THE PAC12 THREAD v.4

[TheRobotDevil]

Yeah, although there are plenty of Bruins fans here on the Hoop, never is there any activity on the Bruins forum.

Outside of myself, I have seen a few Bruins fans poster here on the PAC thread but nothing ever consistent. The dawgs are fortunate to have so many here on the PAC thread!

The Trojans board is the same way. A little more active than the bruins board. But we can work on that

 

[WizardHawk]

Yeah, although there are plenty of Bruins fans here on the Hoop, never is there any activity on the Bruins forum.

Outside of myself, I have seen a few Bruins fans poster here on the PAC thread but nothing ever consistent. The dawgs are fortunate to have so many here on the PAC thread!

Somehow I don't think the duck fans agree with your assessment there.

 

[RegentDenali]

Steve Sarkisian has found work. FoxSports 1 has reportedly signed him on as an in-booth analyst this season.

"Former USC coach Steve Sarkisian will do more than half a dozen games as an in-booth analyst for Fox Sports 1, according to a source. None of the games are Pac-12 games and most involve Big 12 teams."

 

[Vitamike]

Steve Sarkisian has found work. FoxSports 1 has reportedly signed him on as an in-booth analyst this season.

"Former USC coach Steve Sarkisian will do more than half a dozen games as an in-booth analyst for Fox Sports 1, according to a source. None of the games are Pac-12 games and most involve Big 12 teams."

This could be fun....

 

[RegentDenali]

Bovada has released their updated 2016 O/U projections. For the PAC:

Washington 10
USC 9.5
UCLA 9
Oregon 8.5
Stanford 8
Arizona 7.5
WSU 7
Utah 6.5
Cal 6
Arizona St. 6
Colorado 4.5
Oregon St. 3.5

 

[WizardHawk]

So the early money isn't buying into Stanfords hype then.

If it was your mortgage on the line, which of those would you buy and which would you pass on? I'd certainly not take UW at 10.

Take Stanford and WSU?

 

[RegentDenali]

So the early money isn't buying into Stanfords hype then.

If it was your mortgage on the line, which of those would you buy and which would you pass on? I'd certainly not take UW at 10.

Take Stanford and WSU?

The middle picks are usually the safest bets to take the over. Many have been saying for months, "How can Stanford not be picked as top dog for 2016 in the PAC?" Yahh well, look at what they lost to grad and the draft.

Yes, they have great draft classes lately, but still, there are those years once and awhile where you simply lose too many key players to a grad class, and it ends up a transitional year. It happens to everyone. Stanford will be breaking in a ton of new players that will be called upon to be starters this year. 8-4 doesn't seem that shocking when you go through the list of who they lost, which includes:

Joshua Garnett, Austin Hooper, Blake Martinez, Kevin Hogan, Kyle Murphy, Devon Cajuste, Kevin Anderson, Aziz Shittu, and Brennan Scarlett.

 

[WizardHawk]

They have a top 2-3 Heisman candidate and a HC that has reloaded and stayed on top more than once.

Not buying them to dominate, not buying them to take that big of a step back.

 

[RegentDenali]

They have a top 2-3 Heisman candidate and a HC that has reloaded and stayed on top more than once.

Not buying them to dominate, not buying them to take that big of a step back.

McCaffrey can't do it all himself this year. A big reason he was a Heisman finalist was because Garnett and Murphy created holes you could drive a city bus through for him.

McCaffrey is a All Purpose Yds freak of nature, but Garnett and Murphy significantly helped him put up those numbers.

Remember what Walter Jones and Steve Hutchinson did for Sean Alexanders numbers?

 

[socaljim242]

I agree with Wiz. Not expecting them to be elite but you just listed names of players they lost and none were really household names. They replace them with basically the same guy. The coach ,the system and McCaffery for some punch. The same reason Ohio State lost a bunch yet are expected to be at the top of their conference. All I know is when USC has been recruiting studs for the Oline in recent years they are always in a fight with Stanford for those guys. I'd be very surprised if they fell back more than a game or two. I think the north will be tougher to win with Oregon Washington and Stanford being closer to each other than in previous years and with WSU a wildcard.

 

[TheDayMan]

So the early money isn't buying into Stanfords hype then.

If it was your mortgage on the line, which of those would you buy and which would you pass on? I'd certainly not take UW at 10.

Take Stanford and WSU?

Not WSU, they're too unpredictable. I'd take Stanford, and under for Oregon state.

 

[WizardHawk]

We should do a contest then. Everyone pick over or under for every team in the pack. Zero points for a tie and 1 point for a correct pick on each. See who has it more dialed up at seasons end.

 

[Vitamike]

Bovada has released their updated 2016 O/U projections. For the PAC:

My predictions in red, if these totals include Bowl games....

Even 10 - Washington 10
Under 9 - USC 9.5
Even 9 - UCLA 9
Over 9 - Oregon 8.5
Over 9 - Stanford 8
Under 7 - Arizona 7.5
Over 8 - WSU 7
Over 8 - Utah 6.5
Under 5 - Cal 6
Over 7 - Arizona St. 6
Under 4 - Colorado 4.5
Over 4 - Oregon St. 3.5

 

[WizardHawk]

That's a good question. Does it include bowls our regular season only? Should say on their site. I'm on my phone or I'd check that myself.

 

[Vitamike]

We should do a contest then. Everyone pick over or under for every team in the pack. Zero points for a tie and 1 point for a correct pick on each. See who has it more dialed up at seasons end.

Actually did mine prior to your post, so this is not official. We were both just thinking something similar.

If indeed we are to do a contest, we should have a point for Even not zero. Makes no sense to get zero if you pick it on the money.

 

[SUBuddha]

Stanford is getting a lot of love and it's mostly Shaw and McCaffrey. They are returning 1 staring O lineman, breaking in a new QB, AND lost most of their receivers of any experience? Reload? Maybe, but go prove it.

Actually, they are returning 2 OL. I have taken a stab at a 2 deep based on what I have read and heard. Keep in mind this could change drastically after camp competitions.


+= Returning Starter, $= Went on Mormon mission.

Academic year is true year, not counting red shirts.

RT: + Casey Tucker (Jr., ESPN 4*) – Jack Dryer (So., ESPN 3*)
RG: + Johnny Caspers (5th, ESPN 3*) – Nick Wilson (So., ESPN 4*)
C: Jesse Burkett (Jr., ESPN 4*) - Brian Chaffin (So., ESPN 4*)
LG: $ Brandon Fanaika (Jr., ESPN 3*) – Austin Maihen (So., ESPN 3*)
LT: David Bright (Sr., ESPN 3*) – A.T. Hall (Jr., ESPN 3*)
TE: + Dalton Schultz (Jr., ESPN 4*) – Greg Taboada (Sr., ESPN 4*)
QB: Keller Chryst (Jr., ESPN 4*) OR Ryan Burns (Sr., ESPN 4*)
RB: + Christian McCaffrey (Jr., ESPN 4*) - Bryce Love (So., ESPN 4*)
FB: Daniel Marx (Jr., ESPN 3*) – Reagan Williams (So., ESPN 3*)
WR: + Michael Rector (5th., ESPN 2*) - JJ Arcega-Whiteside (So., ESPN 3*)
WR: Trenton Irwin (so., ESPN 4*) - Francis Owusu (Sr., ESPN 4*)

RDE: +Solomon Thomas (Jr., ESPN 4*) - Luke Kuamatule (5th., ESPN 3*)
NT: + Harrison Phillips (Jr., ESPN 3*) - Wesley Annan (So., ESPN 3*)
LDE: Jordan Watkins (5th., ESPN 4*) – Eric Cotton (Sr., ESPN 4*) - Dylan Jackson (So., ESPN 3*)
ROLB: Peter Kalambayi (Sr., ESPN 4*) – Mike Tyler (Sr., ESPN 3*)
RILB: + Kevin Palma (Sr., ESPN 4*) – Bobby Okereke (Jr., ESPN 4*)
LILB: Noor Davis (5th., ESPN 4*) – $ Sean Barton (So., ESPN 4*)
LOLB: + Joey Alfieri (Jr., ESPN 4*) – Curtis Robinson (Fr., ESPN 4*)
LCB: Quenton Meeks (So., ESPN 3*) – Terrence Alexander (Jr., ESPN 3*) – Alameen Murphy (Jr., ESPN 3*)
RCB: +Alijah Holder (Jr., ESPN 3*) – Frank Buncom (So., ESPN 4*) – Alameen Murphy (Jr., ESPN 3*)
5¢: + Zach Hoffpauir (Sr., ESPN 3*) – Brandon Simmons (Jr., ESPN 4*)
FS: Justin Reid (So., ESPN 3*) – Ben Edwards (So. ESPN 4*)
SS: +/$ Dallas Lloyd (5th., ESPN 3*) - Denzel Franklin (Jr., ESPN 3*)

 

[WizardHawk]

Actually did mine prior to your post, so this is not official. We were both just thinking something similar.

If indeed we are to do a contest, we should have a point for Even not zero. Makes no sense to get zero if you pick it on the money.

Alright, two points if you pick even and it is exact, but no points if you take either the over or under and they hit that number exactly.

Fair enough?

 

[Vitamike]

How about telling a fan of another team who we should keep an eye on this season (pivotal players) and what things we should look for good and bad.

Nice post jim! Only quoted this part to reply to your question.

The Bruins have a favorable schedule this coming season, outside of opening up in College Station (A&M only dropped 2 at home LY, 1 vs the NT Champs, the other vs Auburn) Sure @BYU can be a challenge but in conference & at the Rose Bowl, the Bruins get Stanford, Ariz, Utah, Oregon St. & SC. On the road, ASU, WSU, COLO & Cal. They skip Oregon & UW this year.

Maybe because of the schedule, they get on a roll but they need to win out OOC and then take advantage of the early match-up with Stanford if they have any hopes of National rankings this year. Vs the Trees, it could be all McCaffrey on offense at that point. Getting Utah and SC at home is favorable too and then the most foreseeable challenges on the road in conference will be ASU as always and WSU, if either do get it going once again this year.

Even with their young talented QB, I'm just not feeling it and think maybe 9 wins is a realistic expectation and that might be generous. However, as long as 1 of those are against SC, I'll consider a 9 win season including a Bowl win a successful season.)

My concerns are many. First, the Bruins young defense received a lot of early unintentional experience last year and I didn't like what I saw. They had trouble with teams that could throw it well, and they had trouble with teams teams that could run it well. They sent more than their share of underclassmen defensive players to the NFL draft this year, so they're gone. (Clark and Jack were the most touted) This will be their DC Tom Bradley's second year in the PAC, and his first wasn't pretty, so he's still adjusting.

Then on Offense, they sent LY's OC Mazzone packing, (Off to Texas A&M so they get to face him right away) promoted Kennedy Polamalu to OC, who has zero play calling experience, and only two years experience as an OC. (USC 2010-2012 where Lane Kiffin did all the play calling) Also they plan to go away from the play option offense that Noel ran since he joined Mora several years ago and want to put Josh under center for a decent portion of plays. They are looking to go with bigger offensive packages, bring in the TE's and run the ball more effectively using some 3 -5 step play action pass. This means a lot of new moving parts and an adjustment period for sure.

Players to watch:

• DT - Eddie Vanderdoes - He returns from the ACL, maybe he can finally live up to the hype!
• LB - Kenny Young - He came on late in the season and should improve this year.
  
• DL - Takkarist McKinley - LY's sack leader in his Senior season.
• DL - Rick Wade - A redshirt fresman, big kid too! Should get some decent playing time.
• QB - Josh Rosen - If he develops from last year, he could carry this team, but he has a lot of new things to learn.
  
• RB - Soso Jamabo - With Perk gone to the NFL he should get the lions share of plays....
• ATH - Ismail Adams - Can do some damage on ST, and the Bruins plan to put him in the offense this year.
• K - JJ Molson - He's looked good in practice but we'll have to see how this Freshman does in live situations replacing the reliable Ka'imi Fairbairn.

 

[Vitamike]

Alright, two points if you pick even and it is exact, but no points if you take either the over or under and they hit that number exactly.

Fair enough?

Meh, 2 points sounds over weighted, and zero has no value of course...

Just keep it simple:

• 1 points for picking the even
• 1 point for picking the over
• 1 point for picking the under

If they all had half points we wouldn't need to bother with an even, but since some include a half point and other don't it only makes since to assign all possibilities with the same value.

 

[WizardHawk]

Lol, all good to me either way. Only said two because even has no room for error while over/under can still win with teams going nuts either way.