On the spot response to developments on the sphere, and off …
1. UW’s WRs: AWOL
The switch portal is producing an outsized share of stories throughout the Pac-12 nowadays. We couldn’t assist however discover two gamers who didn’t enter the portal.
Washington receivers Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan declined to depart UW though their place coach, Junior Adams, fled Seattle for a spot on Oregon coach Dan Lanning’s employees.
One potential motive the proficient younger tandem opted to remain put: The coach employed to switch Adams.
JaMarcus Shephard developed a sterling popularity for his work at Purdue, the place he developed stars Rondale Moore and David Bell.
Not solely did the Shephard rent result in the retention of McMillan and Odunze, it assuredly helped lure switch Junior Alexander to Washington after one 12 months at Arizona State.
Our bigger level:
May the mix of Shephard, Odunze, McMillan and Alexander sign a resurgence of Washington’s wideouts, a gaggle that has underperformed momentously within the 4 seasons because the departure of Dante Pettis.
The Hotline tallied up the variety of all-conference receivers produced by every Pac-12 program from 2018-21 — not solely the first- and second-team picks however honorable point out alternatives, as nicely.
The four-year totals:
Eight: USC
Six: Washington State
4: Arizona State and Oregon State
Three: Arizona, Colorado, Stanford and UCLA
Two: Cal and Oregon
One: Utah and Washington
The lone UW wideout to achieve an all-conference stage in that span was Terrell Bynum, an honorable-mention decide this previous season who proceeded to switch to USC in early January (earlier than coach Kalen DeBoer added Shephard to his employees).
However dig one stage deeper, and the image turns into even bleaker.
Within the 5 recruiting lessons from 2017-21, the Huskies signed eight receivers that carried four-star rankings, together with Bynum, McMillan, Odunze, Ty Jones and Puka Nacua.
That’s greater than a dozen player-seasons in a UW uniform for the four-star recruits throughout the window of our evaluation, and one participant earned all-conference recognition one time.
In our view, that’s the epitome of an underachieving place group.
(Utah, which additionally had a single all-league wideout in that timeframe, signed only one recruit with a minimum of 4 stars connected to his title.)
What accounts for the woeful displaying of UW’s wideouts since Pettis departed?
We wouldn’t determine a single trigger. The offensive scheme and quarterback play in any given season are contributing components, for positive. However clearly, participant growth hasn’t been as much as customary. Maybe that can change beneath Shephard.
Test that. It should change beneath Shephard.
2. Dye’s goodbye
There have been a slew of intra-conference transfers this offseason, together with Bynum’s transfer to USC, however probably the most important unfolded Friday when Oregon tailback Travis Dye emerged from the switch portal … at USC.
Not solely is Dye probably the greatest tailbacks within the Pac-12, however his transfer straight impacts the stability of energy in two divisions, weakening one contender and strengthening one other.
(Sure, we take into account USC a contender; extra on that momentarily.)
The transfer was an aggressive blow to Oregon’s program, which now wants a lead tailback, and an emotional blow to Oregon followers. Dye is a legacy participant, the brother of former linebacker Troy Dye, and an essential cog within the latest success who opted to complete his profession with a rival.
However followers in every single place ought to brace themselves, for there will probably be many extra like Dye. The switch portal and skill to play instantly on the new college have created free company in faculty athletics every single day of the 12 months.
Even when the NCAA locations restrictions on when gamers can enter the portal, nothing will stop them from transferring to rivals — convention rivals, division rivals and even pure rivals — for any variety of causes. (Dye grew up in Southern California.)
Rooting for the title on the entrance of the uniform, not the again, is extra applicable than ever.
3. USC’s overhaul
Loads of groups have used the switch portal to improve their roster. No person has carried out it fairly like USC — a minimum of, no person within the Pac-12.
Coach Lincoln Riley has introduced in a wholly new set of skill-position gamers with Dye and Austin Jones (Stanford) because the tailbacks and Mario Williams (Oklahoma) and Brenden Rice (Colorado) because the receivers.
The Trojans are also a finalist for the No. 1 quarterback within the switch portal: Oklahoma’s Caleb Williams, who's reportedly deciding between USC and LSU.
We aren’t ready to declare them the frontrunner within the South. Utah possesses the very best lineup, has the best continuity and maximizes its expertise higher than any program within the convention.
But when the Trojans land Williams and add a couple of items on protection — various, truly — they need to be thought-about the division co-favorite.
On the very least, USC can have returned to relevance with pace made potential solely by the switch portal.
And if the Trojans emerge as a contender in Riley’s first season, the compounding energy of momentum will make this system that rather more fascinating subsequent winter.
4. Cal locks up Wilcox
One other week, one other contract extension.
Six days after UCLA introduced Chip Kelly had agreed to phrases by means of the 2025 season, Cal did the identical with Justin Wilcox — solely his deal runs by means of ’27.
With all of the the COVID madness Wilcox has encountered, courtesy of each Berkeley Public Well being and Cal’s personal College Well being Companies, he deserves a lifetime deal. However six extra years must suffice.
The wage was not disclosed and is secondary to the useful resource piece. With out an enhanced dedication from campus, within the type of teaching employees salaries, NIL alternatives and educational help to assist navigate the switch portal (for graduate and undergrads), the Bears gained’t constantly compete for a spot within the higher half of the North.
As we've opined many instances, no teaching job within the convention has extra inside obstacles than Cal.
Wilcox is the fitting coach for this system — the Bears certainly gained’t do any higher — however he can not make headway with out next-level help from the college.
We're curious to see the full funds allotted for the teaching employees as soon as that turns into obtainable.
5. Enlargement frustration
Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff was a visitor on the ‘Paul Finebaum Present’ on Friday — it airs on the SEC Community and ESPN radio — and provided a blunt evaluation of the standing of playoff enlargement.
In truth, Kliavkoff was pretty important of the method that led to the present deadlock, notably the choice to publicly launch a 12-team format final summer season earlier than it had been accepted by all of the conferences.
If you happen to’ll recall, the commissioners of the SEC, Large 12 and Mountain West, together with Notre Dame’s athletic director, spent two years crafting the mannequin, which they unveiled in June to nice fanfare. Besides seven of the 11 voting members, together with the Pac-12 and Large Ten, had not reviewed or signed off on the proposal.
“The followers have been misled,” Kliavkoff instructed Finebaum. “They have been mainly proven a format in June that didn’t have the approval of all of the those who wanted to approve it.
“It misled the followers, and it misled the media. I hope we don’t ever do this once more. It was a self-inflicted wound.”
Kliavkoff added that he’s more and more involved the commissioners gained’t agree on an enlargement mannequin earlier than the top of the present contract cycle, which runs by means of the 2025 season.
Which suggests 4 extra years of 4 groups.
Which is unhealthy information for the Pac-12.
Help the Hotline: Obtain three months of limitless entry for simply 99 cents. Yep, that’s 99 cents for 90 days, with the choice to cancel anytime. Particulars are right here, and thanks in your help.
*** Ship ideas, feedback and ideas (confidentiality assured) to pac12hotline@bayareanewsgroup.com or name 408-920-5716
*** Observe me on Twitter: @WilnerHotline
*** Pac-12 Hotline shouldn't be endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Convention, and the views expressed herein don't essentially replicate the views of the Convention.