The Pac is BACK! My name is Yogi Roth and welcome to my weekly Pac-12 football newsletter. While I wont be calling games this fall on Pac-12 Network, I will be studying just as much film, and the goal of this weekly newsletter is to share my lens on Pac-12 football, as well as offer analysis for fellow broadcasters, writers and fans.
In short: Ill compete to tell as many stories and insights as possible for the next seven weeks, so lets get started.
As anyone who follows college football knows, the Pac-12 season kicks off in historic fashion Saturday, as ASU visits USC in a 9 a.m. PT game on FOX. While those two teams will arrive before sunrise in LA,
#Pac12AfterDark
will be in full effect. Regarding personnel, the depth of this conference is unique, as many teams are welcoming a new signal caller to their rosters, some teams will even welcome back a fullback (!) to college football, and four teams have both new offensive and defensive coordinators (ASU, Cal, UW, WSU). What is clear is that Arizona States Jayden Daniels and USCs Kedon Slovis are two marquee quarterback names in the conference entering a seven-game season. In addition, Cals Chase Garbers 2020 campaign will be delayed due to the cancellation of their opener, but he has the most wins among returning QBs in Pac-12 play (13), UCLAs Dorian Thompson-Robinson returns with a
focus on leading
,
Arizonas Grant Gunnell should showcase the greatest growth of any returning QB with experience and Stanfords Davis Mills might be the purest passer in the nation.
With that said, defending Pac-12 and Rose Bowl Champion and pre-season favorite Oregon will have a new face at QB. They also return a defensive front led by All American and Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year favorite Kayvon Thibodeaux and have the most experienced defensive front in the North. Speaking of defense, former QB turned safety turned back to QB Sam Noyer will lead the Colorado Buffaloes at QB in what was the most unpredictable quarterback race of training camp, and with Hamilcar Rashed Jr. returning to the Beavers, Jonathan Smiths team will not sneak up on anyone after losing three games by a combined seven points last year. And finally, while Utah is overlooked, they have the deepest WR core in the Kyle Whittingham era and a DL that may not have household names, but have talent that weve come to expect.
Also, new faces will not only be under center (or in the shotgun) at most schools, but new head coaches will walk the sidelines in Nick Rolovich at WSU, Karl Dorrell at Colorado and Jimmy Lake at UW (next week). There is a ton to dissect on each match-up, but Ill give you my top three to six key points to watch for in each contest. Once the games end, be sure to tune into the new postgame show on Pac-12 Network, Pac-12 After Dark, immediately after the final game of the night for insight, interviews and analysis.
Game-by-Game Deep Dives
Arizona State @ USC, 9 a.m. PT on FOX
Arizona State
USC
UCLA @ Colorado, 4 p.m. PT on ESPN2
UCLA
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Mastery from DTR:
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I fully expect Dorian Thompson-Robinson to be the best version of himself at QB this year. Its easy to forget that he only had just over 300 pass attempts in high school, as he didnt start at QB until his senior year. (Jayden Daniels had 865 for comparison). After two years of learning the position and understanding Chip Kellys system, DTR should have his best year yet, particularly protecting the football.
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The run game will be a staple:
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Gone is the man who smiled so loud you could hear it in Joshua Kelley and in the fold is Brittain Brown, a transfer from Duke, who could be the big back in UCLAs system. Add in the explosive and versatile nature of Demetric Felton, who was the first player in UCLA history to have 4 TD of 75+ yards in the same season (2 rec, 1 rush, 1 return), UCLA has a chance to give defenses fits. Ive always found it interesting when others assume Chip Kellys offense is built on the passing game. Hes always found ways to run the ball successfully, which has allowed his QBs in the past to be their most efficient and explosive.
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Massive human/massive impact:
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Most competitive position is DB:
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Brian Norwood arrived via Navy and brings with him extensive respect in the coaching profession and has a talented secondary to oversee. Obi Eboh arrives via Stanford and should lock down one corner while also attending law school, and at safety, Qwuantrezz Knight arrives in Westwood via Kent State. Add in the return of Quentin Lake from an injury-plagued 2019 and freshman John Humphrey, among others, and this secondary should make big strides.
Colorado
Stanford @ Oregon, 4:30 p.m. PT on ABC
Stanford
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This match-up gives me chills:
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When you go back to 2012 when Stanford won in OT and re-watch the majority of games since then, its easy to be reminded how competitive this game is. While its not a traditional rivalry, one look down memory lane proves that this game often had national implications, and in a seven game season, Id say the same this time, as the winner of this game has gone on to win the North in 6 of the last 9 years.
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Davis Mills is the purest passer on the West Coast:
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I can recall evaluating Mills while in high school for the Elite 11 Quarterback Camp and my eval says, Best QB Ive seen in Elite 11 history on film. While his Stanford career has largely been about competing to get healthy, all reports say he is and, if true, look out this fall. I think he has all of the tools necessary to be an elite college QB who will be able to play on Sundays. Even more impressive is what his teammates and coaches say about him, as I think his It Factor is a unique trait. More on that as the season progresses.
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Best WR core in the North?
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At first glance, one might not agree, but when you look at their performances last year and what is expected, its an argument worth making. Starting off with captain Connor Wedington, who worked out with Richard Sherman and other NFL players during this extended off-season, sets the tempo at that position group and it continues with Simi Fehoko, Michael Wilson, Elijah Higgins, Colby Bowman, Osiris St. Brown, Brycen Tremayne, freshman John Humphreys and others. That gives this group a depth they have not had at wideout in quite some time.
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Tunnel Workers Union is back
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The amount of injuries on the offensive line over the last two seasons has been dramatically unpredictable. With that said, so many players got valuable experience last year as 4 true freshmen combined for 26 starts, so expect this group to dictate terms at times. Foster Sarell and Drew Dalman are the anchors and sophomore Walter Rouse is as special as they come.
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Weather and noise factor:
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While it "never rains in Autzen," I wonder if the weather will have any impact on this game. And if you are a football nerd, the audio should pick up the audibles at the line of scrimmage, so crank up the volume in your home for this one!
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Walk on moment:
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As a former walk-on,
these get me every time.
Props to the video department as well with the editing - loved the tease at the end. Huge congrats to Thunder Keck and Spencer Jorgensen!
Oregon
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Championship program
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Since Mario Cristobal has taken over, the Ducks have not only recruited at an elite level but they have also developed the players on the roster and created a culture that is dramatically competitive. It is often starters vs. starters in practice and the intensity is as you might imagine after meeting their head coach. They are the favorite to win the Pac-12 and a CFP-caliber program that is only gaining steam in recruiting and on the field. How their culture gets the youngest team in the nation (74% are underclassmen) through a shortened season with minimal game experience on the offensive front, QB, LB and DB will be something to watch, as they welcome new faces at key positions.
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QB1
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It is unlikely that anyone outside of the team will know who the starting QB is for the Ducks, but both Tyler Shough and Anthony Brown (28 starts at Boston College) have dealt with adversity in their lives to prepare them for the adversity that naturally comes on the field. Shough is as natural a leader as Ive been around in years and if he does take the first snap, expect him to thrive under new OC Joe Moorhead.
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Memory lane:
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Best running back in the Pac-12:
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C.J. Verdell has had many spectacular moments in his career at Oregon, but I anticipate him having his most complete season. His position coach, Jim Mastro, called him the best back in the league, if not the country and referenced how he changed his body this off-season, as well as his talented hands. With this new system, Id expect to see him line up all over the field and make noise once again. He is looking to join LaMichael James as the only Ducks to have 3 straight seasons with 1,000 rushing yards and that would be quite the accomplishment given this shortened season.
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Kayvon Thibodeux may be the face of the Pac-12:
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Not a QB in a conference that is known for QBs, but I think that this Sophomore Defensive End has a chance to be the best player in the Pac-12 this year. He can move all over the field and, while I havent seen him compete in practice during this camp, I cant help but go back and watch him compete in the Pac-12 title game and the Rose Bowl, where he was at his best. I would imagine offensive lines will have to scheme against him, and this match-up vs. the tackles of Stanford is a great one to watch in Week 1.
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What to watch:
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What Im most excited to see:
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Freshman linebacker Noah Sewell has been one of my favorite players since I watched him compete in high school at The Opening and, alongside fellow freshman Justin Flowe, this front 7 is going to be the one to track out west this fall.
Washington State @ Oregon State, 7:30 p.m. PT on FS1
Washington State
Oregon State
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Tristan Gebbia to lead the Beavs
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I recall broadcasting the Oregon State vs. Oregon game last year when Gebbia surprisingly took the first snap. What was most impressive all game was that he never looked surprised, inexperienced or cautious. He seemed comfortable and confident. He should have a high level of mastery within Jonathan Smiths system.
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Jermar Jefferson: the Vet
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Now the face of the program, Jefferson is poised to return to his freshman form where he burst onto the running back scene breaking the OSU freshman rushing record. He discussed that his off-season was incredibly disciplined with workouts, film study and his diet. Expect big things from this back in 2020.
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You need to know TE Luke Musgrave:
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One look at Musgraves high school film may have you salivating over his ball skills. This 66 252 lbs former lacrosse player/alpine ski racer has a natural ability to position his body to catch the ball. My top TE in his recruiting class, who should be an All Conference player during his career. FYI he is the nephew of new Cal OC Bill Musgrave and his father, Doug, is a former Oregon QB.
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Hamilcar returns, no opt out:
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Hamilcar Rashed Jr., a pre-season All American and game wrecker off the edge, seems to be as
motivated
as ever. No one would have flinched if he opted out for the NFL, but he chose to return to the Beavs. He reportedly put on 10 lbs this fall and will require each team's QB and Center to identify where he is on each snap.
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What Ill be watching:
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Body language. This team lost three games by a total of seven points last year and were a few snaps away from earning a bowl berth. I think one of the most critical elements when rebuilding a program is the fine line between hoping and knowing you will win a game, especially on critical downs and distances. How they deal with adversity in real time will be key for this program to turn those small losses into small wins.