Recruiting Strategy: Big Weekend and Future Quarterbacks

Nik Brownlee Recruiting

As the rollercoaster Oregon football season continues, the recruiting season is keeping Duck fans guessing also. It’s been up, it’s been down, but this is a well-rounded recruiting class as it stands right now. Currently, the 2016 class is standing strong at 13 verbal commitments; and yes, there are a few quarterbacks in this class. In fact, the Ducks have …

Recruiting Strategy: Shift of Focus

Nik Brownlee FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

After bringing in a strong class last year, Oregon got off to an amazing start on the 2016 recruiting trail. Some people, including myself, believed this class was going to be one of, if not the best freshman classes in UO history. Now, after key targets have committed elsewhere and other recruits have decommitted from the Ducks, it’s important to realize that …

Oregon Culture: The Men of Oregon

Nik Brownlee Men of Oregon: Players and Coaches

In Eugene, the days of losing seasons seem to be far in the rear-view mirror. With two national title appearances in five years, and a slew of BCS bowl wins under the program’s belt, the Oregon Ducks have ascended to the top of the college football landscape. Without a doubt, Oregon has one of the most talented rosters in college …

Recruiting Strategy: Two Remaining Questions While We Wait

Nik Brownlee FishWrap, FishWrap Archive, Recruiting

Fall camp is underway, and things have slowed on the recruiting trail. The Oregon coaching staff is now focused on developing the current roster in preparation for the upcoming season. We know, however, the recruiting game never fully stops in college football. Just over a month ago, the Ducks picked up verbal commits from a pair of four-star athletes in linebacker LaMar Winston (Portland, …

Ducks Dominate the Top Players List of the Pac-12

Nik Brownlee FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Over the past month, Jack Follman from “Pacific Takes” at SB Nation, has been doing a six-part list of the “Top 100 2015 Pac-12 Players,” and naturally, there are several Oregon players listed. So, let’s discuss how the list ended up. The Ducks take the top spot on the list with 17 players in the top 100, with UCLA and USC …

Recruiting Strategy: Helfrich Has Ducks Building Momentum Quickly

Nik Brownlee FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Things are good in Eugene these days. Not only is summer in full effect and the weather great, but the hometown Oregon Ducks are compiling a fantastic recruiting class that seems to continue to heat up as well. Last season, the Ducks finished with the No. 16-ranked recruiting class. The Ducks landed five-star defensive lineman Canton Kuamatule, the first five-star …

Oregon Football Schedule: A Peek into the Future

Nik Brownlee FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

I remember exactly where I was when it happened–the moment that Oregon lost the national championship game to Auburn in 2010. I was with about 30 of my fellow students in my buddy’s apartment across from Hayward Field. The Ducks lost that day, but they will get a shot at redemption in the not-too-distant future. You might have heard- Oregon will …

Recruiting Strategy: “Nike The Opening” Camp Headlines Big Weekend for Ducks

Nik Brownlee FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

June is in full swing. Graduation time is upon us, and so is the beginning of summer and summer sports camps. In fact, the Nike The Opening regionals just wrapped up in Eugene over the past weekend, and with the camp in the Ducks’ backyard, the event was an excellent opportunity for Oregon to make headway on the recruiting trail. …

Should Oregon Retire Numbers?

Nik Brownlee FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

While watching  ”The Sandlot” the other day, I couldn’t help but get caught up in my nostalgia. Babe Ruth comes into Benny’s room and gives him advice on his predicament, and before he leaves, he says, “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.” I began to think about Marcus Mariota. His contributions to the Oregon football program go far beyond …

Oregon Football: The Three Toughest Games of 2015

Nik Brownlee FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

It’s June, and it’s time for the Oregon Ducks to make another push toward the College Football Playoff. Last season, fans saw the Ducks finish the regular season with an 11-1 record, witnessed Marcus Mariota win the first Heisman trophy in school history, and watched Oregon dominate Florida State in the Rose Bowl before eventually losing in the national title …

Recruiting Strategy: Filling Holes in the Front Seven

Nik Brownlee FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Speed is synonymous with Oregon football. The Ducks do a fantastic job in maintaining that connection by recruiting athletes who fit their fast-paced style of offense. Last year, of the top five players signed by the Ducks, all but five-star Canton Kaumatule were on the offensive side of the ball. With the stockpile of speed and explosiveness in the Ducks …

The Ducks Remain National Championship Contenders

Nik Brownlee FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

It’s about time that Oregon wins a national championship. That’s a bold statement, I know, but I assure you there are reasons for such a claim. The Ducks — specifically, Marcus Mariota –  finally got a Heisman Trophy last year, but winning the final game still eludes the green and yellow. That is going to change soon. Here is some …