Welcome to the New Pac-12: One Question for Each Pac-12 School

On July 1st, the former Conference of Champions officially entered a new era. Now, we can look ahead to a glorious future on the gridiron.

Ahead of football season in late August, this piece poses one question for each Pac-12 member school.

Is Boise State Coach Spencer Danielson on Thin Ice?

No one can deny Spencer Danielson's results: following one month as an interim and two full seasons as Boise State's head coach, his Broncos won twenty-four games, including the past three Mountain West Conference championships.

Still, concerns linger regarding Danielson's job security. His predecessor Andy Avalos was fired less than a year after a ten win season. Expectations are sky-high on the smurf turf, and anything less than a conference championship might put Danielson - who lost five games last Fall - on the hot seat.

How Quickly Can Colorado State's Transfers Gel?

New head coach Jim L. Mora - previously known as Jim Mora Jr. - is just one of many changes in Fort Collins. The Rams have new coaches instilling new philosophies, new coordinators installing new schemes, and new players all trying to build chemistry together on a moment's notice.

On offense, Colorado State has a brand-new starting eleven thanks to Oklahoma State transfer quarterback Hauss Hejny, UConn transfer running backs Mel Brown & Oliver Lundberg-Coleman, and Miss. State transfer wideout Jordan Mosley. The Rams' offensive line will also feature four transfers alongside returning center Phillip Ocon. Clearly, Colorado State added talent, but will they gel in time for the season?

Has Fresno State Solved its Quarterback Problem?

Through the twenty-first century, football fans have gradually come to accept one fundamental: in the ultimate team game, the quarterback position is the most important factor in a team's success. Perhaps no program in the conference exemplifies this more than Matt Entz' Fresno State Bulldogs.

Under the former North Dakota State coach, Fresno State won nine games last season. Over the past five years, the Bulldogs have won nine games in four of those seasons. One position has held them back from greater heights. Last season, Entz' offense split snaps between EJ Warner - the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner - and Carson Conklin. At season's end, Warner prepared for a pro career, while Conklin transferred back to his old school Sacramento State.

In their stead, Fresno State places its hopes on Maryland transfer Khristian Martin. The 6'4" 230 pound gunslinger has all the physical tools to thrive, but lacks game reps. If he's ready for the bright lights and big pressure of Division I football in the Central Valley, the young passer might be the missing piece for a Pac-12 championship run.

Forget Football: Can Anyone Beat Gonzaga Basketball?

The new conference is a fine football conference - arguably the best Group of Six league in the sport - but potentially a juggernaut on the hardwood. Six years ago, Oregon State reached the Elite Eight. Three years ago, San Diego State reached the national championship game. Still, those mighty accomplishments pale in comparison to what Mark Few has built in Spokane: just since 2015, Few's Gonzaga Bulldogs have twice finished national runners up, appeared in five Elite Eights, and nine Sweet Sixteens.

While the rest of the conference prepares for a slugfest on the gridiron, the Spokane faithful are focused on bringing home the Pac-12's men's basketball crown.

Can JaMarcus Shephard Resurrect Oregon State Football?

When Oregon State's proverbial prodigal son Jonathan Smith returned home as the football program's head coach in November 2017, the former Beavers' starting quarterback flashed his 2000 Fiesta Bowl championship ring. The message was obvious: Oregon State had won New Years Six bowls before, and Smith believed they could do it again.

Under his leadership, Smith's teams carried that belief onto the gridiron. In 2022, the orange & black won 10 games. The following season started on the same trajectory, but momentum stalled after a bitter defeat to the eventual national championship runners-up Washington. Two weeks later, Smith left for a new job at Michigan State, and dozens of talented Beavers entered the transfer portal.

Smith's successor Trent Bray struggled to reload talent into the program. Halfway through Bray's second season, Oregon State pulled the plug, and soon brought in new coach JaMarcus Shephard.

Under the former Washington and Alabama assistant, the Beavers have seen mixed results in recruiting. Quarterback of the future Tristan Ti'a and star wideout Trent Walker left in the transfer portal. Despite those losses, Shephard made significant strides with prep recruits, beating out power conference schools for commitments across the country. If he can recruit, he can potentially restore Oregon State to those lofty heights Smith promised all those years ago.

Will San Diego State Finish?

Late last season, the Aztecs seemed poised for their first Mountain West Conference championship since 2016. After shutting out Fresno State in October and smothering Boise State 17-7 in mid November, the red & black reigned supreme atop the conference standings.

Two weeks later, they slumped one spot shy of the Mountain West Conference title game, thanks to a double-overtime upset loss to New Mexico State on Black Friday.

Is Texas State's Brad Jackson Ready for the Spotlight?

Last season, Texas State true freshman quarterback Brad Jackson earned Sun Belt All-Conference Third Team honors, with a school record 164.0 passing efficiency and a single-season program record for completion percentage (71.3%).

Jackson enters the Pac-12 as arguably its most talented passer, but he must prove himself against a steep climb in competition. Gone are the Sun Belt defenses of season's past. In their place, Jackson's Bobcats will battle perennial contenders Boise State, San Diego State, and others, including a season-opening test at the Texas Longhorns.

Can Utah State Handle a Big Step Up?

Each Pac-12 newcomer brings something to the conference. Boise State boasts a winning tradition. San Diego State brings a top media market. Fresno State carries one of the most rabid, passionate fanbases in college football. Utah State offers none of that. However, the Aggies are a program on the rise.

That program will be tested with a fearsome strength of schedule in the new Pac-12. If they can handle it, we may soon be talking about Bronco Mendenhall's Aggies as a team on par with the top programs in the league.

Is Wazzu Ready for a Rebuild?

New head coach Kirby Moore checks off all the right boxes - the Prosser native grew up in southeastern Washington, played college ball at new Pac-12 neighbors Boise State, and got his big break calling plays at another Pac-12 newcomer Fresno State - and has injected a much-needed passion back into the program.

Still, he has an uphill climb. Following the departure of previous head coach Jimmy Rogers, Washington State's roster was gutted by the transfer portal. Now, Moore and his staff are expected to resurrect a program welcoming their third head coach in as many seasons.

Early this season, the Cougs may struggle. If they stay patient behind Moore, brighter days may lie ahead on the Palouse.

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