2010 Pac-10 Football: Fun With Numbers

I like numbers – not math, but statistics. I like playing with them, manipulating them, trying to glean things from them. Being a huge sports fan gives me plenty to play with, so I decided to take a look at how the Pac-10’s all-time record books were impacted by the 2010 season.

Out of necessity I limited it to rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, passing yards, passing touchdowns, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. Any more than that and this could get out of control. It’s interesting – when you look at the numbers and the way all-time standings change over the course of a season, you see some truly remarkable things happening. This is what I found by using the Pac-10's own record book and adding in the stats for the 2010 season (from ESPN).

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Rushing Yards (Before 2010)

1. 6,245......Charles White, USC, 1976-79
2. 5,044......Ken Simonton, Oregon State, 1998-2001
3. 4,810......Marcus Allen, USC, 1978-81
4. 4,169......Darrin Nelson, Stanford, 1977-81
5. 4,106......Napoleon Kaufman, Washington, 1991-94
6. 3,921......Yvenson Bernard, Oregon State, 2004-07
7. 3,824......Trung Canidate, Arizona, 1996-99
8. 3,731......Gaston Green, UCLA, 1984-87
9. 3,724......Anthony Davis, USC, 1972-74
10. 3,689......Ricky Bell, USC, 1973-76

Oregon State’s Jacquizz Rodgers was 50th and no other current player was in the top 50.

Rushing Yards (Now)

1. 6,245......Charles White, USC, 1976-79
2. 5,044......Ken Simonton, Oregon State, 1998-2001
3. 4,810......Marcus Allen, USC, 1978-81
4. 4,169......Darrin Nelson, Stanford, 1977-81
5. 4,106......Napoleon Kaufman, Washington, 1991-94
6. 3,921......Yvenson Bernard, Oregon State, 2004-07
7. 3,877......Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State, 2008-
8. 3,824......Trung Canidate, Arizona, 1996-99
9. 3,731......Gaston Green, UCLA, 1984-87
10. 3,724......Anthony Davis, USC, 1972-74

Quizz jumped 43 spots to seventh overall in a single season. Assuming he comes back for his senior year he should easily pass Bernard, Kaufman, Nelson, and Allen, and should pass Simonton to finished second all time in league history. The real crazy thing here is Quizz is now seventh in Pac-10 history, but only third at his own school. He’d be the all-time leader at Oregon, UCLA, California, Washington State, Arizona, and Arizona State.

Oregon’s LaMichael James is at 3,228 in just two seasons. The only other player with more yards in only two seasons of play is USC’s O.J. Simpson (3,423). This puts James just two yards behind Cal’s Marshawn Lynch for 20th overall. One hundred yards in the championship game against Auburn would move him up three more spots, including past Derek Loville for first in Ducks’ history. In two seasons. For what it’s worth if James stays four years and maintains his pace, he could break the all-time record for the Pac-10. It won’t happen, but there it is.

UW’s Chris Polk has 2,883 yards, 42nd all-time, and Cal’s Shane Vereen has 2,834 yards, 43rd. Both can return for another season.

Rushing TDs

Rushing touchdowns are inexplicably not listed in the Pac-10 record book, as far as I could tell.

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Passing Yards (Before 2010)

1. 11,818....Carson Palmer, USC, 1998-2002
2. 11,249....Derek Anderson, Oregon State, 2001-2004
3. 10,913....Alex Brink, Washington State, 2004-07
4. 10,911....Steve Stenstrom, Stanford, 1991-94
5. 10,708....Cade McNown, UCLA, 1995-98
6. 10,693....Matt Leinart, USC, 2003-05
7. 10,492....Andrew Walter, Arizona State, 2001-2004
8. 10,491....Rudy Carpenter, Arizona State, 2005-08
9. 10,220....Cody Pickett, Washington, 1999-03
10. 9,680......Jonathan Smith, Oregon State, 1998-2001

No active players in the top 50.

Passing Yards (Now)

1. 11,818....Carson Palmer, USC, 1998-2002
2. 11,249....Derek Anderson, Oregon State, 2001-2004
3. 10,913....Alex Brink, Washington State, 2004-07
4. 10,911....Steve Stenstrom, Stanford, 1991-94
5. 10,708....Cade McNown, UCLA, 1995-98
6. 10,693....Matt Leinart, USC, 2003-05
7. 10,492....Andrew Walter, Arizona State, 2001-2004
8. 10,491....Rudy Carpenter, Arizona State, 2005-08
9. 10,220....Cody Pickett, Washington, 1999-03
10. 9,680......Jonathan Smith, Oregon State, 1998-2001

Washington’s Jake Locker, a senior, is the only player to crack the top-50 this year. His 7,583 (before the bowl game) puts him 27th all-time, and a decent bowl game will push him up another couple spots.

Stanford’s Andrew Luck, the Heisman runner-up and the best quarterback in the Pac-10 in 2010, has 5,626 yards in two seasons. That still places him about 260 yards out of the top 50, but a good performance in the Orange Bowl will get him there. However, projected as the top pick in the 2011 NFL Draft it’s doubtful he comes back to school for even one more year, let alone two (he redshirted so could declare as a sophomore).

USC’s Matt Barkley, a true sophomore, has totaled 5,526 in two seasons. Another season in the 2,800 range will place him in the top 20. Arizona’s Nick Foles is a little behind Luck and Barkley at 5,454 and could also declare.

Passing TDs (Before 2010)

1. 99...........Matt Leinart, USC, 2003-05
2. 85...........Rudy Carpenter, Arizona State, 2005-08
2t.85...........Andrew Walter, Arizona State, 2001-04
4. 79...........Derek Anderson, Oregon State, 2001-04
5. 77...........John Elway, Stanford, 1979-82
6. 76...........Alex Brink, Washington State, 2004-07
7. 75...........Steve Stenstrom, Stanford, 1991-94
8. 72...........Carson Palmer, USC, 1998-2002
9. 70...........Jason Gesser, Washington State, 1999-2002
10. 68...........Cade McNown, UCLA, 1995-99

No Active players in the top 50.

Passing TDs (Now)

1. 99...........Matt Leinart, USC, 2003-05
2. 85...........Rudy Carpenter, Arizona State, 2005-08
2t.85...........Andrew Walter, Arizona State, 2001-04
4. 79...........Derek Anderson, Oregon State, 2001-04
5. 77...........John Elway, Stanford, 1979-82
6. 76...........Alex Brink, Washington State, 2004-07
7. 75...........Steve Stenstrom, Stanford, 1991-94
8. 72...........Carson Palmer, USC, 1998-2002
9. 70...........Jason Gesser, Washington State, 1999-2002
10. 68...........Cade McNown, UCLA, 1995-99

Locker has 53 in his career, which ties him for 26th all-time with Jim Plunkett, Brock Huard, and Jack Thompson. One TD in the bowl game would move him into second all-time at Washington, two would tie him for first, and three would give him the school record.

Luck and Barkley each has 41 career TDs (before Stanford’s Orange Bowl). That puts them tied for 47th all-time with Mark Sanchez, Todd Husak, and Troy Aikman. Foles has 38, just outside the top 50.

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Receiving Yards (Before 2010)

1. 4,047......Troy Walters, Stanford, 1996-99
2. 3,939......Derek Hagan, Arizona State, 2002-05
3. 3,924......Mike Hass, Oregon State, 2002-05
4. 3,598......Reggie Williams, Washington, 2001-03
5. 3,572......James Newson, Oregon State, 2000-03
6. 3,351......Bobby Wade, Arizona, 1999-2002
7. 3,252......Dennis Northcutt, Arizona, 1996-99
8. 3,231......Mike Thomas, Arizona, 2005-08
9. 3,201......Johnnie Morton, USC, 1990-93
10. 3,188......Geoff McArthur, California, 2000-04

No active players in the top 50.

Receiving Yards (Now)

1. 4,047......Troy Walters, Stanford, 1996-99
2. 3,939......Derek Hagan, Arizona State, 2002-05
3. 3,924......Mike Hass, Oregon State, 2002-05
4. 3,598......Reggie Williams, Washington, 2001-03
5. 3,572......James Newson, Oregon State, 2000-03
6. 3,351......Bobby Wade, Arizona, 1999-2002
7. 3,252......Dennis Northcutt, Arizona, 1996-99
8. 3,231......Mike Thomas, Arizona, 2005-08
9. 3,201......Johnnie Morton, USC, 1990-93
10. 3,188......Geoff McArthur, California, 2000-04

Oregon’s Jeff Maehl is the current active leader in yards, but at only 2,178 doesn’t even crack the top 50. To do so he would have to pull down over 140 in the championship game, something he has only done once in his career.

Receiving TDs (Before 2010)

1. 41...........Dwayne Jarrett, USC, 2004-06
2. 32...........Jason Hill, Washington State, 2003-06
2t.32...........Ken Margerum, Stanford, 1977-1980
4. 31...........Sean Dawkins, California, 1990-92
5. 30...........Mike Williams, USC, 2002-03
5t.30...........Mario Bailey, Washington, 1988-91
7. 28...........J.J. Stokes, UCLA, 1991-94
8. 27...........Derek Hagan, Arizona State, 2002-05
8t.27...........Bobby Shaw, California, 1994-97
10. 26...........Troy Walters, Stanford, 1996-99

No active players in the top 30.

Receiving TDs (Now)

1. 41...........Dwayne Jarrett, USC, 2004-06
2. 32...........Jason Hill, Washington State, 2003-06
2t.32...........Ken Margerum, Stanford, 1977-1980
4. 31...........Sean Dawkins, California, 1990-92
5. 30...........Mike Williams, USC, 2002-03
5t.30...........Mario Bailey, Washington, 1988-91
7. 28...........J.J. Stokes, UCLA, 1991-94
8. 27...........Derek Hagan, Arizona State, 2002-05
8t.27...........Bobby Shaw, California, 1994-97
10. 26...........Troy Walters, Stanford, 1996-99

Maehl, a senior, has 24 touchdowns going into the final, tying him for 13th all-time with Shaun McDonald, Keenan Howry, DeRonnie Pitts, Dennis Northcutt, and Cristin McLemore. Both Howry and McLemore are tied for Oregon’s all-time lead, so Maehl has one more game to make the record his.

Washington’s Jermaine Kearse, a junior, has 22, tying him for 22nd in league history. Arizona’s Juron Criner, a junior, has 20, tying him for 29th.

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So what does this tell us, if anything? In all truth not a lot, but it’s interesting to note that in 2010, a year when quarterbacks were supposed to be making their mark, it was running backs making the big impact on the league’s history. It’s also worth noting that this group of running backs – Quizz, James, Franklin, Polk – may be one of the best conference groups playing at one time in league history. Yes, the quarterbacks and receivers are good, but from the perspective of making an impact on league history, it’s not happening. That could be because these players are more likely than a running back to leave school early for the pros, or it could be that these players generally are currently younger than the mature group of backs.

Either way, it was another fun season, it will be another fun bowl season (my preview to come in a couple weeks), and next year, with the addition of Utah and Colorado to create the new Pac-12, it should be even better.