Projected finish: First. Welcome to the latest Trojan Dynasty, where national titles are expected and should be delivered on a regular basis. Matt Leinart is a Heisman frontrunner and the running backs are as deep as the Pacific. The defense lost loads of talent to the NFL, but this is an outfit that simply reloads, with arguably the nation’s best recruiting classes in the last two years. Returning starters: Offense – 5. Defense – 6. Players to watch: QB Leinart, TB Hershel Dennis, TB Reggie Bush, WLB Mike Grootegoed, NT Mike Patterson. Strengths: Name it, the Trojans have it. Weaknesses: The same tedious, redundant band since Bad Company. Trojans will win the Pac-10 if: They show up to every game as scheduled. The question is whether they or Oklahoma will win the BCS championship. If not: Upset City.
California Golden Bears
Projected finish: Second. Coach Jeff Tedford continues to turn around a simply awful program. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is a poor man’s Matt Leinart and his receivers, Geoff McArthur and Jonathan Makonnen, are all-conference quality. The offense put up 729 yards on Washington and 52 points on Virginia Tech in the Insight Bowl. Returning starters: Offense – 7. Defense – 8. Players to watch: Rodgers, McArthur, TB J.J. Arrington, ROV Donnie McClesky, DT Lorenzo Alexander, OLB Wendell Hunter. Strengths: Explosive offense, starting with Rodgers. Defensive front, secondary. Weaknesses: Uncertain special teams, depth that spells disaster should too many front-liners get injured. Bears will go to a major bowl game if: Defensive lapses, especially in terms of giving up big plays, are corrected. If not: Hey, Bears fans still love .500 seasons.
Oregon Ducks
Projected finish: Third. Coach Mike Bellotti has to like a schedule in which his Ducks don’t have to play USC. He also likes an offense that should be more explosive than was last season’s. Oregon has started 4-0 and 6-0 in the last two seasons, but has struggled down the stretch. The defense is uncertain. Returning starters: Offense – 8. Defense – 5. Players to watch: QB Kellen Clemens, WR Demetrius Williams, TE Tim Day, DT Haloti Ngata, MLB Jerry Matson. Strengths: Eight starters back on an offense in which Clemens is the unquestioned leader. Williams is the real deal at WR. Weaknesses: The defense allowed nearly 27 points a game last year and has just five starters back. Ducks will flag down a decent bowl if: They take advantage of a favorable schedule and make a good showing against Oklahoma Sept. 18.
Oregon State Beavers
Projected finish: Fourth. We like the Beavers because the only question on offense is who will replace TB Steven Jackson and they likely have the best defense next to USC in the Pac-10. OSU outgained its opponents by nearly 142 yards last season, yet had a turnover ratio of minus-8. They should be better this year. Returning starters: Offense – 5. Defense – 7. Players to watch: QB Derek Anderson, TB Dwight Wright, C Matt Brock, WR Mike Hass, DE Bill Swancutt, CB Brandon Browner, FS Mitch Meeuwsen. Strengths: Anderson, explosive offense, unworldly quickness on defense. Weaknesses: Special teams, unproven running game, although Wright shows promise. Beavers will be in an attractive bowl game if: They cut down on turnovers and give USC a game at home Nov. 6.
Washington State Cougars
Projected finish: Fifth. It’s a lot to ask the Cougars to finish with their third straight 10-win season. Just six starters return, two on defense, including preseason All-American MLB Will Derting. And quarterback Josh Swogger won’t remind anyone of Jason Gesser. Bill Doba has a rebuilding job on his hands. Returning starters: Offense – 4. Defense – 2. Players to watch: TE Troy Bienemann, RT Sam Lightbody, LT Calvin Armstrong, MLB Will Derting, P Kyle Basler. Strengths: Coaching staff. Weaknesses: Inexperience on both sides of the ball, Swogger must mature in a hurry. Cougars will sneak into a bowl if: Derting has a Dick Butkus year, Swogger shows something he hasn’t yet and the newcomers grow up in a hurry.
Arizona State Sun Devils
Projected finish: Sixth. Coach Dirk Koetter is under some pressure as the team underachieved last year. QB Andrew Walter should play on Sundays in the future and 16 returning starters don’t want a repeat of last year. The team has to travel to Oregon, USC and California, but we can’t overlook the talent. Watch for the Sun Devils to bounce back. Returning starters: Offense – 7. Defense – 7. Players to watch: Walter, LG Grayling Love, MLB Justin Burks, WR Derek Hagen, OT Andrew Carnahan, CB R.J. Oliver. Strengths: Walter and Hagen are lethal, perhaps the best QB-WR combo in the league. Weaknesses: Tough schedule. Sun Devils will have a winning season if: The returning starters mature as expected and Walter has the season he’s capable of.
UCLA Bruins
Projected finish: Seventh. Remember when UCLA opened last season 6-2? Neither do Bruin alums after the team lost its last five. Karl Dorrell is under some fire. So frustrated was offensive coordinator Steve Axman that he resigned and took a job as receivers coach at Washington. There’s talent here, but is there top-notch coaching and support from the troops? Returning starters: Offense – 9. Defense – 5. Players to watch: QB Drew Olson, RB Manuel White, WR Craig Bragg, TE Mercedes Lewis, LG Eyoseph Efseaff, ILB Spencer Havner, FS Ben Emanuel. Strengths: The defense isn’t bad, as 10 TDs were allowed by special teams or fumble and/or interception returns. Weaknesses: Olson has to step up. Special teams were awful last year. Bruins will improve over last year if: They don’t give up a league-high 51 sacks.
Washington Huskies
Projected finish: Eighth. Free of Neuheiselian distractions and banking that last year’s injury bug that doesn’t hit this time around, the Huskies look to improve. However, they have holes almost everywhere. They will have a new quarterback, one solid receiver returns, the defensive line is young and the alums already are impatient. Returning starters: Offense – 5. Defense – 7. Players to watch: WR/KR Charles Frederick, TB Kenny James, FB Zach Tuiasosopo, T Khalif Barnes, CB Derrick Johnson, OLB Evan Benjamin, SS Jimmy Newell. Strengths: The secondary is solid, with Johnson, Newell and JC transfer Dashon Goldson; depth at tailback and fullback. Weaknesses: Little experience at quarterback, defensive line; unproven offensive line. Huskies will have a winning season if: The team stays healthy, especially the offensive line.
Stanford Cardinal
Projected finish: Ninth. The cupboard isn’t bare here. The defense is solid and the offense will be among the most improved units in the conference. The trouble is that it couldn’t have gotten much worse. And darn the luck; the Cardinal doesn’t play Arizona. Coach Buddy Teevens is in trouble. Returning starters: Offense – 5. Defense – 9. Players to watch: CB Leigh Torrence, RB J.R. Lemon, G Ismail Simpson, DL Babatunde Oshinowo, LB David Bergeron, CB Stanley Wilson. Strengths: Nine returnees on defense make this one of the better defending units in the conference. Weaknesses: Spotty talent, especially on offense. Speculation that the coaching staff is in over its head. Cardinal will have a winning season if: Breaks, break, breaks.
Arizona Wildcats
Projected finish: Tenth. The Wildcats already are light years ahead of last year in hiring ex-Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops. John Mackovic never won his players over after the mutiny of the previous year. Running back Mike Bell is the star, although he probably is the only one. Returning starters: Offense – 9. Defense – 5. Players to watch: Bell, QB Kris Heavner, C Keoki Fraser, DL Marcus Smith, WR Mike Jefferson. Strengths: Running game, offensive line. Weaknesses: Starting the program largely from the ground up. Wildcats will escape the conference basement if: Stoops turns the attitude around and Heavner takes another step forward.
John Sleeper, Herald writer
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