How good was Oregon in 2010? First things first: how good was Stanford? If we can answer the latter question, we find the answer to the first. Well, Stanford was terrific: Orange Bowl-bound, 11-1, 8-1 in the Pac-10, dominant offensively and surprisingly competent on defense. Considering that Oregon dismantled Stanford in a second half barrage back in October, Oregon was very, very good. Superb is a word that comes to mind, particularly after witnessing the Ducks parry jab after jab from conference foes and respond with uppercut after uppercut, serving knockout blows as quickly as that quick-fire offense could get run a play, line back up and run it again. If Stanford was great, Oregon was on a whole other level.
Coach of the Year
Chip Kelly, Oregon
Not to discount what Jim Harbaugh did at Stanford, which was impressive, but Kelly’s 2010 season might change the future power structure of the Pac-10; that’s noteworthy on many levels. Oregon more than took advantage of the vacuum created by U.S.C.’s probation, rolling through the Pac-10 unscathed minus one speed bump, California, and dispatching teams like Stanford, the Trojans and Arizona with ease. More than anything, take note of Kelly’s meteoric rise from offensive coordinator at New Hampshire to 12-0 at Oregon; as a storyline, it’s almost too hard to believe. Yet here we are, less than two full seasons into his tenure as the head coach at Oregon, and Kelly has the Ducks playing for the national title.
Assistant Coach of the Year
Clancy Pendergast, California
California did finish 5-7, but it wasn’t because of Pendergast, the first-year defensive coordinator. Check out the improvement: from seventh in the Pac-10 in total defense in 2009 to first; from ninth in passing defense to first; from ninth in red zone defense to fourth; and from fourth in sacks to first, among other improvements. California also led the Pac-10 in fewest plays of 10-plus or 20-plus yards allowed, most notably putting the clamps down on Oregon in a narrow home loss. Pendergast does receive negative points for his defense’s penchant for feigning injury to slow down Oregon’s offense, but the point remains: California was the only team to keep Oregon under 37 points all season. That in itself makes Pendergast a logical choice.
Offensive Player of the Year
QB Andrew Luck, Stanford
Luck or Oregon’s LaMichael James? Can’t go wrong either way, I suppose, but the deciding factor is this: Oregon would still roll along offensively without James; Stanford sans Luck would be happy at 6-6, not 11-1. Not that Luck doesn’t hang with James on a statistical level, for that matter. Stanford’s sophomore led the Pac-10 in yards, completion percentage, yards per attempt and quarterback efficiency while tying for the conference lead in touchdown passes. What about Luck the runner? Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky. Blazing fast? No. Just fast enough — fast enough to lead all Pac-10 performers with at least 20 carries in yards per carry average, fast enough to rush enough for 438 yards despite averaging less than five carries per game. And he was tough enough to roll over California defensive backs like his former teammate, Toby Gerhart. What about Luck the tackler? Not that it matters in this category, but U.S.C. and Shareece Wright how Luck packs a wallop.
Defensive Player of the Year
CB Cliff Harris, Oregon
Yeah, Harris talks a little trash. His comments about Oregon State, for example, were a bit unwarranted. Yet like all great cornerbacks, Harris backed up his swagger with a top-level performance. The sophomore tied for the conference in interceptions with five; he actually tied his own teammate, John Boyett. His ability to make a difference on special teams, while not a real consideration for this category, is also hard to overlook: Harris averaged 19.5 yards per his 28 punt returns, four of which he returned for scores. Another teammate, Casey Matthews, warrants recognition in this spot, as does Oregon State’s Stephen Paea. For the latter, however, it’s tough to ignore the fact that the Beavers finished seventh in the conference against the run and eighth in the conference in total defense despite his presence.
Newcomer of the Year
WR Marquess Wilson, Washington State; and WR Robert Woods, U.S.C.
Woods was a menace, pure and simple, but Wilson’s surprisingly productive debut campaign warrants praise for one reason: it came despite being the top option on an offense that ranked 119th in sacks allowed, 117th in rushing yards and 119th in yards per carry. In other words, it was a miracle that Wilson did anything, let alone make 55 receptions for 1,006 yards as a freshman. That’s pretty impressive. Also impressive: Woods, both as a receiver — 64 catches for 786 yards and 4 scores — and a return man. Along with Keenan Allen and others, the Pac-10 has a very impressive young corps of receivers.
Most Pleasant Surprise
No improvement at U.C.L.A.
We’ve all heard of progression: that’s what we saw at Stanford this fall, for instance. Well, meet regression: welcome to year three at U.C.L.A. under Rick Neuheisel, where any semblance of momentum generated during 2009′s bowl run dissipates into a foul-smelling 4-8 mess. The Pistol offense had its moments, such as in a win over Texas, but by December, there were significant questions raised about the future of this offense — most notably, the future of offensive coordinator Norm Chow, a genius at the other school in the Los Angeles area but a figurehead at the Rose Bowl. So where do we stand today? Like a seesaw, U.C.L.A. can go either way: 2011 could see the Bruins put it together or completely fall apart at the seams. Neuheisel’s job lies in the balance.
Biggest Disappointment
U.S.C.’s defense
Attrition played a role, especially at cornerback. When push came to shove, U.S.C. was forced to start a true freshman — an undersized true freshman — at the position while relying on walk-ons to provide depth. That’s not a recipe for success. Still, one believed that Lane Kiffin’s dream staff, composed of Monte Kiffin, Ed Orgeron and others, would be able to sew together a strong defensive attack. Not quite. While the offense remained potent, U.S.C. can look point fingers at an underachieving defense when attempting to explain its five-loss finish. Now, Monte Kiffin knows defense, and will cobble together a better effort in 2011 and beyond — especially when the roster returns to normal scholarship numbers. In 2010, however, the defense was a disappointment.
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