FishDuck.com sportswriter Ashley Young caught up with quarterback Jeff Lockie after Monday’s spring practice, getting his thoughts on the upcoming spring game. With the battle for the starting quarterback position stacked with candidates, Saturday’s spring game will be substantially important for redshirt junior Lockie. Vernon Adams will not be arriving on campus until summer, which means that now is the …
Coach Helfrich Has Faith in ‘Next Man Up’ Mantra
Oregon’s spring game is less than three weeks away, and there is still much to be done to prepare, but head coach Mark Helfrich seems far from worried. My colleague Ashley Young met up with Helfrich to discuss what comes next for Oregon’s practice. Naturally, the first thing brought up was the impending quarterback battle. At this point, there has …
Ty Griffin — Playmaker Extraordinaire
There is a lot for coaches and fans to focus on during spring practices, such as who will step up in the secondary, what true freshman will make an impact, and most importantly, and who will be the starting quarterback in 2015? The Ducks might have too much of a good thing at the quarterback position. Oregon has leadership experience …
Ty and Taj Griffin, a Brotherly Duo?
As most fans know, the Ducks have had a plethora of players transfer to the University of Oregon this off-season. Among those transfers, two that stand out are Ty Griffin and Vernon Adams, Jr. There has been a lot of buzz around Adams, due to his amazing 2014 season with the Eastern Washington Eagles, where he had a total of …
Scheming up a Storm
Oregon had something they haven’t had at any time in recent memory this past season; a potent passing game. Since Mark Helfrich has taken over the reigns from Chip Kelly, the Ducks’ passing attack has gotten stronger every season, culminating in the performance we saw last season. This unprecedented aerial proficiency led to the most balanced attack Oregon has had …
Quarterback Depth Chart Taking Shape This Spring
Spring football is a wonderful time of year as a fan. The hype machine is in full swing heaping out-sized expectations on early enrollees (e.g., Canton Kaumatule ) and highly recruited second-year players who are looking to take a jump to the next level (e.g., Arion Springs). Additionally, as fans, you get an opportunity to read way too much into every …
Identity Crisis: Byron Marshall With Something to Prove?
The Oregon Duck‘s star WR and RB, Byron Marshall, is looking to make a name for himself during his senior year. After leading the Ducks in rushing yards as a sophomore and then in receiving as a junior, it is clear to see that Marshall, much like Liam Neeson’s character in Taken, has a very special set of skills. These …
Helfrich with Spring Update: Lockie, Freeman, Physical Football
Jordan Ingram reporting for FishDuck.com from Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. The Oregon Ducks are midway through spring practices and just a few weeks away from their 2015 Spring Game on May 2nd. This morning, Oregon Head Coach Mark Helfrich provided FishDuck.com with a spring practice progress report on Jeff Lockie, Royce Freeman, and playing more physical football. 1. Physical Football Since the first …
Oregon’s QB Quandary: A Similar Situation?
It’s 2008. Oregon’s Heisman hopeful quarterback Dennis Dixon is off to the NFL, and the next man up, Nate Costa, has just suffered his second major knee injury. With two weeks before the season opener, left on the depth chart are sophomore pocket passer Justin Roper, a much heralded, but just arrived junior college transfer Jeremiah Masoli, and three true …
Keeping QB Battle Wide Open Fits Ducks’ Culture
I think most Oregon Duck football fans — this one included — would love to see a clear leader emerge this spring from the pack of contestants vying to replace Marcus Mariota as Oregon’s starting quarterback in 2015. That leader would then be pitted against incoming transfer Vernon Adams in a clear two-man race to be the Ducks’ 2015 field …
Morgan Mahalak on Jeff Lockie, Consistency and Having Fun
Jordan Ingram reporting for FishDuck.com at Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. Shortly after practice today, FishDuck.com was able to catch up with Morgan Mahalak to discuss his progress throughout the last couple weeks of spring practices. Earlier this week, Oregon Ducks Head Coach Mark Helfrich spoke about Mahalak regarding his progress in this past off-season and into spring ball. “He’s competing now. He’s giving himself a …
Jeff Lockie Ready to Seize Opportunity
In an interview for FishDuck.com on Wednesday, I spoke with Oregon quarterback Jeff Lockie at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene. The Oregon Ducks’ Spring practices into there second week, and while the players are happy to be back on the gridiron, Mark Helfrich and his coaching staff understand that things will look a lot different next year. Marcus Mariota‘s run in …