Nick Daschel is a veteran sports writer and columnist who has worked on the West coast for nearly three decades. Nick has covered the Pac-10 for about 15 years, primarily focusing on the Northwest schools.
No one should be surprised by the findings in the latest installment of this series, where we analyze each position in the Pac-10 during the past decade.
Since offensive line is probably the most critical position in football behind the quarterback – and maybe even more important, as a good quarterback is apt to get killed without a good offensive line – it shouldn’t shock anyone that Southern California has performed best over the past decade.
But frankly, given the Trojans’ dominance of the Pac-10 during the Pete Carroll era, I thought it wouldn’t even be close. I knew Oregon State, California, Arizona State and Oregon had a few good years, but after closer inspection, they’re right there with the Trojans.
Oh sure, USC has had a few more quality hosses who went on to become first-day NFL draft picks. But in terms of numbers, there’s not much separation between the first five on this list.
In fact, it’s not the Trojans who have placed the most names of offensive linemen on all-Pac 10 teams since 1999. It’s Oregon State and California, with 16 each. USC has 15, and even at 15, it is tied for third most with Oregon.
Just look at the list below and consider who have been the haves and have nots in the Pac-10 during the past decade. Actually, you don’t have to consider. It’s right there on the list: the teams with the best offensive line performances have generally been playing in the bowl games, and teams in the bottom half have not.
UCLA, frankly, ought to be embarrassed. One first-team all-Pac 10 linemen in 10 years? In one of the most fertile high school recruiting eras in the country? Shame on the Bruins. If they want to get better, this has got to change. Rick Neuheisel made it an emphasis in his 2009 recruiting class; we’ll see in a few years if he landed the right guys.
There’s not much doubt where the problems lie at Washington and Washington State, either. Neither has had a first-team all-Pac 10 lineman since 2004, and the Huskies, not since 2001. Not long ago, it used to be considered a so-so year when Washington had one first-teamer. Now if the Huskies could just get one, before one of Steve Sarkisian’s young children graduate from high school it would be an accomplishment.
Arizona State finished second in these rankings, but it doesn’t reflect the state of the Sun Devils program of late. ASU did most of its damage on the offensive line earlier this decade, though the Sun Devils have had at least one offensive line go in the NFL draft the past three years. But it’s been a while since Arizona State has had a stud lineman like a Levi Jones or Scott Peters.
Oregon State looks like it is getting the closest to USC. The Beavers have had an all-league first teamer four of the past five years. All that separates the Trojans from OSU is the elite, the sort that goes during the first day of the NFL draft. And maybe even that’s changing; Andy Levitre was taken in the second round by Buffalo last weekend, the highest pick by an OSU offensive lineman in school history.
All-league: First team, 10 points; second team, 6 points; honorable mention, 2 points.
Associated Press All-American: 6 points first team, 3 points second team, 1 point third team
NFL draft: 10-8-6-4-3-2-1 points from first to seventh round pick.
(Note: Players and performances before 1999 were not considered. The NFL draft, rather than performance in the NFL, is used as a factor because draft position is often based on how a player performed and developed for his college program. Awards, rather than statistics, are used because most of the top statistical performers are generally reflected in the highest honors.)
Nick Daschel covers the Pacific-10 Conference for Buster Sports, and can be reached at ndaschel@bustersports.com
This post is part of the series 
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