Today, we are going to compare two Oregon teams of the past with different offensive schemes against the same opponent and style of defense: the Michigan State Spartans (MSU). The 2015 Oregon Ducks (9-4) played MSU in the second game of the season, and the 2018 Oregon Ducks (9-4) faced MSU in the RedBox Bowl, our most recent game. After …
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 …
In his years at Oregon, Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert has cemented his place in the top tier of college players. Following the 2018 season, Herbert’s junior year, many speculated that he would declare for the NFL draft. This was not to be the case. Now, with Herbert returning to Eugene for his senior season, a great opportunity presents itself for the …
Sports fans are enamored with the star players of their favorite teams, often deifying them with stories passed from generation to generation. As a child, I knew Bill Walton was one of the greatest basketball players of all time without ever seeing him shoot a basketball, simply because his number hung from the rafters of the Rose Quarter. Currently, the …
Mark Helfrich and Chip Kelly led their respective teams to appearances in the Natty. “Fast, Hard, Finish” was their motto. They scored quickly and they scored often. The Oregon Duck offense was a sight to behold, but they couldn’t bring home a national championship. Enter Mario Cristobal, who promised to add a physical brand to the Ducks’ version of shock and awe. …
In recent history, Oregon Ducks football has been nationally recognized as having an exhilarating up-tempo offense, a reputation that has been intact since Dennis Dixon was under center. Drives lasting more than 90 seconds occurred as often as an eclipse. In recent years, the offense has slowed down in terms of tempo, but still has the ability to put up …
The final two years of Coach Mark Helfrich and then the singleton year of Coach Willie Taggart put quite the sour taste in many of our canard craws. After the feast, we endured discouraging famine. At times like these, it’s a good idea to zoom out some. Let’s get a little perspective on where we have come from as a …
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 …
Is Mario Cristobal entirely responsible for Oregon’s historic recruiting classes? Are there other people or factors that deserve our thanks, or should all the credit go to the current coaching staff? I’ve been thinking about all the variables that have to fall into place for a top recruit to choose the Ducks, and am curious if others have considered this, …
The 2019 college football season kicks off on August 24, 2019. One of the so-called “Week Zero” games will feature the Florida Gators attempting to chomp the Miami Hurricanes. (I’m not sure what the odds are for the game getting washed out by one of Mother Nature’s hurricanes…) Although hope springs eternal this time of the year, let’s be realistic. …
Stemming across the defensive line is a simple yet effective tactic that new defensive coordinator Andy Avalos will implement in the Oregon Duck defense. In short, stemming is a shift from the defensive line, right before the snap of the ball, used to confuse the offensive line. The better the defense is at recognizing the offense’s snap count, the more …
The 2018-2019 school year has concluded (not including summer, but who counts summer when there are no Duck sports?). The major sports are over for the year, and now it truly is the offseason. We have no scrappy basketball squads to watch on deep tournament runs, no underdog baseball teams to read about, no softball dance videos and no more …