Predicting who will have the best offensive position groups in the Pac-12

The offensive firepower in the Pac-12 in 2022 may be some of the best across the country

With college football being just a little over two weeks away, the anticipation is only continuing to rise.

Depth charts are being set, preparation to play another school begins soon, and the hype surrounding so many players around the country will be put to the test. While many people commonly overlook the Pac-12, the conference is home to some of the best talent in the country, and certainly shouldn't be overlooked ahead of the 2022 season. 

The 2022 season may feature some of the deepest talent on offense that the conference has seen in some time with a ton of returners, talented additions from the transfer portal, and freshman looking to make an impact early. With that being said, I thought it would be fun to stir the pot a little, and rank who has the best position groups across the Pac-12. 

These rankings are based on who I think will have the best performances in 2022, and who possess the most talent as an overall group. So just because a team like UCLA has the best running back in the conference, they may not have the best overall stable of running backs. 

Let's dive in!

Offensive Line: Oregon

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Honorable mention goes to Oregon State, but I had to go with Oregon here. The Ducks  averaged 5.3 yards per carry last season, and were a top-25 team in allowed sack rate. They also had had the lowest stuff rate in the country at 9.7%,with no one else was under 11. Each of the Ducks’ projected starters on the offensive line have played at least 900 snaps in the last two seasons, and Phil Steele even ranked the Ducks’ group as the fifth-best offensive line in college football for 2022. They are the ideal offensive line to have given that the offense will have a new identity and needs everything to go right. 

Running Backs: USC

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Yes, I foreshadowed this already, and I'll say it again. Just because Utah and UCLA have better individuals at running back, it doesn't mean that their stable of running backs is better. USC was able to raid the transfer portal and take two staring caliber running backs in Austin Jones and Travis Dye, while also having an absolute stud in freshman Raleek Brown who could carve out a nice role. Both Jones and Dye are tough runners and can make plays in the passing game, which can take some of the pressure of Caleb Williams and the passing game. Dye alone had 16 rushing touchdowns and rushed for over 1,000 yards, while adding 46 catches last season.  The Trojans offense is loaded at their skill positions, and to have two running backs that were starting last season in the same backfield is simply just an embarrassment of riches. 

Tight Ends: Stanford

James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

Historically Stanford has been churning out stars at tight end and they have a couple more on their hands in 2022 with Benjamin Yurossek and Sam Roush. This was between Utah and Stanford, and could honestly go either way. However, Yurosek averaged more yards per catch than both, and had more receiving yards than both all while being the only healthy pass catcher for Stanford who defenses could key in on. Assuming he stays healthy, having those talented receivers around him taking the attention off him will only lead to more chances. With Tanner McKee also looking to improve off his past season, it was evident Yurosek was his favorite target.

Receivers: USC

BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

This was a close call between Stanford and USC, but I will give the edge to the Trojans simply due to the fact that their offense is more receiver friendly. Both of these receiving corps rank among the best in the country, but having a player in Pitt transfer Jordan Addison coming off a Biletnikoff winning season complimented by Oklahoma transfer Mario Williams is hard to bet against. They also added transfers from Washington in Terrell Bynum, Brenden Rice from Colorado, and are returning the lighting in a bottle that is Gary Bryant who had over 500 yards and seven touchdowns last season. This offense's biggest issue at receiver will be making sure that all the mouths are fed. Luckily for the pass catchers, Caleb Williams can spray the ball all over which we saw last season as five of Oklahoma's receivers had at least 30 catches. I expect this offense to be one of, if not the best, arial attack in the country. 

Quarterback: USC

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Out of respect for some of the other quarterbacks, Cam Rising, Tanner McKee, and even Jayden de Laura all are honorable mention. However, it was hard to overlook the Hesiman candidate who is arguably the best quarterback in the country, Caleb Williams. He has the talent and weapons around him to have a record breaking season. He had a great inaugural season in 2021 that saw him throw for 21 touchdowns to just four interceptions, and is safe to say that he has much better weapons and more time with the starters which is terrifying if you are an opposing defense. There is also something about he and the Trojans being the villains of college football that has me expecting them to want to really put on a show in 2022.