Watching Cal trade touchdowns with Arizona last weekend despite missing four key starters to injury got me thinking about the injury issue on a conference-wide scale.

Which, in turn, got me thinking:

Have there been enough serious injuries to top-line players to form a 22-man team?

So I looked it up.

Unfortunately, my suspicion was essentially correct:

The conference has been hit hard, more at some positions than others, more on some teams than others.

Is the list of serious injuries to serious talents longer than in past years?

Is it worse in the Pac-12 in 2017 than in the SEC or Big Ten or ACC or Big 12?

I have no idea and am not interested in researching.

The point of this exercise is simply to add context to what we are witnessing in the Pac-12. Even unpleasant topics help us frame the season.

I’ve included descriptions of the injured players to provide a sense for the contribution level; many were impact performers.

I’ve also set a high bar, including only players that have missed, or are expected to miss, at least one month.

Most of the cases extend well beyond that timeframe, unfortunately.

On a happier note: I was not able to fill out the offensive line.

*** OFFENSE

QB: Oregon’s Justin Herbert

Injury: Broken collarbone/at least one month

Resume: One of the top young quarterbacks in the country. (Another option: Oregon State’s Jake Luton.)

RB: Utah’s Armand Shyne

Injury: Arm (reportedly)/Out since training camp

Resume: Rushed for 400 yards in five games last season and was competing for the starting job

RB: Cal’s Tre Watson

Injury: Lower body/out for season

Resume: Cal’s best all-around playmaker (eight touchdowns last season) was lost in Week Two.

TE: UCLA’s Caleb Wilson

Injury: Foot/out for season

Resume: Having an All-American season (38 catches) as one of Josh Rosen’s favorite targets.

WR: Cal’s Demetris Robertson

Injury: Lower body/out for season

Resume: Former 5-star recruit was Cal’s top deep threat (15.3 yard-per-catch and seven TDs last season)

WR: Washington’s Chico McClatcher

Injury: Broken ankle/out for season

Resume: Second-leading receiver (49 career catches) and sound complement to Dante Pettis.

OL: USC’s Viane Talamaivao

Injury: Pectoral/out for season

Resume: Multi-year starter at guard and potential all-conference talent

OL: UCLA’s Kenny Lacy

Injury: Hip/out for season

Resume: Multi-year starter, would have been Bruins’ top reserve.

OL: Washington’s Trey Adams

Injury: Knee/out for season

Resume: One of the best linemen in the conference (first-team pick last year).

OL: Arizona’s Bryson Cain

Injury: Ankle/out for season

Resume: Contending for role as Wildcats’ No. 3 tackle when injury struck. Related Articles Bowl projections: Playoff conditions deteriorating rapidly as bad losses, weak schedules form dastardly combination

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*** DEFENSE

DL: USC’s Marlon Tuipulotu

Injury: back/out for season

Resume: True freshman with enormous talent; would have been in Trojans’ rotation.

DE/OLB: Cal’s Cameron Saffle

Injury: Lower body/out for season

Resume: Hybrid edge rusher had 8.5 tackles-for-loss last season.

DE/OLB: USC’s Porter Gustin

Injury: Toe/out indefinitely

Resume: One of the conference’s top edge players in 2016 (honorable-mention recognition).

LB: Oregon’s Kaulana Apelu

Injury: Broken ankle/out for season

Resume: Shared starting job (next to Troy Dye) with A.J. Hotchkins, who’s also out indefinitely

LB: Washington State’s Peyton Pelluer

Injury: Broken foot/out for season

Resume: Honorable-mention all-conference in ’16; headed for first team when he got hurt.

LB: Cal’s Devante Downs

Injury: Lower body/out for season

Resume: Having all-conference season and heart of Bears’ improved defense

DB: Oregon State’s Dwayne Williams

Injury: Knee/out for season

Resume: Started three games for Beavers (at nickel) before the injury.

DB: Washington’s Jordan Miller

Injury: Broken ankle/out for season

Resume: Started every game until his injury; two interceptions.

DB: Washington’s Byron Murphy

Injury: Broken foot/expected back at some point

Resume: First-year starter and emerging star had two interceptions in the season opener.

DB: USC’s Jonathan Lockett

Injury: Hip/out for season

Resume: Would have been a rotation player, if not a starter. Was ruled out before training camp. Get Pac-12 Conference news in your inbox with the Pac-12 Hotline newsletter Sign Up

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