Kani Benoit: The Small Division Underdog

Laura Brehm FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Kani Benoit*, a redshirt freshman from Phoenix, Arizona, thought it was over. His dream of playing football for a top-tier program seemed unattainable. Though he received initial offers from 10 schools, he had trouble keeping them. And Oregon was really the only one in the running for the BCS National Championship. Benoit’s head coach from Phoenix Thunderbird High School, Brent …

Recruiting Update: “Taj-ma-Wall” Working on 4-Star Merritt

Mark Flores FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Football Recruiting News Recently-minted Oregon commit Travis Waller (4-Star/Anaheim, Cal./Rivals250) entered July with something to prove. Even in the highly scrutinized world of prep recruiting, a large contingent of fans and pundits had yet to cast their evaluation on the Duck’s new signal caller. That all changed this past week. Waller not only turned heads, but led his 7-on-7 Apocalypse …

Scott’s Turf: Character Matters

Scott Reed FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Over the past five recruiting classes, dating back to the 2009 recruiting class, Oregon leads the nation in an unregistered recruiting category – percentage of prospects signed that make it to campus. Contrast that with South Carolina, which will reportedly have eight players of 24 signed to this class who are not eligible. In Oregon’s case, this is not by some …

Now or Never: How Next Season Will Decide the Fate of Certain Ducks

Steven Holstad FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

When a new class of freshmen arrives to a football program, it’s always a mixed bag. Players of all positions gather from different high schools or junior colleges, states and backgrounds, to come together as teammates. Some are prized recruits coming in from premier high school programs; some are lesser-known players that the coaches hope are diamonds in the rough. …

A Duckling Profile: Taylor Alie and the Walk-on’s Dream

Lawrence Hastings FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Three years ago, Taylor Alie was a second-string high school quarterback. Last year he was fifth on the depth chart for the Oregon Ducks. This year he could be number two and heir to Marcus Mariota’s throne. Luck, combined with an infinite amount of drive and persistence, has allowed hometown hero Alie to rise from regular Eugene native to a nationally-ranked football team …

Recruiting Update: Griffin Runs 4.34/40 at The Opening

Mark Flores FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Football Recruiting News Recent Oregon commit Travis Waller (4-Star/Anaheim, CA/Rivals250) is silencing any remaining critics about the game he intends to bring to Oregon. The 6-foot-2, 195 lb. dual-threat has been turning at heads the Elite 11 quaterback camp held this past weekend at Nike’s Beaverton campus. “When you watch the ball (come out of his hand), he delivers it …

Oregon Football — What’s the ‘BIG’ Deal?

Randy Morse FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

  A great man is always willing to be little. Ralph Waldo Emerson Zach Okun isn’t the future of Oregon football — he’s the now. All 6’4″, 315 pounds of him. The Newbury Park, California, high school junior decided to end his recruitment process almost a year in advance of national signing day for the Class of 2015. In the time …

Scott’s Turf: Is Mark Helfrich a Better Recruiter Than Chip Kelly?

Scott Reed FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Is Mark Helfrich a better recruiter than Chip Kelly? That question has slowly crept into the minds of Duck recruiting fanatics as the early commitments have seemingly poured in over the last few weeks. Earlier this week, writing for Duck Sports Authority, I talked about the change in early commitments not being significantly different for the Ducks. At the time …

If You Build It, They Will Come … Right?

Dean Davis FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The Oregon Ducks’ success in recent years came at such a fast pace, that it hit Duck fans maybe too rapidly and just as hard. Their program went from zero to hero as fast as you can say, “We should have been in every National Championship since 2010 but let it slip in the most painful way to watch.” It …

The Huff-Kelly Reunion

Joe Kearns Analysis

It’s only year two of the Chip Kelly era in Philadelphia, and the Eagles have already overhauled their receiver group. They released three-time Pro Bowler DeSean Jackson and veteran slot receiver Jason Avant. They re-signed Riley Cooper and Jeremy Maclin. Then, they traded up in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft to select Vanderbilt’s Jordan Matthews, but the front …

From U.S. Soccer to the Ducks, It’s a Small World After All

Steven Holstad FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Americans are coming down with a severe case of World Cup Fever over the past week — and it has to do with team spirit. With the United States winning its first match against Ghana and playing Portugal to a draw, the national team has (so far) beaten the odds in the “Group of Death” and given the U.S. a …

Recruiting Update: We Got Ifo, Why Not Ofo?

Mark Flores FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Football Recruiting Commitments Oregon received a startling, yet not necessarily unexpected commitment in recent visitor Alex Ofodile (4-Star/Columbia, MO/Rivals250). A mid-west standout at wide receiver, Ofodile made the trek out west to visit the Ducks this past weekend. “It was definitely where I felt most comfortable,” said Ofodile. “I loved the facilities and all of that, but I just got …