It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time for our conference roundtable series to continue. This week, we’ll be discussing the Pac-12.
We’ve also included a complete list of all the leagues that we’ve covered at the bottom of the article.
Q: Who is the player to watch in the Pac-12 this season?
Kevin Causey
On Twitter @CFBZ
A couple of teams from Arizona took a dip last season. The Arizona Wildcats fell from to 10-4 to 7-6 and the Arizona State Sun Devils fell from 10-3 to 6-7. I expect one of these teams to make a pretty big rebound in 2016.
I don’t have any particular reason to pick them but I think the surprise team in the Pac-12 will be the Arizona State Sun Devils. They only have 10 returning starters (vs 16 for Arizona) but sometimes youth is a good thing and I think Todd Graham will have this team playing ahead of predictions.
The Sun Devils lost four games by one score last season. If one play was different in those games they could have been 10-3. I’m not calling for a 10-3 season but the Sun Devils will win at least 8 games this year and will set themselves up for a really nice 2017.
Bart Doan
On Twitter @TheCoachBart
Feeling like I copied and pasted this from last year isn’t ideal, but the opinion hasn’t really changed so long as people keep looking at Arizona and seeing nothing special. Perhaps it was the way last season went, one that opened with such potential for “sky is the limit” type talk turned 7-6 season with a losing record in-conference, but I like them yet again to be a surprise in a great way.
Anu Solomon at quarterback and Nick Wilson at running back team up to be as explosive of a one-two punch behind the snapping of the ball that exists in college football, not just the Left Coast.
The key will always be on defense, where they gave up 40 plus points a staggering five times. That sort of thing cannot happen again under coordinator new coordinator Marcel Yates if they’re going to reach any form of potential. Yates is the architect of Boise State’s 4-2-5 scheme that will certainly be different, but let’s be honest … it worked wonders in Boise.
So however it all shakes down … back to competing at the top of the Pac-12 or hanging around the middle of it, it will probably hinge on health (doesn’t it always for everyone?) and what happens on defense. I’ll throw my chips in on Yates.
Terry Johnson
On Twitter @SectionTPJ
I’ll go with Utah.
Yes, I know the Utes went 10-3 last year, but many people don’t think they’ll sustain that success this season. After all, Utah loses Devontae Booker, Travis Wilson, Gionni Paul, Jared Norris, and Tevin Carter. These departures leave the Utes with a number of huge holes to fill, which is why they don’t appear in most preseason publications’ top 25 poll.
I disagree. Sure, the Utah loses its quarterback and top running back, but whoever wins these jobs will have the luxury of playing behind an experienced offensive line, which will make the transition much smoother. And, while the defense has to find some new starters, there’s no reason to expect them to struggle this year, as Kyle Whittingham is one of the best defensive minds in college football. Whether it’s tweaking his scheme or moving a player to another position, he’ll help Utah field a top 25 defense this year.
Does that mean the Utes will win the Pac-12 South?
Check back tomorrow for my answer.
Previous Conference Roundtables
Sun Belt
MAC
Conference USA
Mountain West
AAC
Big 12
