College Football: 2008 Pac-10 Preview.

In 2007 the Pac 10 was riding high on the hog in the middle of the season.  USC was the pre-season No. 1 ranked team, Oregon and California made it to being ranked as high as No. 2, and Arizona State was once ranked as high as No. 4.  Unfortunately for Pac 10 fans, they all beat up on each other and only one team found themselves ranked in the top 10 at season’s end: USC. 

This year the Pac 10 enters the season as the third best BCS conference only behind the SEC and Big 12.  But that could definitely change as the season progresses.  There is no doubt that they have enough talented teams to contend for the top slot.

This year, the Trojans look as vulnerable as they ever have been since Pete Carroll has been at USC.  Throw in some other extremely talented teams in the Pac 10, and we have ourselves a dog fight out west for conference supremacy.  

How do I see it breaking down:

1. USC
2. Oregon
3. California
4. Arizona
5. Arizona State
6. UCLA
7. Oregon State
8. Stanford
9. Washington
10. Washington State

USC:  As it stands right now, USC is the team of the 2000's.  Six straight seasons in which they have finished ranked in the top five.  Two National Championships, two Heisman Trophy winners, and six straight Pac 10 Conference Championships.  Not to mention, a bevy of talent that they have unloaded into the NFL.  Since 2002, there is nobody else in the entire country that has done it better, louder, and more emphatic than USC.  Nope, not even LSU. 

However, in 2007, USC showed some vulnerability.  A loss at home to a 41-point underdog Stanford team was a shocker to the entire country.  In fact, it should go down as the biggest upset in the history of College Football.  They also lost on the road to Oregon, a team they had manhandled the previous two years by an average score of 40 - 12. 

Other close victories over Washington, Arizona, and California showed the conference that the Trojans are beatable.  Entering the 2008 season, the Trojans are still the team to beat out West, but a lot of their swagger from previous years is gone.   

On offense they return Mark Sanchez at QB.  He proved that he is a capable starter in his three starts last year.  Backing him up is Arkansas transfer, and former No. 1 QB recruit Mitch Mustain.  At Running Back, the Trojans are again loaded with Blue Chip High School All-Americans with Stafon Johnson, CJ Gable, Joe McKnight, Marc Tyler, and Allen Bradford.  Rumors are that Bradford had a monster spring camp for the Trojans, and should see the field a ton more in 2008. 

At wide receiver, we have our usual suspects of High School All-Americans.  Between Patrick Turner, Vidal Hazleton, and David Ausberry, the Trojans have three of the most talented wideouts that you will find anywhere in the country.  They also have super sophomores in Arkansas transfer Damian Williams and Ronald Johnson on hand just in case any of the previous three don't live up to expectations.  Last year, I thought Patrick Turner would have a breakout year.  He was good, but far from spectacular. 

Look for super-soph David Ausberry to breakout in 2008.  Any way you look at it, the Trojans have the deepest and most talented specialty players in the entire country.  Up front is where they may struggle a bit.  There is unbelievable talent on the offensive line, but they are young and very inexperienced.  With likely three Sophomores, a Junior, and a Senior comprising their starting front five, the Trojans will have one of the most inexperienced lines not only in the Pac 10, but in the entire country.  We shouldn't expect a huge drop off, but Sanchez will likely have more pressure on him, and the talented RBs will find the running lanes a bit more clogged in 2008.

On defense, the Trojans are looking to replace a stud at each level.  Sedrick Ellis and Lawrence Jackson were the team’s two top sackers from 2007, and they depart as starting DE and DT.  Keith Rivers departs at LB and Terrell Thomas is gone from the secondary.  But don't feel sorry poor little Pete.  Everson Griffen showed that he has all the tools to be better than Lawrence Jackson, and Averell Spicer isn't exactly a bum that will be thrown in to replace Ellis.  Rivers and Thomas, however, will be tough to replace.  Whoever lines up as Rivers replacement is far less talented, and whoever lines up in place of Thomas will be a serious downgrade. 

On the bright side, the Trojans do return some studs at each level.  Fili Moala may be the best DT in the country.  Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing form one of the best LB duo's in the country, and Taylor Mays is the best safety in the country.  Alongside him is a very solid Kevin Ellison.  Overall, the defense should be just as good as last year’s edition, and maybe even better.  Fairly intimidating when you consider they were second in the nation in Total and Scoring defense. 

All in all, it is another in a long line of extremely talented, and extremely deep Trojan teams.  They should also be commended on a lights out non-conference schedule consisting of a trip to Virginia, vs. Ohio State, and vs. Notre Dame.  Nobody has slated a tougher non-conference schedule this year than USC.  They get all the 'toughies' in conference at home in Oregon, Arizona State, and California.  Even with all the talent on hand, it is difficult to see the Trojans running through this schedule undefeated.  Even if they beat Ohio State at home, they are the biggest pelt in the Pac 10 as everyone gives them their best effort.  Throw in the added conference depth, and it is hard to see anyone finishing the Pac 10 season undefeated in conference play.

Oregon:  Up until an injury incurred by Dennis Dixon in their November third game with Arizona State last year, it very much looked like the Ducks were going to be playing in the National Championship game.  What happened in the Ducks final three games was a nightmare for any Duck fan.  Without their on-field general leading the way, the Ducks simply imploded with back-to-back-to-back losses to finish the year.  Included in one of those three losses was a shutout at the hands of UCLA.  Hard to believe that one player could mean so much to a team.  But such was the case for the Ducks in 2007.

Onward to 2008.  Gone are Dennis Dixon and Jonathan Stewart, two of the greatest Ducks in the history of Oregon football.  Replacing them will be rather difficult.  However, back for the Ducks is one of the best receivers in the country in Jaison Williams.  Look for him to team up with Jamere Holland in '08 to provide one of the best receiving duos in the Pac 10.  Justin Roper and Nathan Costa will continue to battle it out for the No. 1 QB position.  Unfortunately for Oregon, neither of them are going to be confused with Dennis Dixon. They will be better than the QB play at the end of last year's regular season, but they will not repeat the efforts of Dixon. 

RB, on the other hand, may be more replaceable than anyone thought.  Gone are Stewart's 1,722 rushing yards, but the cupboard in Eugene is far from bare.  Jeremiah Johnson is a big bruising back, and Andre Crenshaw showed a nice change of pace.  However, it is Junior College transfer LaGarrette Blount that should open some eyes in 2008.  In for the spring, LaGarette Blount was extremely impressive and may well end up being the starting tailback.  The Duck offense in 2008 won't be nearly as good as the first nine games in 2007, but it won't be nearly as bad as the last three in 2007 either.   

On defense is where the Ducks will improve the most in 2008.  Nick Reed, Patrick Chung, Walter Thurmond, and Jairus Byrd are all back.  All four are Pac 10 and All-American candidates.  Last year Nick Reed had 12 sacks and 10 1/2 TFL (Tackles for Loss).  In the secondary, the hard hitting Patrick Chung racked up 117 stops, 7 1/2 TFL, 7 PBU (Pass Break Ups), and two INTs. 

His running mates in the secondary, Thurmond and Byrd combined for 33 PBUs and 12 INTs.   Teaming with Reed at the other DE will be Will Tukuafu.  They will form one of the best DE combinations in the entire country.  DT and LB will be the spots that make this either an elite defense, or just a very good one.  Look for DT Justin Thompson to come in and create some noise. 

The JUCO transfer was one of the top rated JUCOs in the country, and should be able to play right away.  At LB, John Bacon and Jerome Boyd should improve, but they need to improve greatly.  Boyd is the more talented, and if he has a breakout senior campaign, the Duck defense will likely be one of the nation’s best.

When all is said and done, the defense will carry the load for the Ducks in 2008.  And if either Roper or Costa can emerge as a quality signal caller, the Ducks could once again find themselves amongst the nation's elite.  Should be another solid year in Eugene.

California:  Last year the Bears were 5-0, ranked No. 2 in the country and had resounding victories over Tennessee and Oregon on their resume.  Then the roof caved in.  The Bears finished the regular season 1-6, with their only win over conference bottom feeder Washington State at home, by three points. 

Jeff Tedford has had the Bears knocking on the door for conference supremacy for the past four years.  Now make that five.  Sure, they lose DeSean Jackson and Lavelle Hawkins at wideout.  They also lose the 1,546 rushing yards of Justin Forsett.  But the Bears are far from struggling to replace them with solid talent.  Jahvid Best is likely better than Forsett, and for all the hype surrounding Hawkins and Jackson, they only combined for 1,634 receiving yards and 12 TDs.  To put that into perspective, Michael Crabtree from Texas Tech had 1,962 receiving yards and 22 TDs by himself. 

To replace Hawkins and Jackson, Tedford brought in a couple of JUCOs in Marvin Jones and Verran Tucker.  He also has on hand Michael Calvin and Florida transfer Nyan Boateng.  I fully expect the production of these wide receivers to be as good if not better than last year.  At QB, we have a battle for the No. 1 guy.  Nate Longshore is the incumbent, but Kevin Riley had a monster bowl game and a solid spring while Longshore recovered from injuries.  Don't be shocked if Riley ends up the starter for the August 30 opener against Michigan State.

The offensive line will be one of the best in the Pac 10.  Maybe even the best.  Alex Mack at Center, is a two-time All Pac-10 selection.  He will be surrounded by two other returning starters, and some good depth and talent at the two other spots. 

On defense, the Bears return the second best LB crew in the Pac 10 in Anthony Fielder, Worrell Williams, and Zack Follett.  They also have a solid front four to allow these guys to roam free.  Look for Derrick Hill and Rulon Davis to have big seasons up front for the Bears. 

In the secondary it will be tough to replace the tackling machine that was Thomas DeCoud.  The secondary will be led by Syd'Quan Thompson, but they are far from being one of the elite crews in the Pac 10.  This is the Bears weakness entering 2008. 

If the Bears become more adept at stopping the run (which I fully expect them to do in '08), this will be a team contending for conference supremacy yet again.  The offense will be able to score points like they always do, it will depend on the defense as to where the Bears stack up. 

The schedule is manageable.  Non-conference play will test the Bears with games against Michigan State, @ Maryland, and vs. Colorado State.  They also have road games to Arizona, USC, and Oregon State.  Look for at least nine wins out of Cal in '08, and possibly more. 

Arizona:  Expectations have been high ever since Mike Stoops stepped on campus in Tucson.  Unfortunately for Mike, he hasn't delivered much, and finds himself directly on the hot seat in 2008.  Win, or you’re out.  Four years, and zero bowl games doesn't sit very well with the Wildcat faithful, especially since they haven't gone bowling in over a decade. 

But, I foresee some good things in the desert in 2008 for Stoops and company. 

On offense they return everything including the kitchen sink.  Willie Tuitama is back for his senior year and is a three-year starter.  Last year, Willie threw for 3,683 yards and 28 touchdowns.  He also gets his top four pass-catchers from last year returning, including All-Pac 10 WR Mike Thomas.  Thomas, Turner, and Dean arguably comprise the best set of WRs in the entire conference.  The only slot they need to fill on offense is Left Tackle, and look for JUCO AA J'Marcus Webb to fill in quite nicely.  The biggest problem facing the Wildcats on offense is to find a way that they can run the football on a consistent basis.  Last year's 77 YPG average just doesn't cut it. 

In conference play, the 'Cats were held under 100 rushing yards in six of their nine contests.  Look for the 'Cats to improve greatly in the ground game, and keep their defense off of the field in '08, because they will need it. 

On defense, the Wildcats only return three starters.  In the aftermath, they lost all-everything LB Spencer Larsen, and All-American CB Antoine Cason to the NFL.  If anything, Arizona does return some talent, albeit young and extremely inexperienced.  Even with that said, the Wildcat defense in 2007 wasn't exactly anything to brag about.  Last year the Wildcats gave up at least 20 points or more in every contest.  That included games with Northern Arizona and New Mexico. 

In order to shore up some defensive concerns, Mike went out and picked up some JUCOs who should be ready to play immediately.  Look for Vuna Tuihalamaka and Sterling Lewis at LB to make an immediate impact.  Up front is where the 'Cats will likely have some problems as they are small and inexperienced.  The LBs and DBs will need to make some plays in '08 to keep this defense from getting steamrolled.  But, the defense should be able to perform at the level of last year's underachieving squad. 

All in all, we should expect the Wildcats to be in some serious shoot-outs this year.  But, they have enough offensive firepower to hang with just about anybody, and if things fall into place, they could even contend for the conference title.  Look for a return trip to a bowl game for Arizona in '08, and maybe even an appearance in the Rose Bowl.  Something they have never done.

Arizona State:  Dennis Erickson might not be the most likeable guy on the planet, but he can flat out coach.  Coming off of a 7-6 season, the Sun Devils rebounded in 2007 for a 10-3 record, and a trip to the Holiday Bowl.  But before we get too excited, we must also recognize that ASU's schedule played a great deal into their success in '07. 

Their first seven games from last year consisted of:  San Jose State, Colorado, San Diego State, Oregon State, @ Stanford, @ Washington State, and vs. Washington.  From there, the Devils finished the season 3-3, including two blow out losses to USC and Texas. 

In 2008, they will face a much sterner schedule.  A home contest with Georgia highlights the non-conference schedule, and road trips to California, USC, Oregon State, Washington, and Arizona loom in conference play.  It is very unlikely that a repeat performance of last year is on hand for ASU in 2008.

On offense, they return their talented signal-caller Rudy Carpenter.  They also return Chris McGaha and Mike Jones at receiver, and Keegan Herring at running back.  They lose hard-running Ryan Torain, but he was injured for much of the season anyway, and Herring played well as his replacement.  Don't forget about Dimitri Nance either. 

Likely Herring and Nance will split a lot of carries.  They also bring in one of the country's best RBs in Ryan Bass to provide some spark to the running game.  Up front, however, is where the Devils will get their due.  Even with their success in '07, the Devils gave up 55 sacks. 

Second worst in the country, and only averaged 3.2 YPC (Yards Per Carry) running the ball.  Throw in the loss of three starters from last year, and this could quite possibly be the worst offensive line in the entire conference.  With a tougher schedule, and a less than stellar offensive line, it is hard to imagine this team scoring as many points as they did last year.

On defense, they should be strong once again.  Robert James and Justin Tryon will definitely be missed, but they have enough incoming talent and reserves to make up for their losses.  The DL and LBs should be amongst the best in the Pac 10.  Dexter Davis and Luis Vasquez are as good as any DEs in the Pac 10.  Travis Goethel should improve greatly upon his solid '07 season at LB, and Troy Nolan will improve in his second year of Pac 10 play.  Look for incoming freshman Lawrence Guy to make a bit of a splash at DT.

In the end, the Devils won't be nearly as good as last year (at least not record-wise).  I may even have them a bit high, but my respect for Erickson keeps them in the upper half of the extremely competitive Pac 10.

UCLA:  The Karl Dorrell experiment is over.  In 2007, there was likely not a more poorly coached team in the entire country than UCLA.  (OK, maybe one).  I really need someone to explain to me how a team can beat BYU one week, and then turn around and lose by 38 to Utah? 

How does a team beat Oregon State by 26 on the road, and then turn around and get beat by two TDs by a winless Notre Dame team the following week?  How can you beat California by 11, and immediately turn around the next week and get pasted by 20 by Washington State?  Hopefully for Bruins fans, the Jekyll and Hyde Bruins of '07 are gone.

Bring in Rick Neuheisel.  Say what you want about Neuheisel, much like Erickson, he has a pen chance for winning wherever he goes.  Likely, he has also matured enough to have learned from his mistakes that kept him out of football for two years.  Alongside Rick, he brought in offensive guru Norm Chow.  Chow is respected as having one of the greatest offensive minds in the College Football ranks.  Through much of his career, he was the architect of the vaunted LaVell Edwards passing attack at BYU.  Later he helped USC and Pete Carroll to two National Championships.  Now he is looking to rebuild UCLA along with Neuheisel.

If Norm is the genius everyone believes him to be, then he has his work cut out for him with QB Ben Olson.  Supposedly Cowan was going to be the starter, but he blew out his ACL in the spring.  In steps the overhyped former No. 1 recruited QB Ben Olson.  In front of Ben will be one the youngest, thinnest, and most inexperienced offensive lines in the country.   Kahlil Bell is back at RB, but there isn't much else other than talent coming back anywhere else on the offensive side.   UCLA was 99th in the country in total offense, and with just four starters back, it doesn't look real exciting for 2008.  But, I'll give Chow and Neuheisel the benefit of the doubt, and they should improve on this side of the ball, because quite frankly, it can't get much worse. 

On defense, the Bruins are the second most talented stop unit in the Pac 10.  Only USC has more defensive talent.  Last year, it wasn't the defense’s fault that the Bruins could only garner six victories.  They only return five starters, but we should not see any drop in last year’s 29th ranked overall defense.  The DL and LBs will once again carry the load, and CB Alterraun Verner will need another solid year in the secondary to bolster a severely depleted unit.  If the Bruins are to contend in the Pac 10 this year, it will likely be because of their defense.

The cupboard in LA isn't exactly bare for Neuheisel and Chow, but it is young and inexperienced.  The Bruins will go through some growing pains in 2008, but they should also surprise a couple of teams as well.  The schedule is down right brutal. 

They start off the season with their home opener against Tennessee, then travel to BYU.  Their other non-conference game is against Fresno State.  So much like their Pac 10 brethren, UCLA is scheduling extremely tough outside of their conference.  They also have road games to Oregon, Cal, and Arizona State.  The Bruins may not go bowling in 2008, but they should garner three to four wins in conference play, and generally that is good enough for sixth place.

Oregon State:  Year in and year out, there are not many more teams disrespected more than Oregon State.  In the past five years, the Beavers have compiled four winning seasons, and four bowl wins.  Included in those five years are back to back seasons in which OSU carded 10 and nine victories respectively.  Mike Riley is quietly doing one hell of a job up in Corvallis, OR. 

But, entering 2008, Mr. Riley will be tested with one of his toughest years as head coach for the Beavers.  Gone are Yvenson Bernard, and gone are nine starters off of one of the best defensive teams in the country last year.  They also get road games out of conference in trips to Penn State and Utah.  Hawaii as their third non-conference game isn't exactly a pushover either.  OSU does get USC, Oregon, and California at home, but those look to be the toughest teams in the conference for '08. 

On offense, Yvenson Bernard will be tough to replace.  But it looks like redshirt freshman Ryan McCants will be filling that bill.  At 6'1" and 236 pounds, McCants should be a bulldog to bring down.  Sammie Stroughter and James Rodgers are back at WR, but that doesn't mean much since Sean Canfield is back at QB, throwing for a paltry nine TDs and 15 INTs last year, Canfield doesn't exactly breath confidence in the Beaver offense.  The OL should be good, but far from great. 

On defense, the Beavers will need to replace their entire front seven.  That includes their LB trio of Dogget, LaRocque, and Darlin.  They simply don't have anybody of that caliber that will line up at LB this year.  Last year, the Beavers were one of the best defenses against the run, giving up only 71 YPG, and 2.1 YPC. 

They will need Victor Butler to continue his improvement, and also have Simi Kuli (a JUCO recruit) come in and be everything that he is expected to be.  Without those two showing up big time, it is very difficult to see the Beavers sniffing those run-stuffing numbers of '07.  Brandon Hughes will lead a pretty decent secondary, but with the losses up front, these guys will feel some added pressure this season to make a ton more plays in the run game.  That usually leads to big plays given up in the passing game.  A repeat of last year's defense is just not feasible with the talent on hand. 

All in all, this will be a rebuilding year in Corvallis.  A tougher schedule, and the rise of other programs make this a rather dismal outlook for a team coming off of a nine-win season. 

Stanford:  Jim Harbaugh did a pretty incredible job in his first season as head coach. Four wins including victories over USC and Arizona on the road were likely three or four more wins than just about anybody across the country expected.  In 2008, he gets 16 starters back to continue the rebuilding process in Palo Alto. 

On offense, Tavita Pritchard showed he is capable of being a solid Pac 10 starter at QB while starting seven games in TC Ostrander's place.  But, in spring ball, Harbaugh opened up the QB competition to find his starter for '08.  Don't be shocked if incoming freshman Andrew Luck snares the starter's job before the season is complete. 

The Cardinal have a stable of average RBs, but it is Toby Gerhart who could explode in 2008.  In the only action that Gerhart saw last year in the second game, he carried the ball 12 times for 141 yards and one TD before getting hurt.  Richard Sherman could also be another player to watch for the Cardinal as a break out performer in '08.  But, any way you look at it, this unit will continue to struggle running the ball and putting up points on a consistent basis.  They will likely improve in the second year of Harbaugh's guidance, but they will still be one of the conference’s worst offensive units.

On defense is where the Cardinal will look to make the most improvement.  With nine starters returning, the defense should be vastly improved in '08.  Look for a breakout season from Ekom Udofia at DT, and possibly an All Pac 10 performance out of Clinton Snyder at LB.  Snyder's sidekicks in Ajamoyi, and Maynor provide one of the best LB units in the Pac 10.  If the Cardinal can shore up a weak secondary, they could contend for a bowl game in 2008. 

One has to respect what Harbaugh is doing at Stanford.  And he is doing it the right way.  He is building the program from the ground up by recruiting high school talent instead of the quick fix via the JUCO route.  That leads one to believe that Harbaugh plans on staying in Palo Alto for while. 

If the Cardinal keep making strides like they did in '07, it will be tough to keep Harbaugh around for very long.  If he takes them to a bowl game in '08, the Tree faithful will have to spend a pretty penny if they want to keep the up-and-comer in place.  But, I sense that Stanford is still at least a year away from playing in a bowl game.  Look for 2009, and 2010, when Stanford should start to compete on a regular basis in conference play.

Washington:  Ty Willingham has had his hands full since arriving in Seattle in 2005.  It doesn't get any easier this year.  In 2007, the Huskies were able to put points on the board.  Problem was, they couldn't stop anybody from doing the same.  Giving up a modest 446 yards per game and over 31 points per contest, the Huskies ranked near the bottom of both defensive categories in the country last year.  That must improve if the Huskies are to compete in the Pac 10.

On offense, Jake Locker is back for his Sophomore season.  In his freshman season Jake did little to convince anybody that he will not be the stud QB that every expected him to be when he signed his Letter Of Intent to play for U Dubbya.  In front of Jake will be one of the most improved Offensive Lines in the entire conference.

However, they must find a replacement for Louis Rankin at RB, and Anthony Russo and Marcel Reece at WR.  Brandon Johnson seems more than capable to replace Rankin, but wideout is a completely different story.  RBs are getting moved to that position to try and find someone who can produce.  Right now, it looks like anybody's guess as to who may be lining up to catch balls thrown by Locker this year.

On defense, it can only get better.  Six starters return, but more importantly Ed Savannah and six of the top seven tacklers from last year are still on board.  The defense will still likely be extremely porous, but it is hard to believe that they will be as bad as last year's unit.  Last year's defense gave up 4.9 YPC, and over 64 completion percentage for opponents pass attempts.  This unit is seriously in the need for speed and difference makers.  Instead of concentrating on moving RBs to WR, maybe Tyrone should start moving some of those guys over to defense.  Likely, the defense will play better, but a dramatic improvement cannot be expected.  This will continue to be one of the worst defenses in the Pac 10 in 2008.

When the season is over, don't expect Ty Willingham to be around for very long.  Non-conference games with BYU, Oklahoma, and Notre Dame will only add to the loss column, and if the Huskies achieve more than two or three conference wins it will be nearly miraculous.  There just isn't enough talent around Jake Locker for this team to compete week in and week out.  The same reason Ty was let go at Notre Dame will be his downfall at UW.  Recruiting.  You can't win with lesser talent unless you are a special coach.  We are finding out that Ty is not a special coach.

Washington State:  Out goes Bill Doba, in comes Paul Wulff.  If you are asking: "Who in the hell is Paul Wulff," then you are not alone.   Over the past eight seasons, Paul Wulff has coached the Eastern Washington Eagles. 

His record at EWU?  53-40, including 32-24 in conference play.  Hardly the credentials of a 'winner' from the FCS division of football. 

But stranger things have happened, and it seems like this guy has a little fire in him at the least. 

In his first season, Mr. Wulff inherits 14 returning starters.  But, gone is heady QB Alex Brink.  Alex Brink probably had the quietest 10,000 career passing yards you will ever see.  In his place will be Senior Gary Rogers.  Rogers is very capable of producing similar numbers as Alex. 

Problem is, Gary will be playing in the vaunted spread offense instead of the pro-style offense that he was recruited for. So, let me get this straight.  A 6'7" guy is going to be running a spread offense? Right. 

Good for Wazzu that they at least have the talents of Dwight Tardy at RB, and Brandon Gibson at WR.  Otherwise it would be a complete disaster.  It still may be anyway.  The offense may have some bright moments, but it will likely struggle with a new QB, a new system, and a new coach.

On defense Wazzu has eight starters returning from the worst defensive unit in the entire conference.  Last year the Cougars gave up 32.4 PPG, last in the Pac 10.  Although they return Andy Mattingly at DE, they don't return much else.  

They may be returning a lot of guys that make tackles, but it is where those tackles are made that make a difference.  Tackling a guy after a first down is made doesn't do you a whole of good.  DTs making plays eight yards down field doesn't win you ballgames.  With the added amount of time this unit will likely spend on the field, I can't see much progress being made in '08.  This will likely again be the most scored upon defensive unit in the entire Pac 10.

Overall, it looks like a bleak year in store for Paul Wulff in his first year at the helm in Pullman.  Non-conference games @ Baylor and vs. Portland State may be their only chance of snaring a victory.  Throw in a 13th game with Hawaii, and it is hard to see this team finishing with less than 10 losses.  Without a doubt, this will be a heavy rebuilding year for Washington State.

NOSTRADAMUS is a College columnist for Fantasy Football Maniaxs.com