ESPN.com - Washington, USC leaders of the Pac

ESPN.com: College Football

Wednesday, July 12, 2000
Washington, USC leaders of the Pac

By Joe Wojciechowski
ESPN.com

It seems pretty clear in the Pac-10 this season. Either Washington or USC will be playing in the Rose Bowl. The rest is a battle for Aloha Bowl bids, right?

Not quite. The Pac-10 is a West Coast riddle that is never easy to figure out. Really, like anyone had Stanford going to the Rose Bowl and Arizona going 6-6 last season. USC is loaded defensively and has a budding star in QB Carson Palmer, while Washington is loaded offensively with unpredictable and exciting QB Marques Tuiasosopo running the show. Those two should battle for the trip to Pasadena, but there are always surprise teams. This year's sleepers include the Wildcats, who always seem to play well when nothing is expected of them, along with Oregon State, UCLA and Oregon.

Arizona Wildcats
1999 record: 6-6
Coach: Dick Tomey
Returning starters: 11 (7 offense, 4 defense)

Outlook: Everyone is writing Arizona off -- and don't think the Wildcats haven't noticed. There was a crispness this spring from the underdog Wildcats. Things aren't as bad as they seem, just like things weren't as good as they appeared last season. The Cats return fifth-year senior Ortege Jenkins, who finally gets total control of the offense after sharing time with Keith Smith the last few seasons. He has worked hard in the offseason and has the running and throwing ability to keep the Cats moving even though Arizona lost several key players. Tomey is calling the trio of tailbacks as capable as any he's had at Arizona. Leo Mills, Leon Callen and Larry Croom are seemingly interchangeable, although Mills did a better job of holding on to the football so he'll enter the fall first on the depth chart. The Cats lost Dennis Northcutt, but sophomore Bobby Wade looks to be the real deal. Also, watch tight ends Brandon Manumaleuna and James Hugo and don't be surprised if the two become a more important part of the offense. The line will be strong with C Bruce Wiggins, LG Steve Grace, RT Marques McFadden and LT Makoa Freitas.

Season Openers
Team	Date	Opponent
Arizona	9/2	at Utah
Arizona St.	8/31	at SDSU
Cal	9/9	Utah
Oregon	9/2	Nevada
Oregon St.	9/2	E. Wash.
Stanford	9/2	at WSU
UCLA	9/2	Alabama
USC	8/27	Penn State
Washington	9/2	Idaho
WSU	9/2	Stanford

The Cats' flex defense might have been figured out or it might just be that Arizona hasn't been as physical lately. Arizona would love to move Joseph Tafoya outside to end, where he is much better suited to play, but he is the best inside guy right now. If they can find someone to be a presence inside, Tafoya will move outside. The linebackers received a huge boost from sophomore Lance Briggs. A former fullback, Briggs will see some short-yardage duty and put a stranglehold on a starting spot after simply stunning coaches with his outstanding play. The secondary is trying to get more physical. They have to try something. After finishing last in the conference with just five picks, they received a spark with the physical Brandon Nash moving from receiver to safety. The attitude is if someone is going to catch the ball, they are going to pay.

Question mark: Will the secondary do the job? They'll be more physical, but unless they cover people, this defense is doomed.

Keep an eye on: WR Bobby Wade. Let's see, in the spring game he caught three passes for 41 yards then played defensive back where he intercepted a pass and returned a fumbled pitch 83 yards for a touchdown. Is that any good? Wade, a true sophomore, set a freshman record with 30 catches last season and has all the makings of a star.

Arizona State
1999 record: 6-6
Coach: Bruce Snyder
Returning starters: 13 (7 offense, 6 defense)

Outlook: The biggest question coming out of the spring for the Sun Devils was concerning a player who didn't even play one snap. Quarterback Ryan Kealy is recovering from the fifth knee operation of his career and his status going into the fall remains a question. He should be back, which is a big relief for ASU. With him, they've gone to two bowls. Without him, well, it's not pretty. Walk-on Jeff Krohn was probably the best QB this spring, which doesn't say much for ASU's depth. Another question is at running back. Delvon Flowers missed the spring to concentrate on academics, meaning Davaren Hightower, a wide receiver last year, took most of the snaps. But Flowers should be back in the fall and he is their best option. He averaged over six yards a carry and over 17 yards a catch. The good thing is the line is a good one. Levi Jones, Scott Peters and Victor Leyva anchor this group that will almost guarantee the Sun Devils can run the ball. If they throw, they will look for WR Richard Williams and all-american candidate TE Todd Heap.

Defensively, the Sun Devils will strong at linebacker and secondary, but have some concerns on the line. Defensive tackle Danny Masaniai had a nice spring and should be joined in the fall by juco transfer DE Paul Glass, who could be a special player. Defensive end Quincy Yancy will be suspended for the opener for violating team rules this spring, but will return as one of the best players on the line. The linebackers are a strength, even though the Sun Devils lost Mason Unck to a knee injury this spring. Adam Archuleta was an all-conference selection last season, and sophomore Solomon Bates is going to be on that team one day soon. The secondary is strong at safety with Willie Daniel and Al Williams, but while the cornerbacks looked solid in the spring, there are concerns if they'll hold up during the season.

Question mark: Who will back up Kealy? Krohn had the best spring, but a name to remember is incoming freshman Andrew Walter, who was one of the Sun Devils' prized recruits.

Keep an eye on: TE Todd Heap. He set single season school records with 55 catches and 832 yards last season and should top those numbers this season.

California Golden Bears
1999 record: 4-7
Coach: Tom Holmoe
Returning starters: 13 (8 offense, 5 defense)

Outlook: The good news for Cal this spring was no one got hurt. There were no lingering injuries, no slight injuries, no nothing. For a team that has suffered through tough springs and was in the process of tweaking the offense, this was almost the best thing that could have happened. The Bears are going to more of a short passing attack to compliment their running game. Quarterback Kyle Boller's shoulder is obviously recovered from surgery and he looked sharp this spring. The running game could be the Bears' strength. Joe Igbar looks good at tailback and Marcus Fields moved to H-back to take advantage of his running and pass-catching ability. The move to the short, precision passing attack is in part because Cal lost many of its receivers. The offensive line will also benefit from the new attack, as they won't have to hold their blocks as long. For a team that allowed 30 sacks last season, this is a good idea.

Defensively, the Bears were the best in the Pac-10 last season and this unit should be solid as well. The line will be strong up the middle with DT Jacob Waasdorp (Waaaaassssddooorp!!!) and NG Daniel Nwangwu and DE Andre Carter could be the defensive player of the year in the Pac-10. The linebackers are under repair, but Jamaal Cherry and Chris Ball look like they can do the job. The secondary will look to Chidi Iwuoma to replace Deltha O'Neal. Jemeel Powell gives the Bears a burner in the defensive backfield that they desperately need. Now, if they could just get some experience back there.

Question mark: Will the offense score? The new passing attack should help take pressure off the receivers and the line. The Bears have some good running backs, so Cal should be able to take some pressure off the defense.

Keep an eye on: RB Marcus Fields. Fields' switch the H-back could be a key for Bears. He'll still see time at tailback, but he's versatile to make things happen catching the ball as well.

Oregon Ducks
1999 record: 9-3
Coach: Mike Bellotti
Returning starters: 9 (6 offense, 3 defense)

Outlook: It's not easy being green. Ask Kermit, or Oregon. The Ducks have some questions about their high-powered offense heading into the fall. Quarterback A.J. Feeley, who was supposed to share time with Joey Harrington this season, was hampered all spring by an elbow injury. At least Harrington had a solid spring. Of course, with the receivers Oregon has, it's easy to have success throwing the ball. Marshaun Tucker and Kennan Howry highlight this group, but young speedsters like redshirt freshman Samie Parker, Ricardo Cottengim and sophomore Cy Aleman will see plenty of action. The line has five players returning with starting experience, but really hope LT Al Cotton -- who missed time last season after suffering a pair of concussions -- will return after being held out of spring drills for precautionary measures. Now who will run behind the line is another issue. This spring, the Ducks fielded a team with little to no experience at tailback, but expect great things from junior college All-American Maurice Morris.

Defensively, Gang Green has some work to do. Saul Patu is the best lineman, but Oregon is hoping for a big season from James Rose, who was a junior college all-american two seasons ago. The linebackers return Matt Smith in the middle, but is inexperienced on the outside. Rashad Bauman is back at cornerback after missing last season with torn knee ligaments and will battle it our with Gary McGraw, who intercepted 18 passes in two years of junior college, and seven game starter Brian Johnson.

Question mark: Will Harrington be the lone QB this season? This was supposed to be a two-headed quarterback at Oregon, but with Freeley's tender elbow slowing him down this spring, Harrington went out and proved he could be the man.

Keep an eye on: RB Maurice Morris. So what if he's not at Oregon yet. He has speed, power and set the national junior college record of 3,708 yards in two seasons at Fresno City College. Nice résumé, huh?

Oregon State Beavers
1999 record: 7-5
Coach: Dennis Erickson
Returning starters: 15 (8 offense, 7 defense)

Outlook: When Erickson was winning two national championships at Miami, speed was always the Hurricanes' trademark. So it should come as no surprise that all of a sudden Oregon State is looking more and more like a relay team in shoulder pads. Erickson has made speed a priority in recruiting and in the Beavers' style of play. The defense is built around it. They are not real big, but man, can they run. The line is strong at end with DeLawrence Grant, but the tackles are a concern and there is little experience inside. Other than that, though, this will be a good defense. The linebackers are strong and fast with Darnell Robinson and James Allen. Middle linebacker Tevita Moala suffered a torn ACL during spring and while he is expected to return in the fall, he's questionable for the start of the season. The deep and talented secondary returns all four starters, highlighted by CB Dennis Weathersby and SS Terrence Carroll. It will be tough to get by this group..

Offensively, the pass-happy Beavers could run the ball more this season. Running back Ken Simonton needs just 49 yards to become OSU's all-time leading rusher and sparks a pretty good ground game. He'll have help this season with the emergence of Michigan transfer Patrick McCall. The running game is important to OSU because the quarterback situation isn't the greatest. While Jonathan Smith had what Erickson called a tremendous spring and is still the starter, redshirt freshman Shayne House also had a good spring and if he keeps improving, could be the starter before the end of the season. The receivers need to develop some consistency, but watch tight ends Marty Maurer and Bennie Johnson. Not only can they catch, but they are also outstanding blockers. That's good, because the Beavers will use more two-tight end sets to utilize the skills of Simonton and McCall. The line lost three starters, but Erickson shifted some players around and this should be a decent group.

Question mark: Will Smith be good enough at QB? He's small, and not too fast either. Smith, however, is very good at reading defenses, has a good arm and with the Beavers planning to use more roll-outs, maybe his 5-10 stature won't come into play as much. He did set an OSU record of 3,053 yards passing last season, but what have you done for the Beavers lately?

Keep an eye on: RB Patrick McCall. McCall runs a 4.4, 40-yard dash and bench presses more than 300 pounds. He gives the Beavers speed and, teamed with Simonton, one of the best rushing attacks in the conference.

Stanford Cardinal
1999 record: 8-4
Coach: Tyrone Willingham
Returning starters: 12 (7 offense, 5 defense)

Outlook: Lesson learned from last season: Don't count out the Cardinal. The Rose Bowl? Please. Who would have even dared think that was possible last season? So trying to figure out how in the world Stanford can replace players like WR Troy Walters and QB Todd Husak is like trying to figure out what in the world Angelina Jolie is doing with Billy Bob Thornton. Just stop thinking about it and move on. Stanford has a huge question mark looming at quarterback where Joe Borchard, a switch-hitting outfielder, is expected to leave to play baseball after being drafted in the first round, meaning Chris Lewis or Randy Fasani would battle for the starting role. The running game is quietly solid with Kerry Carter and Brian Allen back at tailback and Casey Moore knocking people over from the fullback slot. While they have no one to replace Walters, DeRonnie Pitts is a pretty good option. The line returns three starters, but will really miss C Mike McLaughlin, who was basically a coach on the field.

Defensively, the line will be led by the Trench Dogs, the catchy nickname for the talented defensive line. Defensive tackle Willie Howard is the perfect blend of intensity and insanity the Cardinal need after losing more than half its defense from last season. Riall Johnson returns at linebacker, but the rest of the group is very inexperienced. The secondary gets a boost from Coy White's move from running back to safety.

Question mark: How do you top last season? Most don't think Stanford can. The quarterback situation is up in the air, the offensive line needs a leader, the receiving ranks are thin after Pitts and the linebackers and secondary are young. But, hey, everyone counted them out last season too.

Keep an eye on: OL Kwame Harris. One of the best recruits in the Pac-10, the 6-7, 330-pound Harris might be too good to keep on the bench once he arrives this fall.

UCLA Bruins
1999 record: 4-7
Coach: Bob Toledo
Returning starters: 15 (7 offense, 8 defense)

Outlook: Spring showed a lot of good things about UCLA. They're young, but talented. They have a good offensive line and a very good running back. There is still one nagging question heading into fall, though: Who is going to be quarterback? Cory Paus couldn't do much recovering from shoulder surgery and Ryan McCann and Scott McEwan took the snaps this spring. All three played some last season, though no one was overly impressive. McEwan looked good this spring, but this is a two-way battle between McCann and Paus that will continue in the fall. It's kind of important to the offense that someone emerges as a solid passer because the Bruins will need it to take the pressure of RB DeShaun Foster. He missed some of the spring with a knee injury, but has the talent to carry a team. He'll run behind an improved line, highlighted by three-year starters Oscar Cabrera and Brian Polak.

Defensively, the Bruins have been pushed around a bit in the past, but that could change with the emergence of DE Kenyon Coleman. Coleman, 6-6, 278 pounds, is strong enough to take on double-teams and quick enough to speed rush. The strength of the defense is at linebacker with returning starters Tony White, Robert Thomas and Ryan Nece. The trio is experienced, quick and can make big plays. The secondary has experience, but no real playmaker. Ricky Manning, Jr., is a good cover guy and the Bruins return 1998 starters Marques Anderson and Jason Bell, who missed last season with injuries.

Question mark: Are the Bruins physical enough? While the Pac-10 is a passing conference, there are plenty of good running teams in the conference that could give the Bruin front four some problems. If they aren't stronger up front, then non-conference teams like Alabama and Michigan are going to run all over them.

Keep an eye on: RB DeShaun Foster. He has the talent, as evidenced by his 1,048-yard and 16-TD performance last year despite battling nagging injuries. He looks poised to have a big year.

USC Trojans
1999 record: 6-6
Coach: Paul Hackett
Returning starters: 15 (5 offense, 10 defense)

Outlook: The expectations are back. USC is simply loaded defensively and have enough talented players back on offense that anything less than a trip across town to Pasadena would be disappointing. It starts with QB Carson Palmer, who is back from a broken collarbone suffered last season. He completed 67 percent of his passes in the spring game and looks ready for a huge season. Palmer has a pair of silky-smooth sophomores to throw to in Kareem Kelly, who was the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, and Marcell Almond, who has the most sure hands on the team. The running game will be by committee with sophomore Sultan McCullough -- who runs the 100-meter dash in 10.17 -- being the most exciting of the group. The line returns five players with starting experience, but that doesn't mean it's set. There are still questions about who will play on the left side of the line.

Defensively, things are much more certain. Ten starters return, making this one of the best groups the Trojans have had in some time and easily the best in the conference. The line is strong inside with DTs Ryan Nielsen and Ennis Davis. Its bolstered by the move of linebacker Sultan Abdul-Malik to defensive end. The linebackers feature a pair of Butkus Award candidates in Zeke Moreno and Murkus Steele, who Hackett said he wouldn't trade for any other pair in the country. The secondary is again a strength with so much depth that the Trojans didn't even miss CB Antuan Simmons, one of the best in the league, this spring while he recovered from back surgery.

Question mark: Can they live up to the hype? Things have been quiet lately as not much has been expected of the Trojans. This season, with all the experience and talent, the pressure is on.

Keep an eye on: QB Carson Palmer. It wasn't a coincidence that USC's slide last season began about the time Palmer suffered a broken collarbone in the third game of the year. He has NFL size, arm strength and talent and should have a monster season.

Washington Huskies
1999 record: 7-5
Coach: Rick Neuheisel
Returning starters: 15 (8 offense, 7 defense)

Outlook: It all starts and ends with QB Marques Tuiasosopo. If Washington wants to go to the Rose Bowl, Tuiasosopo will lead them there. It's not about defense. It's not about offense. It's all about "The Warrior," as Keith Jackson calls him. Tuiasosopo is dangerous running and throwing. He showed that against Stanford when he threw for more than 300 yards and ran for another 200. Washington put in a few option plays and suddenly, Tuiasosopo and the Huskies were on their way. This year should be no different. Tuiasosopo will get his rushing yards, but the key is how well he throws the ball. He's not the best passer, but he threw for more than 2,400 yards last year. He'll look for WRs Chris Juergens and Todd Elstrom downfield. Also, Jerramy Stevens and Kevin Ware both are solid receiving options at tight end. Sophomore RB Paul Arnold packed on 20 pounds of muscle in the offseason and showed strength and speed during the spring that the Huskies haven't had in the backfield since Corey Dillon. Chad Ward, a 6-5, 330-pound tackle, leads a line that returns four starters and should be strong.

Defensively, the line is thin with only DT Larry Tripplett returning. The linebackers are strong with Darrell Daniels and Jafar Williams on the inside, and Jeremiah Pharms, who often lines up like a defensive end, is the Huskies' best pass rusher. Hakim Akbar, a free safety who is strong and fast, leads a secondary that could be the strength of this defense. It will need to be effective at helping stuff the run as well as cover the pass with the questions up front.

Question mark: Will the defensive line do the job? The Huskies have some talent at linebacker and secondary, but the line has to make its presence felt for this defense to be effective.

Keep an eye on: QB Marques Tuiasosopo. Did we mention he's pretty good?

Washington State Cougars
1999 record: 3-9
Coach: Mike Price
Returning starters: 14 (6 offense, 8 defense)

Outlook: Whoa. Slow down a little there. Price is talking postseason trips for Washington State and his team has been stuck in neutral the past few seasons. Sophomore Jason Gesser earned the starting QB nod with a good spring. The Cougars tweaked the offense a little to suit Gesser's style better, adding rollouts and allowing him to scramble a little more. Farwan Zubedi leads a decent receiver corps. The running game is deep with Deon Burnett coming off a 974-yard season and Dave Minche, and juco transfers Eddie Linscomb and John Tippins expected to see some time as well. Offensive lineman Reed Raymond and Phil Locker missed the spring with injuries, but the Cougars need them back or else the offense could stumble.

Defensively, things are much better. Tamasi Kongaika leads a line that is very good and deep, with up to 11 guys who could see time this fall. The linebackers are decent, but a big key is Curtis Holden staying eligible. The secondary will be strong, highlighted by Lamont Thompson's return to safety after a dismal year at cornerback last season.

Question mark: Did the Cougars put the rollout plays in to save lives? Gesser might just be running for his life if the offensive line doesn't improve.

Keep an eye on: CBs Marcus Trufant and Chris Martin. They could be the best tandem of cornerbacks in the conference.

Joe Wojciechowski is the college football editor at ESPN.com