2011 Predictions

Big Al's
Originally uploaded by pete4ducks.

Will the champion of the first season as the Pac 12 have the same champion as the final season of the Pac 10? Will any team not named USC emerge from the South to become a Top 25 team? What coaches are we not going to see on the sidelines in 2012? Here are my best guesses:

North:

1. Oregon
2. Stanford
3. UW
4. Cal
5. WSU
6. OSU

South:

1. USC
2. Utah
3. ASU
4. UA
5. CU
6. UCLA

Champion in a blowout UO over Utah at Autzen Stadium.

Pac 12 Offensive POY: Andrew Luck
Pac 12 Defensive POY: Shayne Skov
Freshman of the Year: George Farmer USC
Breakout Star: Markus Wheaton OSU
Coach of the Year: Kyle Whittingham
Hot Trend for 2012: At least two new coaches in the South
Trending Up: WSU
Trending Down: UA
Bowling: UO, Stanford, UW, Cal, Utah, ASU
Don't be shocked if: Utah "wins" the South win 4 conference losses
Team I could be very wrong on: OSU
Call me crazy but : One of either Mike Stoops or Rick Neuheisal don't survive October

Fairly certain: Only one Pac 12 team will play in a BCS bowl and it will be Oregon in the Rose Bowl

You heard it here first: Stanford beats Oregon but loses two other games in league play

Lache and the LSU Brawl

Cooper Mountain Nature Park
Originally uploaded by pete4ducks.

Despite what local fish wrap scribe John Canzano may say I don’t see a groundswell of Oregon fans “turning on” Lache Seastrunk. Who could blame the kid for moving on? For one he was caught in the middle of the Willie Lyles saga through no fault of his own getting dragged through the mud by the media. Secondly, his grandma who raised him is ill, third he was buried on the depth chart as low as 6th according to some observers and finally he was homesick. I hold no ill will towards the kid, to slam a kid over transferring is classless and anyone who did that should take a long look in the mirror. As for how this effects the on the field play I see it as being a non-factor in the short term though could have an effect long term on depth. Since Oregon will most likely sign 1 if not 2 highly rated running back recruits this year I think the Ducks will be fine in the long term as well.
As for the bar brawlers down at LSU I am not naïve to think that this doesn’t happen all over the country all the time. I do however think that this may indeed cause Jordan Jefferson to eventually get suspended and possibly get kicked off the team for it as more facts and witnesses come out. You can’t physically assault members of the armed services to the point of hospitalization and not face major scrutiny from the public and from law enforcement starting quarterback for a SEC team or not. On the field I think this is big if Miles does the unexpected and pulls Jefferson. From all accounts that guy is much improved when it comes to throwing (really how could he not after last year) and if he can show early that he can throw accurately Oregon then needs to respect the pass and can’t bring 8-9 man fronts to stop the run. If Jarrett Lee were to play LSU will be one dimensional, I don’t know enough about the JC kid to know if he can be a dual action QB but asking him to start his first game in Cowboys Stadium is a whole lot of pressure. If Oregon can get early points on LSU and force an abandonment of the run LSU will have problems winning. I don’t feel confident breaking down this game until we know who is actually playing. I am assuming that Cliff and Kiko Alonzo will both be out for Oregon, no idea yet about LSU if anyone takes the fall.