Recruiting Hits & Misses on Defense Have Led to the Recent Collapse

Jason Fowler Recruiting

Statistically there is no denying how low the Oregon Ducks football team has gone on the defensive side of the ball. The cause of this rapid decline can be blamed on poor coaching, lack of buying into the system or the increase in talent for other schools to make the Pac-12 more balanced top to bottom. Those ideas are intriguing …

Oregon’s All-Underrated Team for 2015: Defense

Caleb Couturie FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Last Sunday I explained the plummeting stock that analysts have in the 2015 Ducks, particularly members of ESPN. I then went on to highlight one player from every position on offense who was being overlooked or undervalued.  Here we are one week later, and it’s time to do the same for our defense. Without further ado … OREGON’S 2015 ALL-UNDERRATED TEAM: …

Top 7 Ducks Underclassmen

Jason Selby FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

It’s always nice to have youth, especially in the ever-evolving world of college football. With youth comes great excitement and thrill. Typically, the goal is to have the younger athletes learn from those that have been there before them, in the hope of providing both short-term stability and long-term longevity. In my most recent article, An Oregon Ducks Dynasty in the Making, …

An Oregon Ducks Dynasty in the Making

Jason Selby FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Dynasties are defined by long-term success and longevity. Programs at Alabama and Ohio State have defined what it’s like to have success, displaying the ability to adapt to new challenges every year. Right now, whether fans realize it or not, the University of Oregon Ducks’ football team is on the cusp of greatness. Molded by seven 10-win seasons in a row, Pac-12 dominance, and big-game wins; …

In Defense of the Ducks Defense

Jay Garnett FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

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 …

Ducks Defensive Line Ready to Push Back

Jason Selby FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

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 Game Shows Flashes of Both Good and Bad

Caleb Couturie FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Football is back, baby. Sure it was just the Spring Game but, hey, we’ll take it! In the annual classic, Team Oregon (White) faced off against Team Pathway (Green). A full list of the rosters can be found here. While it was certainly no regular season game, players came out hard and fast. It was the team’s first game without many …

Getting Chatty With Austin Maloata

Austin Willhoft FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The defensive line is one aspect of football Duck fans don’t really discuss that heavily throughout the off-season, pre-season or even during the season. Going into this season, Oregon is without the services of DE Arik Armstead who was a behemoth on the line and would make great plays when the team needed him. The addition of incoming freshman DE Canton …

Meet the 2015 Impact Freshmen

Steven Jackson FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

It seems as if every year, one or two incoming freshmen burst onto the scene and emerge as key players for the Ducks by the end of each season, and in some cases even crack the starting lineup. Last year that impact freshman was running back Royce Freeman, who started his freshman campaign on fire, rushing for 2 touchdowns in …

2015 Could be the Best Ducks Defense in Years

Caleb Couturie FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Last year Oregon’s defense was characterized by a bend not break mentality, allowing a ton of yards but keeping their opponent out of the end zone. It worked, evident by their 13-2 record, but it wasn’t perfect. After the departure of six starters on defense, Oregon is now in a peculiar position. To some, 2015 might seem like a scary …

Spring Practice Update: Alex Balducci Talks Technique and Leadership

Nik Brownlee FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Jordan Ingram interviewed Oregon Football defensive lineman Alex Balducci yesterday for FishDuck.com at the University of Oregon Hatfield-Dowlin Complex. It’s not often that linemen make the headlines, especially for the Oregon football team. With such a potent offense, the Ducks’ defense often gets overlooked. However, many fans got to know the impact players on that side of the ball; Ifo …

Dynamic Duos: Buckner and ?

Jonathan Cervantes FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Throughout the history of sports there have been great dynamic duos. Montana and Rice, McNabb and Owens, Jordan and Pippen just to name a few. But on January 13, 2015, Eric Armstead (one the most crucial players on defense last season for the Ducks) declared his intention to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL Draft one year early as a …