(Duck) Stepping Forward

Pat Pannu FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Each year some players graduate and move on, while new players step onto the court at Matthew Knight Arena for the first time.  The people that are leaving have our gratitude for the year(s) they spent in the Oregon green and yellow, and our best wishes for the future.  Those returning or joining the team for the first time feel the weight …

Irvin Solid as Ducks Crush Devils to Avoid Sweep in Tempe

Josh Schlichter FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Newsflash: Cole Irvin is the real deal.  The freshman phenom from southern California has been one the best pitchers that Oregon has put on the mound this season.  Irvin pitched seven innings and allowed just three runs to earn another quality start, and improve his record to 6-1 on the year, and Oregon demolished ASU 16-3 on Sunday afternoon. The Ducks …

Second Half Stampede: Bears Catch Ducks

Lauren LaBar FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The Oregon Ducks went after their first conference win for the 2013 season against the California Golden Bears yesterday.  Oregon is ahead of the Bears with an all-time record of  7-6, winning their last three meetings, but this contest held the promise of having a great deal of give and take to it! The morning match began, and the Bears were …

Oregon Recruiting Manifesto Part 5: What the Future Holds

Chris Charbonnier FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

This multi-week series will attempt to take a reasonable, logical and unbiased look at Oregon’s recent recruiting successes and failures while analyzing the program’s recruiting philosophy under Chip Kelly.  The series will then look at how that philosophy already has and may continue to evolve under Mark Helfrich before ending with a detailed breakdown of the author’s ideal recruiting blueprint. …

Notes from around the college football nation: Auburn pays better and NCAA in hot water

Jeff Hostetler FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Spring ball is upon us….for some….while others will have to wait until the end of the month to get a look at their favorite team and start making expectations for the upcoming season.  Now, if the March Madness spirit is still upon you, then the Final Four will be something to help with expectations.  Maybe Auburn fans can watch the …

Oregon’s Offense Explodes But Pitching Implodes Against Devils

Josh Schlichter FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The Ducks ended up on the losing end of yet another unexpected line score from Pac-12 play on Saturday night, as Arizona State found a way to really crack the Oregon pitching staff to win game two of their series,14-9.  The line score was unexpected for two reasons: the Ducks wouldn’t seem to have an offense capable of putting up …

Spring’s awakening breathes new life into program

Joel Gunderson FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

With the turn of another calendar month, we have finally, mercifully, reached April, which brings about the beginning of spring ball in Eugene. New coach.  New hope.  New beginnings. With Mark Helfrich at the helm for the first time in his career, Scott Frost getting his much deserved attempt at running an offense, and Marcus Mariota taking over the leader …

Auburn is Just the Tip of the Iceberg

Kim Hastings FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The story is just now coming to full light, but according to Sports Illustrated, in 2010 Auburn coaches were only interrupted in giving hundreds of dollars to their players by the need to get busy changing their grades to keep them eligible.  Gene Chizik apparently DID NOT appreciate having to call first half timeouts so that his players could run …

Duck Rally Falls Just Short In The Desert

Josh Schlichter FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

After things looked bleak for more than half of yesterday’s game, the Oregon Ducks decided that they weren’t going to lie down and lose their winning streak.  Trailing 5-1 in the eighth inning, Oregon (22-7, 8-2) put up four runs to tie things up at 5-5, and force extra innings against Arizona State (18-8-1, 5-5) in game one of the three …

Oregon’s Bullpen is Locking Games Down

Victor Flores FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

To many, relief pitchers are to baseball what special teams players are to football: failed starters. Even the best relievers of all time, like Mariano Rivera and Goose Gossage, are viewed through this prism, and certain baseball analysts will tell you that these late-inning specialists provide even less value than average starting pitchers. While there’s a lot of truth to …

From Helfrich: “Why We Closed Practices”

Charles Fischer, Mr. FishDuck FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

I am disappointed with coach Helfrich’s decision to close practices, but it is fair that I give his side of it a bit more than I did in my earlier article.  I wish to emphasize that while I made a joke of how we were shut out whether it was Chip or Helf, the persona of MH is vastly different …

Meet Your New Ducks: Take A “Chance” On Me

Joe Packer FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Chance Allen, alongside his hometown buddy Bralon Addison, committed to Oregon on National Signing Day back in 2012.  He comes to us from Missouri City, Texas, where he was the star athlete for Fort Bend Elkins High Schoo; participating in football, basketball, and track.  He really burst onto the national recruiting scene throughout his senior season and earned a 3-star …