Position battles will dominate the college football landscape for the remainder of the summer with practices, workouts and a lot of time in the film room to help decide those competitions over the next couple of months. Programs will continue to do their best to address potential weaknesses and make sure they are in the best possible position by the time the season rolls around. That is certainly true in the Pac-12 where Stanford will be in tough to repeat as conference champions with a rising cast of contenders looking to knock them off at the top. Here is a look at the most pressing summer goals for the top teams in the Pac-12.
Stanford: Establish More Playmakers
Star running back Christian McCaffrey can do it all. However, at some point the Cardinal are going to need to establish a new set of playmakers in order to help him carry the load. The Heisman trophy runner-up is in position to carry a heavy burden at Stanford this season but the bottom line is that he can’t do it alone, especially following Kevin Hogan’s departure this offseason. Wide receiver Michael Rector led the team with seven touchdown receptions last year. Bryce Love showed flashes in limited action. Francis Owusu dazzled with an incredible catch against UCLA but finished with just 15 receptions on the season. The Cardinal will need all three players to step up this season with Dalton Schultz, Trenton Irwin, Cameron Scarlett and Greg Taboada in the mix as well as there is no doubt they will need to establish more playmakers if they are going to repeat as Pac-12 champions this season.
USC: Replace Kenny Bigelow Jr. On Defensive Line
The Trojans have to be concerned about the loss of Kenny Bigelow Jr. to a torn right ACL that will probably force him to miss the entire year and replacing him will be their most pressing concern on that side of the football. Rasheem Green and Noah Jefferson will be forced to step up from reserve roles while Malik Dorton is a dark horse candidate to make a significant impact after a strong performance this spring. The USC defensive line is lacking in experience and establishing a consistent pass rush will be a pressing concern as the countdown to the season continues.
Washington: Make Sure John Ross Stays Healthy
The quarterback-running back tandem of Jake Browning and Myles Gaskin has the potential to do serious damage at Washington this season. The Huskies’ offense can be that much more dangerous if John Ross III can stay healthy. The 5’11’’, 192-pound wide receiver missed the 2015 season with a knee injury but he is back at full strength and Washington will have to do everything it can to keep him healthy. Ross’ elite speed adds an intriguing element to the Huskies’ offense and his ability to remain on the field and contribute will have a huge impact on Washington’s ability to put up big numbers this season.
Oregon: Lock In More Recruits
Oregon is still on pace to finish around 20th in recruiting with a handful of four-star prospects likely to sign this summer, but they have to focus on locking in those players before the lack of commits becomes a concern. The Ducks hold exactly two verbal commitments in the 2017 class while 15 schools have at least 10 already in the books. That is quite the disparity and while it isn’t a major worry at this point, the focus for Oregon will be on locking in recruits as they continue to look towards the future with the hope of remaining a legitimate contender in the Pac-12 moving forward. It seems that Oregon has taken a small step back in terms of recruiting since Chip Kelly departed and last season’s performance on the field hasn’t helped. The Ducks have to show that they’re still an elite team this year – at least on the offensive side of the ball – or they are going to be considered a team in decline. Once that luster is gone, recruits will look elsewhere.
