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SAN FRANCISCO -- The Pac-10 has long been a conference known for its talented quarterbacks and high-powered offenses.
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That's what makes the uncertainty at quarterback so many teams are facing at the start of fall practice so unsettling to many teams.
Only Arizona State, Arizona and Washington opened fall practice with returning starters at quarterback entrenched in their jobs.
Everyone else is either breaking in a new starter such as Mark Sanchez at Southern California, challenging a former one like the competition between Nate Longshore and Kevin Riley at California, or hoping a young one will take the job like Nate Costa at Oregon.
"I would say that the team with the experience at quarterback probably has the lead going in because the experience at that position is so important," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said. "When you're breaking in a new quarterback, there's always a growing process."
USC figures to be an exception to that rule.
The Trojans have done well with first-year starters at quarterback in the past under Pete Carroll, winning a share of the national title with Matt Leinart in 2003 and finishing fourth overall in the country with John David Booty in 2006.
Sanchez has made only three career starts, winning two of them while Booty was hurt last season, and has thrown just seven touchdown passes to six interceptions.
But he has the most talented roster in the league surrounding him, including linebacker Rey Maualuga, running back Joe McKnight, and receiver Patrick Turner, and the confidence of his teammates.
"He's a playmaker from the quarterback position," USC linebacker Brian Cushing said. "Mark will be a lot better this year. He knows it's his time. The year of maturity where he's had a little experience means a lot."
The team best positioned to challenge the Trojans this season could be Arizona State because of the experience of Rudy Carpenter at quarterback.
Carpenter has made 31 straight starts for the Sun Devils, throwing 25 touchdown passes last season to help Arizona State tie the Trojans for the regular season title.
"You can have a guy that's very talented, and there are a lot of them in our league, and a lot of new ones in our league that are going to be playing, but there's nothing like having that experience on the football field," Arizona State coach Dennis Erickson said. "With Rudy coming back, I feel very good about that aspect of it. Not only has he played a lot. He's been very successful."
Washington coach Tyrone Willingham and Arizona coach Mike Stoops have similar feelings about their own returning starters in Huskies sophomore Jake Locker and Wildcats senior Willie Tuitama.
The rest of the teams know it will be a growing process at quarterback.
"You've got to have support people because the quarterback can't do it on their own," Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said. "It's a dogfight and you have to protect your players and be healthy."
