by Amy Lamare

Well, I’d say we’re going down to the wire with the previews except since I’ve got Arizona State-Mizzou on in the background, clearly I am writing this preview on September 9, 2011. BUT, in my defense, the Pac-12 season hasn’t technically started until USC and Utah kick off at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum tomorrow. (Note, though Cal and Colorado play in Week 2, that game was scheduled before conference realignment and does not count as a conference game.)So, let’s do this, shall we?

The Pac-10 was previously one of the longest continuous conferences in the country. (I think Ivy is longer) Meaning, the conference hadn’t added or subtracted members for many many many years. In fact, ASU and Arizona were invited to join the then Pac-8 Conference in 1978. And for 32 years, they remained a very balanced conference. Two Southern California schools, Two Northern California Schools, Two Washington Schools, Two Oregon Schools and Two Arizona schools. Perfect symmetry with built in rivalries.

Now we’re 12. Utah and Colorado joined us this season.  The divisions are North – the Washingtons, Oregons and NorCal schools and South – the SoCals, Arizonas, Utah and Colorado. Um, OK.  And of course, who knows what we’ll look like next year with potentially Oklahoma and Oklahoma State?

But this is 2011, so we won’t worry about that. In the North, it’s clearly all about Oregon and Stanford. In the South, it’s more of a toss-up, and of course USC is not eligible to play in the inaugural Pac-12 championship should they win the South. Whatever. Bygones. We’ll getcha next year, Pac-12.  The South looks to be, frankly ASU’s or Utah’s to win or lose.  That said, the Utes struggled in their opener versus Montana State and ASU is holding off Missouri as we speak, so…

Let’s just get into it. We’ll start with the South, from Worst to First, as is my habit.  (Also, I am assuming ASU is winning tonight and Utah is losing tomorrow)

2011 Pac-12 South Division:

COLORADO

The new kid on the block also has a new coach and frankly, things look rather dismal for the Buffaloes. This program has been in need of an overhaul for YEARS, but is new head coach John Embree the man to do it?   The Buffs return a chunk of their offense from last year including RB Rodney Stewart, QB Tyler Hansen, WR Paul Richardson, WR Toney Clemons, TE Ryan Deehan,  andG Ryan Miller – now obviously there’s a bit of talent there, it is, after all, still COLORADO.

However, when you line the Buffs up against the talent in the rest of the Pac-12? It doesn’t look so great for them.  The biggest differences in talent come at the QB position and on defense.  The Pac-12 boasts several of the NCAA’s top QBs in Andrew Luck, Matt Barkley and Nick Foles.  Who is the last truly great Colorado QB you can remember? Kordell Stewart? Yeah and that was a lifetime ago.

If Colorado focuses their season on getting Bowl eligible, they have a chance. But the Buffaloes will be an underdog in their last seven games and has nonconference games against Cal and at Ohio State. CU plays at Stanford, at Arizona State, at UCLA, at Washington and at Utah and gets Oregon, Arizona and USC at home.

Yeah, six wins might be optimistic. There’s… Washington State! And Colorado State! (They’ve already lost to Hawaii.)

UCLA

Oh UCLA, what are we going to do with you?  Rick Neuheisel was supposed to be your great hope, but what has he done for you not just lately, but ever?  As a Trojan, I hope his reign over Westwood is long, as Bruin mediocrity is as the world should be (from my Cardinal and Gold colored lenses at least).  But seriously, it doesn’t look much better for the Bruins than it did last year. And we all know how that “revolutionary” pistol offense went over.

The Bruins continue to have fragile quarterbacks. How else to explain their near constant injuries, often before the season ever starts?  There are a lot of players back on offense including: QB Kevin Prince, QB Richard Brehaut, RB Johnathan Franklin, WR Taylor Embree, WR Nelson Rosario, WR Randall Carroll, WR Ricky Marvray,  and TE Cory Harkey. For any other team, that would be good news. But this is the same UCLA team that went 2-7 in the Pac-10 with the worst passing offense in the entire country. So, yeah.  Good luck.

Then, there’s the quarterback issue. The Bruins haven’t had a competent QB since when? Cade McNown?

Defensively –well OLB Sean Westgate, MLB Patrick Larimore, S Tony Dye, DE Damien Holmes, CB Aaron Hester, DT Cassius Marsh, and CB Sheldon Price are back. But again, they were all a part of a team that went 2-7 last year.

And got beat, badly, by Houston in Week 1.

The Bruins will surely pull off a handful of wins, they usually find a way to. But bowl eligibility may be a pipe dream this year.

ARIZONA

It speaks to the strength of the Pac-12 South that this fairly talented Arizona team looks to finish fourth in their division. (Who’s a strong conference now, eh SEC?!)  With such outstanding offensive players as
QB Nick Foles, WR Juron Criner, RB Keola Antolin, WR David Douglas, and WR David Roberts returning, one would think Wildcat fans would be excited. There’s only really one teeny weeny problem.

Alright, so maybe not teeny weeny. The entire offensive line is brand new.

GULP.

And it isn’t much better on the D-Line, either.

There are exactly ZERO starts on the O-line and at defensive end. NONE.  Foles, Criner and Antolin are amazing, but how much are they going to be able to do if the offensive line can’t block anyone.

On defense, injury has devastated the squad. LB Jake Fischer and FS Adam Hall went down with torn ACLs during spring ball.

There are a couple of redshirt freshmen — Fabbians Ebbele and Mickey Baucus—who, if they can step up and play with a maturity that belies their actual experience, this Arizona team could be exceptional.  But, expecting the level of play this team will need out of two unproven players –that’s not a lot to hang hope on, you know?

Plus, there was the whole Oklahoma State debacle. Twice. In a row.

UTAH

Kyle Wittingham and Utah have put together a few remarkable seasons. Wittingham took over for uber coach (sarcasm) Urban Meyer when he bolted for greener (I’m talking about cold hard cash) pastures. Since taking over at Utah, Whittingham is 59-20 overall and has had three consecutive 10-win seasons: 13-0 in 2008, 10-3 in 2009 and 2010.

Here’s the issue. No doubt this team has talent. However. While Utah was an elite team in the land of mid-majors, they are now playing with the big boys. And the level of competition they are going to face week in and week out in the Pac-12 is going to be a gigantic step up from Mountain West competitors.

That said, Norm Chow is the Utes Offensive Coordinator. And he’s got QB Jordan Wynn under his wing. Do you know what other QBs Chow has mentored? Oh only: Jim McMahon, Steve Young, Ty Detmer, Philip Rivers, Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart. Of course Chow did literally nothing for the Bruins, so it’s easy to dismiss him and think he lost his touch. That would be unwise.

Defensively – well the entire secondary lacks experience which could cause massive issues in a league where they face quarterbacks like Andrew Luck, Nick Foles, Matt Barkley and Brock Osweiler.

The Utes struggled mightily against FCS Montana State in Week 1. The game at USC this weekend will tell us a lot about this team and their ability to compete in the Pac-12 South.

ARIZONA STATE

Oh man, well, regulation time just ran out and ASU-Mizzou is heading into OT. The Sun Devils let a 14 point lead midway through the third quarter AT HOME evaporate. So in some ways, same old ASU. But, Mizzou is not Washington State. Or even Arizona. Remember last season ASU nearly beat Wisconsin at Camp Randall. And I watched QB Brock Osweiler and WR Aaron Pflugrad put together a drive in the third quarter that was GORGEOUS.

So this Sun Devil team has what it takes. Unfortunately, they are also still penalty prone, shooting themselves in the foot, and from the looks of it, not quite adept at finishing the game as strong as they started it.

HOWEVER, this team has a lot more talent and experience than those Sun Devil teams of the past that started well and imploded.  Offensively, the Sun Devils return QB Brock Osweiler, RB Cameron Marshall, RB/WR Deantre Lewis, WR Mike Willie, WR Gerell Robinson, WR Aaron Pflugrad, as well as the entire offensive line.

Defensively the Sun Devils have a MONSTER MLB in Vontaze Burfict – possibly the best in the country. Also returning is DE Junior Onyeali, DE James Brooks, OLB Brandon Magee, S Eddie Elder and CB Osahon Irabor.

ASU has the talent. Do they have the discipline and follow through and ability to CLOSE OUT THE GAME WITH WINS?

This Mizzou game is telling us A LOT but also, it is coming down to the wire.  Much like I expect ASU’s season to.

USC

Oh, what can I say about my men of Troy? They didn’t look great last week.  (Well Barkley to Woods, certainly looked good, but we’ve got to have more offensive options than that.) However, I don’t think that was the players. I think that was the coaching.

Offensively, the majority of the O-Line is young, inexperienced and shaky. However we’ve got experience in QB Matt Barkley, RB Marc Tyler, WR Robert Woods, TE Rhett Ellison, OT Matt Kalil and two other starting linemen.  The passing game looks to be humming along delightfully. The running game is a mystery, but without an o-line to actually create gaps, that may continue to sputter.

Defensively – GOD last year was painful. And it came down to a lack of depth. Our D was tired at the end of the game and that’s when we lost three of them, at the end, by a small margin, because our defense wasn’t fresh.  Well  with returning players DE Nick Perry, MLB Devon Kennard, LB Chris Galippo, DT Christian Topou, DT Armond Armstead, DT DaJohn Harris, CB Nickell Robey, S T.J. McDonald, S Jawanza Starling, S Marshall Jones and DE Wes Horton – well, we no longer have a depth issue.  The only starter from last year not at USC now is new San Diego Charger Shareece Wright.

Despite sanctions and not being able to play for anything but Pride (and Arrogant Nation), this is the most talented team in the Pac-12 hands down.  Whether they can actually prove that on the field is the test. Remember, these are 18-22 year old BOYS and not being able to play for the conference championship, the Rose Bowl. The National Championship does affect their motivation.

ASU wins the Pac-12 South by Default.