Good ole’ figures of speech such as “going down swinging,” “take a roll of the dice” and “gotta’ be in it to win it” didn’t apply to the Ducks on Saturday. The Ducks offense was the equivalent of a baseball team whose batters stood at the plate all game long with the bat firmly resting on their shoulders. They were …
This fall, we have often used examples of the poor technique by the Oregon defense to help learn more football. However, the Utah game showed us glimpses of how Jimmie Swain is emerging as a solid player for the future of the Duck defense. He’s becoming a legit Pac-12 starting linebacker (good enough to be a defensive strength, instead of …
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: …
The University of Oregon has become a hotbed for awesome talent. Since 2010, the school has turned into a football powerhouse, attracting athletes from all across the country. The best players are often times recognized on a national scale. Guys like Marcus Mariota and Royce Freeman were known by every person in America last year. But those guys are not the entire team, and it would be …
Part of the benefit of playing as a true freshman is the experience a player gets early in his college career. Such is the case with Justin Hollins, an outside linebacker who will see an increased role after limited action last season. You may not be familiar with the name, but get used to hearing it in 2015 and beyond. Hollins was …
With the departure of linebacker Tony Washington, Oregon’s linebacking corps needs a new leader. Redshirt senior Rodney Hardrick has the ability to become that leader. I met up with Hardrick to discuss what the future of Oregon’s linebackers looks like. Daniel: It is a very young linebacking crew with [Tony] Washington gone. What are the young guys doing in order to get ready? …
FishDuck.com sports reporter Jordan Ingram was at Monday’s Duck scrimmage and caught up with Jimmie Swain. Oregon’s linebacker position is stacked. While veteran seniors Rodney Hardrick and Joe Walker will most likely start at the inside linebacker positions, Jimmie Swain is working to make an impression during spring football practices and scrimmages. “By the end of spring, I just want all …
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 …
On Monday — March 30 — Oregon will begin its spring practices and the page officially turned from the greatness that was the 2014 season. There are several key story lines to keep an eye on as the Ducks begin preparation for the new football season. The offense often gets the majority of the accolades, and rightfully so, but the …
Mike Merrell’s Three-and-Out Lost in the excitement of the returning stars and the hope of stars to come is the quiet backbone of any football team. For the most part, these are the guys who didn’t grab the headlines their freshman years. They’ve been in the program for a year or two or three, possibly redshirting, biding their time behind …
Football Recruiting Interest The Midwest has never been known to be much of an Oregon recruiting hotbed, but fortunes may be changing as newly-minted Ducks linebacker Jimmie Swain (3-Star/Olathe, KS) is spreading the word about his new team. Swain’s junior teammate, tight end Josh Moore (3-Star/Olathe, KS) became very familiar with the Lightning Yellow & Thunder Green after the elder Swain started …
National LOI signing day is a lot like Christmas for those of us who follow recruiting. A few of us have rich parents and expect the world, while others come from blue collar families. All of us wake up early and wait in agony for mom and dad to come downstairs so that we can start opening presents. Sometimes, we …