Steve Francis

Football Recruiting

Visits

Check out SB Nation’s Pacific Takes for my first Oregon Recruiting Q/A!

For this writer, a Saturday spent inside the confines of Autzen Stadium will be a welcome relief following last Thursday.  Oregon, at home for two of next three weeks, will welcome arguably our biggest prep target of the 2014 class, athlete Budda Baker (4-Star/Bellevue, WA/Rivals100).

“I called coach (Jim) Fisher (recruiting coordinator), and he said [Oregon] would send a car for me Friday night, right after my game,” said Baker.  “Me and my mom are going to take the trip together, and we are both excited to check it out.”

It’s old news that Baker favors Oregon in a hotly contested recruiting battle, but nonetheless, a strong showing from the Ducks during his trip to Eugene will go a long way to strengthen an already sturdy relationship with secondary coach John Neal.

Baker uses all of a 5-foot-11, 178 lb. body on both sides of the ball.  Tabbed as a defensive back at the collegiate level, don’t be surprised to see Baker line up on offense, as his talents with the football in his hands are undeniable.  Check back with FishDuck for a full recap of Baker’s visit next week!

Rising steadily on Oregon’s big board, lineman Chris Brown (4-Star/Los Angeles, CA), will join Baker on the sidelines during this weekend’s matchup with Utah.  Brown, a 6-foot-6, 290 lb. behemoth, was until recently, a relatively unknown target of offensive line coach Steve Greatwood.  Despite being late in the game, Oregon needs no introduction to the west coast prep recruiting scene and Greatwood figures to play  a vital role in Brown’s recruitment down the stretch.

Visits

Mentioning Oregon by name on his offer wish list, JUCO tight end Issac Ijalana (3-Star/Woodland Hills, CA),. is getting a late season look by special teams/tight ends coach Tom Osborne.

“I would love to get an offer [from the Ducks],” said Ijalana.  ”[Oregon was] asking my coaches a lot of questions about me.  I love the high power offense and the way they use tight ends up there.  I would definitely give them a look if they were interested in me.”

An opposing defense’s nightmare to cover, Ijalana’s 6-foot-5, 250 lb. frame, allows him to stretch the field and excel at one of Oregon’s choicest tight end staples, blocking.  The Ducks will do battle with several other D-1 programs if Ijalana is deemed a viable commodity coming out of the junior college ranks, so stay tuned!

(To view Ijalana highlights, please click here.)

For up to the minute recruiting news, please visit our friends at DUCK TERRITORY, who graciously provide FISHDUCK with in-depth analysis and player-generated material. Look for my latest recruiting update every Wednesday. WTD!!!

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