With the NFL early-entry deadline passing Wednesday and 25 Pac-12 players jumping into the professional ranks before their eligibility is over, we can now take a look at what each conference team has coming back in 2014.
Yes, measuring returning starters is often an inexact and misleading science. These "unofficial" numbers -- the Pac-12 will publish the "official" returning starter numbers in the 2014 media guide -- are based on late-season depth charts. Further, many teams list more than 11 starters on both or either side of the ball. And, of course, there are guys who played a lot but weren't listed No. 1 on the depth chart or starters were hurt much or all of the season, such as Utah LB Brian Blechen, Arizona WR Austin Hill and practically the entire California defense, who are not noted in these numbers.
A superficial conclusion? Let's just say you should expect some points in 2014. Defenses lose a lot while offenses get a lot back.
There are an average of 7.3 starters per team coming back on offense and just 6.3 per team on defense. Last year, those numbers were 7.1 players coming back on offense and 7.3 on defense.
Last year, the Pac-12 averaged 15.6 starters returning per team, including specialists. According to our measure, that number will fall to 15.1 per team, though that number will boost up because eight teams have both specialists back.
The "*" next to "offense" means the quarterback is returning.
Arizona: 7 offense, 6 defense, punter
Big names: WR Nate Philips, OT Mickey Baucus, LB Scoobie Wright, S Jared Tevis, Tra'Mayne Bondurant
Arizona State: 7* offense, 3 defense, 2 specialists
Big names: QB Taylor Kelly, WR Jaelen Strong, OG Jamil Douglas, RB D.J. Foster, K Zane Gonzalez
California: 10* offense, 6 defense, punter
Big names: WR Bryce Treggs, WR Chris Harper, LB Jalen Jefferson
Colorado: 7* offense, 8 defense, 2 specialists
Big names: WR Nelson Spruce, LB Addison Gillam, K Will Oliver
Oregon: 9* offense, 5 defense, 2 specialists
Big names: QB Marcus Mariota, C Hroniss Grasu, WR Bralon Addison, CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, OLB Tony Washington
Oregon State: 6* offense, 8 defense, 2 specialists
Big names: QB Sean Mannion, C Isaac Seumalo, DE Dylan Wynn, S Ryan Murphy, CB Steven Nelson
Stanford: 5* offense, 7 defense, 2 specialists
Big names: QB Kevin Hogan, OT Andrus Peat, WR Ty Montgomery, DE Henry Anderson, CB Alex Carter, S Jordan Richards, LB A.J. Tarpley
UCLA: 9* offense, 7 defense, 2 specialists
Big names: QB Brett Hundley, C Jake Brendel, LB/RB Myles Jack, LB Eric Kendricks, DL Ellis McCarthy, S Randall Goforth, CB Ishmael Adams
USC: 7* offense, 8 defense, 2 specialists
Big names: WR Nelson Agholor, RB Javorius Allen, DT Leonard Williams, LB Hayes Pullard, CB Josh Shaw, S Su'a Cravens
Utah: 6 offense, 5 defense, 2 specialists
Big names: WR Dres Anderson, DE Nate Orchard, S Eric Rowe, K Andy Phillips, P Tom Hackett
Washington: 7 offense, 7 defense, 0 specialists
Big names: OT Micah Hatchie, WR Jaydon Mickens, WR Kasen Williams, DE Hau'oli Kikaha, DT Danny Shelton, LB Shaq Thompson, CB Marcus Peters
Washington State: 8* offense, 6 defense, 0 specialists
Big names: QB Connor Halliday, WR Gabe Marks, WR Dom Williams, WR River Cracraft, LB Darryl Monroe, DE Xavier Cooper