Pac-12 Notebook: USC QB Matt Barkley shows off his cover 2 skills

Here are some links from around the Pac-12.

USC's Matt Barkley may be the first QB to play cover 2. The Heisman Trophy candidate showed off his cover skills this week, gracing the covers of Sports Illustrated and Sports Illustrated Kids, Michael Lev of the Orange County Register reported.
UCLA coach Jim Mora was displeased with the effort, lack of focus and discipline near the end of Wednesday night's practice in San Bernardino. So he did what most coaches probably would have done with a team searching for an identity and buried in obscurity: He threw them off the field and put an end to practice early, Miguel Melendez of the Orange County Register reported.
State" data-canon="Washington Huskies" data-type="SPORTS_OBJECT_TEAM" id="shortcode0"> hasn’t announced a starting QB, but the guy snapping the ball to him is set. Walk-on junior Elliott Bosch will slide from guard to center, where he’s taken nearly all the snaps with the No. 1 offense during camp, Christian Caple of the Spokesman Review (Spokane, Wash.) reported.
The Sabbath is no longer sacred in Tucson. New Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez made a subtle change to the Wildcats’ practice schedule, adding workouts on Sunday and giving the club Mondays off, Ryan Finley of the Arizona Daily Star reported.
Bad beds, bad food and bad cell service, but it’s all good because Arizona State is getting a chance to forge the ties that bind at its ancestral training site: Camp Tontozona.
After two years of decline, the 2012 season is a pivotal one for Oregon State and its likeable but embattled coach, Mike Riley. A third straight bowl-less season could cost the Beavers alumnus his job.
Much is expected of the Stanford defense this season, but the Cardinal’s performance will depend on the return of two key players in the secondary, Tom FitzGerald of the San Francisco Chronicle reported. CB Wayne Lyons missed all but two 2011 games with a broken left foot and FS Ed Reynolds suffered a knee injury during one of the final spring practices.
It wasn't just another practice Thursday morning for Cal. "I had goose bumps coming out here," senior RB Isi Sofele said after the Golden Bears held their first practice at renovated Memorial Stadium, Jeff Fauraudo of the Oakland Tribune reported.
Who’s your pick as the breakout player of the year for Oregon? Adam Jude of the Oregonian has the list of candidates.
Utah coach Kyle Whittingham is stressing consistency from his offensive line in training camp. Problem is, the players haven’t been listening. Lya Wodraska of the Salt Lake Tribune reported.
Colorado junior T Jack Harris has missed 23 games the past two seasons because of injury. He told Tom Kensler of the Denver Post it’s "part of the job description."
Washington's new defensive coordinator, Justin Wilcox, has the Huskies using a 3-4 alignment more often and is asking defensive backs to be more aggressive, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times reported. Will it make a difference for a unit that allowed a school-record 467 points in 2011?