European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 28, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 34 the stars and stripes sports sunday August 28, 1994 Pac-10 fills pockets with lbs by Chris Dufresne the los Angeles times last year this Pacific 10-headed quarterback averaged 6 feet 2.7 inches 202.8 pounds and passed for 20,688 Yards-and153 touchdowns. The collective conference beast might have sent even More defensive coordinators screaming into the night had it not been for those wishbones at Oregon state which passed Only in states of emergency. Pac-10 quarterback Man gobbled up efficiency Marks and yardage records As it stalked the hallowed footprints left by West preview the likes of John Elway and Dan Fouts. The conference was no place for the honors  University of Oregon quarterback who passed for 300 Yards or More in a game six times threw for 3,224 Yards and22 touchdowns folks this was your All conference honorable mention. The us quarterback who is bidding to become the first non running Back to win a Heisman trophy at tailback a Well the Stanford kid once chased him to wide receiver when they were High school teammates. The California quarterback a face Inthis crowd May some  playing in a super bowl near you. The Urcla quarterback threw four interceptions. All year. The Arizona quarterback despite his numbers has to take a number for the purposes of this examination. The quarterback at Arizona state Sophomore May eventually be better than All his elders. The bad news for defences is that eight of the 10 conference starters have re turned to wreak further havoc. It s a Nightmare no doubt Cal defensive coordinator Artie Gigantino  problem is a quarterback with his Arm can beat you. You can Stop a great running Back. But when a quarterback gets hot he can kill  us s Rob Johnson most expert agree leads the Pac-10 pack but Stan Ford s Steve Stenstrom has the numbers and certainly the right publicity director coach Bill Walsh to Edge ahead in the Heisman race. Already ahead of 70 percent of the nil quarterbacks in terms of throwing to alternative receivers the respected Walsh bellowed about Stenstrom Tor the preseason publications. Across the Bay Cal s Dave Barr Cranks up for his senior season having set the conference record last year for passing efficiency with a Mark of 164.5 10th"-Best in Mcaa history. Yet he can hardly get a Heisman word in edgewise in a conference that already includes Johnson Stenstrom and Ucol receiver . Stokes. Barr said he does t mind the Competition. I could t really care Nitiss who s out there he said. It s not going to be a file photos 3 heavily armed Battle of numbers. We All have our own goals. Anyway the numbers Don t Tell everything. Johnson Stenstrom and Barr make up the prime time Short list but the Pac-10quarterback Well May run six or seven deep. Taking aim behind the big guns Are Danny o Neil of Oregon Wayne Cook of Urcla Dan White of Arizona Jake Plummer of Arizona state and perhaps Damon Huard of Washington. When you have two quarterbacks that Are Heisman candidates Stenstrom an Johnson everybody else is going to be overshadowed acknowledged of Eil of Oregon. Look at what Cook did. He was the quarterback who took his team to the Rose bowl he s returning and he s barely mentioned. That s  the draft Niks already Are touting the potential of Plummer the Asu soph Omore. He s one of the top three quarterbacks in the country right now Mel Kiper or. Contends. He has a Chance to be As Good As any quarterback in the Pac-10 since  up this is the Best returning group Ofpac-10 quarterbacks Ever not so fast. The class of 1988 still holds the distinction with its group of major contributors to the  s embarrassment of riches at quarterback Are clockwise from top left Rob Johnson of Southern California Steve Stenstrom of Stanford and Dave Barr of California. The Trio from a Gauntlet of Heisman candidates Rose bowl hopefuls must beat to reach Pasadena. Troy Aikman Urcla Rodney Peete us Bill Musgrave Oregon Timm Rosenbach Washington state Troy Tay Lor Cal Erik Wilhelm Oregon state and Cary Conklin Washington. All seven were nil draft picks. In order of preseason clout Here s a look at the quarterbacks of the Pac-10 Rob Johnson senior us 6-feet-4,220 pounds completed 68.6 percent of his passes for 3,630 Yards with 29 touch Downs and six interceptions in93. He s the real Deal size Arm savvy and a probable first round nil pick but the loss of Johnnie Morton the All american receiver might Cut into his numbers a bit. Steve Stenstrom senior Stanford 6-3,205 completed 65 percent of passes for 3,627 Yards with 27 touchdowns and 14interceptions in 93, he is in position to break All six school passing records including Elway s Marks for yardage and touchdown passes. Johnson and Stenstrom were team mates at Eltoro Calif High. As a Junior Johnson was moved to wide receiver to allow the senior Stenstrom to Pla quarterback. J Dave Barr senior California 6-4,205 completed 68 percent of his passes. For 2,885 Yards with 24 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 93. A shoulder injury in october slowed him considerably but in his final three. Games Barr threw for 910 Yards and eight touchdowns. Danny o Neil senior Oregon 6-2, 178. Completed 61.9 percent of his passes for 3,224 Yards with 22 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 93. Plays for a losing team and is Flat out Skinny but he continues to pile up the numbers. This year i m just hoping to put up the wins o Neil said. I be put up the num Bers and it does t really matter. I found out the hard Way last year. I put up the numbers but did t put up the  Jake Plummer Sophomore arizon state 6-2, 189 completed 51.3 percent of his passes for 1,650 Yards with nine. Touchdowns and seven interceptions in 93. Probably the Best True freshman quarterback in the country last year. Should rank As Best Sophomore in 1994. Has a Hance to be tremendous. Wayne Cook senior Urcla 6-4, 215 completed 55.6 percent of his passes for 2,067 Yards with 18 touchdowns and four interceptions in 93. Bruins won 8 of the 11 games Cook started. Of course Cook had a pretty Good target in the wide receiver Stokes. Dan White Junior Arizona 6-5, 215 completed 49.6 percent of his passes for 1,548 Yards with 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 93. Completed an erratic season with a three touchdown 209-Yard passing game against Arizona state and added two touchdown passes in Arizona s rout of Miami in the fiesta bowl. Damon Huard Junior Washington 6-4, 215 completed 58.9 percent of his passes for 1,282 Yards with nine touch Downs and 10 interceptions in 93. An up and Down player with some potential Huard won the starting Job out right this season from Eric Bjornson who has moved Back to wide receiver. Huard May be Hurt by undistinguished receiving corps but should Benefit from arrival of Bill Diedrick the new offensive coordinator. Chad Davis Sophomore Washington state 6-2, 199 red shirted after trans Ferring from Oklahoma. Last year s starter Chad Degrenier returns As a backup having been ousted by Davis in the Spring. Davis is Green As they come having not yet thrown a regu Lar season pass at the collegiate level. The cougars Are Miles from the Days of Drew Bledsoe and Timm Rosenbach. Don Shanklin Sophomore Oregon state 5-11,194 completed 76.5 percent of his passes 13 of 17 for 90 Yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. It s almost unfair to include Osu quarterbacks in this mix since the team runs a Wishbone offence and rarely passes. Shanklin regained the starting Job from Rahim Muhammad who started the Las six games after Shanklin was injured. Air Force i u r us co n t r is Over to me co n n e 11 Brandy Holtz Scripps Howard news service air Force Academy Colo. Demond Cash and. Preston Mcconnell who have been vying for the air Force starting quarterback Job each got som Good news this week their Battle is Over. Cash who started 11 games for air Force As a Sophomore last season has been moved to halfback. The talented but turnover prone Junior who rushed for 875 Yards last season will become part of the Afa Wishbone s halfback rotation. He is listed at no. 2 at both half Back positions behind Jeremy Johnson and Jake Campbell. That Means Mcconnell a senior who supplanted Cash As the no 1 quarterback on the depth Chart two weeks age will be the starter when the Falcon open the season at Home against Colora do state on sept. 3,  my Strong suit is running the Ball Cash said. Now i1 just do it from halfback rather than quarterback. I la do whatever it takes to help the team i Don t think it will take me Long to eel comfortable at halfback. I m  Cash played halfback on the. Afa prep school team in 1991, then played quarterback on the Junior varsity As a fresh Man at the Academy. He took Over the varsity Job Early last season when senior starter Scott Teigen injured his ribs. Mcconnell s backup at quarterback will be promising Sophomore Beau mor Gan a talented runner viewed by the coaching staff As therb of the future. Cash was impressive As a runner Las season but often struggled with the wish Bone s intricate mechanics. Air Force committed 27  in t As fast or As Quick As Cash but is viewed As a better Wishbone technician. He played Well in a substitute role last season when Cash was knocked out of the lineup because of injuries. He threw a 50-Yard touchdown pass to help the Falcons beat Texas Elpaso and rushed for 53 Yards on 10 carries against Hawaii. For the season he rushed for 151 Yards on 24 carries. Another Factor that played heavily inthe decision was air Force s Lack of depth at halfback. Traditionally the Tea has used a rotation of four or five half backs. This season Johnson and Camp Bell were the Only two halfback on the roster with significant varsity experience