THE PAC12 THREAD v.4

[RegentDenali]

Next year is shaping up to be another hyper competitive year for the PAC with no 1 team a lock as the champs.
USC will have increased depth at key positions which will help in 4th quarters, but a new QB.
UCLA will be in the mix.
The Zona schools return a lot of talent.
Utah is now a true PAC competitor.
Colorado keeps getting better.

Stanford does lose some talent, but they will be the team to beat in the north
Oregon has a incredible stable of RBs that makes them extremely dangerous, but the D needs to improve a lot.
Things finally clicked for WSU. They need to maintain that and avoid dumb OOC losses.
Washington will sport a great D again, and the offense should be better. 6-7 wins won't cut it. They need to take it to the next level in 2016.
Cal needs to prove they can keep it going with a new QB.
Ore St will be better, but they got a ton of building work to do.

 

[socaljim242]

As long as some of you are talking about fans and teams.I will ad my 2 cents. I just get annoyed with fans who get drunk/high talk shit then use it as an excuse. I like the back n for the chippyness I don't expect UCLA fan to like USC I don't like UCLA but i can say Rosen is pretty fing good. But own what you say don't puss out with I was drunk/high.

 

[Olyduck]

Next year is shaping up to be another hyper competitive year for the PAC with no 1 team a lock as the champs.
USC will have increased depth at key positions which will help in 4th quarters, but a new QB.
UCLA will be in the mix.
The Zona schools return a lot of talent.
Utah is now a true PAC competitor.
Colorado keeps getting better.

Stanford does lose some talent, but they will be the team to beat in the north
Oregon has a incredible stable of RBs that makes them extremely dangerous, but the D needs to improve a lot.
Things finally clicked for WSU. They need to maintain that and avoid dumb OOC losses.
Washington will sport a great D again, and the offense should be better. 6-7 wins won't cut it. They need to take it to the next level in 2016.
Cal needs to prove they can keep it going with a new QB.
Ore St will be better, but they got a ton of building work to do.

USC will also be a matter of seeing what Helton can do with a full year at the helm. see what kinds of changes he does in the off season. (besides all the coaches he has already let go)
UCLA AZ AZ St and Utah are all a crap shoot to me. All will play a part in the division. any could win it someone has to finish 5th.
Agreed Colorado keeps getting better but by how much?

Stanford will be the pick
Oregon RB and WR will be dangerous. D Cant get worse, can it?
WSU with a healthy Falk should be in the mix.
Washington D is and should still be good. offense looking like its improving 8 is probably their over under to start the season. will be dangerous but 17 will be really good.
Cal I still say stays the same or slides back after Goff
Oregon State proabaly wont lose every conference game again but I dont think they win a lot of them either.

 

[WizardHawk]

As I said about Oregon/Stanford/WSU/UW, most fans will like their own teams chances outside of the self loathing cougar fans out there (they know who they are). There is no unanimous preseason king of the hill in either division. There are enough questions on every team to leave fans of all but 2-3 teams thinking they at least have a chance at their division. My only request is we get Oregon as early in the season as possible. Play them in week 4 before they get their sea legs under whatever QB they end up with. They are likely a tough out late in the season again. Might put furd in that same category. McCaffrey is going to be tough no matter what, but they are likely going to get better as the season goes at QB.

The south is going to look a lot like it did this year going into the season. You'd like to take USC's talent, but they always seem to have drama anymore. Always look at both zona schools and their talent, but can either play 12 full games? Utah is going to have someone new under center. Can they get on a roll again? Rosen is going into year 2 and should improve quite a bit. Can they get on a roll?

 

[trojanfan12]

USC will also be a matter of seeing what Helton can do with a full year at the helm. see what kinds of changes he does in the off season. (besides all the coaches he has already let go)

I'm really excited to see what he does. Overall, I'm happy with his performance. He took over in a tough situation, held the team together, changed USC's style of play midstream and for the most part, made it work.

Next year will be very interesting. More experience, more depth, but a new qb and several new position coaches. I will say that the coaches have said all season that Browne is ready to step in virtually seamlessly if Kessler were to go down. But you never know until you get the kid on the field.

 

[RegentDenali]

Lots of stories with the coaching changes going on at PAC schools as well. USC has a ton of openings and it could easily go past LOI till they have all of the new staff hired. Not to mention the issues with poaching some of them from other PAC schools which could cause some domino action.

Washington needs new WR, Dline, and ST coaches.

Oregon needs a new OC. Losing Frost is a pretty big deal.

 

[SUBuddha]

One thing the USC folks brought up from time to time was the number of scholarships and players. IIRC Stanford annually suits up 5-10 fewer kids on scholarship than they have room for. Academics and sech. Can they use that as excuse?

 

[Olyduck]

Lots of stories with the coaching changes going on at PAC schools as well. USC has a ton of openings and it could easily go past LOI till they have all of the new staff hired. Not to mention the issues with poaching some of them from other PAC schools which could cause some domino action.

Washington needs new WR, Dline, and ST coaches.

Oregon needs a new OC. Losing Frost is a pretty big deal.

OC/ QB coach for now. depends on who they promote and or hire. talk is still for Lubick to step up to OC. last few OC have served also as QB coach. then would need WR coach. Both Frost and Lubick did wonders as WR coach.
as of right now thats it as far as staffing.
Still waiting to see if Frost takes anyone with him.

 

[RegentDenali]

Cal and Sonny Dykes have come to a final contract extension agreement. Now signed through 2019. Base pay 2.85 mil per year.

 

[Olyduck]

Cal and Sonny Dykes have come to a final contract extension agreement. Now signed through 2019. Base pay 2.85 mil per year.

Makes sense first bowl since 11. pretty much matching the record of that year (if they win their bowl its better) and improvement each year overall and within the conference. see what he does in the next few and see if they retain him though.

 

[CCF151]

One thing the USC folks brought up from time to time was the number of scholarships and players. IIRC Stanford annually suits up 5-10 fewer kids on scholarship than they have room for. Academics and sech. Can they use that as excuse?

Yeah, from what I recall Oregon rarely recruits it's full allotment of scholarships either. They don't have the academics excuse to use though...

 

[RegentDenali]

The PAC is to respected as we're a conf that avoids the despicable over signing and roster culls that the usual suspects from other conferences do yearly. That's pure sleaze.

 

[SUBuddha]

The PAC is to respected as we're a conf that avoids the despicable over signing and roster culls that the usual suspects from other conferences do yearly. That's pure sleaze.

Although rumor on the radio here in T town is that RichRod has asked a few kids to "blue shirt", resulting in flipped commitments.

 

[RegentDenali]

Although rumor on the radio here in T town is that RichRod has asked a few kids to "blue shirt", resulting in flipped commitments.

His players and recruits must of been thrilled when he interviewed for the South Carolina job.

"I'm 100% committed to you all!!!"

 

[trojanfan12]

One thing the USC folks brought up from time to time was the number of scholarships and players. IIRC Stanford annually suits up 5-10 fewer kids on scholarship than they have room for. Academics and sech. Can they use that as excuse?

First of all, I haven't seen any USC fans use that excuse. Also, has Stanford started seasons with 65 players and finished with roster numbers in the low 50's?

Btw, USC used to do the same thing. We'd always undersign by about 5 or so schollies to have them for deserving walk ons.

 

[SUBuddha]

First of all, I haven't seen any USC fans use that excuse. Also, has Stanford started seasons with 65 players and finished with roster numbers in the low 50's?

Btw, USC used to do the same thing. We'd always undersign by about 5 or so schollies to have them for deserving walk ons.

TF it was a joke. However Stanford consistently starts with 75-80, that is not the same, but lower than many programs.

 

[trojanfan12]

TF it was a joke. However Stanford consistently starts with 75-80, that is not the same, but lower than many programs.

I know. Just throwing the numbers out there before OD reads your post and tries to use it as an excuse to use his Vernon Adams pinkie finger excuse again.

I think what Stanford has accomplished, given that they go into every recruiting cycle with one hand tied behind their backs because of the academic requirements, is pretty amazing.

 

[Olyduck]

I didn't actually feel like looking it all up but ESPN did it for me so this years record was 15-10 in favor of the North over the South plus North has the Champion and finished with # 6 and 15 in the rankings vs # 22 and 25 from the South.

 

[Not Neutral]

I know. Just throwing the numbers out there before OD reads your post and tries to use it as an excuse to use his Vernon Adams pinkie finger excuse again.

I think what Stanford has accomplished, given that they go into every recruiting cycle with one hand tied behind their backs because of the academic requirements, is pretty amazing.

Being Stanford, that's more an advantage than a drawback IMO. Its not as if there are few intelligent achievers out there who are fine football players as well especially when you can recruit coast to coast. Other schools have to turn down players due to academics now and then. I would think it pretty hard to turn down a Stanford offer.

 

[trojanfan12]

Being Stanford, that's more an advantage than a drawback IMO. Its not as if there are few intelligent achievers out there who are fine football players as well especially when you can recruit coast to coast. Other schools have to turn down players due to academics now and then. I would think it pretty hard to turn down a Stanford offer.

Because of their academics though, they are already at a disadvantage because there are players they can't even talk to because of academics.

@SUBuddha can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe they typically have 3-4 every single year actually sign LOI's who actually look good, but still end up not qualifying. Add to that the fact that most of Stanford's players stay 4 years and top level recruits, in general, are only looking to play 3 years and it narrows their pool of players even more.