Matt Scott warms up before the spring game. Photo by Deirdre Hamill/The Arizona Republic
With more than four months to go before the start of the college football season, one of the things that will keep us busy is devouring rankings and lists about players and teams and position groups … and arguing about all of it.
For example:
Is Arizona Wildcats senior Matt Scott only the 10th-best quarterback in the Pac-12?
That’s how Athlon ranks Scott as it evaluates the league’s projected starters. USC’s Matt Barkley — the preseason Heisman favorite — is No. 1. Washington’s Keith Price is No. 2. No argument there.
I love Washington State quarterback Jeff Tuel, who is third on the list. He’s a tough, savvy kid whose numbers are going to go through roof with the addition of Mike Leach as head coach.
After that, the Pac-12 quarterback ranks — which pale in depth this season compared to the roster of SEC signal-callers — is filled with newcomers or guys coming back from injury or veterans trying to build on modest resumes. You could shuffle them around at will and still have a reasonable case for whatever order you came up with.
Here is how Athlon ranked the rest of the Pac-12 QBs:
4. Sean Mannion, Oregon State
5. Bryan Bennett, Oregon
6. Zach Maynard, Cal
7. Brett Nottingham, Stanford
8. Kevin Prince, UCLA
9. Jordan Wynn, Utah
10. Matt Scott, Arizona
11. Mike Bercovici, Arizona State
12. Connor Wood, Colorado
The potential of Scott, who has five career starts and is a good fit for new coach Rich Rodriguez’s read-option offense, could easily land him in the upper half of conference’s quarterbacks. I’d say as high as fourth.
I would have no argument saying Arizona’s overall quarterback position — which has no major college experience position behind Scott — deserves to be 10th in the league. But I’m at least confident I would take Scott over UCLA’s oft-injured and oft-ineffective Kevin Prince.
Anyway, something to talk about in the long offseason.