Thursday, July 26, 2007

Tucson Citizen: The Battle for No. 2 in the Pac-10

Here’s the link.

Thursday's annual Pac-10 media day in Los Angeles is our kickoff event for the college football season. We're not sure if we're fully stretched yet, but we're tackling 10 preseason questions for the Pac-10:

Q: We know USC is going to win this thing, so who finishes second?

A: What we would really like is a combination of Cal's offense and UCLA's defense - that would be a team to challenge the Trojans. Alas . . .

As it is, we'll stick with the Bears. Quarterback Nate Longshore, a year's experience in tow, won't be as jittery in big games. The receivers are among the best in the country. Justin Forsett and others will make up for the loss of first-round running back Marshawn Lynch.

The defense is more experienced than the five returning starters suggest.

The Bruins have more experience, but the tiebreaker here is Cal coach Jeff Tedford.

Q: Will USC coach Pete Carroll rip LSU's Les Miles, who recently disparaged the Pac-10 by derisively calling UCLA and Cal, among others, "some real juggernauts" and saying the Trojans had an easier path to the national title than did his team?

A: Not likely. Carroll already has taken the high road, telling the L.A. Daily News, "He's really taking a shot at all the other schools we play.

"Maybe the comments should come from the coaches at the other schools, including Charlie (Weis) at Notre Dame."

Q: So how about it, UA coach Mike Stoops? What do you think of Miles' comments?

A: "It is pretty ignorant for the way people perceive our conference," Stoops said.

"I would say outside the Southeastern Conference we probably have the second-hardest conference from top to bottom. Offensively, it is the No. 1 conference in the country. The offense skill, the quarterback skill and the play-calling is the best combination.

"Obviously, you look to the defensive talent in the Southeastern Conference; it is pretty unique. But this conference can hold its own against anybody."

Q: What is the biggest non-conference game?

A: USC at Nebraska on Sept. 15, with the Cornhuskers eager to announce they're back among the nation's elite, is a must-watch game.

But given all the to-do over this SEC vs. Pac-10 stuff, conference fans must be united in cheering for Cal to beat visiting Tennessee on Sept. 1.

If the Vols win - they handled the Bears 35-18 last season in Knoxville - perhaps Les Miles was all-too right, dadgum it.

Q: Who has the toughest schedule?

A: Wouldn't want to be Washington. The Huskies open at Syracuse (that's nowhere near as scary as it once was, but still . . . it's a long way) and then return home to face America's darlings, Boise State, and then big, bad Ohio State.

A road trip to UCLA immediately follows. Then Washington plays USC, at Arizona State, and back home for rival Oregon.

The Huskies could be thoroughly exhausted - and winless - by the time they play host to Arizona on Oct. 27.

Q: Which team had the biggest offseason makeover, other than Arizona with its new spread offense?

A: Oregon . . . and by makeover, we don't mean more new uniforms for the Ducks. Coach Mike Bellotti brought in offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, a spread offense guru from New Hampshire, to re-tool the attack around senior quarterback Dennis Dixon.

The rest of the conversion, Bellotti hopes, is mental. Toughness, toughness, toughness. Did the Ducks find it after losing their final four games last season?

Q: Who is the league's top newcomer?

A: Well, the league's most anticipated newcomer is probably Joe McKnight, a supposed Reggie Bush clone who was swept out of Louisiana in another superb USC recruiting class.

Oh yeah, that USC class includes defensive end and physical freak Everson Griffen. He definitely could be the league's top newcomer.

But if you define newcomer to include redshirt freshmen, then nobody carries a bigger burden than Washington quarterback Jake Locker. Coach Tyrone Willingham didn't even bother to pretend about any competition in the spring, simply giving Locker the reins.

It'll be up to Locker to lead Washington out of the darkness of only four Pac-10 victories in the past three seasons.

Q: What are the odds of senior quarterback John David Booty winning the fourth Heisman Trophy for the Trojans in the past six years?

A: They're at 5-1 according to one on-line gambling site, about what is expected when you're a returning starting quarterback for the No. 1 team in the country. Simply put, he's in a great place to win a popularity contest.

Seriously, though. It's debatable whether Booty is even among the top five draft-eligible players on his own team.

And the best player in the league is Cal receiver/returner DeSean Jackson, who, if only he wore USC's cardinal and gold, would be everybody's top Heisman candidate from the West.

Q: Could this be Pete Carroll's best USC team?

A: Have to see how the crowded running back position shakes out and who steps up at receiver.

The Trojans won't be as explosive as the Leinart-Bush-White offense of 2005, averaging 49 points per game, but the defense should be in line with the stingy 2004 outfit, which allowed an average of 13 points.

That, ultimately, will be more important.

Not counting one defensive end spot (which could be held by Griffen) and one cornerback spot, the Trojans appear to have nine starting defenders who are potential first-round picks in 2008 or 2009.

So, yes, it could be. The proof will be in road games at Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oregon, Cal and Arizona State.

Q: Which coach is on the hot seat?

A: UCLA's Karl Dorrell. The goodwill from last season's upset of USC faded less than a month later when the worst Florida State team in about 25 years sucker-punched the Bruins in a 44-27 win the Emerald Bowl. UCLA's best Pac-10 finish in Dorrell's four seasons is third in 2005. Not nearly good enough. Crosstown rival USC has gone first, first, first and first during that time.

The Bruins should be starting as many as 18 seniors this season. If not now for UCLA, when?

And if not now, why not, Karl?

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