Oregon Football Recruiting Analysis: It’s Still About the Offense

Chris Charbonnier FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The Oregon football program is not regarded as a defensive juggernaut.  An elite defense wasn’t the catalyst behind the evolution of the Oregon brand.  In this new era of Oregon football, where fans expect championship runs, the offense seems almost to have become an after-thought.  Improving the defense has become the focal point of radio pundits and TV personalities.  Let’s …

The Five Greatest Duck Performances at the NFL Combine

Nathan Roholt FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

It is the marquee event of NFL Draft process: the NFL Scouting Combine, or the “Underwear Olympics,” to which it has been casually referred, of which four years of college production can become virtually ignored in favor of a limited sample of data collected in the form of physical measurements from arbitrary tasks. So why would college football fans care about this NFL …

Oregon’s Success Doesn’t Depend on Recruiting Rankings

Don Gilman FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Oregon will never win any recruiting championships.  While teams such as Alabama, USC and LSU tend to dominate in the rankings, the Ducks rarely crack the top-15.  Year after year they bring in solid, but unspectacular recruiting classes, yet year after year, Oregon takes those same recruits and turns them into champions. Why is that?  What is the key that allows teams without …

The Eight Types of Oregon Duck Videos on YouTube

Nathan Roholt FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

With the conclusion of the college football season, and National Signing Day just a week and a half away, fans of all kinds have turned their attention to YouTube.  Whether it’s watching recruiting videos, catching old games, or reliving the highlights; with no “original content”, so to speak, being produced on the field, video remains the best way for fans to get …

The Ballad of the Green Brigade

Kim Hastings FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

  Fighting Ducks against the sky These are men who jump so high Men who mean just what they say The brave men of the Green Brigade Trained to live on Husky meat Washington they’re sure to beat Men who fight by day and night Listen not, to Herbie’s hype Put silver wings on my son’s chest Make him one …

Recruiting Analysis: Buckle Up as National Signing Day Approaches Like a Blur

Chris Charbonnier FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Coaches don’t get gray hair in November, they get it in January.  This is the time of year, while most think college football has gone cold and dark, that coaches everywhere are making a frenzied final push to sign the best class they possibly can.  This includes ensuring their class doesn’t suffer any losses, which is tough considering the number …

Revisiting the odd, yet brilliant, career of Darron Thomas

Victor Flores Men of Oregon: Players and Coaches

from Video The last few years of Darron Thomas’ football career have been remarkably strange for someone who was an elite college quarterback.  In fact, those three words – “elite college quarterback” – can be thrown into the pile of Thomas weirdness because there are some people who do not think the former Oregon quarterback was all that great. The …

Huff Doesn’t Need Hype To Be Dangerous

Victor Flores FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The names of the top Oregon offensive players since 2010 are easy for even casual Ducks fans to rattle off: James, Barner, Mariota, De’Anthony, Darron Thomas, Maehl, Tuinei, Paulson, Lyerla. Others can certainly be put on that list, but those nine are probably the most recognizable. Receiver Josh Huff doesn’t get quite as much hype as those guys, and while …

Can De’Anthony Thomas Survive As the Every-Down Back?

Victor Flores FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

De’Anthony Thomas almost went to USC, but he eventually chose Oregon and has helped the team win two straight BCS bowls.  The Trojans have lost a combined eight games these past two seasons.  The Ducks have lost seven games since 2009. Those three sentences aren’t intended to be rubbed in the faces of USC fans (ok, they kind of are) …

2013 Ten Most Important Players, No. 1-5

Sam Arney FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Welcome back for the second of my two part segment.  The wait is now over as I release my top five most important players for the upcoming season.  I know many of you will have differing opinions on who should be in the top five and where they should be ranked.  Keep in mind that this is my opinion as …

Are Expectations for Thomas Tyner Too High?

FishDuck Staff FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Along with the growing success of the Oregon football on the field over the past two decades has been increased success off field with high profile recruits attracted to Oregon.  Those highly rated recruits carry increased expectations, and with increased expectations there can be a heightened sense of disappointment if one of those recruits fails to achieve potential. The latest Oregon recruit to …

“Little Brother” Thinks They Have A Chance!

Sam Arney FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Courtesy of Kevin Cline Photography I recently read that many pundits think the Oregon State Beavers might actually be a contender; not just in the Pac-12 North, but in the Pac-12 in general.  I have also heard this same statement from many of my friends who are Beaver fans.  To my friends I must nod politely while trying not to smile and …