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Ranking the 2015 Pac-12 backfields: Oregon has the best backfield in the Pac-12

Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports

Ranking the Pac-12's backfields from top to bottom.

1. Oregon - QB Vernon Adams (Sr.) QB Jeff Lockie (Jr.) RB Royce Freeman (So.) RB Thomas Tyner (Jr.)

The Ducks lost Marcus Mariota, but still have the best backfield in the conference because of the scary duo of Freeman and Tyner who could easily be the first and second-best backs in the conference. Adding Adams to the mix helps as well, especially with the conference being very weak at the quarterback position this year other than Jared Goff and Cody Kessler.

2. Arizona State - QB Mike Bercovici (Sr.) RB D.J. Foster (Sr.) RB Demario Richard (So.) RB Kalen Ballage (So.)

Bercovici is going to slide in nicely for Taylor Kelly and is in the top three of Pac-12 quarterbacks going into 2015 in my opinion. Foster is maybe the best pass-catching running back in the nation and Richard and Ballage are about as good as it gets for back-up running backs in the conference in 2015. *Edit, as of April, Foster has moved full time to receiver and with this move I would drop Arizona State down to sixth.

3. Cal - QB Jared Goff (Jr.) RB Daniel Lasco (Sr.) RB Khalfani Muhammad (Jr.) RB Vic Enwere (So.)

Goff is the best quarterback in the conference for my money and a future first round draft pick. Lasco was a 1,000-yard back in 2014 and Muhammad is a home run hitter back that can bust out 60/70-yard touchdown runs once he gets a seam.

4. USC - QB Cody Kessler (Sr.) RB Justin Davis (Jr.) RB Tre Madden (Sr.) RB James Toland (So.)

Kessler is a legitimate Heisman candidate that could become the next great USC quarterback in 2015. Davis has been excellent as a back-up to Javorious Allen and should explode in 2015 and Madden was great in 2013 and is back after missing 2014 due to injury.

5. Arizona - QB Anu Solomon (So.) RB Nick Wilson (So.) RB Jared Baker (Sr.)

Solomon is the conference's best underclassman quarterback and could start to turn into a star in 2015. Wilson was a monster that looked like the next Ka'Deem Carey and should only be better as a sophomore.

6. Stanford - QB Kevin Hogan (Sr.) RB Remound Wright (Sr.) RB Barry Sanders (Sr.) RB Christian McCaffrey (So.)

Hogan gets a lot of flak for not turning into an elite quarterback, but he is still a good, senior quarterback. Wright and Sanders have yet to turn into spectacular backs, but they should be very solid and consistent in Stanford's system again.

7. Utah - QB Travis Wilson (Sr.) RB Devonate Booker (Sr.) RB Bubba Poole (Sr.)

Wilson isn't going to become a great Pac-12 quarterback, but he is just fine. Booker is the conference's best returning back and getting him to wait on the NFL for a year was a major score for the Utes. Poole is one of the best back-up running backs in the conference.

8. Colorado - QB Sefo Liufau (Jr.)  RB Christian Powell (Sr.) RB Michael Adkins II (Jr.) RB Philip Lindsay (So.)

If Colorado rebounds into being a good program, the quiet standout Liufau is the quarterback that will lead them there. The big and powerful Powell and quick Adkins are a nice thunder and lightning combo.

9. UCLA - QB Josh Rosen (Fr.) RB Paul Perkins (Jr.) RB Nate Starks (So.)

I am conceding the starting QB job to Rosen who could be UCLA's Matt Barkley, a solid freshman starter who has a few growing pains. Perkins might be the conference's best overall back.

10. Washington - QB Jeff Lindquist (Jr.) RB Dwayne Washington (Jr.) RB Lavon Coleman (So.) QB K.J. Carta-Samuels (Fr.)

It sounds like Lindquist has the best shot at becoming Washington's starter and he struggled in limited action in 2014, but is a big, fast, strong-armed QB. Washington is a big play back with top size and speed and Coleman is a grinder that can pick up short-yardage gains.

11. Washington State - QB Luke Falk (So.) RB Jamal Morrow (So.) RB Gerard Wicks (So.)

Falk looks very capable of being the next Mike Leach QB that puts up huge numbers. Running backs aren't very important in Leach's system, but Morrow and Wicks have been solid when called upon.

12. Oregon State - QB Seth Collins (Fr.) QB Nick Mitchell (Fr.) RB Storm Woods (Sr.) RB Chris Brown (Jr.)

True freshman Collins looks like the front runner to win the starting job with his fantastic athleticism, but Mitchell is still in the running. Woods seems like he has been playing in the Pac-12 for a decade now and should excel as a lone feature back in 2015.

In This Article

Players
  • Taylor Kelly (QB-Shrine-West)
  • Ka'Deem Carey (RB-Arizona)
  • Marcus Mariota (QB-Oregon)
  • Cody Kessler (QB-Southern Cal)
  • D.J. Foster (RB-Arizona St.)
  • Jared Goff (QB-California)
  • K.J. Carta-Samuels (QB-Washington)

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