LASH Roundtable: Pac-12 Edition

Eric Kendricks takes a backseat to Myles Jack, but the Pac-12’s leading tackler in 2012 could be primed for a huge season. Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Jason: For UCLA it has to be Eric Kendricks at linebacker and Jordan Payton at WR. UCLA is without a top wide receiver, so Payton is going to need to step up and fill that void if UCLA is to have a real shot at the CFB playoff. Kendricks is one of the best linebackers in the country that the country doesn’t know about yet. He’s going to make people remember his name this season.

For USC it’s WR Nelson Agholor, freshman WR Adoree’ Jackson and linebacker Hayes Pullard. Pullard is one of the best LB’s in the Pac-12 and will terrorize undermanned offensive lines this season. Agholor and Jackson are going to make Kessler look better than he is this season. Agholor is playing for the NFL Draft, where he could be a first round pick, while Jackson may well be the next man up for USC. Think Marqise Lee. 

Anthony: Well, they certainly have big names around L.A., but for “less” common names, how about USC running backs Buck Allen and Tre Madden? In 2013, Allen rushed for 785 yards on 135 carries and had 22 receptions for 252 yards, and scored 15 total touchdowns.

Madden rushed for 703 yards on 138 carries and had 15 receptions for 201 yards, and scored seven total touchdowns.  While Madden was the lead back during the first half of last season, Allen took the lead role during the second half of the season after Madden was slowed down by ankle and hamstring injuries. Both backs are entering their junior season at USC, and are expected to carry the load in the backfield.

Over at UCLA, I nominate the entire secondary as the players/unit with the “less” common names who should be expected to make big contributions this upcoming season. Priest Willis, Randall Goforth, Fabian Moreau, Ishmael Adams, Anthony Jefferson, and Tahaan Goodman, could legitimately recreate the NCAA version of the Seattle Seahawks’ ‘Legion of Boom’. The UCLA secondary has been much maligned for the most part during the past few seasons, but this is by far the most amount of talent the Bruins have had in the secondary since NFL Pro Bowler Alterraun Verner and All-American Rahim Moore in the late 2000s. Expect the secondary to shine all season.

Micky: It’s hard to call the Trojans’ top freshman prospect a “lesser name”, but Adoree Jackson faces an uphill battle for significant playing time this year behind Nelson Agholor and Darreus Rogers. That’s if he’s considered an offensive player this year. At the first sign of injury or if a shakeup is needed in the passing game, Jackson could be on tap for far bigger things than expected in 2014. He and fellow newcomer JuJu Smith have big play speed; each guy returned a kick for a touchdown–Jackson a punt and Smith a kickoff–in the team’s scrimmage earlier this week. On the defensive side of the ball, nose tackle Antwaun Woods has the opportunity to be very disruptive playing alongside Leonard Williams. The same goes for free safety Leon McQuay lining up across from Su’a Cravens.

Across town, tight end Thomas Duarte could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of Brett Hundley sticking around for another year. The 6’3″, 225-pound sophomore only caught 16 passes despite playing in all 13 games a year ago. He also set a school record for freshman with three touchdown receptions, third most on UCLA. More importantly, he’s shaping up to be the only real threat in the middle of the field. On defense, sophomore Kenneth Clark is gaining steam to win the starting nose tackle job. After recording 31 tackles, four tackles for a loss, one sack, one forced fumble and one blocked kick as a freshman who played in all 13 games, the massive 6’3″, 315-pounder will be wreaking havoc at the line of scrimmage for the Bruins.