Mike Merrell’s Three-and-Out Duck fans saw their fondest dreams and deepest fears unfold Saturday night in a victorious offensive battle against FCS Eastern Washington. The Ducks tied the NCAA record for most consecutive games (69) with at least one touchdown pass. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only passing record involved in the Saturday night scorefest. Eastern Washington receiver Cooper Kupp broke …
Unreasonable, Unrealistic? Or are Duck Fans’ Expectations the New Normal?
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 …
How the Ducks Will Stop the Soaring Eagles
Wow, are you fans ready for another season? I know I am. It is going to be hard to top last season, as we had the Heisman Trophy winner, won the Pac 12, and went to our first annual College Football Playoff Championship. The only way the season could have been better was if we had gone undefeated and won …
Oregon’s NEW Unexpected National Story
When I sat down in front of the television on Saturday for my Sportscenter fix, I could not believe my eyes: ESPN was spending a couple of minutes every hour during its broadcast announcing Vernon Adams as Oregon’s starting quarterback. What? That level of media coverage has never happened before to an Oregon quarterback, not even to St. Marcus. Does …
Putting a Wrap on Oregon’s Fall Camp
Fall camp for the Oregon Ducks wrapped up last week, and at long last, game week is upon us. But before we dive into Oregon’s much-anticipated matchup with Eastern Washington, we ought to break down just how fall camp went for these Ducks and take a look at the shiny new depth chart, released on August 28. In a video for …
Oregon’s Bend-But-Don’t-Break Defense: It WORKS
You have heard the comments in the stands; heck, you may have even said it yourself! “I hate Oregon’s bend-but-don’t-break defense. I hate how we only rush three, and we give up third-and-long way too often!” Many people say that without understanding the reasoning behind utilizing the bend-but-don’t-break defense, and how it complements the Oregon offense. Let’s take a closer look …
USC and ASU: The Mouths that Roared
Mike Merrell’s Three-and-Out By this time next week, half of the teams in the country will no longer be undefeated. As the season progresses and more teams fall, reality will set in for more and more fan bases — and coaches. Positive, confident outlooks are to be expected, but there are good reasons for coaches to know how far to …
Recent History Puts Royce Freeman on Heisman Trajectory
Over the past three years, Marcus Mariota made it easy to forget that Oregon football’s modern identity heavily revolves around a dominant running game. The Ducks have provided college football fans with some of the most explosive ground attacks in recent memory, featuring a long line of star backs. Although you could argue that there are two or three future …
Eight Bold Claims Eight Days Before the Season
As a student at the University of Oregon, and an avid football fan in general, I’ve been exposed to a lot of hearsay. So whether or not you agree with the claims made below, keep in mind that this is a list put together by what has come out of others’ mouths. With eight days to go until the Ducks kick …
Oregon Culture: The Men of Oregon
In Eugene, the days of losing seasons seem to be far in the rear-view mirror. With two national title appearances in five years, and a slew of BCS bowl wins under the program’s belt, the Oregon Ducks have ascended to the top of the college football landscape. Without a doubt, Oregon has one of the most talented rosters in college …
Teams Ready to Take a Dive: 2015 Swimsuit Edition
Mike Merrell’s Three-and-Out This is the third annual preseason report on teams that I don’t think are going to live up to the hype. Why bother to read another preseason projection? So far — for 2013 and 2014 — I’m 5 for 6 in picking overrated teams. And this is the swimsuit edition. Or is that “addition” — hard to …
Oregon’s All-Underrated Team for 2015: Offense
As a flagship program in college’s premier sport, football, Oregon faces consistent media scrutiny. If a team is able to find success, it is expected to maintain it. Oregon is no different, and in a year when the team loses arguably the best player it has seen this century, members of the media are eager to write Oregon off. ESPN.com releases an annual …