Hansen's Sunday Notebook: Six teams could take 2016 Pac-12 title

Six teams could take Pac-12 title in 2016

Six teams have enough oomph to win the Pac-12 basketball title this season. That includes USC. That’s my New Year’s prediction.

Never, dating to Lute Olson’s Arizona debut in 1983-84, have I thought more than four had a realistic chance (and usually only two or three).

On Friday, Sean Miller said yes and nodded his head when asked if the Pac-12 champ is likely to have five losses. That has happened just three times since the Pac-12 began playing 18-game league schedules in 1978-79.

So prepare for 10 weeks of deep-dish trouble, beginning Sunday in Tempe.

UA fans almost believe it is their birthright to win at Wells Fargo Arena but that’s a dated philosophy. Olson went 19-5 in Tempe but since he retired the Sun Devils have taken control, going 5-3 at home.

ASU has beaten Arizona teams ranked Nos. 2, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10 in Wells Fargo Arena dating to 1992 and, for drama, the ASU-UA game in Tempe has become what the UA-Stanford showdowns at Maples Pavilion, and the UA-UCLA Armageddons at Pauley Pavilion used to be.

How’s this for a classic series: Over the last 11 games at Wells Fargo, the point differentials have included gasp-type finishes of 2, 2, 3, 3, 3 and 5. Two have gone to overtime.

The UA-ASU series in Tempe used to be the most lopsided of all Pac-12 basketball rivalries. But Arizona’s lead over other conference rival games has diminished. Since Olson began 32 years ago, Arizona is 22-10 in Tempe. UCLA is 18-14 at USC; Washington is 17-15 at WSU; Stanford is 16-16 at Cal; Oregon is 15-17 at Oregon State.

Here’s my pick of the Pac-12’s Big Six:

1. Oregon. The Ducks have all the offensive pieces and go 10 deep with interchangeable parts.

2. Arizona. If Arizona can go 9-0 at McKale and extend its home winning streak to 56, Miller might cut down the nets again.

3. USC. Few teams in the country have a more compelling out-of-nowhere story.

4. Cal. In this league, No. 4 could be No. 1 and vice versa.

5. Utah. Yes, Jakob Poeltl is the league’s most feared player, but the rest of the cast are a level or two below.

6. UCLA. One of those on-a-given-night-they-can-beat-anybody groups.

McCaffrey's snub means Heisman voting needs cuts, overhaul 

In the first quarter of an October game against Arizona, Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey rushed for 79 yards; he finished with 156 even though he didn’t play in the fourth quarter. In the third quarter, McCaffrey returned a kickoff 67 yards to set up a TD that helped seal a 55-17 win.

I put him first on my Heisman Trophy ballot.

McCaffrey finished second overall for two reasons: Only 16 percent of the Heisman voters are in the West, and Stanford started 55 percent of its games at or after 8 p.m., East Coast time.

Arizona has 16 Heisman voters (three of them did not vote). I am the state representative for the Heisman committee and have tried to build a panel of college-football-centric voters. I eliminated five Phoenix voters whose main assignments are the NFL, MLB or NBA and replaced them with those who pay more attention to college football. Phoenix has 10 voters; Tucson six.

My sense is that there are too many Heisman voters everywhere.

I would like to see the Heisman people eliminate 50 percent of about 1,000 voters and screen the voters better. That way, when someone like McCaffrey comes along, the right man will finish first.

Pima's 'best shot' to face Central Arizona in basketball showdown 

The Game of the Week in Tucson sports is Saturday’s Pima College at Central Arizona College women’s basketball game. The 10th-ranked Aztecs are 12-3 and rolling. It is the best start in PCC women’s hoops history. Coach Todd Holthaus knows what playing at CAC means: he is 0-16 against the perennial NJCAA powerhouse. “This team is my best shot,” he said. 

Tomey-esque Fipp likely leaving Eagles staff 

David Fipp was a walk-on safety from San Diego who ultimately became a starter at Arizona in 1996-97, one of those “glue guys” who helped to make Dick Tomey’s Arizona career successful. Fipp has since coached at Holy Cross, Cal Poly, Nevada, San Jose State, and in the NFL with the 49ers, Dolphins and now, Eagles. Unfortunately, he is likely to be part of the housecleaning in the Chip Kelly firing. I’ve always thought Fipp would be a terrific college head coach: he has a Tomey-type personality and approach. 

Sahuaro, Pima grad Barcelo the head pro at Tiger's course 

Sahuaro High and Pima College grad Rich Barcelo is the head pro at Bluejack National, the first golf course fully designed by Tiger Woods. Bluejack opened last week outside of Houston. Barcelo played three full seasons on the PGA Tour after playing for the Nevada Wolf Pack. 

Ex-UA standout Wood battling cancer 

Arizona’s 1984 All-Pac-10 defensive lineman David Wood is the father of UA sophomore tight end Trevor Wood and former UA lineman Carter Wood. David is struggling with cancer. Last week, his Phoenix-based company, Outfront Media, of which he is an executive vice president, erected a billboard near a Phoenix freeway with Wood’s image and the message “Big Dave Strong.” 

Tucson-hosted USTA Winter National featured only handful of locals 

The USTA National Winter Championships for girls and boys 14 and 12 were played over seven days at the Reffkin Tennis Center last week. Of the 512 players, only a handful of Tucsonans qualified; imagine the economic impact of 500 out-of-town tennis players and their parents for a week. Tucsonans Gwen Gavino and Emily Flowers reached the round of 32 in the girls 12-U doubles, and Tucsonan Harsh Parikh was in the round of 64 doubles for boys 14-U.

Inexperienced AD botched RichRod courtship, then lowballed him 

From what I have been able to gather, Rich Rodriguez’s pursuit of the South Carolina football coaching job was bungled by Gamecocks athletic director Ray Tanner. After South Carolina initiated contact with RichRod’s agent, Tanner made several missteps. He left RichRod stranded at a South Carolina airport for more than an hour, left Arizona’s coach unattended in his hotel for several hours, and, worse, apparently offered RichRod less, about $3.1 million per year, than what he was making at UA. Tanner was a career baseball coach at South Carolina until he became the school’s AD in 2012. It showed. His manner in a coaching search left a lot to be desired. The irony is that UA AD Greg Byrne excels at the important detail work of a coaching search; he impressed RichRod in 2011 the way Tanner surely made a bad impression on RichRod. 

UA coach Lockwood's termination was bound to happen 

RichRod’s decision to fire cornerbacks coach David Lockwood was almost predictable. I can’t recall worse production by UA cornerbacks, even in the John Mackovic days. But it all goes back to ineffective recruiting as much as running an unproductive shuttle between CBs Jace Whittaker, DaVonté Neal, Cam Denson, Sammy Morrison, Jarvis McCall, Kwesi Mashack and anyone else from A to Z. The Wildcat coaching staff needs fresh recruiting blood and RichRod addressed that by hiring analyst Jahmile Addae, a former running backs coach who, at 31, speaks the language of 17-year-old high school defensive backs. 

Stanford, CDO's Martinez, UA's Scooby share many traits, qualities 

Of all the NFL draft projections and analysis I’ve seen, Stanford and CDO’s Blake Martinez and Arizona’s Scooby Wright are inseparable. Both inside linebackers are projected as fourth- or fifth-round selections. Scooby is mostly described as “a better football player than an athlete” and Martinez is similarly listed as a prospect who is expected to be able to play against the run on first and second downs and on special teams. 

UA's Jones has future in NFL if certain things play out 

I wish receiver Cayleb Jones the best in his departure for the NFL. If someone can light a fire under him, get him to be physical and play with the purpose of someone like junior Nate Phillips, he might make an NFL roster and be in someone’s playing rotation. At Arizona, Jones was rarely a go-to receiver even though he had the measurables to be an all-conference player. 

Markkanen playing in semipro league; Arizona's next 

Arizona’s lone basketball recruit, 7-foot-1-inch Lauri Markkanen, completed his high school academic requirements at a basketball academy in Paterson, New Jersey, and has returned home to Finland. He is playing for HBA-Marsky, a semipro team, and is averaging 20.3 points, eighth in the league, after 18 games. Last week he told an online basketball reporter that it has snowed so much in Jyvaskyla, Finland, this year that it could cover a house. 

Ex-Cat Johnson back in basketball 

Nick Johnson, who was unemployed and out of basketball for two months, has returned to the NBA D-League. He averaged 22 minutes and 11.5 points in his first two games with the Austin Spurs last week. 

Palo Verde grad Cotton close to qualifying for NBA salary 

Palo Verde High grad Bryce Cotton needs to remain on the Phoenix Suns roster until Jan. 10, at which time he will qualify for a full year’s NBA salary, at the rookie minimum of about $615,000. He has played in two games for the Suns. 

Matty McConnell, T.J.'s brother, now starting at Robert Morris 

T.J. McConnell’s younger brother, Matty McConnell, has moved into the starting lineup as a freshman point guard at Robert Morris. Matty was averaging 24 minutes and 5.9 points through December for a team that was 2-11. 

Rose Bowl inducts Muldoon into Hall of Fame 

The Rose Bowl last week inducted Jim Muldoon into its Hall of Fame. Good move. For almost 30 years, Muldoon was the central public relations and media connection to all Pac-10 writers and broadcasters. He was knowledgeable, helpful and accessible. One of commissioner Larry Scott’s first acts was to replace Muldoon and, in effect, the personal touch the Pac-10 had established. The league has since had a more sterile approach. 

New Mexico State qualifying for 2016 Arizona Bowl would do wonders 

In Year 2 of the Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl, chairman Ali Farhang would be blessed if New Mexico State qualifies through the Sun Belt Conference. The Aggies have not gone to a bowl game since 1960, and have not had a winning season since 2002. Put New Mexico State in the Arizona Bowl next December and one can imagine 10,000 to 15,000 Aggies fans spending the holidays in Tucson.

My two cents: Wildcats' pursuit of Alkins continues 

Arizona continues to pursue ESPN’s No. 15 basketball prospect in the Class of 2016, small forward Rawle Alkins of Brooklyn, New York.

For his first three high school seasons, Alkins played at the same school — Christ the King High School — and for the same coach, as former Arizona standout Khalid Reeves. Alkins is now at Word of God Christian Academy in Raleigh, N.C.

Recruiting is such a drama that sometimes you can’t tell up from down. Last week, Alkins told Jon Perez of jonperezsports.com, that he initially eliminated Arizona from his list because “I felt I wasn’t getting too much attention from them.”

“There are times when (Arizona) overly texts me and there are times when they don’t text me at all,” Alkins said. “So it’s inconsistent. So I told (Arizona) that I don’t like that. I’m the one that’s going to affect my recruitment. No one is making decisions for me. So if they’re not contacting me, I’m the player that’s supposed to be playing there. I wouldn’t want to go to a school where you don’t really feel like you’re there.”

No one ever said Sean Miller has an easy job.

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