ESPN College Football

LOS ANGELES -- The savior is going to prom next week.

That would be UCLA's true freshman quarterback Brett Hundley, a charismatic, strapping young man who left high school early to compete for the starting job and immediately discovered that many believe that he will lead the football program out of the wilderness of mediocrity into the promised land of Pac-12 championships. And, of course, while on that glorious path, he will plant a footprint on USC's collective forehead.

Hundley admits it's been a bit surreal having folks he doesn't know know who he is, even when it's "volleyball girls" saying "Hey, you're the savior!" He's enjoying taking it all in. But any euphoria over his newfound celebrity has been put in perspective by the realities of the practice field this spring.

"Going from high school to college, it's really a big difference," he said.

Yes, it is. Just ask Kevin Prince and Richard Brehaut, who have struggled as UCLA's starting quarterback in the previous two seasons.

What's clear is the quarterback quandary in Westwood won't be resolved until the fall. Prince, who has flashed ability when healthy (which hasn't been often), is sitting out while still recovering from a knee injury. Brehaut has turned in a solid spring but hasn't yet won over his coaches. Hundley, the best athlete of the three, is still trying to digest the playbook and get a feel for the speed of the game.

"It's to be continued," offensive coordinator Mike Johnson said. "I don't think anyone has clearly put themselves in position to say they are going to be the starter."

UCLA has a strong history at the position: Bob Waterfield, Heisman Trophy winner Gary Beban, Tom Ramsey, Troy Aikman and Cade McNown come to mind. But the position has been pretty lousy since Drew Olson left in 2005.

More than a few observers believe Prince will be the starter if he is 100 percent in fall camp. But that's a big if. As a redshirt freshman in 2009, Prince threw the ball fairly well at times. And he did a solid job with the options portion of the pistol last year, particularly in the upset win over Texas. Of course, that's also when he also first hurt his knee.

"He's a proven player ... not a proven consistent player," coach Rick Neuheisel said. "The question for him is whether he can stay healthy."

Brehaut replaced Prince but struggled. In seven starts, his efficiency rating ranked 96th in the country and ninth in the Pac-10. Brehaut said he's focused on his footwork this spring, while Neuheisel wants Brehaut to become more proficient checking down to his second and third options.

"I think Richard has played well," Neuheisel said. "I still thing there is a lot more improvement to be had, whether it's by him or someone else, before we're going to be playing the position as well as it needs to be played. He still has too much predetermination in him. That's got to get weaned out."

That leaves the savior.

"He's taking strides, but a lot has been thrown at him that he's never done before," Johnson said. "So there are times he is a deer in headlights."

And when those headlights are on him, Hundley typically chooses to run. That's not the right thing to do based on the play call, but Hundley can make the wrong thing seem right when he busts a big gain with his feet, and that's not lost on his coaches.

"He's going to be a guy who is wrong sometimes," Johnson said. "But we encourage him that if he is going to be wrong, do it fast, do it hard. Because he has the athletic ability to overcome some of those mistakes."

Prince and Brehaut are aware that fans are clamoring for Hundley.

"Of course, everyone roots for that incoming guy who no one has seen yet," Brehaut said. "That's something Kevin and I, as veteran guys, can't worry about. There's nothing we can do that's going to affect Brett. It's all about making sure we know what we are doing and are executing like we know how. As long as we're doing that, we're doing our part."

While Hundley admits to struggling this spring, he still has his eyes affixed to the prize: the starting job. He left high school early because he had a clear goal to get on the field as soon as possible.

That savior stuff? It's amusing for now. But the business ahead is serious and far more taxing.

"It's pretty funny. When I first got here, that's how some people knew me," Hundley said. "Everyone jokes around about it. But I make sure everyone knows I'm only one person. You can't really save a team. And that's not really what I'm here for."

A look back on the week that was.

Team of the week: Stanford rolled up 510 yards of offense against one of the nation's best defenses in a 42-17 win against Arizona. The Cardinal defense wasn't too shabby either while holding the Wildcats to 15.6 points less than their season scoring average. A Facebook page has been set up to promote the Cardinal's potential availability for an at-large BCS bowl berth.

Best game: USC's entertaining 34-33 win against Arizona State included: 1. Two long interception returns for TDs; 2. A 100-yard kickoff return for a score; 3. A blocked PAT returned for a critical 2-points for USC; 4. 46 second-half points after a rather slow first half; 5. A missed potential game-winning field goal by slumping Arizona State kicker Thomas Weber, a former Groza Award winner; and, 6. A personal foul penalty from linebacker Vontaze Burfict (again) that helped set up the Trojans game-winning field goal.

Biggest play: Call this the biggest "replay." With four seconds left in the UCLA-Oregon State game, Bruins quarterback Richard Brehaut completed a 12-yard pass to Randall Carroll to put the Bruins in position for a 51-yard field goal. But it appeared the play clock had expired, as the field officials ruled. But the Bruins challenged the call and won, getting 1 more second to play, and kicker Kai Forbath connected for a 17-14 win.

Offensive standout: Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck dominated a good Arizona defense, completing 23 of 32 for 293 yards with two TDs in the Cardinal's 42-17 win. He also ran for 25 yards on three carries and avoided getting sacked even once by a defense that led the Pac-10 in taking down quarterbacks.

Defensive standout: USC linebacker Malcolm Smith, who's missed two games with a knee injury, recorded seven tackles and a sack against Arizona State and he also returned an interception 74 yards for a TD in the Trojans' victory.

Special teams standout: Arizona State's LeQuan Lewis had a 100-yard kickoff return against USC. The return cut the Sun Devils deficit at USC to 29-21 and seemed to ignite a comeback that ultimately fell short.

Smiley face: California, UCLA and USC each have had their heart questioned this year. All three showed heart this weekend while winning games many thought they'd lose.

Frowny face: Arizona State and Oregon State. The Sun Devils mounted a nice comeback but (again) let a game slip away. Lots of what ifs (again). And we are as baffled as coach Mike Riley about the Beavers' spiritless performance at UCLA.

Thought of the week: If Stanford and Oregon keep winning, it seems likely that both Cardinal quarterback Andrew Luck and Ducks running back LaMichael James will get invited to the Heisman Trophy ceremony. The Pac-10 sent two to New York in 2005 (USC's Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush), but the last time two different conference schools produced finalists was 1988 (USC's Rodney Peete finished second to Barry Sanders; UCLA's Troy Aikman was third).

Questions for the week: Is the Pac-1o going to end up top-heavy? It seems like there's a solid chance that Oregon and Stanford will win the rest of their games. But what about everyone else? Arizona is the only other ranked team, and it's got some tough games ahead (USC, at Oregon, Arizona State). It's possible the final rankings will feature two top-five Pac-10 teams and no one else. And could there really be five teams with losing records?

Want to unscientifically measure the difference between one year of Larry Scott vs. 26 years of Tom Hansen atop the Pac-10?

Do this: Google "Pac-1o commissioner Larry Scott" then do "Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen."

Yeah: Stunning. Nearly two million hits vs. 105,000.

While some traditionalists -- and the Pac-10 still has plenty of those -- might not believe that's necessarily a good thing, what Scott has done in one year is dramatic: He's made the conference big news. Even when his grand plan for a "Pac-16" fell apart due to a Texas two-step, Scott's bold behind-the-scenes maneuvering was the lead story of an usually busy college football summer.

When the machinations finally ended, the conference added two teams, Colorado and Utah, and everyone now waits to see how Scott will parlay that into a media deal that keeps the conference financially competitive with the SEC, Big Ten and ACC.

But that answer won't come until 2011. The present "next big thing" is this week: A bi-coastal showcase of Pac-10 football coaches and players. And new, aggressive Pac-10 marketing.

Danette Leighton, an Arizona alum and the Pac-10's new -- and first -- chief marketing officer, uses terms like "sizzle" when she talks about how the conference plans to present itself to the media and public.

"It's about presenting Larry Scott's vision," she said.

That vision means elevating the Pac-10's national profile and waging war on the "East Coast bias" -- real or mythical -- by reaching out in order to overcome instead of merely complaining about perceived slights. That vision means putting the Pac-10 in front of a national audience as much as possible, even if much of that audience supports other conferences and is inclined to boo an interloper from the West.

Cheering or booing -- that means folks are paying attention. And those eyeballs, Scott believes, will translate to increased revenue and a better position in the college football pecking order.

As for the new stuff this week ... You can see the new Pac-10 website here when it opens at 2 p.m. PT on Tuesday. And you can pose questions to the coaches and players available during Thursday's media day on the new Pac-10 Twitter page.

The Pac-10 blog will be tagging along to all three destinations (image: Pac-10 blog walking up to Pac-10 coaches, "Hey, are you guys playing cards?"). That means lots of stories and videos over the next few days. So you may want to take a few days off.

Here's the media days itinerary:

Tuesday (New York)

5 p.m. ET: News conference at the Manhattan W Hotel featuring all 10 coaches and the unveiling of new Pac-10 logo and football trailer. Pac-10 QBs will visit Times Square -- where the Pac-10 football video will be playing on the Jumbotron -- and the Empire State Building.
6 p.m.: Private cocktail reception at W's "Whiskey Blue" with TV executives, corporate sponsors, former players and other VIPs.
8 p.m.: Coaches eat dinner with ESPN's "GameDay" crew. Coach spouses will see Broadway musical, "Promises, Promises."

Wednesday (New York, ESPN)

Morning: Coaches will ring the opening bell at NASDAQ and then conduct East Coast media interviews.
11 a.m.: Bus to ESPN offices in Bristol, Conn., where players and coaches will do interviews on all ESPN platforms.
5 p.m.: Charter flight from New York to Los Angeles; check in Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel.

Thursday (at Rose Bowl, all times PT)

9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Coach and player group interview session (field)
9:30 a.m. - Introduction and format - Dave Hirsch
9:35 a.m. - Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott
9:45 a.m. - Paul Wulff & DE Kevin Kooyman, Washington State
10:00 a.m. - Dennis Erickson & PK Thomas Weber, Arizona State
10:15 a.m. - Rick Neuheisel & FS Rahim Moore, UCLA
10:30 a.m. - Steve Sarkisian & LB Mason Foster, Washington
10:45 a.m. - Jeff Tedford & LB Mike Mohamed, California
11:00 a.m. - BREAK
11:15 a.m. - Lane Kiffin & QB Matt Barkley, USC
11:30 a.m. - Jim Harbaugh & FB/LB Owen Marecic, Stanford
11:45 a.m. - Mike Riley & RB Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State
12 noon - Mike Stoops & QB Nick Foles, Arizona
12:15 p.m. - Chip Kelly & DT Brandon Bair, Oregon
12:30 p.m. - Pac-10 video presentation

12:30-2:30: One-on-one coach/player interviews during luncheon.

5:30 p.m.: Reception at the Fox Network Studios: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman host Pac-10 presentation.

LOS ANGELES -- Most programs have images. Not so long ago, a mention of UCLA to college football fans inspired images of high-flying offenses with quarterbacks such as Troy Aikman or Cade McNown, offensive linemen such as Jonathan Ogden and skill players like J.J. Stokes and DeShaun Foster.

These days? Not so much. UCLA hasn't had a potent offense since 2005.

Most coaches have images. Bruins coach Rick Neuheisel and offensive coordinator Norm Chow built their careers on offensive prowess, particularly with developing quarterbacks.

When Neuheisel and Chow arrived in Westwood two years ago after Karl Dorrell was fired, their charge was not only to recharge a stagnant program that had yielded Southern California to USC but also to reignite the offensive fireworks.

Bruins fans notoriously love offense. Former coach Bob Toledo once remarked that winning with flashy offense was nearly as important as winning period among the Bruins faithful.

The going, suffice it to say, has been slow. The Bruins have ranked no better than eighth in rushing, scoring or total offense over the past two seasons.

So, are the Bruins poised for a breakthrough in 2010, Year Three of Neuheisel-Chow?

"I have no idea, but we have to be better or you'll be talking to somebody else next year," Chow quipped.

Say this for the veteran coaches: The old dogs are willing to try new tricks. UCLA is using a variation of Nevada's "pistol" offense -- Neuheisel called it "the revolver" because "it's going to be more loaded," he joked -- during spring practices. That means lining up in an abbreviated shotgun formation with a single running back and using some spread-option elements.

The idea is that forcing a defense to respect -- and assign responsibility for -- a potential running quarterback means an offense operates 11-on-11 vs. a defense rather than 10-on-11, as is the case in a pro-style offense when the quarterback only hands off or passes from the pocket.

Understand: UCLA quarterback Kevin Prince doesn't have to transform into Oregon's Jeremiah Masoli (insert snarky quip here) or Washington's Jake Locker this spring. The very fact that Prince will run the ball a handful of times a game means a defense must account for him on every play, which means Prince can operate as a pseudo-blocker even without the ball -- and without taking on a 240-pound linebacker.

By the way, Prince is hardly an unathletic clod being asked to run the option. For one, he ran a similar offense in high school. And he weighs 230 pounds and runs a 4.53 40-yard dash.

"It's opening up the passing game a lot and it's really fun to run. I'm liking it so far. It's an efficient way to do things," Prince said. "I might not have to run that much, but the mere fact that they have to have a guy assigned to me, to respect me as a running threat, I think will open up our offense a lot more."

That said, results have been mixed. After the Bruins second scrimmage, Neuheisel wondered out loud how patient he and Chow could be while Prince and company learned a new scheme: ""There's a lot of moving parts in this stuff. If we're going to be in this stuff and we're going to say that this is who we are and try to get to that point, we've got to be a heck of a lot better at it than this. If we can't get that done in 15 practices, then we have to ask ourselves if it's prudent to stay in it and that's where we are.''

But, whatever the scheme, Neuheisel, Chow and Prince each touched on the most sound reason to believe UCLA's offense will be better this fall: experience.

Start with Prince, who flashed potential as a redshirt freshman during an injury-plagued 2009 season. The hope is he takes the next step and becomes more consistent.

"Kevin has everything you look for," Neuheisel said. "He still needs to grasp how defenses play so he can take advantage. He's running our offense, but he's not ahead enough yet to know exactly where they are vulnerable so we can take less protection time and get the ball to that spot."

Prince should have plenty of help. Receivers Nelson Rosario and Taylor Embree have played well this spring -- said Neuheisel, "I think they are ready to burst onto the scene" -- and there are intriguing youngsters behind them. The pecking order at running back remains unsettled, but there's talent and the incoming recruiting class includes three backs ranked in the ESPNU 150.

But, really, all things hinge on the offensive line, which would have welcomed back all five starters if true freshman left tackle Xavier Su'a-Filo hadn't opted to go on a two-year LDS mission.

The Bruins troubles the past two season can be traced in large part to an inability to consistently run the football, a problem rooted in poor line play.

"I love Karl Dorrell and I've known him a long time but when we got here there were no offensive linemen," Chow said.

Neuheisel has landed three consecutive strong recruiting classes, but he also bemoans the recent lack of elite offensive linemen on the West Coast. Still, he expects the line to improve in 2010. He ticks off nine names he thinks can get it done up front.

"We'll be closer to a good looking group," he said.

The offense probably needs to take a major step forward for another reason: The Bruins lost six starters, including three All-Pac-10 first-teamers, from their defense.

Neuheisel is always optimistic. His mantra in 2008 was "relentless optimism." But his enthusiasm at present suggest he expects the Bruins, one of only two Pac-10 teams that won bowl games in 2009, to push into the top-half of the conference this fall.

"We are within a blink of an eye of being really good," he said. "We're not far from being a hell of a program again."

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

What does the Pac-10 envy from other conferences? Read on.

The Pac-10 envies ... the SEC in general: The SEC struggles against the Pac-10 head-to-head but the Pac-10 can't match the hype machine. The SEC is rolling in revenue and fan passion. It's got the nation's best television deals and bowl contracts. It pays its coaches more. It always tops the recruiting rankings. An SEC team seems to always get to play in the national title game even if its record is no better than a handful of other teams. It seems like the Pac-10 is inferior to the SEC in every way. Other than, you know, the football part of football.

The Pac-10 envies... the Big 12's quarterbacks: What in the name of Elway, Aikman, Palmer and Leinart is going on here? The Pac-10 is the "Conference of Quarterbacks"! How the heck did the ole, grind-it-out Big 12 take away that title? You turn away for just a few seconds and these fly-over states stop using the wishbone and start hurling the rock 50 times a game, making the Heisman Trophy a debate about Big 12 quarterbacks. Three Pac-10 teams rank among the nation's top 25 in rushing, but only one in passing, while seven Big 12 teams rank in the top-25 in passing -- including five of the top 10. What in the name of Barry Freaking Switzer is going on here?

The Pac-10 envies... other conference's cost of living: While Oregon, Oregon State, Washington State are in college towns, the other seven Pac-10 teams are located in urban areas, with California, Stanford, UCLA, USC and Washington located in cities that rank among the most expensive in the country. An assistant coach making $100,000 at Auburn needs to make $163,000 if he wants to keep pace at Stanford. That $4.4 million Pete Carroll makes at USC? He'd only need to get $2.7 million to maintain his cost of living in Norman, Okla.  

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

There's a lady who is sure all that glitters is gold, and she's reading the Pac-10 bloooooog!

• Arizona starts spring practices with the quarterback competition on centerstage and Robert Golden moving from corner to safety.
• Former UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman is full of B.S. As in his new college degree.
• USC is hoping to sign another top prep player Friday afternoon. More Q&As with USC coaches.
• This former hot shot Washington quarterback recruit is about to break through in another sport.
• Jon Wilner looks at the ongoing search for a new Pac-10 commissioner and some of the names that are being bandied about.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Sure some of you folks already have seen this but it may have gotten lost in the recruiting hoopla for many of you: ESPN.com did a state-by-state "Mt. Rushmore" of sports.

You can vote for your favorite here. And here's the index.

It was notable to me that the only two Pac-10 football presences were Don James for Washington and Pat Tillman for Arizona. Pac-10 hoops produced John Wooden for California and Lute Olsen for Arizona.

By way of comparison, two of the four picks from Alabama and Florida emerged from college football.

Wonder how some of you might envision a Mt. Rushmore of Pac-10 football.

To me, the two certainties would be Don James and John McKay.

It would be hard not to include Pete Carroll. Tillman would be a good one -- good granite chin, too.

If it were still 1993, O.J. Simpson would be a possibility.

Who else?

Terry Baker? Terry Donahue?

Frank Kush? Howard Jones?

Marcus Allen? Pappy Waldorf? Carson Palmer? John Elway? Troy Aikman? Jim Plunkett? Gary Beban? Charles White?

Feel free to talk amongst yourselves.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Former UCLA and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman will be honored at halftime of Saturday's men's basketball game versus Notre Dame, which will be televised by CBS (10 a.m. PT).

Aikman was inducted into the National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame on Dec. 9. Due to his broadcast schedule for FOX Television, Aikman was unable to be honored at halftime of a UCLA football game, and it was decided to honor him this weekend.

National Football Foundation Chief Operating Officer Matthew Sign will be on hand for the halftime presentation, as will Bruin athletic director Dan Guerrero and Aikman's UCLA head coach, Terry Donahue.

Aikman, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006, began his career at Oklahoma but transferred to UCLA after two seasons. After redshirting in 1986, he started all 24 games from 1987 and 1988, leading the Bruins to a 10-2 finish each season. The Bruins tied for the Pac-10 title and won the Aloha Bowl in 1987 and won the Cotton Bowl following the 1988 season.

As a junior, Aikman earned second-team All-America honors. As a senior, he was the consensus All-America quarterback, won the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award and finished third in the Heisman Trophy balloting. A few months later, the Dallas Cowboys made him the No. 1 selection in the 1989 NFL draft.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Outgoing Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen will receive a National Football Foundation Legacy Award during the NFF's annual awards dinner Dec. 9 in New York.

Ivy League Executive Director Jeffrey Orleans and Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese, who also are retiring, will receive the same honor.

That same evening three former Pac-10 stars and a former coach will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame: UCLA's Troy Aikman, Washington State's Rueben Mayes, Arizona State's Randall McDaniel and former Sun Devils coach John Cooper.

Further, California center Alex Mack is a finalist for the Draddy Trophy.