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Arizona football preview: All Pac-12 Defensive Teams

We've already looked at the numbers. Anticipation of college football begins with each conferences' media day. For the newly-knighted Pacific 12 Conference, the first media day is Tuesday, July 6. Among the hot topics? Expect much on the Oregon football scandal of Willie Lyles. Of course, we'll expect more on the additions of Utah and Colorado reshaping the conference into North and a South divisions. And how will the Wildcats fare?

So leading into Media Day, our staff writers make some wild, effort-filled predictions. First up, we took a look at our guesses for the final division standings by the end of the regular season (bowl games and the Pac-12 Championship not included). Saturday, we checked out the All-Offense teams we expect by the end of the season. Today, we look at the All-Defense teams and finally, we'll make Coach of the Year picks on Monday.

 

*** All Defensive Team ***

By Alec Sills-Trausch

DE- Nick Perry, USC

DT- Justin Washington, Arizona

DT-Alameda Ta’amu, Washington

DE- Devon Kennard, USC

LB- Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State

LB- Shayne Skov, Stanford

LB- Paul Vassallo, Arizona

CB- Cliff Harris, Oregon

SS- Tony Dye, UCLA

FS- Delano Howell, Stanford

CB- Trevin Wade, Arizona

 

Special Teams

P- Jeff Locke, UCLA

K- Erik Folk, Washington

 

Defensive Player of the Year- Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State

While arguably the best linebacker in the country, Burfict is known as much for his emotional outbursts

than bone shattering hits. If he can keep his cool, he will easily be the Pac-12’s best players on the

defensive side.

 

Defensive Freshman of the Year- Viliami Moala, DT, California

325 pounds. That’s what opposing offensive linemen will be seeing when they line up against Moala.

This "big guy" should be seeing playing time from the ‘get-go’ and will help solidify a Cal defensive front

that can only get better with this force in the thick of things.

 

The Pac-12’s defense is what many people would call my cooking, just "blah." There is no one who

stands out other than Burfict, and he is almost known more for hitting opposing players out of bounds,

than during the game. Without great talent on the defensive side of the ball, this season will be known

more for ‘shootouts,’ than ‘shutouts.’

Kevin Zimmerman

 

DE- Nick Perry, USC

DT- Justin Washington, Arizona

DT- Lawrence Guy, Arizona State

DE- Devon Kennard, USC

LB- Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State

LB- Shayne Skov, Stanford

LB- Paul Vassallo, Arizona

CB- Cliff Harris, Oregon

S - Adam Hall, Arizona

S- Delano Howell, Stanford

CB- Desmond Trufant, Washington


Special Teams

P- Jeff Locke, UCLA

K- Erik Folk, Washington

 

Defensive Player of the Year - Vontaze Burfict

There's a lot of "what-ifs" on this All-Defensive team. What if Adam Hall returns from his torn ACL and finds his form from the end of last season? What if Cliff Harris doesn't stay out of trouble and gets suspended for driving REALLY fast again? Those two guys are juggernauts, but it's hard to say whether they'll find their potential greatness after distractions for two VERY different reasons.

And you can hate on ASU all you want, but if Vontaze is serious about football rather than getting stupid penalties, he's not on the best Pac-12 linebacker, he's college football's best linebacker.

Ryan Clay 

DE - Junior Onyeali, So., Arizona State

DE - Travis Long, Jr., Washington State

DT - Justin Washington, So., Arizona

DT - Will Pericak, Jr., Colorado

LB - Mychal Kendricks, Sr., California

LB - Vontaze Burfict, Jr., Arizona State

LB - Chris Galippo, Sr., USC

CB - Desmond Trufant, Jr., Washington

CB - Trevin Wade, Sr., Arizona

S - TJ McDonald, Jr., USC

S - Robert Golden, Sr., Arizona


Special Teams

K - Erik Folk, Sr., Washington
P - Bryan Anger, Sr., California