Steve Francis
Football Recruiting
Recruiting Trail
Just hours following the latest edition of the War, head coach Mark Helfrich and Co. hit the road for the postseason recruiting cycle. With another regular season in the books, Oregon will begin shoring up our 2014 class and look to the future as high school juniors transition into their final prep campaign.
His first season at the helm in the books, Helfrich made a cross country trek to check in with top Oregon prospects Taj Griffin (4-Star/Powder Springs, GA/Rivals100) and Chuma Edoga (4-Star, Powder Springs, GA/Rivals100). The high school teammates have been the focal point of a relentless McEachern High rushing attack seeing Edoga pave the way for Griffin’s mix of speed and athleticism.
With Griffin being perhaps the top pure athlete at the prep level since De’Anthony Thomas, Oregon will make no secrets of its handling of the recruiting process with the 5-foot-10, 170 lb. Griffin. Simply put, Helfrich and offensive coordinator Scott Frost will pull out all the stops in their effort to bring the southeast speedster to Eugene.
Following an in-home visit, initial reports coming out of the southeast indicate that Oregon may already have a leg up on landing both preps as Helfrich was nothing short of dynamic in the meeting, so stay tuned!
Wide receiver Eric Lauderdale (4-Star/Mission Viejo, CA) landed an Oregon offer following a productive season at the JUCO level. At 6’2, 200 lbs., Lauderdale is well rounded and could compete for playing time if he opts to join the Ducks. Wide receivers coach Matt Lubick will entertain a visit from Lauderdale after the new year in what could be a huge stepping stone to gain a serious look from the up-and-coming receiver.
Oregon’s expected dominance in the Alamo Bowl could go a long way in recruiting out of the southwest. One such prep who will no doubt tune for the clash in San Antonio, athlete Frank Iheanacho (4-Star/Houston, TX/Rivals250), is gearing up for an Oregon visit later this week.
“I’m going to… Oregon on Friday,” said Iheanacho. “Coach (Tom) Osborne was by to visit me on Tuesday. He’s a cool dude and he tells me how it is straight up. I like how he doesn’t promise me a starting spot but tells me there is opportunity if I show up and work hard.”
Iheanacho’s 6-foot-7, 220 lb. frame is nothing to scoff at as he could instantly contend for a starting role at multiple positions. While he spent much of his prep career at wide receiver, Iheanacho could easily find his way to the defensive line as a drop end when all is said and done. WTD!!!
To view Iheanacho 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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Mark Flores, a Salem, OR resident, is a Firefighter/Paramedic and an avid Oregon Ducks fan. Prior to the fire service, Flores, a graduate of nearby Corban University, spent over seven years in professional journalism including a stint at the Statesman Journal in Salem and held the position of Sports Editor for the Hilltop News (Corban). A career transition however never dampened his love of writing and FishDuck is now his source to share his love of Mighty Oregon. Flores brings detailed knowledge of Oregon recruiting to the FishDuck team and welcomes your feedback.