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Spring football is officially over in the Pac-12 with Oregon wrapping things up with its spring game last week. Teams now head into summer workouts before convening for fall camp in July. The 2015 recruiting class is yet to join, but for the most part we know the makeup of the teams in the conference.
That makes it a fine time to bring back power rankings and that's exactly what the ESPN Pac-12 blog did on Monday. Dave Lombardi ranked the teams with Oregon remaining at No. 1. The Cougars checked in at No. 10, only ahead of Oregon State and Colorado. That didn't come as much of a surprise considering the season WSU is coming off. The Cougars also lost a few key contributors including three players drafted into the NFL last week. There are reasons to believe steps will be made on defense, but there is a lot of projection right now and plenty of unknown. That was a key factor in Lombardi's ranking:
For Washington State to make tangible progress, its defense must pull its own weight in 2014. That's where new defensive coordinator Alex Grinch comes in: He's been preaching aggressiveness after the Cougars intercepted only three passes throughout all of last year.
The No. 10 ranking is in line with where ESPN's Football Power Index slots the Cougars. WSU checked in as the No. 59 team in the country in the FPI preseason rankings. That also made WSU No. 10 in the Pac-12. Overall, No. 10 feels about right to me. We'll need to see what Alex Grinch is able to do on defense before I'd be confident in slotting them much higher.
Where would you slot WSU in the current Pac-12 power rankings?
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Football:
Pac-12 post-spring power rankings - Pac-12 Blog - ESPN
10. Washington State (11) Receiver Dom Williams lit up spring practice, but the Cougars’ offense isn’t the problem in Pullman, Washington. For Washington State to make tangible progress, its defense must pull its own weight in 2014. That’s where new defensive coordinator Alex Grinch comes in: He’s been preaching aggressiveness after the Cougars intercepted only three passes throughout all of last year.
Revisiting the draft's Pac-12 early entrants - Pac-12 Blog - ESPN
Reaction: Like Poutasi, Cooper's decision to turn pro was a bit of a surprise, but was completely justified when Cleveland -- which drafted seven Pac-12 players -- grabbed him in the third.
Baseball:
Ramirez and Walker are baseball's weekly winners | Pac-12
SAN FRANCISCO-- USC's AJ Ramirez slugged seven extra base hits and drove in 12 and WASHINGTON STATE's Ryan Walker struck out 12 over 11.2 shutout innings to earn Pac-12 Player and Pitcher of the Week honors.
Ryan Walker Named Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week - Washington State University Official Athletic Site
Washington State freshman Ryan Walker has been named the Pac-12 Conference Pitcher of the Week for April 27-May 3, conference commissioner Larry Scott announced Monday.