ESPN College Football

ESPN's Mel Kiper continues his look forward to the 2014 draft with some position-by-position rankings all this week.

Kicking it off are the top-10 wide receivers . And, no surprise, USC's Marqise Lee is right at the top of the list. After an outstanding 2012, that saw him capture the Biletnikoff Award for the nation's top receiver, Lee will be adjusting to life with a new quarterback. There is a question how much that will impact his 2013 numbers, but no one is denying his next-level ability.

Writes Kiper: At maybe 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, Lee isn't the kind of physical presence that you'd expect of a game-changing matchup problem like recent top-10 picks A.J. Green, Julio Jones or even Calvin Johnson. But he plays a little bigger than his size, is extremely reliable and productive, and we just witnessed a draft where a 5-8, 175-pound wide receiver went in the top 10 -- and a team traded up to get him. Lee has proven extremely difficult to cover, and as you watched USC last year you'd see teams roll extra coverage to him -- and it still didn't work, as evidenced by the 118 passes he caught.

His challenge this year is to stay productive, and to not get frustrated by both the coverage attention and his new QB. Say what you want about what happened with Matt Barkley in the draft, but the guy was an accurate QB at the college level and got his best players the ball.

This last part is interesting -- because there are those who would submit that the Trojans became too one-dimensional and forced the ball to Lee, getting away from other aspects of the offense and losing balance.

During the Pac-12 blog's spring visit to USC, head coach Lane Kiffin talked extensively about the mental challenges facing Lee in 2013. Here's a link to that story from last month.

It's also a little odd not to see more Pac-12 names -- which goes to show how special last year's crop was -- including Lee's teammate Robert Woods, Markus Wheaton, Keenan Allen and Marquess Wilson, who were all drafted.

Kiper also looked at the top-10 defensive end prospects , and Oregon State's Scott Crichton checks in on the list at No. 4.

Writes Kiper: Crichton has a big-time motor. As a freshman, he was second in the Pac-12 with 14.5 tackles for a loss, and that jumped to 17.5 tackles for loss in 2012. He also forced six fumbles as a freshman. Crichton has a quick get-off, gets defenders off balance with his burst and does a pretty good job of clearing his inside arm and bending to turn the corner. But what makes him special is his effort level, and if he marries that to more technical savvy as a pass-rusher, he's going to have a huge season.

Curious to not see USC's Morgan Breslin, who should be among the nation's top pass-rushers, on this list. Wondering if Kiper is counting him as a defensive end or a hybrid outside linebacker/rush end -- which is his new role in the Trojans' re-worked odd front. If that's the case, the list of outside linebackers from the Pac-12 should be impressive.

Oregon State head coach Mike Riley talks about OSU's quarterback competition, the running game and offers his thoughts on the College Football Playoff.

All players are equal, but some players are more equal than others. That's the basis of our Most Important Player series.

First off, quarterbacks are excluded to make things more interesting. It goes without saying, for example, that Oregon's Marcus Mariota is the Ducks' most important player.

And most important doesn't necessarily have to be "best." An All-American's backup can be pretty darn good, too.

Our most important guys are players who could swing a win total one way or the other, based on their living up to expectations. Or their absence.

UCLA: LB Anthony Barr

2012 production: Posted 83 tackles, 13.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for a loss. He also forced four fumbles, blocked a kick and notched a safety.

Why Barr is so important: Another difficult choice. I considered defensive lineman Cassius Marsh -- a fiery player who steps in for Datone Jones as the leader of the defensive front. If he can continue to build on last year's fantastic production (50 tackles, eight sacks, 10.5 TFL) life will be easier for Barr. When his aggression is controlled -- and there have been reports that he's been a stronger leader this spring -- the Bruins will feed off of him.

Also, whoever wins the running back job will certainly be of great importance because they'll take pressure off of quarterback Brett Hundley. But with that position battle still undecided -- and the fact that it looks more and more likely that it will be by-committee -- the most logical choice is Barr.

Simply put, Barr is a game-changer. And he's expected to be even better than he was last year -- which is a frightening prospect when you consider what he was able to do with all of a six weeks of practice as a defensive player.

The numbers speak for themselves, and any discussions about the league's defensive player of the year in 2013 have to include the projected top-10 pick in next year's NFL draft.

We all know Barr's backstory, that he was a running back/fullback before Jim Mora and Co. came in and installed the 3-4 defense, converting Barr to an outside linebacker. After being injured last spring, he didn't actually start working at the position until fall camp. And then he blew up -- so much so that Mel Kiper has him as the No. 5 player on his 2014 draft board .

The Bruins face a tougher schedule in 2013, which includes trips to Nebraska, Stanford, Oregon and USC. They are also looking for leaders to fill the role of the departed running back Johnathan Franklin and the aforementioned Jones, among others.

Now that Barr has had a healthy offseason to work as a linebacker, he's added lean muscle to his frame and whatever remnants of being an offensive player that might have lingered are history. He spent most of this spring getting better in pass coverage -- which will make him a more diverse and well-rounded prospect, but it will also take some of the pressure off the Bruins defensive backfield as they rebuild the secondary.

Barr is on the verge of becoming a complete player -- a guy who can detonate quarterbacks and running backs in the backfield and make plays in pass defense. Those kind of elite defenders are rare. And Barr is that kind of elite defender.

By now we've all heard the story of the running back/fullback from that South Division team who switched over to defense, became a hybrid linebacker and was one of the best in the Pac-12 at getting sacks and tackles for a loss.

UCLA's Anthony Barr, right?

No, the other one. ASU's Carl Bradford.

Oh, you haven't heard this one?

A top-tier fullback out of Norco, Calif., Bradford was recruited by then-coach Dennis Erickson to play defense. It was not a move he reluctantly accepted. It was an opportunity he jumped at.

"It's not too different than being a fullback," Bradford said. "You see a hole and you attack it. It's the same thing as a linebacker. Still hitting. Still finding holes. But you need to have a little more of an edge. You have to have that chip and play angry. You have to love to hit, and I do."

On most teams, Bradford's numbers from 2012 wouldn't be an afterthought. He had 11.5 sacks and 20.5 tackles for a loss. But because his teammate, defensive tackle Will Sutton, was so dynamic last year (13 sacks, 23.5 TFLs), Bradford's contributions are often overshadowed. Sutton went on to win the Morris Trophy for the league's top defensive lineman and the Pac-12's Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year award, which is of course named in memory of the ASU great.

"That's amazing, isn't it?" noted head coach Todd Graham. "They are as prolific of a tandem as there is out there. He's a phenomenal player. Unblockable. A very special guy with All-American potential. Every day he and Will are talking about which of them is going to win Defensive Player of the Year."

However, Bradford enters the 2013 season with somber inspiration following the death of his father from a heart attack in March -- one week before the Sun Devils opened spring ball. No strangers to tragedy of late -- recall the murder of running back Marion Grice's brother in December -- the Sun Devils have used those tragedies to form a unique bond.

"When Marion's brother passed away, everyone showered him with prayers and open arms," Bradford said. "We were always there for him and he knew what kind of teammates he had. That's the same way I felt when my father passed away. When I came back, all the love from my teammates and roommates -- all the support was amazing. To have teammates and coaches like that was really a blessing when times were hard and I appreciate it so much."

It's a part of the job that can be difficult, Graham admits. In times of tragedy, players look to their coaches for answers.

"We don't always have them," Graham said. "All we can do is be there for them, listen, and try to help them through tough times. We tell them to live each day to the fullest because you're not promised tomorrow. The key to our team is relationships and in times of tragedy those relationships are critical. That's how you form a close-knit team. We've been through a lot in a short time and I've seen the character of this team shine through."

That character will be tested early as the Sun Devils -- who are neck-and-neck with the Bruins as preseason favorites in the South Division -- play a ramped up schedule that includes four straight against Wisconsin, Stanford, USC and Notre Dame. It's an opportunity for ASU to make a huge splash on the national stage.

"I think we're mature and we have to be mature to handle a schedule like that," Bradford said. "It's going to take a lot of focus and a lot of film work. Our guys have come a long way since last year'. We'll be prepared."

Sutton and Bradford have trained their sites on the school (and NCAA) sack record of 24 in one season, held by Terrell Suggs. (Note: Suggs holds the official NCAA single-season record at 24, though Derrick Thomas had 27 in 1988, prior to the NCAA keeping defensive stats). It's not quite as dramatic as Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris racing to 61, but there's no question the two are pushing each other.

"We were joking that we might end up with 50 sacks between the two of us," Bradford said.

Bradford is graded on a different curve that Sutton because of the position he plays. While Sutton put up uncharacteristic stats for a defensive tackle, Bradford is just one of several outstanding outside linebackers/hybrid rush ends in the conference. From Bradford and Barr to Stanford's Trent Murphy and USC's Morgan Breslin, the league isn't lacking guys who can create havoc in the backfield. In 2012, there were only five FBS players who had 80-plus tackles, 10-plus sacks and 20-plus tackles for a loss: Jamie Collins (Southern Miss), Jarvis Jones (Georgia), Damontre Moore (Texas A&M), Barr and Bradford. Only the South Division pair return in 2013. No doubt, the race for the league's defensive player of the year will be hotly contested (not to mention many outstanding defensive linemen, defensive backs and safeties).

Last year was the first time since 1978 that ASU has had two players post 20 or more tackles for a loss and 10-plus sacks in the same season (Al Harris and Bob Kohrs). Only 10 FBS players who tallied 10 or more sacks in 2012 are back in 2013 -- and ASU has two of them. In fact, 51 FBS teams had fewer sacks than Sutton and Bradford combined (24.5).

"I truly don't know how they are going to scheme us," Bradford said. "We have weapons all around the board and all guys are attacking and all guys are playmakers. I feel bad for the offensive lines. They have a whole other thing coming their way this year."

Mark Helfrich talks to Ivan Maisel about his first spring practice in charge as the head coach of Oregon.

What's a dazzling urbanite like you doing in a rustic setting like this?

• The Arizona football family rallies to help one of its own.
• A post-spring exit interview with ASU safeties coach Chris Ball.
• Keenan Allen and Steve Williams are happy to be Chargers together.
• Some more on the arrests of Jordan Webb and Alex Lewis.
• A post-spring review of Oregon's special teams.
• Look for Markus Wheaton to crack Pittsburgh's starting lineup.
• Chase Thomas has motivation to impress the Saints.
• Packers draftees Johnathan Franklin and Eddie Lacy will push each other.
• Nine offseason position battles to watch at USC.
• A breakdown of Utah's post-spring depth chart.
• Don't sleep on Washington linebacker Travis Feeney.
• Marquess Wilson is eager to jump into the Bears' wide receiver competition.

With the news breaking late Friday that Colorado offensive lineman Alex Lewis will transfer to Nebraska, and the subsequent news of Lewis' arrest on Saturday along with quarterback Jordan Webb, new Buffs coach Mike MacIntyre finds himself needing to replace another former starter on the offensive line.

Lewis started 12 games last year at left guard, and the Buffs had already lost David Bakhtiari to the NFL a year early -- meaning the left side of the offensive line will have to be replaced.

So be it. This is just another among the challenges MacIntyre has to overcome at Colorado.

Lewis missed all of spring ball after having shoulder surgery in November. The Buffs were certainly looking forward to getting him and his experience back in the fall, but in his absence others were able to work in at the position -- meaning they won't be starting completely from scratch when fall camp comes around. Still, Lewis was all-league honorable mention last year, so his departure isn't an insignificant one by any means.

Just another obstacle Mac & Co. will have to deal with moving forward.

So where does this leave the Buffs up front?

• Left tackle: Jack Harris moves over, and he has some experience after starting 11 games last year -- six at right guard and five at right tackle. He finally got some consistent playing time after missing the majority of 2011 with an ankle injury. Depth is a huge issue, here, however.
• Left guard: Vacated by Lewis, junior Kaiwi Crabb sat atop the post-spring depth chart while Lewis was rehabbing his shoulder. Sophomore Jeromy Irwin will also be in the mix and sits second on the depth chart.
• Center: Gus Handler is solid and will probably be on the Rimington watchlist again. He started the final 10 games of 2011 and started five games last year before suffering ankle and knee injuries. Other than learning a new system and adjusting to a new set of starters on the line, the Buffs are set in the middle. Brad Cotner sits behind Handler on the depth chart, and Daniel Munyer also has some experience at center after filling in for Handler last year.
• Right guard: Munyer, who missed most of spring with a fractured fibula, was an all-league honorable mention last year and should be 100 percent by August. He started all 12 games last year, six at right guard and the remaining six at center filling in for Handler. He's probably Colorado's most consistent performer on the line. Alex Kelley will back him up.
• Right tackle: Stephane Nembot played in 10 games last year, starting seven. Injuries forced him into action during his redshirt freshman season, so the sophomore has some experience. Marc Mustoe is No. 2 on the depth chart.

The Buffs also have five linemen coming in -- most of them with good size already (Gunnar Graham, 6-foot-5, 305 pounds; Jonathan Huckins, 6-3, 310; Sam Kronshage, 6-5, 275; John Lisella, 6-4, 240; and Colin Sutton 6-5, 295).

It's likely one or more will have to, at the very least, crack the two-deep and help provide some depth.

Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez talks about the team's quarterback competition, Arizona's defense, and gives his thoughts on the College Football Playoff.

Have a great weekend.

As always, follow the Pac-12 blog on Twitter.

To the notes.

Ryan in New York City: Did you read [Brian] Fremeau? He makes you and Miller look like clowns. Try objective analysis and not who's the most charming coach when making your selections. Really, read Fremeau. Brutal.

Matt in Ontario, Calif. writes: Your Post Spring Power Rankings are (crud). If you say UCLA and Arizona St are 3A and 3B then you should give the edge to the two time defending PAC 12 South Champ. Tell me what other school has played in every PAC 12 Championship game. Give the Bruins a little love.

Kevin Gemmell: I packaged these two questions together for a reason.

Ryan, first off, how did you get an advanced copy of the Christmas card Ted and I are sending out this year?

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess you like Fremeau's projections because he has USC winning the South and UCLA finishing fourth. Clearly, you think we don't give USC enough love (even though the stipulation is there that USC could be a 10-win team and take the South) and give too much to UCLA.

Matt, you don't like our power rankings because we didn't clearly have UCLA as the top team in the South -- rather we separated the Bruins and Sun Devils with "A/B."

One guy is mad for giving UCLA too much love. Another is mad for not giving them enough.

When I started out in this business, around the time our hearts sank for Titanic and Dirk Diggler's name was so bright it burned out light bulbs, one of my first editors said if you've got both sides mad, you're doing something right. By the way, Matt, I'd like to refer you to my daily UCLA ritual. Ryan, I've always found Lane Kiffin to be extremely charming. Yet while the Pac-12 blog got along great with Chip Kelly, we wouldn't call him the most charming guy -- but his team sat atop the power rankings for a long time. Just sayin'.

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Brent in Salt Lake City writes: Kevin,I liked your draft updates on the Pac-12, however, I think only including the last two years for the Utes is deceiving for us as a school. It makes it look worse (and we don't need help looking bad right now). Maybe consider a follow-up post where you look at including Colorado and Utah's performance in the same window (since 2000) and include all our draft picks?The Utes have put tons of players into the NFL via the draft since 2000. We've been [cruddy] enough since joining the Pac-12, I'd prefer to think fondly on our draft history. Thanks - enjoy your work.

Steve in Salt Lake City writes: While I understand your keeping to the PAC10/12 for your article I think you probably should have used Utah's and Colo's past history to 2000 since they are certainly in the conference going forward.

Kevin Gemmell: Colorado and Utah fans, I did you wrong. But know that this slight wasn't intentional. It was a Pac-12 writer writing a Pac-12-centric story. Sometimes I forget that there were other conferences before ours. Maybe I was jealous. Maybe I don't like to think about you running around with all of those other teams in all of those other locker rooms. I didn't want to recognize the life you had before the Pac-12.

But fair is fair -- and I owe you a statistical breakdown. I already included the 2013 and 2012 drafts in the original post. Here's the rest of the years.

Since 2000, Colorado has had 34 players drafted -- including four first-round draft picks. Their best draft was 2003 with six players taken and the low end was zero players drafted in 2010, 2005 and 2001. By round, it's four in the first, five in the second, three in the third, two in the fourth, five in the fifth, six in the sixth and nine in the seventh.

• 2011 (4): Nate Solder (No. 17), Jimmy Smith (27), Jalil Brown (118), Scotty McKnight (227).
• 2010 (0)
• 2009 (1): Brad Jones (218).
• 2008 (2): Jordon Dizon (45), Terrence Wheatley (62).
• 2007 (2): Mason Crosby (193), Abraham Wright (238).
• 2006 (4): Joe Klopfenstein (46), Jeremy Bloom (147), Quinn Sypniewski (166), Lawrence Vickers (180).
• 2005 (0)
• 2004 (2): D.J. Hackett (157), Sean Tufts (196).
• 2003 (6): Tyler Brayton (32), Donald Strickland (90), Chris Brown (93), Justin Bates (219), Brandon Drumm (236), Wayne Lucier (249).
• 2002 (5): Daniel Graham (21), Andre Gurode (37), Michael M. Lewis (58), Justin Bannan (139), Victor Rogers (259).
• 2001 (0)
• 2000 (4): Ben Kelly (84), Damen Wheeler (203), Brad Bedell (206), Rashidi Barnes (225).

Since 2000, Utah has had 34 players drafted, including three first-round draft picks and the No. 1 overall pick in Alex Smith in 2005. The high was in 2010 with six players taken and the low was 2008 and 2004 when no players were drafted. By round, it's three in the first, six in the second, three in the fourth, two in the fourth, four in the fifth, six in the sixth and nine in the seventh.

• 2011 (2): Brandon Burton (139), Caleb Schlauderaff (179).
• 2010 (6): Koa Misi (40), Zane Beadles (45), Robert Johnson (148), David Reed (156), Stevenson Sylvester (166), R.J. Stanford (223).
• 2009 (4): Paul Kruger (57), Sean Smith (61), Brice McCain (188), Freddie Brown (252).
• 2008 (0)
• 2007 (2): Eric Weddle (37), Paul Soliai (108).
• 2006 (2) Spencer Toone (245), Quinton Ganther (246).
• 2005 (5): Alex Smith (1), Sione Pouha (88), Chris Kemoeatu (204), Paris Warren (225), Jonathan Fanene (233).
• 2004 (0)
• 2003 (3): Jordan Gross (8), Lauvale Sape (187), Antwoine Sanders (258).
• 2002 (2): Cliff Russell (87), Ed Ta'amu (132).
• 2001 (2): Andre Dyson (60), Steve Smith (74).
• 2000 (3): John Frank (178), Mike Anderson (189), Richard Seals (218).

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BDAZzler in Phoenix writes: Considering that ASU will be facing a much tougher schedule this year than they have in the past few years, and that they have been underwhelming against the softer schedules in those years, how many early-season losses will it take for us to say that the Giant will continue to be sleeping this year?

Kevin Gemmell: Arizona State's schedule is interesting this year. We're going to give them the benefit of the doubt against Sacramento State. Then they've got back-to-back Pac-12 games sandwiched between a home game against Wisconsin and a neutral field game against Notre Dame.

Obviously, going 4-0 during that stretch would be outstanding. I don't think they will. It has nothing to do with talent or coaching. Those are just four really hard games to play without any bye weeks in between. 3-1 would also be great. 2-2 would be solid and even 1-3 would be OK -- so long as that one win was USC for South Division tiebreaking purposes. No promises there.

Losing all four would be a huge blow. ASU could still win the South Division with a 1-4 start -- but they'll have to run out seven straight (which is unlikely) and hope that USC loses. Taking at least one of those games will be critical.

If they win a couple of those games early, it will be a huge boost to their national credibility. And I think they can beat Wisconsin and Notre Dame. I'd say they are underdogs at Stanford, though not by much, and depending how USC's quarterback competition shakes out and the new defense comes together, that could be a coin flip. But it's at home, so maybe they get an edge.

But it's also not the end of the world if they have a slow start. It just means they'll have a lot of making up to do on the back end.

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Derek in Portland writes: I liked the Oregon State cornerback article. But please explain to me how this is more important than the quarterback competition?

Kevin Gemmell: Just for the record, I said it might be. And here's my thinking. You know what you are getting with Sean Mannion and Cody Vaz. Both of them have won big games and both have quality experience/starts.

This isn't a situation with two or three young quarterbacks who have never taken a collegiate snap learning an entirely new offense and trying to build continuity with receivers. These guys have been in the system for multiple years and they know who they are going to be throwing to.

Of course, the quarterback is the most important position on the team. You'll never hear either half of the Pac-12 blog say otherwise.

However -- the cornerback spot -- and we're just talking about Oregon State, not making a sweeping statement about all teams -- that position battle is extremely important because whoever fills in for Jordan Poyer will be joining an experienced secondary. And if I'm an offensive coordinator scouting Oregon State and putting together my passing game plan, I'm looking at the experience of Rashaad Reynolds, Ryan Murphy and Tyrequek Zimmerman -- and also the lack of starting experience at left corner -- and that's where I'm testing the waters.

The combination of Sean Martin and Steven Nelson (and it sounds like Mike Riley wants to use them as a duo -- which makes sense) might end up being as lockdown as Poyer was. And for the record I think Martin did an outstanding job last season in spot duty -- so much so that I bestowed on him the highest honor we have on the Pac-12 blog back in Week 10: a helmet sticker.

But until we see what he/Nelson can do each week, that position is more of an unknown than what we'll be getting at quarterback. And that's why it might end up being the more important position battle.

Inspired by Florida's "#ComePlayWRFortheJoker" campaign, our recruiting writers looked at other ways schools can sell themselves on the trail. Here's a look at recruiting pitches for the Pac-12:

Arizona Wildcats
What they're selling: Rich Rodriguez's offensive system worked wonders at West Virginia and introduced the nation to Denard Robinson at Michigan. In 2012, the explosive offense scored at least 34 points in 10 of the Wildcats' 13 games.
What they're missing: The Wildcats don't have the Territorial Cup, which went to Arizona State following a 41-34 victory last season. If Arizona is going to climb the Pac-12 ranks, it'll need to win at home and lock up local talent over the Sun Devils.

Arizona State Sun Devils
What they're selling: There's a new attitude at Arizona State, as Todd Graham took the Sun Devils from the most penalized team in the country to one of the least penalized in just one year. Installing that discipline and accountability has been a major selling point for recruits signing up to play with Graham.
What they're missing: The Sun Devils won their final three games of the season for the first time in more than three decades, but losses to UCLA and USC leave them looking up at the Pac-12 South leaders in the battle for national prominence.

California Golden Bears
What they're selling: One of the top public universities in the world, Cal will always be able to pitch its strong academics to recruiting. The new facilities and revamped California Memorial Stadium will help accentuate the package with a pretty bow.
What they're missing: Coach Sonny Dykes has recent Pac-12 experience, but his three years at Louisiana Tech took him completely out of the minds of West region recruits. In-state recruits, essential to Cal's recruiting success, are unfamiliar with what Dykes' systems look like in game action, although the Golden Bears will have a chance to make several statements this fall.

Colorado Buffaloes
What they're selling: The Buffaloes need playmakers at a multitude of position on both sides of the ball. Playing time and the ability to make an instant impact are certainly on the table for Colorado recruits.
What they're missing: Colorado was two points away from a winless season in 2012 and has very little on-field momentum heading into 2013. The Buffs have just four wins in two years in the Pac-12, and until that changes, it'll be difficult to win significant recruiting battles.

Oregon Ducks
What they're selling: The noisy uniforms and noisier Autzen Stadium provide the flash, but there is plenty of substance in the fast-paced offense the Ducks run. It's unlikely that will slow down under new coach Mark Helfrich.
What they're missing: Mostly obviously, they're missing Chip Kelly, which has left a slight cloud over how the program might change direction or continue unaltered under the new staff. But the possibility of looming NCAA sanctions means the Ducks can't sell completely smooth sailing to recruits in this class.

Oregon State Beavers
What they're selling: The Beavers can sell credibility, not just on the field, but with the coaching staff as well. Mike Riley and his staff have proven they can win in Corvallis and year after year, the Beavers' coach comes across as incredibly genuine to recruits.
What they're missing: In state, Oregon State is the decided underdog when it comes to flash and national appeal. The Beavers aren't often referred to as a "dream school" by recruits, so there is rarely a sure-fire commitment for coaches when they go out of state.

Stanford Cardinal
What they're selling: Arguably no school in the country has the combination of academics and athletics of Stanford. When you're recruiting student-athletes, that's a good place to start.
What they're missing: Despite the recent success, Stanford is never going to be able to put together the game-day atmosphere of some of its Pac-12 competition, including Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington.

UCLA Bruins
What they're selling: Jim Mora's staff has Southern California buzzing about the new direction UCLA is headed. That's a good thing for the Bruins, who have climbed out of the shadow of USC.
What they're missing: The Bruins had a chance to completely pass USC, but dropped their final three games of the season. There is still a question about whether they've jumped the Trojans for good and until that is settled on the field this season, the Trojans will likely get the benefit of the doubt, regionally and nationally.

USC Trojans
What they're selling: No Pac-12 program can fall back on tradition like USC. And now with the John McKay Center, old school meets new school in a much-needed facility upgrade.
What they're missing: Rumblings about Lane Kiffin's job security began after a 10-point loss to UCLA, grew louder after a loss to Notre Dame and became deafening after a Sun Bowl loss to Georgia Tech. Despite athletic director Pat Haden throwing his full support behind the coach, recruits and their families are having difficulty believing Kiffin and his staff are there for the long haul.

Utah Utes
What they're selling: Offensively, there is plenty of intrigue as to how co-offensive coordinators Dennis Erickson and Brian Johnson direct the attack. Overall, there is still the memory of what Utah was able to accomplish as a BCS spoiler in 2008, and Kyle Whittingham hopes to spark some of that magic in the Pac-12.
What they're missing: In two years, the Utes are below .500 in the Pac-12 and missed out on a bowl game last season. At this point, it's still an uphill climb in terms of convincing recruits they can cause an upheaval in the conference standings.

Washington Huskies
What they're selling: It's tough to find a coaching staff with more energy on the field or recruiting trail, starting with head coach Steve Sarkisian and moving to every assistant coach on the staff. It's a young group that relates incredibly well to recruits.
What they're missing: The Huskies have yet to win eight games in Sarkisian's three years in Seattle, so hitting that number would be a big step toward proving there is some growing on-field momentum.

Washington State Cougars
What they're selling: Mike Leach is still one of the most interesting personalities in college football, and despite some stumbles in his first year at Washington State, recruits are still interested to see what the Cougars can do this fall in his second year.
What they're missing: The Cougars need wins and they need them now. Washington State hasn't posted a winning record since 2003 and when it comes to on-field performance, it simply can't compete with a majority of Pac-12 teams.

All players are equal, but some players are more equal than others. That's the basis of our Most Important Player series.

First off, quarterbacks are excluded to make things more interesting. It goes without saying, for example, that Oregon's Marcus Mariota is the Ducks' most important player.

And most important doesn't necessarily have to be "best." An All-American's backup can be pretty darn good, too.

Our most important guys are players who could swing a win total one way or the other, based on their living up to expectations. Or their absence.

Stanford: LB Shayne Skov

2012 production: Led the Cardinal with 81 total tackles while recording nine tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.

Why Skov is so important: You could easily make an argument that whoever wins the running back competition could occupy this spot. After all, Stanford's offensive philosophy is ground-and-pound and that's not going to change with the departure of Stephan Taylor. But the fact that Stanford will take much more of a by-committee approach in 2013 than it did in 2012 leaves that point open for debate.

There is no debate, however, about what Skov means to this team. Before his season-ending knee injury at Arizona in 2011, he was slotted as a potential first-round draft pick. He returned in 2012 and was very good. But not quite back to where he was pre-injury.

He is now. And that bodes very well for one of the top defensive units in the country.

"Talking to him at the end of spring, he estimated that he was between 90-95 percent and you could see when he got back for our second session in April, he was passing guys again like he used to," said Stanford coach David Shaw. "He was passing up other defenders on his way to the ball.

"He was excited to feel that explosion back. To feel that speed back that he never really felt all year. He was healthy all year. He had the strength all year. He wore the knee brace. But the knee could protect itself and he was not at risk of injury. It was just that explosion is always the last thing to come back. And everybody is different when that does come back. I think it's finally back and he's going to start training camp at 100 percent and hopefully better than ever."

And offensive coordinators around the league just felt a chill down their spines.

Skov is obviously impactful for what he does on the field -- especially if he truly is 100 percent. Because an 80-percent Shayne Skov in 2012 was still pretty darn good. But what he can do off the field is just as inspiring.

Watch some of his locker room speech before the USC game and you'll get an idea of what Skov does for this team.

He is the kind of player who can motivate the entire team with his play on the field and inspire them with his fire off it. Flanked by a front seven that was No. 5 nationally against the run, No. 2 in tackles for loss and the best in the country at tallying sacks, Skov will be looked upon again to be the leader of a defense filled with leaders.

Skov's decision to come back -- made in congress with outside linebacker Trent Murphy and defensive end Ben Gardner -- gives the Cardinal three of the top players nationally at their positions in the front seven. The defense is expected to be even better than it was in 2012. And there's little doubt that a 100-percent Skov will be its leader on the field and in the locker room.

Happy Friday.

• Arizona and UNLV are getting closer to moving their game to Glendale.
• A post-spring review of Arizona State's linebackers.
• Todd Steussie headlines list of eight selected to Cal's Hall of Fame.
• Former Colorado quarterback Nick Hirschman will transfer to Akron.
• A post-spring review of Oregon's defensive backs.
• Cliff Kirkpatrick's spring tour of Oregon State's opponents continues with Utah.
• Zach Ertz and Jordan Poyer have agreed to deals with the Eagles.
• Matt Hayes from Sporting News has a nice feature on Brett Hundley.
• A preseason breakdown of USC wide receiver Marqise Lee.
• Utah will get back to defying the odds in 2013.
• Keith Price is No. 7 on a list of 15 pivotal quarterbacks in 2013.
• Same list, and Connor Halliday is No. 11.
• Jon Wilner has some updates on the Pac-12 Network.

While so much of the attention on Oregon State this spring has been on the quarterback competition -- one of the most intriguing in the nation between Sean Mannion and Cody Vaz -- there are other critical position battles.

And the one at cornerback might even be of greater importance.

Post spring, Sean Martin sits atop the depth chart at left corner, opposite returning starter Rashaad Reynolds on the right side. This position is of great interest because it was formerly held by the departed Jordan Poyer -- one of the school's top secondary players of all-time who sits fourth on the school's career interceptions list with 13.

Pushing Martin is junior college transfer Steven Nelson -- who was rated by one service as the No. 2 JC cornerback in the country.

But head coach Mike Riley isn't approaching it with the thought that one will be a starter and one will be a backup. If all goes according to plan -- it's likely we'll see them on the field at the same time.

"That competition is good for the Beavers because my goal out of this thing is that both of these guys become bona fide starters," Riley said. "They both won't necessarily start on first down, but if they proceed to grow as we've seen them through their competition in the spring, then you'll see them both playing together a lot. Third-down defenses, nickel or dime. We actually need both of them to be considered as starters."

He says that with the caveat that he's not ready to say which one has pulled ahead in their competition. Spring depth charts offer a little insight, but not nearly enough to pass judgment.

Once a commit to Georgia, Nelson comes to Oregon State from the College of Sequoias in California, and has spent the spring playing catch up. Martin, however, started three games last year -- twice as a nickel and one at corner against Arizona State when Poyer was out with an injury. After missing the majority of 2011 with a broken foot, Martin bounced back in 2012 to register 43 tackles, two interceptions and three pass breakups.

Martin's experience might be what keeps him atop the depth chart -- at least for now.

"I think Sean Martin has improved dramatically in the course of two years here and I think Steven has all the athletic tools to be a corner in our league and be a good player," Riley said. "He needs to learn more and more about what we do and how he fits into that, but I think he's very conscientious and I think he'll make that move. I think this has all been very good."

After a rough 2011, where the Beavers ranked 104th in pass-efficiency defense, they bounced back and were 20th nationally last year. After giving up 28 passing touchdowns in 2011, they cut that number in half to 14 in 2012. Poyer was a huge part of that, hauling in seven of OSU's 20 interceptions last season.

With Reynolds (25 career starts) on the other side and returning safeties Tyrequek Zimmerman (13 starts) and Ryan Murphy (15 starts), the secondary should again be solid with just the one hole to fill.

But Riley isn't as concerned with finding one guy who can step in for Poyer as he is developing them to work together in unison.

"I'm not ready to say which one of them is going to come out of the fold as 'the starter,'" Riley said. "But my goal is for both of them to be ready to play and be good, solid players in the fall."

West recruiting coordinator Erik McKinney joins Phil Murphy to talk IMG West Regional standouts (notably No. 5 overall recruit Adoree' Jackson), the player evaluation at Stanford and news on the tight end of the nation's most talked-about quarterback.

New California coach Sonny Dykes talks about spring practices and the new College Football Playoff.