ESPN Pac-10 Blog

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Lots of season previews here...

• The latest on Oregon QB Nate Costa, who is now doubtful for the season-opener against Washington. Telling Mike Bellotti quote from Register Guard: "I don't think Nate (Costa) is going to be available this week. We'll know more about his long-term prognosis either later today or sometime Sunday ... I don't know for sure when our doctor is going to be back to examine him ... I'm not ruling Nate out, but at this point, he's doubtful for this game." That means Justin Roper gets the call. That also means the "option" part of the "spread-option" will be much more limited. We should get a more concrete idea of Costa's status by this evening or tomorrow when the Ducks team doctor returns to town.
• Is QB Willie Tuitama The One for Arizona? He leads the Arizona Daily Star's Wildcats package. The soft nonconference schedule helps when it's bowl game or else. TE Rob Gronkowski's got strep throat. Here's the Tucson Citizen's college preview.
• Arizona State will lean on its seniors. Breaking down the Sun Devils. ASU wants to rise to the top of the Pac-10. And that feels possible with Dennis Erickson leading the charge.
• California QB Nate Longshore is being a good soldier after falling short to Kevin Riley in their tight preseason competition. That notebook also has an item of WR Nyan Boateng talking about not cracking the starting lineup. More on Boateng. Riley, meanwhile, is looking forward to Michigan State.
• Oregon elects its captains: Patrick Chung, Jeremiah Johnson, Nick Reed and Max Unger.
  
• With Sean Canfield still out, Justin Engstrom is Oregon State's backup QB behind Lyle Moevao. Two important quick hits from that story in the Corvallis Gazette-Times: "The last report Riley received about junior college transfer DE Simi Kuli is that his arrival is still expected soon after Sept. 1. The only true freshmen playing this season are RB Jacquizz Rodgers, P Johnny Hekker and LS Marcus Perry." More Notes.
• Stanford ends camp with optimism. Coach Jim Harbaugh wouldn't rule out playing touted true freshman QB Andrew Luck this fall.
• UCLA TE Logan Paulsen could play a big role this year. Notes from Saturday's walk-through. Will Norm Chow create another dominant offense? Here's a look at his past QB successes. Chow figures to get something out of frosh WR Nelson Rosario. Former too-big TE Nate Chandler is now an undersized offensive tackle.
• USC QB Mark Sanchez is back running the first-team offense, and it appears that Aaron Corp is ahead for the No. 2 job. The Trojans as a whole are getting healthy, with TB C.J. Gable apparently set to return Monday. It's time to sharpen up. Another look at the Trojans wealth at TB -- is there ever too much talent?
• QB Jake Locker isn't the only Husky who's played pro baseball. Safety Tripper Johnson is sort of the Huskies Crash Davis having played eight seasons of minor league baseball. Practice report. Summing up all of camp. Whatever happened to Johnie Kirton?
• Washington State needs WR Brandon Gibson to be a weapon. But he's not the only WR with skills, though it's worrisome that Jeshua Anderson (hernia) and Daniel Blackledge (knee) are hurting.