<
>

Team receptions returning: Pac-12 North

On Monday we looked at what each team in the Pac-12 had returning in terms of the rushing game. Here's the breakdown for the South and the North.

Tuesday, we turned our attention to the wide receivers. We're looking at returning receiving yards, returning receptions and returning receiving touchdowns. The South came first; today we look at the North.

As a reminder, here's how the teams ranked last year in passing offense:

  1. Washington State

  2. Oregon State

  3. Arizona

  4. USC

  5. UCLA

  6. Arizona State

  7. Oregon

  8. Washington

  9. California

  10. Stanford

  11. Colorado

  12. Utah

Here's what the teams in the Pac-12 North have coming back.

California

  • Receiving yards in 2012: 2,499

  • Receptions in 2012: 212

  • Receiving touchdowns in 2012: 13

  • Returning yards: 1,465

  • Returning receptions: 118

  • Returning touchdowns: 6

  • Percentage of yards returning: 58 percent

  • Percentage of catches returning: 55 percent

  • Percentage of touchdowns returning: 46 percent

  • Biggest statistical returner: Chris Harper, 544 yards, 41 catches, 2 TDs

  • Biggest statistical loss: Keenan Allen, 737 yards, 61 catches, 6 TDs

Oregon

  • Receiving yards in 2012: 2,888

  • Receptions in 2012: 250

  • Receiving touchdowns in 2012: 35

  • Returning yards: 2,376

  • Returning receptions: 204

  • Returning touchdowns: 31

  • Percentage of yards returning: 82 percent

  • Percentage of catches returning: 81 percent

  • Percentage of touchdowns returning: 88 percent

  • Biggest statistical returner: De'Anthony Thomas, 445 yards, 45 catches, 5 TDs

  • Biggest statistical loss: Kenjon Barner, 256 yards, 20 catches, 2 TDs

Fun fact: Oregon is the only team in the league (I'm not sure about the rest of college football) that returns a quarterback and an offensive linemen who return with touchdown "receptions." Jake Fisher fell on a fumble in the end zone, but because it came on a swing pass to Thomas, he gets credit for the receiving touchdown, but not the catch. And let's not forget the awesomely bizarre Bryan Bennett-to-Marcus Mariota connection.

Oregon State

  • Receiving yards in 2012: 3,992

  • Receptions in 2012: 315

  • Receiving touchdowns in 2012: 27

  • Returning yards: 2,513

  • Returning receptions: 199

  • Returning touchdowns: 13

  • Percentage of yards returning: 62 percent

  • Percentage of catches returning: 63 percent

  • Percentage of touchdowns returning: 48 percent

  • Biggest statistical returner: Brandin Cooks, 1,151 yards, 67 catches, 5 TDs

  • Biggest statistical loss: Markus Wheaton, 1,244 yards, 91 catches, 11 TDs

Stanford

  • Receiving yards in 2012: 2,802

  • Receptions in 2012: 240

  • Receiving touchdowns in 2012: 19

  • Returning yards: 490

  • Returning receptions: 57

  • Returning touchdowns: 1

  • Percentage of yards returning: 17 percent

  • Percentage of catches returning: 23 percent

  • Percentage of touchdowns returning: 5 percent

  • Biggest statistical returner: Ty Montgomery, 213 yards, 26 catches, 0 TDs

  • Biggest statistical loss: Zach Ertz, 898 yards, 69 catches, 6 TDs

Washington

  • Receiving yards in 2012: 2,767

  • Receptions in 2012: 266

  • Receiving touchdowns in 2012: 19

  • Returning yards: 2,643

  • Returning receptions: 251

  • Returning touchdowns: 17

  • Percentage of yards returning: 95 percent

  • Percentage of catches returning: 94 percent

  • Percentage of touchdowns returning: 89 percent

  • Biggest statistical returner: Kasen Williams, 878 yards, 77 catches, 6 TDs

  • Biggest statistical loss: Cody Bruns, 103 yards, 13 catches, 2 TDs

Washington State

  • Receiving yards in 2012: 3,965

  • Receptions in 2012: 363

  • Receiving touchdowns in 2012: 23

  • Returning yards: 2,791

  • Returning receptions: 275

  • Returning touchdowns: 18

  • Percentage of yards returning: 70 percent

  • Percentage of catches returning: 75 percent

  • Percentage of touchdowns returning: 78 percent

  • Biggest statistical returner: Brett Bartolone, 435 yards, 53 catches, 4 TDs

  • Biggest statistical loss: Marquess Wilson, 813 yards, 52 catches, 5 TDs