Pac-12 - 2023 Contenders
Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2023 7:09 am
Previewing the top half of the Pac, because Colorado, ASU, Stanford, and Cal aren't worth the typing.
USC - What was USC bad at in 2023? Well, many things, which puts into perspective how much Caleb Williams had to do to drag this team to the P12 championship game. Namely, their offensive line and defense were atrocious, and unfortunately for us Ducks, the staff was plenty aware of those shortcomings and worked to fill those holes this offseason. On the OL, USC picked up 3 starters from other programs to add to a few decent guys they had internally. Injuries could easily decimate them, but the first string should be should be solid this year. Defensively, the team got talented-but-troubled DT Bear Alexander (6'3, 300) from Georgia, former 5* DE Anthony Lucas from A&M, and productive Jack Sullivan on the line. Pretty good haul, yea? Well they also grabbed tackling machine Mason Cobb from Okie State, all P-12 CB Christian Roland-Wallace, and a talented-but-unproven Alabama transfer Trequan Fegans. Only injuries or ego can keep this team from not improving over 2023.
Oregon - How bout them Ducks? I'm a little worried, if I'm being honest. I like what we did on the recruiting trail defensively, but think we're still two years ago from those guys making a difference. In the here-and-now, we saw Bo break records behind one of the best offensive lines in the country, but this year that level of line play is highly unlikely. I'm not worried about playmakers, because there are a billion at all skill positions. I'm worried about consistent plays, which is typically rooted in a veteran group of OL. To boot, I still don't feel like we know what we have with the defensive coaches, as Lupoi and crew seemed to massively underachieve with the apparent talent on defense last year (I still don't know how Sewell got so much worse but is now apparently looking great again with the Bears...). I really like what they did in the portal in adding two starter-quality CBs and starting safety, and in adding coach Hampton. A conference title is well within reach, but I don't know that I'd put my money on it with so many positions requiring a big step forward and USC's collection of talent. But somebody's got to win it, so why not us?
washington - I sort of look at washington's team this year as a poor man's USC. They, too, were a heavily offensive team with significant defensive holes, spelling their doom in giving up 40 and 45 in losses to UCLA and Arizona State. They may have plugged some holes by getting back a healthy Bralen Trice, one of the best edges in college football, and picking up CB Jabbar Muhammad from Okie State and our very own Darren Barkins. Ralen Goforth from USC and edge Zach Durfee from some small midwestern school I can't recall (Linfield, but Minnesota's version) could also make an impact. Less of a talent infusion than USC's defense, but maybe isn't starting from as bad a place? Maybe. Offensively, they may have gotten more potent than even a year ago. They return three receivers who could be on NFL rosters in 2024, and added Daniyel Ngata from ASU, Germie Bernard from Michigan State, and Dillon Johnson from Miss State. I could truly see them being the most potent offense in the league or as low as 5th most potent, as I think much will come down to how the team gels and the offensive line comes together. But the talent is there.
Utah- Utah's the biggest mystery box for me, and probably for most folks, as the 2-time defending conference champs were selected by no media members to win the league at media days. We know that Brent Kuithe comes back from injury at tight end, and they've got a rock solid group of linebackers and safeties, with multiple NFL guys in the ranks. That said, if Cam Rising can't go to start the year, they're up s*** creek. Beyond that obvious situation, my question is for their corners and both lines. They've traditionally may their hay by dominating the line of scrimmage, but I don't know if their talent will make them more 'pesky' than 'dominant.' My gut tells me they're going to play a lot of 30-27 types of games this year, and end up in the neighborhood of "good enough to maybe win the conference but not good enough to be serious about the CFP" again.
Oregon State - The dynamic with Oregon State in 2023 is going to be whether the offense picks up more with DJU at quarterback than the defense drops off after losing two corners to the NFL and a 15th (seemingly) year senior safety graduating. The unheralded strength of the defense in 2023 was their defensive backfield, undoubtedly the best group in the Pac-12 since the washington teams that were playoff contenders. Wright and Austin are off to the NFL, Jaydon Grant has graduated, so we're going to see what the new guys are made of. Central Catholic (Portland) grad and all-conference safety Oladapo is back. I'm expecting a drop from 'exceptional' to 'fine,' personally. What expectations do I have for the offense? No change in the run game (still strong), and no idea in the pass game. There's D1 talent among the WRs, but the top playmaker at the position, Tre'Shaun Harrison, is now fighting for a roster spot with the Titans. I expect Jack Velling to make a big leap at TE to being an all-conference type of guy, but I might be a year early. Overall, Oregon State is going to be a tough out, because even if DJU sucks as bad as he did at Clemson, this will be a team that's generally solid and has no massive holes in the same way that they don't have too much that excites you, either. Well, except* for the RB Damien Martinez.
Last notes: I think Arizona and UCLA are going to duke it out for the 6th spot in the conference. I don't expect a ton out of each, but whether it's intriguing players or Charles Kelly, they've each got the capability of surprising us this season.
USC - What was USC bad at in 2023? Well, many things, which puts into perspective how much Caleb Williams had to do to drag this team to the P12 championship game. Namely, their offensive line and defense were atrocious, and unfortunately for us Ducks, the staff was plenty aware of those shortcomings and worked to fill those holes this offseason. On the OL, USC picked up 3 starters from other programs to add to a few decent guys they had internally. Injuries could easily decimate them, but the first string should be should be solid this year. Defensively, the team got talented-but-troubled DT Bear Alexander (6'3, 300) from Georgia, former 5* DE Anthony Lucas from A&M, and productive Jack Sullivan on the line. Pretty good haul, yea? Well they also grabbed tackling machine Mason Cobb from Okie State, all P-12 CB Christian Roland-Wallace, and a talented-but-unproven Alabama transfer Trequan Fegans. Only injuries or ego can keep this team from not improving over 2023.
Oregon - How bout them Ducks? I'm a little worried, if I'm being honest. I like what we did on the recruiting trail defensively, but think we're still two years ago from those guys making a difference. In the here-and-now, we saw Bo break records behind one of the best offensive lines in the country, but this year that level of line play is highly unlikely. I'm not worried about playmakers, because there are a billion at all skill positions. I'm worried about consistent plays, which is typically rooted in a veteran group of OL. To boot, I still don't feel like we know what we have with the defensive coaches, as Lupoi and crew seemed to massively underachieve with the apparent talent on defense last year (I still don't know how Sewell got so much worse but is now apparently looking great again with the Bears...). I really like what they did in the portal in adding two starter-quality CBs and starting safety, and in adding coach Hampton. A conference title is well within reach, but I don't know that I'd put my money on it with so many positions requiring a big step forward and USC's collection of talent. But somebody's got to win it, so why not us?
washington - I sort of look at washington's team this year as a poor man's USC. They, too, were a heavily offensive team with significant defensive holes, spelling their doom in giving up 40 and 45 in losses to UCLA and Arizona State. They may have plugged some holes by getting back a healthy Bralen Trice, one of the best edges in college football, and picking up CB Jabbar Muhammad from Okie State and our very own Darren Barkins. Ralen Goforth from USC and edge Zach Durfee from some small midwestern school I can't recall (Linfield, but Minnesota's version) could also make an impact. Less of a talent infusion than USC's defense, but maybe isn't starting from as bad a place? Maybe. Offensively, they may have gotten more potent than even a year ago. They return three receivers who could be on NFL rosters in 2024, and added Daniyel Ngata from ASU, Germie Bernard from Michigan State, and Dillon Johnson from Miss State. I could truly see them being the most potent offense in the league or as low as 5th most potent, as I think much will come down to how the team gels and the offensive line comes together. But the talent is there.
Utah- Utah's the biggest mystery box for me, and probably for most folks, as the 2-time defending conference champs were selected by no media members to win the league at media days. We know that Brent Kuithe comes back from injury at tight end, and they've got a rock solid group of linebackers and safeties, with multiple NFL guys in the ranks. That said, if Cam Rising can't go to start the year, they're up s*** creek. Beyond that obvious situation, my question is for their corners and both lines. They've traditionally may their hay by dominating the line of scrimmage, but I don't know if their talent will make them more 'pesky' than 'dominant.' My gut tells me they're going to play a lot of 30-27 types of games this year, and end up in the neighborhood of "good enough to maybe win the conference but not good enough to be serious about the CFP" again.
Oregon State - The dynamic with Oregon State in 2023 is going to be whether the offense picks up more with DJU at quarterback than the defense drops off after losing two corners to the NFL and a 15th (seemingly) year senior safety graduating. The unheralded strength of the defense in 2023 was their defensive backfield, undoubtedly the best group in the Pac-12 since the washington teams that were playoff contenders. Wright and Austin are off to the NFL, Jaydon Grant has graduated, so we're going to see what the new guys are made of. Central Catholic (Portland) grad and all-conference safety Oladapo is back. I'm expecting a drop from 'exceptional' to 'fine,' personally. What expectations do I have for the offense? No change in the run game (still strong), and no idea in the pass game. There's D1 talent among the WRs, but the top playmaker at the position, Tre'Shaun Harrison, is now fighting for a roster spot with the Titans. I expect Jack Velling to make a big leap at TE to being an all-conference type of guy, but I might be a year early. Overall, Oregon State is going to be a tough out, because even if DJU sucks as bad as he did at Clemson, this will be a team that's generally solid and has no massive holes in the same way that they don't have too much that excites you, either. Well, except* for the RB Damien Martinez.
Last notes: I think Arizona and UCLA are going to duke it out for the 6th spot in the conference. I don't expect a ton out of each, but whether it's intriguing players or Charles Kelly, they've each got the capability of surprising us this season.