Pac 12 Preview: Five Questions Heading Into 2012
By Ty Duffy
Can Oregon win the BCS Title? Oregon has been overshadowed by USC in the runup, but for no substantial reason. The Ducks have finished in the top six in SRS in four out of the last five years with Chip Kelly’s offense. The only other school to do that has been Alabama. Oregon should be solid on defense, returning five of their front seven and three out of four in the secondary from a unit that ranked 35th in yards per play. The issue will be how they transition on offense, losing both Darron Thomas and LaMichael James. Neither Bryan Bennett nor Marcus Mariota has Thomas’ experience at quarterback, but both may be more talented. Though Oregon has no ready replacement for James, Kenjon Barner can replicate his steady production and DeAnthony Thomas may be an even greater home run threat. Chip Kelly can surely tailor his system to fit the shifting personnel. Oregon may be the one team in the conference that can beat USC, but they are in the same predicament for a BCS Title bid. They probably have to do so twice.
What becomes of Stanford without Andrew Luck? Andrew Luck steered Stanford to 23 wins the past two seasons. With the NFL’s No. 1 Draft Pick departing, we will see whether the foundation Jim Harbaugh left is sustainable. David Shaw brought in a great recruiting class, including three elite offensive line prospects, though those players should not be factors this season. The Cardinal return a strong front seven on defense and the tools for a power offense with Stepfan Taylor at tailback and two big, talented tight ends. Like last season, though, Stanford won’t have elite athleticism at wide receiver and in the secondary. Unlike last season, they won’t have Andrew Luck’s superior execution in a smaller field to make up for it. Even a good start from Brett Nottingham or Josh Nunes will still see their offensive production drop considerably. Stanford’s foundation may be solid, but next season could see a significant decline.
Will Mike Riley and/or Jeff Tedford be coaching in 2013? The new Pac 12 TV deal will radically increase the conference’s revenue and exposure. Programs can spend heavily on salaries and state-of-the-art facilities. This has resulted in an arms race where complacent mediocrity, once acceptable, can set a school far behind. Oregon State is coming off two losing seasons under Mike Riley. Jeff Tedford, purportedly a quarterback guru, last had a Cal passer rank in the Top 60 in 2007. Both have received some leeway due to past success, but with a Pac 12 North consisting of an Oregon juggernaut, a revamped Stanford and burgeoning programs at Washington and Washington State neither can afford to fall further behind.
[Photos via Presswire]