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. Yesterday, we looked at the All-Defense teams. Finally, we make Coach of the Year picks.'
By Kevin Zimmerman
- Lane Kiffin, USC
While he didn't produce the traditional dominance in his first year at Troy, the NCAA-sanction riddled roster still produced 8-5 in a dog-eat-dog football league. Still under the dark cloud that was left behind before he arrived, Kiffin still has enough talents to roll up some steam in his second go-around at USC. On top of it all, his teams resides in the uncertain South Division of the Pac-12, and while Oregon and Stanford demolish the competition in the North, the Trojans have a shot at doing the same -- and having a surprising year -- in the other half of the conference.
By Alec Sills-Trausch
- David Shaw, Stanford
Shaw is beginning his first year at the helm of team with arguably the best QB in the country and a team
coming off of an Orange Bowl win. He has all the pieces, but just because the pieces are there, you still
have to know how to get the puzzle right. If he is able to keep Stanford’s momentum pointing up, he
fully deserves the Coach of the Year award.
By Ryan Clay
- Chip Kelly, Oregon
Almost by default, as the rest of the Pac-12 is going to beat up on each other and cause the end results producing only one truly elite team. The Oregon Ducks.