After reviewing the rankings and checking up on the results of a lot of the games this season, I've been surprised with what I have seen. I do not think the SEC is the 1st or even the 2ns best conference this year, and I think the pac is in a bad spot right now. Here are my conference rankings based on what I've gathered this season

1.) Big 10
2.) ACC
3.) SEC
4.) Pac-12
5.) Big 12


I also would go so far as saying that Clemson by far has the best resume in college football (at this moment) with wins over Lousiville, @Auburn, & @Florida State (against a desperate FSU fighting for their playoff lives).

Please post them on this thread by Sunday at 2 pm. Obviously trying to publish this earlier than usual due to the Thursday kickoff. Thanks.

I'll update this with anything I find out about assistants traveling and checking out prospects.

I know Coach Seumalo was in Downey, California today looking at Bedeiah MJ Togafau. Possibly a walk-on type. 6-1, 285 DL/OLB.

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Featuring Chase Lucas

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Graham said that most of the injured players should be back for Thursday aside from Christan SZam and Sam Jones.

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Sunrise Mountain still passing and end up with a FG with 54 seconds left to up the margin to 55-28
Perhaps coach was just trying to help his QB get stats that he couldn't get vs the slightly better competition in the first 5 games (51% 163 passing ypg, 37 carries-51 yards)
But why kick the FG
Pathetic coach
Pathetic

More than likely won't play later this year, but this is obviously an important step in the right direction.

Bryce Perkins‏@B_Perk3
Don't let anyone tell you what your destiny is... I was told I'd never play again and now my neck fracture is healed.. All glory to God

1)Udub-Browning 2)Wazzu-Falk-if he doesn't enter draft 3)USC-Darnold 4)UCLA-Rosen 5)Stanford-Burns 6)ASU's starter 7)Colorado-Montez 8)Utah-Williams 9)Oregon-Herbert 10)Arizona Dawkins 11)Cal-Gilliam 12)Oregon State-McMarion

USC
Max Browne #1 overall recruit , 5 stars in 2013 (probably transferring out)
Sam Darnold 4 star 2015 recruit. Starter for 4 years?

Udub
Jake Browning 4 star 2015 recruit (3-4 yr starter depending if he enters NFL early)
KJ Carta-Samuels 4 star 2014 recruit

Wazzu
Luke Falk walkon 2014 (3 yr starter depending if he enters NFL early)
Tyler Hilinski 4 star 2015 recruit

Oregon State
Marcus McMarion 3 star 2014 recruit

Oregon
Justin Herbert 3 star 2016 recruit (4 year starter?)

Stanford
Keller Chryst 4 star 2014 recruit
Ryan Burns 4 star 2013 recruit

Cal
Max Gilliam 4 star 2016 recruit
Ross Bowers 3 star 2015 recruit

UCLA
Josh Rosen 5 star 2015 recruit (3 year starter going to NFL early)
Devin Modster 4 star 2016 recruit
AU
Brandon Dawkins 3 star 2014 recruit
Khalil Tate 4 star 2016 recruit

Colorado
Steven Montez 3 star 2015 recruit

Utah
Troy Williams 4 star 2016 Juco transfer
Tyler Huntley 3 star 2016 recruit

ASU
Manny WIlkins 3 star 2014 recruit
Brady White 4 star 2015 recruit
Dillon Sterling Cole 3 star 2016 recruit
Bryce Perkins 3 star 2015 recruit
Ryan Kelley 4 star 2017 recruit

I had posted this elsewhere among the threads - but the more I thought about it - it's actually a good piece of research. I absolutely want to make it clear - I am not saying anything about KP's future - this is more about Coach Graham's comfort zone with new hires and potentially, giving Guz Malzahn a call about his potential recommendations from staff he had hired and moved on. I'd rather not guess on us poaching current Auburn coaches - and Muschamp is not in our budget. Same with Travaris Robinson, the current DC at South Carolina who is already potentially out of our budget ($750k a year) and who I would suspect would put us in a bidding war with USC putting him out of our budget as well.

I said I believed we will not go with someone younger (and I mean coaching experience, not actual age) from the assistant ranks. We did with Chip Lindsey - largely because I think Coach Graham had a lot more "comfort zone" space to work with. Malzahn gave him a good review and he had a pretty impressive record to go with an offense that eearily looked close to what we had with the players that fit.

It isn't quite as easy with assistants from the defensive side. At least to me, I can't see any of these potential Malzahn "approved" type coaches really able to step up to Power division level football at the DC level. Maybe as an additional hire, but certainly not as a hands-off DC calling plays on the sidelines in my opinion - except for one - Lance Thompson.

Guz Malzahn Coaching Tree Available Candidates (Defense)

Not including any active Auburn coaches or Muschamp or Travaris Robinson at South Carolina on this list. Just can't see that happening with Coach Graham being able to realistically get.

Anyone comfortable with an FCS DC? Brandon Hall, Jacksonvillle State DC http://www.jsugamecocksports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=530

Al Pogue, Troy CBs Coach http://www.troytrojans.com/coaches.aspx?path=football&rc=821

(I would take this guy off the list, he was more along the lines of "inherited" by Malzahn then hired. Just including for information.) Phillip Lolley, Edmonton CFL LB Coach http://www.esks.com/profile-phillip-lolley/

Kenny Ingram, Cinncinati DB Coach http://www.gobearcats.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/kenny_ingram_950538.html

The only guy I think may have a shot at DC coming off the Malzahn coaching tree is Lance Thompson DL Coach/Asst Coach from South Carolina. http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/lance_thompson_996950.html

What's worth watching is Lance Thompson. He wanted and would have stayed at Auburn with Malzahn had he been chosen to succeed Muschamp and said it. He joined both Muschamp and Travaris Robinson to South Carolina - I'd love Robinson but he's untouchable - he's an elite recruiter and makes $750k a year.

Lance Thompson currently is at $500k a year and his contract runs throung 2017 which should be no big deal. But most importantly, he wants to be a DC for a Power conference team it seems. Would $600k over 3 years suffice? Or $650k? I give us a 50% chance at that range - guy also seems confortable in the SEC as well. But, the guy has LITTLE experience as an actual DC - and do we do this? Give a guy total control with no experience? Probably not in my own personal opinion.

Salary information http://www.thestate.com/sports/coll...th-carolina/usc-football/article61330907.html

Does anyone like any of these guys?

I don't know if that salary range is possible but if not - we're probably looking for an NFL assistant or advisor then.

for all the talk about DB recruiting and in state recruiting, there is one thing that hasn't really been talked about. There are currently two safeties from AZ starting in the Pac-12. We did offer Zack Hoffpauir but he chose Stanford. At the time I didn't think he was fast enough to play in the Pac but he has been a multi-year starter. One thing for sure, he is a hitter in the old school mold. He would not miss as many tackles as some of our safeties. The other is Luke Rubenzer whom I think wanted to come here but we didn't offer. At the time, I thought that was a huge mistake. Then we signed Coltin Gerhardt and it felt like maybe we did ok. Now Rubenzer is starting at safety for Cal and Gerhardt isn't anywhere close to seeing the field. I think Rubenzer could be playing safety or QB for us now. Many people don't subscribe to the idea that if you have two similar prospects and one is from AZ, you give the AZ recruit the nod. In this case, that should have definately happened.

So the question is, how different would our secondary be if we had one of those guys? I think both of them are better tacklers than Perry. They probably aren't as good in coverage but I have seen them both play well in coverage this year. For sure they are better than who has been playing behind Perry. My opinion is that we would be significantly better playing either one of those guys over Adams, Rhodes and probably Perry. Only pause I have is if they would not be better suited in Ball's spot. What do you think?

USC is doing something to Oregon that I dont know I've seen before. When Oregon has the ball, USC runs to the guy holding it and knocks him down, often wrapping their arms around him.

I thought this was a creative and ingenious strategy by the Trojans. I wish our coaches had come up with it.

Dawkins was taken out after an interception.

Cowherd had no problem with Wash being left out of the initial playoff top four because their schedule has not been good and teams like Oregon and Stanford are not very good this year...he liked both TAMU and Ohio St as better picks and talked about A&M's schedule vs the Huskies but he didn't mention that in the SEC, they only play 8 conference games vs 9 for the PAC and that the Aggies have Prairie View, NM State (last weekend) and UTSA coming up on Nov 19th before closing the season against LSU, which means the Aggies have had three Bye weeks, one in Sept, one in Oct and one in Nov...how fair and good is that..??

Are the Huskies and the PAC being slighted by this type of rationale..??

Go Devils!!!

Good news- Auburn Kicker, Daniel Carlson, has a kick blocked. Amazing athletic play by the Vanderbilt defender btw.

This helps Zane's case for the east coast bias types who only look at stats (not that Zane's stats aren't better). ESPN had been gushing all game long about Carlson.

Do not let Keith Patterson on the plane home. I'll pay for the ticket to send him home to Texas. I'll even pay first class.

here's a preview of the 6A games: https://arizonavarsity.rivals.com/news/arizonavarsity-6a-first-round-playoff-preview

3 ACL tears in a 30 month period is brutal. However, the positive attitude that this kid seems to be showing is quite unique and admirable. Even though it's UofEh, you still hate to see this happen to a 19 year old kid. He seems to have a level of perspective that is well beyond his 19 years. Wish you the best Ray!

Did not know UCLA and Colorado was playing tonight on FS1. UCLA is up 10-7 in the 2nd Q.

Not sure what I see in Colorado that is so good. Not sure how we got thumped by them. I actually would like to see UCLA win this one to keep the PAC12 south in disarray.

Justin Toscano's recap

I have been wondering how much the change in strength and conditioning coach last year has impacted the team/program. I base this on more injuries, and well they just don't seme as strong as other teams.

Since 40% of Arizona is from the midwest, there has to be some Cubs or Indian fans in the huddle. Who are you rooting for and what's your story?

I'm not sure how much I should write here, because there are some ridiculous circumstances that could have this prospect disappearing as quickly as he popped up, but Mike Rogers of Cesar Chavez is someone you should look out for.

He's Tyler Johnson's size (6-4, 245), and he's sort of an accidental football star. He moved out here from New York to be on the I-10 Celtics, and from what I understand was in a living situation for a while that may have called his eligibility into question. All I know is his mom lives out here now and he should be good.

He's playing both sides of the ball for Coach Rattay, and he's averaging 252 yards rushing on 14 carries per game since Chavez started the PUHSD portion of their schedule. He even made the home page of MaxPreps for a moonwalking TD he scored recently.

Here's his film:

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Richard Obert has been talking about him for a year, because his 'assistant' Jeff Rattay is the brother of the Cesar Chavez coach. What Obert might not tell you is that Rogers is connected to this mess in Ahwatukee that erroneously got reported all over the world as a human trafficking/smuggling ring.

I'm working on the story now, but this story, which was propagated by Phoenix city councilman Sal DiCiccio, and milked for traffic by the local media, is nothing more than an AAU basketball chop shop where African nationals were selling magazines to benefit the head of the club organization. Rogers was at one time living in the mansion, which may or may not cause him trouble.

Club basketball can be super shady.

Anyway, they didn't catch the guy (yet), and Rogers seems to be OK to play against Mountain Pointe on Friday. I recommend that game if you want to see a few D1 prospects in action.

This article by Adam Gorney details some of the prospects to be aware of in our region