Christian McCaffrey stole the spotlight in the Pac-12 a year ago when he absolutely dominated as the best player on a Stanford team. While he helped lead them to a conference championship, remember that he started the year under the radar. The Cardinal have designs on repeating as Pac-12 champions but McCaffrey can’t do it on his own and there is at least one under the radar star player that is in position to help him carry the load in 2016. Here is a look at four under the radar star players for the top Pac-12 teams right now.
Stanford: Bryce Love
Running Back
McCaffrey is the star of the Cardinal offense and for good reason after he set a school record with 2,019 rushing yards in 2015. His dominance was one of the reasons why Love didn’t get many touches in his freshman season but there is no doubt about the latter’s potential to be a star this season. That is one of the reasons why Barry Sanders Jr. transferred to Oklahoma State for his final season. Love will spell McCaffrey as the Cardinals’ No. 2 running back and he will need to step up in order to share the load and keep both backs fresh for when it matters the most at the end of the season. But remember that Stanford runs the ball quite a bit, so look for both players to get an opportunity.
USC: Malik Dorton
Defensive End
USC is expected to contend for an SEC championship this season but they will face a tough schedule and they aren’t the deepest team on the defensive side of the football. The Trojans have a major shortage of experience on the defensive line and while they picked up Steve Tu’ikolovatu from Utah, it will be Dorton that really needs to step up. We’ll see what he’s capable right off the bat in the opener when USC faces Alabama with the Crimson Tide trying to run the ball down the Trojans’ throat.
The converted linebacker has the size to play in the middle but will shift to the edge where he will be asked to get after opposing quarterbacks in defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast’s system. Dorton has all of the raw tools to perform at a high level and USC needs him to shine as an underrated star that will have a substantial impact on the Trojans’ success.
Washington: Dante Pettis
Wide Receiver
The junior wide receiver has been limited to 47 catches and two touchdowns through his first two seasons. However, his 30 catches last year are the most of any returning Washington receiver and he should be a valuable weapon in the Huskies’ offense and on special teams. Big-play target John Ross will return after missing all of last year because of injury but look for Pettis to fly under the radar as a key playmaker.
Remember that while Washington has improved from a defensive perspective under head coach Chris Peterson, they have struggled to find a competent quarterback. If their passing game improves, Pettis will be one of the biggest recipients.
Oregon: Torrodney Prevot
Defensive End
The arrival of Brady Hoke as the defensive coordinator at Oregon will mean a switch to a 4-3 and with it Rodney will move from outside linebacker to defensive end for his senior season. Prevot recorded 48 tackles with 7.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks at the linebacker position last year but the move to the line should help him to get after the quarterback on a more consistent basis.
At times last season, Oregon struggled on the defensive side of the ball. They couldn’t do enough against Michigan State, they gave up 62 to Utah, 45 to Washington State and 47 to TCU. If they’re to improve on this regard, they’re going to need people like Hoke and Prevot to make a big difference. Prevot has all of the tools to be a star pass rusher for the Ducks this season and there is every reason to expect him to maximize his potential under Hoke at Oregon.
