College football is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world

                                                 
Rivals.com has a list of "coaches on the hot seat" around the country, and the list of 14 includes four from the PAC-12: UCLA's Rick Neuheisel, Washington State's Paul Wulff, Arizona State's Dennis Erickson and Cal's Jeff Tedford.  Of these, Neuheisel is the most vulnerable, number one on the list.  Writer Tom Dienhart notes that the UCLA head man is " 0-3 against the Trojans, getting outscored 84-28. He's 15-22 overall with one bowl and no finish higher than eighth in the Pac-10." 

It looks bad for Tricky Ricky, as the Bruins aren't likely to be loads better this year.  Wulff's team has made grudging progress and should inch forward a little more this season; Erickson has a veteran squad that should challenge in the PAC-12 South.  Tedford's seat doesn't seem all that hot--he's won as much as anyone has at Cal, and as long as the Bears make an occasional bowl, he'll have a job there.  With Memorial Stadium remodeling underway this year, somehow that extends his grace period.  It gives fans a sense the team is "under construction" as well.

Expect a dropoff at Stanford

Among the major sports, college and pro, coaching makes a bigger difference in college football than any other. A great coach instills a will and an identity.

Which is why for once Phil Steele is right. He has Stanford at #16, much lower than most. Sporting News has them top five and winning the conference, not  the Ducks.

Stanford has some good players, and one great one, but Jim Harbaugh elevated that group in a way first-year head coach David Shaw cannot possibly duplicate.

Of course, people might have said the same thing about Chip Kelly. Especially after Boise.

Rob Moseley posts on his R-G blog that the Ducks are working out this week with the Marines and at the Willamalane Park Swim Center. Good to hear they're busy.

Guys like Pelini and Spurrier would be tough to take, though, if you weren't starting. Backups transfer despite being one spit-screaming tirade from being #1.

Coaches have to apply the tough love: if you want to be the starter and date a cheerleader, keep your grades up, hit the weight room, and make more first downs.

Quarterbacks are supposed to be leaders, but when faced with demotion, some become me-first guys. What are reserve OTs and LBs supposed to think if he bails?

Around college football

ESPN reports Nebraska backup quarterback Cody Green is transferring.   Lost the competition for the starting job to Taylor Martinez, then lost reps as the backup to Zac Lee.

It's tough for a program, particularly a spread offense program, to lose quality backups to transfer.  Quarterback depth is critical, and when players who are a couple of snaps away from starting opt out, it demoralizes a team.  Now the Huskers are a couple of snaps away from the every-down Wildcat formation, having the backup tailback or a converted wide receiver running the offense.  It's a bad situation to be in.

It's understandable that Green wants a shot to show what he can do as a starter, but it puts his teammates in a squeeze.  They're trying to compete for a Big Ten title, and he's giving them a handicap going in.  Duck fans will remember two years ago when Cody Kempt and Justin Roper transferred out, and by midseason Chip Kelly was down to one healthy scholarship quarterback and a freshman redshirt.  Even last year the Ducks were short-handed at qb.  Defections ripple through a program, and can ruin seasons.

Up in Seattle, Husky fans are excited about the arrival of touted receiver recruit Kasen Williams, a former Duck target in the recruiting derby that was a Husky lean from the beginning.  Williams just broke the Washington prep state record in the triple jump, and also won the long jump at the 4A state meet, displaying athleticism and versatility to rival Oregon recruit Oshay Dunmore, who won't arrive on campus until 2012.  Williams could contribute as a true freshman this fall for the Dawgs, and looks to be a good one.  Too bad the Ducks missed out on him, but they did land four good ones of their own.