Rising Out of the Pac

It's the conference with the complex. They play their games in a timezone three hours behind the rest of the country. Most media members and fans East of the Mississippi don't watch their games, but rather use the 90 second highlight package on Sportscenter to formulate their opinions. These are the problems that face Pac-10 football. However, the new crop of coaches out West, gives hope to a conference that is begging you to stay up late to watch their games.

Granted, the coaching fraternity down South are 'brands' familiar to us all. Saban, Meyer, Miles, Richt and yes even Spurrier -- to name a few. These guys keep the SEC balanced and competitive year in and year out. However, if you take a closer look at the Pac-10's coaches today, I think you'll see that the future is very bright for this conference. This creates balance and parity, which is something the Pac-10 has lacked quite frankly over the past 7 years.

We all know about the success Pete Carroll has had at USC, however, look up and down the coast and you'll find creative, energetic, rising stars.

The Washington Huskies brought in Steve Sarkisian from USC. He's 35 years old and already made his mark on the proud Husky program. Sark brings his pro-style offense and ideas to Seattle and it looks like Washington will be back in the mix consistently sooner rather than later.

Stanford's Jim Harbaugh, only in his third season as the fiery head coach, has improved every year he's been with the Cardinal. You have to believe Harbaugh is in it for the long haul in Palo Alto, after all, he just had a $70,000 private luxury bathroom constructed for himself.

Just across 'the Bay', we all know about Jeff Tedford's consistency with the Cal Bears. Tedford has won 4 bowl games in a row at Cal and this year appears to be well positioned to win the Pac-10 conference with Heisman hopefull Jahvid Best running through Pac-10 defenses.

Chip Kelly takes over an Oregon program that Mike Belotti kept at a very high level of respectability. Expect Oregon to light up the scoreboard with Kelly's spread offense, keeping the Pac-10's reputation as a pass-happy league in tact.

From Eugene over to Corvalis, you'll find Mike Riley quietly churning out quality and consistency with the Oregon State Beaver program. Over the past three years Oregon State has posted one 10-win season and two 9-win seasons. With Jacquizz and James Rodgers running the ball this year for Riley's club, expectations are once again high for the Beavers.

Last, but not least (well, maybe so), there is UCLA's Rick Neuheisel. Things appear to be headed in the right direction over in Westwood for the Bruins. In only his second year, Neuheisel has already travelled across country and defeated the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium and has UCLA sitting at 3-0. Neuheisel has all but guaranteed he will turn this program around, and more importantly, compete with the Trojans in the nasty LA recruiting wars.

Get to know these names. They may not have the cache' as the one's previously mentioned down South, but if you pay attention to what's happening out West, you'll see these programs start to rise out of the Pac.