Relationships with coaches and teammates is something that transcends all sports. The bond between player and coach can have a lasting impact on both parties. Even though Willie Taggart hasn’t even officially coached him yet, 3-star wide receiver Darrian McNeal has faith in his bond with Taggart. A Man Amongst Men It all began when McNeal, who played at Armwood High …
Each year in the land of college football recruiting, there always seems to be at least one recruit who is a headline grabber. Whether it’s for his words or actions, the spotlight just seems to be on him. This year, that spotlight has been on 4-star athlete Deommodore Lenoir. Not just because he is one of the best players outright in the 2017 …
As a fan of college football, it’s sometimes easy to get lost in the sheer number of recruits and analyses given by coaches and teams during the off season. It can be hard to sort through the noise when sometimes all a dedicated fan wants to know is who is going to make plays next season. Who is going to be …
Not many people know a great deal about the bench players for Oregon Men’s Basketball. Many teams often see unfamiliar faces during blowouts or when coaches change strategy, for that matter. It’s important to realize that these guys, who can sometimes seem out of place on the court, are actually pretty darn good basketball players. As a role player coming …
The recruiting period is over, and now it’s time to analyze and reflect on the 2017 class. Incredibly, in the midst of doubt and scrutiny, coach Willie Taggart and his staff assembled a very respectable class in just seven weeks. It’s no secret that the headline recruits were the defensive ones, and they deserve a lot of recognition. Having young …
There have been a few changes in the land of Oregon basketball recruiting in the last couple of weeks. Head coach Dana Altman has consistently outmaneuvered other traditional big-name basketball schools including Arizona and Kansas to get three players for the 2017 class. Those three players include 5-star small forward Troy Brown, one of the biggest commits in the history of the program, and certainly since Altman has been in charge. …
Willie Taggart has settled into his new role at Oregon quite well. Despite the “hospitalized players” drama, hiring a new coaching staff and the pressure to bring Oregon back to compete for a PAC-12 championship, Taggart has delivered a solid 2017 recruiting class. His ability to bond and forge relationships with players has really shown during this offseason. The biggest takeaway I got …
Just as surely as Oregon Men’s Basketball has established a winning culture around Matthew Knight Arena, the football program is set to bring its recruiting game to a whole new level. Head coach Willie Taggart has brought in some incredible talent at the coaching positions, along with elite defensive recruits. National Signing Day is Feb. 1, and there is still a …
It’s been a wild journey this offseason in the landscape of football recruiting. Head Coach Willie Taggart has seen multiple class of 2017 recruits commit and/or decommit. That pattern is likely to continue as signing day approaches. Taggart’s plan to get Oregon back on track has some players looking elsewhere, while others appear on board with his ideology. A huge piece of …
As the Oregon men’s basketball team continues its impressive season, beating two undefeated Pac-12 teams, the Ducks 2017 recruiting class is starting to take shape. So far, it looks promising. The biggest news has been the signing of Troy Brown Jr., a 5-star small forward recruit from Centennial High School in Las Vegas, NV. Brown is the 17th-ranked player in the country, …
The sudden yet not totally unexpected firing of former head coach Mark Helfrich means more uncertainty for the Ducks’ 2017 recruiting class. With the Pac-12 North schools of Washington, Washington State, and Stanford all looking stronger, Oregon has to step up its recruiting strategy. The looming question for this Oregon team is what to do about the defense. How does Willie Taggart recruit players to a defense that …
The Oregon Track and Field program has a long history of attracting top tier talent. It has been that way for a while, from the days of Bill Bowman and Steve Prefontaine. There was definitely a noticeable presence of current and former Ducks at the 2016 Rio Olympics. After a disappointing end to the Men’s Cross Country season at the NCAA Cross Country Nationals, the team will …