Which Pac-10 newcomers might make a name for themselves this spring and put themselves into position to start or see significant action in 2009?

Let's take a look.

Arizona

• QB Nick Foles & OT Phillip Garcia: Foles is a sophomore transfer from Michigan State who will compete with Matt Scott and Bryson Beirne to replace Willie Tuitama. Garcia was a JC transfer last January, but the 6-foot-7, 340 pounder hurt his knee and missed the season. He's in the mix at left tackle.

Arizona State

• S Keelan Johnson, RB James Morrison, DE Dean DeLeone: Johnson, a redshirt freshman, is the sort of athlete who could end up playing both ways. Morrison was a true freshman walk-on destined to play last year before he broke his ankle. He's back this spring. The 25-year-old DeLeone, a JC transfer, is already drawing raves for his weight room work.

California

• WR Marvin Jones & LB Mychal Kendricks: Jones was a touted true freshman last year but hurt his knee and never broke through. Kendricks had 16 tackles and a sack as a true freshman and is a frontrunner to fill one of the three vacancies at linebacker.

Oregon

• DE Zac Clark & WR Lavasier Tuinei: Oregon has big-time needs on the D-line and at receiver, and these JC transfers will be given an opportunity to immediately ease those needs. Tuinei, at 6-foot-5, should give the Ducks receiving corps some size, while Clark will be eyeballing the vacancy left by Nick Reed.

Oregon State

• WR Jordan Bishop & OT Colin Kelly: Receiver is a need area for the Beavers, and Bishop, a redshirt freshman, impressed on the scout team and during Sun Bowl practices. Kelly, a redshirt freshman, is in the mix on an offensive line that lost both starting tackles.

Stanford

• QB Andrew Luck, OG David DeCastro, TE Konrad Reuland: Luck almost lost his redshirt last year while Tavita Pritchard struggled, and he'll have a good chance to win the starting job. DeCastro is presently No. 1 on the depth chart, while Reuland is a transfer from Notre Dame.

UCLA

• QB Kevin Prince & TE Morrell Presley: Prince, a redshirt freshman, is the most likely candidate to unseat returning starter Kevin Craft. Presley, a true freshman, could make an immediate impact as a hybrid TE/WR.

USC

• QB Matt Barkley, DE Nick Perry, RB Curtis McNeal: Barkley, the nation's No. 1 recruit in 2009, could jump over Mitch Mustain and Aaron Corp in the quarterback competition, while Perry, a redshirt freshman, is almost certain to be in the mix at end or perhaps outside linebacker. McNeal, a redshirt freshman, was a late arrival last year but made an impression with his explosiveness.

Washington

• LB E.J. Savannah, C Mykenna Ikehara , WR Anthony Boyles: Savannah is not a newcomer -- he was the Huskies leading tackler in 2007 before finding his way into Tyrone Willingham's spacious doghouse and getting kick off the team. Pencil him in as a starter. Ikehara, a redshirt freshman, could replace Juan Garcia at center. Boyles, a redshirt freshman, was a touted recruit who didn't break through last year but is expected to be sharper this spring.
  

Washington State

• DT Bernard Wolfgramm, CB Brandon Jones, RB James Montgomery: It's not unreasonable to go ahead and pencil in all three of these guys in as starters. Wolfgramm is a 2008 JC transfer who redshirted last year, while Jones and Montgomery both transferred from California.

Jarvis Jones and Frankie Telfort (the first Miami native to choose USC in the Carroll era) were nice last minute additions.

It is still tough to ignore all the chatter about the loss of four highly-touted early commits: Vontaze Burfict, Morrell Presley, Randall Carroll and Alshon Jeffery. Hey, the loss is theirs. But Pete Carroll might rethink getting such early commitments — painting gigantic targets on these guys for other schools to come and hone their attack on USC.

We'll be back tomorrow with more thoughts from tonight's recruiting dinner.

No sign of Richard Brehaut, a Bruin commit who's considered the second best quarterback in the state after Barkley. UCLA is on a quarter system, with the winter session starting last week. Brehaut is expected to enroll next quarter, just in time for spring practice.

Thanks to UCLA's schedule, no incoming Bruins technically had to enroll this early, but tight end Morrell Presley is already taking classes at UCLA. The nation's top tight end, according to Scout.com, made waves by decommitting from USC and making his new home in Westwood.

-- Adam Rose
Photo: Matt Barkley after a Mater Dei game in September. Credit: Kirby Lee/US Presswire.

Orgeron said USC should not be worried about players who might reject the talent-rich Trojans because of fear of competition or the promise of immediate playing time at another program.

"We raised the bar and went after kids that saw that they could play there and would want to compete – that was part of the evaluation," Orgeron said by phone last week.

"The guy that doesn’t come is a gift, because he doesn’t think he can play

1) Penn State's 81 year old Joe Paterno was signed to a three-year contract extension. So now you don't have to feel bad about destroying his team in the last game of his career. His heart will have a reason to keep ticking away.

2) Rey Maualuga was named the team MVP at the Trojans annual awards banquet.

3) Carson's Morrell Presley, one of the most-recruited tight ends in the country, made the worst mistake of his life - switching his commitment from USC to UCLA.

4) USC alumnus Rick Caruso, owner and designer of The Americana at Brand, will host the USC pep rally on Monday, December 29 at 6 p.m., free to the public, in preparation for the Rose Bowl .The event will feature the USC Marching Band, Song Girls, Yell Leaders, Tommy Trojan and the USC mascot Traveler.

Love the Jesus cross in the background; it deifies him nicely, but he could stand to lose the dyed hair. What we love about him most though is his straightforward confidence.

"I've been given abilities to be able to play football and throw the football and a mind to be able to comprehend quite a bit, so I really don't settle for anything."

Matt Barkley will be leading his Monarchs against the Carson Colts and Morrell Presley (another gem from USC's 2009 recruiting class) tonight, Wednesday (ESPN2, 6 PST).

Golden arm of Mater Dei draws comparisons to football greats [USA Today]