The Ducks aren’t the only team working hard under the August summer sun. The other nine teams in the Pacific-10 Conference have entered fall training camps and are, like Oregon, preparing for their opening games in a matter of weeks.
While they will be facing their Pac-10 foes beginning with the September 22 visit to Stanford, some insight can be gained now from how teams are doing in camps to see how the conference standings might shake down. Though much can change between now and opening day – and certainly between now and December – there is plenty to read into around training camps this fall.
Start up the road at Oregon State, where an otherwise optimistic Beaver football team coming off of a successful season is now facing a potential quarterback controversy and the possible loss of a starting wide receiver. After establishing himself as a fan favorite and a team leader by the end of last season, sophomore quarterback Sean Canfield looked to be a lock to be the Beavers’ starter – however, redshirt sophomore Lyle Moevao has challenged him in spring and fall practices. The quarterback position has, Oregon State coaches say, turned into a battle, and head coach Mike Riley has not ruled out running a two-quarterback system. There is a lot of time between August training camps and the traditional end-of-season Civil War (this year held in December), but Oregon State – assuming Stroughter returns – will likely put the rivalry’s 12-season home-team victory streak to the test at Autzen; they can’t do worse than their 56-14 loss the last time they traveled to Eugene.
More distressing for the Beavers is the loss of senior wide receiver Sammie Stroughter, who has missed much of fall camp due to what coaches have termed “personal reasons.” Stroughter was electric for Oregon State last season, both as a punt returner and as a split end in the Beavers’ offense, and he was supposed to play a crucial role in the teams’ run for another bowl win.
Another bowl win is on the minds of the USC coaching staff, too, but this time it’s expected to come after an undefeated season. With returning seniors from last year’s team and a wealth of depth behind the starters, the Trojans will likely be Pac-10 champions again with a shot at taking the BCS National Title in January in the cards as well. Though they must replace wide receivers Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith, Pete Carroll’s recruiting classes and the team’s excellence the last six years means a strong group of receivers waiting to step up.
Even scarier is USC’s defense, a unit returning 10 starters from last season. While the defensive secondary was tenuous at times last season, the group has matured a year, and will look to shut down opponents. Oregon hosts the Trojans on October 27, in a game that could halt USC’s national championship progress.
Another team with national title hopes on its mind is California. Jeff Tedford’s team has a strong returning offense but a defense with many holes, including the loss of Pac-10 defensive player of the year Daymeion Hughes. The Bears face one of their biggest tests all season right away, as they hope to make up for a horrible loss last season when they host Tennessee on opening day. The marquee opening matchup could put wide receiver DeSean Jackson into the national spotlight, or it could expose the patchwork Bears defense. Cal visits Eugene September 29 in a game that could make or break either team’s season.
The week before, the Ducks should receive a simpler tuneup in the form of Cal’s Bay Area neighbors, Stanford, who are trying to improve on last year’s dismal 1-11 record. New coach Jim “Captain Comeback” Harbaugh, formerly a quarterback in the NFL and at Michigan, has made more noise this offseason – including calling out his alma mater and USC – than Stanford did all of last year. Despite many returning offensive position players and a defense that could make massive strides, improvements for the offensive line are needed before the team can climb out of the cellar. Though Harbaugh’s offense could prove to be entertaining for Cardinal fans, the Ducks should walk away from their September 22 matchup at Stanford Stadium with a win.
Washington coach Tyrone Willingham has a must-win season on his hands, though he is still looking to replace the departed Isaiah Stanback and is staring down possibly the toughest schedule in college football this season. Though the Huskies get USC, Oregon and Cal at home, they also have to travel to Oregon State and Hawaii, hosting Ohio State and Boise State, and open their Pac-10 schedule against UCLA and the Trojans. Good luck.
Sophomore quarterback Jake Locker is expected to be the messiah of the team this year; there are few standout offensive players, and though the defense is good – returning the line starters from the group that opened last season 4-1 – the Huskies will be lucky to find a bowl game, though they could be a banana peel for Oregon’s bowl chances when they meet October 20 in Seattle.
Across the state, Washington State is trying to recover from a late-season tailspin that knocked them out of bowl contention and to a .500 record. Quarterback Alex Brink returns; the defense should be strong once again, but questions surround the unit after the departure of defensive coordinator Robb Akey (a position head coach Bill Doba will take over). Martin Stadium is never an easy place to play, but this year the Cougars only get two of the preseason Pac-10 top five – Oregon State and UCLA – to play at home.
With road games at USC, Cal and in Eugene, the Cougars may have a shot at a bowl game, but little chance to take the league. The Ducks should return the favor for last year’s loss this season with a hostile Autzen Stadium background behind them.
The two Arizona schools are both looking to improve upon underachieving seasons last year. Dennis Erickson has arrived in Tempe to lead the Sun Devils out of a mire. Though the team showed flashes of brilliance last year, ending the season 7-5 and lost in the Hawaii Bowl, the team and its fans were expecting the upper echelon of the Pac-10 – a notion shattered by three straight losses to Cal, Oregon and USC. For a team with a weak defense last year, losing six starters is a mixed blessing, and if they improve it will be on offense, with quarterback Rudy Carpenter returning to the helm and running back Ryan Torain prepared for a breakout season. Expect the scoreboard to light up when the Sun Devils visit Autzen Stadium on November 3.
For Arizona, the problem isn’t defense, but offense. The worst offense in the league last year somehow managed to overachieve and reel off three straight wins in the second half of the season, while the defense held on. Running back Chris Henry left to the NFL, quarterback Willie Tuitama was injured for parts of last season, and the offensive line needs improvement; the Ducks may be able to exploit this on their Thursday night game in Tucson on November 15.
Oregon itself still has question marks – Dennis Dixon, the defensive line, and the linebackers – but the main key for Oregon has been the schedule makers. Cal, USC and Oregon State all have to travel to Autzen, and though they were picked ahead of the Ducks in the Pac-10 preseason poll, home-field advantage on crazy college football Saturdays may play in their favor. In the conference, their only test on the road comes at UCLA, which is the penultimate game of the regular season – and by then, the fate of this Oregon team should be known.