Pacific-10 Conference news everywhere. Coaches are starting to realize what the heck is going on in their camps as the second week reaches the midway point:

ARIZONA: Not much of a quarterback battle anymore. Wildcats will go with Scott until further notice.

ARIZONA STATE: Three forced turnovers later, Nixon gets Pac-10's first defensive player of the week honors.

CALIFORNIA: The Bears say they've looked at the film on Eastern Washington, and drawn one conclusion – the Eages are not "crummy."

OREGON: The famous "Punch" in Boise has the Ducks shuffling personnel to add to depth at running back.

OREGON STATE: The Beavers think more playing time is coming for Moevao in the second week of the season.

STANFORD: Cardinal's victory has a price. The team loses one of its starting offensive tackles for up to two months with a broken foot.

UCLA: Former USC assistant now at Tennessee has stirred up emotions this week by dissing the Bruins before the teams' matchup.

USC: Barkley, to Ohio State, on "The Horseshoe – site of this week's top-10 showdown with the Buckeyes. "Bring it on," he said.

WASHINGTON STATE: Coach Paul Wulff told me at the Pac-10 media day that the "weeding-out" process is taking longer than maybe the entire Palouse population thought, and it is still ongoing with the dismissal of receiver Kevin Norrell after his DUI arrest. Wulff said he anticipated two full years – into 2010 spring ball – and that those players not fully on board would be out.

Except for the University of Washington's close game against No. 11, not much suspense in any of the other Pacific-10 Conference games Saturday:

ARIZONA: A whole lot happened in Tucson – debuts, lightning delays and missed opportunities in the red zone – as the Wildcats trim Central Michigan.

ARIZONA STATE: Nixon has a night defensive backs only dream of in season-opening drubbing of Idaho State in Tempe.

CALIFORNIA: It takes just one 73-yard scoring jaunt by Best, and the rest of it falls into place for the Bears against Maryland.

OREGON STATE: It was a Rodgers' sibling field day for the Beavers against punchless Portland State on Saturday.

STANFORD: All the stars produced, and Luck's debut was nothing short of sterling as the Cardinal routed WSU on the road.

UCLA: Offense hogs the spotlight – and playing time – in Bruins' easy triumph over San Diego State at The Rose Bowl.

USC: The Trojans offense is more than Barkley and McKnight. A forgotten weapon re-emerged for USC in the wallop of San Jose State.

WASHINGTON STATE: Personally, I wouldn't recommend any Cougars news except from my man at the Spokesman-Review – Vince Grippi – and his first glance states WSU has made progress from last season, even after a 39-13 loss to Stanford in Pullman. FYI . . . by season's end, people are going to realize the Cardinal is pretty damn good!

First this morning, the game-day links. Nothing will totally absorb the "black-eye" moment the Pacific-10 Conference suffered Thursday night on LeGarrette Blount's post-game punch of a Boise State player, but a few rousing performances could help salvage a good first week:

ARIZONA: Somebody has been drinking the Kool-Aid of Wildcats' football. Oh yeah, it's the coach, who thinks his team has no weakness.

ARIZONA STATE: Dennis Erickson might know the best tonic to get the Sun Devils going in 2009 – playing his former neighbor at Idaho State. Erickson used to coach at Idaho.

CALIFORNIA: If the Bears didn't totally believe before, they do now. They think they've reached the same elite level as Pac-10 counterpart USC. A pretty rosy outlook.

OREGON STATE: New Beavers secondary won't be eased into 2009. Portland State will pass, pass and pass, until the final whistle.

STANFORD: Cardinal hopes to end eight-year bowl skid with a little bit of "Luck" – or a whole lot of it with the true freshman quarterback.

UCLA: As many as 10 new players will take to the Bruins lineup to open the season at The Rose Bowl against San Diego State.

USC: San Jose State plans on bringing the heat at Trojans' touted freshman quarterback Matt Barkley.

WASHINGTON STATE: Like every other coach in America this weekend, Paul Wulff has a clean slate – one he hopes to fill with wins and not losses.

From Dennis Dodd, the college football writer from CBS Sports. He takes a well-thought out approach to the LeGarrette Blount situation from Thursday night in Boise, Idaho.

BOISE, Idaho – The person you feel for the most is Mike Bellotti.

With one punch, LeGarrette Blount burned down a lot of what Bellotti had built up in his 20 years at Oregon. The much-loved Ducks' coach-turned-athletic director had to cringe when the player he recruited disgraced himself, the program and perhaps ruined Oregon's season.

The season-long suspension for Blount was the right thing to do, the only thing to do. Blount crossed a line that had rarely, if ever, had been crossed. Blount's actions were so punk, so street that Oregon had to cut its losses. Consequences? Minor compared to the fallout from, say, a three-game suspension.

Better Oregon takes the one-year hit without its best runner and finish 5-7 – which more looks likely now – than suffer fallout from any possible return by Blount.

=> Read more!

One Pacific-10 Conference school is in action today (Oregon) while the rest of them are wrapping up practices in preparation for first-week opponents:

Here's what we got for you:

ARIZONA: A patsy in Central Michigan? The Wildcats have struggled against multi-faceted quarterbacks, and this opponent has a good one.

ARIZONA STATE: After weeks of battling for the starting quarterback job, Sullivan is ready to take off in Sun Devils offense.

CALIFORNIA: Bookend defensive ends are different in personalities, but similarly dangerous coming off the edge for the Bears.

OREGON: In Chip We Trust? Only if the Ducks beat Boise State tonight on the road.

OREGON STATE: Backup offensive lineman has departed from the team just days away from the season opener.

STANFORD: Rare that a third-stringer creates such a stir around camp. But see what this player has battled through.

UCLA: Bruins defensive line is rounding into form at the right time.

USC: The usual lofty ambitions still apply, and the Trojans think they are legitimate BCS title contenders.

WASHINGTON STATE: Lots of good tidbits from this post. And the Spokesman-Review alludes to three areas the Cougars need to shore up – mostly for the future. They are team speed, depth and playmaking – all vitals to challenge for a conference title. WSU has little of all three, thus making the Cougars likely the 10th team in the Pac-10 this season.

We're getting close!! Oregon is in action Thursday night to kick off Pacific-10 Conference games in 2009. Here are articles from up and down the West Coast:

ARIZONA: The Wildcats' best receiving threat might be sidelined this weekend with back issues. He's also the reigning Pac-10 first-team tight end.

ARIZONA STATE: As if the preseason hasn't been rocky enough with injuries and unresolved position battles, the Sun Devils suspended up to six players for team violations, including Taylor, a starting receiver.

CALIFORNIA: Solid Bay Area column about how a Heisman Trophy hopeful running back's offensive line isn't about to get caught up in all the hype that comes with the nation's top award. They'll just block for him.

OREGON: Ducks talk about the lessons learned from last year's close loss to Boise State in Eugene.

OREGON STATE: Interesting defensive end the Beavers have in the fold. He has read-a-thons and likes to lift 300-pound rocks a la strongman-competition. Nice.

STANFORD: Never a bad thing when a team's star has big aspirations, and predicts great things for the Cardinal in 2009.

UCLA: Much of the way Carter instructs the Bruins defense is in the same manner he grew up, hearing a single mom raise a family.

USC: Short on bodies, the Trojans will rotate in a few newcomers at defensive end against San Jose State in their season opener.

WASHINGTON STATE: As usual, thorough in nature, the Spokesman Review rounds up plenty of tidbits from Tuesday workouts. A short summary: James Montgomery, Dwight Tardy and Lo Mitz will rotate in at tailback against Stanford on Saturday … Backup center Andrew Roxas (who has started plenty the past two seasons) has a viral case of hepatitis, and has seen a specialist about it in Los Angeles. … A pair of true freshmen, receiver Gino Simone and defensive lineman Travis Long, will start, and a third, linebacker Darren Markle, will see playing time. For more, read my man, Vince Grippi's post.

Some Pacific-10 Conference news for y'all:

ARIZONA: The folks in Tucson think this is a football team that is fighting a perception that it was lucky to get to a bowl game last season – hence their No. 8 ranking in the preseason Pac-10 poll (I, for one, do not agree).

ARIZONA STATE: Weber gives the Sun Devils a weapon in the kicking game few teams in America have.

OREGON: Ducks' top recruit from the 2009 class – Harris – is in the fold, practicing Saturday. He's been cleared by the NCAA.

OREGON STATE: Final-day-of-fall-camp story from Corvallis.

UCLA: Moline around to set the record straight, with any teammate.

USC: Despite quarterback issues, Carroll says the offense will not downshift in 2009.

WASHINGTON STATE: My good pal, Vince Grippi, breaks down three key position battles for the Cougars. He also got a few thoughts from coach Paul Wulff about "staying the course" in his second season.

Some quick-hit stuff around the Pac-10. Most teams are into regular-season mode:

ARIZONA: Zendejas on shaky footing as Wildcats' starting placekicker amid recent struggles.

ARIZONA STATE: Because of injuries, Osweiler, a true freshman from Montana and former Gonzaga men's basketball recruit, will serve as No. 2 quarterback behind Sullivan.

CALIFORNIA: Utah product Sofele is the only true freshman guaranteed playing time. He'll play receiver, and special teams.

OREGON: Receiver rotation will be solidified after weekend workouts.

OREGON STATE: It's not out of the realm of possibility that Jacquizz, the reigning Pac-10 offensive MVP, could play some quarterback.

STANFORD: Earliest commitment in program history, freshman linebacker spent extra time recruiting others.

UCLA: After Friday scrimmage, coach Neuheisel declares Bruins offense unfit for game-day action.

USC: Lost in quarterback carousel is the quiet emergence of McKnight into the starting tailback role.

WASHINGTON STATE: A decision on the starting quarterback between Lopina and Lobbestael should come Tuesday.

An earlier-than-usual look around the Pacific-10 Conference, since it is the last day of UW's two-a-day workouts at Husky Stadium:

ARIZONA: Here's a feature story on Puyallup's Ryan Grant, an oft-injured fifth-year senior (two ACL surgeries) who is finally getting his chance to start on the offensive line at tackle.

ARIZONA STATE: There are reasons why Burfict could be the biggest impact true freshman in the conference at linebaker. And then there is THIS reason.

CALIFORNIA: As usual, a Bay Area blackout in news. Here is a look at the opening-day roster.

OREGON: The Huskies aren't the only ones tangled in the NCAA's web of ineligibility due to clerical-work bog down. One Ducks' recruit finally got to return to the team.

STANFORD: Cardinal has one hilarious comedian, and he plays linebacker as a true freshman.

UCLA: Dye and Love in dead heat for Bruins starting strong safety position. It should go down to the wire, too.

USC: If signs prove true, then the signal-caller job should go to Corp over Barkley.

WASHINGTON STATE: The Spokesman-Review continues on with position previews, this time on the defensive backs. Also, my pal Jim Moore – whether he truly believes it or not – thinks the Cougars will be a BCS bowl contender (not really, but he is excited about the upcoming fortunes).

Took a much-needed day off Tuesday, and the blog was a little light in content. We'll return to its thorough content today for a 3 p.m. practice. Meanwhile, some news around the Pacific-10 Conference:

ARIZONA: Sure, the Wildcats cannot pick a starting quarterback. But that doesn't mean they can't make decisions – like, for example, moving Golden from cornerback to safety, which has worked out just fine.

ARIZONA STATE: Touted defensive end has been suspended for three games because of a team violation.

CALIFORNIA: New offensive coordinator (Ludwig) has a long history with Tedford's designs.

OREGON: Masoli sharper in scrimmage seen only by a few VIP folks, including Nike's Knight.

OREGON STATE: Mike Riley has seen plenty in his years in football, but not this – a freshman starter at offensive tackle.

STANFORD: The Luck Era is officially underway in Palo Alto, and he's ready to run with it.

UCLA: Harris back with the No. 1 Bruins offense on the offensive line.

USC: Can Corp take control of the quarterback job with the Trojans? He's healthy, and willing.

WASHINGTON STATE: Another position preview, this time on the linebackers. It is a position the Cougars do have hope for as being a real strength, especially with Federal Way High product Andre Barrington and Idaho native Darren Markle being contributors in the near future.

The start of the final week of preseason camp for most Pacific-10 Conference schools. Alert, alert, alert!

ARIZONA: The dreaded two-quarterback system might be a thing of the present for the Wildcats' offense. Ten schools employed it last year, with one registering a winning record.

CALIFORNIA: Not a real surprise to anyone, but coach Jeff Tedford names incumbent Riley as his starting quarterback for 2009 – quite possibly now because he has so many more decisions on starters to make before fall camp closes.

OREGON: Ducks closing in on final scrimmage tonight as tune-up for next week's showdown against Boise State.

OREGON STATE: Looks like the action is light-hearted around the Beavers' team these days, courtesy of a couple of Rodgers' brothers.

STANFORD: A private shower in the locker room has coach Jim Harbaugh in hot water (isn't it usually the other way around with showers?).

UCLA: Having speed is one thing. Translating it to big-play potential is the real challenge for the Bruins' staff.

USC: Strong words from Galippo, a new starting linebacker – "people who underestimate us will get smacked in the mouth."

WASHINGTON STATE: An NCAA Div. II transfer from the defunct Western Washington program is now a starter for the Cougars, who have serious experience issues on the defensive line, as detailed in this report by the Spokesman-Review. Also, a former Bellevue High star was arrested for possession of alcohol.

Sunday is an off-day for a few of the Pacific-10 Conference schools. Here is what I could find:

OREGON: The Ducks will feature a lot of receivers taller than 6 feet – and with hops, too.

OREGON STATE: Small-town walkon is poised to start at left guard for Beavers offensive line.

USC: Carroll has already pointed to Armstead's replacement at defensive end: Jackson.

WASHINGTON STATE: The Spokesman-Review continues its position evaluation, this time focusing on the offensive line and center Kenny Alfred, a Gig Harbor High graduate.