Oh, how times have changed! Under former head coach Willie Taggart and current leading man Mario Cristobal, Oregon has undergone a complete recruiting transformation. Seemingly overnight, the Ducks have gone from good-but-not-great recruiting classes to king of the Pac-12 recruiting hill. In late July, still a month away from football season, the Ducks are already close to having a full …
Could Oregon Land a SECOND Elite QB Prospect?
Oregon is stacked at quarterback for the foreseeable future. Even though current starter and likely first-round NFL draft pick Justin Herbert will be gone after this season, the Ducks have former four-star prospect Tyler Shough and intriguing true freshman Cale Millen on deck. Furthermore, the Ducks recently secured a commitment from top-100 prospect Jay Butterfield, one of the best high …
Fast-Rising Oregon Target Turns Heads at The Opening
The term “freak athlete” is becoming a cliché in football circles. It seems like every other top-flight NFL draft prospect or high-ranking recruit is given the moniker. The reality is, with athletes today being bigger, stronger and faster than ever before, these “freak athletes” are just the new normal. But once in a while, even among this new caliber of …
Oregon’s in Battle for Most Important Recruit of 2020
Depth-building, culture-setting three-stars are the lifeblood of every college football program. Even Alabama signs its share of these prospects. But let’s be honest, it’s the five-stars that really get the blood pumping. Luckily for Oregon fans, the Ducks are closing in on a couple of five-star prospects, one of whom would be their second best wide receiver commit in program …
It’s Cristobal vs. Kelly for Talented Linebacker Prospect
Fair or not, Chip Kelly and Mario Cristobal will be compared to one another for years to come. The former was largely responsible for the most successful period of Oregon football, while the latter is trying to get the program back to where Kelly had it. Although Kelly is long gone and attempting to rebuild a different program, his shadow …
Oregon Swings and Misses on Top Recruiting Targets
Recruits have been flocking to Oregon, with four prospects committing in the past couple of weeks. With all of the momentum they’re building, many assume that the Ducks are right on track to at least match their recruiting success from the 2019 cycle, in which they finished with a top-10 class. But don’t be fooled. A flurry of three-star commits …
Finding Reinforcements for the Great Wall of Oregon
Elite offensive line play will always be the foundation of Oregon football under Mario Cristobal. The former lineman is one of the best in the business at coaching and developing pro-ready players at the position. That showed in 2018 when three of the Ducks’ five starting linemen made Pro Football Focus’ All-Pac-12 Team, with perhaps their best tackle Penei Sewell …
Oregon’s All in on Hidden Gem RB Recruit
Oregon’s all-time leading rusher Royce Freeman finally exhausted his eligibility after the 2017 season. That left the Ducks with the impossible task of replacing him in 2018. With few players on the roster with any experience, and expected starter Tony Brooks-James a questionable fit for Mario Cristobal’s downhill, between-the-tackles rushing attack, the school that has become “Running Back U” entered …
Taking a Pulse Check on Oregon’s Top Recruiting Targets
It’s hard to believe that this is supposed to be a relatively quiet time of the year for Oregon recruiting. It’s the evaluation period, so the Ducks are able to send 10 of their assistant coaches to visit the prospects of their choice. Of course, things have been anything but quiet. Top-100 quarterback Jay Butterfield and former top-50 defensive back …
Oregon’s Poised to Land a Big-Time Transfer
What if I told you that the Ducks aren’t finished adding pieces to their program-best, seventh-ranked 2019 recruiting class? While most of the news has revolved around the Ducks’ 2020 class, an elite 2019 prospect has re-entered the fold. Four-star cornerback* Chris Steele is back on the market, entering his name in the transfer portal after enrolling at Florida earlier …
Oregon Faces Recruiting Competition From an Unlikely Source
For a few years, there may not have been another school in the country that had the recruiting reach of Oregon. The Ducks filled up their classes with players from both the Southeast and the Pacific, doing whatever it took to level the playing field with the talent-laden programs east of the Mississippi. Unfortunately, this strategy has ruffled some feathers. …
Was Oregon’s Big Recruiting Weekend a Bust?
The spring game was billed as maybe the biggest recruiting event in Oregon history. Top prospects from across the country were courted like kings, as Oregon looked to move back into the upper echelon of the recruiting rankings. ScoopDuck predicted that the Ducks would come out of the weekend with as many as nine new commits, more than tripling the …