SB Nation - Thomas Weber

Arizona State Preview

John Berkowitz — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:00:49 -0000

More photos » by John Froschauer - AP

2 months ago: Arizona's Nick Foles is hit by Washington's Daniel Te'o-Nesheim as he makes a pass during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game in Seattle, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

Browse more photos »

After back-to-back close contests the last two Saturday's the UW football team returns to the road for a night game in the desert on Saturday against Arizona State.

The game opened with ASU as a three point favorite and has increased to as much as seven at some of the houses in Las Vegas. A couple of clues for the run up is the proximity of Vegas to Phoenix and the obvious edge ASU holds in the stats in comparison to Washington this season. What the stats don't explain is strength of schedule but the odds makers and gamblers seem to be ignoring that key factor.

I really don't blame them because if I was an impartial gambler I would take ASU. The game is in their home stadium. The game is on a grass field. Most importantly those defensive numbers even held together in losses to two respectable opponents...OSU and Georgia.

I picked Washington because of a few different factors. Locker is a mobile QB that will challenge the Devil defense a lot more than the big immobile QB's at Georgia and Oregon State. Washington has been tough in the red zone all season and that isn't likely to change on Saturday night. ASU's field goal kicker is every questionable because of a groin injury and the replacement missed two PAT's last week at WSU. ASU won't get into the red zone as much as Arizona did and zero's rather than three's can be fatal in a game like this.

Even more important is the propensity of ASU to turn the ball over. They turned it over six times against WSU last week. If they turn it over half as much against Washington they are going to be in serious trouble. The other side of the story is ASU is just as adept at getting the opposition to turn over the ball. They have an incredible plus 7 ratio in the department despite turning the ball over six times last week. Washington has to minimize the errors to beat the Sun Devils. Yards will be tough enough to get without giving an anemic Sun Devil offense the advantage of a short field by turning the ball over.

Like every game left on the schedule this season it is going to be a grind it out, sit on the edge of your seat type of affair. Like we have said since the LSU and USC games...Washington has the ability to beat every team left on the schedule. They also have the ability to lose every game except for WSU.

Position Matchups

Quarterback - Washington - Jake Locker is the best QB in the conference and Danny Sullivan is in danger of losing his job to a true freshman. Sullivan will benefit from a short passing game on Saturday. The question is how long will it take him to throw a pick six with one of his wild throws? A bigger question is how long will Erickson wait to put 6'8 Brock Osweiler in the game?

Running Back - Even - ASU has been able to run the ball this season when they have wanted to. Washington struggled to get a running game going last week against Arizona. The ASU front seven is just as good as the one Washington faced last week. ASU needs to work on eliminating errors. They need to hang onto the ball. The return of Johri Fogerson gives UW a little more depth and creativity at the RB spot.

Wide Receivers - Washington - ASU potentially could have its two leading receivers out on Saturday. Both McGaha (Flu) and Williams (Hamstring) have had big games recently. Washington has more overall depth and everyone is healthy this week. ASU had to activate a true frosh this week to gain some depth. Devin Aguilar had two TD passes against Arizona and has the team's second-best per-catch average at 15.0. Last years leading receiver D'Andre Goodwin returns this week after sitting out the Arizona game with a concussion. Jordan Polk is out for a couple weeks with a cartilage tear.

Tight End - Washington - Kavario Middleton has had two strong games in a row for Washington. ASU lost their starting TE last weekend for six weeks with a broken jaw. Kavario has seven catches for 73 yards and one touchdown in the last two games.

Offensive Line - Washington - This is one of those rare times when I give the UW OL a decided edge. ASU has one of the worst lines in the conference. Washington's line has been serviceable so far this season. They seem to give Locker enough time and Polk seems to be able to get his yards when they go to him. The big question of course is how they will cope with one of the best front 7's they have seen this year. Could that negate the advantage?

Defensive Line - Arizona State - This is a really good front four that is coming off a 12 sack game. Does Washington even have close to that number all season? The UW defensive line needs to get pressure on the QB this week and force some errors. The Huskies are tough against the run. Stanford was the only team to expose so far this season. ASU will come after Locker all day long.

Linebacker - Even - Washington has matched up and played well against every team on the schedule with this experienced unit. Nixon and Burfict are having great seasons for ASU. This is pretty much of a tossup. The power factor is ASU has the better defensive line at this point. You put both the front units together and you have an excellent front seven.

Secondary - Arizona State - Omar Bolden hasn't been healthy this season but is a possibility this weekend. His lack of health has held back this unit. If he was healthy I would rank the ASU secondary in top four of the conference. I think UW and ASU are pretty even back here but I hesitate to give UW the edge with Justin Glenn out for the season. The return of Nate Williams and Jason Wells are a big plus for Washington. UW should have more scheme options this week to battle the short passing game.

Special Teams - Washington - ASU missed a couple of PAT's last week and are auditioning kickers. ASU PK Thomas Weber (groin) is listed as questionable. The 2007 Lou Groza Award winner has missed the past four games. Washington has a decent coverage game and Erik Folk has been rock sold when called upon. Chris Polk gave the return game a boost last week. Now if only Will Mahan can catch all his snaps this weekend. His miscue in the third quarter almost cost Washington the game.

Game Match ups

Washington running game versus the Arizona State defense

Nobody has been able to run on Arizona State this season. Both Georgia and Oregon State which sport pretty good rushing offenses were held under 100 yards by the Sun Devil defense. Washington has seen some pretty good front seven's this year. They will spend the time it takes to try to establish a running game. Chris Polk is one of the toughest backs in the conference. He carries people with him after contact for important extra yards.

Jake Locker who didn't run much this season till last weekend again will be called upon to run the ball this weekend. The Devils are aggressive and like to blitz which means the opportunity is there for Locker to anticipate that, step up, and take off. When Jake gets into the secondary it is tough to catch up with him since he is the fastest player on the field.

Washington Passing Game versus the Arizona State defense

Jake is the top QB in the Pac 10 this season. He is a playmaker that can make things happen at any time. This week he is going to have the opportunity to burn the Devils deep. If he can hit his receivers in stride early when the Devils are exposed by the blitz it could give Washington a few early lightning strikes. The ASU offense does not perform well while trailing.

The key for Washington is avoiding the pass rush and scheming around it. These guys sacked WSU 12 times last weekend. We all know WSU sucks but that is still pretty impressive. Locker's mobility is a big plus but as we have seen on past games it is possible to sack Jake Locker. The offensive line really has to bring their A game on Saturday.

The Huskies have to open up ASU's defense enough to get some play-action going. If Jake has the time he has the potential to light up ASU with both his arm and his feet.

Arizona State rushing game versus the Washington defense

Arizona State is proficient at running the ball but Washington should be able to control this portion of the game forcing the game onto Danny Sullivan's shoulders. I really don't expect the Devils to run that much on Saturday night. Erickson has seen the film from last week’s game and I think he will choose to move the ball with a short and wide high percentage passing game.

The coaches have been happy with Alameda Ta'amu lately. They think he did a pretty good job plugging the middle last week against Arizona. Everrette Thompson is also getting good marks after moving inside. The coaches like the speed he is bringing to the middle this season.

Erickson primarily runs a lot of one back stuff. He spreads the field and that usually gives his running backs some room to move. Expect Thompson's speed to be a factor. UW will have to substitute liberally because of the early heat.

Arizona State passing game versus the Washington Defense

Danny Sullivan gets a lot of the blame for a tepid Sun Devil offense. Sullivan threw three interceptions against the Cougars last weekend and Brock Osweiler fumbled a snap. If the Devils continue to make the same mistakes against a much tougher Washington defense they are going to be in for a long night.

Like I said earlier Erickson is likely to opt for a short passing game to help take the pressure off his maligned QB. It worked well for Arizona last week and in this conference once a weakness is exposed teams will continue to prey on that weakness until you prove you can stop it.

A big reason Arizona had so much success last week with the bubble screen was the fact that UW was shorthanded in the secondary. The Calvary arrives in the form of Nate Williams and Jason Wells this week. Having Williams available gives Washington a lot more options. Wells isn't back to full speed yet in fact he may never get back to full speed. If UW can get 15-20 or so quality snaps out of him this week it will be a big plus.

ASU likes to split things out three wide and go to the sidelines. UW had a tough time defending that type of stuff last week so they need to come up with an early answer for it. Sullivan will work out of the shot gun quite a bit to avoid the rush and will be called on to release quickly.

The intangibles

Playing on the road at Sun Devil stadium isn't easy when it is packed. The Huskies are in luck this week. The Devils haven't been drawing that well this season. Washington travels well to the desert and there are plenty of Husky fans who live in the area who will show up at the game.

ASU committed six turnovers against WSU last week. Washington needs to take advantage of that.

The possible return of place kicker Thomas Weber could be crucial to the Sun Devil hopes of winning this game. Washington has been shutting down opponents in the red zone this season and limiting them to field goals. ASU missed two PAT's against WSU last week. If Weber isn't ready to go the potential of those three's turning into zeros in the red zone is very possible.

Chris Polk and possible Curtis Shaw are going to be the primary kickoff return men this week.

This isn't Dennis Erickson's first rodeo. He is one of the best collegiate coaches in the nation. He knows how to put his team in a position to win.

Game Notes

Curtis Shaw on how he feels being left out of the offense so far this season:

"Sometimes it just happens this way," Shaw said. "There’s always someone better than you out there. We’ve got a running back that’s doing good right now, and he’s hot. We just want to keep it going until the flame runs out - hopefully it doesn’t. You roll with what goes. Right now we’re going with him because we’re getting good results: We just got a (win over Arizona). It doesn’t really matter (who plays). As long as we win, it doesn’t really matter. A ‘W’ is a ‘W’ no matter what."

Coach Steve Sarkisian on the possibility of a Rose Bowl:

"I think of it that way, in the fact we still have an opportunity for it. In reality, I like our guys thinking about this game (against ASU)," Sarkisian said after practice Wednesday. "But when there’s something still sitting there for you to accomplish, it’s nice to look at it to know, ‘Man, the hard work I put in today might help us accomplish something down the road.’ "

Redshirt freshman Chris Polk is third in the conference in carries (115) and has 486 yards rushing. No running back in the league makes up more of his team’s rushing totals than the Redlands, Calif., product.

ASU has a young team. On this week’s depth chart for the game at Arizona State, half of the 22 starters are either sophomores or freshmen.

The Huskies give up 161.3 rushing yards per game, second-to-last in the conference. Their 418 total yards given up per game also is ninth in the Pac-10.

The Huskies are averaging more return yards on punts (18.5, best in Pac-10) than on kickoffs (18.3, worst in Pac-10). That is a big reason that Chris Polk has stepped in the the KO return role.

Daniel Teo Nesheim has 21 career sacks rank No. 7 all-time for Washington in that category with at least six games left in his college career.

CB Quinton Richardson is in danger of losing his starting to Adam Long who has had the majority of snaps with the first unit the week.

Offensive tackle Nick Scott (shoulder) and defensive end Kalani Aldrich (knee) are iffy to play against ASU. Both are listed as day to day.

In three consecutive games, the UW has scored a touchdown on defense. The UW sports information department, which has access to records that go back to the mid-1940s, discovered earlier this week that the three-straight-game feat had never before been done at the school.

UW opponents are 17-for-17 on field goals this season.

ASU CB Omar Bolden may have to sit out on Saturday with a knee injury. That would be a blow for the Sun Devil secondary.

ASU is first in the conference in total defense (221.8) and second in scoring defense (15.8 points per game).

ASU QB Danny Sullivan is 93 of 174 for 1,008 yards, with four touchdowns and five interceptions so far in 2009.

Dimitri Nance is the leading Sun Devil ball carrier. He has 89 carries for 366 yards and five touchdowns.

UW holds a 15-13 edge in the all-time series with ASU. Arizona State won 39-19 last year in Seattle.

The Huskies currently rank fifth in the nation with a third-down conversion rate of 53.33 percent (48-of-90). Their 48 successful conversions are the second-most of any team in the country. In the red zone, Washington has scored 19 of 21 times this season, with only a lost fumble and a loss of downs marring a perfect record. That 19-for-21 mark (.905) rates 28th (tied) in the country.

On defense, the Huskies have also had remarkable red-zone success. While opponents have scored in 25 of 30 attempts, they’ve been held to a field goal on 14 of those 25 scores, meaning that opponents have scored a touchdown on only 11 of 30 (.367) trips inside the UW 20-yard line.

UW's first six opponents are 22-5 excluding games against the Huskies -- only Virginia Tech and Florida State have faced opponents with a better combined record.

An Arizona State Weblogger Talks About His Team

T Kyle King — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:55:10 -0000

Blogging delays, both here at home and out in the Grand Canyon State, caused this posting to hit the internet later than any of us would have liked, but you may think of this as a special bonus posting.

I exchanged questions with SB Nation's Arizona St. Sun Devils blogger, Cory Williams. My responses to his questions appear at House of Sparky, while his answers to my inquires appear after the jump.

Dawg Sports: Whom should the Bulldogs fear on offense?

House of Sparky: If only it were that easy. The Sun Devils have yet to reveal the full potential of their offense. With Danny Sullivan getting comfortable as the starting QB at ASU, it's realistic to anticipate an increase in production. With that said, he will be aided by the sure hands of WR Chris McGaha.

A possession receiver who may have NFL-talent catching abilities, McGaha is often looked to in the flat on out routes, maximizing his opportunity to catch the ball, but minimizing the the potential for a big play.

Ball possession and a tough attitude will help ASU win the battle in Sanford, but they must be well aware of the speedy defense they are about to face.

DS: Whom should Georgia fear on defense?

HOS: The new recruits that coach Dennis Erickson has brought in, including Vontaze Burfict and Corey Adams, have largely boosted the athleticism and quickness of the Sun Devil defense. Burfict was ranked #1 in the country at LB, the #9 overall recruit, and #2 in California.

His speed and pursuit routes are like clockwork, and his elusiveness has acquainted him nicely to the college game. I am sure he and Rennie Curran will put forth maximum effort in a competitive, high exposure environment, with the recruiting world watching closely.

DS: What is Arizona State's biggest weakness?

HOS: ASU is an inexperienced, mediocre football team who has received an infusion of talent from the recruiting class of 2009. All positions considered, the offensive line has been the sieve that has brought us losing efforts against top-flight schools.

Georgia was able to penetrate our porous OL all day last season, and Rudy Carpenter never had a moment to do his reads, or find that open receiver on the 3rd check down. There just wasn't enough time with the excellent penetration by the Georgia front seven.

There have been changes on the line, with a few players returning from season-ending injuries in 2008. Even so, the inconsistencies that have plagued the ASU offensive line for years continue to come into play.

DS: How are your new recruits working out and what role will they play in deciding the outcome?

HOS: I have already played into this answer a little bit, but I will spare you any further praise of Burfict.

For the most part, ASU has seen value in letting its true freshmen play. We have seen Burfict, Adams, QB Brock Osweiler, K Bobby Wenzig, and a few others, which means that we are finally replenishing the quality of this program.

The main issue of 2008, ASU's lack of speed, has largely been addressed with the new additions. We are still years away from any semblance of contention, but the path has been created by the recruiting classes of 2008 and 2009.

With Thomas Weber, the 2007 Lou Groza award-winning kicker for the Sun Devils sitting this game out with a strained groin, Wenzig will be tasked with a difficult task on Saturday: kick the ball, and do it well. In a stadium with 92,000 screaming fans of the opposition, his impact will be felt, regardless of his performance.

My thanks go out to Cory for participating in this exchange. You may feel free to follow the unfolding action at SBNation.com.

Go 'Dawgs!

Your Pac-10 Quickie Primer: Week 4 Morning Open Thread

Avinash — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 13:00:24 -0000

via calbearsonline.com

"Let this be a gentlemanly victory!"

IT'S SATURDAY MORNING BEARS! Who among us isn't ~~terrified like hell~~ drunkenly excited to start the conference schedule?

There are other games on the Pac-10 slate; all of them are on some form of TV, so you should get your chance to watch them (of course, if we lose, I expect all of you to go into a 24 hour mourning period, and by mourning, I mean more beer). Pregame/first quarter thread will be up at 11:45 AM!

Arizona at Oregon State, 7:30 PM EST, 4:30 PM PST (Versus)

This is probably just as big a game as ours, at least in terms of figuring out what both of these teams are like. Here are the perspectives from both sides.

Nick Foles is Arizona's new QB, and AZ Desert Swarm is excited about their future with him.

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.

rvm of Building the Dam is also wondering about how effective their team will be at getting at Foles.

Question Four: Defensive line: Can they continue to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but come up with more results? Tony Pike was adept at side-stepping Beaver blitzers, and I’m not sure the man Arizona will run out onto the field—Nick Foles— will be nearly as good in that respect. How many sacks are you looking for tomorrow?

More quick looks after the jump.

Arizona State at Georgia, 7 PM EST, 4 PM PST (ESPNU)

This game will give us a good sense as to how good the Sun Devils are against quality opponents. House of Sparky did an interview with SECRivals, mentioning how their Lou Groza award winning kicker Thomas Weber is out 4-6 weeks, and also how important the front seven will be at silencing the mob in Athens.

With the addition of true freshmen Vontaze Burfict and Corey Adams, ASU’s defensive unit has received a boost in athleticism and ability. Combined with Lawrence Guy, Dexter Davis and Mike Nixon, and we see the core of a foreboding front seven.

ASU’s secondary is a real concern with AJ Green roaming the field, but adequate pressure on Joe Cox will be the key to limit Green’s effectiveness.

It seems we're not alone in terms of bad special teams. In an interview with House of Sparky, T Kyle King of Dawg Sports notes that one of Georgia's weaknesses is directional kickoffs.

Where do I begin? The Bulldogs commit too many turnovers and are flagged for too many penalties, many of which are of the "rookie mistake" variety rather than of the "playing aggressively" sort. Although the run defense is stout, the Georgia D is fooled by too many play action fakes. The secondary has failed to take away the deep ball, often getting caught out of position, and the middle of the field frequently is left open, much to the delight of opposing tight ends everywhere. The Red and Black have surrendered 37 or more points in seven of their last twelve games. Georgia’s kickoff coverage is a mess and directional kicking often sends the ball out of bounds to give the other team good starting field position, anyway.

Washington at Leland Junior, 9 PM EST, 6 PM PST (FCS Pacific--also, Dawgman, the Husky mesageboard, will also be doing some interactive stuff with Husky fans)

Big game for the Huskies to show they're not out of tricks after playing their hearts out against the Trojans. John Berkowitz (who writes outstanding game previews), breaks down every facet of UDub v. Furd. He believes Jake Locker and the Huskies can definitely run on the Cardinal, based on their Wake Forest performance.

Stanford has an active front seven that is used to facing a power running game each day in practice. They held SJSU to only 26 yards on 28 carries last week. They didn't do so well against Wake Forest. They gave up 250 yards and that was the tale of the game. They just couldn't figure out the Demon Deacon offense which is pretty tricky.

Washington has been able to run against everyone this year. You would think that LSU and USC would have been able to hut them down but they didn't. The Huskies haven't had any big plays yet but they do pick up big yardage on first down which has helped the offense become one of the national leaders in third down conversions.

Chris Polk is the best looking Washington back in over a decade. He has all the tools. He can catch the ball, run with power, and he has the speed to break the long one. What has really set Chris apart this fall has been his ability to make yards after contact. Polk carried the USC line for valuable extra yards last Saturday.

The last time Jake played in Palo Alto he had a field day running the football. If the coaches decide to give 10-12 pre designed running plays he is very capable of picking up 70-100 rushing yards against the Tree's.

Since the Furd doesn't have an SBN blog, I'm going to visualize what exactly their preview would look like.

via www.lolhome.com

That wasn't very nice, was it?

Wazzu at USC, 10:15 PM EST, 7:15 PM PST, FSN HD

This game makes me sad. Even sadder that THIS is the Pac-10 national telecast this week.

Coug Center (who has been churning out quality work, go to their site and see all the great position analyses they're handing out!) at least tries to make humor of it. Nuss comes up with this jewel.

The Trojans are in trouble if

They notice that Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves are on their bus, because that means it’s about to get suddenly commandeered by Dennis Hopper.

Other than that, I think they could turn the ball over on every possession and still figure out a way to win.

At least James Montgomery is healthy. Get well James.

Conquest Chronicles hasn't even bothered with a preview, instead reviewing the shocking upset from last week and blowing apart overblown media anger with the Trojans. One Trojan fan at about the 50 yard line in Husky Stadium dissected the way USC's OC was interacting with Aaron Corp. Could Matt Barkley have been ready to go on Saturday?

Bates: yes some discussions with Corp occurred, but not that much. Contrary to some reports, it wasn't like Bates was constantly trying to handhold Corp through the game. Bates did a lot of standing and watching quietly. Not a heck of a lot of talk with PC. He didn't talk hardly at all with Barkley. The rest of the coaching staff interacted with the players and each other in what could be termed as "normal" or "as expected" - the Defensive staff was very energetic like usual.

Corp: he was really just alone in his little hell that game. Bates had some conversations. But not many, fewer and fewer as game went on. PC barely talked to Corp. Teammates pretty much left him all alone save the occasional passing word with a pat on the back or helmet. Almost no "leader"-type interactions with his line or individual players, the spirit-boosting "come on troops!" stuff we've become used to from SC QBs including Barkley. Most of the 3rd and 4th quarter Corp hung his head and stared at the ground or crossed his arms and stared into space. Then when it was time to take the field a quick word from Bates and off Corp trotted. When Corp returned to the sidelines rarely did a coach go up to him to discuss the series that just finished! Just left him to stand there until the next series.

Barkley: sorry to disagree PC even though I love and trust ya, but Barkley was ready to go and was dying to play. In the 3rd Q he pulled his helmet on and never took it off. He was jumping, smiling, moving up and down the bench talking to everyone, slapping them on the pads, making them laugh. Pumping them up. He did his damndest to catch PC's and Bates' ears. He was one of the only persons to go up to Corp after each series and talk to him, though it seemed like Corp didn't want to talk much and Barkley seemed to respect that, keeping it brief. Barkley threw the ball with zip on the sidelines. He carried a football with him constantly, tossing it from hand to hand as he watched the game. He showed as much energy and spirit as the Defense. Barkley acted like an SC starting QB should act. He was doing on the sidelines what Corp should have been doing on the sidelines.

All those games start up after ours though. There will be a link to a second open thread later on for the late afternoon/evening slate. Enjoy Gameday and the morning slate before we get to cooking duck!

Poll

Your primary feeling before Cal-Oregon is...

Excited

49 votes

Relaxed

11 votes

Nervous

85 votes

Drunk

19 votes

164 votes | Poll has closed

Thomas Weber Out 5-6 Weeks; Bobby Wenzig's Time To Shine

Cory Williams — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 23:50:58 -0000

Thomas Weber had an MRI done on his groin and it looks as though we will be without the services of our 2007 Lou Groza award winner for 5-6 weeks.

How bad of a loss is this? Lets put it in perspective.

In Weber's career, he has made 48/56 field goals, and converted 80/83 extra point attempts. By every measure, Weber is a consistent and respected player. His leg isn't extremely powerful, but he can is 2/2 on career attempts over 50 yards, including a career high of 53 yards.

He punts at a 40 yards/punt average, and has been nothing but a team player.

Will Bobby Wenzig be able to fill Weber's shoes? No one can tell for sure. But he does not have the experience of our starting kicker, and going into Georgia it is going to be very important for Wenzig to have control of his emotions.

It is fortunate that Wenzig was given the opportunity to get into a college game last Saturday, converting 5 extra points and a 24 yard field goal. At least he won't have the first-game jitters that plague so many athletes.

While it is unlikely that the game will come down to a last second field goal, I can only hope for the best and believe in our young kicker. Go Wenzig and go Devils!

Inside the Pac-10: Where Many Things Remain Unanswered

Avinash — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 11:34:33 -0000

More photos » by Tony Avelar - AP

Jahvid Best was spectacular as usual, but are the Bears ready to handle a game when he struggles?

Browse more photos »

Week 1 of the college football season is always a magical time. The waiting game is over. There's no filler to battle the endless stream of young hyped-up, irrationally exuberant young adults get sweaty and grimy and move for the prize. Just games games games!

However, as is always the case with a season barely days old, many things remain unanswered. This Pac-10 review (plus for this occasion, Minnesota) post tries to do its best to find the unanswered questions that linger from Week 1, starting with our Bears.

California 52, Maryland 13

I really can't add much outside of what CBKWit talked about his in victory post and what you guys talked about in the game threads and the upcoming report card writeup. You guys covered all bases on this game, good job readers!

Having to nitpick, there are three unanswered questions for me about what the Bears are capable of accomplishing this season.

Can the Bears offense get going without Jahvid Best? Not that I don't appreciate him. I always love to see the Jet flying. Still, you have to admit Cal didn't really do much in the first quarter outside of Best rolling and a nice fumble recovery. And by then the game was pretty much done, since Tedford doesn't blow double digit leads at home.

Maryland controlled the time of possession early and did have two nice drives that really gave you the feeling that the Terps could make a game of it, remarks Testudo Times in their recap post.

It's clear to me that Maryland is better than the score indicated. The first few drives weren't major disasters, and actually gave me some hope. Then a 84 yard touchdown from Jahvid Best and a Torrey Smith fumble basically ended the game. Maryland lost all emotion, and it was clear they were just going through the motions, trying to get home as soon as possible. Of course, that just compounds upon itself and makes it worse. If Best is contained on that run, or Smith holds on to the ball, who knows what happens?

Down and distance-wise, the advantage was with the Terps, but Cal got the one big play and the one big turnover. That was all that was needed for the Bears to bust this one open.

So what happens when Jahvid isn't able to streak for the end zone? What will happen when Cal has to play a close game and Best is not asked to get the long gains but the short three-four yard carries that decide tense ballgames? What will happen when Kevin Riley is called on to lead the passing game

Still not sure if I have an answer for that. We can only find out the answers to these questions as we go along.

Is Cal's offense capable of grinding it out against tougher, multi-dimensional defenses? Given that Maryland had an inexperienced unit, we knew the Terps D-line would struggle. Cal's O-line, although not really known for being a veteran unit, was in total command. 6.6 rushing ypc and 8.5 yards per play overall is plenty good.

However, a lot of this could be Cal taking advantage of the blitzing schemes we said the Bears would see beforehand. Okanes has the scoop.

But although Cal wasn’t exactly sure what they were going to see in terms of specifics ("We need to know who to block," Tedford said during the week), the Bears knew they would see a lot of blitzing and pursuing up the field. That meant the Terps might be susceptible to the big play, and that’s exactly what they were.

Jahvid Best had a 73-yard touchdown run and a 40- yard run. Kevin Riley threw a 42-yard touchdown pass and a 39-yard touchdown pass, and added another 39-yard pass. That helped Cal rack up 542 yards of offense.

Cal’s receivers found themselves facing man coverage most of the night while Best didn’t have may defensive backs waiting for him when he burst past the line of scrimmage.

"When you live by the blitz, if you break it, you’re going to go a long way," Tedford said. "I thought our offensive line did a nice job and then our backs are pretty good at finding creases."

"They were really aggressive and athletic," wide receiver Marvin Jones said. "We were put into a situation where we could make plays."

Undoubtedly, Maryland took a calculated gamble to try and disrupt Riley's game from the get-go, believing that his team didn't have a chance to get it off. Didn't work so well.

What happens when one of our opponents plays us straight up or mixes in both concepts remains to be seen. Cal has plenty of teams and defensive coordinators they're facing this year that know the way they play pretty well. We've got to see what they'll be able to cook up to challenge Best's ability to unleash, and subsequently Riley's ability to carry the load.

Will over-the-middle be the vulnerable spot of our pass coverage? Cal's pass defense seemed good to me except on two occasions: When we couldn't snuff out the screens in the middle of the game, and when we let Chris Turner find the soft spot of the zone yet again. Over. The. Middle.

Keep in mind that when the outcome wasn't totally wrapped up, Maryland did have some success marching down the field. Whether Maryland's O-line strength eroded or Cal's defense became too strong from that point on is something I'm not totally sure of.

Thankfully, the Bears are facing a myriad of teams debuting new quarterbacks, and the new linebacking corps, while struggling in the pass game outside of Mohamed, quickly adapted to their surroundings. It's a promising sign that Cal might be able to shut down even that aspect of the defense, given enough time and ability.

Perhaps a little optimistic even with these unanswered questions, but what else can you say after a score like 52-13? In the end it was a good old-fashioned romp.

Games I watched

Boise State 19, Oregon 8

I had a great recap post all written up for this particular story, then ragnarok had to go and ruin it by posting almost all the thoughts I had in the opening game thread. Not cool bro.

First of all, it’s pretty obvious that Oregon embarrassed themselves in pretty much every way it is possible for a football team to embarrass themselves on the field (and no, the all-white unis aren’t bad, the the wings really do look that stupid).

However, while it may be time to ratchet down expectations for the Ducks, I don’t see that it’s time for them to panic at all. Their offensive line had a terrible, terrible game, and it ruined Chip Kelly’s offense, but it’s not a dire, throw-out-the-playbook sort of situation. Masoli runs the spread very well (go back and watch the 2008 Holiday Bowl if you don’t believe me), though he’s still not much of a downfield passer, and Boise’s disruption up front lay waste to their offensive game plan before it ever really got started. I expect Oregon’s offense to get better as the line gets more experience, but that may not happen for a while.

The whole game itself was sloppy in the way that first-week games often are. Neither team looked great, although Boise at least acquitted itself fairly well, and I’ll take that into consideration when evaluating these teams. Boise will still make my Top 25, and Oregon will still go bowling this year, although I think any conference title talk is completely out the window until further notice. Maybe they figure a few things out and turn it around after a couple games, like Oregon State did last year, but I’m not holding my breath.

Missing Barry takes a harsher view, believing Oregon's about to go in the tank.

I’m pretty much in the opposite camp as you. I think Oregon got exposed yesterday. Boise didn’t beat them on flukes, trick plays, or by injuring all their QB’s – Boise beat them while playing a sloppy game themselves because they pushed Oregon around and dominated them on the line on both sides of the ball. They were simply the better team out there, and if it wasn’t for Moore just dropping the ball onto the field, or a few missed field goals, we’d have the perception that Boise smoked Oregon, instead of just beating them in a sloppy game.

Basically, Boise was simply the better team. They completely outmatched Oregon on the field, and I don’t think that bodes well for Oregon’s future. With a situation like @UT for Cal, I felt Cal got sucker punched by Syd getting beat (because Mixon was hurt) and just didn’t recover very well, but was capable of matching up with them most nights. Last night I saw a big gap between the two teams – Boise was clearly better – they slowly and methodically moved the ball for the entire first half, not on big plays, but by simply dominating Oregon on almost every play. Meanwhile the defense shut Oregon down completely. I really don’t think Oregon even showed the potential to be a very good team last night.

Of course, they’ll still probably play us tough in Autzen.

Addicted to Quack sums up the situation quite well:

But what's important here will be the response. This team could implode faster than the 2006 team, or, it could pull it together like Cal did in 2006. We just don't know. And so we'll get to stew with this terrible game until at least next weekend.

How do you guys feel Oregon will respond from this? Will they lay down or step up?

USC 56, San Jose State 3

I didn't try to analyze much of this, especially when the first real test for the Trojans comes next week. That being said, anyone thinking USC would miss a beat with Matt Barkley seems (at least through this weekend) mistaken. Conquest Chronicles notes that with so much talent at every other position on offense, the freshman quarterback won't have to be asked to do much.

Well, I think he had a decent game yesterday but I won't celebrate for a while..at least not until we get through the meat of the schedule. SJSU was a nice appetizer but lets concentrate on the steak and not the peas next weeks game in Columbus will give us some more infor on Barkley but it will it will be on the road against Cal and Oregon and at home against UW before I can make a solid opinion on the kid.

Barkley had a terrific supporting cast yesterday and that went along way to making his first start a little easier. There wasn't a running back on the sideline that didn't contribute and with the staff calling a very conservative game plan it was hard for Barkley to mess this one up.

How do you feel Matt Barkley will do in the Horseshoe Saturday night?

via i79.photobucket.com

Minnesota 23, Syracuse 20 (OT): Not an impressive game for the Golden Gophers, as the Dukie whipping boy Greg Paulus did plenty of damage before reverting to his natural state of choking Blue Devil (author's note: I hate Duke). The Daily Gopher goes over the best and the worst of the game (the best is below).

DEFENSE. The defense gave up a few big plays, but did a spectacular job of adjusting to the Syracuse offense as the game progressed. Cosgrove and Lee got the job done.

KICKING. Despite one bad field goal attempt, both the kicking and punting was strong for Minnesota. This bodes well for future close games. Eric Ellestad was cool under pressure with his last two field goals.

LEE CAMPBELL. Campbell was dominant at linebacker, and appears to have improved greatly from a solid 2008 season. Look for him to become the leader of the defensive squad on the field.

ERIC DECKER. Minnesota would have lost without him. He's back to his top form after finishing last season with some wear and tear.

TROY STOUDERMIRE. Despite a bad decision late in the game on a punt return, Stoudermire appears to be a great kick returner and a solid option at receiver.

Which of these positives worry you the most about the Cal-Minnesota contest?

Brief looks at the rest.

#11 LSU 31, Washington 23

UW Dawg Pound is pleased with what Locker did against LSU.

Jake Locker put up some big numbers last night which was good to see. The interception that was returned for a TD in the first quarter was unfortunate because without that gift LSU might have been playing in catch-up mode for most of the game. Jake flashed his wheels when he had to especially in the second half but he was definitely in pass first run second mode all night. LSU's team speed negated Jake's ability to create a big play with his feet. He did however pick up some critical third down conversions. What we saw last night was a kid who is a future first round draft choice who finally is getting the type of coaching he needs. Look for Jake to continue to improve every game and when he isn't playing a team as fast as LSU he is just going to eat the opposition up.

Oregon State 34, Portland State 7

Building the Dam is quite happy with the offensive line play

The offensive line was quite another matter. With zero starts on the left side, even the most zealous Beaver Believer had real questions about what would happen, especially against a veteran defensive line, albeit a Big Sky one.

The first test of fall term produced passing grades, however. Michael Philipp avoided what is often the downfall of otherwise solid linemen, something that showed so glaringly in Boise. When linemen are confused about assignments, and block no one because they aren't sure who to block, otherwise very good teams quickly look very bad, and it can be the whole program. Philipp turned in a solid job, and so did Grant Johnson at guard.

Leland Furd Junior 39, Washington State 13

Grady of Coug Center really likes the way James Montgomery is performing.

Let's talk about special teams first. The Cougars wasted a half's worth of kick returns by using Aire Justin in favor of James Montgomery. Let's not go crazy about Justin's horrible decision to start a return seven yards back in his own end zone; he knows that was a bad call and so do the coaches. What was a poor decision, however, was failing to put the better pure runner (Montgomery) out there in the first place. Justin is a defensive back who managed 16 yards per return. Montgomery is a running back who averaged 30 yards on three returns and gave the Cougars some hope in the field position game. Let's keep him there. (Side note: I'm growing to like Montgomery - especially the whole "I'm going to hit the other guy before he hits me" mentality")

UCLA 33, San Diego State 14

Nestor at Bruins Nation wasn't pleased with the slow start by the D, although believed they slowly got better as time went by.

Turning over to the defense, I am with 66 in the sense that I was disappointed by the slow start last night. The only explanation I have is that perhaps Coach Bullough was handicapped a bit because he didn't have any kind of game film to analyze. The pressure upfront towards the beginning of the game was non-existent. Seemed like Lindley had all day. However, we did seem to make decent adjustments after the first few series, and turned it on. Perhaps another reason we weren't getting to him faster was because he seemed to be taking 10-15 step drops to elude our pressure.

I like the fact that our defense seemed to be getting stronger as the game went on. Reggie Carter and Bosworth (although I am blanking out which one) had couple of vicious pops in the second half. However, I would like to see even more (controlled?) aggression in the first half, allowing the defense to make a statement. We are going to need that next week, if we want to stay in that game.

Arizona 19, Central Michigan 6

Arizona Desert Swarm is more than happy with how the Wildcats shut down CMU's stud senior quarterback.

What can you say about our defense? They were awesome. Dan Lefevour only had 108 passing. 108! This guys has set all kinds of records in the MAC and nationally. We held him to 108 yards. VunaTuihalamaka intercepted Lefevour on CMU's first possession for his first of the year. Tuihalamaka was absolutely everywhere last night. We'll be back later in the day or tomorrow to grade the defense coaching plan for the CMU game.

Arizona State 50, Idaho State 3

House of Sparky talks about the athletes on ASU's team that could be the ones to look out for in the future, although there is one aspect of the Sun Devil performance that should give their fans cause for concern.

Mike Nixon looked incredible last night. His experience, wisdom and superior talent really shone through. We're going to need him to come up big all season if we want to achieve the goals we are capable of.

Thomas Weber is looking pretty good, even if he missed one of his chip shots.

Danny Sullivan appears to be more comfortable than I've ever seen him before in a Sun Devil uniform, but Brock Osweiler looked poised in the pocket as well. Watch out, Danny.

Is anyone else concerned about the lack of a running game? In reality, we barely scratched the surface of what we should be doing on the ground.

I expect Gerell Robinson to be increasingly utilized over the course of the season. He's a quality player.

First Impressions From Week 1; ASU wins big, 50-3

Cory Williams — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 16:28:27 -0000

More photos » by Matt York - AP

Danny Sullivan is comin' to getcha.

Browse more photos »

Lets take a quick look at last night's game.

Mike Nixon looked incredible last night. His experience, wisdom and superior talent really shone through. We're going to need him to come up big all season if we want to achieve the goals we are capable of.
Thomas Weber is looking pretty good, even if he missed one of his chip shots.
Danny Sullivan appears to be more comfortable than I've ever seen him before in a Sun Devil uniform, but Brock Osweiler looked poised in the pocket as well. Watch out, Danny.
The new jerseys look fantastic (see above).
Is anyone else concerned about the lack of a running game? In reality, we barely scratched the surface of what we should be doing on the ground.
I expect Gerell Robinson to be increasingly utilized over the course of the season. He's a quality player.
I am very happy with Cameron Marshall's first appearance in maroon and gold, he played well for a freshman.
Finally, Idaho State is truly brutal. I am embarrassed that we played such a creampuff when there were such better options at the time we made our schedule.
The Sun Devils are now 1-0, and are undefeated!

Buster Sports On The Beavers

AndyPanda — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 18:38:58 -0000

Nick Daschel of Bustersports.com has his best and worst case preview of Oregon State out, and even the worst case scenario has the Beavers at 7-5, and obviously in a bowl. Best case is a Holiday Bowl win, and the most likely outcome is an 8-4, 5-4 in conference year, including a 17th. consecutive loss at Arizona State.

Daschel is on to one of the key points to the upcoming season that hasn't been talked about nearly as much as the road games against USC, Cal, and Oregon, or the preseason slate for that matter. The Beavers haven't won in Tempe against the Sun Devels (a game like that other game they played down there, the 2001 Fiesta Bowl would be nice) since 1969. Breaking that streak, at former coach Dennis Erickson's expense, could be as big a win as any of the big ones in recent years in the process of the Beavers' ascent.

Jacquizz Rodgers gets the big picture, but brother James gets the nod as the "Player not to miss."

Jacquizz Rodgers might be the league's reigning Offensive Player of the Year (ed. note, no might agout it, ‘Quizz IS the OPOY), but it's his brother James who can really light up a football field. Fly sweep, short pass and run, kick returns ... James Rodgers is good for at least a couple of dynamite plays per game.

Daschel also ranked the Pac-10's Kickers, putting Oregon State's Justin Kahut third on his list, behind Arizona State's Thomas Weber and UCLA's Kai Forbath). (Thanks to Nick for documenting for the nation the OSU profile's note on how to pronounce Kahut's name too.)

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)

Browse more photos »

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.

Sparky's Notes: July 3rd News and Notes

Cory Williams — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:38:51 -0000

Not much is happening these days in Sun Devil land, as school is out for the summer, and all sports have wrapped up their postseasons.

ASU is being advised by AZCentral.com to check out these 5 recruits...

Kicker Thomas Weber has, once again, been named a Playboy All-American, despite his mediocre 2008 campaign.

Jeff Pendergraph will be playing on the Blazers' summer league team this July in Las Vegas.

Finally, I answered a very long Q&A from Welcome To Loud City, the Oklahoma City Thunder blog here at SBNation. You can read the entire interview about James Harden following the jump.

1. Thunder fans have been hearing a lot lately about James Harden's talents, but we haven't heard much else about him. Could you shed any light on what kind of a person, or teammate he is?

James Harden is a strong team player, giving his supporting role players plenty of opportunities to showcase their talents. His passing abilities are extremely understated, and I believe that his vision on the court will translate very well into the NBA, where his teammates will all be more athletic than he is.

He's a relatively quiet person, and I have never seen him out at social functions, parties, or formals. While I have seen other ASU athletes partaking in the school's revered party scene, Harden has remained focused on basketball.

2. What are the best parts of Harden's game?

Unselfishness. Court vision. Tenacious on defense when the moment calls for it. He scores in bunches, utilizing his left hand to great effect. Fact of the matter is, Harden's handedness allows him to go places that most players would rather not go.

Defenses struggled with his craftiness during his freshman season, but by the midway point of his sophomore campaign, players were wise to his tendencies, and caught onto the angles they needed to take against James.

3. Are there any recent prospects that have come out of college, or any current NBA players, that would be relatively comparable to Harden?

Harden's an up and coming talent, and I believe his best work is still forthcoming. That said, the common comparison is Brandon Roy, but I'm not necessarily buying it. I like to compare him in some ways to Gilbert Arenas.

Harden's handle is not of Arenas' caliber, but with practice and a sincere desire to succeed, Harden could achieve a Scottie Pippen-like status, where his talents perfectly complement the superstar that is Kevin Durant.

4. Harden was a 5-star recruit coming out of high school. He was recruited by many top programs. Do you know what made him choose Arizona State over the other programs, especially after the Sun Devils went 8-22 the year before he arrived?

ASU Coach Herb Sendek knew he wanted James Harden from the second he stepped onto the Tempe campus. The Sun Devils were mediocre at absolute best, having but one serviceable player in Jeff Pendergraph.

In order to lure a top prospect from California into the desert, Sendek had to be very resourceful. He began by bringing in Harden's head coach, Scott Pera, as an assistant coach for the Devils. Next, he gave the unheralded Derek Glasser a scholarship to play point guard. Glasser, at the time, was planning on becoming a walkon at USC, but Sendek knew what he had to do.

Harden was then faced with a very attractive situation: his former head coach, and his former point guard were waiting for him at Arizona State. In my mind, there wasn't much discussion about the matter, and Harden went where he would be very, very comfortable. It was Sendek's commitment to Harden that brought Harden's commitment to ASU.

5. It's difficult to gauge defensive ability for a prospect coming out of college, unless you've seen him play a lot. We're aware that Arizona State played a lot of zone defense, but is Harden a good defender?

The guy can envision the offense he is guarding against, and makes the proper adjustments. Can he shut down Dwayne Wade? Absolutely not, not yet. I have seen him make great defensive plays against very adequate Pac-10 competition, from steals to help defense that stopped easy baskets from being converted.

I doubt he will be a great defender, but he's a hard worker, and I wouldn't put it past him to be a valuable asset on both ends of the floor.

6. Does Harden have a favorite shot - a shot that he seems to put up more often than others during the game?

This is tricky, because the defenses gave him the three pointer more and more as the season went on. He can hit the three, but unfortunately for you (and the next question) his 35.6% from long distance may not transfer particularly well to the next level as a rookie.

7. The Thunder need another player to stretch the defense - a perimeter threat. What is Harden's range and how is his perimeter game offensively?

With hard work, he can become this threat. He's not Michael Redd, but he's well rounded. I can't say for certain that he has any type of shot that impresses scouts or pundits any more than another, but he goes strong to the basket and has been working on his midrange game.

From three, in time I believe he will attain a 35% average, with a possibility for 37-38%. His shot just isn't there yet.

8. Someone on a scouting site described Harden as "business on and off the court". Would you say that's accurate?

As I mentioned earlier, I have never seen him as a particularly outgoing person. He is reserved and enjoys to let his game speak for himself. There has never been a negative story about Harden on ASU campus, and he studies the game. Herb Sendek did a good job with him, and I believe he will be prepared for camp.

9. A big knock on Harden is that he disappeared in the NCAA Tournament. Would you have any idea why that happened?

Temple and Syracuse knew their mission: shut down James Harden. That was the memo sent out across this great nation, the briefest scouting report known to man. ASU is notoriously thin at all positions, with Harden the sole exception. Pendergraph cannot lead a team to win a NCAA Tournament game, but he's a solid big man.

Against Temple, if it weren't for Glasser, ASU would have dipped out in the first round. Harden has had trouble developing a move that is unstoppable, and the defenses of the NCAA have learned that over the course of advanced scouting during the season.

On the other hand, we have no idea if Harden was going through any type of personal troubles during the NCAA Tournament. I certainly hope this is not the case, but we can never rule out that, considering he is still just a young man.

10. Obviously the Thunder have some other talented young players. How does Harden work to complement his teammates on the court?

Passing. Even with the talent he played with in Tempe, Harden dished the rock. With great young players such as Jeff Green, Harden will find himself distributing the ball and finding his own game amongst the core of talent you currently have.

11. What makes Harden special enough to be drafted in the top 5?

There's a lot of players that could have deserved that title, but Harden's game is so sound, and his body is NBA-ready. He shed 15 pounds after the season ended in preparation for NBA tryouts, and he has potential tattooed across his forehead.

He's not a guarantee to become a superstar, because he plays a deliberate style of basketball that is not flashy, and can at times be uninspiring. But he makes his teammates better, and with great young players around him, he will live up to the billing of a "Top 5" talent.

12. Let's say there's a Thunder fan out there that's skeptical of Harden. Maybe they wanted Rubio or Curry. You have at most three sentences to catch their interest in Harden. What would you say?

Harden scored 20 points a game, shooting 50% from the field while leading his team nearly singlehandedly to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He brings out the best in his teammates, and can see plays as they develop, which may lead to highlight reel dunks for Mr. Durant.

13. How do Arizona State fans feel about Harden going to Oklahoma City? Would it have been any different if he had gone to any of the other teams in the top 5?

ASU fans are excited to see him get drafted ahead of Ricky Rubio. We knew what we had all along, and we're very sad to see him go. But to play with Durant and Green? That will be something exciting to watch, and I will check up on him frequently to assess his progress.

14. Finally, any funny or cool stories about Harden that you know from his time at Arizona State? (It could be something that's common knowledge, like something that happened during a game, but something that Thunder fans wouldn't know)

Against UCLA in Los Angeles back in January, Harden knocked down a pair of free throws as regulation drew to a close to bring the game to overtime.

Harden and ASU played an incredible brand of defense during this game, holding UCLA scoreless for 13 minutes, a span that stretched from regulation partly through the 5 minute overtime period.

In the end, Harden led the team to the huge upset victory, 61-58. He dropped 24 points, and this win put ASU on the map as a legitimate squad in the Pac-10.

Best of luck in 2009-2010 with James. He is a true talent, and will serve you well.

Happy Birthday, Thomas Weber!

Cory Williams — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 23:23:51 -0000

We here at House Of Sparky have a birthday wish for our ace kicker Thomas Weber.

The man himself is now officially 21; Mill Avenue will never be the same.

Weber has been every bit as good this season as he was in 2007, when he won the Lou Groza award as the nation's best kicker. His only blemish this season came in the unspeakable overtime loss to UNLV, when his field goal attempt was blocked by an exuberant Rebel defense.

Thomas Weber: Can hold heavy objects and smile at the same time.

Here's a fun picture from 2007, when Weber single handedly tackled Washington's Louis Raskin.

No one escapes the wrath of Thomas Weber, not even men wearing purple pants.