2012 Pac-12 Media Days: USC, Oregon Picked To Win Divisions

(Also, here’s the first batch of exclusive videos, with Leach, Chip Kelly, Jim Mora, and Keenan Allen.)

Oregon RB Kenjon Barner discusses his decision to stay in Eugene, who he expects to have an impact on the team this season and head coach Chip Kelly’s delightful film-watching hot tub.

SB Nation’s own Dan Rubenstein was on the scene for Pac-12 Media Days last week, walking away with exclusive interviews with Washington State coach Mike Leach, Oregon coach Chip Kelly, and more. Above, Leach explains his optimism in his new team despite a range of challenges coming in. He does not veer into obscure American history, but you’ll still learn something.

Below, three other Pac-12 exclusives.

“We only had 10 seniors last year,” Chip Kelly began at Pac-12 Media Days. “We only have 16 this year.”

A young Ducks team is just about as young as ever, with questions throughout the roster, especially at quarterback, with Darron Thomas moving along. But “pressure’s what you feel when you don’t know what you’re doing,” running back Kenjon Barner informed the gathering.

But the questions came back to Luck anyway.

“Don’t try to be Andrew Luck,” Shaw said he told his many potential quarterbacks. “Because you can’t. Let our playmakers make plays.”

New Washington State coach Mike Leach, the Pac-12 Media Days main event as far as the internet is concerned, began his remarks by straight-up hollering at the crowd before being given a mic. Everyone loves him.

Shortly after, a reporter accidentally called Leach “coach Price.” Mike Price left Wazzu in 2002. “On behalf of coach Price... ” Leach responded.

“At USC, we feel like right now, we’re in a perfect storm with so many great things going on,” Lane Kiffin began at Pac-12 Media Days.

Kiffin and USC have been the model for sanction recovery, turning a scholarship-deprived roster into a preseason No. 1. Asked for what advice he’d give Bill O’Brien, he described the process of possibly losing players as a major challenge. He declined to answer any questions about what USC sees in PSU’s roster, saying, “they’re just like high school kids.”

The Jim Mora drinking game: drink every other time he or one of his players says “accountability.” You are now deceased on a roof somewhere.

Mora’s NFL lineage and background make for a strength, in his eyes, as he cites his staff’s 90-plus years worth of NFL experience in lending credibility to their coaching.

Utah’s Kyle Whittingham described his first year in the Pac-12 as being exactly what he’d expected in terms of a competition and atmosphere upgrade. With a division run at stake, that Thursday nighter against USC could be the biggest home game in school history.

Expectations are boosted for the Utes in Year 2, even though they’re replacing Norm Chow with young Brian Johnson at offensive coordinator -- Johnson’s a rapid learner, says Whittingham, who joked that Johnson skipped kindergarten and first grade.

“The hardest thing is being patient,” said Todd Graham. He was talking about installing his up-tempo offense at a place that’s used a swinging-gate passing game as of late, but he could’ve been talking about sticking around at a single location for more than a season or two. He wasn’t.

For more on ASU football, visit Arizona State blog House Of Sparky, plus Pac-12 blog Pacific Takes and SB Nation Arizona.

He says his offense can work anywhere, emphasizing his scheme’s frantic tempo. As for his personnel, he joked that the best decision his predecessors made was to redshirt nimble quarterback Matt Scott.

Recruiting for his system shouldn’t be a problem at Arizona, Rodriguez feels. He describes his quarterbacks as more prepared for the NFL “in some ways” than their pro-style counterparts, citing Cam Newton’s skill at taking three-step drops and making quick decisions. He also pointed out most NFL quarterbacks play in the shotgun these days. Watching the Patriots could be highly informative for anybody who thinks the spread is a college-only thing.

Why yes, you can watch all of 2012 Pac-12 Media Days live online via streaming video right here. SB Nation has a wide range of representatives at the event, so please browse our range of college football blogs for team-specific updates while you’re with us.

The Pac-12 has made a goal of getting its product on “every screen” in the country, calling itself a “content company” as it moves forward. Sports!

Pac-12 Media Days are upon us, and SB Nation has a sizable contingent on the premises. Among the first orders of business: tallying media votes for conference standings predictions. In the words of our California representative, those official predictions are as follows:

No surprise to see love for Oregon and USC, but it looks like hard times for the conference’s many new coaches. Except for Mike Leach at Washington State, who the assembly has topping Oregon State in the North, which would have to count as a success for rebuilding Wazzu.