Grip on Sports: If you ask Pac-12 football coaches the best job to hold in the conference, Washington State isn’t No. 1 on the list

A GRIP ON SPORTS • If you’re not interested in Pac-12 football, sorry. That’s where we are headed this morning. Read on.

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• Before we get too deep into this Friday morning column, we want to send you away. For a while at least.

Go read Theo Lawson’s story on Gardner Minshew’s rapid rise among the consciousness of folks who assess quarterback play across the nation. It’s worth every second. Then come back here for more.

• OK, good. Wasn’t that interesting? Now let’s talk about something else that’s interesting.

San Jose’s Jon Wilner got to thinking about the football coaching jobs in the conference and if USC’s was still the platinum standard. It is.

How do we know? The conference’s coaches believe it is.

Wilner asked each coach to rate the jobs 1-through-12, and got them to be honest by promising anonymity. The result was this ranking.

Yep, USC is No. 1. Why not? The flagship university – in football – is the one place year in and year out you are mentioned in the national title picture on name alone. Besides, it pays well, it’s easy to recruit to for a variety of reasons and you get to live in the best weather imaginable. Oh sure, there are downsides – you might get fired on the tarmac at the airport – relating to traffic and the like, but it’s No. 1 without much doubt.

And Oregon State is No. 12 – unanimously. Whatever the opposite of tradition is, this is the school with more of it than anyone. It’s interesting to see the quote Wilner attributed to the place from an unnamed Pac-12 coach: “It’s so tough to even have a winning year.”

But the high and low isn’t what I’m interested in this morning. It’s the 11th-ranked school. Washington State. The school in the Palouse.

There are 10 better jobs in the conference – according to the coaches themselves. Heck, the highest anyone rated it was ninth. But it also shows the respect they have for how Mike Leach is doing his job.

“It’s clear who does the best job with what they have and where they are.”

Which brings us to two coaches, one in the past and one there now: Mike Price and Mike Leach.

Is it any wonder Alabama, when trying to rebuild its fortunes some 15 years, went after Price? He had won 10 games for consecutive seasons in Pullman. That was impressive then and it’s impressive even years later.

Leach hasn’t reached double digits in wins at WSU yet, but he’s won eight or more each of the past three years and, more than likely with California and Arizona still coming to Martin Stadium, will reach that number again.

That type of success is impressive. Especially at a university his peers feels is one of the toughest places to win in the conference.

• The only other school besides USC to earn recognition as the conference’s best job was Washington.

What’s not to like? Facilities? They are pretty darn good. University support? That’s off the charts. Money? Yep. A great place to be? C’mon, it’s Seattle. Tradition? How many places have a Dawgfather statue?

The Huskies have a lot to offer. It’s a wonder why they don’t win the North every year.

Maybe because three of the four best jobs are in the division? And WSU seems, according to the coaching fraternity, to have the guy doing the best at his job?

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WSU: We already recommended you read Theo’s story from this morning, but we’re doing it again. … When it comes time for a big catch, Stanford’s Trent Irwin is always willing to act. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12, besides the job ratings, there is more to delve into today. We start with tonight’s game, Utah facing UCLA at the Rose Bowl. The Utes’ offense has made a turnaround, while the Bruins have turned around their season. … The matchup with California means a lot to Washington coach Chris Petersen because of the guy on the other sideline. Make that, “guys.” … No one knows for sure whom Arizona will play at quarterback Saturday, but Oregon feels it will be ready for either. … There are some intermingling between Oregon State and Colorado, that’s for sure. … Can USC get its running game going against Arizona State? It may need it to keep Manny Wilkins off the field. … Finally, if you don’t like Oregon’s athletic program, this book isn’t going to change your mind.

Gonzaga: Another preseason poll, another first for the Zags. Jim Meehan has a story on GU being ranked fourth nationally by the coaches.

EWU and Idaho: The rivalry is one of friends, that’s for sure. Both schools have many players from local high schools. How many? Dave Nichols has that answer. … Around the Big Sky, the best game is in Missoula, where UC Davis visits with the Aggies trying to stay atop the conference. … Weber State has a tough assignment as well: North Dakota. … Idaho State is better than people realize and Montana State is in a state of flux. … Northern Arizona has been trying to answer a big question much of the season. … So has Southern Utah.

Whitworth: Leif Ericksen had to wait a while, but he has discovered how much fun it is to lead a successful football team. Dan Thompson has this piece on the Pirates’ starting quarterback.

Chiefs: After a long road trip, the Chiefs are back home. As Dan Thompson’s story attests, that makes them happy.

Preps: It was a busy Thursday but because football is king – it is, isn’t it? – we start in the Valley, where Mead continued its late-season surge with a win over Central Valley. Dave has the coverage. … Dave also talked with Larry Weir for the most recent edition of the Press Box pod. … We also can pass along roundups from soccer, volleyball and cross country. 

Seahawks: K.J. Wright is back after the longest stint off the field in his professional career. That means a lot for the Hawk defense but what does the injury absence mean for his contract status? … Ed Dickson is also ready to take the field. … CTE isn’t a disease to be cavalier about or deny. … Paul Allen and Russell Wilson had a relationship.

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• One more (short) day on the radio, from 3 to 4:30 this afternoon. It’s short because of the GSL game of the week. But beforehand, I’m joining Dennis Patchin on 700 ESPN for 90 minutes of the most fun I will have all week. You can listen here if you like. I hope you do. Until later …