Once again Oregon is heading into a pivotal matchup with Stanford. Oregon is going to be unranked in this game for the first time since 2008, but the same story line between them remains. In games with Stanford there is a long history of season spoiling between the two. From the early 2000’s until now whenever these teams played, one of …
This is a slightly shorter version of a full interview conducted with Eddie Pleasant. To read the full story, please visit Game On’s blog. Nothing came easy for Eddie Pleasant. The former Oregon Duck spent the first six years of his life growing up in Compton, one of Los Angeles’ toughest ghettos. But when Pleasant discovered his talent in football, he decided …
Vernon Adams was given an impossible task — be the quarterback who replaces Marcus Mariota. Media and fans tried to temper expectations, but it was clear from early on; no one said they expected Adams to be Mariota, but secretly they were evaluating his performance based on the same standards — winning the first Heisman Trophy in school history can …
Mike Merrell’s Three-and-Out There’s no doubt about it — Chip Kelly changed the game of college football and Oregon was blessed to have him during his short tenure. But there’s a segment of Oregon football fans who have taken it a step further and anointed the Chipster with sainthood. It seems that in everything from recruiting to play calling, anything …
There are some things that everybody who has anything to do with athletics should learn, and this holds true for athletes, coaches, friends, family and fans. Two of these things are winning with grace and losing with grace. The Ducks won this weekend, taking down Colorado, 41-24. The win was a relief after the previous week’s drubbing from Utah, but …
Confusion. Okay, now that I’ve answered the entire question of the article I guess I’ll just go home … … Kidding. But seriously, confusion is the only appropriate answer for how the Ducks game unfolded. Over the course of this article, I will do my best to shine a light on some controversial moments, but trust me, I am not …
Everyone knows that Oregon goes fast. Duck football is synonymous with speed and tempo and heaps and heaps of points. This article, however, will delve into the mental aspect of the uptempo pace the Ducks have favored is seasons past, as experienced by the Ducks’ opponents. I want to know if there is a hangover effect from playing the Ducks. Before we go …
In a tale of two games filled with back-and-forth uncertainty, there was one single moment when it appeared the dam holding back the tide of Oregon’s offense would crumble, that despite all the challenges the Ducks faced beforehand, the points and yards were about to flow downhill. That moment was punctuated by, arguably, the most miraculous plays Oregon made against …
Mike Merrell’s Three-and-Out Adversity develops and reveals character much more than pleasant trips to the beach. That’s just one of the inconveniences of living on Planet Earth. So when your team loses on the road by a field goal to a top five team, what do you do to show the world who you are? For too many Oregon fans, …
This is the story of how Oregon fan Waylon Coy got the experience of a lifetime with Heisman trophy winner Marcus Mariota. Mariota had an unforgettable last season with the Ducks, which led him to win myriad awards, including the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award. Marcus was to receive the Golden Arm on Friday in Baltimore, about an hour’s drive from where I live. The media …
Back before Marcus Mariota, Darron Thomas, and even before Dennis Dixon, Oregon had another famous quarterback or two. Of this lot, only Joey Harrington had Oregon’s interest from birth. Born to former Oregon quarterback John Harrington, Joey’s potential was recognized immediately by his dad’s old head coach Len Casanova. Casanova sent his congratulations to his former quarterback on becoming a …
When did it happen? When was it that we stopped hoping to win and started expecting to win? Was it the pick in ’94? Nah, too early. Was it our #2 ranking after 2001? Nope, but we’re getting closer. Expecting wins is a more recent trend, but it’s not unreasonable. Unless you’ve been living in a hole for the past …