2011 PAC-12 South Division College Football Preview

Does the newly aligned PAC-12 South division seem wide open to you? If not it should. After Southern California’s disappointing 2010 season, the 2011 south division seems ripe for any team to break out of the pack and set the tone for the new division. The only problem is who can knock off USC in the south? How will the two new additions to the conference, University of Utah and University of Colorado, fair against the old PAC-10 teams?

Overview

The state of Arizona has somehow upset the football gods; what did they do wrong? Can they reverse the curse? Both Arizona schools have been snake bit with injuries and bad breaks in 2010 and during spring and fall practices in 2011. University of Arizona seemed destined for greatness last year after a 7-1 start. A 0-5 finish including a 36-10 loss to Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl quickly brought Wildcat fans back to a disappointing reality. Arizona State wins the games they are supposed to win but can’t seem to get on a consistent even playing field with the top tier teams in conference.

What more can be said about UCLA and Rick Neuheisel that has not already been said? Neuheisel is 15-22 in his three years at UCLA with big non-conference wins over University of Texas and University of Tennessee during his tenure. Why does UCLA falter in conference play? With the wealth of talent in the state of California, how can Neuheisel finish ranked 45^th in recruiting (rivals.com) after the 2011 recruiting season following a top ten recruiting class in 2010? There is talent is on campus. Another question Bruins fans have is can Neuheisel develop his own players or does he need to be an offensive coordinator or quarterbacks coach on the colligate level? There are too many questions in Westwood with far fewer answers.

The good news is Colorado is no stranger to playing in a tough BCS conference. The bad news is Colorado has not performed well in a tough BCS conference. New head coach Jon Embree has to instill a new philosophy for the Buffaloes and pray that the losing ways under former head coach Dan Hawkins are quickly forgotten. Colorado has not made a bowl since 2007 (Independence Bowl). Embree has returning experience on the two-deep depth chart. Recruiting rankings don’t mean everything but Colorado has not finished in the top 50 in recruiting over the past two years; placing 48^th in 2009. A fresh start in a new conference with a new head coach could be just what the Buffaloes needed.

All eyes will be on the University of Utah this season. During the spring, public officials in Utah had a much publicized standoff with the NCAA over anti-trust issues regarding unfair practices; a political publicity stunt but the action helped bring more attention to the possibility of a college football playoff system in the future. The Utes will not have any excuses this season for not being able to make the BCS National Championship Game. Mixed thoughts range amongst college football pundits if Utah can play at a BCS Conference level for an entire season as opposed to a Mountain West schedule. Utah went 2-3 against top tier competition last season. Do they have the depth and talent to play in the PAC-12 week after week? That’s why all eyes will be on the Utes during the 2011 season.

Which USC team will show up to the party this season? The USC teams of 2009 (9-4) and 2010 (8-5) that underperformed, by their own previous standards, or the USC teams of the early to mid-2000’s that we’ve come to expect 11 and 12 wins from each year? Second year head coach Lane Kiffin has not dropped the ball on recruiting. In 2010 USC finished ranked number 1 in the nation (rivals.com) and in 2011 they finished ranked fourth in recruiting. Pete Carroll didn’t completely deplete the depth charts before leaving either. A second season in Pa and Son’s offense and defense should help the players, their reactions times, and overall performance. Can the “Kiffin’s” keep the team motivated through another non-bowl berth season (their last year to forfeit a bowl game for the Reggie Busch violations)? Pushing to win the PAC-12 South Division and the first annual PAC-12 Football Championship Game will have to pass as USC’s 2011 bowl game.

University of Arizona Wildcats

Injuries and missed opportunities have marred Mike Stoops and the Arizona Wildcats over the past year. Arizona has talent returning at their skill positions on offense; quarterback Nick Foles, running back Keola Antolin, and wide receiver Juron Criner. Stoops will have to use incoming recruits to fill out holes along the depth chart. There’s only one offensive lineman returning with starting experience. Foles will be on the run early in the season unless the line gels overnight.

Defensive coordinator Tim Kish has a strong group of linebackers to lean on along with quality players up front. The secondary is said to be talented but time will tell against one of the more difficult college football schedules in the nation. If the offensive line cannot run block and eat up the game clock, this talented group could be worn out quickly. Starting free safety Johnny Thomas has been ruled ineligible for the game against Oklahoma State making life more difficult for Stoops and company on a national stage.

Outcome

Mike Stoops is entering his eighth season as the head coach for the Wildcats and has largely underperformed (40-55). Fans of Stoops will point to three straight bowl berths as a sign of things to come. Less inclined fans of Stoops will say his time has come as head coach of the Wildcats.

Look for Arizona to flip-flop last year’s performance of starting off strong and ending poorly. Stoops did not do himself any favors scheduling consecutive games (starting week two) at Oklahoma State, vs. Stanford, vs. Oregon, at USC, at Oregon State. The Wildcats may start the season 1-4 before playing seven games they may have a better chance of winning. If Arizona goes 7-1 or 6-2 in their final eight games Stoops may have saved his job. If Arizona plays .500 ball or less over the final eight, a change of direction with the football program maybe coming.

Arizona State University Sun Devils

Dennis Erickson is on the hot seat after three straight years without a bowl berth. Six wins normally qualifies any division 1 program for a bowl game but two of ASU’s six victories in 2010 were against sub-division teams. An appeal to the NCAA for bowl eligibility was denied turning up more heat on Erickson’s seat; why is a third of the team’s wins coming against sub-division teams? A more forgiving schedule in 2011 will help, dropping an away game at Wisconsin for an away game at Illinois, and losing Stanford from this year’s schedule. ASU gets University of Missouri at home on September 9. Playing at home and in the Arizona heat should be enough of advantage for the Sun Devils.

This team is stacked top to bottom, even with all of the injuries they have suffered; Steven Threet, J.J. Holliday, Devan Spann, etc…Quarterback Brock Osweiler played well when Threet was hurt last season (109 attempts, 62 receptions, 797 yards passing, 5 TD, with 0 interceptions) and seems ready for the 2011 season. The Devils top running backs are back; Cameron Marshall (787 yards rushing, 9 TD) and Deantre Lewis (5.9 yards per rush, 4 TD). The wide receivers are talented but who will be the go-to guy? Four of five starters are back which should help make the Devils a bowl team in 2011.

If you like defense, you should enjoy watching the Devils play in 2011. The defensive line is good enough to help the up and coming secondary out. ASU should be strong against the run because of their linebackers. ASU’s linebackers could be as good as any other team’s linebackers in the nation not named Alabama. MLB Vontaze Burfict is a beast and could be the meanest and best on the colligate level. His talent has never been questioned but his ability to control himself on the field and even against his own teammates has been; he had a fall practice fight in the locker room against a teammate. ASU fans hope he can keep his emotions under control during the season. Losing him to suspension or a getting a costly penalty at the wrong time is always a possibility with Burfict.  

Outcome

The Sun Devils were only chased out of one game during the 2010 season; 50-17 at California. Look for the Devils to be nasty on defense and balanced on offense. Erickson’s hot seat goes cold, unless a major injury strikes the team again, as this team should win at least nine games this season. Anything less… something has gone terribly wrong, again, for the Erickson and the ASU faithful.

University of Colorado Buffaloes

New head coach Jon Embree will have his hands full this year with the Buffaloes. He has to adjust the offense, the defense, and the mentality of a program that has not made a bowl game since 2007. Embree wisely hired staffers that have coached in the PAC-10 at various times in their career; Embree was a coach at UCLA before taking an assistant’s position in the NFL. Learning the ropes of the PAC-12 should be easier with the staff he put together.

Colorado was a different team at home than on the road in 2011. That mentality comes from the coaching staff and a home field altitude advantage. Hopefully Embree will be able to take the 14 returning starters along well enough to make a difference from the five win team in 2010. Quarterback Tyler Hansen played well in the spring and has continued that trend in fall practices. The offensive line is battle tested and returns a 1,318 yard rusher in RB Rodney Stewart. Stewart had 10 touchdowns last season and looks to expand upon that in a conference that has smaller but quicker defensive linemen in the PAC-12 than he faced in the Big 12. If Stewart can keep gaining yards and Hansen can continue to find WR Toney Clemons and Paul Richardson, this could be a tough team offensively.

And then there’s the defense. Defensive coordinator Greg Brown will run a 4-3 scheme with the Buffaloes. He has quality players upfront especially with the return of senior defensive end Josh Hartigan (7 sacks). Junior linebacker Jon Major will help solidify an unknown linebacker unit. Free safety Ray Polk was second on the team in total tackles last season. A free safety with 72 tackles is not unheard of but that is not what you want for a quality defense. Brown will have to find some playmakers to replace last year’s starting cornerbacks. The defense has holes which will place more of an emphasis on the Buffaloes running game. Running back Rodney Stewart and the offensive line could be the best defensive players the Buffaloes have on campus.  

Outcome

I hope the players have registered for their frequent flyer miles because they will have earned them after the first month of the season. Colorado travels to Hawaii during week one and then to Ohio State in week four. Will all of the travel wear on the team? Tough road games are strung throughout their season including at Stanford, at Washington, at Arizona State, at UCLA, and at Utah. Can Embree make Colorado a tough team on the road and at home? If not, this could be another long year for fans. The final two games of the regular season, both on the road (UCLA and Utah), should determine if Embree takes his team bowling or not.

University of California at Los Angeles Bruins

The motto for the 2011 Bruins campaign should be “No More Excuses”. Head coach Rick Neuhesial fired both head coordinators and slotted himself as the quarterback’s coach. New offensive coordinator Mike Johnson and defensive coordinator Joe Tresey have a lot of work to do in a short amount of time. Tresey is widely liked in coaching circles and thought of as a good hire for UCLA. Johnson has NFL experience but how will that translate on the college level? Neuhesial is experiencing the pains, again, of not living up to expectations as a college head coach; see University of Washington and University of Colorado. Can he turn around a four win season and take UCLA to a bowl better than the 2009 Eagle Bank Bowl?

Kevin Prince has looked sharp in fall practices and Neuhesial is hoping this translates into a successful season. Prince has all of last years top receivers back, for better or for worse, along with junior running back Johnathan Franklin. Franklin is a workhorse and should improve upon the 1,127 yards rushing and 8 TD during the 2010 campaign. The offensive line has talent but players keep getting hurt. Jeff Baca was hurt in spring practice along with Kai Maiava and Sean Sheller. Can this unit stay healthy long enough to come together as a powerful unit in 2011? Time will tell.

The defense should be solid this year, if the offense gives them time to rest between series. The Bruins finished 2010 ranked 94^th in total defense. Depending on how you look at the experience returning, they have either six to eight starters returning including their entire line backing unit. The defensive line is solid and should benefit from Joe Tresey’s schemes. The secondary has returning experience which will be aided by the push and pressure the big guys get up front. Look for UCLA to be much improved on the defensive side of the ball.

Outcome

Neuheisel tried to install the pistol offense last season with mixed results. The running attack finished ranked 32^nd in the nation while the passing attack finished 116^th. The defense better be ready in week one when they travel to Houston. Houston’s offense is hotter than the Texas heat they will experience. Completing their Texas football circuit in week three versus the University of Texas will be interesting. Last season UCLA upset Texas at Texas 34-12 but lost at Kansas State 31-22 in their first game of the season. Can UCLA pull off a couple more upsets this season? If not, look for UCLA to miss another bowl game in 2011. Many of the PAC-12 teams are on shaky ground this season. UCLA can either take advantage of it or be in for a long season.

University of Southern California

Lane Kiffin is a polarizing figure in college football thus it’s hard to feel sorry for him and the expectations of being the head coach at USC. But it’s never easy following up after a legend, assuming one views Pete Carroll as a college football legend, no matter who you are. Lane helped build USC to the level of elite college football program as an assistant and offensive coordinator from 2001-2005 so some of the burden his due to his own success. After a nine win season in 2009 (under Carroll) and an eight win season last year, USC critics are quick to dismantle the team from their elite status. Fans of USC’s program know better. There’s talent at USC and a lot of it. After a recruiting class ranked fourth in the nation in 2011 and number one ranked class in 2010, is there any doubt? The big question centers on Lane. Will he stay at a program long enough to sink or swim? With the talent he’s getting at USC, how can he sink?

Matt Barkley is going into his third year as USC’s starting quarterback and shoulders the burden of returning the Trojans to greatness. Robert Woods returns as Barkley’s favorite target (65 receptions, 792 yards, 6 TD) as does senior tailback Marc Tyler (913 yards rushing with 9 TD); suspended for USC’s week one matchup against University of Minnesota for his comments about USC players being paid on TMZ. The offensive line is the question mark of the team, much like the rest of the PAC-12. Can the three new starters on the offense line gel fast enough to make USC an elite team?

The defense was woeful last season. How can a Monte Kiffin coached team finish ranked 84^th in total defense? Is this a sign of things to come or was this part of an adjustment period between coaching staffs? The defensive line should be stout and experience returns in the secondary and with the linebacking unit. Another year in the system along with eight home games should make USC’s defense tough to beat.

Outcome

USC’s non-conference schedule sounds tougher than it really is. They get Minnesota and Syracuse at home but play Notre Dame on the road; all winnable games. Arizona State and Oregon on the road should be the toughest games of the season for the Trojans. USC went to the wire with the Cardinal in Palo Alto (37-35) last season. If the Kiffin’s have things going their way during the 2011 season, look for USC to upset the Cardinal at home. Nine wins should be easy to come by. Arizona State will push USC for the right to be the first PAC-12 South Division winner.

University of Utah Utes

Whoever made the PAC-12 conference schedule for the Utes must have been a Utes alumnus. Whoever scheduled the Utes non-conference games must be a Utes hater. The Utes avoid Stanford and Oregon during their first season in the PAC-12 but play at BYU and University of Pittsburgh. Head coach Kyle Whittingham’s toughest games are split between USC on the road and Arizona at home. Whittingham will face tougher defenses week in and week out in the PAC-12. Last year’s squad had a nice record on paper (10-3) but only had two quality wins; at home versus Pittsburgh and at home versus BYU. They struggled, putting it kindly, against better opponents in 2010. No more New Mexico State’s or Wyoming’s in this league. Every game will challenge Utah in 2011.

Junior quarterback Jordan Wynn is back to help the Utes. He was impressive as a sophomore with 2,334 yards passing with 17 touchdowns. The 10 interceptions are a concern. The Utes were balanced in the backfield during the 2010 season but have no experience returning running the ball. Until a running back breaks out of the back during the season and shows he can carry the load, Wynn will have a tougher time finding his receivers. The wide receivers are another area of concern. Only one player, DeVonte Christopher (39 catches, 660 yards receiving, 6 TD), returns with any big game experience.

Norm Chow is in his first year as offensive coordinator for the Utes. His time in Los Angeles (UCLA) did not go as well the second time around. Can he help the Utes or was his genius at USC a product of the talent Carroll and company provided for him?

Returning starters should not be counted against Utah. Defensive coordinator Kalani Sitake rotates players in and out of the game at all times. Experience is there for the Utes in the front seven. The secondary gave up 225 yards per game last season in a weaker conference. Everyone knows the PAC-12 likes to air it out. If the front seven cannot get a constant push up front, this unit can and will be exploited.

Outcome

Utah has a tough start to their season. They take their bye after a week one tune up against Montana State before starting conference play at USC. This will make a longer season a little bit longer. If Utah can win three or four of their first seven games they can be in great shape to finish the season strong. They play at USC, at BYU, home vs. Washington, home vs. ASU, and then they play at Pittsburgh before going to Cal. Utah has the ability to win 8 games or more if the team can weather the storm through early September to early October. If the team gets down, no running backs or wide receivers emerge, this could be a very long year for a state and university that wanted their shot at the national championship.

Predicted Order of Finish in PAC-12 South

USC

Arizona State

Utah

Arizona

UCLA

Colorado

PAC-12 Championship Game

Oregon vs. USC

Champion

USC

Oregon wins the first matchup at home and USC wins the second game to unseat the Ducks national championship hopes. 


* USC is ineligible to play in the PAC-12 Championship, an oversight on my part. With this new/old information, look for ASU vs. Oregon with Oregon winning the 1st annual PAC-12 Championship. 

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2011 PAC-12 College Football Preview: The North Division

This is part two of a series previewing the 2011 PAC-12 college football season. 

The PAC-12 North Division 

University of California Golden Bears

The seat under Jeff Tedford’s chair is getting hot. Why his seat is getting hot is unclear. Yes Cal missed a bowl game last year for the first time since 2002 but so did University of Texas. Their win total over the past two years has declined from 8 wins to 5 wins; see University of Texas again. Point being it happens at some point in time to all top tier programs. If there is a real reason for the Bear faithful to be worried is Tedford, known as a quarterback guru, has not developed a top line quarterback to go along with his stud defense and top tier running backs over the past few seasons. This year will be no different unless one of his six potential quarterbacks has a breakout season.

The Bears Offense

There are question marks all over this offense going into the 2011 season. Who will start at quarterback, who will be the next Shane Vereen in the backfield, and will the offensive line gel into a formidable unit? Three offensive linemen return including senior left tackle Mitchell Schwartz. Tedford has recruited talented offensive linemen over the past few years and Jim Michalczik returns to Berkley as the offensive line coach (from the Oakland Raiders) with the mission to refine the talent already on the roster.

Cal signed four running backs to the 2011 class. All four will get an opportunity to show their ability during fall practices and one, if not more, will be counted on to contribute this season; Brendan Bigelow, C.J. Anderson, Darren Ervin, and Daniel Lasco. Brendan Bigelow, a 4-star running back (rivals.com) out of Central East Fresno, California, was the prize recruit of the bunch. Unfortunately Bigelow is coming of ACL surgery and the extent of his availability will not be known until the season is fully underway. Lasco (3-star) has the size, speed, and frame to be the next great Bear’s running back. At 6’1” 190 pounds and 4.4 speed, Lasco could be the game changer that Tedford and company immediately needs.

Senior Brock Mansion should be the starting quarterback for Tedford in 2011. Mansion started the final four games of the 2010 season after Kevin Riley was injured. There’s a good and bad outlook to be had here. Mansion went 1-3 during the final four games. If one looks a little bit closer, two of those games were against top 10 teams; #1 Oregon and #7 Stanford. That’s a tough task for any quarterback to overcome. Mansion does have the top two wide receivers back from last year’s team, Marvin Jones (50 receptions, 765 yards, 4 TD) and Keenan Allen (46 receptions, 490 yards, 5 TD). Senior tight end Anthony Miller should be utilized more in the passing schemes during the season.

The Bears Defense

For an offensive guru Tedford always seems to have good defenses, especially at home. This year should be no different except for the fact that Cal will play all of their home games at AT&T Park in San Francisco. How will this affect the team and their home field advantage? Time will tell but until then this defense should be able to get it done. They are small along the defensive line but quick and deep. Defensive end Cameron Jordan and Mike Mohamed will be hard to replace but the returning depth and senior linebackers Mychal Kendricks (8.5 sacks in 2010) and D.J. Holt should make this team another top ranked defense (ranked 18^th in the nation in total defense in 2010). The only weak point could be in the secondary. If teams can exploit the lack of game experience in their secondary, the Golden Bears will have a tough time against the top passing attacks in the PAC-12.

Outlook

Can the Bears avenge last year’s losses to Oregon State and Washington and win consistently on the road? If so, the Bears will be bowling this year. They drop Arizona and pick up Utah at home but get Washington, Oregon, UCLA, Stanford, and Arizona State on the road. 3-2 on the road puts Tedford back where he needs to be.

University of Oregon Ducks

How do you pick apart Oregon’s team in 2011? Start with the offensive line and loss of playmakers at wide receiver. Kelly will have his hands full in their week one showdown with LSU in Arlington, TX; this game could dictate their entire 2011 season. If LSU can disrupt the timing and cohesiveness of the offensive line, this could be a tough opener for the Ducks. LSU will have the athletes on defense to hang with the Ducks passing attack. Multiple teams in the SEC run a spread offense so LSU will not be surprised by many of Oregon’s alignments or having to account for Darron Thomas. The silver lining either way is Oregon will have two easy non-conference games before starting league play to give the offensive line more time to gel and patch up what needs work, if any weakness are exploited during week one. If Kelly’s big guys up front can hold off the LSU pass rush, last time we see this team in 2011 is in the PAC-12 Conference Championship before playing in the BCS National Championship game again in January of 2012.

The Ducks Offense

Any conversation about the Ducks offense typically will start with returning quarterback Darron Thomas and Heisman finalist and Doak Walker Award winner LaMichael James, understandable. Those players are given commodities and are poised for excellent junior seasons. The offensive line returns three starters but left tackle Darrion Weems did not start at left tackle in 2010. Handling the outside pass rush, senior or not with great game experience, will be a challenge. The lack of quality offensive linemen waiting in the wings is a concern for the Duck followers.

The skill position is another area of concern. Jeff Maehl’s 77 receptions, 1,076 yards receiving, and most importantly, his 12 receiving touchdowns will be hard to replace. Talk around the practice field is who will step up in 2011? Thomas will spread the ball around in Kelly’s offense and find opportunities for his receivers. Returning wide receiver Lavasier Tuinei (36 receptions, 396 yards receiving, and 2 TD) will have to carry the load along with senior tight end David Paulson (24 catches, 418 yards, 4 TD). Look for Paulson to have an All-American-Mackey Award winning type season in 2011. Incoming recruits De’Anthony Thomas from Crenshaw, California (rivals 5-star) and wide receiver Devon Blackmon (4-star) from Fontana, California could add firepower to the Ducks already potent offense. Former 5-star recruit, Seastrunk Lache (from Temple, TX) may be looking to transfer already. Oregon is deep at running back so should Lache transfer, the Ducks shouldn’t miss him too much.

The Ducks Defense

All eyes will be on Cliff Harris starting out the season. New information has come out regarding the details around his 118 mph traffic stop, marijuana possession, and passenger, starting Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas. Harris gives the Ducks a great cover corner (6 interceptions in 2010) and punt returner on offense. Oregon needs Harris in their week one showdown against LSU. How Kelly handles the situation could influence the outcome of the game and the way college football fans view the Ducks’ football program. Harris has put Kelly and his staff in a tough.

Defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti has returning depth on the defensive line and in the secondary; which are the two most important areas for the Ducks defense with the big leads Oregon gets with their quick strike offense game after game. Community college transfer defensive tackle Jared Ebert enrolled in the spring and should help provide quality experience upfront. Rotating quality linemen in and out of the game is key for Oregon’s defense, which spends the majority of the game on the field.

The weak link will be at middle linebacker. Can Kiko Alonso stay out of trouble long enough to make an impact on the field? LSU will attempt to run on Oregon’s smaller defensive line (only one player over 300 pounds listed on depth chart) to control the line of scrimmage and game clock. LSU doesn’t have much of a choice, Jefferson will not fair well against the Ducks secondary. Aliotti may have to play more 4-3 than 3-4 early on. If LSU is successful the rest of the PAC-12 will use this game as the blueprint to beat Oregon. Only problem for the PAC-12 is not many teams in the PAC-12 have the quality players Oregon will have to face in LSU. If the offense continues to score at will putting pressure on the opposing teams to pass to catch up, this will be a repeat of last year’s team defense that finished the season ranked 12^th in the nation in scoring defense at 19 points per game.

Outlook

Can the Ducks stuff LSU’s running attack? Running back Stevan Ridley is gone and LSU must replace LT Joe Barksdale. If the Ducks can get an early lead this game could get out of hand quick. If LSU can keep the score low and grind out yards, the fourth quarter could be punishing for the Ducks. USC and Stanford are the only other teams that stand in the way of another perfect regular season; and the Ducks have to face them back to back in November. If LSU is successful against Oregon, USC and Stanford will use those strategies later in the year. BCS berth in the Rose Bowl. Kelly will have to motivate the Ducks every week against lesser competition. Can he keep everyone on the path for a second straight BCS National Championship game? Low motivation and overlooking other PAC-12 opponents has to worry the Duck faithful. Playing at Washington could be a trap game before back to back games against Stanford and USC.

Oregon State Beavers

This looks like a long season for Mike Riley and staff. Last year’s team ranked 82^nd in the nation with a scoring offense of 24.4 per game and their defense ranked 64^th in the nation allowing 26.8 points per game. That explains the five wins in 2010 after averaging 9 wins per season over the previous four. Ryan Katz’s canon for an arm could keep the Beavers in some games if wide receivers Markus Wheaton (55 catches, 675 yards receiving, 4 TD), Joe Halahuni (30 catches, 6 TD), and Jordan Bishop (22 catches, 353 yards receiving, 2 TD) play at higher levels. James Rodgers returns from injury but has not participated in contact drills during fall practice. He is running full speed so hopes are high that he can make an impact offensively.

The Beaver Offense

Finding a replacement for Jacquizz Rodgers is easier said than done. He led the team in rushing yards with 1,184 and 14 TD and was second on the team in receptions with 44 and 3 TD. Senior running back Ryan McCants should be a bruising running back that can get the short yards and eat up the clock for Katz. Incoming freshman running backs Malcom Agnew (3-star, St. Louis, Desmet High School) and Storm Woods (3-star, Pflugerville, TX) will get opportunities to play early… if they’re ready. Agnew is already taking snaps with the first team offense during fall practices.

With four offensive linemen returning, on paper this unit should be a strength for Riley. Another year of starting experience hopefully will pay off for a unit, even with Jacquizz Rodgers at running back, ranked 97^th in the nation in rush offense. If the line does not play much better than last year, this will be a tough year for Beaver nation.

The Beaver Defense

Stephen Paea showed the guys on the defensive line how to do it. Now it is up to the guys on the line to pick up his slack now that Paea is in the NFL. There are no proven play makers along the defensive front and no returning starters in the line backing unit. Stopping the run will be tough for defensive coordinator Mark Banker. The secondary is unproven as well. The Beaver’s defensive unit ranked 86^th in the nation in total defense during the 2010 season. With Stephen Paea in the NFL the performance of the defensive line has to keep Banker up at night. This year OSU has to play at Wisconsin and at home against BYU at home in non-conference matchups and still play Stanford at home and Oregon on the road in intra-conference matchups. Look for those rankings to be higher if a run stopper and pass rush specialist does not emerge.

Outlook

The offensive line is the key to success. Riley has to have the big guys upfront give Katz time to throw and holes for the backs to run. If this unit does not provide help the Beavers will miss a bowl game for the second straight year. OSU does have five PAC-12 home games and one on a neutral site (Washington State). The non-conference games against BYU and Wisconsin does not help their post season chances. If OSU beats UCLA and Cal at home, Riley will be back on track. If not… there’s always next year. The Civil War against Oregon on November 26 could be OSU’s 2011 bowl game.

Stanford Cardinal

First year head coach David Shaw is in a unique situation. The good thing is he has All-American quarterback Andrew Luck returning. The bad thing is he has All-American quarterback Andrew Luck returning. How could Andrew Luck returning be a bad thing? Expectations! Shaw was the offensive coordinator for the Cardinal in 2010 so he’s not stepping onto the field with unknown players that have to learn his system in a few weeks of practice. He does have to replace three starters on the offensive line and deal with the 12-1 2010 burden Jim Harbaugh has left on his shoulders.

The Cardinal Offense

How could a team that has not had three wining seasons in a row since 1978 be full of such high expectations? Andrew Luck. Luck will be as good as his three new starting linemen. All PAC-10 left tackle Jonathan Martin and David DeCastro return which will make the transition easier. Junior running back Stepfan Taylor returns to add to the 1,137 rushing yards and 15 TD from his 2010 season. Taylor is one of the best pass catching running backs in college football, which will help Luck replace the loss of his top receiver, Doug Baldwin (857 yards, 9 TD). Talented receivers are on campus. The next big Cardinal question is who will be the next playmaker at wide receiver? Luck spreads the ball around as well as any quarterback in the nation. No one receiver will have to carry the load. They just have to make plays when it counts.

The Cardinal Defense

What will new defensive co-coordinators Derek Mason and Jason Tarver do with this year’s unit? The secondary is the strength of the defense with three starters returning highlighted by senior safety Delano Howell. All-everything junior inside linebacker Shayne Skov returns along with outside linebacker Chase Thomas. Incoming freshman linebacker James Vaughters (4-star from Tucker, Georgia) is expected to play immediately. He has the size (6’2”), build (235 pounds), and speed (4.6) to contribute week one against San Jose State. An effective 3-4 defensive scheme is only good if one has a nose tackle to stuff the middle. This will be a major concern throughout fall practices for Shaw.

Outlook

Stanford has an easy non-conference schedule again this year. Their only notable opponent is Notre Dame; don’t let the name scare you. Stanford’s two toughest games are split at home (Oregon) and on the road (USC). Barring any major injuries, an 11-1 regular season is highly likely. Oregon plays USC after traveling to Palo Alto November 19. If Stanford takes care of USC on the road their national championship hopes will be decided against Oregon. Should Stanford lose to USC but beat Oregon, a BCS Bowl berth is theirs to claim. Depending on how the other national powers are performing, an outside chance for a BCS National Championship Game berth could be theirs for the taking.

Washington Huskies

It’s too early to say Steve Sarkisian has the Huskies back but he’s getting pretty darn close. The big question about the Huskies involves their Holiday Bowl victory. Was that a sign that Huskies are ready to compete against the top tier teams in college football, other than USC, or was it a sign that the University of Nebraska was not interested in playing in a bowl game against a team they had beaten earlier in the season, in Seattle, 56-21? Consistency and strides will need to be made in 2011 but momentum can be carried over from the four game winning streak UW finished the 2010 riding.

The Huskies Offense

Jake Locker grabbed the headlines in 2010 but Chris Polk was the driving force for the Huskies’ offense. Polk’s 1,415 yards rushing and 9 touchdowns could be improved upon this season with four returning lineman paving the way for him. Senior left tackle Senio Kelemente and junior center Drew Schafer will be important not only for Polk’s success but mainly for new starting quarterback Keith Price. Price does not have the arm that Locker provided but he can scramble and make plays with his feet to keep the chains moving when plays breakdown. Price will count on senior wide receiver Jermaine Kearse, a top target for Locker (63 receptions, 1,005 yards receiving, and 12 TD; almost half of Locker’s passing yards in 2010) to be his go-to-guy.

The unsung player on the Huskies offensive unit may be clutch kicker Erik Folk. His 13 field goals made on 20 attempts might not impress you but he hit all 33 extra point attempts last season and he shortens the field for Sarkisian by hitting 52 and 54 yard field goals when it counts.

The Huskies Defense

 Defensive coordinator Nick Holt hopes that his defensive line continues to improve in 2011. Their rush defense was porous allowing 190.5 yards per game ranking 97^th in the nation. Holt has been implementing a 3-4 defense during spring and fall practices. Holt’s ability to find outside linebackers that can cover ground will determine if UW fans will see more 4-3 or 3-4 in the fall. Line backer Mason Foster was all over the field last season recording 161 tackles. That kind of production will be hard to replace. Experience returns in the secondary but even the best cover corners need help from the guys upfront. If a consistent pass rusher emerges, the secondary will improve upon the impressive 194 yards per game given up last season.

Outlook

The Huskies have seven home games in 2011 which will match their 2011 win total and get them bowling again. Swing games against Utah and USC on the road will increase their win total and place Sarkisian another step closer to getting UW back to the elite level fans have been wanting.

Washington State Cougars

Paul Wulff has his hands full again in 2011. His first three seasons as head coach of the Cougars has been forgettable; 2 wins in 2008, 1 win in 2009, and 2 wins in 2010. Last season the Cougars were scrappy, hung tough with Stanford and in-state rival University of Washington, and pulled off an upset in Corvallis (31-14). As with most college football programs the Cougar’s season will depend on the improvement of their offensive line. Four linemen return from a group that only produced 91 yards rushing per game, “good” enough to rank 115^th in the nation. Wulff will count on offensive coordinator Todd Sturdy to have his experienced big men ready to block in 2011.

The Cougar Offense

The Cougar’s have the best player in the nation that no one has heard about in junior quarterback Jeff Tuel. Tuel, a Fresno, California, native is tough (he was sacked 51 times in 2010), accurate, and has a good arm. Tuel had 2,780 passing yards and 18 touchdowns last year. He has his top two targets back in sophomore wide receiver Marquess Wilson (55 catches, 1,006 yards receiving, 6 TD) and senior wide receiver Jared Karstetter (62 receptions, 658 yards receiving, 7 TD). If the Cougars can get a reliable running attack, look for Tuel to improve upon his 246 yards passing per game in 2010.

The backfield lacks game changers and break away speed. Freshman Ricky Galvin was supposed to provide that pop last year but broke his arm in the first game of the season against Oklahoma State. Galvin’s size, 5’8” 162 pounds, will not allow him to take snap after snap in the PAC-12 thus another reliable ball carrier must be ready to play. Senior Logwone Mitz has the frame to be an All-PAC-12 running back, listed at 6’1” 230 pounds. But was his 3.6 yards per carry average in 2010 a product of the limited offensive line or his limited ability to get to the next level against opposing defenses? Incoming freshman Chester Su’a from Kaimuki High School in Honolulu, Hawaii, (3-star recruit, rivals.com) could receive immediate playing time. Tight end Max Hersey (3-star, Curtis High School, University Place, Washington) and offensive lineman Alex Mitchell (4-star, Jefferson High School, Portland, Oregon) could push current players for time as well.

The Cougar Defense

There are no linemen listed over 300 pounds on the depth chart along the defensive line. This unit gave up 220 rushing yards per game last season and made a freshman All-American out of safety Deone Bucannon. More stunts and better schemes are needed if the Cougars plan to stop anyone. The linebackers are solid and can make plays when the opposing offensive linemen are not on them. The defense is led by senior outside linebacker Alex Hoffman-Ellis and sophomore middle linebacker C.J. Mizell. The secondary returns experience but no shut-down cover corners. A pass rush upfront is needed to help this group of underclassmen.

Outlook

The Cougars are looking to make a bigger imprint in the Seattle area with recruits. They play two games at Qwest Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks, during the season. Jumping out to an early 3-0 and possibly 4-0 start will turn some heads across the nation and with recruits. The following eight games will be extremely tough. If WSU can repeat last year’s upset of Oregon State at Qwest Field and win the Apple Bowl they could be bowl eligible. But a 3-9 or 4-8 season is more likely. 

Predicted Order of Finish

PAC-12 North

Oregon

Stanford

Washington

California

Oregon State

Washington State

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Razorbacks Keep Seven of Eleven 2011 Major League Baseball Draftees

The 2011 Major League Baseball deadline for draftees to sign passed at 11:59 p.m. EST Monday. After the deadline passed, the Razorbacks lost four recruits, who were top draft picks, to professional teams.

The Arkansas recruits who signed were:

Brandon Nimmo 1^st round 13^th overall by the New York Mets (Cheyenne, Wyoming)

Michael Fulmer 1^st round 44^th overall by the New York Mets (Deer Creek, Oklahoma)

Dillion Howard 2^nd round 67^th overall by the Cleveland Indians (Searcy, Arkansas)

Greg Bird 5^th round 179^th overall by the New York Yankees (Grandview, Colorado)

The seven recruits drafted that will join the 2012 team are:

OF Joe Serrano Cincinnati Reds 12^th round 385^th overall

RHP Connor Costello Cincinnati Reds 16^th round 505^th overall

RHP Brian Anderson Minnesota Twins 20^th round 628^th overall

RHP Chris Oliver Baltimore Orioles 27^th round 815^th overall

RHP Greg Milhorn Detroit Tigers 29^th round 917^th overall

LHP Mark Reyes Baltimore Orioles 46^th round 1,385 overall

INF David Masters Arizona Diamondbacks 50^th round 1,504 overall

Current Players Unsigned:

Trent Daniel, a junior left handed pitcher, was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 23^rd round but will return to play for the Hogs.

2010 Razorbacks Who Signed Professional Contracts:

James McCann Detroit Tigers

Collin Kuhn Chicago White Sox

Kyle Robinson Chicago White Sox

Geoffrey Davenport Cleveland Indians

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Larry Scott: A PAC-10 and PAC-12 College Football Review and Preview for the 2011 Season

This is part one in a series previewing the PAC-12 2011 season.

The rollercoaster ride continues for PAC-10, now PAC-12 commissioner Larry Scott in 2011. When Scott took the reigns as commissioner in July of 2009, all was great in PAC-10 football land. USC was coming off a dominate 2008 football season that saw the school finish with a 12-1 record (the one loss to Oregon State in Corvallis 27-21), an early season thrashing of BCS heavyweight Ohio State (35-3), a Rose Bowl win over Penn State (38-24), and their seventh straight PAC-10 conference title.

The rest of the PAC-10 was pretty good as well. Half of the schools in conference made a bowl with great results during the 2008 bowl season going 5-0; Rose Bowl: USC vs. Penn State 38-24, Holiday Bowl Oregon 42 vs. Oklahoma State 31, Sun Bowl: Oregon State vs. Pittsburgh 3-0, Emerald Bowl: California vs. Miami 24-17, Las Vegas Bowl: Arizona vs. BYU 31-21. All was seemingly great for PAC-10 football. Expansion was bantered about as soon as Scott took over but no serious discussions took place. Why would one want to expand the successful conference and what teams would help bolster the conferences status across the academic and sports board? The upcoming highlights and low lights no one could have predicted.

The rollercoaster ride began in week one of the 2009 football season for Larry Scott. #14 Oregon lost to #16 Boise State 19-8. After the game Oregon running back LaGarrette Blount (now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) punched Boise State defensive end Byron Hout and was subsequently suspended until November 9, when he was reinstated by the school with Scott’s permission. Nine days after the Oregon loss, UCLA pulls off a major upset at the University of Tennessee beating the Vols 19-15. On the same day #3 USC beats Ohio State 18-15 in Columbus on a last minute touchdown by running back Stafon Johnson. On September 28, Johnson would end his season in a tragic weight room accident when a barbell crushed his vocal cords, adam’s apple, and tore his neck muscles.

Parity in a tough conference ensued as each team took turns pulling upsets throughout the season. When the smoke cleared, Oregon would claim the conference championship and end the season ranked #11, Toby Gerhart finished second in the Heisman Trophy race to Alabama running back Mark Ingram, Jr. in the closest Heisman voting ever, and #22 USC at 9-4 is the only other PAC-10 team to finish the season ranked. Seven PAC-10 teams made a bowl due to the winning capabilities each team showed during intra-conference games. The downside is only two of the seven teams won their less acclaimed bowl games; Emerald Bowl: USC vs. Boston College 24-13, Eagle Bank Bowl: UCLA vs. Temple 30-21.

2010 kept the ride going for Scott. In January, then USC head coach Pete Carroll resigned from his position and took over as the head coach for the Seattle Seahawks. Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin, a former offensive coordinator at USC, resigned to take over as head coach for USC after one year as the Vols head coach amongst a national college football controversy. In February Oregon running back LaMichael James (a 2010 Heisman finalist and 2010 Doak Walker Award winner) was arrested on charges of fourth-degree assault, physical harassment, and strangulation; he pleaded not guilty. In June Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was kicked off the team after being arrested for marijuana possession during a traffic stop. Masoli was on suspension during his drug arrest for the entire 2010 season after pleading guilty to second-degree burglary charges in March; he pleaded guilty to stealing two laptops and a projector from a campus fraternity house.

June 10, the announcement day of a monumental change for Larry Scott and the PAC-10, the NCAA handed down their sanctions regarding former USC running back Reggie Bush; sanctions included a loss of scholarships and a two year bowl ban. On the same day Scott wisely followed through with his announcement that Colorado will join the PAC-10 as their 11^th conference member. The University of Utah’s announcement as the PAC-12 twelfth member would follow seven days later.

The importance of the PAC-10 adding two conference members seemed to be overshadowed by the turmoil surrounding the programs currently involved. Utah a program of prominence over the past five years, including an undefeated season in 2008, was welcomed by the national media as a “great get for the PAC-10”. The University of Colorado on the other hand had been a low functioning Big 12 team over the previous five years with only one bowl appearance; Independence Bowl in 2007. The addition of the two teams would finally add legitimacy to the BCS power conference by having an end of the season conference championship game. The addition of a championship game means more revenue for the conference and teams involved. Scott was able to parlay the television rights to the first PAC-12 Championship Game to Fox for $14.5 million; the game is to air on December 3, 2011.

With the promise of an exciting future, little of that excitement translated into positive commentary for the PAC-10 when the 2010 Associated Press college football preseason rankings came out. Only three PAC-10 teams were listed; Oregon #11, USC #14, Oregon State #24. USC and Oregon State would only spend a few weeks ranked while Arizona would spend the majority of the season in the top 25 before falling out of the top 25 two weeks before seasons end on the tails of a five game losing streak. Despite finishing the season with a 6-6 record, Arizona State would not be eligible for post season play because two of their victories were over Football Championship Series teams, formerly known as Division 1-AA.

The biggest surprise of the 2010 season was Stanford; yes bigger than Oregon’s run. After the departure of Toby Gerhart to the Minnesota Vikings, many pundits did not give the Cardinal much of a chance. The rise of Andrew Luck to All-American quarterback status would change the fortunes for the 2010 Cardinal team and head coach Jim Harbaugh; Harbaugh left Stanford to become the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers on January 7, 2011 after 4 years in Palo Alto. Stanford cruised through the season with only one loss to eventual BCS National Championship runner-up, University of Oregon, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. Harbaugh coached the Cardinal to a 12-1 record and a convincing win over ACC champion #12 Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl winning 40-12.

Overshadowing the spot light of the Cardinal run was University of Oregon. Ducks’ second year head coach Chip Kelly would bring more excitement and hope to the Oregon faithful. During the 2010 season the Ducks would be ranked #1 in the Associated Press college football rankings for the first time in school history, finish the season with a school record 12 wins, finish the regular season undefeated with no ties for the first time in school history, and see their head coach win the Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year Award.

The Ducks high powered offense averaged 49.3 points per game easily outpacing all of their opponents, except for the Cal Bears (15-13). A heartbreaking loss to Auburn in the BCS National Championship Game (22-19) only fuels the fire and expectations for the 2011 Oregon Ducks team.

What will become of the newly formed PAC-12 in 2011?

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The Los Angeles Dodgers Sign First Round Draft Pick

Stanford University pitcher Chris Reed (a graduate of Cleveland High School in Reseda) signed with the Dodgers on Friday. Reed, a junior left-handed pitcher, was the 16^th overall pick in the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft and the only first round selection for the Dodgers.

Reed was an honorable mention All-PAC 10 pitcher with a record of 6-2 with 9 saves in 29 games as a reliever for the Cardinal with one start. He tallied a 2.56 ERA with 52 strikeouts. As a team, the Stanford pitching staff finished the 2011 season ranked 47^th in NCAA Baseball with a 3.45 ERA.

Stanford had five players drafted in the 2011 draft. Of the five Stanford players drafted only one player, junior left-handed pitcher Brett Mooneyham a 38^th round selection and 1,147^th overall player selected by the Washington Nationals, remains unsigned.

Reed was the 19^th player out of 50 first round selections to sign a Major League Baseball deal.

The Dodgers have successfully signed 4 of their top 5 2011 draft picks to date. Right-handed pitcher Ryan O’Sullivan of Oklahoma City, a fourth round selection, remains unsigned. 

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SEC Subplots for the 2011 College Football Season

What’s a football season without predictions, storylines, and subplots? The 2011 SEC college football season should provide everything needed for a Hollywood movie. The SEC has new coaches, new players hoping for new results, and old coaches, old players with some hoping for the same old results while others praying for new results.

Here are a few storylines that might be worth taking note of over the next five months.

I am Genius See Me Fail or Succeed?

Can Charlie Weis consistently run a productive/winning offense in college football? In 2005 Weis told the world that Notre Dame would have a “decided schematic advantage” over the teams they play due to his offensive prowess in the NFL. Weis won with Tyrone Willingham’s players in 2005 and 2006 (9-2 and 10-3) then faltered his next three years (3-9, 7-6, 6-6). Luckily Weis has Muschamp and other to recruit for him at Florida. He may sneak in a few new plays during 2011 to help UF earn a victory here or there. If he does well this year hold the praise until years two and three. SEC defenses will eventually catch up to him, like they did with Urban Meyer’s spread option.

Payback is… fun

Gus Malzahn is considered the hottest head coaching prospect in Division-1 football after leading Auburn to a title last season. With all of the talent depleted from their roster, how competitive can Malzahn make Auburn? His stock either rises or falls after this season.

If the Ole Miss job opens up… Auburn can wave goodbye to Gus. The deeper story is Houston Nutt gave Malzahn his first shot at college coaching while at Arkansas, and rumors are Nutt wasn’t the nicest guy to Malzahn then. This would be another personal victory for the former Arkansas high school football coach over Nutt, if he wants the job.

On the hot seat: Mark Richt and Houston Nutt.

Both coaches will feel the heat after week one if they lose their tough non-conference openers; Boise State and BYU respectively.

Prediction:

Richt finishes the 2011 season but no one knows after that?

Nutt’s week three loss to Vanderbilt begins the collection of buyout money. The Egg Bowl loss gives Nutt his walking papers.  

SEC Dark Horses

Mississippi State is more of a dark horse for a SEC Title run than Arkansas, but both teams have programs on the rise and teams that can make some noise. Which team if either can knock off traditional powerhouse schools Alabama and LSU?

A Tiger Slaughter?

Will Les Miles sacrificial lamb offering of Gary Crowton last year be enough to keep LSU alumni, boosters, and fans off of him if LSU’s offense sputters again this season? Miles’ future was in the hands of the offensive head of Steve Kragthrope; Kragthrope recently stepped down as offensive coordinator upon learning that he has Parkinson’s disease but he will remain on staff. Miles is still responsible for the arm and production of Jordan Jefferson.

Any good to decent coach will be able to recruit top talent for the Bayou Bengals. Selling hope off of recruiting stars year after year won’t keep the passionate and knowledgeable fan base in Baton Rouge happy for long. The mantra in Baton Rouge of “Lose Les, Win More” could put another winning coach on the hot seat.

Gamecock Nation Getting Antsy

Spurrier finally gave USC fans a taste of what they’ve been waiting for over the past 19 years, a chance to play in the SEC Title Game. Anytime a coach takes a program to the next level, the expectations of the fans raise a level above the last achievement. Winning the SEC Title Game is expected; a BCS Bowl game is demanded.

An Eye on Lattimore

During the early part of the 2010 season true freshman running back Marcus Lattimore got all the opportunities he could handle to prove he was an All-SEC type of running back. By the end of his second game against Georgia, 37 rushes 182 yards and 1 touchdown, he appeared to be worn out. Lattimore was held to under 100 yards rushing in each of the next four games (Furman 97 yards rushing, at Auburn 33 yards rushing, Alabama 93 yards, and at Kentucky 79 yards rushing).

He sat out his would be 7^th game versus Vanderbilt and by the end of his eighth game versus Tennessee he was banged up again after a 29 carry effort for 184 yards and 1 touchdown. Against Arkansas, the ninth game of the Gamecocks season, Lattimore was largely ineffective only rushing for 30 yards; his lowest individual rushing total of the 2010 season. One can argue that Spurrier held Lattimore out once the Razorbacks were ahead so he would be fresh for the Florida Gators showdown the following week, which yielded 40 rushing attempts and 212 yards rushing with 3 touchdowns.

Lattimore ended up with 1,197 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns. He only crossed the 100 yard mark four times in 2010 with one of those efforts going for 212 yards. Will Lattimore be able to take the pounding game in and game out during his sophomore season?

SEC Players Strike a Pose

Three of the past four Heisman Trophy winners have been from a SEC school; Tim Teabow 2007, Mark Ingram 2009, and Cam Newton 2010. Will a SEC player make it 4 out of 5?

You’re My Alma Mater!

Will Muschamp graduated from University of Georgia and was a captain on their football team his senior season (1994). If the Gators are up by 14 in the 4^th quarter does he try to run the clock out or let Weis keep chucking it down field?

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