BearTalk

Before we get to Bay Area college football media day, which was held today in San Francisco, here is some more material from Thursday’s Pac-10 media in Los Angeles.

–A lot of the buzz around Washington involves quarterback Jake Locker, last season’s Pac-10 Freshman of the Year who is expected to do even better things this year. Some publications have picked Locker as the preseason offensive Player of the Year in the conference.

Washington coach Tyrone Willingham on Locker: “The thing I value the most about Jake is the person rather than the athlete, because it’s the person that creates the athlete that he is. He is a solid young man. He is a leader. There is nobody on the team that works harder and prepares better. He’s very humble, yet at the ame time he is hungry to be the best at what he does. When you have that combination, you have the potential to be someone very special.”

Willingham was asked about his team’s ability to stay competitive with some top teams, yet not get over the top and turn them into wins.

“Obviously, we haven’t been successful enough,” he said. “Our guys kind of get up and get themselves in the right mental position for that football game. We’ve been able to do some things right at the right timeand able to hang in there. Hopefully we can continue in that vain and figure out how to get across that finish line; not just to paly them close but to actually get the win.”

The Huskies will have plenty of opportunity to prove they can beat a top team. Washington once again has one of the toughest schedules in the counrty. The Huskies’ three nonconference games are against Oklahoma, BYU and Notre Dame.

–Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh, on the offensive line being one of the strengths of the team: “We’re probably the only football team in America that has two offensive lineman on the cover of the media guide (Alex Fletcher and Chris Marinelli).

–Harbaugh on last year’s upset over USC, and if it has had any carry-over effect: “It was a great thrill winning down at in the Coliseum last year. That being said, that’s water under the bridge. This 2008 season is a whole new dynamic. It’s a new culture, a new camraderie, a new team of guys.”

Fletcher, who is moving from guard to center this season, was asked about playing in a conference that has so many high-level centers, including Cal’s Alex Mack.

“I like to watch a lot of guys. I like to watch Alex Mack, (Oregon’s) Max Unger, (Washington’s) Juan Garcia. I have tremendous respect for all of those players.”

–The last couple of years, it seems Arizona always is a team some believe is on the cusp of moving up the conference ladder. Last season, the Wildcats once again teased their fans with some promise but ultimately failed to qualify for a bowl game yet again.

“We’re on the threshold. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said that,” Arizona coach Mike Stoops said. “We understand this is a new year and we’re a drastically different team. We’re very focused on what our task is at hand. We’re very optimistic about our chances.”

Apparently, more optimistic than those who make predictions. The Pac-10 preseason media poll has the Wildcats finishing seventh.

–Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said projected starting tail back Jeremiah Johnson, who is recovering from major reconstructive knee surgery, ran a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash six weeks ago. “We had to slow him down. He’s totally healthy. He can handle the lion’s share of the carries.”

Bellotti, on opening the season against Washington: “We’ll have three weeks to prepare for Jake Locker, who is probably one of the most difficult athletes in college football to defend.”

Bellotti said quarterback Nate Costa, who also is coming back from a major knee injury and enters fall camp as the front-runner to replace Dennis Dixon, commands respect in the locker room. “When he hurt his knee in practice, he walked off the field. He’s a quarterback who acts like a middle linebacker.”

–UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel had a lot to say Thursday. Here are some highlights:

On returning to his alma mater to coach: “It’s a thrill to be back in college football. It’s a thrill to be back at my alma mater. UCLA is a great place. It has been great to me and I’m looking forward to helping rekindle what I think can be a rich college football tradition, and getting us back to a place where we can play for big prizes.”

Neuheisel recapped the day at spring practice where he lost his top two quarterbacks, Patrick Cowan and Ben Olson, to injuries. “No pads. We’re out there going through some drills. Ben handed it off and then carried out a fake to the left, and I thought he stpped on something because he was hopping around. I was kind of giggling at him. The next play, Pat went back and shuffled up in the pocket and went right down in a heap. Ben went back in the huddle and couldn’t take two steps away from center. So I have these two senior quarterbacks who I am counting on and they are both in heaps ont he ground getting administered to by our training staff. We moved the drill up 15 yards and I’m thinking, ‘what just happened?’ Neither one was touched.”

Cowan is out for the year with an ACL tear. Olson is expected back sometime during camp after suffering a breaking foot.

Neuheisel said he welcomed competing with powerhouse USC. “I think you have to embrace it. It’s the big elephant in the living room. They’ve earned it. They’ve done an unbelievable job. Pete is really to be commended for what has taken place the last six or seven years. It’s been a really remarkable transformation from middle of the Pac-10 to leader in the country. You can’t be the head football coach at UCLA and not find a way to compete successfully with USC. It’s just part of the deal.

“The good news about that is when we catch them — and I say ‘when’ — is that we’ll have caught not only the leader of the Pac-10 but hopefully it will put us amongst those programs that can rightfully challenge for the big prize. That’s where we want to go.

“We’re going to fight them on every corner. It will be exciting to take the field against them. As I said when I called Pete when I first got the job, hopefully we won’t be playing for just first place in L.A., but for first place in the country.”

Neuheisel on the influence of hiring Norm Chow as offensive coordinator: “The biggest influence is eery quarterback in the country calls us wondering if they can come.”

–Oregon State coach Mike Riley said Lyle Moevao will enter fall camp as the starting quarterback over Sean Canfield. Moevao took over at the end of last seaon after an injury to Canfield and led the Beavers to a 4-0 record.

“He’ll basically be the starter going in, but there will obviously be competition,” Riley said. “He’ll take the nod, but we’re glad we have both of those guys.”

–Arizona State coach Dennis Erickson had a priceless line after lauding the accomplishments of his kicker, Thomas Weber, who won the Lou Groza Award last season as a freshman after making 24 of 25 field goals.

“I don’t usually coach the kickers, but I coached them last year,” he said.

He added, “When you have a weapon like that, a lot of things can happen. We’re very, very fortunate to have a guy like Thomas.”

–USC Pete Carroll, comparing outgoing QB John David Booty to new starter Mark Sanchez: “John Davis was more quiet and just did things right. Mark has more energy to him. He’s more outgoing and he’s a more mobile guy. He creates opportunities for himself to make plays in addtion to normal plays in the offense.

More on Sanchez from Carroll: “He’s a fantastic prospect. The players respond to him. They know what a terrific athlete he is so they have confidence in him. We’re thrilled Mark has th is opportunity. He’s grown up to be a USC quarterback. Here is his chance.”