Never has there been a sport where a team’s future can change so quickly year after year after year. Just 12 months ago, the addition of Payton Pritchard seemed like a great get for Coach Dana Altman and his Oregon staff. After all, they had Dylan Ennis, Casey Benson, and Tyler Dorsey, who could all play the point. And even …
“The difference is night and day.” This answer from a high school coach in Washington stunned me when I asked about the difference in Oregon Spring Football compared to years in the past. This is the time of year when coaches come in from across the nation to meet the Oregon coaches, “talk football” and watch the practices and drills. …
The two previous football seasons were torture for Oregon fans. Our expectations of winning, even the national title, were crushed as mediocrity, confusion and mistakes became the norm, replacing the dominance, resourcefulness and the high-scoring Ducks performances we had become so accustomed to. The Ducks’ 2016 defense became a doormat of Division I teams. Another year in sports is fast unfolding. …
With at least five key players gone from this year’s team, the Ducks will reload with a bunch of highly touted freshmen and transfers and one ‘Glue Guy’ who may emerge as a star. Keith Smith, the guy who scored the final two points of Oregon’s 2017 season will likely have a huge impact on next year. Smith showed up …
I am often surprised by these Spring scrimmages, but this one was for different reasons than you might think; this is a new offense, and the defense is improved and frankly things are progressing faster on both sides of the ball than I anticipated. Oh, sure – after freezing in Eugene last week from big pelting raindrops and hail – …
While the Oregon men’s basketball team fell just short of the pinnacle of college basketball this year, there is still a lot to be said of what this destined group did. I seemed to be the only person I knew who had them winning it all in my bracket, and I thought for sure that they would shock the world (and I would …
Just as it did last year, the next few months will determine a lot about how far Oregon’s roster can take the Duck basketball team in 2017-18. Here’s a guide to what we know, rumors we’ve heard and what’s likely to happen. What We Know The departures of Chris Boucher and Dylan Ennis will open up two scholarships. Three more …
Today was very special to me, as it was the first true open spring practice that felt like what we experienced years ago. The traditional parts of spring practice kept popping up to remind me of – “remember this?” I look up to see the osprey bringing food to the nest on top of one of the lighting poles and …
Sitting in purgatory, more commonly known as Bay Area traffic, I had ample time to reflect on the bumper sticker on the car now parked in front of me. “Remember who you wanted to be?” it asked. That’s actually an incredibly loaded question for a weekday. Astronaut … poet … rock star, for most people. The list is extensive. That …
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 …
Processing what just happened in Arizona may take a little while, but Oregon’s coaches are undoubtedly ready to turn the page and get on with continuing to build the program. With a little luck like they had last year, the 2017-18 Ducks could have even more depth, experience and talent. It’s incredible but true. We’ll take the stance that everyone …
We all remember the losses and as coach Dana Altman said, ‘This one’s going to hurt for awhile.’ But there’s so much to be proud of this team for, and so much to look ahead to. The pre-season Oregon started the season with Chris Boucher on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Injuries hit them early, and they played without Dillon …