Unlike the PAC-12 North the PAC12 South is less predictable IMO. In the South 5 teams got first place votes (all but ASU) in the PAC12 media beauty contest.
1 USC: The team wasdiscussed in the prior post. This year: Ret Starters: O-7, D-6, K&P. Projected: #2PS/ #22 Nat.. New QB and returning HC: True Freshman J. T. Daniels is starting QB. I think JT is special and UNLV is a good break-in game. I also think that the quality of backup if he isn't ready (say he becomes "Stormed" Daniels) or gets hurt, is better than normal.
2. Arizona: Last Year 7-6 all/ 5-4P12. Key Losses: Off- Backup QB B Dawkins (1191 combined yards), RB N Wilson (521 yds), OL J Alsedek, Def- CB B Cruickshank (R5- 75Tkl, 3 int), LB R Rutt, DL L Bruno Starter Losses: Offense RB, RG, LG. LT. Defense: DT, Spur.
This year: Ret Starters: O-7, D-9, NO K&P. Projected: #3P12S/ #38 Nat. Returning QB Tate. New HC Kevin Sumlin. whose TAMU record left some question marks. He started off well , however he went 19-21 the next 5 conference years. He thas an Arizona team that was pretty good and returns most everyone. Tate is the bright spot with 1591 pass yds and 1411 running yards, and he is now a Jr. RB Taylor adds 847 yards in the run game. The potent Offense averaged 41.3 ppg and scored 35 vs. USC (Tate got a combined 307 yds). Will Sumlin improve it? His TAMU teams sputtered at times. The Defense gave up 34.4 ppg (USC scored 49) and are especially leaky against the Pass attack. The UA schedule has 5 home games vs. PAC12 teams, spread out for them to make a positive mark. They play 2 easier teams before the USC game. I am not sure that is good or bad.
3 Utah: Last Year 7-6 all/ 3-6P12. Key Losses: Off- Backup QB T Williams (812 Yards)WRs D Carrington (980 yards) and R Singleton (521 yards),OL.S Uhatafe. Def- DL K Fitts, (R6), LB K Lufatasaga (82 tkls), LB S Tauteoli (64 Tkls)..Starter Losses: Offense: WR, TE, LG,. Defense: DL (3), LB, CB.
This year: Ret Starters: O-8, D-6, St-2. Projected: #2P12S/ #22 Nat. Returns H Coach and QB, many are placing this team at second place, some for first (14 P12 media votes) . I see that 3-6 in conference record and one stretch of 1-6 record in the PAC, mostly close games. Their O loses only 3 starters (incl. top 2 rec. Carrington and Singleton). QB Huntley (injured part of last season) is a middle of the pack guy who threw 15 td vs. 10 int., but has no experienced backup The running game looks talented and deep. The D loses 5 starters (including 2 top tacklers) but are still full of vowels and pounds. They play 5 away games in the PAC12, including UW, at Stanford, at Oregon and USC at home, which may be the 4 best of the P12 best. A pretty good D (23.2 ppg) and an average O (29.5 ppg). They might improve a bit, but how much? Utah plays tough teams Stanford (A) and Arizona (H) before the USC game.
4. Arizona State: Last Year 7-6 all/ 6-3 P12S. Key Losses: Off- RB K Ballange 689 Rush yds (R4), RB D Richard 1027 rush yds. OL S Jones (R6), OL J McCollum. Def- LB C Sam 127 Tkl (R6), LB DJ Calhoun 99 Tkl, DB S Adams 69 Tkl, 2 Int. Starter Losses: Offense:-RB (2), LG, LT, : NT, DE (2), LB (2), DB (3).
This year ret. Starters: O-8, D-4, P&K. Projected: #5 or 6 PS/ #51 Nat #57. Ret. QB but New Coach. They Lost a lot on D (which gave up 32.8ppg) and the hiring of HC Herm Edwards is controversial. But he is a former pro coach that does know football. They lost their top 2 runners. but have a decent QB (run and pass) in Wilkins and a very good receiver set. On D its a different story, loss of top 4 tacklers. I think the Off. is OK (31.8 ppg) with QB Wilkins and top rec. N'Keal Harry et al. The OL is a question. But the bottom 3 teams in the PAC12S all have question marks and ASU has some reasonable retuning talent and might surprise a few teams here.They play at USC after 2 soft games.
5. UCLA: Last Year 6-7 all/ 4-5 P12. Key Losses: Off- QB J Rosen 3756 yds (R1), WR J Lasley 1264 yds (R5), WR D Andrews (773 Yards), OL S Quessenberry (R5), OL K Miller (R1), OL N Terian.. Def- LB K Young 110 Tkl (R4), DB J Wadood 79 Tkl, DL-J Touioti-Mariner. Starter Losses Offense: QB, WR(2), OC, LG, RT. Defense: DE(2), OLB, S., NG, WLB, P.
This year: Ret Starters: O-5, D-7, K&P. Projected: #4PS/ #51 Nat. UCLA lost a bunch of players, many drafted by the pros. Chip Kelly was a good college coach, not so great pro coach. He faces an uphill battle this year. The team last year averaged 32.1 ppg but gave up 36.6 ppg, and therein lies a problem. There will likely be a change of offense AND defense, and that takes time. The defense was as Run leaky as Arizona was against the passing game. Change to a 3 man DL vs. a 4 man, Will the O go from a pro style with Rosen, to a Kelly style option team? Some overall talent, but pretty raw. Phil Steele has them at #6 in the PAC-12 south. I'll give them a break at #5. They play USC after taking on Utah (H), Oregon (A) and ASU (A). This is followed by Stanford . Yikes!
6. Colorado: Last Year 5-7 all/ 2-7P12. Key Losses: Off- RP P Lindsay 1474 yards, WRs B Bobo, S Fields and D Ross (a combined total rec yds of over 1800 yards), LT J Irwin Def- Db I Oliver (R2) 13 pass breakups, DB R Mueller 58 Tkls,..Starter LossesOff- RB, WR (3), TE, OC, LG, RT. Def-DE, LB (2), CB, FS..
This year: Ret Starters: O-4, D-6, K&P. Projected: #5 PS/ #62 Nat.,Returning QB and HC. Colorado's Coach Macintyre now in his 6th year is a candidate for firing. He is just 2 seasons from an excellent 10-4/ 8-2 but that is beginning to seem like an illusion. The team O went down nearly 5 ppg and the defense gave up nearly 7 more points per game and over 200 yards per game on the ground. The O looks stripped in the run and pass areas, and OL. They have 5 home games but the rebuilding will be dominant here. The Buffs play UCLA and ASU before going to USC and UW. They may have a decent record coming into game.
Ok, done with this … heading to my man cave for hibernation. Wake me for the UNLV gam
1 USC: The team wasdiscussed in the prior post. This year: Ret Starters: O-7, D-6, K&P. Projected: #2PS/ #22 Nat.. New QB and returning HC: True Freshman J. T. Daniels is starting QB. I think JT is special and UNLV is a good break-in game. I also think that the quality of backup if he isn't ready (say he becomes "Stormed" Daniels) or gets hurt, is better than normal.
2. Arizona: Last Year 7-6 all/ 5-4P12. Key Losses: Off- Backup QB B Dawkins (1191 combined yards), RB N Wilson (521 yds), OL J Alsedek, Def- CB B Cruickshank (R5- 75Tkl, 3 int), LB R Rutt, DL L Bruno Starter Losses: Offense RB, RG, LG. LT. Defense: DT, Spur.
This year: Ret Starters: O-7, D-9, NO K&P. Projected: #3P12S/ #38 Nat. Returning QB Tate. New HC Kevin Sumlin. whose TAMU record left some question marks. He started off well , however he went 19-21 the next 5 conference years. He thas an Arizona team that was pretty good and returns most everyone. Tate is the bright spot with 1591 pass yds and 1411 running yards, and he is now a Jr. RB Taylor adds 847 yards in the run game. The potent Offense averaged 41.3 ppg and scored 35 vs. USC (Tate got a combined 307 yds). Will Sumlin improve it? His TAMU teams sputtered at times. The Defense gave up 34.4 ppg (USC scored 49) and are especially leaky against the Pass attack. The UA schedule has 5 home games vs. PAC12 teams, spread out for them to make a positive mark. They play 2 easier teams before the USC game. I am not sure that is good or bad.
3 Utah: Last Year 7-6 all/ 3-6P12. Key Losses: Off- Backup QB T Williams (812 Yards)WRs D Carrington (980 yards) and R Singleton (521 yards),OL.S Uhatafe. Def- DL K Fitts, (R6), LB K Lufatasaga (82 tkls), LB S Tauteoli (64 Tkls)..Starter Losses: Offense: WR, TE, LG,. Defense: DL (3), LB, CB.
This year: Ret Starters: O-8, D-6, St-2. Projected: #2P12S/ #22 Nat. Returns H Coach and QB, many are placing this team at second place, some for first (14 P12 media votes) . I see that 3-6 in conference record and one stretch of 1-6 record in the PAC, mostly close games. Their O loses only 3 starters (incl. top 2 rec. Carrington and Singleton). QB Huntley (injured part of last season) is a middle of the pack guy who threw 15 td vs. 10 int., but has no experienced backup The running game looks talented and deep. The D loses 5 starters (including 2 top tacklers) but are still full of vowels and pounds. They play 5 away games in the PAC12, including UW, at Stanford, at Oregon and USC at home, which may be the 4 best of the P12 best. A pretty good D (23.2 ppg) and an average O (29.5 ppg). They might improve a bit, but how much? Utah plays tough teams Stanford (A) and Arizona (H) before the USC game.
4. Arizona State: Last Year 7-6 all/ 6-3 P12S. Key Losses: Off- RB K Ballange 689 Rush yds (R4), RB D Richard 1027 rush yds. OL S Jones (R6), OL J McCollum. Def- LB C Sam 127 Tkl (R6), LB DJ Calhoun 99 Tkl, DB S Adams 69 Tkl, 2 Int. Starter Losses: Offense:-RB (2), LG, LT, : NT, DE (2), LB (2), DB (3).
This year ret. Starters: O-8, D-4, P&K. Projected: #5 or 6 PS/ #51 Nat #57. Ret. QB but New Coach. They Lost a lot on D (which gave up 32.8ppg) and the hiring of HC Herm Edwards is controversial. But he is a former pro coach that does know football. They lost their top 2 runners. but have a decent QB (run and pass) in Wilkins and a very good receiver set. On D its a different story, loss of top 4 tacklers. I think the Off. is OK (31.8 ppg) with QB Wilkins and top rec. N'Keal Harry et al. The OL is a question. But the bottom 3 teams in the PAC12S all have question marks and ASU has some reasonable retuning talent and might surprise a few teams here.They play at USC after 2 soft games.
5. UCLA: Last Year 6-7 all/ 4-5 P12. Key Losses: Off- QB J Rosen 3756 yds (R1), WR J Lasley 1264 yds (R5), WR D Andrews (773 Yards), OL S Quessenberry (R5), OL K Miller (R1), OL N Terian.. Def- LB K Young 110 Tkl (R4), DB J Wadood 79 Tkl, DL-J Touioti-Mariner. Starter Losses Offense: QB, WR(2), OC, LG, RT. Defense: DE(2), OLB, S., NG, WLB, P.
This year: Ret Starters: O-5, D-7, K&P. Projected: #4PS/ #51 Nat. UCLA lost a bunch of players, many drafted by the pros. Chip Kelly was a good college coach, not so great pro coach. He faces an uphill battle this year. The team last year averaged 32.1 ppg but gave up 36.6 ppg, and therein lies a problem. There will likely be a change of offense AND defense, and that takes time. The defense was as Run leaky as Arizona was against the passing game. Change to a 3 man DL vs. a 4 man, Will the O go from a pro style with Rosen, to a Kelly style option team? Some overall talent, but pretty raw. Phil Steele has them at #6 in the PAC-12 south. I'll give them a break at #5. They play USC after taking on Utah (H), Oregon (A) and ASU (A). This is followed by Stanford . Yikes!
6. Colorado: Last Year 5-7 all/ 2-7P12. Key Losses: Off- RP P Lindsay 1474 yards, WRs B Bobo, S Fields and D Ross (a combined total rec yds of over 1800 yards), LT J Irwin Def- Db I Oliver (R2) 13 pass breakups, DB R Mueller 58 Tkls,..Starter LossesOff- RB, WR (3), TE, OC, LG, RT. Def-DE, LB (2), CB, FS..
This year: Ret Starters: O-4, D-6, K&P. Projected: #5 PS/ #62 Nat.,Returning QB and HC. Colorado's Coach Macintyre now in his 6th year is a candidate for firing. He is just 2 seasons from an excellent 10-4/ 8-2 but that is beginning to seem like an illusion. The team O went down nearly 5 ppg and the defense gave up nearly 7 more points per game and over 200 yards per game on the ground. The O looks stripped in the run and pass areas, and OL. They have 5 home games but the rebuilding will be dominant here. The Buffs play UCLA and ASU before going to USC and UW. They may have a decent record coming into game.
Ok, done with this … heading to my man cave for hibernation. Wake me for the UNLV gam
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