USC picked as top dog again

LOS ANGELES – This is getting to be a habit.

For the sixth consecutive year, the collective Pac-10 media have picked USC to win the conference, handing the Trojans 38 of a possible 39 first-place votes.

Getting it right has been a habit as well. The media poll last missed the conference champion in 1999, when Arizona finished sixth. Since then Washington, Oregon, Washington State and USC – five consecutive times – have all at least tied for the top spot.

The conference’s coaches echoed this year’s choice, announced Thursday at the Pac-10 Conference’s annual media day held at the L.A. International Airport Hilton.

“I think that USC has the best talent coming back,” said Oregon coach Mike Bellotti, whose Ducks were picked third.

“They have done an unbelievable job,” said Rick Neuheisel, in his first year as head coach at rival UCLA. “Pete (Carroll’s) to be commended for what’s taken place there in the last six, seven years.”

Carroll, whose team was 11-2 last year, including a 49-17 rout of Illinois in the Rose Bowl, doesn’t shrink from the favorite’s role, though he discounts it.

“We’re accustomed to (it),” he said. “We’re thrilled people think highly of us, but it doesn’t mean anything until you start winning games. … We’re the last bunch of guys that will get caught up in that. … It feels normal for us to be in the situation.”

Waiting on Roof ruling

WSU coach Paul Wulff was asked about the status of defensive lineman Andy Roof, who was arrested after a late-night spring altercation in Pullman. Wulff said he was waiting on a ruling from the school concerning Roof’s student status.

“They are going to make that decision based on all our accounts, what we have,” Wulff said. “I’ve already given him a level of punishment, so we’ve taken care of it on our end. If (WSU doesn’t) allow him to stay in school, then I would want him to transfer so he could finish his final year of eligibility.”

Wulff said originally the school was to make its decision by Aug. 31, but he’s asked that to be accelerated so Roof could make a decision on his future.

Wulff, who admitted the off-season was tough, said all the off-field issues were draining.

“I assumed there would be issues and we would deal with them as they come, which we have done,” Wulff said. “And we’ve nipped a lot of things in the bud early. But there were a few more things that probably crept up on us than we thought (would).”

Surprise impact

When asked which player might be the biggest surprise as fall camp opens Aug. 5, Wulff thought a while and finally answered defensive end Kevin Kooyman, listed last year at 6-foot-6, 242-pounds.

“He has a shot to surprise some people,” Wulff said.

Changing the rules

Before they address the media, the Pac-10 coaches meet with Dave Cutaia, coordinator of the conference’s officials, and go over the new rules.

One change, which allows an official to assess a 15-yard penalty when a player targets another player’s head with a blow, kicked off a discussion about game ejections.

Led by Carroll, a few of the coaches expressed concern some officials were looking for a reason to eject a player when they should be looking for a reason not to.

But that rule change wasn’t the one most coaches felt would have the greatest impact.

“The 40-second rule is a pro rule and takes human judgment out of running the clock,” said Bellotti, who is now the chairman of the NCAA’s rule committee.

What Bellotti was referring to is the new timing rules, which are almost exactly the same as the NFL’s.

Instead of the long-time 25-second play clock, started when the officials determined the ball was ready for play, a 40-second clock will start at the end of the previous play.

Also, when a player steps out of bounds with the ball, except in the final 2 minutes of the second and fourth quarter, the game clock will start as soon as the referee sets it ready for play.

Bellotti said the rules committee expects to lose four to eight plays per game with the changes.

Other rule changes include banning the horse-collar tackle outside the tackle box, making a high-low hit illegal in all instances, the elimination of the 5-yard, incidental face mask – the 15-yard penalty remains – and an expansion of replay that allows a recovered fumble to stand in some instances, even if a whistle was blown.

Ducks mourning teammate

Oregon is still recovering from the recent drowning of redshirt freshman safety Todd Doxey, who died while inner tubing with some teammates.

“We are mourning Todd Doxley,” Bellotti said. “He will be with us forever in our hearts. Our players are committed to honoring his memory.”

“I think it’s made us stronger,” said rover Patrick Chung, whose voice broke while he talked. “It’s hard to talk about, but we are working for him.”