What was missing from Pac-10 media day? Offensive players

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Here is a list of great quarterbacks who have played in the Pacific 10 Conference: John Elway, Troy Aikman, Warren Moon, Jim Plunkett, Dan Fouts, Carson Palmer, Jake Plummer, Rodney Peete, Matt Leinart, Drew Bledsoe.

Here is the list of quarterbacks chosen by their schools to attend Thursday’s media day in Los Angeles: (Blank).

Yeah, it was weird. The conference has definitely taken on a new look. Seven out of the 10 players who attended were defensive. Offense was represented by two running backs and a lineman.

This is probably just a transitional thing. After all, two Pac-10 quarterbacks have won Heisman Trophies this decade (Palmer and Leinart), but this year the quarterbacks will be wearing question marks next to their jersey numbers.

The most established Pac-10 returner might be Jeremiah Masoli of Oregon, a junior college transfer who was fifth string when the 2008 season began.

Jake Locker of Washington is a major talent, but he’s coming off an injury. Everywhere else in the conference it’s going to be a center-snap mystery.

The strength of the league is defense and running backs, with Jahvid Best (Cal), Jacquizz Rodgers (Oregon State) and Toby Gerhart (Stanford) leading the field.

If you want to see quarterbacks, follow the Big 12, which returns last year’s Heisman winner, Sam Bradford of Oklahoma, and maybe this year’s in Texas’ Colt McCoy.

Think of the Pac-10 these days as the old cloud-of-dust Big 10 ... with better weather and mascots.

-- Chris Dufresne

Follow Chris Duresne at twitter.com/DufresneLATimes.