2008 CFN Pac 10 Preview
Team Previews &
Predictions
Arizona
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Arizona State
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California
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Oregon |
Oregon State
Stanford
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UCLA
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USC
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Washington
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Washington State
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2008 CFN Pac 10 Preview
-
CFN All-Pac 10 Team &
Top 30 Players
- Pac 10 Unit
Rankings
- Pac 10 Schedules &
Predictions
By
Richard Cirminiello
This is the
year that someone breaks through and ends USC’s six-year choke hold on
the Pac-10 title.
Yeah, right.
Sure, the Trojans have shown signs of vulnerability the past two
seasons, losing
head-scratchers to Oregon State, UCLA and Stanford, but when a November
surge is needed, they always deliver. Plus, no one fills holes in a
depth chart faster than the Men of Troy.
So, as USC
feeds the NFL with a new crop of talent, there are a bunch of young
players, likeDE Everson Griffen, RB Joe McKnight and QB Mark Sanchez,
who are poised for stardom …and another BCS bowl game.
The nine teams chasing the Trojans can be broken down neatly into three
groupings. In the first tier are Oregon, Arizona State and California —
the schools best positioned for a Rose Bowl run. The Ducks begin life
after Dennis Dixon and Jonathan Stewart by hoping that a bunch of
newcomers can keep the offense humming. Determined to build on last
year’s banner season under Dennis Erickson, the Sun Devils first must
figure out how to keep QB Rudy Carpenter from being treated like a
piñata. Cal is looking to regain some street cred after back-to-back
disappointing seasons, including last year’s second-half implosion.
The Pac-10’s mid-section consists of UCLA, Oregon State and Arizona —
programs that are good enough to go bowling yet have way to many
question marks to be considered serious contenders. While there’s a buzz
surrounding the Bruins and new coaches Rick Neuheisel and Norm Chow,
that alone won’t solve the quarterbacking issues. The Beavers were built
for last season. This year, they rebuild around young RB Ryan McCants
and a veteran secondary. If Arizona finally is to return to the
postseason, it’ll be on the strong arm of Willie Tuitama, who’s
flourishing in Sonny Dykes’ passing attack.
Pulling up the rear will likely be Washington, Stanford and Washington
State, who will all be a break or two away from bowl eligibility. The
Cardinal and Cougars are excited about the direction they’re heading in
under Jim Harbaugh and Paul Wulff, respectively. The Huskies might be
looking for a new direction in 2009 if Tyrone Willingham can’t get to
the .500 mark.
Overall, the big question is whether or not the conference will get any
respect. The last time the league got two BCS bids was after the 2002
season, and it has only gotten two teams into the big money games twice
in the ten year history of the current BCS format. This could finally be
the year two teams past the velvet rope, but at the moment, it’s USC and
nine other schools looking to change the perception.
TEAM THAT’LL SURPRISE
Oregon
— Those dismissing the Ducks are putting too much emphasis on the
departure of QB Dennis Dixon. Of course he’ll be missed, but coordinator
Chip Kelly is back and there’s promise among the new backfield
prospects. The team will lean on an underrated defense that returns
eight starters, six of whom earned All-Pac-10 honors in 2007.
TEAM THAT’LL DISAPPOINT
Arizona
State
– The
excitement is sky-high after an impressive first year under Erickson,
but the O line is still an issue, the defense will likely continue to
struggle against offenses with a pulse, and the schedule isn’t a plus.
PAC-10 GAME OF THE YEAR
USC at UCLA, Dec. 6
— Forget
the race for the Pac-10 crown, which already might be decided by this
time. All eyes will be on Neuheisel, who faces off against Pete Carroll
for the third time overall but for the first time in this storied
rivalry.
ONE BOLD PREDICTION
Arizona QB Willie Tuitama will smash Cody Pickett’s Pac-10 record for
passing yards in a season. With a second year in the system, a talented
receiving corps and a rebuilt Wildcats defense, Tuitama will be a
statistical machine.
5
BIG-TIME PLAYERS WHO DESERVE A BIGGER SPOTLIGHT…
1. C Alex Mack, Sr. California
2. WR Brandon Gibson, Sr. Washington State
3. WR Mike Thomas, Sr. Arizona
4. LB Clinton Snyder, Jr. Stanford
5. S Patrick Chung, Sr. Oregon
COACH ON THE HOT SEAT
Tyrone Willingham, Washington
— The
temperature continues to rise around Willingham, who has posted a dismal
11-25 record in three seasons in Seattle. Plus, he no longer has his
most vocal supporter, former AD Todd Turner, in his corner. Things got
so bad after last season, one well-heeled U-Dub alum offered six figures
to the school for Willingham’s ouster. Games against former employer
Notre Dame, along with Arizona, whose coach Mike Stoops is also on thin
ice, will go a long way toward determining Willingham’s fate.
5
NON-CONFERENCE GAMES THE PAC-10 HAD BETTER TAKE VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY
1. Boise State at Oregon, Sept. 20
2. Fresno State at UCLA, Sept. 27
3. Toledo at Arizona, Sept. 6
4.
Oregon
State at Utah, Oct. 2
5.
Arizona at New Mexico, Sept. 13
5 Best Pro Prospects
1. DT Fili Moala, Sr. USC
2. LB Rey Maualuga, Sr. USC
3. LB Brian Cushing, Sr. USC
4. SS Taylor Mays, Jr. USC
5. C Alex Mack, Sr. California
5 Biggest Shoes to Fill
1. Averell Spicer
or Christian Tupou
for DT Sedrick Ellis, USC
2.
Nate Costa or Justin Roper
for QB Dennis Dixon, Oregon
3.
Marquis Hundley
for Antoine Cason, Arizona
4.
Jeremiah Johnson
for RB Jonathan Stewart, Oregon
5. Anthony McCoy or Rhett Ellison for TE Fred Davis, USC