Pac-10: Arizona rises again
Posted: Thursday August 05, 1999 11:22 AM
By Albert Lin, CNN/SI
Trung Canidate gained 1,321 yards last year despite averaging just 15 carries per game. Brandon Lopez/Allsport | |
Projected Order
of
Finish |
1. Arizona
2. UCLA
3. Arizona State
4. Southern Cal
5. Oregon
6. Cal
7. Stanford
8. Washington
9. Oregon State
10. Washington State
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Top
Storylines
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From Tucson to New Orleans?
| | Can Arizona handle being the conference favorite -- and a preseason national-title contender? Will UCLA's porous defense get any better with age? How will big-name coaches Rick Neuheisel (Washington) and Dennis Erickson (Oregon State) fare at their new schools?
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Going
Bowling
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Locks: Arizona, UCLA, Arizona State
Maybes: Southern Cal, Oregon, Cal, Stanford, Washington
No
Way: Oregon State, Washington State
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Trev's Take
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CNN/SI's Trev Alberts offers his team to
watch
| | "A year ago, Arizona State was a top five team and people were talking about the
possibility of ASU playing for a national championship in its own stadium. QB
Ryan Kealy was coming off a freshman year where he was real solid, but he
actually ended up taking a step back last year. If he can play better, they've
already got a running back in J.R. Redmond who is as good of an
all-around player as there is. He's a future top five draft pick with Champ
Bailey-like impact. And the Wildcats will be helped by the fact that UCLA and much of the
conference is down."
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Top Five Offensive
Players
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Trung Canidate, RB, Sr., Arizona
| | All-name team member gained 1,321 yards last year despite averaging just 15 carries per game (7.3 ypc).
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Reuben Droughns, RB, Sr., Oregon
| | Piled up yardage before breaking leg last season; without Akili Smith, weight of offense on his shoulders.
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Danny Farmer, WR, Sr., UCLA
| | Enough physical tools to be able to go get the ball, no matter how inexperienced/erratic the QB throwing it.
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J.R. Redmond, RB, Sr., Arizona State
| | All-purpose threat should recapture his Heisman-contender status with injury-free campaign.
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R. Jay Soward, WR, Sr., Southern Cal
| | Defines big play: Reached the end zone every seventh time he caught the ball last season (six receiving TDs on 45 receptions, 32.3 yards per TD).
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Top Five Defensive
Players
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Marcus Bell, LB, Sr., Arizona
| | Led conference in tackles with 139 (11.6 per game), including 82 solo.
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Andre Carter, DE, Jr., Cal
| | Son of former NFL great Rubin "Hurricane" Carter has ideal pass-rushing size (6'4", 250 pounds).
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Ennis Davis, DT, Jr., Southern Cal
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The 6'4", 295-pounder was first-team all-conference in first season as starter (47 tackles, 13 TFLs).
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Jabari Issa, DE, Sr., Washington
| | Eight sacks last season playing inside; imagine what he will do outside in new 3-4 alignment.
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Sekou Senika, LB, Sr., Cal
| | Only made 55 tackles last season, but a conference-high 23 were for loss.
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Top Special Teams
Player
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J.R. Redmond, PR, Sr., Arizona State
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One of the most versatile players in the country; led conference in punt returns and all-purpose yards.
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You Don't Know Him Yet, But...
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Ken Simonton, RB, Soph., Oregon State
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The 5'7", 180-pounder ran for 1,028 yards last year and figures to flourish in Erickson's one-back attack.
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Hot Coach
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Dick Tomey, Arizona
| | Dean of Pac-10 coaches may have his best team. Caveat: In 1994, Sports Illustrated picked the Wildcats No. 1 in the country and they crumbled under the pressure.
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Coach on the Hot
Seat
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Bruce Snyder, Arizona State
| | Sun Devils self-destructed last year following intense preseason expectations. Much of the talent is still on board; can they turn it around?
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Secret
Weapon
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Joe Jarzynka, WR/PK/KR, Sr., Washington
| | Displays versatility that hasn't been seen since the days of two-way players, though he may relinquish kicking duties this season.
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Toughest
Schedule
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Stanford
| | The only school with two traditional powers on its non-conference docket; Cardinal plays at Texas and hosts Notre Dame.
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Kansas State
Schedule
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Washington State
| | No school has an awful schedule, but WSU's non-conference foes are Utah, Idaho and Southwest Louisiana -- fair matchups for this team.
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Mark Your
Calendar
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| Arizona at Penn State, Aug. 28 | | A top-five battle between a team that does best as an underdog and one that has been outperformed recently in big games.
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| Colorado at Washington, Sept. 25 | | Luckily for Rick Neuheisel, the game isn't in Boulder. How pumped do you think the Buffs will be?
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| Arizona at UCLA, Oct. 30 | | This game decided the conference title last year and should do so again.
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Make sure to check out CNN/SI's previews of every Pac-10 team on Aug. 11.
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