Last year, his Wildcats headed into November at 5-3 overall and with a winning record in conference play, with a postseason berth looking like a pretty safe bet. First came a 31-20 loss to 1-8 Iowa State. Off the heels of that defeat, they went to Lincoln to face a Nebraska team that was coming off of a 76-39 whipping at Kansas, and were blown away 73-31. After falling at home to eventual Big 12 North champion Missouri, the forgettable November - and their season - came to an end with a 45-29 loss at Fresno State.

Starters Returning: 13 (7 offense, 5 defense, kicker)

Key Returnees: QB Josh Freeman, WR Deon Murphy, TE Jeron Mastrud, DE Ian Campbell, DE/LB Eric Childs, LB Reggie Walker, LB Antwon Moore, FS Chris Carney, SS Gary Chandler, K Brooks Rossman

Key Losses: WR Jordy Nelson, RB James Johnson, RB Leon Patton (indefinitely suspended)

Key Newcomers: WR Aubrey Quarles, WR Attrail Snipes, WR Brandon Banks, LG Wade Weibert, RB Logan Dold, LB Olu Hall (transfer from Virginia), LB Grant Valentine, LB Hanson Sekona, LB Ula Pomele, LB Antonio Felder, CB Blair Irvin, CB Billy McClellan, DT Daniel Calvin

Names to Remember

Offense

1. Josh Freeman, QB, Jr.: Freeman made a huge step in development from his freshman (51.9 completion %, 6 TD, 15 INT) to his sophomore year, as he threw for 3,353 yards (63.3 comp. %) and 18 touchdowns, with his interceptions dropping to 11.

2. Deon Murphy, WR, Sr.: Last season, the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year put together a solid season behind Nelson, catching 57 passes for 605 yards and five scores, and with Nelson gone, the spotlight will be on Murphy to be Freeman’s go-to guy. He’ll also be just as much of a weapon as a returner, as he averaged 17.1 yards per punt return last season with one touchdown return.

3. Keithen Valentine, Jr., & Logan Dold, RB, Fr.: With likely starter Leon Patton suspended due to off-field issues, that leaves open a hole for an unproven back to step up and lead K-State’s run game. Valentine, a walk-on JC transfer, looks to have the edge right now, but Dold, an in-state product and prolific rusher in high school who was actually projected as a safety, will be heard from.

Defense

1. Ian Campbell, DE, Sr.: After a monster sophomore season (67 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks), Campbell was shifted between end and outside linebacker last season, and even though he still earned all-conference honors, his numbers dropped to 45 tackles, 11 TFL, and 4.5 sacks. Now, he’s back at end, and he should be quite the terror this season.

2. Chris Carney, FS, Jr.: Last season, Carney led the Wildcats in interceptions with four and he also had 64 tackles. Look for him to contend for all-conference honors this season.

3. Gary Chandler, SS, Sr.: Chandler was voted the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year by the league’s coaches last season after recording 54 tackles (4.5 TFL). Like Carney, he should contend for all-conference honors this year.

Eddie’s Essentials

1. The JC effect: Thinking of the future is great, but to get to the future, you have to do well in the present, and with that in mind, K-State loaded up on the JC recruits in their 2008 class, addressing need positions like receiver, linebacker, and cornerback. Many of those transfers will play key roles, whether as starters or key reserves, especially on defense.

2. Defense, defense, defense: The defense needs to be consistently better this season, and though there’s just a handful of starters returning and a lot of unproven players/JC transfers/newcomers set to make up the starting unit and top backups, there is a lot of potential for the defense to at least be solid.

3. Staying strong for the stretch run: After the way things crumbled at the end of last season, avoiding a similar collapse come this November is a must. The roadies at Kansas and Missouri may well be losses, but they end the regular season with two winnable home games against Nebraska and Iowa State, who were the first two of those four straight defeats to end last season.

2008 Schedule

8/30 vs. North Texas - Blowout Win
9/6 vs. Montana State - Blowout Win
9/17 at Louisville - Close Win
9/27 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette - Blowout Win
10/4 vs. Texas Tech - Close Loss
10/11 at Texas A&M - Close Loss
10/18 at Colorado - Close Loss
10/25 vs. Oklahoma - Close Win
11/1 at Kansas - Double-Digit Loss
11/8 at Missouri - Double-Digit Loss
11/15 vs. Nebraska - Close Win
11/22 vs. Iowa State - Double-Digit Win

Projected Record: 7-5, 3-5 Big 12 - Even with the losing conference record, the seven wins should be good enough for the postseason.

Best-Case Record: 9-3, 5-3 Big 12 - Texas A&M and Colorado are both winnable, and you can’t write off their chances to knock off Texas Tech at home.

Worst-Case Record: 4-8, 1-7 Big 12 - Louisville could hold serve at home, Oklahoma could leave unscathed, and either Nebraska or Iowa State could very well walk away with a win.

Swing Games: 9/17 at Louisville, 10/4 vs. Texas Tech, 10/11 at Texas A&M, 10/18 at Colorado, 10/25 vs. Oklahoma, 11/15 vs. Nebraska

Upset Alert: Oct. 25 vs. Oklahoma - While Texas might be all too happy to not have the Wildcats on their schedule after back-to-back upset losses in 2006 and 2007, their gain might be Oklahoma’s loss, literally.

Key Game(s): Oct. 4 vs. Texas Tech - All those high hopes that folks have for Texas Tech could be dashed in their Big 12 opener if they can’t leave Manhattan with a victory. Completely stopping Texas Tech’s powerful offense may be a tall task, but if Freeman and the offense can score some points, and the defense can force Graham Harrell into some mistakes and get some stops, then an upset could be in store.

Quick Out-look

Sometimes recruiting a lot of guys to win in the short-term works, sometimes it doesn’t. But, to say that Ron Prince will be relying solely on a bunch of newcomers to produce a winning product in ‘08 would be wide of the mark. Though the juco guys will definitely play a major role in whatever success Kansas State has this season, there are experienced pieces on both sides of the ball to lead the way.

The passing game will do well, provided Freeman continues to progress and lower the mistakes. Murphy and the JC receivers will get plenty of balls thrown their way, and it doesn’t hurt to have a reliable receiver in tight end Mastrud. Patton’s suspension certainly came at a bad time, but that just means someone else - or multiple backs - get to step up. All the better for the success of the offense is the offensive line, which returns three starters and should be a solid unit.

The spotlight, however, will be on the defense. There is a solid core of proven returnees in the four Cs, Walker, and Moore. If Olu Hall lives up to his potential, he could be a big-time player, and if the new starters and newcomers can produce, the defense has a world of potential. The guy to watch for is Moore. He had sacks in each of the first two games last season before going down with a season-ending injury in that second game against San Jose State, and if he can have an injury-free senior campaign, he just adds one more rusher for opponents to worry about.

Special teams is a strength for K-State, with Rossman back after hitting 22 of 28 field goals last season. He will need to be better from longer distances though, as he hit only 4 of 9 field goals from 40 yards or more. And, as big as Murphy will be in the passing game, he’s going to generate plenty of excitement as a returner - if teams are willing to kick to him regularly.

The Wildcats have an excellent chance at starting 4-0, provided they can win at Louisville in the oddly-scheduled Wednesday night matchup. The conference schedule isn’t exactly very generous, as their hopes at wins either hinge on upsets of ranked teams at home or beating a couple of pretty decent opponents on the road.

If they can come out of that six-game stretch from Texas Tech to Missouri without having lost all six, they should still be in the postseason picture heading into the final two games, where they won’t have any room for a slip-up, but should be able to win to get to at least seven wins, which should mean postseason.

Now, if the defense comes together, the running game does well, and Freeman doesn’t have a drop-off, the Wildcats could do more than just survive through that rigorous stretch and push for at least eight wins, but with the way the schedule shakes out, seven in the regular season should do the trick and get them in a decent bowl.

Anything short of the postseason? Well, that’s something that I’m sure Prince or any K-State fan wants to think about right now.

So, how was Michigan bold this offseason? They searched for a head coach and landed West Virginia’s Rich Rodriguez, welcoming him and his spread option offense to Ann Arbor. Talk about bold.

However, there is no Pat White or Steve Slaton here to help his spread option succeed right off the bat. Instead, Rodriguez has all underclassmen quarterbacks and a shaky offensive line to worry about.

Is a long year ahead for Michigan, or can Rodriguez’s new-look offense gel quickly and give the Wolverines a chance for a successful 2008?

Head Coach: Rich Rodriguez (first year at Michigan, 60-26 at West Virginia, 104-62-2 overall)

2007 record: 9-4 (6-2 Big 10), beat Florida in Capital One Bowl

Returning starters: 11 (offense: 3, defense: 7, kicker/punter: 1)

Top returnees: RB Brandon Minor, WR Greg Mathews, LT Mark Ortmann, DE Tim Jamison, DE Brandon Graham, DT Will Johnson, NT Terrance Taylor, LB Obi Ezeh, CB Morgan Trent, P Zoltan Mesko

Key losses: QB Chad Henne, QB Ryan Mallett, RB Mike Hart, WR Mario Manningham, WR Adrian Arrington, LT Jake Long, RG Adam Kraus, C Justin Boren, LB Shawn Crable, LB Chris Graham, SS Jamar Adams

2008 Schedule

Aug. 30 Utah
Sept. 6 Miami University
Sept. 13 @ Notre Dame
Sept. 27 Wisconsin
Oct. 4 Illinois
Oct. 11 Toledo
Oct. 18 @ Penn State
Oct. 25 Michigan State
Nov. 1 @ Purdue
Nov. 8 @ Minnesota
Nov. 15 Northwestern
Nov. 22 @ Ohio State

Key game: Nov. 22 @ Ohio State - This is always a key game on the schedule, but it might mean a bit more in 2008. Michigan is in what most pro-sports call “rebuilding mode.” On the other hand, Ohio State is built to win now. If Michigan, no matter what their record is, ends its four-game losing streak to OSU, it would give them a huge momentum boost riding into the 2009 season.

2008 Outlook

The spread option offense will be far from what it was at West Virginia, but remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Rich Rodriguez might not have all the pieces, but he is attempting to lay down the foundation this season.

How do you start that? That’s easy, you get a young QB, and Michigan has four of those.

The projected starter right now is redshirt freshman Steven Threet, a transfer from Georgia Tech. Threet, who comes in at a hefty 6‘6, 230, isn’t really viewed as a spread option guy. So, to cater to his strengths, Rodriguez will tinker with the offense a bit. Threet has more of a “pass first” mentality, but he does have enough mobility to survive in the spread.

The Wolverines have two other quarterbacks in sophomore Nick Sheridan and freshman Justin Feagin that Rodriguez is grooming to take over in the near future. Sheridan is raw, but he has the speed and mobility needed to run this offense. Meanwhile, Feagin is a freshman who is viewed as “Pat White, Jr.” because he is roughly the same size, has a decent arm, and can rush the ball effectively. In his senior year in high school, Feagin rushed for 1,313 yards and 25 touchdowns. That would certainly put one on the right path to being the next Pat White.

The Wolverines have a solid option in the backfield to replace the legendary Mike Hart in junior running back Brandon Minor, whose quick bursts of speed and strength are the perfect recipe for being a good running back. Another potential threat is Minor’s slated backup junior Carlos Brown. Brown, who made the transition from cornerback to running back last season, also uses size and speed to get between tackles. Currently, he is battling a broken finger but should be on the field regardless. Michigan also loaded up at running back in a quality 2008 recruiting class, including highlight-reel sensation Sam McGuffie, so they’re not short on guys who can carry the ball this season.

Okay, so we have the QB and running back ready to run this spread option, but what about wide receiver? Enter Greg Mathews. Mathews was the team’s third leading receiver behind Mario Manningham and Adrian Arrington last season with 39 catches, 366 yards, and three touchdowns, and with both gone to the NFL, the spotlight is now on the 6’3, 210-pound junior. Mathews is definitely not the fastest wide receiver, but he always finds a way to get open. For a young quarterback, Mathews’ ability to get open might be just what the doctor ordered.

To complement him, the Wolverines have sophomores Junior Hemingway and Toney Clemons, who both have the speed to be potential deep threats. Another prime target is junior tight end Carson Butler, who is not only a guy who can make some key catches, but he can battle in the trenches and make some blocks too.

Besides the returnees, there’s a lot of buzz about the freshman group of receivers, which includes two Houston-area stars in Daryl Stonum and 5’9 lightning bolt Terrence Robinson. Both Stonum and Robinson are slated to make an impact early, and so could fellow true freshmen Martavious Odoms and Michael Shaw.

Now, one of the main criticisms in Ann Arbor is the offensive line, which took a big hit thanks to the losses of Jake Long, Adam Kraus, and cardinal sinner Justin Boren, who likely isn‘t allowed in any of Ann Arbor‘s finest establishments these days after his transfer to Ohio State and all of the goings-on since. The only returning starter on this offensive line from 2007 is sophomore right tackle Steve Schilling, who has tremendous upside and will be counted on to have a stellar season.

The notables among the new starters are juniors Mark Ortmann and David Moosman. Taking over for Long will be 6’7, 294-pound Ortmann. Last season, Ortmann started two games at right tackle and did a fairly good job, but this time, he’s protecting the blindside. At center is Moosman, and with a name that sounds like “moose man,” you can bet on one thing the coaches like about him, his strength.

While there are a lot of questions on offense, the Wolverines’ defense could definitely be one of the top rated defenses in college football. Their biggest strength, however, is their defensive line. The established star on this line is tackle Terrance Taylor. The senior, who had 55 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks last year, has a good mixture of speed and strength that all coaches drool over. He might not just be “the man” on the defensive line but maybe for the entire defense.

Next to Taylor will be senior Will Johnson, who is expected to be a standout playmaker. Returning at the ends are junior Brandon Graham and senior Tim Jamison, who combined for 19.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks last season. Staying healthy is a concern for Jamison, but if he’s injury-free, the pass rush will be a force.

Linebackers were one of Michigan’s biggest strengths last season, but Shawn Crable and Chris Graham, who were both leaders on the Wolverines in tackles, are gone now.

However, sophomore middle ‘backer Obi Ezeh, who was 5th on the team in tackles in 2007, is back and will be looked at as one of their leaders on defense. Another important factor in the middle of the field is on the weak side, where Rich Rodriguez is looking to go with a rotation of sophomores James Mouton and Marell Evans. Both were players on the special teams unit, but coaches have raved about their ability to do well in pass coverage.

Behind the linebackers, junior Stevie Brown is returning at free safety, but next to him, senior Brandon Harrison will be replacing Jamar Adams at strong safety. Harrison has enough speed to actually play cornerback if need be. However, the biggest concern surrounding him this season is his banged-up shoulder.

At corner, senior Morgan Trent showed he had the ability to replace Leon Hall, picking off two passes and recording eight pass breakups last season. Opposite Trent is Donovan Warren, who had 52 tackles, an interception, and five passes defended last season. Besides his ability to cover receivers with his excellent speed, Warren has a keen ability to put some serious hits on people. Michigan also signed one of the top cornerback recruits in the country in Boubacar Cissoko, who should get a lot of experience right out of the gate.

This season will be one where Rich Rodriguez tests the waters. There are a lot of questions right now, but after this season, those questions might be answered quickly and could payoff for the Wolverines in the grand scheme of things.

However, you don’t need to write them off in 2008 already. With veteran experience on defense, they could be a potential surprise. If everything pans-out on offense this season, and the defense plays up to their potential, the Wolverines could go 7-5 or 8-4 overall with a non-BCS bowl appearance. If things don’t necessarily pan-out, then a 5-7 or 4-8 overall record is more in sight.

Remember though, the goal this season is to lay down the foundation for the future, and with a lot of young talent suiting up for the maize and blue, Michigan fans need to put their shades on.

Where do the Wolverines rank in our Big Ten preview? Check it out here.

The Packers are sold on having Aaron Rodgers play behind center in 2008, and Packers management would like Favre to just sit at home. They reportedly offered him $20 million over 10 years to do just that. Gee, only $2 million a year to stay retired? Favre could make that $20 million in 2-3 seasons playing.

Anyway, the Packers have been trying to send him to either the New York Jets or the “QB happy” Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but trade talks with those two teams are all but dead. So, they might have to resort to a division rival within the NFC North.

A source within the Packers organization told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the Packers would consider trading Favre to either the rival Minnesota Vikings or Chicago Bears.

Of course the Packers would like Favre to just sit at home and eat cookies all day, but Favre wants to play and is eventually going to play. However, he wants a say in where he goes. That’s why the Jets and Buccaneers are off the list. They reportedly were both interested in getting him, but he didn’t want to talk to either team. If that’s not the cold shoulder, I don’t know what is.

Packers’ CEO Mark Murphy spoke with Favre at his home in Mississippi Wednesday but was mum on the details of the discussion.

“I was in Hattiesburg today and had a nice visit with Brett Favre,” Murphy said in a statement. “We discussed a number of topics not related to football, including Brett’s long-term relationship with the Packers. I consider our conversation to be confidential and am going to be respectful of Brett and his family and keep the details private. ”

I doubt they were sharing family recipes or talking about the upcoming Presidential Election. There is no confirmation or media support to back this up, but something tells me that Favre basically told Murphy the only teams he’d be willing to go to are the Vikings or Bears.

The Bears are in the middle of a quarterback competition with Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton. It’s no secret that both quarterbacks are not slated to be superstar in the near future, and with the Bears’ defense’s window of opportunity closing in a few seasons, it would be nice to have some stability on offense. You have to admit, Favre would look nice throwing bombs to Devin Hester in the navy blue and orange.

The Vikings, on the other hand, have a star running back in Adrian Peterson and built up an already strong defense this offseason by adding pieces like Jared Allen and Madieu Williams. However, they lack stability at quarterback. While Tarvaris Jackson is young and still learning, Favre would certainly do a better job of helping this Viking team get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2004. Could you imagine Favre trotting onto Lambeau Field in a Vikings jersey on opening night? I guess the Packers would have to cancel the retirement ceremony.

But, for now, Favre is still technically retired. However, that shouldn’t take too long to undo. ESPN is reporting that Favre will speak with Commissioner Roger Goodell today before and should be officially reinstated shortly after.

There is also a possibility Favre could be at Packers’ camp on Friday. If he does, he is expected to only participate in sideline drills. Favre’s agent James “Bus” Cook says that despite all the trade talk, Favre would love to remain in Green Bay as the starting quarterback.

“He would love to go back in Green Bay,” Cook said on ESPNEWS. “I mean, that’s why he started working out…”

Stay tuned. The saga is starting to regain some steam.

ESPN reports that Hester agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $30 million. His original rookie contract was slated to end after the 2009 season, and he would have only earned $445,000. $15 million of his contract is guaranteed. Also, the last year of his deal, which would be in 2013, includes a $10 million roster bonus if he becomes a standout wide receiver by fulfilling several incentives.

Hester showed his anger towards Bears’ management by holding out of training camp for a whopping two days. The Bears had reportedly talked with him about certain terms of a potential deal all offseason, but, he still held out. In fact, it shocked GM Jerry Angelo.

“[His agent] floated it out there, but I didn’t really take it serious because, as I say, we are still talking, we’re still in the process, there’s no closure,” Angelo told reporters Wednesday. “Usually when you say, ‘Hey, it’s over, take it or leave it, we’re out of money,’ you might get a reaction like that. But as you’re continuing on in negotiations as we have been, it is surprising.”

There is no doubt Hester outplayed his original contract. With only two seasons under his belt, he has already amassed 11 total return touchdowns, which is just two away from Brian Mitchell’s all-time record. Hester has also cemented himself as one of the best return men ever. Almost every team in the NFL would rather give the Bears’ dismal offense great field position than have Hester possibly take it to the house. That’s how much of an impact he has.

Before Hester’s brief holdout, Bears Head Coach Lovie Smith had a chance to speak with Hester before camp and tried to convince him to come.”I don’t have any idea how long it will be. We would like to get him out here as soon as possible,” Smith said. “I know he would like to be out here. He realizes how important this work is, especially this early work with him becoming a full-time receiver.”

Most might say the hold out is what got Hester his new deal, but I don’t. In fact, I think it t was the fact he eventually showed up. His agent Eugene Parker might not have liked that he went to training camp, but it looks like it did pay off for Hester in the end.

Look at it this way. The Bears extended both Tommie Harris and Brian Urlacher’s contracts. Why did they do it sooner rather than later? Because all those guys showed up at mandatory OTA camps. Heck, last season, Lance Briggs was thinking about holding out of training camp but never did. He got his reward and shocked the world by resigning with the Bears. Hmm, I see a pattern. By Hester being at camp, you knew a payday was in the near future.

Shockey apparently got his feelings hurt last year as he watched the team win the Super Bowl without him (how dare it!) thanks in large part to rookie tight end Kevin Boss. In fact, a memorable shot from that game was an injured Shockey cheering on his team – with beers in each hand in a luxury box instead of on the sideline. He also didn’t like his role on the offense when he was healthy because he became more of a blocker than a downfield pass-catcher.

Shockey, who broke his leg last December, showed up for his team’s minicamp in June but did not participate in any drills. In fact, he refused to stand on the sidelines with the rest of his injured teammates and only worked with the team’s medical staff. And then he reportedly got into a shouting match with GM Jerry Reese.

The Giants almost traded him to the Saints around the NFL draft, but they reportedly turned down second- and fifth-round picks. That’s not to say the Saints still don’t want him, as their coach, Sean Payton, is the former offensive coordinator for the G-Men and thinks Shockey could thrive with Drew Brees.

Interestingly, the Jason Taylor trade to the Redskins could mean Shockey stays with New  York. SI.com’s Peter King reported the Saints were looking at a three-team deal with the Miami Dolphins and the Giants with New York getting Taylor, the Saints would have gotten Shockey, and Miami would have received a pair of draft picks from New Orleans.

That deal is dead, but King wrote that “the Shockey story is not over.”

The question is, will Shockey report for camp on Thursday and be a major distraction for coach Tom Coughlin, who has said Shockey is his starter “for now.”

Reese appeared to hint that the Giants are plenty ready to move on either way.

“I expect we’ll have 53 players when we play the Redskins (on Sept. 4) who want to be here, and are happy to be here, ready to play as a team, ready to defend the title. That’s what I expect,” Reese said. “If that includes Jeremy, that would be great.”

UPDATE: The Giants have agreed to trade Shockey to the Saints for a second-round pick and a fifth-round pick, according to multiple reports. The deal is pending league approval, and Shockey must pass a physical.

ESPN reported that Jones was deciding between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears, and would sign as early as today. Jones also attended a physical earlier in the day at Halas Hall shortly before he made his decision. His agent told the Chicago Tribune he was leaning towards the Bears.

This signing shows that the Bears were interested in getting help for rookie running back Matt Forte all along. The signing is a low risk move that has the potential for a high reward. If Forte is all he’s been hyped-up to be and Jones stays healthy, this could be an effective 1-2 punch in Chicago.

Hey, one thing is for sure. Jones knows how to run effectively behind bad offensive lines (i.e. the one for the Detroit Lions). Maybe, he can do the same for the Bears as they enter next season.

Jurevicius had swelling and discomfort in his knee related to his first operation, and the club said in a statement that he had a further “clean out” last week to “help his recovery and control his symptoms.” He had two more surgical procedures previously to treat a staph infection. The team said no determination has been made on Jurevicius’ status for training camp, which opens July 23.

You have to think that if he gets on the field, it will be difficult for him to be as effective as he was last season, when he caught 50 passes for 614 yards. Some reports have speculated he will retire. The 33-year-old had already said this year might be his last. Jurevicius has two years remaining on a four-year contract he signed in 2006, and he was expected to be the No. 3 receiver this season. 

The Browns had planned to limit Jurevicius to only 35-40 percent of their offensive snaps this season. As the Browns’ second receiver last year, Jurevicius played about 70 percent of the time.

Cleveland signed WR Donte’ Stallworth during the offseason, which looks more and more like a wise addition in light of Jurevicius’ health problems; expect Stallworth to play a number of snaps similar to Jurevicius’ 70 percent from last year. The team may also ask return specialist Josh Cribbs to take more snaps at wide receiver.

Incidentally, a published report during the team’s last minicamp suggested there was a chance Jurevicius would not be ready for either training camp or the opener – and that was before this latest surgery. That story caused Browns coach Romeo Crennel to sternly lecture the media about how veteran players deserve the benefit of the doubt when it comes to these matters. Don’t suppose the coach will apologize now.

Second-year offensive coordinator Chip Kelly won’t have the graduated Dixon this season as Oregon tries to get back among the nation’s elite and build off that 56-21 Sun Bowl rout of South Florida.

In 2007, the Ducks scored 38.2 points per game, but that’s likely a pipe dream this season, especially with star tailback Jonathan Stewart also gone – but at least they have Jeremiah Johnson to replace Stewart. It’s under center where the questions are, and what was once a five-man race to replace Dixon is down to two, sophomores Nate Costa and Justin Roper.

“It’s a competition,” Kelly says. “No one has the job yet. I like guys battling.”

Roper was stellar in the bowl game against USF (four TD passes in his first start), but Costa is generally regarded as the better fit in Kelly’s offense (i.e. he’s mobile) and has the edge heading into camp. That said, he’s also coming off knee surgery, so that job isn’t locked up. He redshirted last season after playing briefly in 2006.

“He was pressing Dixon before Costa hurt his knee,” Kelly said. “If he hadn’t hurt his knee in practice (in October), Costa would have been the guy playing late last year after Dennis got hurt.

“Nate is built a lot like the guy at Missouri (Chase Daniel), but Costa isn’t as bulky and is quicker.”

In the spring game, with Costa watching from the sideline, Roper showed his stuff early, hitting Ed Dickson over the middle on the Whites’ first play from scrimmage for 67 yards. On the next play Roper faked a quick screen to Jaison Williams and scampered 10 yards for the score.

“He showed some things that he did in the Civil War and the bowl game that I feel really good about,” Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said.

“I think I at least proved I have the capability of running the offense,” Roper said. “As far as putting myself ahead of him or behind him, you can’t really say that unless we’re side by side comparing each other.”

Two other quarterbacks who played in the spring game, Cody Kempt and Cade Cooper, apparently saw the writing on the wall and have transferred.

Other than that …

Perrilloux was dismissed from the team after numerous transgressions, leaving the competition between a walk-on in Hatch and a redshirt freshman in Lee.

Hatch, a redshirt junior, committed to BYU when current LSU offensive coordinator Gary Crowton was the Cougars’ coach. Hatch later signed with Harvard and played junior varsity football there, but he injured his knee while playing soccer during a Mormon mission in Chile. But largely because of Crowton, he walked on at LSU last year; he went 1-of-2 for 9 yards and rushed four times for 27 yards last season.

Lee signed with LSU as a four-star prospect in the 2007 class. He threw for 5,909 yards and 68 touchdowns in his final two high school seasons in Brenham, Texas. Lee was 7-of-13 for 181 yards and two touchdowns in the spring game, while Hatch was 13-of-17 for 184 yards and two touchdowns.

“We’re fortunate that the two guys that took all the snaps in the spring will be the guys that will pick up all the slack,” coach Les Miles said. “I think Andrew Hatch has had a very good spring, and I think Jarrett Lee has had a real strong spring.”

Lee, the more physically gifted of the two, reportedly is the leader in the race heading into camp, but that could certainly change and both figure to see minutes. In fact, freshman Jordan Jefferson could even see time.

“I think we’re going to be just fine at quarterback,” Miles said. “They’re still learning, still adjusting, but I feel comfortable. We have what I feel is a pretty good nucleus of talent around them.”

Yes, that nucleus has plenty of talent: two NFL-caliber wideouts in Brandon LaFell and Demetrius Byrd, one of the best offensive lines in the country that includes four returning starters, and a stud corps of running backs. Junior Keiland Williams leads the tailback committee, which also features speedsters Richard Murphy and Trindon Holliday and power runner Charles Scott. Williams ran for 478 yards and six touchdowns last season despite averaging just five carries per game.

Either Lee or Hatch or both will need to be on their game right from the get go, as LSU opens the season Aug. 30 against I-AA national champ Appalachian State, the same App State that upset Michigan last year.

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