This morning I interviewed Marcus Mariota and Hroniss Grasu at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex after practice. One of the biggest topics of discussion going into this week’s game against Cal is how preparing for a Friday game is affecting the players. The boys, as well as the fans, are all used to a Saturday battle (and a Thursday every now and …
Hroniss Grasu Previews Cal Match-Up
FishDuck.com writer Omar Garibay-Diaz spoke with Oregon’s starting center Hroniss Grasu Tuesday outside the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex. The time has almost come. Friday the Oregon Ducks will march down to Santa Clara to face the Cal Golden Bears in the first-ever college game at Levi’s Stadium. Last year, the Bears only won one game all season under new coach Sonny Dykes and freshman …
Ducks to Open Up Playbook, Says Hroniss Grasu
Hroniss Grasu spoke with Ashley Young of FishDuck.com at the on-campus press conference at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex Tuesday. Heading into this week’s rivalry game against the University of Washington, Grasu explained that communication and tempo are crucial parts of the Ducks’ game plan for Saturday. “If we are running the ball well, it’s going to open up the entire playbook for us,” …
What We Learned: Win Loss Records Always Lie
Another week of college football behind us, and more of the unbeaten have fallen. New titans emerge as we dispose of last week’s heroes, wringing out Wildcat and Tiger hopes like rags soaked in day old dishwater. How does it feel, Arizona and Auburn? Yesterday’s news doesn’t generate clicks or the mighty consumer’s eyeballs, so be gone with you until …
How Royce Freeman Saved Marcus Mariota: Oregon Spread Offense Pass Protection
I know you’re shaking your head at my title; “Charles is shameless in how he tries to get hits.” There is truth in the shameless part, but there is also truth in how Royce Freeman made a huge play to help his teammates score a touchdown AND protect his quarterback, Marcus Mariota, from serious injury. Coach Tony Hoolulu in Hawaii …
Hroniss Grasu Eager to Quiet the Doubters
If you’re a Duck fan, you know that feeling — that of complete and utter hopelessness watching your team blow its playoff and title chances in a Week 4 matchup against lower-tier Pac-12 North foe Washington State. Then you shared the feeling after the game, where you let out a deep sigh of relief and thanked the heavens your Ducks were heading …
Embrace the Uncertainty
What will the 2014 season look like? After eight months of speculating, the first part of that question will be answered this Saturday. Those outside of the Oregon program seem certain everything will be just resemble the Ducks we’ve seen much of the past five seasons; the favorite in the Pac-12, and a contender for a playoff spot come January. …
Who “Won” the Summer?
As a college football season, this is the worst time of the year. We haven’t had football in months, and our patience has run thin in anticipation. Spring games are fun and all, yet they are like giving a sip of water to someone who hasn’t had a drink in days: It’s just not enough. The only news that has …
Oregon’s High-Speed Offense Shows No Sign of Slowing Down
The Oregon Ducks’ dynamic high-speed and high-tempo offense has been truly amazing to watch during the last several years. With a brilliant mix of veteran talent and developing young stars looking to make names for themselves in the 2014 season, the Ducks show no sign of slowing down. Fortunately, the 2014 version of the Oregon offense will include several crucial veteran returnees from …
Like It or Not, the Pressure Is on for Mark Helfrich
After just one season in which his team posted an .846 winning percentage, Mark Helfrich is under significant pressure from many fans who doubt his ability to lead the Oregon Ducks to a national title. Such is the life of a head coach of a perennial top-ranked program. The intense scrutiny is nothing new for Helfrich, who inherited the impossible …
The Past Is the Past: How Chip Kelly Comparisons Are Useless
For Oregon football fans, the past season has been a unique time. For starters, in the last season of the BCS era, Oregon’s incredible four-year streak of playing in BCS bowls was snapped. It was also the first year for new head coach Mark Helfrich. While he had the best debut season ever for an Oregon coach, some fans still …
Doug Brenner: Offensively Good
Doug Brenner is a rarity of sorts when it comes to the Ducks. It has nothing to do with skill sets or voluminous hair like Troy Polamalu, and everything to do with where he’s from. And that would be … the state of Oregon! Considering this is the University of Oregon, one would assume (incorrectly) that the team would have a …