Pac-12 Football Predictions: 7 Unknown Players Who Will Breakout in 2011

The beginning of the 2011 college football season is right around the corner as teams gear up for fall camp.  Every team is making their final roster decisions before their season openers in September.

2011 is the first year of the Pac-12, and there are sure to be plenty of new talent on the field across the conference.

Here is a list of seven unknown players who are going to have big seasons in 2011.

7. Harvey Langi, RB, Utah

Utah has had great success in the Mountain West Conference, but the Pac-12 will offer a new level of competition on a weekly basis. 

Lucky for the Utes, they return quarterback Jordan Wynn to run Norm Chow’s offense.  The question in Utah is, who will carry the ball after they lost the team lost their two leading rushers from last season. 

The answer is likely freshman Harvey Langi, who was an early enrollee and caught a lot of people’s attention in spring practice. 

The Utes will likely feature multiple backs in their backfield, but Langi is a powerful back who can help take the pressure off of Wynn.

6. Jeff Tuel, QB, Washington State

The Cougars were the laughing stock of the Pac-10 during its last few years of existence.  Fans up in Pullman are hoping that the expanded conference will help change their fortunes. 

They have reason for optimism, as quarterback Jeff Tuel is entering his third season as the starter.  Luckily for Tuel, he has a crop of receivers that can make plays down the field and put some points on the board. 

The 2011 schedule sets up nicely for the Cougars, so it will be interesting to see if this team can capitalize on its talents and win more than one Pac-12 conference game.

5. Kyle Quinn, C, Arizona

With Nick Foles at the helm, the Wildcats have had a great deal of success passing the ball the last couple seasons. 

Arizona is expected to pass the ball even more this season, but it’s not because of Foles’ experience; it is because of the lack of experience on the offensive line.

All five starters from last season are gone, and only two linemen remain who have appeared in more than five games.  One of those men is Kyle Quinn, who will be the leader of this unit after starting at center in last year’s Alamo Bowl. 

If the young linemen at Arizona can keep Foles upright, they have the ability to turn some heads in the Pac-12 South.

4. James Vaughters, LB, Stanford

Andrew Luck gets most of the credit for the success of the Stanford football team, but their defense was a big reason they won games last season. 

The Cardinal run one of the better 3-4 schemes in the country, and inside linebacker Shayne Skov should be very excited for his new partner in crime James Vaughters. 

Vaughters was one of the most highly recruited linebackers in the country, and should play right away at Stanford.  He has the size, strength and athleticism to compete against the best offenses in the Pac-12 and should have an outstanding career in Palo Alto.

With his versatility, Vaughters could start at any one of the linebacker spots on the Cardinal defense.

3. Isi Sofele, RB, Cal

Cal has had a running back rush for 1,000 yards in eight of the last nine seasons.  If Cal’s new quarterback Zach Maynard is going to be successful, he’ll likely need a back that can rack up the yards. 

Isi Sofele is the Bears' leading returning rusher, but some skeptics doubt his ability to carry the load due to his small stature. 

For Cal fans, hopefully Sofele can prove doubters wrong and have a breakout year.  Cal’s running backs are always well coached, so don’t be surprised if you hear the name Isi Sofele quite a bit during the 2011 season.

2. Colt Lyerla, TE/H-Back, Oregon

Oregon has a ton of athletes on their team that could play multiple positions, and true freshman Colt Lyerla adds to that group. 

Although many scouts feel that he has the brighter future at linebacker, head coach Chip Kelley sees him making the biggest impact on offense as a true freshman. 

Lyerla had a great spring for the Ducks, building chemistry with quarterback Darron Thomas, who lost his top two receivers from a year ago.  The Ducks have a lot of incoming freshmen that can make a difference, but Lyerla is uniquely gifted with tight end size and running back speed.

Now that back up tight end Brandon Williams is out for the season with a neck injury, Lyerla expects to see the field plenty as David Paulson's main reserve.

1. Brock Osweiler, QB, Arizona State

Last year, Arizona State had arguably the best defense in the Pac-10, which returns eight starters this season. 

In 2011, ASU will no doubt be able to shut down many of their opponents on offense, but the key will be whether or not their offense can score enough points to win.  Leading the offense this year will be quarterback Brock Osweiler in his first full year as the team's starter. 

The Sun Devils have enough talent around Osweiler to get the job done. Their success will just come down to his ability to be accurate down the field and make good decisions. 

If Arizona State has indeed found their quarterback, they could be looking at a Pac-12 South Championship in 2011.