USCFootball.com - Pac-10 media day notebook

July 24, 2008

Dan Woike
USCFootball.com Staff Writer

On the official kick-off date for the Pac-10 football season, the conference was once again reminded that sometimes things are bigger than football.

Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti and all-conference rover Patrick Chung sat on the stage at the Los Angeles Airport Hilton and Towers and took time to reflect on the tragic death of their teammate Todd Doxey.

"We're still mourning the loss of Todd Doxey," Bellotti said. "He will be forever with us in our hearts. Our players are committed to honoring his memory."

The USC football family went through a similar grieving process after the 2006-07 football season when kicker Mario Danelo was found dead at the age of 21.

Doxey drowned on July 14.

Chung said the tragedy has brought the Ducks, picked third in the preseason media poll, closer together.

"I think it made us stronger. A lot of tragic things have happened recently, but it has built us as a family," Chung said. "We're working for Todd. It's hard to talk about it, but we are working for him."

Bellotti did talk about the upcoming year and the challenges of replacing quarterback Dennis Dixon and running back Jonathan Stewart.

Quarterbacks Nate Costa and Justin Roper will continue to battle for snaps through the fall, and Jeremiah Johnson and juco transfer LeGarrette Blount will carry the offense on the ground.

Something Brewin?

It didn't take long Thursday for new UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel to field a question about the Bruins' cross-town rivals.

"The first question had to be about USC," Neuheisel said.

Neuheisel spoke about getting his team to the Trojans' level, confident it could be done.

"You have to embrace it," he said. "They're the elephant in the living room, and they've earned it

"?It's not if we catch USC, it's when."

Neuheisel said he expects senior quarterback Ben Olson to be near full speed when fall camp begins. However, the team will be without offensive tackle Sean Sheller. Sheller will miss the entire season, recuperating from injuries suffered in an ATV accident.

Public speaking 101

Arizona State head coach Dennis Erickson went to the first page of his public speaking playbook, Thursday by opening with a joke.

The 61-year old Erickson, in his second year at the helm of Arizona State, got the biggest laugh of the day.

"For me, it's just great to be anywhere each year," he said.

The preseason media poll has Erickson's Sun Devils second in the conference, behind USC.

New kid in town

It'd be inaccurate to call Neuheisel "new" to the Pac-10 after he coached at Washington. Calling Washington State head coach Paul Wulff new, though, is a little more on point.

Like Neuheisel, Wullf's taking over at his alma mater.

"I am honored to be back at Washington State. As a former player, to be a part of the program again is a special feeling and honor. We have work to do, but I think we have the tools. We have the opportunity to really surprise some people and have a very successful year."

Wulff said the Cougars will run a balanced offense this year with elements of the spread.

Is this it?

Arizona head coach Mike Stoops thought when he took the job, he'd continue to be a defensive-minded coach.

Circumstances have called for an adjustment, and he's ready to make one.

Stoops said the Wildcats might have to just outscore their opponents this season.

"Developing a team to win consistently takes a unique group of players," Stoops said. "I feel like we have some of those ingredients this year, including a senior quarterback and 10 starters back offensively who will be able to put some points on the board.

"This is the best group of offensive players we have had since I've been here."

Arizona scored 27 points or more seven times last season.

On the road

Perhaps the toughest first week of the season in the Pac-10 belongs to Tyrone Willingham and the Washington Huskies.

Instead of opening the year with an out-of-conference opponent of his choice, Willingham's team gets to open at Oregon.

"I look at it as a challenge and I think our team accepts it as a challenge. We have one of the most difficult starts in the country because we play our opener against a Conference team on the road," Willingham said. "But we believe that if you can prepare yourself for Autzen stadium and for Oregon to start off, you can do anything down the road."

Offensive overhaul

Cal head coach Jeff Tedford is regarded as one of the better offensive minds in college football, but even he knows things could be tough this year in Berkley.

The Golden Bears lost two of their top three rushers and all of their top five pass catchers, forcing the team to reload.

In addition to the new personal, Tedford will not handle play-calling duties this season.

"Its very difficult to find the pulse of the game when you're calling all the plays," he said.

New offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti will call plays for Cal this season.

Bulletin board man

At last year's media day, Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh made waves when he said USC "maybe the best team in the history of college football."

This year, Harbaugh was still plenty excited, but he didn't give the media the sound bite it wanted.

"I didn't know I was a bulletin board guy," he said.

Leaving the Beavers

No team lost more starters from last season than Oregon State. Head coach Mike Riley said the time's come for some new faces to step up and make names for themselves.

"We have a lot of shoes to fill. Defensively, we lose virtually everyone in the front seven. The offensive line going into camp is an unknown," Riley said. "The running back situation will be entering new territory without Yvenson Bernard, one of the finest players I've ever coached, but we have good candidates there."

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