ESPN College Football

Another healthy mailbag. Settle in.

As always, follow the Pac-12 blog on Twitter.

To the notes!

Ex-Buff fan in Pac-12 dungeon writes: I am so sick of Colorado being the loser on the block. We were two points away from having ZERO wins last year. I was pumped about our new coach until I hear that he can't even hang on to the few good players we have. Not to mention we have? you guessed it ZERO quality recruits for 2014. Give it to me straight doc: how bad will this year be in terms of win total? Because last year, besides Southern Miss, we were the absolute laughing stock of college football. A retirement home football team could have beaten us.

Kevin Gemmell: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Buck up little camper. Step away from the ledge, inhale deeply, take a cleansing breath and settle down.

I tend to lean more on the glass-half-full side of life. How about this ... you were only 14 points away from having four wins last year -- three more games were decided by a touchdown or less. If you want to make the argument for the lone win, then you also have to concede that they were competitive in those other games.

As for recruiting, it's May. Relax. Yes, we post the recruiting roundup every few weeks. But that's simply to inform. Mike MacIntyre knows how to recruit -- and more importantly he knows how to recruit California. That's going to pay huge dividends in the future.

Players who have left -- meh. Do you need them? If they aren't on board with what Mac's trying to do, so be it. See ya. Make room for someone who is. Of those who left, how many were all-conference?

Win total this year, well, that's going to take a leap of faith on the part of the fans. Remember, San Jose State lost more games in MacIntyre's first year than the year before. But in Year 2 there was progress and by Year 3 they were a Top 25 team. So, and I know Colorado fans are tired of hearing this, you're going to have to be patient and let him do what he does. You probably won't see the results in the win/loss column this year -- although I do think Colorado can do better than 1-11. My best advice is don't lose faith. I think you guys have a good thing going with MacIntyre. It's just going to take time.

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BHollandz next to Burrito Stadium writes: I used to be a Coach Riley supporter until I witnessed the horrific season of 2011 and the blunders of the 2012 season. Alamo Bowl game anyone????People say that Oregon State has the best coach it will ever get and that us fans should just be satisfied with that. Well, I'm not satisfied. I want a Rose Bowl and eventually a shot a Championship. Do you think it's possible for OSU to attract a high profile coach to succeed Coach Riley and get the Beavers to the next level? This is big time Pac-12 football after all.

Kevin Gemmell: This is a lot darker and more cynical from you than I expected. The grass always seems greener, but be aware Riley isn't going anywhere for a while. Which high-profile coach would you like?

Maybe a guy who has been a coach of the year? Perhaps someone with more than 80 career wins? Experience at the professional ranks would probably be good also. It's got to be someone who sells tickets and knows how to pack Reser Stadium and you'll want a veteran guy with almost 40 years of coaching experience.

You see where I'm going with this ... you've got him! Yes, he had two bad seasons. But in his 10 years since coming back, he's won at least eight games six times, led OSU to eight bowl games and consistently had the Beavers ranked in the Top 25. Last year was the hottest start in the history of the school. And you're already talking replacements?

Maybe I'm biased since I've known him since the Chargers days, but I know he shares the same goals as you. I do think that mistakes were made in the Alamo Bowl -- it had more to do with not adjusting offensively -- not getting more help to account for Alex Okafor -- but I'm not sold that a coach should be judged by one game. When you look at his body of work, it's outstanding. I don't know if he's the best coach you'll ever get. But he has more career wins at Oregon State than any other coach before him (81). That should be celebrated.

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Ryan in New York writes: I have to give you chaps credit. You know how to make a point without being mean or hurtful. Good point about for every Ryan, there's a UCLA guy screaming just the opposite. But remember there's one difference. Us Trojans love SC above all. UCLA fans hate SC more than they love themselves.......Also, excellent point on Devon Kennard too. He must stay healthy and play well. Pass the good word to your partner in crime -- Theodore. Peace.

Kevin Gemmell: I won't get into which fan base loves itself or hates the other more. That's for the individual to decide through deep and meditative soul searching. I'm a big Kennard fan and think USC is going to experience a nice defensive boost by moving to the 3-4. Some guys are just better equipped for different schemes.

Now, I know I'm going to tick you off with this next point, but it's apt. UCLA's Datone Jones got into a 3-4 and absolutely exploded -- showing the potential that many believed he had but we'd rarely seen with him in the even front. Coming full circle, I see the same type of production from Kennard and Breslin, Leonard Williams and George Uko and even Dion Bailey moving back to safety. This is a good move for the Trojans. So says the clown.

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Nameless in Escondido, Calif., writes: When will Stanford let Ricky Seale play, had another great spring. One of the best backs from San Diego no way he cannot play at Stanford.

Kevin Gemmell: Because Stanford closes its practices and is usually tight-lipped when it comes to position battles, all I can say is I don't know. Obviously there is something going on behind the scenes that is holding Seale back -- either he's not performing in practice or others are simply performing better.

And I'm a big Seale fan, having covered him since he was as sophomore in high school. I spent many a Friday night in Wilson Stadium watching him tear up defenses.

But I'm not in the position group meetings so I don't know what's being discussed. It's a deep group and the return of Tyler Gaffney (another San Diego great) makes it even deeper. From a coach's perspective, though, this is the proverbial great problem to have.

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Darin in Monterey, Calif., writes: Good video with Mike Riley, My question is now that the Beavers have a pretty solid O-line, do you think that Storm will top 1,000 yards this year on the ground? It seems Oregon State has been lacking on thousand yard rushers like Simonton, Jackson, and jacquizz. I do like what i saw last year in Woods and Ward.

Kevin Gemmell: Yes, assuming he stays healthy, I have no problem going out on a very easy limb to go out on and say Woods is going to be a 1,000-yard rusher in 2013.

When you consider the receivers they had last year -- and the quietly efficient season of Connor Hamlett -- it made sense that the passing game was the stronger element of the offense. But with Markus Wheaton gone and question marks on exactly who is going to step up at the other receiver spot opposite Brandin Cooks, I think we're going to see an even bigger commitment to the run game -- which will take some of the pressure off the receiving corps. As noted in the video, the running game improved from 2011 to 2012. I think we're going to see it take an even bigger step in 2013 behind Woods.

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Andy in Phoenix writes: Right now we only play one game back east the Alamo Bowl and not to many games against other Power 5 conferences except Big 12. Any word on what the bowl line up will look like in 2014?

Kevin Gemmell: I don't. The Pac-12 is heading into the final year of a four-year agreement with its current bowl lineup. Whenever I ask about it, I get the company line that they are very pleased with their bowl partners and look forward to continuing to work with them.

I agree: I'd love to see a Pac-12/SEC bowl game. But at the same time, let's remember that the Pac-12 hasn't exactly dominated the postseason of late -- so there isn't a lot of room for chest-thumping. Outside of the 2-0 mark in BCS bowl games last year, the Pac-12 went 0-3 against other BCS conferences and 2-1 against non-BCS conferences.

Had they gone 8-0, 7-1 or even 6-2, then I'd say it's time to bump up the competition level and get some more competitive games. But 4-4 isn't blowing anyone's socks off. And the Pac-12 is 40-41 in bowl games since 1999. I think it'd be more beneficial to dominate the current bowl lineup before worrying about bigger, badder competition.

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Uh oh Chongo in Danger Island writes: Colorado and Utah are still having a bit of a rough go in the new conference. Two questions - which of those two gets to the Pac-12 title game first, and what do those programs need to do to get there?

Kevin Gemmell: Yikes, the crystal ball just melted down. So much of which team gets to the title game first depends a lot on what happens with other teams in the division. And it doesn't look like Jim Mora, Rich Rodriguez or Todd Graham are going anywhere quickly. And regardless of what happens with Lane Kiffin at the end of this year, USC is still going to be USC.

Utah is in a stronger position right now simply because it has continuity among the coaching staff. The new facilities will be open this summer and I think the addition of Dennis Erickson to the staff is going to pay dividends in years to come. That's probably not a hire the Utes could have made had they still been in the Mountain West -- financially or from a high-profile perspective.

Colorado, well, see the above answer. They are a long ways off from being in the mix for the league title game.

They keys for both of these teams -- and really every other team in the conference -- is depth and player development. Everyone can put a solid 22 on the field. But what does your next 22 look like? When that star player goes down, who can step in so you barely miss a beat? Who can turn that borderline recruit into an all-conference player?

ASU had injuries on the defensive line last year and they went into a skid. Washington battled offensive line injuries last year and were inconsistent. Utah's quarterback carousel last year was unfortunate -- but you've got to have that depth to be able to handle the losses.

The teams that can handle that -- Bryan Bennett stepping up for Darren Thomas; A.J. Tarpley and Jarek Lancaster stepping in for Shayne Skov; Oregon's safeties stepping up when they lost John Boyett -- these are the teams that are ultimately the most successful.

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William Shatner at Priceline HQ writes: Hey Kevin, you've been doing a lot more work than Ted these past two weeks. Looks like you could use a vacation. I'll take care of airfare if you tell me what your ideal vacation would be?

Kevin Gemmell: Ted has been hitting the lecture circuit hard the last couple of weeks, appearing at several Ivy League schools to deliver his motivational speeches: "Who else besides Pitt hates freedom?" "Please note that you are wrong," and "Boy, I could sure use a me-tini."

He'll be back Monday.

As for me, every trip through the comments section is a daily vacation. By the way, I loved you as General Mortars in Loaded Weapon 1.

Happy Friday.

• As noted yesterday, Arizona's Jake Fischer was named to the Lott IMPACT watch list. Here's some more on the linebacker.
• A spring exit interview with ASU defensive line coach Jackie Shipp.
• In honor of the passing of Chuck Muncie, the San Jose Mercury News asks who is Cal's greatest running back?
• Details of the Webb-Lewis case continue to emerge.
• Chip Kelly bringing a "spark" to the Eagles.
• Oregon State loses a defensive tackle to a medical retirement.
• Incoming Stanford recruits are preparing for strength and conditioning coach Shannon Turley.
• Datone Jones could immediately impact the Green Bay defense.
• Utah coach Kyle Whittingham says USC is still the benchmark in the South.
• What game on Utah's schedule are fans most excited about?
• Some more on Washington's tight end commit.
• WSU's Teondray Caldwell could face assault and burglary charges.

I just want to tell you both good luck. We're all counting on you.

• BYU's offensive coordinator gets a strong endorsement from Rich Rodriguez.
• Arizona State is still fighting to get the Notre Dame game in Tempe. Brady Hoke rumored to arbitrate.
• Cal hired a new strength and conditioning coach.
• Colorado's defensive linemen are trimming up.
• Five of the most influential Oregon plays of the past 10 seasons.
• The Oregon State spring tour continues with USC.
• Tracking Stanford's third-down efficiency.
• Johnathan Franklin brings good competition to the position in Green Bay.
• USC appears twice on Athlon's ranking for the 25 greatest dynasties of the AP era.
• A look at the running back hopefuls to replace John White.
• Can Jonathan Amosa make it with the Packers?
• Washington State news and notes.

 

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

First off, quarterbacks are excluded to make things more interesting. It goes without saying, for example, that Oregon's Marcus Mariota is the Ducks' most important player.

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

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

Utah: LB/DE Trevor Reilly

2012 production: Posted 69 tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks. He also had an interception, broke up four passes, forced three fumbles and recovered another.

Why Reilly is so important: Strong consideration was given to Jeremiah Poutasi, an All-American candidate on the offensive line who is making the switch from right to left tackle this season after starting 10 games as a true freshman last year. There might be no more important job than protecting Travis Wilson's blind side.

But as the Utes' defense looks to adjust to life without Star Lotulelei and the Kruger brothers on the defensive line -- 75 percent of a defensive front that is gone after ranking second in the league against the run -- players like Reilly take on even greater importance. Mainly because Reilly will be asked to transition between defensive end and linebacker much more frequently than he did last year.

For starters, he returns as Utah's leading tackler. That's always nice to have. And though he's versatile enough to play all over the field, he'll be asked to take on a greater role as a pass-rusher while also maintaining his stop-the-run approach. When he's at linebacker, look for Jason Whittingham to be on the right end -- which means lots of speed crashing on the backfield. That should also open things up for Nate Orchard and Brian Blechen, who is making the move from the secondary to linebacker.

Plus, Reilly is a proven commodity, which never hurts when you lose six starters from your defense. After redshirting in 2009, Reilly has appeared in 36 games with 20 starts. When he's around the football, bad things happen for the other team. He's forced seven career fumbles -- which ties him for third in school history -- and he's tallied 21 tackles for a loss and 11.5 sacks.

His performance in 2012 was enough for him to earn honorable mention all-league honors and he was already considered one of the Utes' defensive leaders. That role will need to increase as Utah rebuilds its front seven with a lot of new/moving parts.

It's very possible that Utah's offense and defense swap places in 2013. Last season it was the defense that carried the Utes, but the impact of new co-offensive coordinator Dennis Erickson and the rise of Wilson at quarterback could be game-changers. As the offense gets better, it's possible that the defense takes a hit during the rebuilding process. It's Reilly's job to make sure that doesn't happen. No pressure.

The name's Dangerously. Johnny Dangerously.
Did you know your last name is an adverb?

• Can Rich Rodriguez lead Arizona to a major bowl game in five years? One writer says yes. (But no to Washington and California).
• A post-spring exit interview with ASU linebackers coach Paul Randolph.
• Sad news for the Cal family with the passing of Chuck Muncie.
• Mike MacIntyre is waiting for all the facts before passing judgment on Jordan Webb.
• An analysis of Oregon's special teams.
• Are the Beavers lucky to be missing UCLA this year?
• Another vote for Shayne Skov as Stanford's Most Important Player (at least on defense).
• Tough break for the Bruins, who likely lose defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa for the 2013 season.
• The Trojans are looking to ramp up the power running game in 2013.
• Utah's new football facility is to be ready by July.
• What are the expectations for Desmond Trufant in 2013?
• A WSU defensive lineman was given a liar-liar-pants-on-fire citation.
• Eager to stir the pot in mid-May, Jon Wilner predicts the first-and-second team all-league teams. Very ambitious. Very brave.

Here's a look at where each Pac-12 teams stands in the recruiting game post-spring.

Arizona

2014 verbal commitments: 3
Spotlight: Running back Nick Wilson (Fresno, Calif.) has good size, so he's capable of running over defenders. But he's also shifty with good breakaway speed. His highlight film offers examples of both.
ESPN 150 members: 1 (Cameron Denson, ATH, Tucson, Ariz.)

Arizona State

2014 verbal commitments: 3
Spotlight: A commit since January, athlete Jaleel Wadood (Bellflower, Calif.) has good closing speed as a defensive back and projects as a corner or safety at the next level. Per his scouting report, there is room to grow on his 5-11, 165-pound frame.
ESPN 150 members: 0

California

2014 verbal commitments: 2
Spotlight: Tagged as an athlete, Koa Farmer (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) could end up as a big-bodied receiver or possibly a safety. His highlight film offers snippets of both.
ESPN 150 members: 0

Colorado

2014 verbal commitments:0
Spotlight:
ESPN 150 members: 0

Oregon

2014 verbal commitments: 3
Spotlight: Four-star linebacker Jordan Hoiem (Wailuku, Hawaii) has good size at 6-5 and should fill out his frame when he gets into a college lifting program. Could develop into a dangerous speed rusher off the edge -- as his highlight film indicates.
ESPN 150 members: 0

Oregon State

2014 verbal commitments: 1
Spotlight: OSU's lone commit, quarterback Nick Mitchell (Snoqualmie, Wash.), looks to be another prototypical Mike Riley pro-style quarterback. Tall and lean with room to grow, he excels at accuracy and timing patterns, per his scouting report.
ESPN 150 members: 0

Stanford

2014 verbal commitments: 3
Spotlight: Stanford's most recent commit, athlete Christian McCaffrey (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), has more than 20 offers -- including the bulk of the Pac-12. He's the top-ranked player in Colorado (you might recognize the name) and, as you can see from his film, has a very diverse offensive skill set.
ESPN 150 members: 0

UCLA

2014 verbal commitments: 1
Spotlight: Wide receiver Barry Ware (Corona, Calif.) has a good frame at 6-2, 195. Per his scouting report, he's got big, soft hands with a large catch radius.
ESPN 150 members: 0

USC

2014 verbal commitments: 5
Spotlight: Offensive tackle Jordan Poland (La Jolla, Calif.) already has the size at 6-7, 333. Having already had one de-commit on the offensive line, the Trojans are hoping for early enrollments from Poland and offensive guard Toa Lobendahn.
ESPN 150 members: 0

Utah

2014 verbal commitments: 4
Spotlight: Offensive tackle Jackson Barton (Salt Lake City) is a hometown prospect whose father played minor league baseball and his mother was an All-American honorable mention basketball player for the Utes. Plenty of room to grow in his 6-6, 275-pound frame.
ESPN 150 members: 0

Washington

2014 verbal commitments: 3
Spotlight: Athlete Rahshead Johnson (Long Beach, Calif.) could, per his scouting report, "literally be a legit threat on both sides of the ball." He's been a Washington commit for almost 11 months so it will be interesting to see where he fits into the scheme.
ESPN 150 members: 0

Washington State

2014 verbal commitments: 3
Spotlight: If he keeps his commitment, quarterback Peyton Bender (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) will be the fourth quarterback Mike Leach has recruited. Like the rest, Bender is at least 6-1 and while he's not a threat to run, per his scouting report, he does a good job extending plays.
ESPN 150 members: 0

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned for Sega.

• Catching up on some Arizona news and notes.
• Todd Graham and Jaxon Hood give a shout out to the moms.
• What are Cal's expectations in 2013?
• More details are emerging about the Webb-Lewis assault case.
• Who is Oregon's next in line after Marcus Mariota?
• The spring tour of Oregon State's 2013 schedule continues with Cal.
• David Shaw: Football coach, motivational speaker.
• Datone Jones weighs in on Colin Kaepernick.
• The Trojans are hoping to avoid drama in 2013.
• Missed this one last week. My bad. Utah's John White is headed to the CFL.
• Justin Glenn signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.
• Washington State picked up a linebacker commit.

What's a dazzling urbanite like you doing in a rustic setting like this?

• The Arizona football family rallies to help one of its own.
• A post-spring exit interview with ASU safeties coach Chris Ball.
• Keenan Allen and Steve Williams are happy to be Chargers together.
• Some more on the arrests of Jordan Webb and Alex Lewis.
• A post-spring review of Oregon's special teams.
• Look for Markus Wheaton to crack Pittsburgh's starting lineup.
• Chase Thomas has motivation to impress the Saints.
• Packers draftees Johnathan Franklin and Eddie Lacy will push each other.
• Nine offseason position battles to watch at USC.
• A breakdown of Utah's post-spring depth chart.
• Don't sleep on Washington linebacker Travis Feeney.
• Marquess Wilson is eager to jump into the Bears' wide receiver competition.

Have a great weekend.

As always, follow the Pac-12 blog on Twitter.

To the notes.

Ryan in New York City: Did you read [Brian] Fremeau? He makes you and Miller look like clowns. Try objective analysis and not who's the most charming coach when making your selections. Really, read Fremeau. Brutal.

Matt in Ontario, Calif. writes: Your Post Spring Power Rankings are (crud). If you say UCLA and Arizona St are 3A and 3B then you should give the edge to the two time defending PAC 12 South Champ. Tell me what other school has played in every PAC 12 Championship game. Give the Bruins a little love.

Kevin Gemmell: I packaged these two questions together for a reason.

Ryan, first off, how did you get an advanced copy of the Christmas card Ted and I are sending out this year?

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess you like Fremeau's projections because he has USC winning the South and UCLA finishing fourth. Clearly, you think we don't give USC enough love (even though the stipulation is there that USC could be a 10-win team and take the South) and give too much to UCLA.

Matt, you don't like our power rankings because we didn't clearly have UCLA as the top team in the South -- rather we separated the Bruins and Sun Devils with "A/B."

One guy is mad for giving UCLA too much love. Another is mad for not giving them enough.

When I started out in this business, around the time our hearts sank for Titanic and Dirk Diggler's name was so bright it burned out light bulbs, one of my first editors said if you've got both sides mad, you're doing something right. By the way, Matt, I'd like to refer you to my daily UCLA ritual. Ryan, I've always found Lane Kiffin to be extremely charming. Yet while the Pac-12 blog got along great with Chip Kelly, we wouldn't call him the most charming guy -- but his team sat atop the power rankings for a long time. Just sayin'.

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Brent in Salt Lake City writes: Kevin,I liked your draft updates on the Pac-12, however, I think only including the last two years for the Utes is deceiving for us as a school. It makes it look worse (and we don't need help looking bad right now). Maybe consider a follow-up post where you look at including Colorado and Utah's performance in the same window (since 2000) and include all our draft picks?The Utes have put tons of players into the NFL via the draft since 2000. We've been [cruddy] enough since joining the Pac-12, I'd prefer to think fondly on our draft history. Thanks - enjoy your work.

Steve in Salt Lake City writes: While I understand your keeping to the PAC10/12 for your article I think you probably should have used Utah's and Colo's past history to 2000 since they are certainly in the conference going forward.

Kevin Gemmell: Colorado and Utah fans, I did you wrong. But know that this slight wasn't intentional. It was a Pac-12 writer writing a Pac-12-centric story. Sometimes I forget that there were other conferences before ours. Maybe I was jealous. Maybe I don't like to think about you running around with all of those other teams in all of those other locker rooms. I didn't want to recognize the life you had before the Pac-12.

But fair is fair -- and I owe you a statistical breakdown. I already included the 2013 and 2012 drafts in the original post. Here's the rest of the years.

Since 2000, Colorado has had 34 players drafted -- including four first-round draft picks. Their best draft was 2003 with six players taken and the low end was zero players drafted in 2010, 2005 and 2001. By round, it's four in the first, five in the second, three in the third, two in the fourth, five in the fifth, six in the sixth and nine in the seventh.

• 2011 (4): Nate Solder (No. 17), Jimmy Smith (27), Jalil Brown (118), Scotty McKnight (227).
• 2010 (0)
• 2009 (1): Brad Jones (218).
• 2008 (2): Jordon Dizon (45), Terrence Wheatley (62).
• 2007 (2): Mason Crosby (193), Abraham Wright (238).
• 2006 (4): Joe Klopfenstein (46), Jeremy Bloom (147), Quinn Sypniewski (166), Lawrence Vickers (180).
• 2005 (0)
• 2004 (2): D.J. Hackett (157), Sean Tufts (196).
• 2003 (6): Tyler Brayton (32), Donald Strickland (90), Chris Brown (93), Justin Bates (219), Brandon Drumm (236), Wayne Lucier (249).
• 2002 (5): Daniel Graham (21), Andre Gurode (37), Michael M. Lewis (58), Justin Bannan (139), Victor Rogers (259).
• 2001 (0)
• 2000 (4): Ben Kelly (84), Damen Wheeler (203), Brad Bedell (206), Rashidi Barnes (225).

Since 2000, Utah has had 34 players drafted, including three first-round draft picks and the No. 1 overall pick in Alex Smith in 2005. The high was in 2010 with six players taken and the low was 2008 and 2004 when no players were drafted. By round, it's three in the first, six in the second, three in the fourth, two in the fourth, four in the fifth, six in the sixth and nine in the seventh.

• 2011 (2): Brandon Burton (139), Caleb Schlauderaff (179).
• 2010 (6): Koa Misi (40), Zane Beadles (45), Robert Johnson (148), David Reed (156), Stevenson Sylvester (166), R.J. Stanford (223).
• 2009 (4): Paul Kruger (57), Sean Smith (61), Brice McCain (188), Freddie Brown (252).
• 2008 (0)
• 2007 (2): Eric Weddle (37), Paul Soliai (108).
• 2006 (2) Spencer Toone (245), Quinton Ganther (246).
• 2005 (5): Alex Smith (1), Sione Pouha (88), Chris Kemoeatu (204), Paris Warren (225), Jonathan Fanene (233).
• 2004 (0)
• 2003 (3): Jordan Gross (8), Lauvale Sape (187), Antwoine Sanders (258).
• 2002 (2): Cliff Russell (87), Ed Ta'amu (132).
• 2001 (2): Andre Dyson (60), Steve Smith (74).
• 2000 (3): John Frank (178), Mike Anderson (189), Richard Seals (218).

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BDAZzler in Phoenix writes: Considering that ASU will be facing a much tougher schedule this year than they have in the past few years, and that they have been underwhelming against the softer schedules in those years, how many early-season losses will it take for us to say that the Giant will continue to be sleeping this year?

Kevin Gemmell: Arizona State's schedule is interesting this year. We're going to give them the benefit of the doubt against Sacramento State. Then they've got back-to-back Pac-12 games sandwiched between a home game against Wisconsin and a neutral field game against Notre Dame.

Obviously, going 4-0 during that stretch would be outstanding. I don't think they will. It has nothing to do with talent or coaching. Those are just four really hard games to play without any bye weeks in between. 3-1 would also be great. 2-2 would be solid and even 1-3 would be OK -- so long as that one win was USC for South Division tiebreaking purposes. No promises there.

Losing all four would be a huge blow. ASU could still win the South Division with a 1-4 start -- but they'll have to run out seven straight (which is unlikely) and hope that USC loses. Taking at least one of those games will be critical.

If they win a couple of those games early, it will be a huge boost to their national credibility. And I think they can beat Wisconsin and Notre Dame. I'd say they are underdogs at Stanford, though not by much, and depending how USC's quarterback competition shakes out and the new defense comes together, that could be a coin flip. But it's at home, so maybe they get an edge.

But it's also not the end of the world if they have a slow start. It just means they'll have a lot of making up to do on the back end.

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Derek in Portland writes: I liked the Oregon State cornerback article. But please explain to me how this is more important than the quarterback competition?

Kevin Gemmell: Just for the record, I said it might be. And here's my thinking. You know what you are getting with Sean Mannion and Cody Vaz. Both of them have won big games and both have quality experience/starts.

This isn't a situation with two or three young quarterbacks who have never taken a collegiate snap learning an entirely new offense and trying to build continuity with receivers. These guys have been in the system for multiple years and they know who they are going to be throwing to.

Of course, the quarterback is the most important position on the team. You'll never hear either half of the Pac-12 blog say otherwise.

However -- the cornerback spot -- and we're just talking about Oregon State, not making a sweeping statement about all teams -- that position battle is extremely important because whoever fills in for Jordan Poyer will be joining an experienced secondary. And if I'm an offensive coordinator scouting Oregon State and putting together my passing game plan, I'm looking at the experience of Rashaad Reynolds, Ryan Murphy and Tyrequek Zimmerman -- and also the lack of starting experience at left corner -- and that's where I'm testing the waters.

The combination of Sean Martin and Steven Nelson (and it sounds like Mike Riley wants to use them as a duo -- which makes sense) might end up being as lockdown as Poyer was. And for the record I think Martin did an outstanding job last season in spot duty -- so much so that I bestowed on him the highest honor we have on the Pac-12 blog back in Week 10: a helmet sticker.

But until we see what he/Nelson can do each week, that position is more of an unknown than what we'll be getting at quarterback. And that's why it might end up being the more important position battle.

Happy Friday.

• Arizona and UNLV are getting closer to moving their game to Glendale.
• A post-spring review of Arizona State's linebackers.
• Todd Steussie headlines list of eight selected to Cal's Hall of Fame.
• Former Colorado quarterback Nick Hirschman will transfer to Akron.
• A post-spring review of Oregon's defensive backs.
• Cliff Kirkpatrick's spring tour of Oregon State's opponents continues with Utah.
• Zach Ertz and Jordan Poyer have agreed to deals with the Eagles.
• Matt Hayes from Sporting News has a nice feature on Brett Hundley.
• A preseason breakdown of USC wide receiver Marqise Lee.
• Utah will get back to defying the odds in 2013.
• Keith Price is No. 7 on a list of 15 pivotal quarterbacks in 2013.
• Same list, and Connor Halliday is No. 11.
• Jon Wilner has some updates on the Pac-12 Network.

Circus life, under the big-top world. We all need the clowns to make us smile.

• Some more on Tedy Bruschi headed to the Hall.
• A post-spring interview with ASU offensive coordinator Mike Norvell.
• Jon Wilner assess each team's quarterback situation -- which is still up in the air for Cal.
• A tough season on the field has left the Colorado athletic program with a deficit.
• A post-spring review of Oregon's linebackers.
• Jordan Poyer might prove to be a steal for the Philadelphia Eagles.
• Did you miss any Stanford articles from The Bootleg this spring? Here's all of them neatly organized.
• A trio of UCLA draftees will miss mini-camp because of finals.
• Nice feature from Stewart Mandel on former USC center Khaled Holmes, a finalist for SI's college athlete of the year.
• Utah continues its focus on in-state recruiting.
• A reaction to the Pac-12 blog's power rankings from a Washington perspective.
• Things are looking up at WSU under Bill Moos' watch.

BJ 19. Second base. The beard.

• Arizona alumnus Tedy Bruschi is headed to the College Football Hall of Fame.
• Pretty cool video of ASU quarterback Taylor Kelly and his passion for drag racing.
• A closer look at Sonny Dykes' contract.
• Former Colorado coach Bill McCartney selected for the College Football Hall of Fame.
• A look at Oregon's defensive line post-spring.
• Mike Riley touches on a few of the national issues surrounding college football.
• David Shaw, among others, is a fan of the new College Football Playoff.
• Brett Hundley has to do a better job staying on his feet in 2013.
• A New Jersey writer dug up this pot-stirring quote from Chip Kelly about Matt Barkley and Andrew Luck. Discuss.
• Checking in on Utah's new facilities.
• Steve Sarkisian weighs in on spring games.
• Some Washington State news and notes.

Utah Utes

2012 record: 5-7
2012 conference record: 3-6 (Fifth in South Division)
Returning starters: Offense: 6; Defense 6; kicker/punter: 0

Top returners: WR Dres Anderson, TE Jake Murphy, QB Travis Wilson, RB Kelvin York, LB Brian Blechen, LB Trevor Reilly.

Key losses: RB John White, LT Sam Brenner, DT Star Lotulelei, DE Joe Kruger, DT Dave Kruger, KR Reggie Dunn, P Sean Sellwood, K Coleman Petersen.

2012 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: John White (1,085)
Passing: Travis Wilson* (1,311)
Receiving: Dres Anderson* (365)
Tackles: Trevor Reilly* (69)
Sacks: Joe Kruger (6)
Interceptions: Ryan Lacy (2)

Spring answers

1. Identity found: Sort of. The addition of co-offensive coordinator Dennis Erickson has given the Utes the identity on offense that they were sorely missing last season. The Utes will join the ranks of several other spread teams in the conference with the hopes of improving the passing game. Head coach Kyle Whittingham said the team had previously been transitioning to the spread, but the addition of Erickson to the staff has hastened the process. Last year Utah ranked last in the Pac-12 in passing, averaging 190.7 yards per game.
2. Shoring up the line: For now, it looks like Utah has found its starting five on the offensive line. And it’s a big, big bunch with an average weight of 320 pounds. Jeremiah Poutasi (345) is in at left tackle, Jeremiah Tofaeono (320) is in at left guard, Vyncent Jones (305) is in at center with Junior Salt (guard, 325) and Siaosi Aiono (305) on the right side. A lot of folks are excited to finally see Salt in action and the coaching staff has been singing his praises for more than a year.
3. Backing up the back: It’s no secret that the Utes lost a talented runner in John White -- a two-time 1,000-yard rusher. Kelvin York, who sits atop the depth chart, showed promise in limited work last year. And this spring the coaching staff was able to develop some depth behind him with James Poole, Lucky Radley and Karl Williams all in contention to be the first back off the bench.

Fall questions

1. No. 2 QB? Travis Wilson, who started the second half of last season, did a good job entrenching himself as the starter and creating some separation from the pack. But any Utah fan worth their salt knows how important quarterback depth can be -- especially after the past few years. And the race will be on this fall to see if Adam Schulz or Brandon Cox will be Wilson’s primary understudy.
2. Looking for something special: The Utes have to replace a kicker and a punter in 2013. As of now, it looks like kicking duties fall to Andy Phillips while Tom Hackett takes over at punter. Speaking of special teams, there’s also the departure of All-American kick returner Reggie Dunn to consider. The top candidates to return kicks are Quinton Pedroza and Charles Henderson.
3. D-line in transition: Utah lost 75 percent of a very talented defensive line crew -- including first-round draft pick Star Lotulelei and the Kruger brothers. And it looks like a lot remains unsettled. Nate Orchard and Jason Whittingham are separated by an “or” at left end, one of the two tackle spots is up for grabs between LT Tuipulotu and Sese Ianu and Whittingham and converted linebacker Trevor Reilly are both up for that right end spot. Kyle Whittingham has said he’s still not sure how he’ll play Reilly -- who could spend more time with his hand down, working in a hybrid DL/LB role.

So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

• Arizona unveils its new uniforms.
• ASU checks in at No. 23 in Athlon's preseason top 25, plus the 10 greatest Sun Devils since 1967.
• A Q&A with Cal cornerback Kameron Jackson.
• Injured Colorado quarterback Jordan Webb could be back by October.
• Potential early draft entrees could impact Oregon's recruiting.
• Oregon State is No. 25 in Athlon's top 25, plus the 10 greatest OSU players since 1967.
• Former Cardinal Zach Ertz should fit in right away with the Eagles.
• There are high expectations in the NFL for Datone Jones.
• Lane Kiffin wasn't surprised that Chip Kelly drafted Matt Barkley.
• Utah looking for some consistency in 2013.
• Steve Sarkisian hits on a number of topics -- including the spring game and Austin Seferian-Jenkins.
• The 2013 season might be tough, but the Cougars will rise in Year 3 under Mike Leach.

Here on the Pac-12 blog, we bring more than just game coverage, team analysis, statistical trends and rarely-accurate bowl projections.

We also bring the stuff that matters. Like Twitter stats.

Inspired by Kelly Hines of Tulsa World, who went through every FBS coach's Twitter account and ranked them by followers, we thought we'd do the same for just the Pac-12. You can see Hines' article here and note where the Pac-12 coaches rank against their peers. Twitter, of course, is quite fluid with followers coming and going often.

At the time of Hines' publication, UCLA coach Jim Mora was the leader of the league's coaches in number of followers. But he's since dropped about 6,000 followers (rough weekend), meaning Washington's Steve Sarkisian is the leader.

LSU's Les Miles headlines the group as the only coach with more than 100,000 followers, followed by Notre Dame's Brian Kelly, Tennessee's Butch Jones, Georgia's Mark Richt and Arkansas' Bret Bielema rounding out the top five.

Here's where the Pac-12 coaches currently ranks, along with links to their Twitter accounts.

1. Steve Sarkisian 46,510
2. Jim Mora 43,166
3. Mike Leach 42,226
4. Lane Kiffin 29,853
5. Mike Riley 14,939
6. Rich Rodriguez 8,320
7. David Shaw 6,443
8. Sonny Dykes 3,564
9. Mark Helfrich 3,382
10. Todd Graham 2,063

If Utah coach Kyle Whittingham has a Twitter account, it's super secret. You can follow the Utes at @Utah_Football.

Same for new Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre, who probably has a little more on his mind than getting his new Twitter account set up. You can follow the Buffs official football feed @RunRalphieRun.

While you're updating your twitter, why not swing by and follow the Pac-12 blog (48,527). That's right, Bieber. Don't get too comfy.

#hashtagjokesaregettingold