North division:
1 (Tie) Stanford: Last Year 9-5 all/ 6-3 P12. Key Losses: Off- QB Chryst,TE Shultz (R4), OL Bright. Def-DL Phillips (R3), LB Kalambayi (R6), DB J Reid (R3).Starter Losses: TE, LG, DT, DE, OLB (2), CB.
This year Ret Starters: O-9, D-6, Kicker &Punter. Projected: #2P/ #15 National.
Stanford Offense has #1 Love at RB, an average #6- in PAC12 QB in Costello and 9 position returners overall. That's not bad from an O that averaged 32 ppg.. It however lost 5 starters on D from one that gave up 23 ppg (high for them). The front seven and DBs are less than depth than last year. Overall they lost 4 of their top 6 tacklers.3 were drafted into NFL. They have road games at Oregon, Notre Dame, ASU, Washington, Cal and UCLA. Too many chances for losses here IMO. I believe they lose some 3 games. Stanford plays WSU at home, and UW plays a physical Cal team away, before they meet for what should be the ultimate P12N winner. Their bye is before the ASU away game.
1 (Tie) Washington: Last Year 10-3 all/ 7-2P12. Key Losses: Off- WR/ST D. Pettis (R2), TE W, Dissly (R4). Def-DL Vita Vea (R1), LB Bierra (R6), LB A. Victor (R6), DB J Reid (R3).Starter Losses: TE, WR, RG, K, DT, 2 LB, DB.
This year: Ret Starters: O-8, D-9, P. Projected: #1PN/ #7 Nat.
This is a team that many selectors rank as a top 6, final 4 contender. They do have a well balanced team and averaged 36ppg, and gave up 16 ppg. And have many returning starters. But they lost 3 games last year and nearly a 4th. They lost some good players to the NFL in top receiver and Punt returner (4 TD returns LY) Dante Pettis (R 2), DL Vea (R1) , TE Dissly (R4) , plus LB Victor (R6) and Bierra (R6). Their offense was OK (#6 in P12 Total yards). Their D was superior (#1 in yards and pts against). They were near the best on takeaways last year at +13, after a +18 the year before. That helps an offense immensely (Field and time possession). This year the D may be less, and with that the takeaways may drop. A key factor in close games. QB Browning is highly efficient, but doesn’t dominate a game. Gaskin is a good, not great RB. Tough games are home vs. Stanford and Away at Utah, Oregon, and Cal. In OOC, Auburn, the first game away, will tell us a lot. I think they will lose to Stanford (better running game) and the Trees will go to the PAC12 championship game. Their bye is before the home game vs. Oregon State.
3. Oregon: Last Year 7-6 all/ 4-5P12. Key Losses: Off- RB R Freeman (R3), OL T Crosby (R5) Def- DB A Springs, LB J Swain. Starter Losses: TE, WR, RG, K, DE, ILB, CB. S.
This year: Ret Starters: O-7, D-7, P. Projected: #3PN/ #24 Nat. New HC, though an assistant OC for Oregon and former 6 yr.FIU HC. He is well liked by the players and has recruited well This team struggled with injuries such as QB Herbert (missed 5 games in which UO went 1-4). But if healthy UO has some good talent on offense, averaging 36 ppg. On D they gave up 29 ppg, which is still an improvement of 12 ppg. They will miss RB Freeman and Benoit. But Herbert when healthy may possibly be the top returning P12 QB. The defense has improved and will determine how far they go. I think they are quite a bit behind Stanford and UW but could well surprise one of them in their game. Their OOC schedule one of the PAC12 softest allowing them to tune into the "new" coach (Did coach the UO Bowl game). Their bye is before the home game vs. UW.
4. California: Last Year 5-7 all/ 2-7 P12. Key Losses: Off- K M Anderson Def-DL J Looney (R7), LB D Downs (R7), Starter Losses: WR, K, DE, NG, WLB, P.
This year: Ret Starters: O-10, D-8. Projected:#4PN/ #53 Nat. HC Justin Wilcox has a team that played well at times last year and returns most everyone but Kicker and Punter.They lost 3 conference games by a total of 7 points. The D improved under Wilcox by giving up 12 less ppg than in 2016. But the Offense was up and down scoring 30 or more in 4 games and 20 or less in 3 games. Jr. QB Ross Bowers was emblematic of that, throwing 18 TDs and 15 picks. He will have to improve. Cal has plenty of receivers but is a little light at RB. Toughest away game is USC. Home challenges are Oregon, UW and Stanford. The OOC has BYU and UNC that will show what they have. They may win 4 PAC12 games so they can't be taken lightly. Weakness may be ST (lost K&P), DL. and possibly QB?.
5. Washington State: Last Year 9-4 all/ 6-3P12. Key Losses: Off- QB L Falk (R6) and backup Hilinski, RB J Morrow, OL C Madison (R5),WRs T Martin and I Johnson-Mack. Def-DL H Mata'ala, LB F Luvu, DB R Taylor. Starter Losses: QB, RB, WR, RG, LG, RT, K, NT, Rush, MLB, FS. Seemingly, a cast of thousands.
This year: Ret Starters: O-4, D-6, P. Projected: #5PN/ #62 Nat. Watch out below! which in this case is likely only OSU.This team lost 25 lettermen across the board, many were impact players. It's definitely a rebuild but an easier OOC (E. Washington is the top team played) leads directly into a date on Friday night with USC in a revenge motif. It doesn’t get much better with Utah, Oregon, UW, and Stanford away in other games. Still, Leach is a good coach that can pull wins out, but the O isn't the same and the D lost both impact linemen and their D coach, in Alex Grinch. Rough sledding ahead is likely . Weaknesses : RB, QB, OL and ST.
6. Oregon State: Last Year 1-11 all/ 0-9 P12. Key Losses: Off- QB D Garretson,RB R Nall . Def- LB M Hungalu.Starter Losses: TE, WR, RG, K, DT,OLB.
This year: Ret Starters: O-7, D-8, k. Projected: #6PN/ #102 Nat.,What can one say?The team had a net differential of negative 22 ppg. Yikes. At least there was a change of coaches, with ex-OSU QB Jonathon Smith, who likely said this is his "dream job". Well Ohio State at Columbus is first up, with or without Urban Meyer. That’s a nightmare! The team hasn’t been good since Mike Riley left, but he is now the assistant HC/ TE coach for Oregon State. One can see the team getting better-which may mean winning 2-3 games this year. They did give Stanford a scare losing 14-15. I'll be there for the USC game, bringing my rain gear.
Bottom line: The PAC 12 North will have a similar look to last year, but with Cal and Oregon likely to move up and WSU down. Next- The PAC12 South will look different IMO.
1 (Tie) Stanford: Last Year 9-5 all/ 6-3 P12. Key Losses: Off- QB Chryst,TE Shultz (R4), OL Bright. Def-DL Phillips (R3), LB Kalambayi (R6), DB J Reid (R3).Starter Losses: TE, LG, DT, DE, OLB (2), CB.
This year Ret Starters: O-9, D-6, Kicker &Punter. Projected: #2P/ #15 National.
Stanford Offense has #1 Love at RB, an average #6- in PAC12 QB in Costello and 9 position returners overall. That's not bad from an O that averaged 32 ppg.. It however lost 5 starters on D from one that gave up 23 ppg (high for them). The front seven and DBs are less than depth than last year. Overall they lost 4 of their top 6 tacklers.3 were drafted into NFL. They have road games at Oregon, Notre Dame, ASU, Washington, Cal and UCLA. Too many chances for losses here IMO. I believe they lose some 3 games. Stanford plays WSU at home, and UW plays a physical Cal team away, before they meet for what should be the ultimate P12N winner. Their bye is before the ASU away game.
1 (Tie) Washington: Last Year 10-3 all/ 7-2P12. Key Losses: Off- WR/ST D. Pettis (R2), TE W, Dissly (R4). Def-DL Vita Vea (R1), LB Bierra (R6), LB A. Victor (R6), DB J Reid (R3).Starter Losses: TE, WR, RG, K, DT, 2 LB, DB.
This year: Ret Starters: O-8, D-9, P. Projected: #1PN/ #7 Nat.
This is a team that many selectors rank as a top 6, final 4 contender. They do have a well balanced team and averaged 36ppg, and gave up 16 ppg. And have many returning starters. But they lost 3 games last year and nearly a 4th. They lost some good players to the NFL in top receiver and Punt returner (4 TD returns LY) Dante Pettis (R 2), DL Vea (R1) , TE Dissly (R4) , plus LB Victor (R6) and Bierra (R6). Their offense was OK (#6 in P12 Total yards). Their D was superior (#1 in yards and pts against). They were near the best on takeaways last year at +13, after a +18 the year before. That helps an offense immensely (Field and time possession). This year the D may be less, and with that the takeaways may drop. A key factor in close games. QB Browning is highly efficient, but doesn’t dominate a game. Gaskin is a good, not great RB. Tough games are home vs. Stanford and Away at Utah, Oregon, and Cal. In OOC, Auburn, the first game away, will tell us a lot. I think they will lose to Stanford (better running game) and the Trees will go to the PAC12 championship game. Their bye is before the home game vs. Oregon State.
3. Oregon: Last Year 7-6 all/ 4-5P12. Key Losses: Off- RB R Freeman (R3), OL T Crosby (R5) Def- DB A Springs, LB J Swain. Starter Losses: TE, WR, RG, K, DE, ILB, CB. S.
This year: Ret Starters: O-7, D-7, P. Projected: #3PN/ #24 Nat. New HC, though an assistant OC for Oregon and former 6 yr.FIU HC. He is well liked by the players and has recruited well This team struggled with injuries such as QB Herbert (missed 5 games in which UO went 1-4). But if healthy UO has some good talent on offense, averaging 36 ppg. On D they gave up 29 ppg, which is still an improvement of 12 ppg. They will miss RB Freeman and Benoit. But Herbert when healthy may possibly be the top returning P12 QB. The defense has improved and will determine how far they go. I think they are quite a bit behind Stanford and UW but could well surprise one of them in their game. Their OOC schedule one of the PAC12 softest allowing them to tune into the "new" coach (Did coach the UO Bowl game). Their bye is before the home game vs. UW.
4. California: Last Year 5-7 all/ 2-7 P12. Key Losses: Off- K M Anderson Def-DL J Looney (R7), LB D Downs (R7), Starter Losses: WR, K, DE, NG, WLB, P.
This year: Ret Starters: O-10, D-8. Projected:#4PN/ #53 Nat. HC Justin Wilcox has a team that played well at times last year and returns most everyone but Kicker and Punter.They lost 3 conference games by a total of 7 points. The D improved under Wilcox by giving up 12 less ppg than in 2016. But the Offense was up and down scoring 30 or more in 4 games and 20 or less in 3 games. Jr. QB Ross Bowers was emblematic of that, throwing 18 TDs and 15 picks. He will have to improve. Cal has plenty of receivers but is a little light at RB. Toughest away game is USC. Home challenges are Oregon, UW and Stanford. The OOC has BYU and UNC that will show what they have. They may win 4 PAC12 games so they can't be taken lightly. Weakness may be ST (lost K&P), DL. and possibly QB?.
5. Washington State: Last Year 9-4 all/ 6-3P12. Key Losses: Off- QB L Falk (R6) and backup Hilinski, RB J Morrow, OL C Madison (R5),WRs T Martin and I Johnson-Mack. Def-DL H Mata'ala, LB F Luvu, DB R Taylor. Starter Losses: QB, RB, WR, RG, LG, RT, K, NT, Rush, MLB, FS. Seemingly, a cast of thousands.
This year: Ret Starters: O-4, D-6, P. Projected: #5PN/ #62 Nat. Watch out below! which in this case is likely only OSU.This team lost 25 lettermen across the board, many were impact players. It's definitely a rebuild but an easier OOC (E. Washington is the top team played) leads directly into a date on Friday night with USC in a revenge motif. It doesn’t get much better with Utah, Oregon, UW, and Stanford away in other games. Still, Leach is a good coach that can pull wins out, but the O isn't the same and the D lost both impact linemen and their D coach, in Alex Grinch. Rough sledding ahead is likely . Weaknesses : RB, QB, OL and ST.
6. Oregon State: Last Year 1-11 all/ 0-9 P12. Key Losses: Off- QB D Garretson,RB R Nall . Def- LB M Hungalu.Starter Losses: TE, WR, RG, K, DT,OLB.
This year: Ret Starters: O-7, D-8, k. Projected: #6PN/ #102 Nat.,What can one say?The team had a net differential of negative 22 ppg. Yikes. At least there was a change of coaches, with ex-OSU QB Jonathon Smith, who likely said this is his "dream job". Well Ohio State at Columbus is first up, with or without Urban Meyer. That’s a nightmare! The team hasn’t been good since Mike Riley left, but he is now the assistant HC/ TE coach for Oregon State. One can see the team getting better-which may mean winning 2-3 games this year. They did give Stanford a scare losing 14-15. I'll be there for the USC game, bringing my rain gear.
Bottom line: The PAC 12 North will have a similar look to last year, but with Cal and Oregon likely to move up and WSU down. Next- The PAC12 South will look different IMO.
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