This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Tribune's Pac-12 forecast
NORTH
1. Oregon • Hard to see the Ducks duplicate 2014 run, but UO still sets the bar with tempo and set-in-stone system.
2. Stanford • Lot of new faces, but David Shaw always seems to churn out competitive teams.
3. Cal • With Jared Goff, his receivers and line in place, expect a few surprises from the Golden Bears.
4. Washington • The offense doesn't appear to have the personnel to improve from lackluster 2014.
5. Washington State • Defense is always the weak link — any chance that turns around?
6. Oregon State • Gary Andersen probably needs at least a season to actually compete.
SOUTH
1. UCLA • Everything hinges on how well freshman QB Josh Rosen can perform.
2. Arizona State • Returns many players on defense, and QB Mike Bercovici can huck it.
3. USC • Lost some dynamic players, but the athletic talent is perhaps the best in the Pac-12.
4. Arizona • With so many skill players returning, hard to see this offense taking a step back.
5. Utah • Should compete with defense and running, but passing is still a question mark.
6. Colorado • Might improve, but still the odd man out in a brutal division.
Pac-12 title game • Oregon vs. UCLA
Pac-12 winner • UCLA
MVP - Royce Freeman, RB, Oregon
The conference of quarterbacks lost a very talented group after last year, and some of the most exciting candidates for Pac-12 MVP are now at running back. It's actually pretty difficult to find a conference perhaps besides the SEC which boasts such stellar rushers: UCLA's Paul Perkins and Utah's Devontae Booker are two of the best you'll find anywhere, and Arizona's Nick Johnson, Arizona State's Demario Richard and Stanford's Christian McCaffrey are phenomenal and multi-talented backs as well.
What makes Freeman different? For one, he's built like a Mack truck at 5-foot-11 and 230 pounds. He's strong, fast, and can catch a few balls out of the backfield. But more so than his skill set is where he's playing and who he's playing with. Oregon has an easier path than some other Pac-12 teams to repeat as conference champion. Freeman has a dynamic group of receivers to take heat off him on offense, and he has experienced coaches and coordinators guiding him. He also is the most well-known skill position player returning, and with a quarterback battle that could last into the season, it seems likely the Ducks will lean on him to make plays, particularly early in the season.
But let's be clear: The Pac-12 MVP will be decided by team success. Depending on the team that can emerge from the knotted conference race, USC's Cody Kessler, UCLA's Perkins, Stanford's Kevin Hogan and Arizona State's Mike Bercovici could also be considered top preseason candidates.
Coach of the Year - Todd Graham, Arizona State
In his Pac-12 media day comments, Graham mentioned "champion" or "championship" 12 times last year. He loves talking about winning titles, and this might be a year where he has the team to do it. Arizona State has one of the most experienced teams in the league. The Sun Devils have veterans across the board on defense, the inside positions on the offensive line, some offensive playmakers and an heir apparent quarterback in Mike Bercovici. If the Sun Devils can pull out a few more big games than last year, they'll be positioned to win a Pac-12 title for the first time since 2007 under Dennis Erickson.
Coach on the Hot Seat - Mike MacIntyre, Colorado
This could well be a year where no Pac-12 coach loses his job, but if you have to pick someone in danger, it might just be MacIntyre. He's only won one conference game in two years, and most expect the Buffs to remain in last place in the South. He was hired at the same time as Sonny Dykes, who won six games last year, which doesn't make him look any better. He's celebrating new facilities at Colorado, which is great for the team, but if he has another down year, he might also consider that CU is in a better position to hire a new coach than when he got the job in 2012.
Team to beat - Oregon
For our purposes, let's ascribe to the school of thought, "Best until proven otherwise." That's the Ducks: They've been the class of the conference for several years, the only conference team to actually make it to the national championship twice in the last five years. They're deep, fast, athletic, and they have a strong, established system in place. They also are in the less competitive division, giving them a slight advantage in a road to the College Football Playoff. Being down a Heisman winner hurts them, of course, but they're as likely as anyone to have another future Heisman contender hidden on the roster like a diamond in the rough.
Don't sleep on - Arizona
Seems like common sense advice: Don't sleep on the defending division champ. But the Wildcats have been picked by many to finish fourth in the South this year, and at least on paper, it's easy to wonder why. They were positively explosive as an offense last year, and they bring back their best running back, their best receiver, and their starting quarterback who should take a leap as a sophomore. They also have "two-star" Scooby Wright, who is one of the nation's best defenders as a linebacker and end.
Team you don't want to play - Utah
Every coach says it every year: The Utes are physical and fundamentally sound on both sides of the ball, and you feel the bruises for the next week at least. Kyle Whittingham has a way of figuring out top teams, ranking No. 22 in a Wall Street Journal list of active coaches with the best winning percentage against ranked opponents. Just last year, the Utes knocked off UCLA and USC. They gave Oregon and Arizona State a run for their money as well. The talent gap between the Utes and their rivals is closer than it was four years ago, and Utah produces significant NFL talent, particularly on defense. It's not an easy match-up for anybody.
Team with no chance - Oregon State
Sorry, Beavers. The foundation seems to be positive, and the players seem to be upbeat. But it's a stretch to see how OSU finishes with a winning record this year. Oregon State is installing new offensive and defensive schemes, working with players who haven't been necessarily recruited to those schemes, and the staff is going to take some time to gel in actual games. Meanwhile, a defense that wasn't very good lost several players to the NFL, and an offense that wasn't very good lost the Pac-12's all-time leading passer. The ensuing quarterback battle that could last well into the season.
Most overrated player - Vernon Adams, QB, Oregon
How many quarterbacks have gotten this much attention for a math quiz? Adams' hype isn't without its merit — after all, he was an FCS star, and he did engineer great efforts against Oregon State and Washington. Adams, who was named the starting quarterback on Friday, is still learning the playbook. There's also the matter of his height (6-foot), the speed of the game, and his late arrival to camp. Building a relationship with an offense takes time that Adams doesn't have before the season starts.
Most underrated player - Daniel Lasco, RB, Cal
Beyond the shine of Jared Goff, a lot of very good Golden Bears are in the shadows. This includes Lasco, who might be the second-most important player in Cal's high-scoring offense. Sonny Dykes often says — but many often forget — that his version of Air Raid relies on the run. Lasco quietly racked up the eighth-most total yards in the Pac-12 in 2014, and had 14 total touchdowns to rank third in touchdowns per game last year. Cal's running back reputation is impeccable, and 6-1, 210-pound Lasco seems like another guy who could make it to the NFL.
Future household name - Adoree Jackson, USC
If you haven't already heard about this guy, prepare to have your ears blasted this season. He's slated, at the moment, to play both ways as a cornerback and a receiver, as well as returner. Last season, he was primarily a corner with 49 tackles and 10 deflections, while also moonlighting as a receiver and catching three touchdowns on only 10 receptions. He's also already 14th on USC's all-time kick returner list after only one year. Expect the hype to grow even more if he can make it to Rio next year as an Olympic long-jumper. Yes, really.
Twitter: @kylegoon