Pressing questions for several Pac-12 staffs this spring

The SEC has won four straight national titles. The Big Ten just had two teams in the College Football Playoff. The ACC has become someone of an afterthought and the Big 12 is a league marred by transition and parity. 

And then there’s the Pac-12, which faces an uncertain future with USC and UCLA leaving the league in 2024 and the conference unable (thus far) to secure a viable media rights deal. 

And yet, the Pac-12 might’ve been the most fun conference in college football in 2022, and the league has only become more interesting in the final year with the Trojans and Bruins, plus the introduction of a character like Deion Sanders. 

The Pac-12 hasn’t had a representative in the College Football Playoff since 2016, but as many as five or six teams could compete for a conference title in 2023. 

The contenders?

Utah has won back-to-back championships. USC will be a Top 10 team. Oregon (Bo Nix) and Washington (Michael Penix) bring back two of the better quarterbacks in the country. Then there’s Oregon State, which made a marquee move in the transfer portal.

UCLA should also be fun this fall, while Washington State could become a thorn in the league if Cameron Ward develops into a more consistent quarterback.

The conference also has three new head coaches, with Colorado’s Deion Sanders joining Kenny Dillingham at Arizona State and Troy Taylor at Stanford in taking over new programs. 

With all that, here are my most pressing storylines for several Pac-12 staffs this spring.

Has Lincoln Riley finally addressed his program’s fatal flaw by acknowledging defense is important, too? Are the Trojans practicing any differently?

We won’t know if Lincoln Riley is proven correct for opting not to fire maligned defensive coordinator Alex Grinch until October or November, but the Trojans need to have a strong inkling this spring if they’re even on track to see major strides from a unit that was the difference between making the CFP versus losing embarrassingly in the conference championship. 

The Trojans had the Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Caleb Williams and made a seven-win improvement (4-8 to 11-3) in Riley’s first season in Los Angeles, yet the team’s ceiling was capped because its defense finished the season in the 100s nationally in total defense, yards per play allowed, rushing yards per play and passing defense.

They were marginally better in points allowed, ranking 92nd (29.2) in the country. 

As I wrote after a Cotton Bowl loss where USC saw Tulane rally from a 14-point deficit with around four minutes remaining to win 46-45: “How USC practices — and specifically how it does (or does not) emphasize toughness, tackling and physicality — is a larger problem.” 

While it could be just talk, it would be nice to at least hear USC players rave about an increase in physicality and focus on fundamentals in spring practice. More tackling. More “9 on 7” drills.

The personnel should be better with all sorts of potential impact reinforcements from the transfer portal, but the philosophy needs to change, too, for there any sort of lasting impact.

Did Deion Sanders bring enough “Louis” to Colorado for the Buffs to avoid finishing in the basement of the Pac-12 again?

Deion Sanders gets points for candor. He told’em, “I’m coming. And we’ve got a few positions already taken care of because I’m bringing my luggage with me. And it’s Louis.”

Sanders was hired precisely because of his unique ability to bring talent to Boulder, and sure enough, in a single offseason Colorado’s roster is unrecognizable compared to the end of its disastrous 1-11 season in 2022.

The Buffs already have close to 50 new faces among their 85 scholarship players, and more movement is likely to happen during the second transfer portal window. 

Sanders signed 20 prep prospects, including flipping 5-star corner Cormani McClain from Miami.

CU also loaded up on 27 transfers — seven alone from Jackson State headlined by his quarterback Shedeur Sanders and former No. 1 overall recruit Travis Hunter. 

He also grabbed likely starters from Power 5 programs like Kentucky, Ole Miss, Florida, Arkansas, Michigan, Alabama, Clemson and West Virginia. 

And yet, the program’s entire facelift still might not be enough for Colorado to even sniff a bowl game — potentially its first since 2016.

Sanders isn’t shy about how he plans to change Colorado’s culture and losing mentality — the Buffs have finished under .500 in 15 of the last 17 seasons — so just keeping the Buffs out of the basement in the league would truly be an accomplishment in Year 1. 

But Sanders has loftier goals than that, so he needs to find out this spring if more help — namely be it along the offensive and defensive lines — is required for CU to even compete on a weekly basis in the Pac-12 come the fall. His staff’s evaluations will prove critical over the next six weeks. 

Which quarterback catches Chip Kelly’s eyes and emerges as the frontrunner for UCLA’s starting job?

With Dorian Thompson-Robinson exhausting his eligibility, UCLA had a glaring opening at quarterback this offseason. So Chip Kelly and his staff quickly reloaded the room with multiple intriguing options, grabbing Collin Schlee from Kent State and signing 5-star prospect Dante Moore. Last season’s backup Ethan Garbers also returns, and he hopes to throw his hat in the mix this spring, too. 

Moore clearly is the heir apparent for the Bruins, but it’s unclear if that’s in 2023 or the future. 

If the nation’s No. 3 overall prospect showcases well this spring, he would be UCLA’s most exciting option at QB since Josh Rosen. 

Kelly has worked doggedly to fill in the margins around the quarterback, adding 13 transfers to the roster so far this offseason. The Bruins signed multiple offensive linemen and wide receivers from the portal, including USC’s Kyle Ford, so perhaps Kelly opts to roll with a more experienced option. 

Either way, at least three quarterbacks have a chance to emerge as “the guy” Kelly believes gives UCLA the best chance to compete for the Pac-12 title in the fall. 

Can Jonathan Smith & Co., resurrect DJ Uiagalelei’s career?

Oregon State made one of the splashier additions this offseason by nabbing former 5-star Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei from the transfer portal. 

The Beavers vastly exceeded expectations in 2022, going 10-3 despite an offense that received inconsistent production from its QB play (16 touchdowns to 13 interceptions). 

Sixth-year head coach Johnathan Smith, a former OSU quarterback, is hoping he can turn Uiagalelei into the guy who can propel Oregon State to true contender status by elevating a passing offense that ranked 105th nationally in 2022. 

Uiagalelei flashed at times with the Tigers, but his play (and confidence) also regressed the last two seasons, getting benched multiple times in 2023. 

Much like Bo Nix at Oregon, perhaps a fresh start in a new system will greatly benefit Uiagalelei’s development. 

The Beavers lost several key pieces off last season’s team, but Uiagalelei has the upside to be a legitimate difference maker if Smith & Co., are able to unlock his full potential.

That work starts now.