Stanford is making a change at quarterback, which makes eight Pac-12 teams that has started at least two quarterbacks this season.

Share story

When Stanford junior quarterback Keller Chryst makes his first career start Saturday, the Cardinal will become the eighth Pac-12 team to start at least two quarterbacks this season.

Stanford coach David Shaw joins USC’s Clay Helton and Oregon’s Mark Helfrich who made the difficult decision to make a mid-season change at quarterback because of ineffective play.

“We were not getting enough production from the position,” Shaw said this week after benching senior Ryan Burns who guided an offense that ranks last in the Pac-12 in scoring (17 points per game) and total offense (299.1 yards per game). Stanford is 4-3 overall and 2-3 in the Pac-12.

Helton dumped junior Max Browne, the former Skyline High star, in favor of redshirt freshman Sam Darnold, which might have saved the Trojans season. In the past four games with Darnold, USC is 3-1 after starting after a shaky 1-2 start that included blowout defeats to No. 1 Alabama and then-No. 7 Stanford.

“He’s really ahead of the game,” Helton told the Los Angeles Times after Darnold’s first win – a 41-20 victory in which he had 352 passing yards and three touchdowns.

“He’s really advanced,” Helton said. “And you can tell, in all aspects. Whether he’s dealing with the media postgame. Whether it’s his play in the game. There’s a maturity about it that’s uncanny for this age.”

Meanwhile, Oregon (2-5, 0-4) is still waiting to reap potential benefits from its quarterback switch from senior Dakota Prukop to freshman Justin Herbert.

Following a 52-49 double overtime defeat last week against Cal, Herbert was despondent on the field after throwing an interception that ended the game.

Still, Helfrich saw leadership qualities from Herbert who had 258 passing yards and six touchdowns in his second start.

“The guys definitely rallied around and behind him and it (shows) how much he works and how much he cares,” Helfrich said. “How much of a team guy he is. Those guys recognize that. … So that was hopefully something that’s a catalyst for a different run here.”

While Stanford, USC and Oregon voluntarily made quarterback changes, five other teams were forced to make a switch due to injuries.

No teams have been hit as hard as Arizona and Arizona State.

“You’re always going to have injuries, but the challenge is when it hits all at one position,” Wildcats coach Rich Rodriguez said. “It’s strange because it’s never happened to us like it happened last year at linebacker and this year at quarterback and running back.”

Two-year starter Anu Solomon opened against BYU and injured his knee the folowing week in practice. Backup Brandon Dawkins started the next five games before suffering a concussion against Utah on Oct. 8, which forced Arizona to turn to true freshman Khalil Tate two weeks ago.

Tate, who started the season fourth on the depth chart, was supposed to redshirt but was pressed into duty.

Solomon and Dawkins returned to practice last week when the Wildcats were idle, but Rodriguez is still mum on who will start Saturday against Stanford.

“Having Dawkins and Solomon back was a huge thing for us simply because we could run more of our offense,” Rodriguez said.

Meanwhile, ASU coach Todd Graham will probably have to rely on true freshman Dillon Sterling-Cole who could make his first start Saturday at Oregon.

“He was basically the scout-team quarterback two weeks,” Graham said.

The Sun Devils lost starter Brady White to a season-ending foot injury and backup Manny Wilkins was knocked out of last week’s game in the first quarter due to an apparent arm injury. He’s also been hobbled by an ankle injury.

The rash of injuries helps explain why Arizona State has spiraled to 5-3 and 2-3 in the Pac-12 after a 4-0 start.

“We’ve had our fair share, but that’s just part of it,” Graham said. “That’s football.”

A common trait among three of the top five Pac-12 teams is stellar performances at quarterback.

Washington’s Jake Browning leads BCS players with a 199.6 QB rating. Washington State’s Luke Falk is first in the nation with a 72.7 completion rate and Cal’s Davis Webb tops in the country with 27 touchdown passes.

The trio and Utah’s Troy Williams have started ever game.

AROUND THE PAC-12:

— This is the final weekend before the College Football Playoff rankings are released Tuesday.

— Washington, which allows 14.6 points per game, is on pace to become the stingiest Pac-12 defense since USC surrendered just 9.0 in 2008.

— Washington State had minus 52 rushing yards during last week’s 37-32 win over Arizona State, which is a statistic skewed by seven sacks against quarterback Luke Falk.

— Since winning its neutral-site game in Australia in the opener, California has won all three home games and lost all three road games. The Golden Bears have alternated wins and losses this season: W, L, W, L, W, L, W. On Thursday, Cal plays at USC.

— Despite playing in just four games, Utah’s Joe Williams ranks fourth in the Pac-12 in total rushing yards (586), behind Colorado’s Phillip Lindsay (745), Washington’s Myles Gaskin (727) and Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey (612).

— Colorado coach Mike McIntyre took the Buffaloes to In-N-Out after last week’s 10-5 win at Stanford. The Buffs spent $780 on 165 Double-Doubles cheeseburgers and 165 fries.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF CHASE:

1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Washington
4. Michigan

Next two: Louisville and Ohio State.

PAC-12 BOWL PROJECTIONS

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl: Washington
1. Rose Bowl: Utah
2. Valero Alamo Bowl: Washington State
3. National University Holiday Bowl: Colorado
4. Foster Farms Bowl: USC
5. Hyundai Sun Bowl: California
6. Las Vegas Bowl: Stanford
7. Motel 6 Cactus Bowl: Arizona State

Not Projected To Be Bowl Eligible: UCLA, Oregon, Oregon State and Arizona.

PAC-12 GAMES THIS WEEK:

THURSDAY

California (4-3, 202) at USC (4-3, 3-2), 7:30 p.m. ESPN (USC favored by 16.5 points): Both teams were idle last week and a loss knocks the loser out of the Pac-12 division race and scrambling to make a postseason berth. Both teams lost their top running backs – Cal’s Vic Enwere (broken foot) and USC’s Justin Davis (ankle sprain). Both team’s star receivers are banged up – Cal’s Chad Hansen (ankle) and USC’s JuJu Smith-Schuster (back). And both starting quarterbacks are playing at a high level – Cal’s Davis Webb (27 TDs and 7 Ints) and USC’s Sam Darnold (13 TDs and 2 Ints). The pick:
USC 38-30.

SATURDAY

No. 4 Washington (7-0, 4-0) at No. 17 Utah (7-1, 4-1), 12:30 p.m. FS1 (UW by 10): This is quite possibly a preview of the Pac-12 title game. Plenty at stake in this one and tremendous story lines abound. With ESPN’s “College GameDay” on hand, UW’s Jake Browning could give his Heisman Trophy campaign a boost. Utah QB Troy Williams reunites with his former team. The running backs (UW’s Myles Gaskin and Utah’s Joe Williams) are sensational. And two of the Pac-12’s best secondaries will be on display. The pick: Utah 27-26.

Arizona State (5-3, 2-3) at Oregon (2-5, 0-4), 2 p.m. Pac-12 Networks (Oregon by 7.5): If freshman Dillon Sterling-Cole makes his first career start at quarterback, you would think the Sun Devils wouldn’t have a chance at Autzen Stadium. But the Ducks allowed 333 passing yards and three TDs in the Pac-12 opener to Colorado freshman Steven Montez who was making his first start. The pick: Oregon 38-28.

Washington State (5-2, 4-0) at Oregon State (2-5, 1-3), 7:45 p.m. ESPN2 (WSU by 13.5): The Beavers are still thin at quarterback, which means third-stringer Marcus McMaryion gets another start. He should be better at home after two full weeks with the starters. But the Cougars – winners of five in a row – are on a roll and is poised to be the only team without a conference loss after the weekend. The pick: WSU 40-26.

Stanford (4-3, 2-3) at Arizona (2-5, 0-4), 8 p.m. FS1 (Stanford by 6): Going to be interesting to see what new Cardinal QB Keller Chryst can do with an offense that’s last in the Pac-12 in scoring and yards. And it remains a mystery who lines up under center for the Wildcats. Stanford’s defense has allowed an average of 13.5 points in the past two week. The pick: Stanford 24-14.