There are some interesting defensive tactics that appeared in the Alamo Bowl win in addition to the continued emergence of DeForest Buckner on the defensive line. His star has been rising and the trendline of his growth manifested itself again in the Oregon Spring Game. Let’s look at what he is doing so well, and how Defensive Coordinator Don Pellum …
Former Oregon Ducks basketball player Mike Moser continued his unconventional pursuit of becoming an NBA player on Saturday when he scored 17 points to go along with three assists, three rebounds and three steals for the Boston Celtics summer league team. His 17 points were second only to teammate Kelly Olynyk and he outplayed two lottery picks: Boston Celtics point guard Marcus Smart …
“Inebriate of air am I, And debauchee of dew, Reeling, through endless summer days, From inns of molten blue.” This is the second stanza from Emily Dickinson’s “Poem # 214.” Often referred to by the first line of the first stanza, this poem delves into what provides happiness to the soul. The voice of the poem is drunk on …
A great man is always willing to be little. Ralph Waldo Emerson Zach Okun isn’t the future of Oregon football — he’s the now. All 6’4″, 315 pounds of him. The Newbury Park, California, high school junior decided to end his recruitment process almost a year in advance of national signing day for the Class of 2015. In the time …
Thank you to all of the brave service men and women who defend — and have defended — our country and freedom. Without your service we would not have all that we have today. Here’s a Shout Out to America! But, thanks to those freedoms, it seems like a few players and coaches were taking their first amendment rights a little too …
A group of rich white men banded together because they didn’t want to pay taxes. No, not just recently. I’m talking about 238 years ago at the time of the American Revolution. The end result of that decision — which, if you’ve ever walked the Freedom Trail in Boston you know, was mostly arrived at in taverns — was the beginning of …
Football fans are stuck in the doldrums, and with no wind in their sails, they’re just waiting for the endless (month-long) break between mini-camp and training camp to end. Luckily you have us football writers, struggling furiously to generate enough hot air to fill those sails. Chip Kelly’s Eagles finished spring workouts full of smiles, with no drama (after the DeSean Jackson release and …
The off season for the Oregon Ducks football team has proven to be a little hectic, causing some fans to wonder what will happen to their favored program. With the unusual amount of transfers and departures in the off season, there are going to be questions about the depth of talent and concerns with the coaches retaining the scholarship players. I’m …
Juwaan Williams is a long way from home. Almost 3,000 miles away to be semi-exact. However, the distance hasn’t stopped him from making a big impression — on the Ducks. Williams hails from Tucker, Georgia, an unincorporated community in the northern part of the state. There, he attended the aptly named Tucker High School and became a star athlete. The …
Football Recruiting Commitments Yesterday morning, Oregon received some much needed news after several disappointing months on the quarterback front. Dual threat Travis Waller (4-Star/Anaheim, CA/Rivals250) committed to Mark Helfrich and Co. amid a long recruiting rapport that saw the Ducks offer Waller on June 21st. A long rumored Oregon lean, the 6-foot-2, 195 lb. do-it-all quarterback announced his decision via …
In a June 27 analysis, ESPN’s Ted Miller rated Oregon’s receivers as “We’ll see.” Ted awarded “Great shape” to receivers for Stanford, Arizona, WSU, USC, ASU and the Berkeley Bears. UCLA, Utah, Washington, OSU and even Colorado got “Good shape.” That left only Oregon to receive the dreaded “We’ll see.” Einstein and I disagree. Just as the theory of special …
There’s a lot more to defensive football than many people realize, as this isn’t a little kid’s soccer game with a herd of midgets chasing the ball. What coaches refer to as run fits are more like a well-choreographed dance. Run fits are the defensive responsibilities given to particular players in attacking a blocker or ball carrier either to the inside …