2008 conference preview: Pac-10
by Dan Kadar
Although Southern California is again unquestionably the top team in the Pac-10 Conference, that doesn’t necessarily speak to the strength of the Trojans. Instead, it has more to do with the overall poor quality of the conference.
The annual contenders for second place in the conference have plenty of questions heading into the season. How does Oregon replace quarterback Dennis Dixon? Who will be starting at wide receiver and quarterback for California? How does Oregon State replace a trio of starting linebackers and running back Yvenson Bernard?
That likely means only Arizona State will challenge USC for the conference title. The Sun Devils surprisingly went 10-2 last season and have a majority of their playmakers returning. If the Sun Devils can survive a tough stretch of games against Georgia, USC and California, the team may challenge for a spot in the Bowl Championship Series.
Still, it’s doubtful Arizona State can overcome an ultra-talented USC team. Few teams in the nation can compare to USC, especially on defense. The Trojans have what looks like at least five potential first-round draft picks starting on defense this season. None is more impressive than senior middle linebacker Rey Maualuga. If quarterback Mark Sanchez can live up to his potential quickly, the Trojans could challenge for another national title.
Oregon State will get a boost from returning wide receiver Sammie Stroughter who redshirted last season while battling depression and injuries. However, the Beavers still haven’t named a starting quarterback between Sean Canfield and Lyle Moevao.
The sleeper in the conference could be Stanford. Don’t forget that the Cardinal beat the Trojans in Los Angeles last season and have several talented players on defense. Washington should be competitive on offense if promising sophomore quarterback Jake Locker shows improvement as a passer.
Conference Power Rankings
1. Southern California
2. Arizona State
3. Oregon
4. California
5. UCLA
6. Stanford
7. Oregon State
8. Washington
9. Arizona
10. Washington State
First Team All-Conference
QB: Rudy Carpenter, Sr., Arizona State
RB: Keegan Herring, Sr., Arizona State
RB: Stafon Johnson, Jr., USC
WR: Brandon Gibson, Sr., Washington State
WR: Sammie Stroughter, Sr., Oregon State
TE: Ed Dickson, Jr., Oregon
C: Max Unger, Sr., Oregon
OT: Andy Levitre, Sr., Oregon State
OT: Eben Britton, Soph. Arizona
OG: Jeremy Perry, Sr., Oregon State
OG: Paul Fanaika, Sr., Arizona State
DE: Nick Reed, Sr., Oregon
DT: Ekom Udofia, Jr., Stanford
DT: Fili Moala, Sr., USC
DE: Pannel Egboh, Sr., Stanford
LB: Rey Maualuga, Sr., USC
LB: Brian Cushing, Sr., USC
LB: Clinton Snyder, Jr., Stanford
S: Patrick Chung, Sr., Oregon
S: Taylor Mays, Jr., USC
CB: Walter Thurmond, Jr., Oregon
CB: Brandon Hughes, Sr., Oregon State
P: Keenyn Crier, So., Arizona
K: Thomas Weber, So., Arizona State
KR: Jahvid Best, So., California
PR: Terrence Austin, Jr., UCLA
Second Team All-Conference
QB: Willie Tuititama, Sr., Arizona
RB: Kahlil Bell, Sr., UCLA
RB: Stanley Havili, So., USC
WR: Jaison Williams, Sr., Oregon
WR: Mike Thomas, Sr., Arizona
TE: Logan Paulsen, Sr., UCLA
C: Alex Mack, Sr., California
OG: Alex Fletcher, Sr., Stanford
OG: Jeff Byers, Sr., USC
OT: Fenuki Tupou, Sr., Oregon
OT: Mike Tepper, Sr., California
DE: Everson Griffen, So., USC
DT: Brigham Harwell, Sr., UCLA
DT: David Smith, Sr., Arizona State
DE: Dexter Davis, Jr., Arizona State
LB: Andy Mattingly, Jr., Washington State
LB: Ronnie Palmer, Sr., Arizona
LB: Pat Maynor, Sr., Stanford
S: Troy Nolan, Sr., Arizona State
S: Bo McNally, Jr., Stanford
CB: Alterraun Verner, Jr., UCLA
CB: Omar Bolden, So., Arizona State
P: Aaron Perez, Sr., UCLA
K: Jason Bondzio, Sr., Arizona
KR: Ronald Johnson, So., USC
PR: Kyle Williams, Jr., Arizona State
Conference honors
Offensive Player of the Year: Rudy Carpenter, QB, Arizona State
Defensive Player of the Year: Taylor Mays, S, USC
Freshman of the Year: Kavario Middleton, TE, Washington
Top 10 Senior NFL Draft Prospects
1. Rey Maualuga, ILB, USC
An intimidating force at middle linebacker, Maualuga is a big, physical player with a lot of speed and athleticism. He could have been a first-round pick had he entered the 2008 NFL Draft.
2. Brian Cushing, OLB, USC
Cushing is the heart and soul of the USC defense, which struggled at times when he was injured last season. An expert rush linebacker, Cushing will be a perfect fit for a 3-4 team.
3. Fili Moala, DT, USC
Often overshadowed by fellow defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, Moala is an athletic wide body who could play inside in a 4-3 our outside in a 3-4.
4. Jeremy Perry, G, Oregon State
While 2007 was mostly a lost season for Perry because of injuries, he showed he’s a great guard in his sophomore season. A former first-team all-coference player, Perry is as powerful of a guard as there is in the nation. If he can stay healthy, he’ll challenge being the first guard drafted in 2009.
5. Max Unger, C/OT, Oregon
After playing left tackle as a sophomore, Unger started every game last season at center. He has the ability to start in the NFL at either spot. Unger is light on his feet, but doesn’t mind mixing it up.
6. Patrick Chung, SS, Oregon
Chung nearly entered the draft this year and arguably would have been the second or third best safety in the class. The leader of Oregon’s defense, Chung had 117 tackles in 2007. He can stay in the box against the run or drop back in coverage.
7. Alex Mack, C, California
Although centers rarely get taken early, Mack has the talent of a first-day offensive lineman. Mack was selected as the top offensive lineman in the Pac-10 last season by opposing defensive linemen. Mack is tall and physical, but manages to get to the second level well.
8. Jaison Williams, WR, Oregon
At 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, Williams doesn’t have great speed but uses his size to his advantage. He’s a master at grabbing the jump ball, but he needs to refine his route running.
9. Kevin Ellison, SS, USC
Ellison will leave the Trojans as a three-year starter at strong safety. He’s a big hitter, but doesn’t have a lot of speed or agility. Ellison could be an outside linebacker prospect for some teams, but he has shown an ability to track passes quickly.
10. Worrell Williams, ILB, California
Last season, Williams moved from the weak side to middle linebacker. He’s a solid run stuffer who registered 105 tackles in 2007. Williams doesn’t work especially well laterally, but is a good straight-ahead linebacker.
Top 5 Junior NFL Draft Prospects
1. Taylor Mays, SS, USC
It could be argued that Mays was ready for the NFL the moment he enrolled at USC. Mays has everything looked for in a safety — he’s big, physical and fast. A guaranteed first-round pick.
2. Walter Thurmond, CB, Oregon
Thurmond has track speed and the hands of a wide receiver. He intercepted five passes last season and finished with 18 pass breakups. Thurmond isn’t afraid to tackle and is solid in man coverage.
3. Vidal Hazelton, WR, USC
Overshadowed so far in his Trojans career, Hazelton is poised for a breakout season. He has good height at 6-foot-3 and is agile enough to shake defenders.
4. Clinton Snyder, ILB, Stanford
An incredibly productive and physical linebacker, Snyder is a smart, try-hard linebacker that coaches will love. Snyder specializes in getting in the backfield and had 14 and a half tackles for a loss last season.
5. Jairus Byrd, CB, Oregon
Byrd is a big cornerback who likes to hit. He’ll be coveted by teams looking for a cornerback who can line up against bigger receivers. He’s not especially fast, though, and could be looked as a safety by some teams.
Non-conference Games of the Year:
1. Ohio State at USC, Sept. 13
2. Georgia at Arizona State, Sept. 20
3. Tennessee at UCLA, Sept. 1
4. Oregon State at Penn State, Sept. 6
5. Notre Dame at USC, Nov. 29
Conference Games of the Year:
1. Arizona State at USC, Oct. 11
2. California at USC, Nov. 8
3. USC at Stanford, Nov. 15
4. Oregon at Oregon State, Nov. 29
5. USC at UCLA, Dec. 6
Unit Rankings
Backfield
1. Arizona State
2. USC
3. Oregon
Receivers
1. USC
2. Arizona
3. Washington State
Offensive Line
1. California
2. USC
3. Oregon State
Overall Offense
1. USC
2. Arizona State
3. Oregon
Defensive Line
1. USC
2. Stanford
3. Arizona State
Linebackers
1. USC
2. California
3. Stanford
Defensive Back
1. Oregon
2. USC
3. Stanford
Overall Defense
1. USC
2. Stanford
3. Oregon
Special Teams
1. Arizona State
2. Arizona
3. UCLA