Pac-10 Capsules

(in predicted order of finish)

Arizona Wildcats

1998: 7-1-0 in Pac-10 (second), 12-1

Coach: Dick Tomey (13th year, 84-52-4)

Strengths: With 16 starters back, including quarterbacks Keith Smith and Ortege Jenkins, the Wildcats have one of the most experienced offenses, defenses and backfields in the conference. Jenkins and Smith give the Wildcats the ability to have a running, mobile QB, Jenkins, or a true drop-back passer in Smith. Once this duo began to click last season, the Wildcats won seven straight including a 23-20 win over Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl.

Weaknesses: The Wildcats only lost two players on defense, but one of them was All-American cornerback Chris McAlister. They also must find a replacement for Morris Trophy-winning offensive guard Yusuf Scott.

Summary: With an offense that features an outstanding quarterback combo and the Pac-10’s top returning rusher, Trung Canidate, the Wildcats should have little trouble putting points on the board and earning their first Pac-10 title.

USC Trojans

1998: 5-3-0 in Pac-10 (tied for third), 8-5

Coach: Paul Hackett (second year, 8-5)

Strengths: Nine starters return on offense, including quarterback Carson Palmer. Palmer, who took over from Mike Van Raaphorst last year as a freshman, showed flashes of the future as he guided the Trojans to big wins over Washington and Notre Dame. Palmer also has the explosive R. Jay Soward back at wide receiver. Many thought Soward would forgo his senior season for the pros, but the 5-11, 175-pound speedster opted to stay and try to improve on last year’s six TD catches.

Weaknesses: Hackett must a find away to rebuild the Pac-10’s No. 1 one defense from a year ago. Gone are Butkus Award winner Chris Claiborne and three starting defensive backs. The offensive line allowed too much pressure on Palmer last year and the overall defensive unit was embarrassed in last year’s 28-19 loss to TCU in the Sun Bowl.

Summary: With the most experienced offensive line in the Pac-10 and one of the top returning rushers in Chad Morton, the Trojans have started to rebuild the program. They may stumble early with a September game at Oregon but should be in the hunt for the Holiday Bowl by the time November rolls around.

Arizona State Sun Devils

1998: 4-4-0 in Pac-10 (tied for fifth), 5-6

Coach: Bruce Snyder (eighth year, 46-33-0)

Strengths: J.R. Redmond is back, and in Tempe they are hoping that means big things. The versatile offensive player led the team in scoring with 11 rushing TDs and one return for a touchdown. He also had 22 catches for 194 yards. And if need be, Redmond, a Heisman candidate, can even play in the defensive backfield. The defense returns eight starters, including three in the secondary.

Weaknesses: Only four starters return on offense, the fewest of any Pac-10 team. The Sun Devils must also find a way to fix a defense that yielded 406.5 yards and 30.7 points per game last year.

Summary: If Snyder can settle on Ryan Kealy and not waffle with his quarterbacks like he did last season, the Sun Devils should be able to build an offense around Kealy and Redmond. Expect Redmond to run primarily to the left side behind returning starters Marvel Smith and Scott Peters. The Sun Devils should also be able to throw passes into the flat and utilize Redmond’s quickness to pick up valuable yardage.

UCLA Bruins

1998: 8-0-0 in Pac-10 (first), 10-2

Coach: Bob Toledo (fourth year, 25-10-0)

Strengths: The Bruins possess one of the toughest receiving corps in the country with Brian Poli-Dixon and Danny Farmer. Poli-Dixon, a 6-5, 210-pound junior grabbed 42 balls and 10 touchdowns last season. Farmer, a 6-4, 210-pound senior, averaged an eye-popping 22 yards per catch and seemed to always come through with a reception when the Bruins needed it most. The Bruins are holding onto a 15-game Pac-10 winning streak, have great depth at tailback and return nine starters on defense.

Weaknesses: Toledo has to find a replacement for Pac-10 co-offensive player of the year Cade McNown, the Bruins’ career passing leader. Toledo has named former walk-on Drew Bennett as his starter, but didn’t exactly give the junior a vote of confidence by following up that announcement with the news that Cory Paus, a freshman, would play early and often. The Bruins, an abysmal defensive unit last year, also lost Larry Atkins, the team’s leading tackler.

Summary: The Bruins have plenty of talent, but it is young talent. Toledo fired defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti after last year’s defensive disaster and is hoping new defensive line coach Jethro Franklin can turn things around with a young crew up front.

Oregon Ducks

1998: 5-3-0 in Pac-10 (tied for third), 8-4

Coach: Mike Bellotti fifth year, (30-17-0)

Strengths: Eight starters return on defense, including linebacker Peter Sirmon, who was injured last year after leading the Ducks in tackles and sacks in ‘97. The Ducks will also have a healthy Reuben Droughns. The senior tailback rushed for 824 yards in five games last year before suffering a broken ankle. All-Pac-10 kicker Nathan Villegas returns after connecting on 20 of 22 field goals and leading the nation in scoring last year.

Weaknesses: Like the Bruins, the Ducks must find a way to replace a Pac-10 co-offensive player of the year, in their case Akili Smith. Smith led the league in passing yardage (3,307) TD passes (30) and total offense. Bellotti has settled on A.J. Feeley as the quarterback. Feeley will be the most inexperienced Ducks quarterback since Danny O’Neil in 1991. The Ducks were 3-8 that year.

Summary: New defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti will have eight returning starters to work with, but must find a way to generate more QB sacks and turnovers. Oregon had only 15 takeaways last year, the fewest in the conference. But if the defense plays up to its ability and Droughns stays healthy, the Ducks should be able to pull off some upsets this season.

Washington Huskies

1998: 4-4-0 in Pac-10 (tied for fifth), 6-6

Coach: Rick Neuheisel (first year, 0-0-0)

Strengths: Seven starters return on a defense that led the Pac-10 in sacks with 51. Linebacker Lester Towns is healthy after dealing with lingering foot injuries a year ago and should add to his 63 tackles this time around. The Huskies also have a new versatile QB in Marques Tuiasosopo. The junior played in 11 games last season and was the Huskies’ second-leading rusher with 30 yards per game. He also completed 50 percent of his passes for 494 yards.

Weaknesses: The offense only has five starters returning and must replace three starters on the offensive line. Neuheisel will also have to find a tailback among three candidates, Willie Hurst, Braxton Cleman or freshman Paul Arnold. The kicking game continues to be a problem, and the Huskies are counting on Jim Skurski to shake the demons of last season.

Summary: The Huskies suffered through their worst season in 22 years last year and may be in for more of the same. With a weak offensive line and an inexperienced backfield, Nueheisel will be hard pressed to get the unit to produce points. The defense should keep the teams in some games, but UW doesn’t have a friendly schedule with non-conference foes Air Force, BYU and Colorado.

Washington State Cougars

1998: 0-8-0 in Pac-10 (last), 3-8

Coach: Mike Price (11th year, 56-57-0)

Strengths: The Cougars finally have depth in their front four on defense and should once again be solid at linebacker. Last season’s leading tackler James Price has decided to redshirt, but transfer Curtis Holden should be a big bonus at linebacker. Freshman Tomasi Kongaika should help put pressure on opposing QBs and help fellow tackle Rob Meier plug the middle.

Weaknesses: The Cougars lost 1,000-yard rusher Kevin Brown in the off-season after he pled guilty to residential burglary and was kicked off the team. Without him, the Cougars do not have a proven running back. Quarterback problems also plagued the team last season, when they led the conference in interceptions thrown with 25. Price is going with last year’s starter Steve Birnbuam although the senior has yet to prove he can handle the defenses in the Pac-10.

Summary: Without a proven backfield, the Cougars will be putting pressure on their defense to keep them in games. This may work at the start of the season, but if injuries begin to creep in on the defensive unit, WSU could again slide drastically down the standings of the Pac-10.

California Golden Bears

1998: 3-5-0 in Pac-10 (seventh), 5-6

Coach: Tom Holmoe (third year, 8-14-0)

Strengths: Cal has 14 starters returning, and the most important among them might be Sekou Sanyika. The Butkus Award candidate emerged as a star last season with 23 tackles for loss, the most in the Pac-10. The senior leads a stacked and experienced front seven that should pose problems for the offensive lines in the conference. Also back is return man Deltha O’Neal. The senior was fourth in the Pac-10 in kickoff returns (28.4) and third in punt returns (11.8). He also registered 32 tackles as a cornerback, returned an interception for a TD against Washington State, and played some offense.

Weaknesses: Cal must replace wide receiver Dameane Douglas, who had a Pac-10 record 100 catches last year. Whoever fills that void must help pick up an offense that scored just 16.2 points per game and averaged 292 yards last year. The offensive line is the weakest point for the Bears and Holmoe must figure out a way to shore up that unit so it doesn’t allow 58 QB sacks again this season.

Summary: After what many thought could be a bowl season last year, the Bears should slide back into mediocrity this season. They are without a solid running back and could have a quarterback controversy brewing. Holmoe is starting the lackluster Sam Clemons, but fans seem to be pulling for incoming freshman Kyle Boller to get the call. Holmoe has said his team may have as many as 10 freshmen who play this season.

Oregon State Beavers

1998: 2-6-0 in Pac-10 (tied for eighth), 5-6

Coach: Dennis Erickson (first year, 0-0-0)

Strengths: Oregon State is coming off its best season since 1971 and has its backfield from last season intact. Jonathan Smith returns at quarterback after sparking the team to near-upsets against UCLA and Washington and a victory in the Civil War game against Oregon. Tailback Ken Simonton, who had 1,028 yards, third-best in the conference, should get the ball plenty despite Erickson’s throw-first philosophy.

Weaknesses: The Beavers return just 12 overall starters, the fewest of any team in the Pac-10. The defense is without six of its starters from last season, including Morris Trophy winner Inoke Breckterfield. Kicker Joe Cortez, who was 17 of 26 on field goals last season, is also gone.

Summary: Erickson and his two national championship rings have brought some excitement to Corvallis, but that enthusiasm won’t be enough to carry the Beavers through their Pac-10 schedule. The Beavers got a late jump on recruiting, but did bring in some solid junior-college players. Still they should be two years away from making noise in the Pac-10.

Stanford Cardinal

1998: 2-6-0 in Pac-10 (tied for eighth), 3-8

Coach: Tyrone Willingham (fifth year, 22-23-1)

Strengths: The Cardinal return 19 starters, the most in the Pac-10. Fifteen of those are seniors, so Willingham has plenty of experience to work with. Quarterback Todd Husak is back after passing for 3,092 yards last season. Husak was only picked off seven time in 447 pass attempts. The Cardinal also has their top two receivers back, Troy Walters and DeRonnie Pitts, the leading returning receiver in the Pac-10 with 74 catches for 1,012 yards last season.

Weaknesses: Stanford must find a running game. Its leading rusher last year did not even break 300 yards. As a team the Cardinal only averaged 75 rushing yards per game. Some answers must also be found on defense. Stanford allowed 33 points and 443 yards per game last season.

Summary: There will be plenty of seats available in the 85,000-seat Stanford stadium this season. Without a running game, opponents will be able to put extra pressure on Husak and his receivers and should shut down the passing game. The schedule, which opens at Texas and closes at Notre Dames, also fails to play into the Cardinal’s favor.

1. Pac-10 prepares for landing 2. Ranking the field: Best of the Pac-10