Why the Rose Bowl is so Important to College Football and the Pac-12

Rose Bowl Pac-12

Every year, college football fans travel, host parties and call in sick just to watch the New Year’s Six bowl games. The Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Peach Bowl and Fiesta Bowl. Each representing a part of college football’s bowl history. But, none hold a candle to the Rose Bowl’s importance and stature among collegiate sports.

The Rose Bowl was the First

120 years ago, college football had it’s very first post-season game, the “Tournament of the Roses”. Stanford vs Michigan. It was a historic mark on college football. Yet, it still was a premature birth of the bowl-era. Because Michigan thoroughly defeated Stanford 49-0, the next football game wasn’t until 1916 when Washington State beat Brown 14-0. However, from 1916 on, the East-West bowl game has been a staple of college football enthusiasm and greatness.

In addition to being the first-ever bowl game, the Rose Bowl Game was also the first:

  • Transcontinental radio broadcast of a sporting event (1927)
  • Local telecast of a college football game (1948)
  • National telecast of a college football game (1952)
  • Coast-to-coast color telecast of a college football game (1962)
  • College Football Playoff Semifinal (2015)

Because of its rich history, it’s is the grandfather of all bowl games.

The Pageantry of the Rose Bowl

https://youtu.be/tnKB-AWS91o

Honestly, is there any other event that’s done it like the Tournament of Roses? For over 100 years, they’ve given football fans everything.

It all starts at 8:00am on New Year’s Day with the Rose Parade. Five and a half miles of marching bands, equestrian units, a royal court and delicately-decorated floats. Filling winter’s gloom with flowers and beauty.

“The Rose Parade’s elaborate floats have come a long way since the Tournament’s early days, and the Rose Parade has stayed true to its floral beginnings. Every inch of every float must be covered with flowers or other natural materials, such as leaves, seeds or bark. The most delicate flowers, including roses, are placed in individual vials of water, which are set into the float one by one.”

Tournament of Roses

Obviously, California is the perfect setting for the unimaginable. While countless states deal with winter’s worst each year, Pasadena sits in the 60’s and 70’s. No puffy coats, handwarmers or extra layers are needed for the Golden State. Even more, the backdrop of snow-capped mountains sets it all off. Is there nothing the Rose Bowl can’t offer?

Instead of shivering and trudging through snow, the Rose Parade and the proceeding bowl game breed jealousy from other states. Sunshine, flowers and football on January 1st is pure majesty.

Sponsors Come Second, Not First

Just look at the different bowl games.

  • Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
  • PlayStation Fiesta Bowl
  • Capitol One Orange Bowl
  • Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
  • Allstate Sugar Bowl
  • Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual

Do you see the difference? It’s not the Northwestern Mutual Rose Bowl Game. No. Instead, it’s the Rose Bowl Game, presented by Northwestern Mutual. That small difference makes a huge impact. While every other bowl game is led by their sponsors, this one is different. They used their stature to retain their naming rights.

Because of this decision to prioritize the Rose Bowl’s identity, the fame only grew. Even the newest college football fans know the Rose Bowl.

It’s the first of many, the most decorated and its name is the most known. The Rose Bowl is, and will always be, the king of bowl games.

How Can the Pac-12 Leverage the Rose Bowl for Expanding College Football?

Because of Larry Scott’s failures and the Pac-12’s lack of participation in the College Football Playoffs, something needs to be done. While expanding playoffs is a great idea, Larry Scott still refuses to give up the Rose Bowl.

While the Pac-12 has every right to retain the Rose Bowl, it’s pageantry and history, the Pac-12 is also hurting. It’s the joke of other conferences. For good reason, too. In the College Football Playoff era, just 24 of the 24 participating teams were from the Pac-12. It’s not a good look.

But, if Larry Scott and the Pac-12 conference can leverage the Rose Bowl for playoff expansion, the Pac-12 will rise again. If done correctly, the Pac-12 wouldn’t even be sacrificing the Rose Bowl. Here’s how it can be done.

  • Offer up the Rose Bowl for College Football Playoffs with an eight-team expansion
  • If a Pac-12 team makes it into the playoffs, the Pac-12 decides which round (excluding the championship game) the Rose Bowl plays. If a Pac-12 team is in that round, they play.

Because most fans and conferences want each conference to have at least one participant in the eight-team expansion, the Pac-12 would always have rights to the Rose Bowl. If they wanted to risk a larger viewing audience, they could bank on a Pac-12 team advancing in the playoffs. But, if they wanted to play it safe, Larry Scott and the conference could schedule the Rose Bowl in the first round of each college football playoffs.

Either way, they get to offer up the most historic bowl in college football history for playoffs each year. The Pac-12 needs expansion and the Tournament of Roses is the way in.

Kobe Bryant’s Pac-12 Impact, UCLA financial woes, Coaching Changes, Is Sean Miller Underachieving

Kobe Bryant's Pac-12 Impact, UCLA financial woes, Coaching Changes, Is Sean Miller Underachieving

Kobe Bryant had a profound impact on current and former Pac-12 players and teams. He inspired players like Demar Derozan, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden to play basketball. He and his daughter Gianna had a special relationship with Sabrina Ionescu and the Oregon Basketball team . Kobe gave us the “Mamba Mentality” which is bigger than sports.

UCLA has serious financial issues. They missed balancing the budget by over $18 million in 2019. Can they fix the problem and is USC headed for the same fate?

There are more coaching changes happening that affect Pac-12 football teams.

Is Sean Miller underachieving at Arizona?

The Best Pac-12 Podcast

Anchor // Apple Podcasts // Spotify // PocketCasts // Google Play // Stitcher // RadioPublic 

The Pac-12 Apostles is a podcast for fans who love the Pac-12 conference. George Wrighster and Ralph Amsden are committed to the honest and fair conversation about the conference. Join us by becoming a Pac-12 Apostle. Subscribe and share the podcast.

Please leave a review of our podcast on iTunes if you can! We record a podcast once a week during the off-season for football and then from the months of August to January we record two podcasts per week. Our podcasts are always heavy on Pac-12 football but we make it a point to also try and cover the other notable Men’s and Women’s Pac-12 sports. We cover recruiting and any other major storyline in the Pac-12 universe.

George Wrighster is a former Pac-12 and long-time NFL tight end. As a television/radio host, opinionist, and analyst, who is UNAFRAID to speak the truth. Contrary to industry norms he uses, facts, stats, and common sense to win an argument. He has covered college football, basketball, NFL, NBA, MLB since 2014. Through years of playing college football, covering bowl games, coaching changes, and scandals, he has a great pulse for the conference and national perspective.

Ralph Amsden is a Wyoming-born sportswriter and podcaster who spends his days tweeting through the misadventures that come with shuttling four kids around the Arizona desert. Ralph is the publisher of Rivals’ ArizonaVarsity.com, the founder of ArizonaSportsCast.com, and was previously the managing editor of the Arizona State Rivals affiliate, DevilsDigest.com. He is also a professional hater of all things pineapple. Whether you’re talking food, movies, music, parenting, politics, sports, television, religion, or zoological factoids, Ralph has questions for you. He might be sub-.500 in spousal disputes and schoolyard fights, but he’s always UNAFRAID to square up.

Pac-12 Football Review: Three Pac-12 Teams Send Offers to Clay Millen

Pac-12 Football Review: Senior Bowl, Clay Millen Offers, Todd Orlando

Pac-12 Football Players Light up the Senior Bowl

First off, before any other news is commented on, first look at Eric Bean’s 2020 Senior Bowl Review. In it, he goes into great detail on each Pac-12 football player and how they performed. Spoiler alert: they shined!

https://unafraidshow.com/pac-12-players-perform-well-at-the-2020-senior-bowl/

Multiple Pac-12 Football Programs Vie for Clay Millen

After Oregon State’s latest offer, Clay Millen now holds offers from Arizona, Oregon, Oregon State, UNLV. After sitting his freshman and sophomore year, Millen produced a fantastic junior season.

  • 256 completions on 360 attempts
  • 3,145 passing yards
  • 34 passing touchdowns
  • 1 interception

Because of this promising junior season, the 6-foot-3 quarterback out of Snoqualmie earned 4-star ranks in recruiting.

To Pac-12 football fans, the name Millen might sound familiar. That’s because his older brother Cale Millen plays as a backup quarterback for the Oregon Ducks. Additionally, his father Hugh Millen played for the Washington Huskies and in the NFL for eight years. Because of his size, family ties and breakout junior season, Clay Millen got noticed.

With another year to strut his stuff for Mount Si, Millen is certain to earn more than just Pac-12 football interest. However, we desperately want him to stay in the Pac-12.

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Gerald Alexander Leaves Cal, Golden Bears Sign Marcel Yates

Losing Gerald Alexander is a huge loss for the Cal Golden Bears. In three seasons as Cal’s defensive backs coach, he was pivotal in their defensive success. Alexander’s defensive backs rose to elite with his excellent coaching and leadership. Per calbears.com, Cal’s 2018 defense was top-ten in the nation in:

  • Interceptions
  • Defensive touchdowns
  • Turnovers gained
  • Passing yards allowed.

Among those stats, Alexander’s defensive backs accounted for:

  • 17 of 21 interceptions
  • 3 of 5 defensive touchdowns
  • 3 of 7 fumbles recovered

Thankfully, Cal hired Marcel Yates (recently fired Arizona Wildcats defensive coordinator) as defensive backs coach. Somehow, they talked Marcel Yates to be okay with a defensive assistance coach position. Now, the Bears have four coaches with defensive coordinator experience. Justin Wilcox, Tim DeRuyter, Peter Sirmon and Marcel Yates have a combined 41 years of D.C. experience. Well done Cal.

USC hires Todd Orlando as Defensive Coordinator

Recall that last week we mentioned that USC eyed Todd Orlando as their 2020 defensive coordinator. Well, now they made it official. However, Trojans need to temper expectations. Orlando is still a very speculative add. His 2019 Longhorns ranked 54th in Football Outsider’s DFEI rankings, almost matching USC’s 57th ranking. His middling 2019 defense got him fired from Texas, but his experience still got him hired for USC.

With 15 years as defensive coordinator, Orlando is known as an aggressive coach with positive influences. Hopefully, 2019 was just a blip on his career and due to the Longhorns defensive injuries. If that’s the case, USC did exceptionally well.

Keep in mind, the Trojans somehow kept Graham Harrell at Offensive Coordinator. With Kedon Slovis and Graham Harrell at the offensive helm, USC football will certainly put up points. Because of this, Orlando’s defense can afford to be risky and aggressive. It could be the perfect fit for a USC team on the rise. Be ready for a surge up the ranks as USC. Pac-12 football’s 2020 champion could very well be USC.

UCLA Athletics Rack up an 18.9-Million Dollar Deficit

As if UCLA wasn’t already at a low point in Pac-12 football, now they’re running a nearly 20-million dollar deficit. Yikes. Although they generated 108.4-million dollars in revenue, the UCLA Athletics Department ran up 127.3-million dollars in expenses. Because of this, the deficit was covered by an interest-bearing loan from central campus.

For the budget nerds out there, we’d highly recommend you read this work by Jon Wilner of Mercury News. In it, he breaks down the Bruins debt in detail, along with any solutions. The biggest solution seems to be clear for most. UCLA needs to win games.

Pac-12 Players Perform Well At The 2020 Senior Bowl

Senior Bowl Justin Herbert Pac-12

The 2020 Senior Bowl presented an opportunity for many Pac-12 players to help their draft stock. In what would be a 34-17 victory for the North team over the South team in Mobile, Alabama, some players were able to take advantage of their opportunity while others struggled.

Pac-12 players that played in the Senior Bowl:

Arizona State: RB Eno Benjamin, WR Brandon Aiyuk

California: S Ashtyn Davis, LB Evan Weaver

Colorado: QB Steven Montez, LB Davion Taylor

Oregon: QB Justin Herbert, OL Calvin Throckmorton

UCLA: RB Joshua Kelley

USC: WR Michael Pittman Jr.

Utah: DE Bradlee Anae, LB Francis Bernard, DB Terrell Burgess, DT Leki Fotu

Washington: C Nick Harris

Washington State: QB Anthony Gordon

Justin Herbert Leads Way for Pac-12

Justin Herbert started for the South team coached by Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor. Herbert went 9-of-12 for 83 yards and threw a touchdown on the game’s opening possession. He also added 22 yards on the ground. Herbert won MVP honors for his performance. Showing poise throughout the first quarter, Herbert was able to put on a performance that should help his case for being a top pick in the first round of April’s NFL Draft.

Many expect the Bengals to select LSU quarterback Joe Burrow with the first pick of the NFL Draft. However, Herbert and Burrow have similar games, and both can be threats running the football. If Herbert can add to his Senior Bowl performance with a great NFL Combine and Pro Day, he could be picked within the top five-seven picks. The Dolphins, Chargers, and Panthers (picks five, six, and seven) are all expected to strongly consider drafting a quarterback. Herbert separated himself from Jordan Love, another projected first-round pick and starter for the North team, in the Senior Bowl.

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Joshua Kelley and Anthony Gordon Also Impress on Offense in Senior Bowl

UCLA running back Joshua Kelley and Washington State quarterback Anthony Gordon were the standout Pac-12 offensive players for the North team. Kelley had 15 carries for 105 yards, and Anthony Gordon had two touchdown passes in the third quarter. When Gordon went in, the game was tied at 10, but after the third quarter, the North was leading 31-10. Gordon could build off his senior bowl performance to possibly be a Day 2 pick at the NFL Draft.

Joshua Kelley was able to show that he can be physical inside, but can be explosive in space. He also could make a case for being a Day 2 or early Day 3 draft pick if he builds off his performance in the Senior Bowl.

Bradlee Anae Steals the Show on Defense in Senior Bowl

Utah defensive end Bradlee Anae had a huge day at the Senior Bowl for the North team. He recorded three sacks on the day, and wreaked havoc against the South offensive line. Anae was the best defensive player on the field in Mobile and made his case to be a Day 2 pick at the draft.

Steven Montez, Calvin Throckmorton Have Uneven Performances in Senior Bowl

Colorado quarterback Steven Montez entered the game to start the second half and had a very uneven performance. Montez finished 3-of-8 for 22 yards and an interception. He took a sack on a 3rd-and-1 as he scrambled back and made a five-yard loss into a 15-yard loss on the sack.

However, Montez and fellow South quarterback Jalen Hurts did not get the protection from their offensive line to be fairly evaluated based on their performances. Calvin Throckmorton, an offensive lineman for Oregon, played for a big portion of the game and had trouble blocking Bradlee Anae on the few occasions they were matched up against each other. None of the tackles for the South fared well against Anae, but Throckmorton’s stock did not go up based on his performance.

Pac-12 Had Some of the Best Performances at 2020 Senior Bowl

The Pac-12 had a positive 2020 Senior Bowl. Justin Herbert, arguably the premier player in the conference this past season, was able to win MVP. Bradlee Anae made a great impression nationally. There is talent in the Pac-12, and future recruits can see that players that play on the west coast in the Pac-12 can be successful.

Dead Period Over, 2020 Football Schedule, Nick Rolovich, Pac-12 Basketball, Sabrina Ionescu

pac-12 podcast apostles 2020 schedule

The recruiting dead period is over, and so is your wait for another edition of the Pac-12 Apostles podcast! In this episode, George Wrighster and Ralph Amsden get into “early offers,” discussing the pros and cons of recruiting kids at a younger and younger age.

Washington State hired Hawaii’s Nick Rolovich, while Oregon and USC made important coordinator hires? George and Ralph evaluate the hires and debate whether UCLA was smart to give its newest position coach responsibilities on both sides of the ball.

The Pac-12 released next year’s football schedule- which teams have the most attractive games, and the hardest road? George and Ralph break down some of their favorite out of conference matchups as well.

And if you thought the Pac-12 Apostles Podcast was only a football show, you were dead wrong. George and Ralph discuss the state of the conference’s basketball teams on both the men’s and women’s side of things, including showing some praise for Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu.

The Best Pac-12 Podcast

Anchor // Apple Podcasts // Spotify // PocketCasts // Google Play // Stitcher // RadioPublic 

The Pac-12 Apostles is a podcast for fans who love the Pac-12 conference. George Wrighster and Ralph Amsden are committed to the honest and fair conversation about the conference. Join us by becoming a Pac-12 Apostle. Subscribe and share the podcast.

Please leave a review of our podcast on iTunes if you can! We record a podcast once a week during the off-season for football and then from the months of August to January we record two podcasts per week. Our podcasts are always heavy on Pac-12 football but we make it a point to also try and cover the other notable Men’s and Women’s Pac-12 sports. We cover recruiting and any other major storyline in the Pac-12 universe.

George Wrighster is a former Pac-12 and long-time NFL tight end. As a television/radio host, opinionist, and analyst, who is UNAFRAID to speak the truth. Contrary to industry norms he uses, facts, stats, and common sense to win an argument. He has covered college football, basketball, NFL, NBA, MLB since 2014. Through years of playing college football, covering bowl games, coaching changes, and scandals, he has a great pulse for the conference and national perspective.

Ralph Amsden is a Wyoming-born sportswriter and podcaster who spends his days tweeting through the misadventures that come with shuttling four kids around the Arizona desert. Ralph is the publisher of Rivals’ ArizonaVarsity.com, the founder of ArizonaSportsCast.com, and was previously the managing editor of the Arizona State Rivals affiliate, DevilsDigest.com. He is also a professional hater of all things pineapple. Whether you’re talking food, movies, music, parenting, politics, sports, television, religion, or zoological factoids, Ralph has questions for you. He might be sub-.500 in spousal disputes and schoolyard fights, but he’s always UNAFRAID to square up.

Pac-12 Conference Needs To Get Six Teams Into NCAA Tournament

2020 Pac-12 Basketball Season: Setting Up for a Crazy Finish

The 2020 College Basketball season has already brought the madness that is usually seen in March. There is no clear-cut favorite, and the AP Top 25 constantly changes from week-to-week. Pac-12 Basketball has brought the craziness in the 2019-20 season, as unpredictability has been the theme of the conference so far.

The Pac-12 only had three teams in the NCAA Tournament in 2019 (Washington, Arizona State, and Oregon) and one team in the National Invitation Tournament (Colorado). This season, the conference is looking to have far more teams in the tournament.

Joe Lunardi, the most prominent “Bracketologist”, had five teams in his NCAA Tournament field for 2020 as of January 21. These five teams include Oregon, Colorado, Arizona, Stanford, and USC.

The Pac-12 Basketball Favorites: Oregon, Colorado, Arizona

The Pac-12 conference could end up making an argument to have six or seven teams make the tournament come Selection Sunday, which is March 15.

Oregon is widely regarded to as the best team in Pac-12 basketball. Currently, the Ducks are 15-4, with a 4-2 mark in Pac-12 play. Led by senior Payton Pritchard, the Ducks have impressive non-conference wins against Memphis and Seton Hall at neutral sites. They also won an overtime thriller against Michigan. However, Oregon lost to Washington State this past Thursday. The Ducks have not always been consistent but should be at least a top-4 seed come tournament time.

Colorado is one of the most experienced teams in the Pac-12, led by junior McKinley Wright IV. The Buffaloes have an effective supporting cast with Tyler Bey, D’Shawn Schwartz, and Evan Battey to name a few, but sometimes the offense looks stagnant, especially in losses against Kansas and this past Saturday against Arizona. The Buffaloes have wins against Oregon and Dayton which should help their cause. If they can build upon their 14-4 (3-2 Pac-12) record, they should be strongly considered to be a top-4 seed come March.

Listen to the Best Pac-12 Football and Basketball Podcast

The Arizona Wildcats are having a bounce-back season in wake of the bribery scandal involving DeAndre Ayton a few years ago. The Wildcats are 13-5 (3-2 Pac-12) this season, but also have been inconsistent thus far in conference play. They have defended home court in conference play, defeating opponents by an average of 21.7 points per game. However, they lost to both Oregon and Oregon State.

Pac-12 Basketball NCAA Tournament Hopefuls: Stanford and USC

USC and Stanford are currently the top two teams in the conference standings, with each having a 4-1 conference record, respectively. USC won against Stanford in Los Angeles this past Saturday 82-78. The Trojans and Cardinal have both not been shown any respect nationally. Neither team is ranked, but they are both 15-3 this season.

Stanford is USC’s most notable win, however. The Trojans lost by 32 to Washington in conference play, and Oregon will be the first ranked team they play this season. The only ranked team Stanford has played was Kansas, and they lost 72-56.

Non-Conference Schedule Hurting Pac-12 Basketball

The Pac-12 as a conference needs to work on their non-conference schedule in basketball, especially given how the conference was perceived at tournament time last year. Larry Scott’s goal should be to have at least half the league in the NCAA Tournament each season.

The conference needs to have a partnership with one of the other major conferences. The Big Ten/ACC Challenge and Big 12/SEC Challenge are both great for college basketball and bolster both conference’s resumes. The Pac-12 should look to possibly partner with the Big East or even one of the other conferences to help with the non-conference schedule.

Best Non-Conference Win For Pac-12 Basketball: Washington Over Baylor

Washington beat Baylor 67-64 in the Armed Forces Classic on November 8 in Anchorage, Alaska. Baylor was just awarded the number-one spot in the AP Poll on Monday. Washington has struggled in conference play with a 2-4 record. The Huskies will be the most prominent Pac-12 teams that will be living life on the bubble until March because they beat Baylor.

In the end, there should be at least four teams in the NCAA Tournament for the Pac-12. USC should end up getting in if they end with a winning record in conference play. Beyond that, Washington is the conference’s best hope to get half the teams from the “conference of champions” into the tournament. The Pac-12 needs to live up to its slogan and accomplish this feat. The season has been crazy, but hopefully the committee will take notice of the product the Pac-12 is putting out there this season.

Pac-12 Football Review: Rolovich Buys Drinks and Graham Harrell Stays

Nick Rolovich WSU Cougars Pac-12

2020 Pac-12 Football Schedules Announced

Every year, Pac-12 football gets little respect. Due its cannibalism in 2019, no team stood out enough in Pac-12 football. However, the 2020 conference schedule is loaded with competition.

  • 17 games against 2019 bowl participants
  • 15 games against teams with eight or more wins in 2019
  • 8 Power Five opponents: Michigan, Ohio State, TCU, Notre Dame, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Alabama
  • Two games against Notre Dame

With difficult schedules in 2020, the 2020 Pac-12 football conference champion should make College Football Playoffs. For the full schedule, check it here.

USC Keeps Graham Harrell and Tries to Aquire Todd Orlando

Trojans rejoice! In a shocking decision, Graham Harrell chose to stay in Los Angeles another season. His 2019 season put him in the offseason coaching scramble. Even the Philadelphia Eagles interviewed Harrell for an offensive coordinator job.

Which makes sense. Somehow, with injury after injury at quarterback, his USC offense finished third in the Pac-12 in points per game. Additionally, remember that Kedon Slovis was a 2019 FWAA Freshman All-American. Giving Harrell a full offseason with Kedon Slovis at the helm is excellent for USC and for Pac-12 football.

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Although Todd Orlando got the boot in Texas, USC still went for him. His 2019 Longhorns ranked 54th in Football Outsider’s DFEI rankings, while USC barely trailed them at 57th. Apparently his experience at Texas is more important than their defense at Texas. It’s a safe move, but remains to be seen whether or not he can lift USC’s defense any higher.

WSU Hires Nick Rolovich, Rolovich Buys Drinks for Cougar Fans

Mike Leach will forever be remembered as one of the most entertaining coaches in Pullman. However, new head coach Nick Rolovich is coming out swinging.

Certainly, this is one of the oddest moves of a head coach. But, it’s a move that gained respect and admiration in the Cougar fanbase. Yes, Leach is gone, However, it appears that Rolovich understands Cougar nation.

Josh Simmons Commits to Oregon

Josh Simmons decided to be a Duck this Monday. While Oregon football already boasted a strong offensive line, adding four-star recruit Simmons further adds to their depth and talent. Simmons is the 10th-best offensive guard and Oregon sits at the top of Pac-12 in recruiting and is also ranked 13th in the nation. The Ducks continue to build on their success.

Tre’Shaun Harrison Transfers from Florida State to Oregon State

After Oregon State already picked up Trey Lowe from Washington, they nabbed another Power-Five transfer Tre’Shaun Harrison. Though four-star recruit Harrison originally committed to Oregon, he ultimately played for FSU. Now, after two years struggling to get snaps, he became a Beaver.

Well, this is great news for Oregon State. The Beaver’s talented Isaiah Hodgins declared for the 2020 NFL Draft after his breakout junior season. Losing him is huge. So, adding receiving talent is a must for Oregon State if they want to compete with other Pac-12 football programs.

Pac-12 Football Review: New Coaches, All-Americans, Shenault’s Agent

Pac-12 football news

Pac-12 Football doesn’t have an offseason

Although the Pac-12 football season is over, the offseason is just as important. Unafraidshow’s Pac-12 Football Review updates everyone on the biggest stories of each week of the Pac-12 football offseason.

Recruits, transfers, coaching changes and returning players drastically change next year’s landscape. Which players are leaving for the NFL draft? Who are the newest coaches or recruits? What news is the most important or compelling from each program?

The Biggest News Around the Pac-12, Program by Program

Arizona: The Wildcats hire Andy Buh as OLB coach

With 22 years of collegiate coaching experience, Andy Buh adds leadership and knowledge to the Wildcats defense. Most recently, Buh was defensive coordinator for Rutgers in 2019 and Maryland from 2016 to 2018. In his decades of coaching, he mainly spent time as defensive coordinator or linebackers coach. Pac-12 fans should remember him from his days with Jim Harbaugh at Stanford. The signing of Buh will round out a new Arizona coaching staff after Marcel Yates and Iona Uiagalelei were both fired.

Arizona State: Herm Edwards gets two-year extension

In his first two years as a Pac-12 football coach, Herm Edwards is 15 and 11 with two bowl game appearances. His collegiate success with Arizona State surprised many. While his 7 and 6 2018 season was a good start, he put his faith in freshman Jayden Daniels . Many coaches overlook 175lb freshman quarterbacks. But, Edwards displayed excellent coaching instincts and uncovered a Pac-12 Star. Daniels’ led the Sun Devils to a huge victory over the Oregon Ducks. If Arizona State and Edwards continue to find success in recruiting and personnel management, the Sun Devils will make a run for the title soon enough.

Cal: Golden Bears name Angus McClure Offensive Line Coach

Most recently, Angus McClure aided the Nevada Wolf Pack to back-to-back bowl games. His offensive lineman in 2018 allowed just 1.31 (18th in FBS) sacks per game. Adding McClure to the coaching staff should aid UCLA’s 64th-ranked offensive line.

With 28 years of experience, including a decade with UCLA, Angus McClure is also known for his excellent recruiting. He understands the west coast and the Pac-12. UCLA needs any help they can get and landed an excellent coaching piece.

Colorado: Laviska Shenault signs with Rich Paul and Klutch Sports Group

After a breakout 2018 season and lesser, but still explosive, 2019 campaign, Laviska Shenault is headed to the NFL Draft. On Wednesday, Shenault signed with Klutch Sports Group, founded by Rich Paul. Paul and Kultch Sports represent NBA stars LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Draymond Green, and many more. Currently, they only represent Alvin Kamara, Melvin Gordon and Jarvis Landry in the NFL. So, Shenault is joining impressive company. He joins Chase Young and Jeffrey Okudah as Klutch Sports’ potential draftees.

Oregon: The Ducks keep four more juniors

In excellent news for the Rose Bowl champs, four NFL Draft eligible juniors announced a 2020 return. Thomas Graham, Deommodore Lenior, Jordon Scott, and Austin Davis want one more season with the Ducks. This decision is huge for the Ducks’ 2020 defense. They finished the 2019 season ranked as No.6 in the nation, per footballoutsiders. Retaining these four junior cornerbacks and defensive lineman likely frustrated the Pac-12 competition.

Oregon State

In great luck for the Beavers, both Addison Gumbs and Jeromy Reichner were awarded an NCAA extension. Neither made an impression in the 2019 Pac-12 football season. Reichner missed all of 2019, while Gumbs played just a game and a half. with the adjustment, Gumbs will be a redshirt sophomore in 2020. With the extensions, Oregon State can bolster its 2020 defense and try for a better season.

Stanford: Paulson Adebo stays another year

Surprising to many, cornerback Paulson Adebo decided to stay another year. Walter Football had him ranked as the fourth-best cornerback headed into the NFL Draft. Additionally, per ProFootballFocus had him in their Top-11 Big Board. Adebo displayed great cornerback skills and was a sure-tackler for Stanford in 2018 and 2019. With a return to action in 2020, he’ll look to perfect his defensive abilities and move up the 2021 draft board.

UCLA: Vince Oghobaase is likely leaving

Although not finalized, Vince Oghobaase is expected to head to Boston College. But, that might not be the worst thing. Every college football fan knows that the 2019 UCLA defense was horrid. They let opponents roll up 34.8 points per game (116th in the nation). So, while losing a defensive line coach to another program sounds bad, it opens up the possibility for better recruiting and player development.

USC: Kedon Slovis named FWAA Freshman All-American

While the Pac-12 is losing many big-named quarterbacks to the 2020 NFL Draft, young stars like Kedon Slovis and Jayden Daniels are the future of the Pac-12 football. Slovis is the first freshman since Sam Darnold to be named FWAA Freshman All-American. However, Slovis earned that title as a true freshman. He is the first true freshman in USC history to gain that honor. His 3,505 passing yards, 30-to-9 touchdown-to-interception ratio and 71.9-percent completion percentage were outstanding. Slovis is primed for 2020.

Utah: Leki Fotu is getting noticed

There isn’t much news coming out of Utah right now. But at least Leki Fotu is getting draft love. Like Paulson Adebo, defensive lineman Leki Fotu made it on PFF’s 200 Top-100 Draft Board and is ranked 91st on drafttek’s 2020 NFL Draft list.. He is the 12th-best defensive tackle, per Walter Football, and is looking like a quality defensive lineman in the 2020 draft. Pac-12 football players getting drafted is always important for our programs.

Washington: Huskies hire Offensive Coordinator John Donovan

In a peculiar move, the Washington Huskies hired John Donovan as their new offensive coordinator. Donovan, spending his last four years as a Jacksonville Jaguars’ offensive quality control coach, hasn’t been an O.C. since 2014 for Penn State. Additionally, the year after Donovan was fired in Penn State, they went on to win the Big 10 Championship.

After the 2019 season, the Huskies had a huge coaching void. Chris Petersen stepped down and the Dawgs fired Bush Hamden and Jordan Paopao. So, with promoting defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake to head coach, it made it even more important for a quality offensive coordinator. They went with Donovan, who has a lot of question marks and concerns.

Washington State: Mike Leach leaves for Mississippi State

https://unafraidshow.com/mike-leach-heads-to-mississippi-state-what-does-it-mean-for-leach-and-wsu/

As noted by our own article, Mike Leach left the Pac-12 for the SEC. Read the above article for the full breakdown.

Colorado Basketball: Time to Beat Everyone else like Oregon in Boulder

colorado buffaloes Pac-12 basketball vs oregon

The Colorado Buffaloes basketball team has started the 2019-20 season 12-3. This start has helped the Buffaloes attain the 25th spot in the latest AP Poll. Their most noteworthy win was when they beat Oregon, who was ranked 4th in the nation at the time, 74-65 on January 2 in Boulder.

Colorado Basketball Has Dominated Oregon In Boulder

https://twitter.com/UKsportsfeed/status/1212949309974597632?s=20

From the outsider’s view, this win should bolster the Buffaloes’ resume. While it does, it has become commonplace for Colorado to beat Oregon in Boulder. It is one of the greatest unofficial traditions Colorado Athletics has to offer.

Listen to the Best Pac-12 Podcast

Since the Buffaloes have joined the Pac-12 in 2011, they have gone 9-6 against Oregon, with a 7-0 mark when the teams meet at CU Events Center in Boulder. Here is the list of the scores in the Boulder games:

2012: Colorado 72, Oregon 71

2013: Colorado 76, #19 Oregon 53

2014: #20 Colorado 100, #10 Oregon 91

2016: Colorado 91, Oregon 87

2017: Colorado 74, #10 Oregon 65

2019: Colorado 73, Oregon 51

2020: Colorado 74, #4 Oregon 65

The Buffaloes have won by a whopping 11 points per game against the Ducks in Boulder. For a basketball program as prominent as Oregon, not being able to win in Boulder is one of the biggest head-scratching dilemmas facing the program.

Lack of Overall Success Frustrating Considering Colorado Basketball’s Success Versus Ducks

For the Buffaloes, the lack of success they have had in the big picture compared to Oregon is frustrating considering their success against them in Boulder. Oregon has made four Sweet 16’s and one Final Four since Colorado joined the conference in 2011, while the Buffaloes have won just one NCAA Tournament game.

Tad Boyle has an overall record of 201-126 at CU, and he is arguably the best coach in the history of Colorado basketball. However, the team has not truly made the leap into national prominence despite having Oregon’s number. Colorado has had better games against Oregon in Boulder, but Oregon has always had better seasons than Colorado. For the Buffaloes to be respected nationally, they have to show that they can play the way they play against Oregon more often and not lay eggs at home like they did against Oregon State on January 5.

Fans Should Have Higher Expectations Because of Success Against Oregon

Boulder is always hyped up when Oregon comes into town. Because of this, people not as familiar with Colorado Basketball will think it is a huge victory for the Buffaloes. While fans are happy when Colorado beat Oregon, the hype surrounding the team is exaggerated, especially when they lose to teams they should beat at home like Oregon State.

It is starting to get a little ridiculous that fans seem to always storm the court when the Buffaloes pull off victories against Oregon because of how commonplace beating Oregon at home has become. While these types of victories are significant for the Buffaloes, it will take them consistently competing for Pac-12 championships to be thought of as up there with Oregon and Arizona as the top basketball teams in the Pac-12.

The 2019-20 Colorado Basketball Team Should Make the NCAA Tournament

The good news is that this season the Buffaloes have a chance to do just that. Despite losing to Oregon State, they have wins against Oregon and also Dayton, who is currently ranked 15th in the latest AP Poll. Oregon is currently ranked 9th.

Their only two blemishes on the Buffaloes’ resume were home losses. Losing to Oregon State in the fashion they did was not good. However, losing to Northern Iowa in non-conference play was not the worst loss, as they are expected to compete for the Missouri Valley Conference title. Winning a tournament game is a must for the Buffaloes this year to build the reputation they want among Pac-12 and national pundits. Beating Oregon at home is nice, but it simply has not done enough for the Buffaloes to be taken seriously on the national level.

Mike Leach heads to Mississippi State. What does it mean for Leach and WSU?

Mike Leach Washington State Mississippi State

Mike Leach Leaves Washington State After Eight Seasons

After losing both the Apple Cup and the Cheeze-It-Bowl to finish the season, Mike Leach is out. He’s de-committed from his extension to 2024 (do agreements mean anything in college football?) and he’s off to Mississippi State.

Though his 6 and 7 season in 2019 wasn’t perfect, he was still heralded as one of the greatest coaches in Washington State history. He led the Cougars to five straight bowl games and an incredible 11 and 2 season in 2018. But, the bright lights of the SEC stole Leach away. What does his new tenure mean for both him and WSU?

What Leach Brings to Mississippi State

When it comes to Mike Leach, people love him for three reasons: wins, offense, and personality.

Wins

In each of his ten seasons with Texas Tech, Mike Leach’s teams had winning records. Additionally, they won five out of nine bowl games. Then, he took his Air Raid offense and winning to WSU.

After a large drought, Mike Leach finally brought back winning seasons to Washington State. In fact, he led the Cougars to four consecutive winning seasons, most notably an 11 and 2 2018 season, capped off with an Alamo Bowl victory. Leach took an aimless program and turned it into a competitive one.

His coaching record of 139-90, including taking over the hapless Cougars, displays his talent.

Listen to the Pac-12 All-Decade Team Draft 2010-19

Offense

Most notably, Mike Leach brings the Air Raid offense with him wherever he goes. His concepts pushed heavy passing offenses and were always near or at the top of the NCAA. His Texas Tech teams led the NCAA in passing five times, while his Washington State Cougars led four times. Astounding.

With his fast-paced offense, he’ll look to utilize the SEC’s level of recruiting talent to his advantage. He’ll have his work cut out for him against SEC opponents, but his offense is sure to bring frustration for defensive coordinators as well.

Personality

It’s no surprise that the press adores Mike Leach. Although they don’t always agree with him, they love to cover him. Few coaches bring a level of honesty, oddity and downright boldness in their press conferences. Leach is willing to say anything without thinking twice. Like him or hate him, he’s got a personality we can’t look away from. Now, with the move from Pullman to Starkville, his press coverage will boom.

What Leach Leaves Behind at Washington State

Though Mike Leach takes his Air Raid offense with him, he still leaves behind pieces. Yes, we’ve talked about this offense as the “Mike Leach Air Raid Offense” many times. However, with the obvious exception of Anthony Gordon, many players are already familiar with the offensive scheme. If Pat Chun decided to someone from the Mike Leach coaching tree or a pass-friendly coach, WSU could utilize the personnel already set up for an Air Raid offense.

“I believe coach Leach has left us in great shape,” Chun said. “Based on what he took over and what’s here now, this is not a rebuild anymore at Washington State. We will and need to go find the right person that’s going to add to this program.”

WSU Athletic Director Pat Chun

Additionally, Leach brought Washington State out of embarrassment and into relevance. Though his recruiting classes were always at the bottom of the Pac-12, Leach brought winning back to WSU. In eight seasons, he ranks third in wins by a WSU head coach. Additionally, he is the only coach to lead Washington State to five-straight bowl games. That prominence is not without appreciation for Pullman football.

How Washington State can Improve without Mike Leach

While losing Mike Leach is a huge chasm, there are two major areas of growth where Leach lacked: Apple Cups wins and recruiting.

Seven Straight Apple Cup Losses

https://youtu.be/JSurdBxFMfs

“They do the same thing year in and year out. So it makes it really easy to game plan when an offense does the same thing every year.”

Jimmy Lake

Even with all of his success at Washington State, Mike Leach couldn’t get past the Huskies. They continued to best his teams in the Apple Cup and thwart any Pac-12 title run. Most of that, according to Jimmy Lake’s repeated mentions, is due to the fact that Leach runs the same offense each year. With that understood, it was simple for a top defensive coordinator like Lake to game plan against Washington State.

Now that Leach is gone, Washington State has the chance to upset UW. With new coaching and play-calling, they can give Lake a run for his money. Show him different schemes, run different plays and become unpredictable. Will upsets be easy? Of course not. But, it’s not like Leach has given Washington much of a fight anyway.

Bottom of the Pac-12 Recruiting

One would think that after an 11 and 2 season, recruiting would be excellent. But, in 2019, WSU ranked dead-last in the Pac-12. According to 247sports, WSU’s recruiting under Mike Leach never cracked the top-seven of the Pac-12.

  • 2012: 12th in Pac-12, 58th Nationally
  • 2013: 10th in Pac-12, 50th Nationally
  • 2014: 8th in Pac-12, 53 Nationally
  • 2015: 8th in Pac-12, 42nd Nationally
  • 2016: 10th in Pac-12, 56th Nationally
  • 2017: 9th in Pac-12, 44th Nationally
  • 2018: 9th in Pac-12, 46th Nationally,
  • 2019: 12th in Pac-12, 66th Nationally
  • 2020: 11th in Pac-12, 61st Nationally

Though Leach put the blame on recruiting on Washington State, he’s a large part of that recruiting. Chris Petersen and Jimmy lake have repeatedly been praised for successful recruiting classes. But, that wasn’t something Leach could do. Granted, they were recruiting for the University of Washington in Seattle and not recruiting for Pullman. But still, Leach couldn’t bring Washington State into the upper echelons of Pac-12 recruiting and that is something new administration can improve on.

Mike Leach Judged Without Excuses

Now that Leach is out of the Pac-12, out of Pullman and into the SEC, he has no excuses for his recruiting classes. He can’t hide behind the lack of talent excuse anymore. Currently, Mississippi State’s 2020 class ranks 27th in the nation. If their recruiting tanks, that falls solely on him. He hasn’t proven himself as a quality recruiter so far in his career and he will face harsh judgment in the SEC.

Additionally, Leach is going to get burned at the stake if he loses seven straight to Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss. Chris Petersen and Jimmy Lake out-coached Leach for seven straight Apple Cups. Even with those brutal losses, Washington State was still on his side and extended him until 2024. However, Mississippi State and Egg Bowl losses won’t give him the same leash. He’s going to be judged quickly and with nothing held back. It’s time to see who the real Mike Leach is.