THE PAC12 THREAD v.4

[socaljim242]

Depth is the key then more than scheme. If you know the other team is going to be passing more to keep up it actually makes it easier for the defense. Make sure you are very talented on the back end, have enough trained depth to keep up with the higher minutes, and play solid ball.

I'm saying I really don't want to see Wilcox go there. That should tell you something. He was very good at coming in and turning underperforming talent around and adapting to the pieces he actually had. Remember that when Wilcox was with UW they were running the HUNH as well. He's fully aware of how it impacts that side of the ball.

You've been telling us how UWs offense was not that good with the lack of production from the QB position when Sark was there. But Wilcox has experience running a defense on a team with offense similar to Oregons?

 

[WizardHawk]

You've been telling us how UWs offense was not that good with the lack of production from the QB position when Sark was there. But Wilcox has experience running a defense on a team with offense similar to Oregons?

Never implied UW's offense has been anywhere near as good as Oregon's. It was after Sark left though that the QB depletion was felt. Price was decent. All I said is Wilcox has managed a defense on a team that ran the HUNH. He put his defense against it every practice and knows how many more minutes they can end up on the field. UW was pushing up the play count when they switched to it. Our D was near the top of the conference under him.

Look, I'm not trying to sell anyone on him. I hope he doesn't go there. I really liked and respected him as a coordinator. Why on earth would I want to see him go to the dark side?

 

[RegentDenali]

CAL WR Kenny Lawler has declared for the draft. (13 TDs in 2015).

 

[socaljim242]

Never implied UW's offense has been anywhere near as good as Oregon's. It was after Sark left though that the QB depletion was felt. Price was decent. All I said is Wilcox has managed a defense on a team that ran the HUNH. He put his defense against it every practice and knows how many more minutes they can end up on the field. UW was pushing up the play count when they switched to it. Our D was near the top of the conference under him.

Look, I'm not trying to sell anyone on him. I hope he doesn't go there. I really liked and respected him as a coordinator. Why on earth would I want to see him go to the dark side?

I'm just saying UW and USC ran that hurry up with Sark and it's nothing close to what Oregon runs . When coaching against Oregon it felt like it was the first time Wilcox had seen it.

 

[WizardHawk]

I'm just saying UW and USC ran that hurry up with Sark and it's nothing close to what Oregon runs . When coaching against Oregon it felt like it was the first time Wilcox had seen it.

Well he won't have to game plan for them if he coaches for them.

 

[socaljim242]

Well he won't have to game plan for them if he coaches for them.

That's good for him.lol.

 

[CCF151]

I'm about 50/50 on Wilcox as the Ducks' DC. I think he has the right mind set for what Oregon's defense needs to be, but he screwed up pretty significantly at USC so... I don't know.

I will say he seems to be a damned fine recruiter which is something they have been in need of on that side of the ball for a few years now.

 

[SUBuddha]

Sorry Trojans I could not resist.

 

[WizardHawk]

So who is going to be the early favorites to win the north and the south divisions next year? I bet any list that comes out now will end up changing before fall. Way too many questions with most of the big contenders this off season. USC, Oregon, Stanford are all usual suspects and all breaking in new QB's. USC and Oregon will also both be dealing with coaching changes of some sort. UCLA and UW have their true freshman QB's returning, but Petersen hasn't proven he can win at this level yet and Mora hasn't taken any of his teams over the hump yet either. Either of the zona schools look like they are moving forward? I'm personally leery of picking either of them after so many disappointments.

What's your top 3 of both divisions look like now. Bet it won't be close to the results.

 

[Olyduck]

So who is going to be the early favorites to win the north and the south divisions next year? I bet any list that comes out now will end up changing before fall. Way too many questions with most of the big contenders this off season. USC, Oregon, Stanford are all usual suspects and all breaking in new QB's. USC and Oregon will also both be dealing with coaching changes of some sort. UCLA and UW have their true freshman QB's returning, but Petersen hasn't proven he can win at this level yet and Mora hasn't taken any of his teams over the hump yet either. Either of the zona schools look like they are moving forward? I'm personally leery of picking either of them after so many disappointments.

What's your top 3 of both divisions look like now. Bet it won't be close to the results.

Stanford, Oregon, UW, WSU, Cal, Oregon State
USC, UCLA, Utah, Arizona State, Arizona, Colorado

Could easily see UW and WSU flipped possible with the Arizona schools as well.

 

[WizardHawk]

Utah is going through some change as well. Really have them that high?

Really is no totally wrong answer this time of year is there.

 

[RegentDenali]

Gonna be a ton of new QBs next season.

Stanford, Oregon, UW will all contend for the north. Each team will have it's strengths and weaknesses.
USC, UCLA, Utah will all contend for the south

 

[RegentDenali]

I'm about 50/50 on Wilcox as the Ducks' DC. I think he has the right mind set for what Oregon's defense needs to be, but he screwed up pretty significantly at USC so... I don't know.

I will say he seems to be a damned fine recruiter which is something they have been in need of on that side of the ball for a few years now.

I don't think he majorly screwed up at USC. As usual, USC was media overhyped going into the start of the season, and Wilcox inherited a team that had defensive holes all over it from the sanctions. There was no quick fix to get USC's D to the level of being able to handle all the various PAC offenses it faces each year.

After Sark was booted, he became the fall guy as once again, a lot of USC fans and their boosters believe they're always national championship material, when in 2015 they were anything but. Pete Carroll and his defense isn't walking through that door again. Get used to it. That ship has sailed and the PAC is a completely different beast than 10 years ago. Screaming, "FIRE EVERYONE!!!!" anytime you don't win the PAC championship....well knock yourselves out. Get ready for a lot of sore throats.

As for Wilcox, he'd make a fine DC for Oregon, but he's not the only one out there who could do the job. Oregon can take their time with this one and get it right.

 

[WizardHawk]

Gonna be a ton of new QBs next season.

Stanford, Oregon, UW will all contend for the north. Each team will have it's strengths and weaknesses.
USC, UCLA, Utah will all contend for the south

If WSU can muster up any real defense I wouldn't count them out either.

What's with everyone picking Utah when they too get a new QB and had no real answers at that position when Wilson was hurt last year? Am I missing something?

 

[RegentDenali]

If WSU can muster up any real defense I wouldn't count them out either.

What's with everyone picking Utah when they too get a new QB and had no real answers at that position when Wilson was hurt last year? Am I missing something?

Things finally seems to click for Utah last year. But USC, Stanford, and Oregon will all be sporting new QBs as well, and jury is out on them as well. Prukop has a ton of experience, but he'll be playing in a P5 conf now.
2016 is shaping up to be a another dogfight year for the PAC. So much good football went down in this conf in 2015.

 

[trojanfan12]

Also, RS Jr. tight end Austin Hooper (#18) has elected to enter the draft (should make SC happy).

Any chance he takes McCaffrey with him?

 

[Olyduck]

Utah is going through some change as well. Really have them that high?

Really is no totally wrong answer this time of year is there.

True but do you have a good arguement for Arizona, Arizona State or Colorado over Utah?

 

[trojanfan12]

Wilcox inherited a team that had defensive holes all over it from the sanctions. There was no quick fix to get USC's D to the level of being able to handle all the various PAC offenses it faces each year.

This is why I wanted to see Wilcox get another year or 2. This coming season will be the first time since the schollie reductions started that we will have a full complement of schollies to work with. Add to that we lost some guys on defense to injury (including our leading tackler) and it's easy to understand the inconsistencies on defense.

As I said before he was hired, Wilcox was considered one of the up and coming young coaches before he came to USC and I'm pretty sure that he didn't suddenly forget how to coach a defense.

Rumor is that Clancy Pendergast is in the running to be our new (returning) DC. If that's true, it will be a good hire. He was the DC the last time we had a respectable defense.

 

[trojanfan12]

Things finally seems to click for Utah last year. But USC, Stanford, and Oregon will all be sporting new QBs as well, and jury is out on them as well. Prukop has a ton of experience, but he'll be playing in a P5 conf now.
2016 is shaping up to be a another dogfight year for the PAC. So much good football went down in this conf in 2015.

I think Utah is going to be one of those good every 3-4 years type teams. The guys they recruit tend to stick around 3-5 years, so they field experienced teams that "grow up together."

USC's qb battle is going to be interesting. It's going to be a battle between Max Browne who is a traditional pro-style pocket passer in more of the Carson Palmer mold. Sam Darnold is a dual threat type qb.

Browne has been considered the "next in line" since he arrived, but Darnold could give him a serious run for his money. Especially if the coaches like the idea of a dual threat which is something USC has never really had. Heck, the last USC qb that I can remember who was even close to a dual threat was Rodney Peete.

 

[Olyduck]

4* DB Jared Mayden decommits from oregon.
Can't say its a surprise with all the coaching changes and what not but also kinda is since his postion coach didn't change.