Recruiting Update: Mid-Summer Haze

Mark Flores FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

News Not unlike the smoky horizon of the west coast, the ’15-’16 recruiting cycle has settled into a mid-summer haze, seeing several key story lines move into a holding pattern. While much has been made of Bryce Youngquist’s (4-Star/Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rivals250) recruitment rapport with Eugene, the vaunted linebacker has finally given himself a deadline to announce his commitment. This coming …

Recruiting Update: Linebackers Keen on Oregon

Mark Flores FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

News Oregon’s recruiting haul over the last week is becoming the stuff of legends as the 2015-16 class is shaping up to be one of the greatest in school history. Linebacker LaMar Winston’s (4-Star/Portland, Ore./Rivals250) pledge to his home-state Ducks is already creating a ripple effect along the recruiting trail as several uncommitted preps are now on borrowed time in …

Recruiting Update: Altman Picks Romar’s Pocket

Mark Flores FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Football Recruiting Offers/Visits Taking a page from men’s basketball coach Dana Altman, linebackers headman Erik Chinander is looking north of the border to add to Eugene’s football wealth. Following a weekend visit, tabbed athlete Chase Claypool (NR/Abbotsford, BC) received a nod from Lightning Yellow and Thunder Green. “Oregon was pretty much the dream offer I wanted,” said Claypool. “I did a …

Recruiting Update: Oregon Raiding Deep in Enemy Territory.

Mark Flores FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Football Recruiting News/Visits Now in the heart of the spring season, Oregon’s focus is two-fold, seeing an influx of visitors to Eugene. On the field, linebacker depth is slowly beginning to mature. One person not slowing down at any pace, however, is position coach Erik Chinander as the second year headman is pushing hard to fill his stable of players for the …

Oregon Football: The “French” Connection

Jordan Ingram FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Jordan Ingram reporting for FishDuck.com at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. While the football forecast in Eugene seems a little cloudy at times, there is one position group that will give Duck fans a sunny outlook. The Oregon linebacker corps boasts the return of seniors Rodney Hardrick, Joe Walker, Tyson Coleman and Christian French, under the guidance of linebackers coach Erik Chinander. These football veterans have become …

Linebackers Development in Spring Key for 2015 Success

Aaron Lewis FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The Ducks begin spring practice in less than two weeks. As I wrote previously, most of the attention will be on who replaces the greatest player in Oregon history, but the Ducks should be just fine at the quarterback position next season. The position group that needs to make the biggest strides this spring is the linebackers. Last year’s Oregon defense, under …

Recruiting Update: Chinander Becoming Force

Mark Flores FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Football Recruiting News Oregon linebackers coach Erik Chinander is finding himself in elite company as one of the West’s premier recruiters. The 35-year old coach is being linked to some of the nation’s top recruits as the 2016 cycle slowly rolls out of the gate. Just to the south, outsider linebacker Bryce Youngquist (4-Star/Rancho Cucamonga, CA/Rivals250) received an Oregon nod and …

The Punisher: LB Fotu Leiato II Provides Spark for Linebacker Corps

Jordan Ingram FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Oregon’s linebackers have continued to demonstrate that the Ducks are just as physical as the next team: lean, mean, hard hitting terminators that pace just beyond the defensive line, chasing after the ball like a gang of wild pit-bulls. But one recent Oregon commit for the 2015 class, Steilcoom high school’s Fotu Leiato II, may change the definition of what it means to be a Duck …

Recruiting Update: Durant to Quack?

Mark Flores FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Football Recruiting Visits Oregon’s thunderous 44-10 win over a hapless Colorado squad gave all in attendance something to remember. Among the onlookers, top-ranked JUCO linebacker Davon Durant (4-Star/El Dorado, KS) came away with a new twist in his recruitment. “The visit was everything I expected,” said Durant. “I knew there would be nice stuff but that isn’t why I went. Oregon …

Oregon Football Recruiting Update: Chinander of the Corn

Mark Flores FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Football Recruiting News/Visits Inching closer to Senior Day, Oregon continues to add to the future with a late offer to a member of the 2015 class. Safety/corner combo Octavius Spencer (3-Star/Monrovia, CA) received an Oregon nod over the weekend and seems poised to pick the Ducks going forward. “(The Ducks) have actually been recruiting me the longest but they just offered,” said …

Recruiting Update: Preps Watch “11-Straight”

Mark Flores FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Football Recruiting Visits Oregon’s 11th straight victory over the “not-so-noisy northern neighbors” paid big dividends along the recruiting trail as several big names were in town to take in the spectacle that is Autzen Stadium. Among the visitors, tabbed athlete Tevis Bartlett (3-Star/Cheyenne, WY) found himself smack in the middle of Oregon’s plan going forward. “Coach (Don) Pellum and coach …

Most Valuable Coaches (Not Named Helfrich)

Steven Holstad FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

  Football is the ultimate team sport. There are 11 players on the field at once, all doing their part in a collective effort to either move the ball up the field, or get the ball back from the other team. For every quarter of football that is played, countless hours are spent by the coaching staff, as they prepare …