Pac-12 Breakfast Links: 06.20.2011

*Los Angeles is once again trying to put together a new downtown stadium that would host an NFL team and possibly Pac-12 Football events.  LA can’t sustain an NFL team.  Haven’t they learned this yet? [LA Times]

*Speaking of Southern California, LA Coliseum tells USC they can’t afford $60 million in renovations.  Since an NFL team is doom to die in LA, hopefully their other pro team can get at least get a new stadium. [LA Times]

*Now that Oregon has hit the map of NCAA violations, things are getting quite ridiculous in this corrupt organization.  My guess is at least three more programs will be revealed as violators before the offseason is through. [State Journal]

*USC is finally realizing that Pete Carroll has moved on.  He has moved on and so should you. [Conquest Chronicles]

*If the former Pac-10 members thought they were underexposed, imagine how Utah felt all those years.  [Salt Lake Tribune]

*Can UCLA pass the “Eye Test”?  Early prognosis says their fans might need glasses. [Bruins Nation]

*Mega-expansion was the rave all last summer.  I personally thought it would have been awesome. Could there still be a chance that the Pac-12 becomes the Pac-16? Probably not for a few years. [The Husky Haul]

Pac-12 Recruiting Roundup: 06.17.11

Welcome back to the soap opera that sports fans like to call College Football Recruiting! 

Last week's Pac-12 Recruiting Round-up was a rousing success (well, at least for this blog).  Let’s continue to keep our fingers on the pulse of this recruiting melodrama college football fans love.

This Friday, I'm going to change it up a bit and give each team its own post.  I felt like last week's post was a little lengthy and a lot to scroll through.

In the introductory post (the one you are reading right now), I'll tally a weekly rankings to gauge the overall recruiting success each team is having compared to their conference peers.  The team names in the rankings will also link to their weekly recruiting round up.

Have fun on the recruiting trail.

Team	5*	4*	3*	2*	1*	NR	Total	PR
USC	1	5	1	1		1	9	31.00
Arizona State			6	1		4	11	24.00
Oregon		2	5				7	23.00
Washington		2	2	4			8	22.00
Utah			4	1		1	6	15.00
Stanford		2		2			4	12.00
Colorado			3	1			4	11.00
Arizona			2	2			4	10.00
Oregon State		1	2				3	10.00
Washington State			2	2			4	10.00
California		2					2	8.00
UCLA			2				2	6.00

Pac-12 Breakfast Links: 06.10.2011

*The New Mexico Bowl couldn’t wait to get a piece of the Pac-12 pie.  I can’t blame them, it does look tasty.   [theMWC.com]

*Reggie Bush’s Heisman is taking a slight detour on its trip back to USC.  Apparently the little guy heard San Diego has some killer tacos.  [Inside USC]

*Not really sure who wants to read Marshall Lobbestael's diary.  It's like Hard Knocks... but the PBS version. [Cougfan.com]

*The State of Utah is dubbing July 1st "Utah Pac-12 Day".  If it comes with a day off, then I'm definitely an observer.  [Block U]          

*Colorado was picked to finish second to last in the South by the Sporting News and Utah was selected to take the division.  Guess they aren’t concerned about the Utes first full BCS schedule.  [Denver Post]

*Oregon State has a bevy of questions and Kerry Eggers has the credentials to get the answers.  Can the Beavers overcome the injury bug before the season starts?  [ESPN]

*Heated rivalries take time, especially forced ones.  Let’s hope Colorado smashes Utah’s division title chances on the last game of the season.  Now that could spark the fire.  [Salt Lake Tribune]

Arizona State Football: Can Brock Osweiler Contend for the Pac-12 Passing Title?

The names atop the Pac-12's quarterback list for the 2011 season include two potential top 10 NFL draft picks and a player that has already been to a National Championship game. Unfortunately for Arizona State, neither of these names will be stitched to the back of a Sun Devils' jersey this fall.

Brock Osweiler certainly is not at the caliber of Andrew Luck or Matt Barkley and he sure as hell doesn't have the flashy style possessed by Darron Thomas. However, would it be absolutely insane to consider Osweiler a contender for the top quarterback in the Pac-12 conference?

Pac-12 Breakfast Link: 06.09.2011

*EA Sports’ release of its NCAA Football team’s rating is almost becoming as important as Blue Ribbon or Phil Steele.  Can’t wait to get my hands on a copy [The Daily Drip]

*The evidence against Ohio State is sure piling up. If their punishment by the NCAA isn't heavier than the recent sanctions handed to USC, then the system will continue to be a running joke. Checks? Come on, Pryor, that's Busch League. [Yahoo] 

*Tom Dienhart poses an interesting question “Do Cal official want to christen a re-done stadium with a new coach in 2012?”  If Tedford cant right the ship, seems like an intriguing possibility. [Belling Hamherald]

* Members of the Oregon’s Alumni Association were “generously” offered tickets to the LSU game at Cowboys Stadium for the not-so low price of $105 per ticket. Jerry-Town doesn't maintain itself I guess.  [Register Guard]

*An aging writer compares the BYU-Utah rivalry to himself, saying that the Holy War will slowly lose its meaning.  Sounds like there might be a new job open at his paper. [Desert News] 

*The campuses of Arizona State, Stanford, and UCLA better be prepared for a stampeded.  Colorado likes to plan parties on the road, so watch out for the roaming Buffaloes.  [Daily Camera]

*What if college football's conferences hit the shuffle button? SB Nation embarks on an interesting project doing just that. [House of Sparky]

USC Football: Why Non-USC Fans Should Want the Trojans to Go Undefeated

I'm definitely not the only person who experiences a slight twinge of happiness while watching the USC empire crumble. 

After decades of the Trojans dominating the top of the Pac-10 standings, it was nice seeing the conference bully take a beating for once.  But, there is a point when all brawls become hard to watch. 

Yesterday, the BCS officially stripped USC of its 2004 National Championship title, landing the final haymaker on this “USCheaters Era”.  

Now that this down-for-the-count blow has finally been thrown, it is time for everyone to take stock and move forward. 

Utah Utes: Can Utah Finish Above .500 in Pac-12 Conference Play?

To answer this question, you have to ask yourself, are you a BCS purist or a Mid-Major sympathizer?

The BCS purists are going to say that there is no way in hell a non-BCS team can join a major conference and expect to come out with a winning record.  The competition is exponentially tougher from top-to-bottom and gearing up to play huge games week-in and week-out will take its toll by mid-October.    

On the other hand, the mid-major sympathizer believes that there has been a “flattening” in the world of college football and that these mid-major powerhouses can recruit and play against ANY team. 

Breakfast Links: 05.09.2011

*The spring has come and gone leaving several great nuggets for Pac-12 Football fans to chew on over the next few months.  Bud Withers does a great job summarizing the injuries and emergences for every team.  [Seattle Times]

* Trey Griffey, Ken Griffey Jr.’s son, is being courted by Oregon, UCLA, and Washington State. Standing large at 6’2”, 185 pound, Trey has the potential to be an extremely dangerous wide-out. Although his talent is still a bit raw, it is fun to imagine a Griffey making dazzling plays on the gridiron. [Lost Letterman, You Tube]

*Chip Kelly gave an inspirational speech to U.S. Soldiers after Oregon’s spring game.  The group singing of the Ducks fight song was a nice touch, too.  [Oregonian]

*The Pac-12’s 12-year, $3 billion rights deal with ESPN and FOX is eye-popping, but at the same time well deserving.  Pac-12 Football deserves some serious respect and this exponential increase in national exposure is definitely a huge step in the right direction. [Multi-Channel News]

*Arizona and Oklahoma State moved their game from Saturday, Sept. 10 to Thursday, Sept. 8.  Watching quarterbacks Nick Foles and Brandon Weeden command the authority of the skies in prime time should be a great way to kick of the second week of the season. [Arizona Daily Star]

Pac-12 Football Breakfast Links: 05.08.2011

*Arizona lands three-star recruit offensive lineman Beau Boyster.  Nothing screams exciting like an OL signing. [Arizona Daily Star, You Tube]

*According to a “source that has no authority to talk on the subject matter”(whatever that means), highly sought-after tight end Morrell Presely and fifth-year senior cornerback Courtney Viney will transfer out of UCLA.  Not sure if people need authority to talk about players that never see the field.  [Los Angeles Times]

*College Basketball play-by-play announcer Gus Johnson is expected to join FOX to call Pac-12 Football games.  Although he lost out to Brad Nessler for the NFL Network job, he should be a shoe-in for this position.  [Examiner.com]

*Four-star prospect linebacker Michael Barton commits to Cal, adding to a pile of East Bay recruits in the Bears' arsenal.  The De La Salle standout also received offers from Arizona State, Colorado, LSU, Oregon State, SMU, UCLA, Washington and Washington State. [Contra Costa Times, You Tube]

*It is no surprise that UCLA is having troubles figuring out which quarterback to go with next season.  It IS a surprise OC Mike Johnson still hopes that he is going to find “consistency, decision-making, and leadership” in one of his three candidates.  If these skills haven’t reared its head yet, he could be looking for a long time. [OC Register] 

The Next Gen: Weekly Video of a Recent Pac-12 Recruit - Arizona State's Michael Eubank

Michael Eubank was huge pick up for Arizona State on National Signing Day. Eubank's size and mobility is the first thing that really stand out when looking at his high school highlight reel.  Although he has a fairly strong arm, his release has been called 'Tebow-esque" which could create problems for him in the future.   

Position: QB
Rated: Four Stars by Scout.com
Ht.: 6-5
Wt.: 220 LBS
From: Corona, CA

Spring Practice and Game Dates

Get excited!! I know I am.

Arizona
Start: March 21
End: April 16 (spring game)

Arizona State
Start: March 22
End: April 23 (spring game)

California
Start: March 29
End: April 30

Colorado
Start: March 11
End: April 9 (spring game)

Oregon
Start: March 28 (or 29)
End: April 30 (spring game)

Oregon State
Start: March 28
April 30 (spring game)

Stanford
2 sessions
Feb. 21-March 5
March 28-April 9 (spring game)

UCLA
Start: March 31
End: April-23 (spring game)

USC
Start: March 22
End" April 23 (spring game)

Utah
Start: March 8
End: April 16 (spring game)

Washington
Start: March 29
End: April 30 (spring game)

Washington State
Start: March 7
End: April 16 (spring game)

Pac-12 Football: An Early Bird Prediction for the 2011 Final Standings

Welcome to the first ever entry of The Pacific Dozen: THE Pac-12 College Football Blog!

Although the 2011 college season might seem like eons away, it is never too early to look ahead at what the future might bring.

With National Signing Day just around the corner, the seeds of excitement created by these prospects plant enchanted whispers of uncharted future possibilities in the minds of fans for each and every team.

Since the future will be on the tip of the tongues of college football fans across the nation on February 2nd, let’s take a guess at how the final standings of the first season in the Pac-12 conference will look.

North:

1. Stanford

Andrew Luck has enough weapons on offense to make a decent run at the first ever North title. The Cardinal defense is also still legit, returning six starters, which includes stalwarts Shayne Skov and Chase Thomas. Playing Oregon at the Farm should work in Stanford’s favor this time around.

2. Oregon

The Ducks return a massive part of their churning offense, which really allows them to contend in any game, during any situation. However, three extremely tough games against matured teams to end the season should make it hard for Oregon to come out of this season unscathed.

3. Washington

Washington brings back 16 total starters from last season. RB Chris Polk and WR Jermaine Kearse were selected All Conference in 2010, which give the Huskies offense an undeniable punch. Washington is also making some noise with their 2011 recruits, currently landing 12th on Scout.com’s recruiting rankings.

4. California

California has two Thursday night tilts against Oregon and USC on their schedule in 2011, which could mean epic failures in primetime. Having to play at Stanford, in Autzen, and against Utah should mean another season filled with in-conference woes for the Bears.

5. Oregon State

Although Oregon States losses a chunk of their offense with the departure of Jaquizz Rodgers, they do return a nice group of starters on offense, which should help them win a few games within its division. It will be a tough road though, especially playing the Arizonas and Utah from the South Division.

6. Washington State

Placing the Cougars at the bottom the divisions is hardly a surprise. Washington State has struggle immensely the past few seasons and it should still be another season or two until they are completely out of these shameful woods.

South:

1. USC

Some might want to believe that USC is experiencing a down period, but just looking at its 2011 recruiting class, the story seems to saying something different. The Trojans out-of-division game will hardly be a cake walk. They should find a way to take a game or two from the North and should not have a problem handling all of their in division games this season.

2. Utah

Utah’s first season playing a full schedule against BCS caliber teams should be very interesting. They will either completely collapse or be able to hold their own. The Utes seem to stack up well against the rest of the competition in the South, but will quickly learn that they are not in the Mountain West any more.

3. Arizona State

Unlike the Wildcats, Arizona State found its groove towards the end of last year. The Sun Devils’ offense finally should signs of life, scoring 30 or more points in four of their last five games. With 11 players returning from that offense, things could be getting brighter in Tempe.

4. Arizona

Although Arizona seemingly fell apart toward the end of the season, they still have enough weapons on offense and defense to remain dangerous in 2011. Nic Foles should lead this team to several conference wins, but Arizona will once again struggle when it matter most.

5. UCLA

UCLA’s offense ranked 104th last season in scoring and even though they return seven players, they still have a ton of work ahead of them. Although their defense will keep them in most games, the Bruins should struggle against this scoring happy conference.

6. Colorado

Bottom dwelling in the Big 12 for several seasons has cast doubt on just how Colorado will make the transition into the Pac-12. The Buffaloes won’t exactly turn heads in 2011 and they could have troubles keeping out of the South’s cellar for at least the first season.