The Freshman Factor

Caleb Couturie FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

I don’t even try to keep it a secret that I’m absolutely enamored with this freshman class. Royce Freeman, Darren Carrington, Devon Allen, Charles Nelson, Doug Brenner and Aidan Schneider have all made their own significant impacts on the Ducks’ 2014 season. In fact,one could make the argument that without these guys the Ducks wouldn’t have a shot at playing Florida …

ESPN’s Ed Cunningham on Marcus Mariota: “I’m concerned about Mariota’s accuracy.”

Paul Jones FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

ESPN didn’t need any additional help from former Husky Ed Cunningham on the Championship Drive show on ESPNU this past weekend when he couldn’t decide if he thought Marcus Mariota is an accurate passer. On Sunday, it was “Mariota has accuracy issues.” Monday night, he’s now back to being an incredibly accurate passer. If it was just Cunningham, whose University …

Three Points of Interest for the Ducks vs Buffaloes Match-Up

Austin Willhoft FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Finally, it’s game day, ladies and gentleman — and a special one, as it’s senior day and the last home game of the season (and most likely Marcus Mariota’s last home game as well, as he’s expected to enter the 2014 NFL Draft). Here are three aspects to be cognizant of before watching Saturday’s game: 1. Pharaoh Brown’s Replacement There has …

Helfrich Expects Ducks to be Refreshed, Productive Saturday

Omar Garibay FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The Ducks’ “Win The Day” slogan embodies just about everything that the Oregon football team stands for. You win by any means necessary, and you focus solely on the task at hand. Oregon has been winning a lot this season, but it hasn’t been easy. Despite battling through injuries, and even losing a few key players for an extended amount …

Devon Allen Puts Distractions Aside to Focus on Colorado

Caleb Couturie FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Devon Allen, along with the rest of his team, has been through a lot recently. The two toughest defenses in the Pac-12 in back-to-back weeks would cause a lot of wear and tear for anyone, but for the Ducks, Stanford and Utah packed a special punch. If the injuries to Pharaoh Brown and Hroniss Grasu weren’t enough, the Ducks have …

Could Injuries Affect Oregon’s Hopes of Reaching the National Championship?

Austin Willhoft FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

During last Saturday’s game against Utah, the Ducks suffered some significant injuries to some key players. Cornerback Ifo-Ekpre Olomu left early in the game with a bad toe injury, while center Hroniss Grasu went down with a devastating knee injury late in the game. However, the most serious injury that occurred was that to tight end Pharaoh Brown, who was eventually …

Three Takeaways from Ducks’ Bye Week

Austin Willhoft FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Bye weeks have always been considered a good thing for any sport team, and this bye seems to be exactly what Oregon needs after a brutal game against the Utah Utes. The Ducks suffered significant injuries during the game — the biggest and most saddening was Pharaoh Brown‘s. The TE went down with a devastating season-ending knee injury. Plus, well-respected …

Catching Up With Ducks’ Head Coach Mark Helfrich

Omar Garibay FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

In a interview for FishDuck.com on Thursday, I spoke with Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex. After suffering a gruesome knee injury in the fourth quarter against Utah last Saturday, Pharaoh Brown was taken to the University of Utah hospital and had surgery a few days later. Helfrich said that Brown is no longer in the hospital and is officially in Cleveland with his mother. …

Catching up with Ducks Assistant Coach Tom Osborne

Austin Willhoft FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

It can be both a good and bad thing when a team has a bye week. For the Ducks, it’s more of a good thing as they were pretty banged up going into the Utah game last Saturday. Against the Utes, it seemed as if the “injury bug” continued biting Oregon’s key players such as center Hroniss Grasu, cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu and tight end …

Mariota Discusses Status of Injured Teammates Brown and Grasu

McKalie Bellew FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

FishDuck.com writer Ashley Young interviewed Marcus Mariota at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex today. This morning’s interview with Mariota was short and sweet, and focused on his teammates rather than the upcoming game against Colorado — the last game in Autzen Stadium this season! Did it go by super fast, or is it just me? The first teammate that Mariota was asked about was Pharaoh Brown. Mariota explained that …

Doug Brenner Looks to Seize a Great Opportunity

Omar Garibay FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

In an interview for FishDuck.com Thursday, I spoke with Oregon’s offensive lineman Doug Brenner at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex. Football is rough and rugged. It will often leave you with scars, sore muscles and bruises. In a season that has been full of injuries, no team knows that better than the Ducks. Although Oregon’s record indicates that they’re 9-1, which has them at …

Johnny Mundt: Opportunist Tight End

Michael Bigham FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

On September 14, 2013, Oregon played Tennessee in Autzen Stadium and Duck fans were worried. A new kid, Johnny Mundt started at tight end. Colt Lyerla, the normal starter, was missing because of undisclosed “circumstances.” There was no need for the fans to worry, though, as Mundt responded to the opportunity with a breakout game: five receptions for 121 yards and …