Here I am, after nearly 15 months, writing my last article for FishDuck.com. I started before I even stepped foot on campus for my freshman year. Doe-eyed and terrified, I contacted Charles Fischer, an incredibly passionate Duck enthusiast who scared the crap out of me from the moment I started writing. My first article was good, but the title was awful and …
How the Ducks’ Season Was Completely Changed by Only 10 Points
So, I’m sitting here at my couch after watching the game, mouth agape because we actually just beat Stanford. The same Ducks who lost to the freaking Cougs at home just beat the playoff bound machine from Palo Alto. And the best part is that they did it on their terms. The Ducks ran the ball 36 times and threw …
Eddie Pleasant: Formerly Undrafted Safety Finds Home in Houston
This is a slightly shorter version of a full interview conducted with Eddie Pleasant. To read the full story, please visit Game On’s blog. Nothing came easy for Eddie Pleasant. The former Oregon Duck spent the first six years of his life growing up in Compton, one of Los Angeles’ toughest ghettos. But when Pleasant discovered his talent in football, he decided …
There Are Bright Spots Moving Forward
I won’t lie, it was hard. I stood nine rows back on the 20-yard line, surrounded by my fellow students and friends, watching the Ducks let opportunity after opportunity slip out of their grasps. We were wet and cold, but simultaneously numb to all other feelings but that of overflowing anticipation for the next snap. Would this be the down the …
What is the Appropriate Reaction to the Utah Game?
Confusion. Okay, now that I’ve answered the entire question of the article I guess I’ll just go home … … Kidding. But seriously, confusion is the only appropriate answer for how the Ducks game unfolded. Over the course of this article, I will do my best to shine a light on some controversial moments, but trust me, I am not …
Take It in Stride: Why It’s OK the Ducks Lost
Look, for starters, there are hundreds of reasons why it’s OK Oregon lost. There are the “excuse-y” reasons, like how the team was on the road against one of the toughest defenses in the nation — starting a QB who’s been with the offense for roughly a month now. There are the obvious reasons why it’s OK, like how Oregon lost …
Oregon’s All-Underrated Team for 2015: Defense
Last Sunday I explained the plummeting stock that analysts have in the 2015 Ducks, particularly members of ESPN. I then went on to highlight one player from every position on offense who was being overlooked or undervalued. Here we are one week later, and it’s time to do the same for our defense. Without further ado … OREGON’S 2015 ALL-UNDERRATED TEAM: …
There is No Right Answer When it Comes to Charles Nelson
Okay, so here’s the deal. Charles Nelson is just ridiculously freaking good. If you read my article on Sunday you can see what the Oregon coaches are saying about him, but here’s a quick recap if you didn’t: John Neal (the defensive backs coach) merely gawks at his uncanny ability to transition from offense to defense. Mark Helfrich (hopefully you …
Oregon’s All-Underrated Team for 2015: Offense
As a flagship program in college’s premier sport, football, Oregon faces consistent media scrutiny. If a team is able to find success, it is expected to maintain it. Oregon is no different, and in a year when the team loses arguably the best player it has seen this century, members of the media are eager to write Oregon off. ESPN.com releases an annual …
Thomas Tyner’s Injury Thrusts Spotlight on Royce Freeman … Again
For a second consecutive season, the Oregon Ducks will have to figure out a way to win without star RB Thomas Tyner. On Sunday, it was announced that Tyner will miss all of the 2015 season due to shoulder surgery, a blow to a Ducks’ offense already struggling to find an identity in the wake of Marcus Mariota‘s departure. Famous for their running …
Chip Kelly is Walking a Fine Line in the NFL
There’s a famous Johnny Cash song, way before my time but great nonetheless, that summarizes Chip Kelly‘s NFL off-season perfectly. Kelly is walking a fine line, and if he slips it could end catastrophically for the former Ducks coach. If he succeeds, he could revolutionize how GMs and coaches approach player management and personnel decisions entirely. Kelly’s off-season began with the higher-ups …
The Pac-12, Not the SEC, Will Be the Conference to Beat This Year
Okay, so I write for an Oregon Ducks sports blog, so what? I’m biased, that much is obvious, but there’s actual evidence that supports the title of this piece. Now that college football has finally moved to a playoff to determine a champion, the door has been opened for more teams to prove they can hang with the best, or in …