Roundup: Who replaces Franklin at UCLA?

One of the big concerns going into fall UCLA camp this year was who would rise to the cream of the crop in the backfield now that the school’s all-time leading rusher is in the NFL. Here’s maybe a beginning of an answer to that question, because while Jordon James isn’t Johnathan Franklin, he’s not bad, either. Looks like it’s gonna be a by-committee thang in Moraville, but James is at the top of that committee.

Trying to come back from a disappointing 7-6 season in 2012, USC focuses on the positives, but it isn’t always easy. Some candid quotes from Lane Kiffin and Pat Haden inside; good stuff from USA Today.

Colorado offensive tackle Stephane Nembot might look imposing, but he acts kind. Great story from Brian Howell about the native Cameroonian who left his home five years ago and hasn’t seen his family since.

John Canzano always takes a hard edge on all things sports (and I’m not talking Arizona football), and in his latest column, he urges Mike Riley to select a starting quarterback between Sean Mannion and Cody Vaz.

Here are Arizona State’s best-case and worst-case scenarios. Gotta appreciate the hip-hop (and ya don’t stop) references here.

We’ve been linking a lot of Ted Miller with these “what’s the scenario” posts, so let’s give Kevin Gemmell a little love for his article about Utah coach Kyle Whittingham feeling pressure from within to get the Utes back to winning football.

Arizona’s Sean Miller was the second-most popular pick for which coach under 45 will make the Hall of Fame. No word yet on whether he will enter Big Sean’s Hall of Fame (due out August 27).

Being THE No. 1 golf writer for Pac-12.com (okay, the only golf writer for Pac-12.com), I’ve a soft spot for Steve Desimone’s boys. So it brings me great pleasure to inform you that Michael Weaver was selected to the USA Walker Cup team, joining Michael Kim and Max Homa on the squad. The Walker Cup, FYI, pits 10 of America’s top amateur golfers against 10 top amateurs from Great Britain and Ireland and is played every other year (and if ya don’t know, now ya know).

Here’s some more pretty cool non-football news: After success at the U.S. championships, Stanford gymnasts Akash Modi, Eddie Penev and Josh Dixon were named to the U.S. Senior National Team after doing serious work at the 2013 P&G U.S. Championships in Hartford, Conn. (Free the Whalers.)

Here is a 2013 Oregon football season preview from Sports Illustrated. The publication has the Quacks ranked fifth in their preseason top 25 (Stanford is No. 2 and UCLA is No. 21 in the SI poll).

Pac-12 Networks visited Washington State training camp, and here’s a look at it in case you missed the Cougs’ 2013 season preview last night on TV.

Hoping to average 12 more plays in 2013 than they did last year, the Huskies are looking to pick up the pace as they shift to a no-huddle, up-tempo offense. Same playbook, though.