Jon Joseph No. 1 Share Posted February 16, 2022 ZERO, ZILCH, NADA, NYET, NUDGE, is the number, or null set, of Pac-12 QBs invited to this year's NFL combine. Where have you gone Terry Baker, Jim Plunkett, Warren Moon, Dan Fouts, Marcus Mariota, Justin Herbert, Aaron Rodgers, close to a half dozen USC guys, et al? The conference QB play has nowhere to go but up. And I think in 2022 we will witness better QB in the Pac-12? At least, I hope so. WASHINGTON STATE. Cameron Ward transferring to WAZZU could be big? Ward won the Walter Peyton Award last season; the FCS Heisman. This young man threw for close to 5,000 yards in 2021. Helping Ward's cause, his HC at Immaculate Word has also 'transferred' to WSU and will be the Cougars OC. This should make for a seamless transition on offense. I think WSU is this season's Pac-12 'sleeper' team. I am looking forward to seeing what Ward and WAZZU can do when the Cougars trip to Wisconsin. (How did WSU get a H+H with Wisconsin?) ARIZONA. Great for the conference and great for the Wildcats that the once Pac-12 Frosh player of the year on O, Jayden de Laura, stayed in conference once Ward came on the scene in Pullman, and transferred to Arizona. Among others he will have to toss the ball to is the highly rater WR Zona 'stole' from the Ducks. The Wildcats will be more productive on O this season. I think the Oregon at Arizona game is a 'look out' game for the Ducks. ASU and UCLA - Jayden Daniels returns for the Sun Devils and DTR is back at QB for UCLA. Can Daniels return to the form he showed in his frosh season? Will DTR play more consistently and not repeatedly turn over ball? Regardless, these are two returners who have had their moments in the Pac-12. DTR has 3 OOC cup cakes to feast on before entering conference play in 2022. UTAH - Cam Rising is the man at QB from the get-go for the Utes in 2022. And when Rising was injured in the Rose Bowl, Bryson Barnes looked like a veteran coming off the bench. Utah runs an O with heavy use of the TEs. 2 of the top 3 TEs are back and Utah picked up 2 more TEs from the portal. Rising will have a chance to show his stuff vs Florida on 9/3 in the Swamp. Win this game in what should be brutal weather conditions for the Utes and Utah will be in the Final 4 mix. UW - Can Michael Penix, Jr., transferring in to UW stay healthy? When healthy he is a dynamic player who played for new UW coach DeBoer when DeBoer was the OC at Indiana. If he can stay upright, UW has a shot at defeating Michigan State in Seattle. OREGON STATE - Chance Nolan is adequate but the Beavers will not win a lot of games if it can't replace Baylor at RB. Interesting that no players have portaled to OR ST this season. CAL - Jake Plummer comes in from Purdue but Plummer lost his starting job at Purdue. I don't see a lot of improvement here from 2021 starter Garbers. STANFORD - McKee is back and he is decent but not great. Stanford lost its best RB, Jones, to USC. I think Stanford being bowl eligible in 2022 is not likely to happen. CU - yes. I'll see you but not before ski season. USC - Dart was from a bad QB. Ditto Slovis. But Caleb Williams brings a new dimension to the QB position at SC. And he will be playing in a system he is accustomed to under Riley and his top WR from Oklahoma is joining him at SC, along with Dye (sigh) and stud Stanford RB, Jones. What once were sacks will now be whiffs. SC's OL is nowhere near as bad as its DL. SC is going to put up a lot of points in 2022 and 2023, before Williams can go pro. On paper, Williams is the best QB in the conference and the best QB pro prospect. OREGON - Good bless Anthony Brown who did his best for the Ducks. Brown started 1 game vs a top 25 team that he won, at Ohio State. A big win no doubt but more of a team win than a Brown win. Comparing Brown's stats, mostly posted in the ACC, with NIx' stats put up in the SEC, is apples to oranges. Nix played against far more difficult competition. Nix has a number of top 25 starts and wins including a victory against Bama. Before being injured in 2021, Nix was having a very, very good season. And Nix has played for OC Dillingham. He has two seasons of eligibility left. Ty Thompson? Could not beat out journeyman Brown. But did he under Mario ever have a fair shot at the job? And Butterfield was also a highly ranked recruit. If Nix wins the job one or both of these guys are heading to the portal. Nix has played against Georgia. Nix has played in front of crowds like Oregon will see in its opening game and rarely sees in today's Pac-12. Nix faced tougher competition in the SEC than did Brown in the ACC, and the competition for Nix is about to get far easier. No Bama, Auburn, Ole Miss, MS ST, A+M, Arkansas and LSU are on the schedule. Annual Auburn foe Georgia, is on on the Duck's 2022 schedule. Nix is 0-3 vs UGA but 2 were very close games. On the whole I think the QB play in the Pac-12 will be far better in 2022 and I expect Nix to win the Oregon starting job and play big boy ball under HC Dillingham. 2 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
30Duck No. 2 Share Posted February 16, 2022 So far, it hasn't mattered who the QB at WSU has been, they put up great numbers, De Laura is really good, and if Arizona can continue to improve like it has, they will be a player in the South pretty soon. Cal? Jake Plummer 1 was really good at ASU 24 years ago, not so sure about 2.0. Stanford? Agree with your analysis. Surprised to see such slim pickings at Oregon State, and Colorado. At Washington, it's "sit down Huard" Theoretically, the Huskies can beat the Spartans. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notalot No. 3 Share Posted February 16, 2022 (edited) You wrote a good summary opinion piece, Jon, smattered with QB factoids. While the QB slots will mostly be filled as you project at the beginning of the season as you project, who will be the starters in November? Injuries and competition take their tolls as the realities of the season unfold. Thank you. Edited February 16, 2022 by Notalot 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quackerbacker No. 4 Share Posted February 16, 2022 Thanks Jon for the Quarterback breakdown! If your fingers get itchy don't stop there give us your thoughts on other positions! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Axel No. 5 Share Posted February 16, 2022 Jon, nice work on keeping tabs on the QBs that the Ducks are likely to face in 2022. I agree with your assessment of the QB competition for the Ducks. I think Bo Nix will perform well in the Pac-12. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Author No. 6 Share Posted February 17, 2022 On 2/16/2022 at 5:19 PM, cartm25 said: GOOD, BOM, BUENO, GOED, GUT is this information. Should be a FishDuck article. Great call on UT QB Rising . . . he's a good one. Here's hoping the Ducks can match. Thanks cart. I'm hoping Rising and Utah get a 7:30 eastern kickoff (on ABC?) when they play 9/3 at The Swamp? At least Oregon gets to play indoors on 9/3. In early September, The Swamp will live up to its name. Payback? In 2023 UF has to play at altitude in SLC. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
30Duck No. 7 Share Posted February 17, 2022 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 8 Share Posted February 17, 2022 Oh geez. He would have been perfect for the Dillingham offense.... 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Author No. 9 Share Posted February 17, 2022 On 2/17/2022 at 1:47 PM, 30Duck said: I heard this on ESPNU and I agree with the announcers that this is a very strange time to be entering the portal. Lots amiss at ASU. Will Herm and the AD survive. I know it would be good for the conference to say goodby to ASU Prez and Larry lover, Michael Crow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Author No. 10 Share Posted February 17, 2022 On 2/17/2022 at 2:18 PM, Charles Fischer said: Oh geez. He would have been perfect for the Dillingham offense.... Interesting that Daniels best year was his true frosh season and he seemed to retrogress the next 2 seasons. If Nix fully recovers from ankle surgery he is not a Daniels type run threat but he is OK running the ball. It certainly didn't take long for Dillingham to take Nix out of the portal. Maybe he watched Nix defeat the Ducks? (SIGH.) Nix is an Auburn legacy and he was the presumptive 2022 starter for Auburn. ASU and Auburn both seem to be headed in the wrong direction. 4* recruit Paul Tyson, Bear Bryant's great grandson who transferred to ASU from Bama, is likely to be the Sun Devils starting QB. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
