz Rodgers? He is more than a runner and almost has 1300 all purpose yards already. He averages more yards a game (162) receiving and rushing then Ingram does. Both JacQuizz Rodgers and LaMichael James are more impressive then Ingram in my mind. Why does the media not even talk about this?

Ted Miller: Dude, I've been so ringing the Jacquizz Rodgers bell!

And what if Jeremiah Masoli keeps Oregon rolling? Or what if Toby Gerhart rushes for 180 yards and two touchdowns Saturday and leads Stanford over the Ducks?

The race is still wide open.

For Rodgers, he needs the Beavers to start rolling and return to the national rankings. So does Gerhart.

Name recognition is critical. And it's hard to get that when playing for an unranked team.

---

Chris from South Korea writes: Do you think it's good for a team like WSU to travel to San Antonio for recruiting and/or a decent paycheck or does a bad defeat hurt their cause?

Ted Miller: The money, particularly for Washington State, which has some financial issues, is critical.

I'm not sure if it will help much in Texas recruiting, though there are Cougars from Texas.

What would help is winning the game. Losing in San Antonio probably does no more damage that losing in Martin Stadium. And judging from struggling attendance figures and frustrated fans, the Cougars may have enjoyed the trip more than a home game.

---

Vib from Fremont, Calif., writes: Wilner's post on Oregon-Stanford is really just creating hype for a game that will be interesting for only 15-20 minutes. The Stanford defense will be confused with the Ducks misdirection all day. They are running Kelly's offense at a very high level. I don't think the Stanford offense is very good. They just had a relatively easy early schedule. The Ducks defense will do enough and Masoli/James will run past the stumped Cardinal.

Ted Miller: You know Wilner used to routinely whip Anderson Silva? He's won the sportswriter UFC championships, like, 50 times. May want to be careful calling anything he writes "hype."

Because you know we media sorts hate the assertion that we'd ever "hype" something.

I liked his arguments. Thought they were interesting. Still think Oregon's going to win. But if Stanford pulls the upset, we may refer back to his list.

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Chris from Parts Unknown writes: Cool article from USC ranking pac-10 away locker rooms.

Ted Miller: That is a cool article. And I'm not surprised about first and last.

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Chris from Palo Alto, Calif., writes: Hey Ted, I really enjoy the blog. I have a question as to why Oregon has to make a recommendation to the Pac-10 about Blount. I thought it was the Univ. of Oregon that suspended him, not the Pac-10. If that's correct, why now does the Pac-10 have a say in this?

Ted Miller: The Pac-10 has final say both going in and going out.

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Ryan Heredia from Cheney, Wash., writes: Hey Mr. Miller. I am doing a college paper on whether or not there should be a playoff system in college football. I was just wondering what your take is?

Ted Miller: Cheney! Funny story. Got caught in speed trap in Cheney while heading to Seattle Seahawks practice. Officer clocked me at 55 ... on an exit ramp. I was about 100 yards from highway where the speed limit was 75.

My thoughts on a playoff.

I think a playoff would be great. I don't think it will happen anytime soon because the folks who make these decisions don't want a playoff.

And, you know, college football doesn't exactly stink right now.

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Derick from Portland writes: With University of Oregon doing so well the last few years (well until QB injuries occurred that is). What is the chance that we will pull in top defensive recruits and wide receivers? We haven't had a decent receiver since James Finley/Demetrius Williams and its been our biggest weakness offensively. Does Oregon stand much of a chance to land big names in this recruiting class?

Ted Miller: Oregon is about to finish in the top-10 for a second-consecutive season. Seems to me the Ducks should stick with their present recruiting strategy.

But this happens a lot with a fanbase. A team surges, and fans want to win in recruiting also. They want to compete with USC, Texas and Florida for guys!

I get notes like this from Oregon State fans, and I just feel such talk is nuts.

I don't get the feeling that Oregon is that bad off at receiver, based on my observations watching the Ducks gain 613 yards against one of the most talented defenses in the nation.

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Aaron from Chicago writes: With all the injury issues USC has been having at RB, why isn't Marc Tyler getting playing time? Wasn't he the best RB in America in high school? Was his leg injury so bad that he just isn't the same back, or is there something below the surface that is affecting his playing time?

Ted Miller: It's below the surface... of his toe. He suffered a season-ending toe injury that required surgery.

I've got a feeling Tyler will be a factor next year, though.

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Jacob from Beaverton, Ore., writes: My name is Jacob, a freshman at the University of Oregon, and I just had some questions about how you became a sports journalist/ESPN blogger (I think that is how you would classify your profession? yes/no?). I am an avid college football fan and having a profession in this sort of field would definitely interest me.Currently, I have not yet declared a major. I have always enjoyed history and political science, but there really isn't anything to do with those kind of majors in the economy today other than teaching, which doesn't appeal to me at all. This has sparked my initiative to find other career pathways which interest me, and lets be honest, who doesn't like sports!?So on to the questions:What did you major in at the University of Richmond? Did that major play any role in your current career?What do you recommend I major in to pursue a career similar to yours?Is sports journalism even a realistic career to pursue? How did you become one?

Ted Miller: My career advice is to have as much fun as you possibly can before you turn 25. At some point, you need to hang out in Amsterdam. And Barcelona. Then think about your career.

I was an English major. I wanted to be an English professor. And write a few novels and move to Barcelona. And Amsterdam.

Plans change.

I started at a small paper. Then moved to a bigger one. And so-on.

As for what I do for ESPN.com: You can do the same thing right now. Just start writing a blog. Write for the school paper. Try to string for the local newspaper. Gather your clips. Try to get an internship.

It's not rocket science.

It's much, much harder and more important.

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DuckVader from "Still Floating" writes: Okie Dokies Mr. Ted Miller. I think it's time to give Oregon's Defense some nifty little catch phrase name so we can keep promoting how amazing we are (Knock on Wood for the love of god). We might need it if we win out (see Texas national title game campaign). I'm thinking, call us the Carbon Curtain... yea? you like?PS Solid work with the new videos. My only comment would be loosen up a bit on them, maybe don't treat them like your a news caster. Your a hip, witty, blogger; so go with that! Be a silly son of a B, people dig that!

Ted Miller: Me silly? Bollocks!

As for a nickname for the Ducks defense, we might want to give it one more week, post-Toby Gerhart.

But you Duck fans out there should feel free to offer suggestions. I will then steal the best one and claim I invented it.

By the way, Duck Vader, do you know my boss, Darth Duffey? I think you Sith Lords run in the same circles.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Three Pac-10 players are among the 16 semifinalists for the Maxwell Award, which is given annually to the nation's best player: California running back Jahvid Best, Stanford running back Toby Gerhart and Oregon State running back Jacquizz Rodgers.

Florida's Tim Tebow won the award the previous two years.

The panel voting for the Maxwell Award includes Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA head coaches, sports information directors and selected national media.

Here's the complete list of semifinalists:

Jahvid Best, University of California, RB, JR

Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame, QB, JR

Noel Devine, West Virginia University, RB, JR

Toby Gerhart, Stanford University, RB, SR

Mark Ingram, University of Alabama, RB, SOPH

Case Keenum, University of Houston, QB, JR

Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan University, QB, SR

Dion Lewis, University of Pittsburgh, RB, FR

Ryan Mathews, Fresno State University, RB, JR

Colt McCoy, University of Texas, QB, SR

Kellen Moore, Boise State University, QB, SOPH

Christian Ponder, Florida State University, QB, JR

Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State University, RB, SOPH

Jordan Shipley, University of Texas, WR, SR

Golden Tate, Notre Dame, WR, JR

Tim Tebow, University of Florida, QB, SR

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

The Bay Area is the center of the Pac-10 universe on Saturday, though Oregon State's visit to Arizona State feels underrated to me. Oh, and Washington heads east to take on Notre Dame and the cardiac Fighting Irish.

1. Will the real Cal please stand up? California can't possibly be as bad as it looked at Oregon. You look up and down the roster and check off guys with NFL futures and just shake your head. So, do the Bears put it together and play to their potential against USC? Or will they look out of sync again? It's possible that Cal could put forth a strong effort and still lose, but at least that might leave some sparks for a strong run through the rest of the conference slate.

2. Toby Gerhart vs. Reggie Carter & Brian Price: Obviously, there are 11 guys on both sides of the ball, but the 237-pound Gerhart is the irresistible force and Carter and Price are the immovable objects. If Gerhart prevails and gets his 100-plus yards, he should jump onto the short list of Heisman Trophy candidates. But Carter and Price are bad men -- maybe two of the nation's most underrated players. There will be some pads popping here.

3. Danny Sullivan must play better: Arizona State proved at Georgia that its defense is good enough to get the Sun Devils to a bowl game, but the offense needs to step up, particularly Sullivan. Only problem for him is his already questionable offensive line is banged up -- two or three starters could be out. Still, playing in front of the home crowd, Sullivan needs to make plays in the passing game or coach Dennis Erickson might decide to give talented true freshman Brock Osweiler a serious look.

4. Will Irish run or pass vs. the Huskies' defense? Or both? Washington's primary worry in the preseason was its outmanned secondary, but after Stanford ran all over the Huskies, the run defense now seems like a bigger problem. Notre Dame has been successful both throwing (297 yards per game) and running the ball (158 ypg). Against A-list programs, the Huskies have flashed decent run defense (LSU) and pass defense (USC). What will they have for Charlie Weis and the Irish?

5. Welcome to Autzen Stadium, Jeff Tuel: Sure, Washington State's true freshman quarterback got his first career action in the Coliseum against the fearsome Trojans, but it's much different coming off the bench without thinking time compared to having a first-career start hanging over a youngster for an entire week. Not to mention that Tuel won't be able to hear himself think inside Autzen Stadium -- it's not nearly as loud inside the Coliseum. And the Ducks' defense gives a QB lots of looks -- it certainly confused a veteran Cal offense.

6. The Trojans' offense can't possibly be this bad: The overall statistics don't look terrible, but the Trojans are averaging just 19.3 points over their last three games and only one of those defenses -- Ohio State -- is a first-tier unit. Moreover, the offense is only converting on 25 percent of its third downs, which ranks last in the conference. All of this is happening with an outstanding offensive line and a strong crew of skill players. So, even with young quarterbacks, it's not a lack of talent or experience. The pressure is on Jeremy Bates to earn his substantial paycheck and call better plays. Or, perhaps, Pete Carroll needs to free up Bates to call the game as he sees fit. Either way, this shortcoming falls on the coaches.

7. Is it better to be Crafty or Lucky? UCLA's and Stanford's quarterbacks come at Saturday's game from far different angles. The Bruins' Kevin Craft is the senior backup who lost his job to a now-injured redshirt freshman because he threw 20 interceptions in 2008. The Cardinal's Andrew Luck is a super-talented redshirt freshman who unseated a senior starter and who appears destined for an NFL career. Funny thing is: Craft probably will be more responsible for his team's fortunes. Luck has a powerful running game to rely on. Craft won't have that luxury. Of course, Craft did beat Stanford with a pressure-packed TD drive last year.

8. Bringing the heat in Tempe: Arizona State's defense has been dominant. Oregon State's defense has been disappointing. But here's a number that might shock you: Which two teams are tied for last in the conference with just two sacks? That would be the Sun Devils and Beavers, though the Sun Devils have played one less game. Both offensive lines have struggled, and the Sun Devils are digging deep into their depth chart because of injuries. Neither QB is terribly mobile. And Arizona State gets back suspended defensive end James Brooks, which will allow pass-rush specialist Dexter Davis to return to his preferred weak side. Guess here is one -- or maybe both -- of these teams is going to get to the quarterback.

9. Jahvid Best needs a big day in a big game: Last year against USC, Best had just 30 yards on 13 carries. Last week against Oregon, he had just 55 yards on 16 carries. While it's unfair and untrue to say that Best has not produced good numbers in big games, the Bears need him to step up and make some plays against a rugged Trojans defense that is going to gang up on him. Sure, quarterback Kevin Riley needs to create a passing threat so the Trojans can't crowd the line to stop Best, but if Best makes a few plays early, things probably will be a lot more open for Riley downfield.

10. Locker vs. Clausen: Washington's Jake Locker is 21st in the nation in total offense, but most will see him as the second-best quarterback on the field Saturday. Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen is finally living up to his talent and recruiting pedigree, and the nation's fourth-rated passer is a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. But he also has a bum toe. Locker is a team player and a good citizen, but he's incredibly competitive. Bring up Tim Tebow, and Locker's reticence clearly suggests he thinks he's just as good. Locker would love to steal the big stage in front of Touchdown Jesus and turn in a blockbuster performance.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

What did we learn from Week 2 of Pac-10 action?

1. Washington is nobody's patsy: A corpse was rolled out of Husky Stadium on Saturday evening. It was Sucky Husky, who went 12-47 from 2004 until 2008. He's been on life support since Steve Sarkisian was hired and injected him with enthusiasm and hope, which proved deadly for Sucky Husky, who finally succumbed when Erik Folk's short field goal gave Washington a 16-13 victory over No. 3 USC. Suffice it to say, the funeral will be sparsely attended. Washington once was the top alternative to USC in the Pac-10. It was once a program that groused about playing in the Sun Bowl. In a few years, it feels certain that Husky fans will once again grouse about playing in the Sun Bowl.

2. USC is vulnerable. Seriously. Well, maybe: Let's pause for a moment and be fair to USC. The Trojans, who lost at Washington were missing their starting quarterback, their two-time All-American free safety, their starting cornerback, their starting defensive end, their starting wide receiver and their nickelback. Still, this is USC; the Trojans are just supposed to plug-and-play. After the game, coach Pete Carroll talked about turnovers and penalties and pointed a finger at himself. The Trojans haven't looked this beatable since 2001. Oh, but don't be too hasty throwing a handful of dirt on them. Let's wait for them to lose a second Pac-10 game before we completely write them off. But feel free to practice saying this, "USC has accepted an invitation to the Holiday Bowl."

3. Jahvid Best is a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate: It's not just that Best scored five TDs and eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the seventh consecutive time in the Bears' 35-21 win at Minnesota. It's that Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford is hurt and Texas quarterback Colt McCoy and Florida quarterback Tim Tebow haven't looked very good. Moreover, McCoy plays a weak schedule that won't help his cause, and -- fair or unfair -- there's a certain amount of "Tebow exhaustion" among the masses. Cal folks, by the way, might want to loosen the reins on Best. Best has a personality, but it seems like someone sent him the "Tyrone Willingham's Interview Techniques" DVD.

4. Did you write off Oregon? Not smart: After the Boise State debacle, Ducks fans seemed to panic, and Duck haters seemed ready to predict the certain demise of the Chip Kelly era after just one game. Those of us -- yeah, I'm taking credit for it -- who said, "Er, one game" and preached patience probably feel like gloating. But we won't because gloating is, well, often a lot of fun. It's not that Oregon doesn't have issues. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli's continued struggles is chief among them. And this might not be a 10-win team. But the idea that the program was on the cusp of spinning into the morass was absurd. And I'm still not selling my Masoli stock.

5. The Pac-10 is 9 1/2-teams deep: Look at the Pac-10, top-to-bottom. It's fair to say now that nine teams presently are threats to win at least six games and earn bowl eligibility. And, heck, Washington State just beat a 2-0 SMU team, never mind the final statistics. Last week, it looked like the Cougs were the only automatic out, but now even they have shown signs of life. While the apparent depth is a good thing, it also suggests that going undefeated -- or even losing just once -- will be a heck of a task. Don't be surprised if we end up with co-Pac-10 champs who both own two conference defeats.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

	AP Photo
	Despite Matt Barkley's young age, USC Coach Pete Carroll says his QB is a special talent -- an 'outlier.' .

LOS ANGELES -- Matt Barkley stood near midfield, surrounded by television cameras and tape recorders and breathless questions, a toothy, matinee-idol grin stretched across his face. He seemed completely comfortable, devoid of the nervousness one would expect from an 18-year-old making his "hello world" moment on the big stage that is annually reserved for the USC quarterback.

Over the next hour or so he would be asked about 47 times if he had been nervous before his first start. Each time he patiently said no.

"This was what I was made to do," Barkley explained, sounding more humble than pompous, if that can be believed.

He then slowly walked -- floated really -- toward the tunnel at the Coliseum, a scrum of backpedaling photographers clicking away in front of him.

"Matt Barkley!" the Trojans fans bellowed at him without accompanying words or phrases -- the name was enough -- as the next Big Thing ambled into the tunnel and onto the college football landscape.

Still, it didn't make sense. How could he not be nervous? Sure, he'd just completed 15 of 19 passes for 233 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions and no bad plays in a 56-3 bludgeoning of San Jose State.

And, sure, San Jose State at home isn't anything like, say, a visit to Ohio State's Horseshoe.

But everybody gets nervous before a game, particularly a first game, even more so for a guy jumping from high school to USC. Even his teammates, linebacker Chris Galippo, a new starter, and Taylor Mays, a two-time All-American, didn't buy it.

"He says that but I think he's lying," Mays said.

Said Galippo, "Barkley is lying. He had to be nervous."

Pete Carroll gets Barkley, though, even if some players and all reporters do not.

Carroll tries to be patient while explaining, but he's not sure if the hoi polloi can truly understand.

Did getting the San Jose State game under his belt help Matt Barkley prepare for next weekend's blockbuster at Ohio State?

No.

"You're looking for typical things," Carroll said. "This is not a typical kid."

Carroll calls Barkley an "outlier," a term he adopted after reading Malcolm Gladwell's book titled the same. Gladwell describes outliers as people who "for one reason or another, are so accomplished and so extraordinary and so outside of ordinary experience that they are as puzzling to the rest of us as a cold day in August."

Carroll said he started believing that Barkley was beyond-the-pale special five days into spring practices.

"He shouldn't have been doing the things we saw him doing compared to the things we've seen before," Carroll said.

The "things" before being Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, John David Booty and Mark Sanchez.

(Read full post)