SB Nation - Devin Ross

Cardiac Cats: Arizona 41 vs. Oregon 44

joenewby4040 — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:34:40 -0000

24 days ago: Oregon's Ed Dickson (83) celebrates after scoring a touchdown with six seconds left in regulation against Arizona in the second half of an NCAA college football game at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Ariz., Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009. Oregon won 44 - 41 in overtime. (AP Photo/Wily Low)

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Another week., another one slips away. What in the world is going on? Arizona fell to Oregon last night 44-41 in double overtime. Arizona fought hard and claimed a 10 point lead with 13:44 left in the fourth. The game looked like it was going to get out of hand early with Oregon taking a 14-0 lead. Nick Foles threw 4 touchdowns on 30-46 passing and ended up with 314 yards on the night. The game was fought hard but once again, the Cats couldn't close it out. Another week, another disappointment. When are we going to close one of these out? The game was marred by this scene afterwards with fans throwing objects at the Oregon players and staff. One cheerleader was hit in the head and had to be taken to the hospital after being struck in the head by a full water bottle. WTF is going on? Someone please tell me this is not the student section?

The outcome was: Heartbreaking. When are these kids going to catch a break? Obviously Oregon played a hell of a game to come back and tie it up, only to go down by 7, and then to come back and tie it again. A fumble, passes coming within inches of our defenders hands only to be TD's by Oregon, and a FG that hit the crossbar and went in. You can't make this stuff up? Washington = turfball. California = double forward pass. Oregon = Too many to list.

The Offensive Player of the Game: Nick Foles. Surprise, surprise. This guy is awesome. 30-46 for 314 yards, 3TD, and 1 interception. His line did a great job of protecting him and he spread his passes out to 11 different receivers. Unbelievable and gritty performance by Nick. Great protection last night by the line as well.

The Defensive Player of the Game: Devin Ross. Ross had 11 tackles on the night and broke up 2 passes. Unfortunately, it's never a good thing when your secondary players are making the majority of your tackles. Great job last night for Ross.

Questionable Call: 3-16 with 3:11 left in the 4th quarter and we throw it? Seriously. Can someone please explain what Stoops and Dykes were thinking? We're up by 7. Oregon is down to 2 timeouts. We have it 3-11 from their 35 yard line and we get a false start. Now, it's 3-16 from their 40. In my opinion, I think we should have run it and made Oregon burn a timeout. Going for the TD and getting it intercepted? What was the point of that? Run it. Make them burn a timeout. Get Crier to punt it (he's good at punting less than 30 yards) and make Oregon go at least 80 yards with 1 timeout. Terrible. Terrible. Terrible.

Party Foul: Arizona Fans. What the hell is going on in Tucson? The reports around the web are horrible and make us look like absolute crap. What a joke! Arizona better get their act together or we will lose recruits if that is the kind of atmosphere in Tucson.

Anyone else think the call in the 4th quarter was bad?

We'll have some updates on where we think the Cats are going bowling this year.

Full Box Score.

Grading the Cats: Arizona vs. Oregon State

joenewby4040 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:02:30 -0000

More photos » by Rick Bowmer - AP

2 months ago: Arizona's Greg Nwoka (28) goes in to score while Oregon State's Tim Clark defends during the first half of their NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, in Corvallis, Ore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

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Hi everyone. I'm Joe Newberry. I run a blog called azdesertswarm.com. I used to write for this football team that was boring and frustrating to watch. Last week, our coach decided to try out this new guy and let me tell you what. He's badass.

Seriously. Did y'all see Foles run this game? He was in control the entire time. He has an absolute cannon for an arm and enough mobility to create when there is pressure. Time after time Foles took snaps and had plenty of time to thread the needle to receivers running great routes. When the pressure was coming via a blitz or stunt, he was able to scramble enough to get the open look.

Arizona took on a new look on Saturday as well, running the "I" formation with Chris Gronkowski at a true fullback position and running plenty of play action to freeze over zealous linebackers. The Cats also threw at least 6 "smoke screens" which were not possible last week due to Matt Scott's weak arm. This play proved effective all night and only went for negative yards on one occasion.

Quarterbacks: First play of the game: wide receiver screen. Typical Texas Tech play. I love it. Not only was it effective, but it displayed the arm of Foles beautifully with a TV shot down the line of scrimmage. Foles is the man. He made good decisions all night and was methodical in his receiver selection hitting 9 different receivers while racking up 254 yards on 25-34 and 0 interceptions. His ability to stand in the pocket and find the open receiver is like night and day from Matt Scott. He also showed flashes of mobility enabling him to bypass a sack and find receivers coming back to for completions. Grade: A

Running Backs: Losing Grigsby was tough, but it only lasted for a second. Keoli Antolin came in and immediately filled the void, making Beaver defenders guess which way he was going all the way until he got hurt. Antolin needs more carries as these two are truly two different types of runners. Oregon State looked lost trying to wrep up Antolin. Greg Nwoko looked solid as well. His first carry of the game was for a 19 yard TD. Nwoko filled in nicely gaining 44 yards on 9 carries. Antolin had 12 carries for 46 yards before departing with an injury. Nwoko was also a dual threat on the night grabbing 4 catches for 76 yards including a 52 yard grab in the third quarter on a screen pass from Foles. Nick Booth filled in on one play and had some incredible cuts to get 12 yards on the play. Grade: A-

Offensive Line: The offensive line played decent on pass protection, not allowing a sack all night. Their run blocking wasn't as good as usual (CMU or NAU). Hmmm. I think I'm seeing a pattern here. Although we gained 137 yards on the ground, we did it on 33 carries (4.15 ypg). They came through big at the end of the game giving Foles time even in the face of OSU coming at them with stunts and blitzes as they tried anything to get into Foles' face. It wasn't happening. Grade: B+

Wide Receivers: The Cats displayed five wide a couple of times on Saturday night which proved to be a successful venture. David Douglas had 5 catches for 52 yards in the game, three coming in the first drive. Dean is amazing on the fade and Arizona even utilized this play on 2nd and 8 from their own 6 yard line. The Cats used it in the third quarter as well to Juron Criner and it was pretty. This is not new for Foles, as he threw his only TD pass against Iowa on a fade. Now that's confidence in your QB to get the ball where it needs to be. Dean just makes DB's look silly. FYI, the fly sweep to Dean does not work. Stop trying it. The Cats wide receivers are some of the best blocking WR's i've seen in a long time. Each of them gets on their guy and engages so well it's unreal. Grade: B+

Defensive Line: Ricky Elmore and Earl Mitchell each had 2 sacks on the night while D'Aundre Reed and Lolomana Mikaele each had 1/2 a sack on the night. Lolomana Mikaele started on Saturday night over Horton Donald Horton. Smart move. Horton was unable to provide any push against Iowa and wasn't quick enough on the ball to get into RB's in the backfield. I thought Mikaele was a nice change that defensive coordinator Mark Stoops made. Kudos for pulling a starter when they're not doing their job. Grade: B

Linebackers: The linebackers had an off night, often times trying to find Jacquizz Rogers hiding behind offensive linemen. Although the backers filled well, they weren't able to make play and didn't record one tackle for loss all night. Vuna Tuihalamaka led the group with 6 tackles and 6 assists for 12 on the night, tying Devin Ross who chipped in 12 as well. Other than that, it was kind of a disappointing night for this crew. Grade: C+

Secondary: Can you believe that first TD for Oregon State? What a crock. That was one of the luckiest plays I have ever seen. That ball was tipped 3 times. Trevin Wade picked up his fourth interception of the year showing an incredible burst of speed to close on the come back route and take one away from OSU. The Cats secondary gave up 303 yards of passing on 31-47 while picking off 2 passes. Devin Ross had an incredible night with 12 tackles and 1 pass break up. Oh yeah, let's not forget that he was named the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Week. Overall, OSU exploited the Cats secondary and more experienced teams will have a field day. Without Ross, this would be an entire letter lower. Grade: B

(Special Teams MVP)

Special Teams: Zendejas was perfect on the night hitting all 5 extra points. He had no field goal attempts on the night. I'll take it. His kickoffs traveled an average of 60.5 yards and he got 1 touchback. Our kickoff coverage is still weak and OSU's quickness killed us. Keenyn Crier had an awesome night hitting 5 punts for an average of 45 yards a piece. His real gem was in the fourth quarter when he punted 65 yards from his own 29 yard line and pinned OSU on their own 3. Just a few minutes later he kicked another 62 yarder, pinning the Beavers on their own 3 again. And if you didn't watch it, he pinned OSU on their 3 once more right before Arizona got a safety to close it out. Great game young man. Grade: A

Grading the Cats: Arizona vs. Iowa

joenewby4040 — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:37:40 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Neibergall - AP

2 months ago: Iowa's Adrian Clayborn, left, knocks the ball out of the hand of Arizona quarterback Nick Foles (8) during the second half of this NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, in Iowa City, Iowa. Arizona recovered the fumble as Iowa won 27-17. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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Arizona fell to Iowa this past week in un-dramatic fashion falling 27-17 in Iowa City. The Cats defense kept them in this game for as long as they could but the offensive output was too weak to give them a chance. Let's dive into the grades.

Quarterbacks: Matt Scott looked lost. Period. Scott finished 4-14 for 50 yards and an INT. He was ineffective to say the least. Scott had 47 yards on the day on 7 carries; however, 27 of those yards came on his first attempt. He was stopped cold the rest of the game. Scott's inability to move the offense has cost him the starting job this week at Oregon State. He was unable to find the open man, held on to the ball too long, and looked terrible trying to throw on the run. His goal line passes were atrocious. Nick Foles couldn't muster much offense either throwing 6-11 for 55 yards and a TD. His opportunities were limited by the time it got to him. There was no chance for rushing anymore and he still managed to get a score. Foles TD throw to Criner was PERFECT. Can't wait until next week. Grade: F

Running Backs: Did y'all see Grigsby's run in the 2nd quarter? Great speed, lateral movement and cuts to the outside. Keoli also put in a nice run in the fourth quarter that led to our offensive touchdown. The RB's didn't have many holes to fit through the entire game and still churned out a respectable amount of yards. Grigsby seems to do everything right from catching the ball out of the backfield to picking up blitzers. Grade: B

Wide Receivers: Great job blocking guys. Criner's grab on the TD was impressive and hopefully we will throw it to the big fella more. Everyone else did great on their routes and blocking, the passes just weren't there. What else is there to say? We only completed 10 passes. Grade: B

Offensive Line: As much as I loved watching Adam Grant play against CMU, he had such a terrible game against Iowa it makes me sick. He single handedly let Grigsby get blown up on the first play from scrimmage on the 2 in the second quarter. The pass protection was decent, Scott just couldn't make good choices. The run blocking across the board was sub-par. Grigsby was running for his life for most of the game when heading outside and hitting nothing but big bodies on the inside. The only reason Grigsby got any yards all night was because of his athletic ability (sans the long run in the first.) Grade: C+

Defensive Ends: I usually grade the Cats as a Defensive line unit, but there was nothing about the ends and the interior linemen that looked the same on Saturday. Ricky Elmore and Brooks Reed provided pressure all day against Iowa's QB, Ricky Stanzi. Elmore's speed and agility are nightmares for offensive tackles. He caused an intentional grounding in the first half. These guys have played incredible all year and are the reason that Arizona will be in more games than not. Grade: A-

(Our defensive tackles had a sub par game on Saturday)

Defensive Tackles: Welcome to the real schools that actually have offensive linemen. Earl Mitchell had an average game. He had two and a half tackles for loss and a half of a sack. He looked pretty quick off the ball as well Donald Horton, not so much. He was continually beat down throughout the entire game. No wonder they ran for 133. It felt like more. Maybe it's time to bring in Jonathan Hollins or some other guys to see if we can't get some push. Grade: C

Defensive Backs: Trevin Wade is the man. He got his third interception on the year and took it back for a score in the first quarter. The rest of the secondary looked pretty good to me. Cam Nelson had a good game and was flagged for a pass interference call that was pretty weak. Devin Ross and Robert Golden put in solid games as well. Grade: B+

Special Teams: Gotta love the fake field goal. Who is the guy who couldn't get two yards through that hole? Keenyn Crier. Are you kidding me? RUN THE BALL WHERE THE HOLE IS. That should have been 4 yards no problem. Oh well. On to the real special teams. Kickoffs were decent. Field goals 1-1. Punt average: 38.2, not great, but not bad. Overall, I'll take it. The kicking game wasn't as much of a factor as I thought it was going to be. David Douglas didn't have too many chances to return many balls but when he did, he ran right into black and yellow jerseys. Wow. Grade: B

Grading the Cats: Central Michigan University

joenewby4040 — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:00:52 -0000

More photos » by Wily Low - AP

3 months ago: Central Michigan's starting quarterback Dan LeFevour (13) is sacked by Arizona's Ricky Elmore (44) in the third quarter of an NCAA college football game at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Ariz., Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009. Arizona won, 19 - 6. (AP Photo/Wily Low)

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Arizona put the hurt on Central Michigan this past weekend, winning 19-6 and ran out the clock at CMU's 1 yard line as time expired. (Thanks a lot for this Dykes. I had -13.5). The Cats have plenty to work on and hopefully can fine tune their needs this week against NAU. Let's dive into some grades for the Cats. I have ordered the All Access pass from Comcast to watch all of the Arizona games this year from my home in Austin, Texas and guess what? They're having difficulties with the Arizona game. Surprise, surprise. Hopefully, next week will be a better week in terms of me getting to have more in depth analysis.

Quarterback: Matt Scott. 19 of 32 for 202 yards and 84 yards rushing. He did throw an interception, but as I said earlier, it was a great play by the DB and not really too bad of a pass by Scott. I thought Scott did an excellent job of not forcing too many balls. His change in velocity on outside throws versus his touch passes to Simmons was incredible. It shows that he really does have a feel for his receivers and how they catch the ball. Scott's explosiveness is incredible and will be a nightmare for any defensive coordinators this year. GRADE: B+

Running Backs: What can you say about Grigsby? He rushed for 118 yards on 23 carries and was a workhorse all day long. He had 1 TD on the night. Grigsby rushed for over 100 yards for the 9th time in 21 career starts. Keola Antolin had 37 yards on 10 carries (not too shabby 3.7 ypc) and was just what the Cats needed at times to give Grigsby a breather and add a quicker back to the set. I was disappointed that we didn't get to see Greg Nwoko on the goal line. Although Grigsby plowed it home, it's always nice having a guy who can get it done every time and is almost a specialty at short yardage. See Texas: Cody Johnson. GRADE: B+

Offensive LIne: The offensive line looked tremendous on Saturday. Adam Grant absolutely pummeled whoever lined up against him and kept pesky rushers at bay all night. He also puked three times on the field. Almost as cool as Riley Dodge in the Texas State High School Championship game:

The line created huge holes for Grigsby, Antolin, and plenty of time for Scott to drop back and look down-field without the impending footsteps of defensive linemen. 246 rushing yards on 46 attempts gives you a nice juicy average of 5.1 ypc. I'll take that any day. Keep up the good work OL and stay healthy against NAU. GRADE: A-

Receivers: I want to give a special shout out to A.J. Simmons for the Cats. He doesn't get much love with so many Rob Gronkowski lovers out there, but he sure did look awesome on Saturday. He caught 2 passes for 28 yards and blocked like a champ. Terrell Turner led the Cats with 55 yards on 6 catches. Juron Criner had 54 yards on 4 catches. What's missing from these great offensive stats? You know it. No big plays. The longest reception of the game for the Cats was 25 yards to Criner. Let's hope Mike Thomas' replacement steps up next game and gives a big one. GRADE: B

Defensive Line: The Defensive was able to get pressure on Lefevour and create confusion for him all game. Ricky Elmore came away with his first sack of the year, had a tackle for loss, and had 5 total tackles for the game. Donald Horton had 2 tackles and a sack as well. Overall the D-Line was able to rotate in guys and keep fresh throughout the game. NAU should be another great game for this unit. GRADE: B+

Linebackers: Wow. What a game for Vuna Tuihalamake. He had 10 tackles and his first career interception on Saturday. The guy was absolutely flying to the ball. Xavier Kelly had 4 tackles on the night and looked fast tracking down CMU players. I was most impressed with the linebackers dropping in coverage and squeezing down Lefevour's passing lanes. That comes from a unit that is playing together at all times and was impressive to see. Freshman Jake Fischer saw the field and was able to rack up 2 tackles on the night as well. GRADE: B

Secondary: Best crew of the night. Any time you play a guy like Lefevour, defensive coaches expect yards to be piled up on them. The key word becomes contain, not stop. Well, not on Saturday night. The Cats limited Lefevour to 108 yards on 10-18 passing and sacked him twice. I'm not really sure what our secondary was doing all night to confuse him but it sure worked. Devin Ross had 5 tackles on the night and one pass break-up. Cam Nelson contributed with 4 tackles as well. NAU will be another warm-up for this crew on Saturday. Let's hope they stay healthy. GRADE: A-

Special Teams: Great night for Arizona's special teams. The kickoff and punt coverages looked great while our returns were limited to 2 on kickoffs only. Their punt coverage was great, not allowing Bug to go even make an attempt at returning one. Keoli had 2 returns on kickoffs for 64 yards on the night. Alex Zendejas' troubles from August must be long behind him because he sure did come out playing hard on Saturday night. He connected on 4-5 field goals hitting from 36, 37, 37, 35 and missing from 43. Zendejas became the 5th Wildcat in history to connnect on 4 field goals in a game and it's great to know that we have a guy who can knock them down time after time. GRADE: B+

NAU previews coming soon.

Arizona Team Capsule

Smooty — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:05:38 -0000

Appearing in a bowl game last season, for the first time in a decade, whet the appetite of Arizona fans, and players. More is expected. This team has the depth and athletes to compete with anyone in the Pac-10, it just lacks that prototypical star player who changes the game every week. Head Coach Mike Stoops received his long-awaited contract extension this off-season. The hot-seat will remain cool for Coach Stoops as long as the team continues to improve.

When Arizona has the ball:

The offense returns four starters from last year's opening game, but seven players who started a significant portion of the season last year. The team lost QB Willie Tuitama, WR Mike Thomas, OT Eben Britton, OT James Tretheway, and OG Joe Longacre. The team returns its top two rushers from 2008, in Nic Grigsby and Keola Antolin. Although Sonny Dykes' Air Zona offense is known for spreading the field and throwing the ball, Arizona's rushing attack will be one of the biggest keys to a successful 2009 campaign.

Running Game: Arizona's two leading rushers (Grigsby and Antolin) are back, with the addition of bruising Greg Nwoko. The trio has already earned the nickname Earth, Wind and Fire from their Arizona defensive counter-parts. With Grigsby and Antolin, 1,678 yards and 23 touchdowns returns to a stacked backfield. The coaching staff has raved about Nwoko, who should provide the power-punch in short yardage situations that Grigsby and Antolin lack. The offensive line lost NFL draftee Eben Britton, as well as stalwarts James Tretheway and Joe Longacre. Despite the losses, experience does return: Mike Diaz (9 starts) has switched to left tackle; Colin Baxter (24 starts) took over at center when Blake Kerley went down early last year at UCLA; and right tackle Adam Grant (5 starts) is the grizzled veteran of the group, who is ready to breakout after an injury plagued career thus far. Overall, the line may have lost an elite tackle in Eben Britton, but it returns experience and versatility.

Passing Game: Record-breaking quarterback Willie Tuitama is gone from last year's team. Sophomores Matt Scott and Nick Foles have been battling all off-season and training camp to replace Tui. At this point, a starter has not been named, and both are expected to play in the season opener against Central Michigan. The Wildcats also lost record-breaking WR Mike Thomas. Despite the losses, the Cats return some very important pass-catchers. All-World TE Rob Gronkowski is back for his junior season. Gronk caught 47 balls for 672 yards and 10 TDs, all while battling mononucleosis at the beginning of the year. WRs Terrell Turner and Delashaun Dean are both back, and bring with them 96 catches, 1,173 yards and five scores. Sophomore WR William "Bug" Wright will be replacing the departed Mike Thomas. Coaches have raved about Bug all off-season. H-Back Chris Gronkowski returns, with eight starts under his belt, and a 24.8 YPC average from last season.

When opponents have the ball:

Rush Defense: Ricky Elmore and Brooks Reed will be coming at quarterbacks from the edge while Donald Horton and Earl Mitchell attack from the middle. Brooks Reed had 8 sacks last year and Ricky Elmore had 4. These guys can come and come quick. The depth on the defensive line is great with D'Aundre Reed, Dominique Austin, Lolomana Mikaele, and Apaiata Tuihalamaka waiting in wings. The linebacking corp will be Sterling Lewis, Vuna Tuihalamaka, and Xavier Kelly starting. Corey Hall, C.J. Parish, R.J. Young and outstanding freshman Jake Fischer will be rotating in to help keep everyone fresh all year long.

Pass Defense: This is one of the strengths of this year's team. Devin Ross is back. Trevin Wade is stepping up from nickel-back a year ago, where he tied for team lead in interceptions, and will be a full-time starter at corner. Cam Nelson is back at safety and super-talent Robert Golden has made the switch this offseason from corner to safety. All four of these guys fly around the ball, and will punish ball carriers. The Wildcats typically deploy a zone-coverage scheme in the secondary, so look for plenty of opportunities for interceptions and big hits. Super-frosh Adam Hall (who still may redshirt) backs up Golden and Nelson at safety.

Schedule:

The Wildcats drew a tougher schedule in 2009 than 2008. The Cats have an even six home games, six road games in 2009. Five of the six road games are against top-notch opponents, and the sixth is in Seattle at Husky Stadium, which despite last season has historically been hard on road teams. Some of you may not consider Arizona State "top-notch," but everyone knows traveling to Tempe for the Territorial Cup is a challenge. The home slate is more forgiving. On paper, Oregon presents the toughest challenge at Arizona Stadium.

Home games: Central Michigan, Northern Arizona, Stanford, UCLA, Washington State, Oregon

Road games: Iowa, Oregon State, Washington, California, Arizona State, USC

The first four games, and the last four games is where the success of Arizona's season will be determined. Central MIchigan, @ Iowa, and @ Oregon State present three big challenges right out of the gate. To close, @ Cal, home versus Oregon, @ Arizona State, and @ USC present a difficult finish.

Outlook:

Everything is rosy - Arizona's quarterback issues are not a problem and Matt Scott, Nick Foles, or some combination of the two guide the Air Zona offense with ease. The defense plays strong all year, and rivals USC for tops in the conference. The Cats win five of six home games, at least, and at minimum split on the road, looking at an eight win season or better.

The sky is falling - The team flip-flops quarterbacks all season, and the offense never finds the consistency it enjoyed under Willie Tuitama the last two seasons. The defense is strapped at linebacker, and continues to struggle against running quarterbacks. The Cats split their six home games, and pick up one or two tough road games, sputtering to a four or five win season.

Arizona Roundtable

TwistNHook — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 02:30:09 -0000

via www.u.arizona.edu

TwistNHook: We lost a much-beloved Willie T. They lost a much-beloved Willie T.

Which loss will sting worse?

HydroTech: I think their loss of Willie T. hurts more. In our offense, with the FB taking on a smaller roll, the loss of Willie T. isn't too bad. However, for Arizona, their Willie T. started for pretty much four straight years. That's four years without any QB understudies getting quality reps in games. In other words, their QB this year will be pretty inexperienced. Who is their new QB this year? Matt Scott?

Yellow Fever: It just occurred to me that I know absolutely zero players on both Arizona and Arizona State

TwistNHook: But how any fantasy players do you know on Arizona and Arizona State?

Random, but unfortunate news. Mike Stoops is getting divorced:

University of Arizona football coach Mike Stoops is getting divorced, he announced at his first news conference of the season this morning.

Stoops, 47, was visibly emotional when he made the announcement at the end of the news conference. Stoops and wife Nicole have two children: Payton and Colton.

"Sadly, I must make the announcement today that my wife Nicole and I have separated and will be taking the difficult step of a divorce," he said. "This is a very hard time for us. But more so for our two young children as this is a very personal matter.

Avinash: Lute Olson, now Mike Stoops. Are there an abundance of cougars in Tucson or what?

TwistNHook: You are really obsessed with women from Arizona, aren't you?

Avinash: I'm riding the Meghan McCain bandwagon.

Ragnarok: Well, it sucks for him and his family, but I really feel like this is none of our business.

TwistNHook: Tell that to AZStarnet.com, Ragnarok! Tell that to AZStarnet.com.

Man, did Arizona have an amazing passing offense last year or what? Do you guys believe they'll have a similar passing offense this year?

Avinash: No.

Next question!

via arizonaalumni.com

TwistNHook: Rob Gronkowski killed us last year. He is a massive beast of a tight end. Look at his numbers:

Career Totals
Year	G-GS	Rec.	Yards	Avg.	TD	Long
2007	12-9	28	525	18.8	6	57
2008	10-9	47	672	14.3	10	43
Total	22-18	75	1197	15.9	16	57

Do you cover him with a linebacker? He's a beast! Last year he had these numbers against us:

REC

YDS

AVG

15.2

Keep an eye on him. If we can control or contain Gronk, it'll go a long ways towards winning this one.

Avinash: The Gronkowski brothers haunted my nightmares last season. What were the chances that both of them would score on us and beat us on two separate teams?

Anyone know how good Arizona's O-line is? Experienced, green, somewhere in between? That could be the key to winning this one.

via photos.oregonlive.com

TwistNHook: The official Pac10 site itself believes their OLine wont be that good:

Prolific quarterback Willie Tuitama is gone, along with stellar WR Mike Thomas and NFL-bound OT Eben Britton, so a dip might be expected in the Arizona offense in `09. The Cats don't think so, however, as a number of notable returnees breeds optimism the UA spread offense will still be potent. QBs Matt Scott and Nick Foles will battle it out for Tuitama's vacated spot, and whoever wins that competition will have plenty of help around him. The Cats did a good job of running the ball last year and 1,000-yard rusher RB Nic Grigsby is back, along with talented backup RB Keola Antolin. Also back is All-Pac-10 TE Rob Gronkowski, widely considered the best in the nation at his position. Some rebuilding is needed on the offensive line with C Colin Baxter and OG Mike Diaz the starting points.

The name "Keola Antolin" gave me Vietnam-esque flashbacks. I've been in the fetal position for the last 20 minutes rocking back and forth on that one.

Man am I happy, though, that Mike Thomas is gone. He was the only receiver to do better than Gronk against us last year. They kept throwing those Steve Smith-esque shadow routes where he is in the flat and then steamrolls his way to the first down markers. AHHHHH!

HydroTech: Fun fact:

Arizona finished 2nd in the Pac-10 last year for average yards per passing attempt at 7.7 yards per attempt. This was when Arizona had Willie T. and Mike Thomas... but now they're both gone.

Arizona had the best field goal percentage in the Pac-10 last year with a 87.5% success rate. Their kicker from last year, Jason Bonzio, has graduated.

Avinash: Well, their offense looks like they're in as bad a shape as their ASU brethren.

How about their defense?

via www.tucsoncitizen.com

TwistNHook: Well, it is looking solid. They might have a team similar to 2008 Cal. Staunch D and hope their O can rebuild quickly.

What you need to know: It’s time to start heaping more credit on defensive coordinator Mark Stoops, who molded last year’s unit-in-transition into one of the Pac-10’s stingiest defenses. Now that he’s got 10 players back with starting experience, this could be the best Arizona defense since Dick Tomey was roaming the sidelines. The strength of the group is a talented, Devin Ross-led secondary that was a microcosm of last season’s improbable results. Combine their shutdown skills with the relentless pass rush of DE Brooks Reed and DT Earl Mitchell, and opponents might be well-served to avoid the airways. That’ll put added pressure on a run defense that’s a little less dependable and a lot more likely to be tested this fall.

Star of the defense: Senior CB Devin Ross
Player that has to step up and become a star: Senior LB Vuna Tuihalamaka
Unsung star on the rise: Sophomore SS Robert Golden
Best pro prospect: Ross
Top three all-star candidates: 1) Ross 2) Junior DE Brooks Reed 3) Senior DT Earl Mitchell
Strength of the defense: Pass defense, edge pressure, overall team speed

They appear to be returning many of their players. Their secondary looks great with Devin Ross and Robert Golden. A weakness is apparently the size of the front seven and their run D. That article does a great in depth analysis of the D. What do you guys think?

When I hear "weakness is run D" that makes me happy. It works in perfectly with one of our strengths.

HydroTech: Devin Ross is still around? Seems like he's been around forever.

What's interesting about Arizona's defense is that they were 3rd in the Pac-10 last year for yards allowed per game at 313. But they were tied for 5th in the Pac-10 (with Oregon State) for yards allowed per play at 5.0 yards allowed per play. In other words, their defense wasn't the strongest lock-down defense in the Pac-10 given that they were only 5th for yards allowed per play, but the defense as a whole did a good job of limiting the offense's plays per game thus keeping down their average yards allowed per game. Since they're returning so many players with experience on defense, I wouldn't be too surprised to see these numbers get better. While I'm not sure that Arizona's defense will be as good as Cal's defense, it certainly will be a fairly tough defense.

TwistNHook: So, how do you guys see this one ending up?

I think that Arizona's D will be solid, but their O will take a step back without key players like Mike Thomas and Willie Tuitama. They still have Gronk, but, at home especially, I think we can handle him. I think Cal will win this, but it won't be a blowout. 3-2.

Avinash: I sometimes wonder if you know which sport we're covering.

TwistNHook: As v. Diamondbacks, interleague play, right?

Poll

How will Cal do against Arizona?

Big win

91 votes

Close win

44 votes

Close loss

9 votes

Big loss

2 votes

146 votes | Poll has closed

Previewing the Season: Arizona Wildcats

jtlight — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:00:10 -0000

More photos » by Nick Ut - AP

What does Mike Stoops do? Lose football games.

Browse more photos »

Due to a malfunctioning computer, we're changing the order of these previews. ASU will run tomorrow.

The Arizona Wildcats are one of the toughest teams to figure out going into this season. While the Pac-10 media pegged them for 8th in the conference, other sources (most notably Phil Steele) have them in the upper half of the conference.

And this disagreement is all due to one man: Mike Stoops. Life under Stoops in Tucson has been mind-numbingly inconsistent. After a couple years of growing pains in which Stoops had to deal with the hangover from the John Mackovic era, Stoops teams have shown improvement, at least on a play-to-play level. When Matt Hinton looked at the Wildcats earlier this offseason, he has noted that in almost every year under Stoops, the team he improved in yards per play differential, yards per game differential, and overall points per game differential. And in many cases, these statistics show just how much a team is improving (or regressing) better than win-loss.

But despite that improvement, Arizona was consistently hit with head scratching losses. While the Wildcats have played USC tougher than almost any team in the conference, they have lost to New Mexico and Stanford two years in a row. Every major milestone Stoops reaches is countered with defeat.

This will be a very important year for the Wildcats. They have a talented and marginally experienced defense, but lose a lot on the offensive side of the ball. While Stoops has earned a season with his young team, if Arizona significantly regresses this year, in 2010 they will be calling for his head again.

This year, Oregon gets Arizona at the end of the season, and must go to Tucson, where things have not gone so well over the past few season (for either Oregon team). While Oregon should be a superior team, Arizona has always played well at home, especially against the upper half of the Pac-10, and no matter Arizona's standing at the time, the Ducks will be in for a tough game.

Oregon Offense vs. Arizona Defense:

The Arizona defense starts up front with the defensive line, which returns their entire two-deep. However, this was a unit that allowed opponents to average over 4 yards per rush, and averaged less than 2 sacks per game. The line will be backed up by linebackers who will be good, but not outstanding. While this unit is bound to improve in rush defense, this will likely be marginal at best.

The strength of the Arizona D will be their secondary. They return one of the top CBs in the conference in Devin Ross. While they must replace the other cornerback, they return talented and experienced safeties in Robert Golden and Cam Nelson. I expect this unit to continue their production from last season, when they were a top 25 passing defense that intercepted 16 balls and held opponents to a passer rating of 106.70.

However, I don't think that they will be able to stop an Oregon offense that will hopefully be very experienced and running like a well-oiled machine by the 11th game of the season. When the Oregon offense was "on" over the last two years, the Arizona defense had no chance to stop it. Oregon did what it wanted when it wanted. Unfortunately, injuries, mistakes, and mental implosions hurt the Ducks, but on this side of the ball, Oregon will have control. If they don't fall apart, they should score 40+ points.

Oregon Defense vs. Arizona Offense:

While the Arizona Offense will lose a decent amount of production due to offensive line losses and the loss of Willie Tuitama, they return the best tight end in the nation in Rob Gronkowski. I'm sure most of you remember last season, where Oregon was simply unable to guard him. He's big, fast, and catches everything. While he has been out with a strained back, he will end up being the go-to receiver for new QB Matt Scott (who appears to have won the QB competition with Nick Foles). They also have a number of talented receivers, led by Delashaun Dean, who has had two solid seasons so far.

However, while I think that Arizona passing game will not see a lot of regression due to the amount of playmakers, the offense as a whole hinges on the success of the running game. Last season was so successful for Arizona because they averaged over 158 ypg rushing, which led to their best offense in years. Arizona brought in Sonny Dykes from Texas Tech before the 2007 season, and while that led to instant improvement accross the board, the true success was seen when the passing game was complemented by a strong running game.

While the Wildcats return RB Nic Grigsby, who was great last season, they lose a large amount on the offensive line. For Arizona to succeed, especially against the Ducks, Arizona must run the ball effectively. One of the reasons they were so strong last year against Oregon is that they ran for 199 yards on the ground, the second most Oregon gave up all year. While Arizona will likely still be good on the ground, a good defense should be able to make them one dimensional, and with a new QB, that will not lead to long term success for the offense.

Conclusion:

I don't believe Arizona will regress to 8th in the Pac-10 this year, and they have the talent to surprise a few teams. However, they will likely be marked by maddening inconsistency, and they will lose some games that were winnable.

Oregon has a lot of advantages in this game. They have an offense that Arizona will have a lot of difficultly stopping. They will likely be able to make Arizona rely on the pass, while getting pressure on a young QB. I think that Arizona will be able to keep it close for a while, but Oregon will run away with the game in the 4th quarter, as Oregon is a deeper, more talented team, and will force Arizona to rely on an inexperienced passing game.

Wildcats Position by Position Breakdown: Defensive Backs

joenewby4040 — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 13:34:54 -0000

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Devin Ross and Trevin Wade will be the Cats starters this year on the corners with Cam Nelson and Robert Golden holding down the safety spots. Ross brings experience and a high level of competition to the field for the Cats every year he has been in Tucson. Last year he was 16^th nationally in total passes defended and won Second Team All Pac-10 Conference honors as well.

(Devin Ross brings experience in the secondary)

Trevin Wade was a reserve last year, but filled in on mop up duty and still managed to pick up four interceptions in 2008. This guy was technically a backup last year, but will carry enough experience on his shoulders to legitimize himself as a returning starter for this season. Cam Nelson has 37 games under his belt and will be the ultimate leader in the secondary this season. He is the leading returning tackler for 2008 with 67. Robert Golden will have to earn his spot on the team this year. He started at Arizona as a corner, so he knows the ropes and coverages, but will still be competing with Joe Perkins, and possibly Adam Hall, the true freshman.

(Cam Nelson had 67 tackles last year)

The Cats recruited softly at the DB position, getting Ryan Milus and Derrick Rainey as true defensive backs. The Cats four star recruit, Adam Hall, played just about everything while at Tucson Palo Verde High, but will play safety for the Cats. He will push Robert Golden for playing time this season and coach Stoops has let it be known that he will play early and often for the Cats. Ryan Milus has been released of his scholarship to be able to pursue a track career. He is headed to Arizona State.

Quick Hits August 24, 2009

Smooty — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:44:50 -0000

Mike Diaz and Brooks Reed have battled each other throughout training camp. Both credit the other for improved play, and high intensity practices. This practice field match up is exactly what Diaz needed. Diaz switched to left tackle this year, from guard. His job is to protect the Arizona quarterback's blind-side. Who better to practice against, and develop big-time left tackle skills than Brooks Reed?

No quarterback decision has been made. Nick Foles seriously outplayed Matt Scott Saturday night in a scrimmage at Arizona Stadium. Scott, unfortunately, was the recipient of multiple dropped passes. But, besides the disparity in stats of the two players (Foles: 11/16 104 yards, TD; Scott: 9/19 85 yards), one quote by wide receiver Terrell Turner bothered me the most: ""(Scott's) still got to work on his composure as a quarterback," Turner said. "If he's out there yelling and screaming at those guys, that's going to do nothing. You just have to pull that aside … tap them on the butt and say, 'Let's go. We need you the next play.' " Maybe Matt Scott should worry less about yelling at his receivers for dropped balls, and more about leading this team.

More quick hits after the jump!

Trevin Wade is ready to step this season as a full-time starter, opposite Devin Ross at cornerback. Wade's play will go a long way in determining how strong the Cats defense will be this year. Teams around the Pac-10 will respect Devin Ross' skill and experience. Wade is going to see the ball thrown his direction early and often. If Wade can hold his own, and prevent offenses from slicing our secondary open, Arizona's team defense has the opportunity to be very strong.

The incomparable 2009 SBN Pac-10 Football Preview

Nuss — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:00:12 -0000

More photos » by Jae C. Hong - AP

USC has more question marks this year than at any time in their reign of dominance over the Pac-10, starting with who will play quarterback. Will freshman Matt Barkley be the guy? (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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We SB Nation bloggers are quite proud of our independence. Yet, from time to time, an event so compelling comes along so as to draw us out from our communities and collaborate on a project of such import, the very future of SBN depends on it.

The beginning of football season is just such an event.

For seven years now, every Pac-10 football season has approached with the same question in mind: Is this the year that Oregon/Cal/Oregon State/ANYBODY supplants USC as the champion of the West Coast's premier conference? Not since 2002, when Washington State advanced to the Rose Bowl by virtue of its head-to-head victory over the Trojans, has someone other than USC represented the Pac-10 as the league's champion.

Could this finally be the year it happens? Can Jeremiah Masoli lead Oregon to the heights that Dennis Dixon's knee could not? Can Jahvid Best carry Cal there? Will Oregon State take that next step to elite status by competing for the conference title year in and year out?

In a lot of ways, this sure feels like the year. The Trojans will be breaking in another new quarterback, and while that hasn't exactly stopped them before -- a couple of guys named John David Booty and Mark Sanchez did OK -- you have to wonder if their luck doesn't run out at some point. Defensively, they'll have to replace three linebackers selected in the first two rounds of the NFL draft, and eight starters overall. Again, they've done this before ... but still.

Nationally, the take is that this string of dominance by USC says more about the rest of the conference than it does the Trojans. True or not, that's the perception. If this conference ever wants to get the respect it thinks it deserves, it's going to have to start consistently challenging the Trojans for that title, and occasionally taking one.

This just might be the year.

Predicted Order of Finish

As voted on by the Pac-10 SBN bloggers ...

Top Five Pac-10 Heisman Trophy Candidates

1. Jahvid Best

#4 / Running Back / California Golden Bears

Height: 5-10

Weight: 195

Year: junior

Best is absolutely electric; he's been described as 'silly-fast'. He's a human highlight reel who's a threat to take the ball to the house every time. He's the leading returning rusher in college football, averaging over 8 yards every time he touches the ball. If Cal wins 10+ games, he's the prototypical candidate, right?

- California Golden Blogs

2. Jacquizz Rodgers

#1 / Running Back / Oregon St. Beavers

Height: 5-7

Weight: 191

Year: sophomore

Rodgers burst onto the scene last year with a sensational campaign as a true freshman, rushing or 1,253 yards in 2008. His small size and shifty moves make him a fun player to watch -- and a tough target for opponents to bring down.

- Building the Dam

3. Jeremiah Masoli

#8 / Quarterback / Oregon Ducks

Height: 5-11

Weight: 214

Year: junior

Jeremiah Masoli is not your typical QB. He’s short, and a bit squatty, but does he ever produce. He can throw the ball, he can run the ball, and he doesn’t make mistakes. In his second year with Chip Kelly, look for him to become the most productive player in the Pac-10, and maybe run over a few safeties in the process.

- Addicted to Quack

4. Taylor Mays

#2 / Safety / USC Trojans

Height: 6-3

Weight: 235

Year: senior

Normally, defensive players don't stand a chance in the Heisman race. But Mays never has really fit the mold. A freak of an athlete -- he hits like a linebacker but runs like a wide receiver -- Mays has two things going for him that every Heisman candidate needs: 1) A well-hyped reputation that proceeds him, and 2) He plays for one of the best programs in the country. A big game against Ohio State would set his candidacy into motion.

- Conquest Chronicles

5. Jake Locker

#10 / Quarterback / Washington Huskies

Height: 6-3

Weight: 222

Year: junior

The Huskies likely won't be very good this year, but Locker is an undeniable talent and a dark-horse Heisman candidate. He's a run/pass threat who has been more run than pass so far. If new coach Steve Sarkisian can get his completion percentage up, and the Huskies can win a few more games than people think, Locker has the opportunity to put up some eye-popping numbers.

- CougCenter.com

Team Capsules (in predicted order of finish)

1. USC Trojans

By Conquest Chronicles

Overview: USC has faced using a new starting QB in the past and they have responded. The Trojans have all of their starters back on offense (except Patrick Turner) and although they are replacing most of the defense, the defense will be better in 2009 than a lot of people think. I do think the rest of the Pac-10 is catching up to USC, but until someone actually knocks USC out of the top spot ...

Key to Success: The QB position is the key to USC's success in 2009. With Aaron Corp out for a short time with an injury, don't go to sleep on true freshman Matt Barkley, who has really stunned many with quick grasp of the offense and his maturity at handling the pressure. Barkley has a ways to go, but he is a lot closer than others in his position in the past.

Potential Achilles Heel: See above ...

Best Case Scenario: USC Wins the Pac-10 but will probably have 1-2 losses.

Worst Case Scenario: USC loses the pac-10 because of some bone head lead loss in conference.

Likely Scenario: USC will have a tough time with their road schedule and their winning the Pac-10 will probably come down to the last week of the season.

2. Cal Golden Bears

By California Golden Blogs

Overview: The Nate Longshore era is over. For better or for worse, the Bears will be entering a new age of Tedford football at Strawberry Canyon, where faces have changed but the strategy remains the same: Run the ball, terrorize on defense. Those were the characteristics of the 2004 team that should've been Rose Bowl-bound, and while Tedford searches for the next great Cal QB to follow in Aaron Rodgers' footsteps, there is hope the 2009 team can finally put it all together. With eight returning starters on defense, eight on offense, plus one of the most spectacular players in the country, what's not to like?

Key to Success: The Bears' hopes to make it to the Rose Bowl remain firmly perched on the spectacular Jahvid Best. Best was the main reason for five or six of Cal's wins last season; with a battered offensive line and only sporadic quarterback play, everyone looked to Best to provide the offense with some spark. Get him the ball in space, and he's a threat to take it to the house every time, leaving defensive backs grasping at air. Cal's defense is good enough to keep the Bears in every game, but it will be up to Jahvid (and those who block for him) to put up enough points to win them.

Potential Achilles Heel: Kevin Riley still won't inspire many Cal fans until he can show he can complete a short route downfield consistently. He struggled with his command and mechanics all last season, and he and a green receiving corp never got on the same page. With another offensive coordinator coming in, it'll be most important to monitor his development as the leader of our offense. Anything the passing game can do to ease the pressure on Best will pay big dividends in the Pac-10 title chase. Runner-up: Our placekickers can't be trusted with a kick from over 30-35 yards, and kickoffs were a dicey proposition all last year.

Best Case Scenario: Pasadena. The default answer of a Cal fan. This year, though, there are two choices. We'll be happy with either one.

Worst Case Scenario: Beating USC, somehow nursing a one game lead in the Pac-10, everything going smoothly into the Big Game ... and blowing our Rose Bowl chances on the field of the Furdies. Yeah, brace yourself Cal fans. Less heartbreaking would be a repeat of the sort of meltdown that imploded the Bears' 2007 season. Even in the worst case, however, I can't see this team limping to the finish line with less than a 7-5 record.

Likely Scenario: If Riley is good and everything else holds to form, we're finally BCS-bound. If Riley struggles, we get our pick of the ESPN bowl bonanza. The Trojans will never be more vulnerable than they are this fall. The Bears will never be stronger. I would put better than even odds on the Bears winning at least 10 games this season. Our chances rest with our quarterback. Haven't we been here before?

3. Oregon Ducks

By Addicted to Quack

Overview: Oregon is beginning a new era this season, but it really doesn’t seem like much has changed. New coach Chip Kelly will continue his offensive explosion that has averaged 475 ypg and 40ppg over the past 2 years. Duck fans expect great things, as Oregon is loaded with talent at the skill positions, and the inexperienced offensive line will be coached by the top offensive line coach in the country, Steve Greatwood.

On the other side of the ball, the Ducks will rely on speed. Oregon has an experienced and talented group of linebackers, and the team is led in the secondary by All Pac-10 CB Walter Thurmond and hard hitting safety TJ Ward (Google "TJ Ward hits Zac Robinson;" you’ll be glad you did). Though Oregon’s defense has been a weak line in the past, it has the talent to improve from last season, when the Ducks’ D spent more time on the field than any team in the nation.

Key to Success: The passing defense. Oregon fans are always up in arms about the secondary, which they constantly feel is underachieving. Last year, the unit was supposed to be the best in the nation, but then gave up a combined 829 yards to BSU and USC.

This year, the unit must improve, which will be a very difficult task as Oregon lost two starters in the first two rounds of the NFL draft. The secondary is talented with a finally fully healthy Thurmond, who should be one of the top cornerbacks in the nation. But Oregon will need young players to step up at the opposite corner position, as well as at rover.

Potential Achilles Heel: Any follower of the Pac-10 knows that injuries have spelled disaster for the Ducks time and again in recent years, most notably when Dennis Dixon’s knee gave out on a terrible night in Tucson. This season is no exception, with only one experienced QB on the roster. QB Jeremiah Masoli is backed up by Nate Costa and Darron Thomas but Costa has injured his ACL three times and Thomas is an inconsistent true sophomore.

Health will also be vital at receiver and on the offensive line. The WR position has seen multiple injuries through the first week of fall camp, and the offensive line is still healing from spring ball. As the offensive line returns only 20 total starts, health will be vital in ensuring this unit can come together and help Oregon compete with the upper echelon of the Pac-10.

Best Case Scenario: Go undefeated and win the bowl game against anyone not named Florida. All the games on Oregon’s schedule are definitely winnable. Oregon has the talent to realistically stick with almost any team in the country, and has a very favorable schedule.

Worst Case Scenario: Oregon’s offensive line never comes together and neither does their defensive line or secondary. This means that Oregon can’t beat either USC or Cal at home, and drops a few games to teams like Arizona, UCLA, and Stanford. Oregon goes 6-7 after losing in Chip Kelly’s bowl debut.

Likely Scenario: Oregon goes 9-3, losing to USC, splitting Cal and BSU, and dropping another along the way. Oregon has a lot of talent, yet a lot of inexperience in a few key positions, which could mean inconsistency. But Oregon wins its bowl game, setting the stage for a big 2010.

4. Oregon State Beavers

By Building The Dam

Overview: For the second straight year, Oregon State will be looking to reload on defense. All four members of the secondary are gone from a year ago, as well as three from the defensive line. The linebackers, led by Keaton Kristick, will be the strength of the defense and should help stop this year's talented crop of Pac-10 running backs. Any pressure the defensive line (watch out for DT Steven Paea) can put on the quarterback will help the young secondary. On offense, the healthy quarterback is Sean Canfield, with Lyle Moevao taking a backseat -- for now. Jacquizz Rodgers returns at RB, but there is little proven depth behind him -- and the receivers are young.

Key to Success: Two things quickly come to mind. The first is the offensive line. LT Andy Levitre and LG Adam Speer are off to the NFL, leaving behind a young, inexperienced group-- especially on the left side. Highly touted recruit Michael Philipp has come into camp to compete for the LT spot, and has been turning some heads. According to HC Mike Riley, Philipp will either "start or redshirt", but at 6-3, 320, the Beavers need him to learn the system and start this year. The other key is Jacquizz Rodgers. He needs to stay healthy all year, or this could turn into a train wreck on offense with the inexperience at receiver, especially with Darrell Catchings going down with a wrist injury early in fall camp.

Potential Achilles Heel: The secondary, which isn’t young -- just inexperienced -- could be the achilles heel this year. It shouldn’t be quite like 2005, when the Beavers baptized freshmen Brandon Hughes and Keenan Lewis by fire at cornerback, but all four to-be starters don’t have much starting experience. It will be up to Tim Clark to hold down the group -- he has the most experience and should turn into the leader of the defensive backfield.

Best Case Scenario: The best case scenario this year is that the Beavers win all their home games (it’s doable), and then go out and win most of their tough games on the road. With road trips to Cal, Arizona State, USC, and Oregon, it’s not going to be easy, but the Beavers know they have the talent and the wherewithal to do it.

Worst Case Scenario: The worst-case scenario would be that the Beavers can’t win the games they need to win at home, and they struggle against the Pac-10’s best on the road -- which could mean that Jacquizz Rodgers goes down with an injury.

Likely Scenario: Most likely, the Beavers will win seven or eight games. It's very possible that this squad could win more-- and it probably wouldn't surprise many, based on what Riley has been able to do in the past. Look for the Beavers to get off to a better start in years past with the more favorable pre-season schedule, have a solid season, and win their sixth straight bowl game.

5. Arizona State Sun Devils

By House of Sparky

Overview: 2008 is known as the year of disappointment in Tempe. After an extremely promising 2007 campaign where they finished 10-3 and won a share of the Pac-10 with USC, the Sun Devils found themselves overconfident and overmatched, going 5-7 and missing the postseason for the first time in years. 2009 brings a new quarterback in senior Danny Sullivan, and a highly touted recruiting class that could pay instant dividends on the playing field.

The Sun Devils are headed to Athens, Georgia to play the Bulldogs in a highly anticipated rematch of the drubbing of 2008. Going into a vaunted SEC stadium and pulling off the victory would give the Sun Devils a huge vote of confidence. In all likelihood, however, this team is a year away from legitimacy, after the recruiting class gets some experience in 2009

Key to Success: If the defense can live up to its massive potential, ASU will be a sleeper pick to finish in the top 3 of the Pac-10. If true freshman LB Vontaze Burfict is eligible for the 2009 season, he and fellow true freshman DT Corey Adams will join an experienced, tenacious D led by LBs Gerald Munns and Mike Nixon. Given the uncertainty on offense, a reliable defense would give ASU a fighting chance against any competitor. Stop the run in the Pac-10, and you can put up wins. There isn't a single QB in the Pac-10 that can break down a great defense on his own.

Potential Achilles Heel: In a fairly obvious move, House of Sparky picks the quarterback position. Danny Sullivan is currently the guy, but Samson Szakacsy and Brock Osweiler are both breathing down his neck on the depth chart. In terms of talent, Osweiler is king. But as a true freshman, it's a spotty idea to even consider him for the role. As for savvy, it might just be Szakacsy. He's a laid back dude who enjoys surfing while at home in California, but he has the resolve to lead this team in the desert. As for experience, Danny is the only one who has ever played college football. Hopefully, Sullivan assumes the role nicely and takes us to a nice 8-win season. But with this lack of control over the circumstances, the QB position will be worth watching for the Devils in 2009.

Best Case Scenario: Sullivan catches onto the starting role, and the defense destroys the pretenders in the Pac-10. ASU goes into Georgia and gives them a heck of a fight, earning the respect of SEC fans everywhere. ASU wins 9 games, culminating in a victory over Oklahoma State in the Holiday Bowl. Thomas Weber wins his second Lou Groza Award.

Worst Case Scenario: Sullivan breaks down against Georgia, and we're embarrassed once again by the Bulldogs. Pac-10 competition brings about the emergence of Szakascsy, but he cannot fulfill the fans' expectations. Vontaze Burfict is deemed ineligible for competition, and has to sit out 2009. ASU wins 4 games, and Dennis Erickson is fired

Likely Scenario: Sullivan is an average Pac-10 QB, and we win 6 games, making it into the postseason, but lose to BYU in the Las Vegas bowl. Osweiler gets some reps, and is named starter going into the 2010 season. The defense scores 10 defensive touchdowns, the main bright spot on the team.

6. Stanford Cardinal

By CougCenter.com

Overview: Jim Harbaugh's program is one on the come. The Cardinal were living in the bottom of the Pac-10 in the wake of Tyrone Willingham's departure and the disaster that was Walt Harris, but after steady gains the past two seasons and one of the nation's top recruiting classes, Stanford has its eyes set on the top half of the conference. Harbaugh's got people believing down on The Farm.

Key to Success: Quarterback Andrew Luck. The highly regarded reshirt freshman has supplanted senior Tavita Pritchard, and by all accounts has the ability to be a star. If he can live up to the hype and provide a legitimate compliment to the already potent running attack led by Toby Gerhart, the Cardinal offense could take a quantum leap this year. And if it does, there's no telling what kind of noise Stanford can make.

Potential Achilles Heel: The offense ought to be good, but there are some nagging questions. The aforementioned quarterback battle could spell trouble if Luck doesn't pan out -- Pritchard has had plenty of issues over the years. And while Gerhart is a freight train, the offensive line has some new faces. The defense should be solid again, but if the offense can't come up to speed, the Cardinal might lose some games they might otherwise win.

Best Case Scenario: The Cardinal make the most of their relatively soft landing to begin the year, winning their first five against WSU, Wake Forest, San Jose State, Washington and UCLA. Emboldened by their fantastic start, Stanford goes 4-3 the rest of the way, winning a game or two against the conference's heavyweights to finish the year 9-3 and in the Sun Bowl.

Worst Case Scenario: That soft landing? Yeah, not so soft. WSU upsets Stanford after Luck throws a trio of interceptions, and it's a portent of things to come, as the Cardinal head to Wake and lose there, too. The bad start throws a wrench in the Cardinal improvement plan, and they take a step back to 4-8.

Likely Scenario: Stanford wins four of its first five, and goes 3-4 over the final seven to get to 7-5 and Las Vegas.

7. Arizona Wildcats

By AZ Desert Swarm

Overview: The 2009 season will be all about momentum. Nic Foles and Matt Scott battle out the quarterback position while the receivers, running backs, and offensive line return tons of experience. Our defense should be solid as well with a D-line that will be strong, aggressive backers, and anchors on the defensive backfield in Cam Nelson and Devin Ross. Arizona's recruiting class is the strongest since Stoops has been in Tucson. Three guys could make immediate impacts as true freshman (C.J. Parish, Trevor Erno, and Adam Hall). The Cats brought in Jonathan Hollins as a Junior transfer as well as Jack Julsing and Shane Zink for immediate experience and upper classmen strength.

Key to Success: The key to our success will definitely be the offensive line play, giving our young quarterbacks the time to throw the ball. I think that Matt Scott will be the starter at the beginning of the year. Scott will have the mobility factor that Foles isn't able to bring to the team. Nic Grigsby and Keolin will be dominant out of the backfield and shouldn't miss a beat on the offensive end. Wide receivers are deep (minus Mike Thomas) and will be open, they just need a QB to get them the ball. Defensive line is really deep with the return of Elmore, Mitchell, Horton, Reed, and the addition of Hollins. Linebackers is the weak point, with our DB's returning two guys who have lots of experience.

Potential Achilles Heel: Arizona's achilles heel is the lack of cohesiveness with the offense. We will have a new QB in Scott, or Foles. Our offensive line lost three guys, and will be making patchwork of returning backups from last year and juco transfers in Zink and Jusling. The receivers will need to find a man to step up and take Thomas' spot, most likely Delashaun Dean or Terrell Turner. Arizona's offense faces plenty of tough teams in the Pac-10 this year, will have to play a scary Central Michigan team, and travel to Iowa to play a Big-10 team on their third week of the year.

Best Case Scenario: Take care of business in the non-conference schedule by taking out Central Michigan, Northern Arizona, and Iowa without missing a beat. The next three games are Oregon State, Washington and Stanford. The Cats will probably win 2 out of 3 of these. I think our best case scenario for the Cats is to start out the season 5-1 heading back to Tucson to play UCLA. A win at home against UCLA is definitely winnable. Taking out UCLA, then lowly Washington State could lead the Cats to 7-1. I think that's where the honeymoon stops and the Cats struggle the rest of the way out. At California, home against Oregon, at Arizona State, then to USC will be a brutal way to end the year.

Worst Case Scenario: Lose at home to Central Michigan (scary team) to start the season, and then at Iowa two weeks later. I think a slide in the beginning of the year could snowball the Cats downward and cause problems for them at Oregon State and Washington. I think a 1-4 start would be the worst case scenario for Arizona. After Oregon State, UCLA and Washington could prove formidable foes. I already talked about our year end schedule, which could easily be 4 losses for the Cats this year.

Likely Scenario: A middle ground of the above scenarios. The Cats will take out Central Michigan and Northern Arizona no problem. Travel to Iowa will be a challenge. Oregon State in Corvallis will be a huge win, but unlikely. The Cats will finish 8-4 this year, but will need to find a way to put up point like they did last year. Sonny Dykes has done a great job installing the spread offense in Tucson and Matt Scott could be an unbelievable fit in the system.

8. UCLA Bruins

By Bruins Nation

Overview: To say Rick Neuheisel was handed a program that had to be built from the ground up is a massive understatement and last season couldn't even be called building a foundation. Last season, Neuheisel just cleared the scraps off the lot. This season, he will begin to build his foundation. With the infusion of talent thanks to great recruiting, some fantastic offseason work and a year of development, this program will take a major step forward this year. They won't compete for a Pac-10 title, but they'll be competitive in every game and that's progress.

Key to Success: The Bruins' key to success will be the man under center, Kevin Prince. While the offensive line is the unit that needs to take the biggest step forward, the quarterback position is still the most important on the football field and UCLA will send a redshirt freshman who hasn't played in two years (season-ending injury in the first game of his senior year of high school) into the fire. He does have a good arm though and has drawn rave reviews for his football smarts and leadership qualities. His ability to keep the turnovers at a minimum and handle the pressure sure to come from dropping back behind a green offensive line will tell the tale of the offense.

Potential Achilles Heel: The Bruins' potential achilles heel is the same as last season. While the team had issues last year, no unit caused UCLA more problems than the offensive line. The running backs never had holes to run through and last year's quarterback, Kevin Craft, showed as much toughness as anyone in the country just to make it through each game with the beating he was taking. The offensive line's first job this year will be to open some holes to get a running game going. If the Bruins have a respectable running game, then UCLA will have a chance to take advantage of the talent at the skill positions.

Best Case Scenario: The UCLA offensive line, which is amazingly inexperienced, but has some talent, could come together and provides decent play. Kevin Prince could maximize his talent a little earlier than expected and mature quickly, while the defense remains as injury-free as possible to be led by Brian Price, Reggie Carter and Alterraun Verner to an eight-win season.

Worst Case Scenario: Kevin Prince and the offensive line's play leans more towards inexperience than talent, while the linebacking core, which is strong but thin, falls prey to injury. With the offensive line and QB unable to take advantage of the talent on the perimeter, the offense flounders and the lack of linebackers lets opposing teams control possession as UCLA fails to go bowling again.

Likely Scenario: The Bruins will be inconsistent as they mesh some extreme inexperience in with their handful of great players. The offense will be much improved and keep from turning the ball over too much, but is never explosive. The defense should be steady and help the offense out with field position and special teams is stout to win UCLA seven games.

9. Washington Huskies

By CougCenter

Overview: The 2009 Huskies are in rebuilding mode under new head coach Steve Sarkisian after going through total destruction mode under the Willingham and Gilbertson eras. There is hope on Montlake, as Sark has shown the ability to bring in big recruits. If he can get those recruits to execute his offensive plan the same way his USC superstuds did, then Husky fans may see the glory of the Don James days return. Of course, having Joe Montana roaming the sidelines watching his son, all the while bumping into a few recruits and boosters, probably won't hurt.

Key to Success: Jake Locker's arm. We all know Jake can run. Last year we saw what happens when Jake relies on his legs too much. The problem is Locker has only been effective when he has made plays with his legs. Unfortunately, he has not impressed when putting the ball in the air. His most famous throw is a behind the back toss that led to a 15 yard penalty against BYU last year. If Jake can improve his throwing accuracy, the Husky offense would become difficult to stop.

Potential Achilles Heel: There is a common thread that connects all historically bad football teams. Poor line play. The Husky offensive line was very ineffective in 2008 (2.9 YPC). It doesn't matter how talented Jake Locker or any other skill player on the UW offense is, if the line doesn't block, the offense won't move.

Best Case Scenario: Jake Locker stays in the pocket a little more, hits some open receivers, continues to make some plays with his legs, and keeps his leg out of a cast for all twelve games. The lines on both sides hold up just enough and the Huskies go 5-7.

Worst Case Scenario: Another 0-12 season is unlikely thanks to the scheduled W known as Idaho. Worst case, the Huskies go 1-11 with a historic third straight Apple Cup loss to the Washington State Cougars.

Likely Scenario: The Pac 10 is down this year, but UW was just flat out bad last year. It would be a lot to ask to challenge for a bowl game. The Huskies will most likely beat Idaho, Wazzu, and either Arizona or Oregon at home. On the road, they could get one from either Stanford or UCLA. UW ends the season at 4-8.

10. Washington State Cougars

By CougCenter

Overview: The Cougs are coming off of perhaps the worst season in the history of the program. A roster already low on Pac-10-caliber talent was made worse by a plethora of injuries, especially on offense: Five different quarterbacks saw action for the Cougs and seven different offensive line combinations started games. The result was ugly: The Cougs' eight Pac-10 losses were by a combined score of 440-61. Ouchy.

But there is hope that this year can be better. There is a lot of experience returning on offense, and a number of transfers join the defensive ranks. Additionally, the team dedicated itself to strength and conditioning in the offseason, making gains that have been noticeable to observers close to the program. It should add up to the team being more competitive in 2009.

Key to Success: The biggest problem for this team last year was that it was physically dominated at the point of attack on both sides of the ball. The defensive allowed a whopping 5.78 yards per attempt last year (dead last in FBS), most of which you can lay at the feet of the line. Add in the fact that they had just 15 sacks against FBS competition, and you can that the rest of the defense never really had a chance. The story was much the same on the offensive side: 2.75 yards per rushing attempt (No. 116), 42 sacks allowed (No. 117).

If the big fellas on the offensive and defensive lines can put those strength gains to good use -- holding their own in the trenches and avoiding injury -- this team stands a real chance of being a lot more competitive.

Potential Achilles Heel: Injuries, plain and simple. This team still is paper thin at just about every position not named running back -- the Cougs are loaded there, led by explosive Cal transfer James Montgomery -- and if any unit suffers a sudden spate of injuries, it could undermine the effort of the entire team. The positive news is that it's so far, so good in camp, as no key players have suffered notable injuries; at this time last year, the training table was already overflowing. The Cougs will need that to continue in order to make the strides they want to make this year. Otherwise, it could be a replay of 2008 until more reinforcements come next fall.

Best Case Scenario: With last year's experience fresh in their minds, the Cougs play inspired football. The strength and conditioning gains made in the offseason are real, and the team is able to withstand the physical punishment of Pac-10 play. They also get a little lucky in avoiding major injuries. The offense is able to move the ball well on the ground and adequately through the air, and the defense employs a bend-but-don't-break philosophy that allows them to give the offense a chance. It all adds up to the Cougs shocking some people en route to a 5-7 season.

Worst Case Scenario: Injuries pile up again, and so do the losses. Another string of embarrassing defeats has fans questioning Paul Wulff's ability to turn the program around, and worse than that, the players' commitment, which looked so strong in the offseason, begins to waver. WSU finishes the year without a win, and Wulff never gets to see the rebuilding job come to fruition.

Likely Scenario: The team is better. Not great, but better. They're not winning a whole lot more games, but they're in a lot more games than they were a year ago. There still are some lopsided scores, but clearly, progress has been made and things are heading in the right direction. The Cougs get a couple of non-conference wins against SMU and Hawaii, jump up to bite either Arizona State or UCLA, and finish up the year with yet another win over Washington. Four wins? We'll take it.