Football Coaches and Musical Chairs

Mike Merrell FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Mike Merrell’s Three-and-Out A long time ago I was presented with a riddle that involved a war in the Middle East and went something like this: You take a hand-held calculator and add up or multiply this and that representing the numbers of opposing forces, tanks, aircraft, etc. Based upon the numbers given, you come up with 14,215,469. Then you …

Oregon Football Analysis: The “Fast Screen” Going “Fast Pace”

Coach Jeremy McGuire Analysis, Fish Reports

The High Powered offense of the Ducks is predicated on many different facets, one of which is taking the easiest means necessary to move the football. At any point in the game, this Fast Screen can take flight. The Ducks want a high percentage play that will get yards and keep the defense guessing, and while the Fast Screen is not …

Recruiting Landscape Has Changed

Mike Merrell FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Mike Merrell’s Three-and-Out When Texas A&M’s Pat Henry complained about Oregon’s “unfair advantage” in hosting the NCAA Championships through 2021, he inadvertently called attention to the changing landscape of college athlete recruiting. Why Henry’s complaint is really about his position in the changing landscape of recruiting — rather than the advantage once on the track — is the subject of this …

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. …

“The Dutchman” and the Original Vertical Passing Game

Noah Smith Men of Oregon: Players and Coaches

In Oregon’s history, there have been many players and coaches of note — from coach Cal Young and his one-game inaugural season in 1984 to Chip Kelly and Marcus Mariota. Although most people say Mariota is the greatest Oregon player of all time, another man held that honor since the 1950s. Back in the era of leather helmets, the hero of …

My Top Five Oregon Offensive Players

Rory Davidson History

Oregon is certainly not Notre Dame or USC with their rich histories of great football, but we still have had our fair share of great players — from great running backs and wide receivers to a host of great quarterbacks. This is my list of the top five Oregon football players on the offensive side of the ball. 5/4. Bill Musgrave …

From Sleeping to Screaming: a Football Journey

Pat Pannu For the Fans

Duck Family Day is a new feature for every Saturday where Oregon fans share their stories of … being Oregon fans! Email charles@fishduck.com to share your experiences of you and your family and what it means to be a Duck fan. Pat Pannu has been a writer, editor, and supervisor for FishDuck.com and is extremely passionate about our beloved Ducks, the same as you. …

How Oregon Uses Constraint Plays to Stay One Step Ahead of the Defense

Alex Kirby Fish Reports

Analysts love to dissect Oregon’s many packaged schemes and option runs, offensive plays designed to take advantage of whatever the defense throws at them, with an answer for just about anything and everything. There is, however, another part of any offense that is just as crucial, sometimes referred to as constraint plays. Constraint plays force a defense to hesitate, to think a little …

Royce Freeman, Oregon Ducks

Unconventional Superstars — It’s Just the Oregon Way

Caleb Couturie FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Easily the most highly touted player to come out of college in recent memory, Andrew Luck checked all the boxes. At the combine he measured in at 6’4″ and a stocky 230 lbs, and every time he threw a football people swore you could hear the laces sing in pure awe and glory. Seriously, the guy was the living, breathing …

Oregon’s Receivers Are Poised For a Breakout Season in 2015

Omar Garibay FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The Oregon Ducks have revolutionized the way that college football is played, and for almost 10 years now, the Ducks have been the most entertaining team to watch. Oregon’s no-huddle offense, comprised of speed, great athletes and misdirection, has influenced many programs across the country. Chip Kelly, who is currently the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and one of …

Oregon Football Recruiting Analysis: An Inside Look at Defensive Tackle

Jason Fowler FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Finding an elite defensive tackle is difficult for most college programs. Most high-end prospects are found somewhere in the southeast region of the United States. Pulling one from the South to, say, Eugene, Oregon, is a significant challenge. Oregon rarely gets a serious look from elite tackle recruits, so when a blue-chipper mentions Oregon among his top ten schools, the fans get a …

Ducks’ Play-Making Defense the Most Consistent in Recent History

Joey Holland History

There is no question that the Oregon Ducks have become an elite team in college football. At first glance, it would appear that the program has its offensive prowess to thank for its recent success, and this is certainly true to an extent. The Ducks have posted at least 45 points per game in each of the past five years, and …