RSSBot
News Junkie
By Stuart
–
[h=3]Preseason Magazines[/h]—
May 18th
Sporting News has two Pac-12 teams in its Top Ten
With the end of Spring football comes the beginning of the onslaught of preseason magazines. The Sporting News has put out its preseason Top 25. Six Pac-12 teams have made their*rankings, with two teams – Oregon and USC – in the Top Ten.
The Pac-12 write-ups:
—
No. 4 – Oregon
What do we know about the diminutive quarterback Vernon Adams – other than his highly publicized FCS to FBS transfer from Eastern Washington, and that post-game celebration after a win at Oregon State two years ago? Absolutely nothing. Doing it once as an underdog against an unmotivated team is a lot different than doing it week-by-week in the Pac-12 – if he beats out Jeff Lockie for the job. The Ducks are loaded at the skill positions, and the defense returns a solid core. It’s all up to Adams (or Lockie) to replace Marcus Mariota with efficient play that limits turnovers.
–
No. 6 – USC
Here we are with USC, now more than a decade removed from its last moment in the spotlight (one that was later vacated). The scholarship allotment is full again (not really), and there are elite game-changers (QB Cody Kessler, WR JuJu Smith, athlete Adoree Jackson, S Su’a Cravens) all over the field. The problem: The Pac-12 has gotten much better since Pete Carroll rolled over the conference in the 2000’s, and the margin for error has drastically decreased on a weekly basis. Road games against Arizona State, Oregon and Notre Dame will be brutal.
–
No. 13 – UCLA
Don’t think Jerry Neuheisel is going to give up the starting quarterback easily. He’s not the elite talent that freshman Josh Rosen is, but he has been around the offense for three seasons, and knows what OC Noel Mazzone wants. If the Bruins can figure the position, the rest of the team (RB Paul Perkins is a star) is deep and talented enough to get back to the Pac-12 championship game.
–
No. 17 – Arizona
As impressive as Arizona’s jump*to the top of the Pac-12 was, it was dulled somewhat by two disastrous games (losses to Oregon and Boise State). Still, there is plenty of good happening in Tucson, with Anu Solomon leading a dangerous offense, and Scooby Wright III the face of the defense. The Wildcats must play better – and with more consistency – in big games.
–
No. 19 – Arizona State
QB Taylor Kelly’s injury in 2014 allowed ASU to play Mike Bercovici and get him valuable repetitions against Pac-12 defenses heading into this fall. The one thing that coach Todd Graham built his reputation on (defense), has been the one thing that has kept his Sun Devils from becoming elite. Nearly the entire unit returns, and must get better at covering and getting off the field.
–
No. 24 Stanford
Maybe this is the year that Kevin Hogan becomes the player that can carry an offense, instead of a caretaker. Or maybe we’re too quick to compare Hogan to Andrew Luck. How many other teams would take a 48/21 TD to INT ratio, and a QB rating of at least 145 over the past three years? If Stanford runs with power and consistency again, Hogan will become that game-changing player.
—–
The Sporting News Top 50 players … CU will face eight of them this season
The Sporting News has also posted its list of the top 50 players in the nation. Only one of the top 50, Arizona linebacker Scooby Wright III, made the top ten, with seven players from the conference overall. Including CSU wide receiver Rashard Higgins (vastly overrated at No. 11), Colorado will face eight of the top 50 players in the nation this fall.
The lineup of elite players lining up against the Buffs in 2015:
No. 10 – Linebacker*Scooby Wright III –*Arizona
No. 11 – Wide receiver*Rashard Higgins –*Colorado State
No. 12 – Quarterback*Cody Kessler –*USC
No. 19 – Linebacker*Myles Jack – UCLA
No. 27 – Safety*Su’a Cravens –*USC
No. 33 – Cornerback/wide receiver Adoree Jackson – USC
No. 34 – Running back*Royce Freeman –*Oregon
No. 36 – Running back*Paul Perkins – UCLA
——
Originally posted by CU At the Game
Click here to vie
–
[h=3]Preseason Magazines[/h]—
May 18th
Sporting News has two Pac-12 teams in its Top Ten
With the end of Spring football comes the beginning of the onslaught of preseason magazines. The Sporting News has put out its preseason Top 25. Six Pac-12 teams have made their*rankings, with two teams – Oregon and USC – in the Top Ten.
The Pac-12 write-ups:
—
No. 4 – Oregon
What do we know about the diminutive quarterback Vernon Adams – other than his highly publicized FCS to FBS transfer from Eastern Washington, and that post-game celebration after a win at Oregon State two years ago? Absolutely nothing. Doing it once as an underdog against an unmotivated team is a lot different than doing it week-by-week in the Pac-12 – if he beats out Jeff Lockie for the job. The Ducks are loaded at the skill positions, and the defense returns a solid core. It’s all up to Adams (or Lockie) to replace Marcus Mariota with efficient play that limits turnovers.
–
No. 6 – USC
Here we are with USC, now more than a decade removed from its last moment in the spotlight (one that was later vacated). The scholarship allotment is full again (not really), and there are elite game-changers (QB Cody Kessler, WR JuJu Smith, athlete Adoree Jackson, S Su’a Cravens) all over the field. The problem: The Pac-12 has gotten much better since Pete Carroll rolled over the conference in the 2000’s, and the margin for error has drastically decreased on a weekly basis. Road games against Arizona State, Oregon and Notre Dame will be brutal.
–
No. 13 – UCLA
Don’t think Jerry Neuheisel is going to give up the starting quarterback easily. He’s not the elite talent that freshman Josh Rosen is, but he has been around the offense for three seasons, and knows what OC Noel Mazzone wants. If the Bruins can figure the position, the rest of the team (RB Paul Perkins is a star) is deep and talented enough to get back to the Pac-12 championship game.
–
No. 17 – Arizona
As impressive as Arizona’s jump*to the top of the Pac-12 was, it was dulled somewhat by two disastrous games (losses to Oregon and Boise State). Still, there is plenty of good happening in Tucson, with Anu Solomon leading a dangerous offense, and Scooby Wright III the face of the defense. The Wildcats must play better – and with more consistency – in big games.
–
No. 19 – Arizona State
QB Taylor Kelly’s injury in 2014 allowed ASU to play Mike Bercovici and get him valuable repetitions against Pac-12 defenses heading into this fall. The one thing that coach Todd Graham built his reputation on (defense), has been the one thing that has kept his Sun Devils from becoming elite. Nearly the entire unit returns, and must get better at covering and getting off the field.
–
No. 24 Stanford
Maybe this is the year that Kevin Hogan becomes the player that can carry an offense, instead of a caretaker. Or maybe we’re too quick to compare Hogan to Andrew Luck. How many other teams would take a 48/21 TD to INT ratio, and a QB rating of at least 145 over the past three years? If Stanford runs with power and consistency again, Hogan will become that game-changing player.
—–
The Sporting News Top 50 players … CU will face eight of them this season
The Sporting News has also posted its list of the top 50 players in the nation. Only one of the top 50, Arizona linebacker Scooby Wright III, made the top ten, with seven players from the conference overall. Including CSU wide receiver Rashard Higgins (vastly overrated at No. 11), Colorado will face eight of the top 50 players in the nation this fall.
The lineup of elite players lining up against the Buffs in 2015:
No. 10 – Linebacker*Scooby Wright III –*Arizona
No. 11 – Wide receiver*Rashard Higgins –*Colorado State
No. 12 – Quarterback*Cody Kessler –*USC
No. 19 – Linebacker*Myles Jack – UCLA
No. 27 – Safety*Su’a Cravens –*USC
No. 33 – Cornerback/wide receiver Adoree Jackson – USC
No. 34 – Running back*Royce Freeman –*Oregon
No. 36 – Running back*Paul Perkins – UCLA
——
Originally posted by CU At the Game
Click here to vie