Trojans Pick Of Pac Even Usc Coach Robinson Thinks His Team Deserves All The Accolades

Nearly all the “experts” like Southern California. In fact, 10 of the 11 leading preseason college football publications have tabbed the Trojans as their favorite to win the Pacific-10 Conference title.

That’s impressive in itself, but what must concern opposing coaches even more is the way USC coach John Robinson talks about his team.

“We feel we have a tremendous opportunity this year,” Robinson said. “With the amount of players we have coming back, we have a chance to get back on the top rung of college football.

“We could be a very good team.”

Or, the Trojans could be simply great, depending on whether Robinson can find an adequate replacement for Rob Johnson at quarterback.

The two leading candidates are seniors Brad Otten and Kyle Wachholtz, but whoever ends up with the job will have the luxury of throwing to Keyshawn Johnson, one of the top receivers in the country.

“Johnson is as good as any receiver I’ve been around,” said Robinson, who has 13 starters returning from last year’s 8-3-1 team that tied for second in the Pac-10. “We must get him the ball often in a variety of ways this year.”

The teams with the best chance of derailing the Trojans would seem to be defending champion Oregon, Washington and UCLA, with everyone else battling for the remaining spot in the first division.

Oregon returns 15 starters, but must adapt to first-year coach Mike Bellotti, who replaced Rich Brooks.

Washington is off probation and eligible for a bowl game for the first time in two years, but the scholarship limitations imposed as part of the NCAA’s sanctions, have left the Huskies thin in several crucial areas.

And UCLA still has to find a capable replacement for quarterback Wayne Cook. California, Arizona and Washington State all have legitimate shots at a first-division finish and Oregon State won’t need to improve much over last year to end its long streak of losing seasons.

The two teams almost certain to finish the year looking up from the bottom are Arizona and Stanford.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo Graphic: The best of … The Pac-10

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Here is a brief summary of each Pac-10 team, listed in predicted order of finish:

USC (8-3-1 overall and 6-2 in Pac-10, tie for 2nd) Coach: John Robinson Record: 88-22-3, 9 years Record at USC: Same Players to watch: WR Keyshawn Johnson (6-4, 205, Sr.), TB Shawn Walters (6-0, 225, Jr.), C Jeremy Hogue (6-4, 270, Sr.), P John Stonehouse (5-11, 210, Sr.) Key newcomers: WR Chris Miller (5-11, 175 Jr.), WR Mike Bastianelli (6-1, 195, Fr.) Quick kicks: This is Robinson’s third season in his latest stint at USC. In the third season of his first stint (1978) the Trojans won a national title. Outlook: The Trojans are being touted in some circles as potential national champions. That might be a bit of a stretch, but if Robinson can find the right guy - either Kyle Wachholtz or Brad Otten - to replace Rob Johnson at quarterback, they should make plenty of noise in the Pac-10. Walters is one of the league’s top runners and Hogue anchors an offensive line that is typically huge, strong and physical.

Oregon (9-4 and 7-1, 1st) Coach: Mike Bellotti Record: First year Record at Oregon: First year Players to watch: CB Alex Molden (5-10, 185, Sr.), TE Josh Wilcox (6-2, 238, Jr.), LB Jeremy Asher (6-2, 224, Sr.), FL Cristin McLemore (5-11, 181, Sr.) Key newcomers: SE Gary Young (5-9, 160, Fr.), DE Marty Murphy (6-4, 239, Fr.) Quick kicks: The Ducks have only 12 seniors on their roster, but 10 are listed as starters. Outlook: Seventeen starters return with the unified goal of proving last year’s Pac-10 title and Rose Bowl berth, the school’s first in 37 years, was no fluke. The Ducks lost Danny O’Neil, a four-year starter at quarterback, but have a capable leader in junior Tony Graziani, who has long been considered one of the league’s best backups. There seems to be plenty of talent to bring another title to Eugene, but it remains to be seen how the Ducks will react under Bellotti instead of Rich Brooks, who parlayed last year’s success into an NFL job after 18 seasons at UO.

Washington (7-4 and 4-4, not eligible for title) Coach: Jim Lambright Record: 14-8, 2 years Record at Washington: Same Players to watch: QB Damon Huard (6-4, 215, Sr.), FS Lawyer Milloy (6-2, 200, Jr.), LB Ink Aleaga (6-2, 225, Jr.), TE Ernie Conwell (6-3, 240, Sr.) Key newcomers: PK Randy Jones (6-2, 205, Fr.), FL Andre deSaussure (6-2, 200, Fr.) Quick kicks: Of the 51 Pac-10 games played away from Husky Stadium last season, only two - Stanford vs. California and USC vs. UCLA drew more fans than UW’s home average of 70,197. Outlook: After paying their probation dues, the Dawgs have something to play for again. The scholarship numbers are down and depth could be a problem at several positions, but if the Huskies stay healthy, play up to their potential on defense and develop a couple of receivers, they should play on past their Nov. 18 Apple Cup date with Washington State.

UCLA (5-6 and 3-5, tie for 5th) Coach: Terry Donahue Record: 144-69-8, 19 years Record at UCLA: Same Players to watch: FL Kevin Jordan (6-2, 188, Sr.), OT Jonathan Ogden (6-8, 315, Sr.), TB Karim Abdul-Jabbar (5-11, 189, Jr.), LB Donnie Edwards (6-4, 216, Sr.) Key newcomers: LB Jason Nevadomsky (6-2, 240, Jr.), FB Jarvis Watson (5-11, 234, Fr.), CB Akil Davis (6-0, 168, Fr.) Quick kicks: The Bruins’ Kevin Jordan, who caught a league-high 73 passes for 1,228 yards and seven touchdowns last fall, has a chance to become the first Pac-10 player to win back-to-back receiving titles since California’s Steve Rivera in 1974-75. Outlook: UCLA returns a league-high 18 starters, including Jordan and Abudl-Jabbar (formerly Sharmon Shah). The Bruins’ offensive should be as good as any in the league even though junior quarterback Ryan Fien has yet to prove he can get it done consistently at this level. If Donahue can find anybody to help Edwards on the other side of the football, the Bruins will contend.

California (4-7 and 3-5, tie for 5th) Coach: Keith Gilbertson Record: 45-27, 6 years Record at California: 17-18, 3 years Players to watch: DE Regan Upshaw (6-4, 240, Jr.), WR Iheanyi Uwaezuoke (6-2, 195, Sr.), DT Brandon Whiting (6-3, 270, Jr.) Key newcomers: Ignacio Brache (5-10, 170, Fr.), FS Marquis Smith (6-3, 195, Fr.), OT Yauger Williams (6-6, 285, Fr.) Quick kicks: The Bears, at an estimated cost of $1.5 million, have replaced the artificial turf at Memorial Stadium with natural grass. Outlook: Nearly everyone is back on offense - including junior quarterback Pat Barnes, who earned the starting job late last season. Uwaezuoke heads a splendid stable of receivers, but the Bears need to beef up their running game. Defensively, there are some concerns in the backfield, where only one starter, cornerback Jerod Cherry, returns.

Arizona (8-4 and 6-2, tie for 2nd) Coach: Dick Tomey Record: 117-81-7, 18 years Record at Arizona: 54-35-4, 8 years Players to watch: DE Tedy Bruschi (6-1, 253, Sr.), WR Richard Dice (6-3, 215, Jr.), QB Danny White (6-5, 213, Sr.), SS Brandon Sanders (5-10, 177, Sr.) Key newcomers: OT Ian McCutcheon, 6-5, 280, Jr.), TE Mike Lucky (6-6, 245, Fr.), WR Ron Holmes (6-0, 190, Fr.) Quick kicks: The Wildcats return only nine starters - the fewest of any team in the Pac-10. Outlook: Bruschi is back, along with four other defensive starters, but UA’s “Desert Swarm” defense has undergone a major facelift. Still, the Wildcats’ fate will probably rest on the shoulders of Bruschi and Co. White returns at quarterback, but Tomey has to replace all five starters in his offensive line and find someone to fill in at tailback for the departed Ontiwaun Carter.

Washington State (8-4 and 5-3, 4th) Coach: Mike Price Record: 81-77, 14 years Record at WSU: 35-33, 6 years Players to watch: DE Dwayne Sanders (6-7, 265, Sr.), LB Chris Hayes (6-0, 205, Sr.), OT Scott Sanderson (6-7, 289, Jr.), Eric Moore (6-5, 240, Sr.) Key newcomers: CB Shad Hinchen (6-0, 175, Jr.), DB Andesola Moronkola (5-10, 180, Fr.), OG Rick Austin (6-3, 332, So.), DT Gary Holmes (6-7, 265, Fr.) Quick kicks: In his 14 years and 158 games as a college football coach, Mike Price has never been involved in a tie game. Outlook: Even with eight starters gone, the defense won’t be as bad as most people expect. Sanders is a big-time player and there are plenty of young, talented defenders who are ready to make a name for themselves. The key will be how far the offense has come from last season when it was the worst in the Pac-10. Quarterback Chad Davis has increased his arm strength and seems much more comfortable in Price’s spread passing game. But if the Cougars don’t establish some kind of running game, forget it.

Oregon State (4-7 and 2-6, tie for 7th) Coach: Jerry Pettibone Record: 43-65-2, 10 years Record at OSU: 10-33-1, 4 years Players to watch: FS Reggie Tongue (6-0, 194, Sr.), LB Kane Rogers (6-0, 229, Sr.), DT Tom Holmes (6-1, 271, Sr.), QB Don Shanklin (5- 11, 194, Jr.) Key newcomers: HB DeShawn Williams (5-10, 193, Fr.), QB Tim Alexander (6-0, 170, Fr.), DE Tony Antee (6-6, 260, Jr.) Quick kicks: The Beavers’ run of consecutive losing seasons has reached 24. Outlook: This could be the year OSU contends for a first-division finish. The Beavers have 12 starters returning from last year when they won two of their last three games and just missed upsetting Pac-10 champion Oregon in the Civil War. Shanklin has established himself as the trigger man in Pettibone’s spread-option offense, but the Beavers need to replace three starters in their offensive line.

Arizona State (3-8 and 2-6, tie for 7th) Coach: Bruce Snyder Record: 83-79-5, 15 years Record at ASU: 15-18, 3 years Players to watch: QB Jake Plummer (6-2, 183, Jr.), OT Juan Roque (6-8, 313, Jr.) Key newcomers: FS Mitchell Freeman (6-0, 200, Fr.), PK Robert Nycz (5-11, 185, Jr.), FB Jeff Paulk (6-1, 244, Fr.) Quick kicks: Last year ASU played 19 true or redshirted freshman, the most of any Division I school in the country. Outlook: Not good. Plummer gives the Sun Devils a major weapon at quarterback, but there isn’t much else to recommend offensively. Only four starters return on defense and the Devils face a killer schedule that has them on the road against Washington, Nebraska and USC in September.

Stanford (3-7-1 and 2-6, tie for 7th) Coach: Tyrone Willingham Record: First year Record at Stanford: First year Players to watch:: OG Brad Badger (6-4, 270, Jr.), FL Brian Manning (5-11, 170, Jr.), WR Mark Harris (6-4, 190, Sr.) Key newcomers: TE Derek Hubbard (6-3, 220, Jr.) Quick kicks: At 41, Willingham is the youngest head coach in the Pac-10. Outlook: The Cardinal didn’t accomplish much with Bill Walsh on the sidelines and Steve Stenstrom under center last fall - and now both are gone. Whoever ends up repacing Stenstrom will operate behind a solid offensive line, but once again there are problems on defense, where six of the nine returning starters are underclassmen. Adding to Stanford’s woes is a brutal schedule that has the Cardinal on the road for four of its first five games. - By Steve Bergum/Staff writer