THIS WEEK IN PAC-12 FOOTBALL – WEEK ZERO

KORE Producer August 28, 2023 News, Pac 12 Football

QUICK HITS

CONFERENCE OF QUARTERBACKS: In 2022, the Pac-12 had eight different quarterbacks throw for over 3,000 yards in a season to tie for the most ever by a conference in college football history (done previously also by the Pac-12 in 2014).  Six of those eight quarterbacks return to the league in 2023:

  • Michael Penix, Jr. (Washington):  4,641 pass yards (led FBS with 357.0 YPG)
  • Caleb Williams (USC):  4,537 pass Yards (Heisman Trophy winner)
  • Jayden de Laura (Arizona):  3,685 pass yards (3rd most in school history)
  • Bo Nix (Oregon):  3,593 pass yards (School record 71.9 comp %)
  • Cameron Ward (Washington State):  3,231 pass yards (5 games with pass & rush TD)
  • Cameron Rising (Utah):  3,034 pass yards (2022 Pac-12 Championship Game MVP)

RETURNING TALENT: The Pac-12 returns 25 of the 51 players (49.0%) of players who were named to the conference’s all-conference 1st and 2nd team in 2022.  It’s the only Power 5 conference returning better than 40% of its 1st and 2nd team All-Conference performers from last season.

  • Pac-12:  25 of 51 returning (49.0%) with 10 returners from 1st team
  • SEC:  21 of 55 returning (38.2%) with 7 from 1st team
  • ACC:  20 of 53 returning (37.7%) with 9 from 1st team
  • Big 12:  21 of 59 returning (35.6%) with 8 from 1st team
  • Big Ten:  18 of 52 returning (34.6%) with 8 from 1st team

Among the Pac-12 returners are the 1st and 2nd team quarterbacks, three of the four 1st and 2nd team wide receivers, and six of the eight defensive linemen.

This also includes the top six returning WR in receiving yards from last season:

  • Rome Odunze (Washington): 1,145 yards
  • Dorian Singer (Arizona):  1,105 yards (transferred to USC for 2023 season)
  • Jalen McMillan (Washington):  1,098 yards
  • Jacob Cowing (Arizona):  1,034 yards
  • Jeremiah Hunter (California):  965 yards
  • Troy Franklin (Oregon):  891 yards

And three of the top five returning RB in rushing yards from last season:

  • Bucky Irving (Oregon): 1,058 yards
  • Damien Martinez (Oregon State):  982 yards
  • Jaydn Ott (California):  897 yards

TOP 25: The Pac-12 has five teams ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 and is the only conference to have five teams ranked in the Top 18.  It’s the first time the conference has had five teams in the Top 20 in the preseason since 2014 and the first time with two teams in the preseason Top 10 since 2017.

– Pac-12.com –