I have to admit, I really got off on Win The Day. WTD with wings. So cool. Yeah, go Ducks! I wish I had thought of that bit of advice when I was a young father. I would have used it on my kids before they turned two and were two steps ahead of their father. The motto that Chip …
Mike Merrell’s Three-and-Out If you had to pick three sore spots from 2015 Oregon football, quarterbacks, defense and the lack of a championship run would have to dominate the list. Those sore spots and what they mean moving ahead are the subjects of this week’s Three-and-Out. 1. Quarterbacks. The Oregon program has been criticized for bringing Vernon Adams in from …
Keeping with the Halloween theme that always accompanies late October, this analysis reviews the marvelous, monstrous sacks by Oregon Duck defensive linemen that took place during the Washington game. Oregon’s improvement pressuring the QB in its last contest was certainly a welcome sight. Here’s to hoping this keeps up Thursday night, and that the remaining season reveals the true sack monsters of Oregon. …
Think about this for a moment: the Ducks went to the National Championship with a first year defensive coordinator, first year linebacker coach, and a second year defensive line coach. Despite this youth among the coaching ranks, and despite being underreported by national media sources, the Oregon defense excels at creating turnovers, which is clearly a point of emphasis by the defensive staff. …
In the immediate aftermath of the systematic dismantling of the Oregon Ducks by the Ohio State Buckeyes in last year’s inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship Game, fans and analysts were left wondering: what’s next for this Duck program? ESPN’s KC Joyner published an article in the days following the title game debacle outlining exactly how the team was positioned heading …
While Duck fans know Oregon football for its high-powered, speed-kills offense, they also know the Ducks have a nagging need to get bigger and faster on defense. Enter Austin Maloata, a true sophomore defensive lineman looking to move up the depth chart this season. While he didn’t play much his freshman season, Duck fans should look out for his intimidating 300-pound frame, topped with …
The quarterback battle going on in Eugene has certainly received its share of local and national press, and justifiably so. The Ducks are replacing the single greatest player in program history, who also happened to occupy the single most important position on the field. While I do not want to diminish the importance of this position — indeed, Oregon cannot …
Finding an elite defensive tackle is difficult for most college programs. Most high-end prospects are found somewhere in the southeast region of the United States. Pulling one from the South to, say, Eugene, Oregon, is a significant challenge. Oregon rarely gets a serious look from elite tackle recruits, so when a blue-chipper mentions Oregon among his top ten schools, the fans get a …
The Oregon Ducks defense last season was very inconsistent, both dominating opponents and being dominated by opponents. The most obvious example is the juxtaposition between Oregon’s destruction of Jameis Winston and FSU and their own destruction at the hands of Ohio State. While the defense didn’t always play up to their potential, they did pretty well most of the year, …
Speed is synonymous with Oregon football. The Ducks do a fantastic job in maintaining that connection by recruiting athletes who fit their fast-paced style of offense. Last year, of the top five players signed by the Ducks, all but five-star Canton Kaumatule were on the offensive side of the ball. With the stockpile of speed and explosiveness in the Ducks …
Just as every fight starts on the feet, every play in football starts on the line of scrimmage. The outcome of every play is determined by the “big uglies” up front. Nothing was more evident about the above theory than the College Football Championship game against Ohio State. An article I wrote in the days leading up to the game titled The National Championship …
Spring practice is nearly halfway over, which means that it’s pretty much almost football season again. And with the season approaching with each passing day, the Oregon football team is preparing to defend its Pac-12 title and possibly make another run at a College Football Playoff berth. But in order to accomplish such lofty goals, a team must not only …