This is a topic that is often discussed here, so I won't beat a dead horse. But if there is anything that watching the bowl season confirmed, it is that the Pac 12 is way behind in the trenches.
Both Utah and Oregon, who are our conferences "most physical" lines on both sides of the ball, had problems with a middling B12 and good-but-not-great B10 teams.
USC struggled with Iowa's lines.
We had issues on OL with FSU.
On and on.
To me, this is the biggest hurdle for the P12. USC is really the only team in recent history to amass enough talent in the trenches to complete nationally because of their brand and (at least historical) ability to meld LA recruiting with some national recruiting to build solid lines.
What is the path forward that would allow ASU or another P12 team to have the elite-level line play necessary to compete for championships? I'm not sure I see one, based on recent demographic and recruiting trends.
Both Utah and Oregon, who are our conferences "most physical" lines on both sides of the ball, had problems with a middling B12 and good-but-not-great B10 teams.
USC struggled with Iowa's lines.
We had issues on OL with FSU.
On and on.
To me, this is the biggest hurdle for the P12. USC is really the only team in recent history to amass enough talent in the trenches to complete nationally because of their brand and (at least historical) ability to meld LA recruiting with some national recruiting to build solid lines.
What is the path forward that would allow ASU or another P12 team to have the elite-level line play necessary to compete for championships? I'm not sure I see one, based on recent demographic and recruiting trends.
