Wilner Hotline – Pac-12 football: What to watch during spring practice

From quarterback questions to key transfers and team dynamics, we examine all the issues

For several Pac-12 teams, spring practice began weeks ago. Some are just underway. Others won’t start for a few more weeks. But in every case, the spring games (i.e., gloried scrimmages) are scheduled for the second half of April.

The Hotline has questions about them all.

(Note: Listed in chronological order of spring games, and alphabetically. Dates for spring games are tentative.)

Arizona
Newcomer to watch: LB Justin Flowe (from Oregon)
QB1 status: It’s Jayden de Laura’s job to lose, and he won’t.
Outlook: The Wildcats lost gifted receiver Dorian Singer to the transfer portal but have far more holes to fill on defense. The unit struggled last season (6.6 yards-per-play allowed) and is relying on newcomers like Flowe, a former blue-chip recruit, to upgrade the situation. We are particularly intrigued by the defensive line, where several transfers could lock down rotation spots. But most of the questions (culture, philosophy, quarterback hierarchy) associated with coaching changes are no longer applicable as the program enters a more mature phase of the Jedd Fisch era.
Spring game: April 15

Arizona State
Newcomer to watch: OL Ben Coleman (Cal)
QB1 status: Returnee Trenton Bourguet is the favorite but will face stiff competition.
Outlook: The Sun Devils experienced massive (and necessary) change in every facet of the program, with rookie coach Kenny Dillingham and his staff leaning heavily into the transfer portal. This spring is about implementing the culture and accountability that were lacking under the previous administration, in addition to framing the depth chart. ASU lost a slew of starters from the offensive line, so establishing continuity up front is crucial. Bourguet must fend off transfers Drew Pyne (Notre Dame) and Jacob Conover (BYU), plus four-star recruit Jaden Rashada, who will enroll this summer.
Spring game: April 15

Cal
Newcomer to watch: TB Byron Cardwell (Oregon)
QB1 status: Sam Jackson, a transfer from TCU, is the early favorite.
Outlook: The Bears fired play caller Bill Musgrave late last season and hired Jake Spavital to implement a modified version of the spread that will feature Jadyn Ott in the running game. Our eyes are on Jackson, a dual-threat quarterback who played sparingly at TCU, and the offensive line, which struggled last season and has few options for rapid improvement. This is a crucial year for Wilcox’s tenure, as the early momentum has faded and the realities of institutional hurdles and questionable staffing decisions take hold. Few spring games will be more interesting to watch.
Spring game: April 15

USC
Newcomer to watch: LB Mason Cobb (Oklahoma State)
QB1 status: Caleb Williams is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner
Outlook: The pomp and circumstance that accompanied coach Lincoln Riley’s first spring, in 2022, has given way to the routine (to the extent that anything is routine at USC). And for the Trojans, the most important aspect of the spring workouts is the most mundane: The fundamentals of tackling and executing basic defensive assignments. To that end, a slew of transfers are worth watching, including Cobb, edge rusher Anthony Lucas (Texas A&M) and linemen Jack Sullivan (Purdue) and Kyon Barrs (Arizona). The pressure on coordinator Alex Grinch is significant.
Spring game: April 15

Colorado
Newcomer to watch: DE Jordan Dominick (Arkansas)
QB1 status: Transfer Shedeur Sanders, son of the head coach, is the presumptive starter.
Outlook: No spring season anywhere will generate more interest than the debut of the Deion Sanders era in Boulder. Will he adopt a hands-on role or leave the details to his staff? Will the atmosphere be regimented or loose? And what about all the holes on the depth chart? (The Buffaloes hit the transfer portal ferociously.) Every position is of interest, starting with quarterback Shedeur Sanders, whose experience consists of two seasons at Jackson State. There’s a reason CU has the only spring game scheduled for broadcast by ESPN, mirroring the USC situation last year.
Spring game: April 22

Oregon State
Newcomer to watch: QB DJ Uiagalelei (Clemson)
QB1 status: Uiagalelei is expected to win the job over returnee Ben Gulbranson.
Outlook: It takes expertise in running a low-profile program to turn a development as significant as Uiagalelei’s presence into a routine arrival, but Jonathan Smith has managed just that. Whether Uiagalelei is named the starter this spring or in August, the endgame seems clear. Other positions are in flux, including the secondary, where OSU lost first-rate starters Alex Austin, Rejzohn Wright, and Jaydon Grant. We’re also curious about the afterglow of the 10-win season and whether the Beavers have made the essential mental shift to 2023. This is the time to snuff out complacency.
Spring game: April 22

Stanford
Newcomer to watch: OL Trevor Mayberry (Princeton)
QB1 status: Sophomore Ari Patu, who has six career attempts, is the frontrunner.
Outlook: Stanford changed eras, with David Shaw stepping down and Troy Taylor taking over, but the near-term outlook remains the same: bleak. Most of the top players have departed, the roster lacks high-end young talent, the quarterback options are limited, and there are no quick fixes. The Cardinal has added three transfers so far — two from the Ivy league and one from Florida International. (That says it all.) Every position group needs an upgrade in addition to the changes Taylor and his staff must make with culture, leadership and, in particular, strength training.
Spring game: April 22

Utah
Newcomer to watch: LB Lavani Damuni (Stanford)
QB1 status: Cam Rising, assuming he’s healthy, will run the show once again.
Outlook: Rising isn’t participating in spring practice while he recovers from a leg injury suffered in the Rose Bowl. (He’s expected to be ready for the season opener.) However unfortunate, the situation provides an opportunity for the Utes to develop their QB depth. We have questions about the offensive backfield, where converted quarterback Ja’Quinden Jackson was impressive in limited duty, and the defensive backfield, where the Utes suffered heavy attrition. Mostly, we wonder if Utah can maintain its edge after back-to-back conference titles. Then again, that’s a nice problem to have.
Spring game: April 22

Washington State
Newcomer to watch: WR Kyle Williams (UNLV)
QB1 status: Cam Ward returns for Year Two as the presumptive starter.
Outlook: The Cougars have plenty to sort out for a program that went bowling last season and returns its head coach and starting quarterback. Both coordinators are new: Ben Arbuckle on offense and Jeff Schmedding on defense. Add the need to retool the offensive line and the loss of several defensive playmakers, including linebackers Daiyan Henley and Francisco Mauigoa, and coach Jake Dickert’s to-do list is packed. Williams isn’t the only new wideout; we’re also monitoring Josh Kelly from Fresno State.
Spring game: April 22

Washington
Newcomer to watch: CB Jabbar Muhammad (Oklahoma State)
QB1 status: Michael Penix Jr. is a Heisman Trophy candidate.
Outlook: The Huskies hit the sweet spot for spring intrigue: They have a bevy of key players returning and lofty expectations but are not set across all position groups. Tailback, offensive line and the secondary have important holes to fill. (Dillon Johnson, a tailback from Mississippi State and former four-star recruit, is central to upgrading the ground game.) Mostly, the aim on Montlake this spring is to build off the momentum generated last fall — a task made far easier by the retention of offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, who interviewed with Alabama.
Spring game: April 22

Oregon
Newcomer to watch: WR Traeshon Holden (Alabama)
QB1 status: Bo Nix is back.
Outlook: Nix’s return limits the ceiling for intrigue in Eugene this spring, but there are several issues worth tracking: How will new offensive playcaller Will Stein tweak the attack? To what extent will the reworked offensive line coalesce? Can defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi stabilize a unit that was picked apart in crucial losses during the stretch run? (The line is stocked, but we’re curious about the other levels.) The Ducks lost a load of talent to the draft and transfer portal, and we aren’t convinced the arrivals fully offset the departures. The spring will lend some clarity to the situation.
Spring game: April 29

UCLA
Newcomer to watch: QB Dante Moore (MLK High School, Detroit)
QB1 status: Your guess is as good as ours.
Outlook: For the first time since the era of leather helmets and single wings, Dorian Thompson-Robinson isn’t entrenched as UCLA’s starting quarterback. The three-man competition features returnee Ethan Garbers, transfer Collin Schlee (Kent State) and blue-chip recruit Dante Moore. The Bruins have a huge void at tailback and questions along the offensive line. But the biggest issue is the defense — the entire defense. When it mattered most the past two seasons, the Bruins couldn’t stop anyone. And most of the incoming transfers play offense.
Spring game: April 29 (tentative)