Pac-12 Notebook: Arizona's Vanilla Vick ready in a pinch at QB

Here are some Pac-12 links from media outlets that regularly cover the conference:

B.J. Denker throws left-handed, wears jersey No. 7 and can flat-out run. You don't have to be Chris Berman to figure out his nickname: Vanilla Vick. Arizona’s backup quarterback blames his high school friends for the cringe-worthy moniker, but if Matt Scott gets hurt or struggles in Tucson this fall, Denker is The Next Man Up, Tyler Hansen of the Arizona Daily Star reported.
Arizona State wasn’t the last Pac-12 program to name a starting quarterback, but it may be the first to make an in-season change. The battle between newly anointed starter Taylor Kelly, sure-to-play backup Michael Eubank and big-armed Mike Bercovici is so tight that coach Todd Graham admits the rotation “could change in two weeks.”
Stanford completed its final scrimmage of training camp Sunday with no resolution at quarterback, a noteworthy injury and lingering questions at several positions, including left tackle. Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News had the details.
USC coach Lane Kiffin and quarterback Matt Barkley acknowledge the significance of being atop the preseason AP poll for the school and its fans. But they know the real work has just begun,” Michael Lev of the Orange County Register reported.
UCLA coach Jim Mora threw a surprise scrimmage at his team Sunday night and the Bruins passed the test. Steven Manfro returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, setting the tone for an impressive offensive display, Miguel Melendez of the Orange County Register reported.
Utah brothers Dave and Joe Kruger are big, strong and come from a family of defensive linemen. Their dad, Paul, was one and their older brother, Paul, now in the NFL, is another. Along with tackle Star Lotulelei, they form what some believe might be the best defensive front in the history of Utah football, Gordon Monson of the Salt Lake Tribune reported.
He’s only been Colorado’s starting QB for three days, but Jordan Webb is already feeling comfortable in his new gig, Tom Kensler of the Denver Post reported.
All indications are that Oregon's quarterback battle remains in a virtual deadlock entering the final week of fall camp. Even if either Marcus Mariota or Bryan Bennett has separated himself after the first two weeks, teammates, coaches and other insiders have betrayed nothing out of the barbed-wire protected practices, Adam Jude of the Oregonian reported.
Trevor Romaine admits feeling pressure. How he handles it will be crucial for the Oregon State football team. Romaine, a sophomore, is entering his second season as the starting kicker for the Beavers. His freshman season was a mixed bag. As is the case with all kickers, the bad sticks out more, Cliff Kirkpatrick of the Corvallis Gazette-Times reported.
The reminders came often from Eric Russell, during punt coverage drills, punt return drills, kickoff coverage drills. “Eleventh out of 12!” Russell would yell. Washington State’s special teams coordinator was referring to his team’s conference ranking in a number of different categories -- and he was delivering a message, Christian Caple of the Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Wash.) reported.
Washington showed its potential in a weekend scrimmage -- along with a whole lot of sloppiness, Ryan Divish of The News-Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.) reported.
On Signing Day, Cal coach Jeff Tedford conceded that he and his staff needed to sharpen their social-media skills after several top recruits, who had given Cal oral indications that they would sign, stopped communicating through traditional avenues and wound up going to other schools. Jeff Faraudo of the Oakland Tribune had the story.