College Football Power Rankings, Week 3: Pac-10 Wide Receivers
After spending three weeks criss-crossing the country for intersectional matchups, the teams of the Pac-10 are set to begin conference play in earnest on Saturday...sort of.
While UCLA, Stanford, and Oregon State are all set to confront non-conference foes on the road this weekend, six of the remaining western teams will be tussling with one another in search of a 1-0 lead in the Pac-10.
Which, of course, means its time to establish a pecking order for Pac-10 wide receivers.
Wait, what?
To bridge the gap in logic, consider the fact that year in and year out, the Pac-10 is loaded with top-notch quarterbacks leading pass-happy offenses. Such wouldn't be possible without the generous contributions of those who lay their lives on the line (or the turf, rather) to make their quarterbacking counterparts look good.
But while gunslingers like Washington's Jake Locker and Stanford's Andrew Luck get all of the pub, their pass-catching pals tend to get the media shaft, unless they (like Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens) go out of their ways to attract attention.
These kids are all hard-working student-athletes with little time to go hunting for headlines, so let's give 'em credit where credit is due...
But only for the top 10.
No. 10: William Wright, Arizona
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Starting off the rankings this week is Arizona's William Wright. The junior from Oklahoma got himself off to a solid start this season, catching six balls for 64 yards and a touchdown in the Wildcats' first two games.
Under the ESPN spotlight against then-ninth-ranked Iowa, Wright practically doubled his season stats, picking up 67 yards on five catches, including the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter to give Arizona its biggest win of the Mike Stoops Era.
Wright is the first of three Wildcats in the power rankings, so he could very well see a significant drop-off in the coming weeks.
But for now, he can enjoy his status as a hero in Tucson and a member of the power rankings.
No. 9: David Douglas, Arizona
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Just ahead of Wright on Arizona's depth chart, and thus ahead in the rankings, is David Douglas.
While Wright stole the show on Saturday against the Hawkeyes, Douglas had himself another steady game, racking up 74 yards and a touchdown on seven catches.
As quarterback Nick Foles' second option, Douglas has 140 yards and two touchdowns on 16 catches in 2010.
A date with Cal, which got torched by Nevada last week, should prove to be a boon for the junior from McKinney, Texas.
No. 8: Juron Criner, Arizona
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Douglas and Wright may have hogged the spotlight in Arizona's huge victory, but Juron Criner remains Nick Foles' top target.
And for good reason. The 6' 4" junior from Las Vegas is the Wildcats' most experienced and explosive receiver, with the size to leap over and the speed to run past whoever is covering him.
Criner has this season used those skills to the tune of 284 yards and a touchdown on 14 catches. Granted, a significant portion of that (10 catches, 176 yards, and a touchdown) came against Toledo in the 'Cats' opener.
Nevertheless, Criner finds himself ahead of his teammates on this list because he is likely to remain ahead of them on Arizona's depth chart as the season progresses.
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No. 7: James Rodgers, Oregon State
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Honestly, considering the abundance of stat-stuffed receivers in the Pac-10 thus far, James Rodgers doesn't merit a spot on this list.
Thus far, the elder Rodgers brother has accumulated 107 yards and a touchdown on seven catches. Respectable numbers to be sure, but not exactly eye-popping.
But, before anyone goes dropping Rodgers from the rankings entirely, consider a few key points:
1. Unlike most teams in the Pac-10, Oregon State has only played two games thus far as opposed to three. As such, Rodgers has had fewer opportunities to put up big numbers.
2. Also sapping Rodgers' numbers thus far is his own brother, the lightning-quick running back Jacquizz. It's tough to argue against Coach Mike Riley's tactic of getting the ball to 'Quizz as much as possible, especially after collecting 154 yards and three touchdowns on 29 total touches (24 carries, five catches), against Louisville...
3. And especially when the Beavers are breaking in a new quarterback. The loss of Sean Canfield to graduation and the insertion of sophomore Ryan Katz has likely impacted Rodgers' stats thus far. For one, Rodgers is likely still developing a rapport with the new kid from Santa Monica. Additionally, the Beavs' coaching staff isn't about to let Katz heave the ball all day like his conference counterparts...
4. Which makes sense, considering Oregon State's non-conference slate: an opening loss to fourth-ranked TCU, a victory over Louisville from the Big East this past weekend, and a game with third-ranked Boise State upcoming. Thus, Rodgers hasn't had the chance, like the rest of the folks on this list, to pad his stats against powder-puffs and cupcakes.
Even so, Rodgers has done plenty to contribute to the Beavers' cause, leading the conference in kick-return yards with 275, good for an average of 30.6 yards per return.
Assuming Katz improves over the season as he did against Louisville, and Oregon State's coaches let him sling it, Rodgers should be getting plenty of action, both on the field and up the charts.
No. 6: Doug Baldwin, Stanford
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Chris Owusu and Ryan Whalen have captured all of the publicity for Stanford's receiving corps, but its Doug Baldwin who's put in the most work so far.
The senior from Florida has converted 10 catches into 194 yards and two touchdowns while chipping in on punt and kick returns.
Whalen's questionable status for this weekend's game against Notre Dame in South Bend should open up more opportunities for Baldwin to maintain, if not advance, his position in the rankings.
Of course, it helps that he has one of the most gifted quarterbacks in the country, Andrew Luck, throwing passes his way.
No. 5: Marquess Wilson, Washington State
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Another autumn, another lousy start to the season for Washington State.
After barely escaping against FCS juggernaut Montana State, the Cougars were dragged back down to Earth by the Mustangs of Southern Methodist.
And while there's plenty of blame to pass around in Pullman, Marquess Wilson certainly deserves a pass for the way he's performed.
The 6' 3" freshman has already established himself as quarterback Jeff Tuel's No. 1 option. In his first three games as a collegian, Wilson posted 281 yards and two touchdowns on 13 grabs, including 134 yards and a touchdown against SMU.
A 21.6 yards-per-catch average certainly isn't bad for any wide-out, and is pretty spectacular for someone as young as Wilson.
This Saturday's matchup against USC will be a huge test for Wilson, in his first Pac-10 conference clash no less. Though Wazzu is a huge underdog, and deservedly so, Wilson could very well come away with another fine performance to add to his resume.
No. 4: Jeff Maehl, Oregon
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While fifth-ranked Oregon's offense has been dominated by its dynamic backfield this, Jeff Maehl has delivered for the Ducks' passing game.
With LaMichael James and Darren Thomas doing the bulk of the damage on the ground, the senior from Paradise, California has taken over through the air, scampering for 223 yards and two touchdowns on 13 catches.
Maehl will be expected to keep up his stellar play during the Pac-10 season, starting with this Saturday's tilt in Tempe with the Arizona State Sun Devils.
No. 3: Ronald Johnson, USC
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Just as the Trojans' offense has seen a significant drop-off since the opener against Hawaii, so too have Ronald Johnson's numbers.
The senior from Michigan had an incredible game in Honolulu, making four trips to the end zone, including one on an 89-yard punt return.
"RoJo" has had some difficulty keeping up the pace, though such would be difficult to ask of just about any receiver on any level.
Not that there's anything wrong with 121 yards and a touchdown in two games since then.
Johnson and the rest of his 'mates at USC should have a field day against Pac-10 bottom-feeder Wazzu on Saturday. Nonetheless, Johnson may still see a reduction in opportunities as Coach Lane Kiffin features freshman phenom Robert Woods in the passing game more and more.
No. 2: Marvin Jones, Cal
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Berkeley fans certainly weren't happy with their Golden Bears' embarrassing 52-31 loss to the Nevada Wolfpack of the WAC.
Beyond the abysmal play of quarterback Kevin RIley were two standout performances.
On the one hand, the 198 yards and three touchdowns by running back Shane Vereen shouldn't have anyone off-guard, seeing as how Vereen is an excellent 'back who filled in beautifully for the injured Jahvid Best last season.
On the other hand, the 161 yards and 12 catches for wideout Marvin Jones should be something of a surprise. Though the junior from Etiwanda High is the top receiver for Coach Jeff Tedford's squad, few would've thought that Jones would come away from the game in Reno with more than twice as many catches as he arrived there.
Either way, Jones will have a tough time replicating last week's success on Saturday, with the Bears set to take on the ever-improving Arizona Wildcats in Tucson to open their Pac-10 schedule.
No. 1: Jermaine Kearse, Washington
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Speaking of disappointing team performances, the Washington Huskies were demolished at home by eighth-ranked Nebraska on Saturday, 56-21.
Among the many reasons for the slaughter in Seattle was the poor play of Golden Boy quarterback Jake Locker, who completed a mere four of his 20 passes against the Black Shirts.
Half of those completions ended up in the hands of Jermaine Kearse, Locker's favorite target and arguably the best receiver in the Pac-10 right now.
The junior from Lakewood, Washington currently leads the conference in receiving yards (338) and touchdowns (five) while hauling in the second-most receptions (16) of anyone in the league.
Kearse will likely find himself back in the top spot next week, thanks to Washington's inactivity this week. However, the story could very well change the following week, when he and the Huskies head down to Los Angeles to take on the Trojans at the Coliseum.
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