Chip Kelly vs. Herm Edwards! (2018 PAC-12 Preview Thread)

[WizardHawk]

Boom. South champs baby.

That’s what I’m talking about baby.

Khalil Tate baby.

They going to let him play both ways? Because at some point you do have to stop the other team.

Just saying.

 

[7Samurai13]

They going to let him play both ways? Because at some point you do have to stop the other team.

Just saying.

The Big12 begs to differ.

 

[mcnabb7542]

PAC-12 Predictions

So tomorrow I must deal with a team that people like Stanford and USC knows all too well: Those bleeping Fighting Irish from Notre Dame. Before that, though, let me see who'll finish where in the PAC-12 in 2018:

PAC-12 North:
1. Washington (Conference champs)
2. Stanford (Maybe "New Year's Six")
3. Oregon
4. California
5. Washington State
6. Oregon State

PAC-12 South:
1. Arizona
2. USC
3. Utah
4. Arizona State
5. UCLA
6. Colorado

Oh, and if you want to hear my comments about Notre Dame, tune in to my final CFB preview thread for 2018... all about the Atlantic Coast Conference (which starts tomorrow)!

Nice Work buddy, I apologize for OD derailing your epic thread with his love fest for the Chipper!

 

[WizardHawk]

I'm just not as bullish on the Utes and as ready to knock USC down a peg as most of the writers are. Sure USC has a tough slate. I mean when don't they really? I'm not sure it matters much that zona and utah are on the road if they can just be serviceable at QB. They are always a threat in the run game.

I'm not saying Utah can't win the south, but schedule or not I still say the south is USC's to win or lose.

 

[Mebert]

Utah

Bad news: Utah has to replace some starters on their defensive line. But to me the biggest worries are at WR; the lack of experience at that unit could hurt the Utes.

A big boost to the receivers this year is Britain Covey. He was the best WR in Utah as a True Freshman, but has been gone the last 2 years. He is back now. He is the biggest add to the team this year. Hopefully enough to offset the other unknowns, as long as 1 other guy steps up I think the WR will not be a huge issue.

 

[jwolt92]

A big boost to the receivers this year is Britain Covey. He was the best WR in Utah as a True Freshman, but has been gone the last 2 years. He is back now. He is the biggest add to the team this year. Hopefully enough to offset the other unknowns, as long as 1 other guy steps up I think the WR will not be a huge issue.

Injuries or mission trip?

 

[Mebert]

Injuries or mission trip?

Mission. A lot of people thought he would be transferring BYU. Got back in February I think. Put a lot of energy getting back in game shape

 

[AlaskaGuy]

Washington

Preview segment: The Washington Huskies

Last season: Okay... I might as well say it, because some of you guys probably know about it already: Last year, I stupidly predicted that Washington would enter the 2017 CFP undefeated and get to the title game. But needless to say (thanks to Arizona State and Stanford), that didn't happen.
OK, don't laugh! I'll bet some of you guys bit on that apple as well. Oh well, at least the Huskies got another 10-win season and Fiesta Bowl berth as a consolation prize.

Good news: Jake Browning and Myles Gaskin are back for one more year, and once again their supporting cast is strong as hell. And not just on the O-line, but on the defense as well; 9 starters return to that unit including maybe the best secondary in the country.

Bad news: However, Vita Vea is NOT coming back to Washington's defense (he's now at Tampa Bay). But the biggest worry for Washington might actually be the kicking game; it struggled in 2017 and there's still major questions at both punter and kicker.

2018 X-factor: The receivers- Chris Petersen had some injury troubles with his wide-receivers last season, no doubt about it. And in 2018, there's still a few questions at that position as the WR's Chris has now are pretty young. But there IS some talent there, so we'll see how it goes.

Key games:
9/1 vs. Auburn [in Atlanta] (Auburn will only have it's margin-of-error for the national title on the line in this game, but you wanna talk about pressure! Washington might just have the weight of the whole PAC-12 on their shoulders here in Atlanta.)
9/15 @ Utah (Browning vs. Huntley... What a QB showdown that's gonna be.)
10/13 @ Oregon (The last time Washington visited Eugene they smoked Oregon 70-21. Think the Ducks are gonna remember that?)
11/3 vs. Stanford (Petersen's boys won't need any additional encouragement for this one. They know that when they lost to Stanford last year, they lost their chance to repeat as PAC-12 champs.)
11/23 @ Washington State (The Huskies are gonna be hankering for their 6th straight win in the "Apple Cup.")

Bottom line: Call me redundant, but once again I LOVE Washington's chances at winning the PAC-12 title. All they have to do is fix some problems on offense, and people in Seattle can start dreaming about another "New Year's Six" bowl.
But rest assured, folks: I will NOT be picking Washington to go undefeated in 2018.

 

[TheRobotDevil]

USC set their destiny when they hired whoever their coach is now, cant even remember his name. Trojans are doomed in LA as long as Chip is down there with the Bruins.

That coach SC hired actually snagged what was supposed to be one of UCLA's top recruits next year in Steele. Not sure why but ia lot of UCLAS top recruits have been decimating and signing elsewhere