Pac-12 QB Power Rankings entering Week 2: Major moves in the North
Week 1 action is in the books around the Pac-12. There were some remarkable quarterback performances, and there were some clunkers.
As always, these will be updated every week. The goal here is to be reactive, not to rank the most talented players. Who’s playing the best? Let’s get to it.
12. Brendon Lewis/JT Shrout, Colorado
Lewis drew the start for CU, but Shrout played as well. Lewis completed 13 of his 18 passes for just 78 yards, again looking hesitant to really let it rip. A first-half interception was wiped away by a defensive pass interference call, giving Lewis a do-over after deciding to just toss the ball off his back foot up into four defenders. Shrout got the final drive and scored the only touchdown of the day for CU. He finished 13-for-23 passing for 157 yards and a touchdown. Shrout looked like the better option, but neither looked like world-beaters.
11. Jack Plummer, California
Prev. rank: 11
The former Purdue man got off to a very slow start in his Cal debut. The first three drives featured seven offensive plays, two sacks, one interception, and zero first downs. In fact, Cal’s offense lost a combined 15 yards. The interception came on the first play of the third drive, immediately following up a 14-play, 53-yard touchdown drive from UC Davis. Plummer did come back to hit 13 of his next 14 passes afterward, though, and finished the day with 268 yards and three scores while completing 23 of his 35 attempts.
10. Bo Nix, Oregon
Prev. rank: 7
I suppose the good news is Nix won’t face another defense like Georgia at all this season. Among Power Five quarterbacks to have at least 20 dropbacks so far, Nix has the third-worst grade from Pro Football Focus. His 58.9 QBR after Week 1 ranks 68th nationally (qualified FBS QBs). The Ducks failed to find the endzone in their opener. Coach Dan Lanning said he liked the way the ball moved when Nix played within the framework of the offense but, as has been the story of the fourth-year man’s career so far, he wasn’t always playing within the offense.
9. Emory Jones, Arizona State
Prev. rank: 9
Jones did what was expected of him in Arizona State’s 40-3 win over Northern Arizona. He completed 13 of his 18 passes for 152 yards, ran the ball 11 times for 48 yards and two scores, and led eight scoring drives on 12 possessions. Big test upcoming against Oklahoma State.
8. Cameron Ward, Washington State
Prev. rank: 4
The first five drives gained 77 total yards. They featured two turnovers, two three-and-outs, and a missed field goal from a possession that began on Idaho’s side of the 50. It was a bit of a slow start, as Ward hit just four of his first 10 passes. He’s making the jump from FCS ball to Power Five football, but the Vandals —however stingy — more closely resemble the teams Ward faced last season then the ones he’ll face this year. On its face, this is a massive drop after a 25-for-40. 215-yard, three-touchdown, no-interception performance. I’m still firmly on the Ward bandwagon this season, but a number of guys below him had phenomenal weeks.
7. Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA
Prev. rank: 3
The fifth-year senior completed 32 of 43 passes for 298 yards and two touchdowns with one interception while also running for 87 yards and two more scores. Nearly 400 yards of offense from one player in a game the Bruins won in blowout fashion. But it was not a spotless performance. Thompson-Robinson had an interception in the first quarter and a fumble later in the day. They were the kinds of plays a guy with his experience shouldn’t be making.
6. Michael Penix, Washington
Prev. rank: 11
What a debut. The former Indiana quarterback dealt with so much during his time in Bloomington. Injuries, coaching changes (at the assistant level), wild highs and low lows. He played fast and free in Washington’s 45-20 win over Kent State. He finished 26-for-39 for 345 yards and four touchdowns. No turnovers. Penix hit everything. “Mike identified where those one-on-one matchups were at pretty much every single time and took advantage of it,” said coach Kalen DeBoer. The Huskies had six pass plays of at least 20 yards and 11 of at least 15. That’ll do.
5. Chance Nolan, Oregon State
Prev. rank: 8
That was as impressive a first half as you’ll see. Nolan worked through his progressions. He didn’t force things. He flashed patience and high-level decision-making early. Oregon State rolled him right and had him throw back across the field for a deep touchdown to Tyjon Lindsey, a ball he had to really let rip to get it there. He hit eight of his first nine passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns in helping the Beavers build up what was a 24-0 lead over Boise State at the halftime break. The only throw Nolan “missed” amid that start? A perfect deep ball to Tre’Shaun Harrison that would have added another 47 yards to his total and another touchdown to the scoreboard. Nolan dropped the ball over Harrison’s shoulder. Harrison simply dropped it. Nolan’s receivers dropped several passes, one of which resulted in one of Nolan’s interceptions. That deep ball was wonderful. The expectation was that this Boise State defense will be one of the better units in the country this season. Nolan took them apart in Week 1.
4. Tanner McKee, Stanford
Prev. rank: 6
McKee hit 19 of his 21 throws in the first half. You talk about coming out and immediately establishing a rhythm, McKee had the Cardinal offense humming. Of course, the big question is how much of the success was circumstantial? Stanford was playing Colgate and the game began with an 87-yard rushing score. The field wasn’t just tilted in Stanford’s favor, Colgate was trying to scale a vertical wall. Still, McKee entered the season looking like one of the best pure passers in the conference, a player with great potential if his line gave him time and his receiving corps was able to stay healthy. So far, so good. McKee finished with 308 yards and two scores (though he was picked off once) while completing 22 of his 27 passes.
3. Jayden de Laura, Arizona
Prev. rank: 5
Go off then, Jayden. The former Washington State quarterback immediately endeared himself to his new Arizona Wildcats fanbase (and team) with a 299-yard, four-score performance in Arizona’s 38-20 win over San Diego State. The Wildcats, along with the Beavers, might have had the most impressive opening-week performance around the Pac-12. This offense looks wildly entertaining, and de Laura looks more than capable of driving it all year.
2. Cameron Rising, Utah
Prev. rank: 2
The gap between the defenses Bo Nix and Cameron Rising faced in Week 1 and the ones everyone else faced is pretty substantial. Keep that in mind. I didn’t like Rising’s decision on the game-sealing interception. He forced the throw. Yes, Dalton Kincaid fell down, but Rising forced a throw he didn’t need to force. At the end of the first half, Rising missed some throws as well. But, look, the drive to get Utah into position to win at the end was all Rising. In front of a record crowd at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium — Utah brought that… think about that — Rising showed poise in the face of tremendous adversity. He had the Utes running effecitvely in the most hostile of environments. Rising finished with 216 yards and a score passing, and another 91 yards rushing. His 90.0 QBR in Week 1 was bested only by the guy at USC. He made big plays. He just missed the last one. If you’re selling Rising stock, I will gladly buy it all.
1. Caleb Williams, USC
Prev. rank: 1
I suspect Williams will hold this spot for some time. He threw for 249 yards and two touchdowns while completing 19 of his 22 pass attempts. He also led the team in rushing with 68 yards on six carries. USC scored touchdowns on six of its nine drives. Williams had five completions of 20 or more yards. Sure, it was Rice, but we expected to see an elite quarterback in an elite offense and that’s what it looked like on Saturday.