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Following last year's exodus of NFL-caliber talent (Sedrick Ellis, Keith Rivers, Dennis Dixon, Jonathan Stewart, and DeSean Jackson -- just to name a few) and a handful of preseason injuries, the start of 2008 in the Pac 10 brings a number of new faces whose ability (or inability) to step up and replace their predecessors will hugely impact the outcome of conference standings. From blue chip recruits to high-profile transfers and new coaches, here are five(ish) new faces in the Pac 10 that you'll want to keep an eye on.

1.) Rick Neuheisel, Norm Chow, and whoever survives being named starting QB - UCLA: Neither of the most-discussed new faces in the Pac 10 are actually new faces at all. The return of Neuheisel and Chow gives UCLA fans hopes of returning to regular college football relevance after the roller-coaster that was the Karl Dorrell era. But after an offseason that saw the Bruin quarterback spot turn into the most dangerous place this side of a Madden cover or Spinal Tap drum kit -- hobbling the two UCLA QBs with any game experience, Ben Olson and Patrick Cowan -- Neuheisel and Chow's baby blue debuts hinge largely on the ability of either Kevin Craft, a junior college transfer and/or redshirt freshman Chris Forcier to step in and lead the offense.

San Diego State backup quarterback Kevin Craft is leaving the program to play at Mt. San Antonio Junior College. Craft's impressively mustachioe'd father Tom (at right) coached the Aztecs but was fired before the 2006 season. Craft landed at Mt. Sac, and now a year later his son is tagging along.

This marks the second transfer by a Mountain West Conference backup quarterback in less than a week. BYU lost second-stringer Cade Cooper after he suffered a severe foot injury that would have forced him to sit out at least a year.

Craft would have likely been the Aztecs' de facto backup behind Kevin O'Connell. Darren Moughey was another backup option although SDSU has been trying him at receiver. Craft actually started five games last year due to injuries, throwing for 737 yards (57% completions) with four touchdowns and six interceptions.