The Freshman Factor

Caleb Couturie FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

I don’t even try to keep it a secret that I’m absolutely enamored with this freshman class. Royce Freeman, Darren Carrington, Devon Allen, Charles Nelson, Doug Brenner and Aidan Schneider have all made their own significant impacts on the Ducks’ 2014 season. In fact,one could make the argument that without these guys the Ducks wouldn’t have a shot at playing Florida …

Oregon, Pac-12 Need Statement Wins In 2014 Bowl Season

Paul Jones FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

For the Oregon Ducks, it’s about more than just being the one of the first four. This is a chance to solidify their legacy as one of the premier programs in all of college football. They have their first Heisman, their second Pac-12 Title in four years, and national recruits sporting the green and yellow from Florida to Hawaii. Oregon, as …

Depth and Stars Matter at Florida State

Randy Morse FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Florida State, Oregon’s opponent in the upcoming Rose Bowl on January 1st, knows how to win. An established football tradition and excellent coaching are complemented by top recruiting classes attracted to the school of 32,000 in Tallahassee, year after year. As the ‘Noles prepare for their showdown with the Ducks, they have not-so-quietly put together the nation’s second-ranked 2015 recruiting …

The Weekend in Award Shows

Nathan Roholt FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

I try to avoid award shows. In 2014, there is this device called “The Internet” that tells us who the winners of awards are around the time of their issuing. In fact, the fact that award shows still pull ratings in the internet age is one of the great achievements of television production and marketing. But this year is different. With Oregon …

Big 12’s Big Problems Could Impact Pac-12

Mike Merrell FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Mike Merrell’s Three-and-Out Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby wishes someone would have told him ahead of time that his conference would be punished for not having a championship game. It’s a sad fact of life: Some things you just have to figure out for yourself, and that one shouldn’t have been too difficult. The truth is, the Big 12 tried …

Oregon’s Title Chances of the 21st Century

Will Denner FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

With another National Championship at stake, the 2014 Ducks are attempting to accomplish something that no team before them in program history has done successfully. Under the new College Football Playoff system, the Ducks are one semifinal win away from returning to the title game, which would be their first appearance since 2011. Although that 2010-2011 team was the first to …

Score? Not Against the Oregon Defense!

Dave Kensler FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

While final scores do not always indicate as much, most people agree that heading into a bowl game — as in the case of Oregon vs Florida State in the first ever College Football Playoff Semifinal — the initial advantage is to the defense. Why? Because it will be nearly a month since either team will have played a game, …

After 120 Years, Maybe This Is the Season

Omar Garibay FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The year was 1894. What were people doing in 1894? They weren’t on the internet and it’s certain that Twitter didn’t exist back then — and what about touch screen phones and GPS systems — did they exist? Nope. Technology was pretty much unheard of during that time. Most people were probably reading newspapers and using this device called the typewriter. But in …

Oregon Ducks Using Secret Weapon For Training?

Jason Fowler FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The Oregon Ducks football team is one of only a few NCAA teams using a high-tech GPS device for training and practicing purposes called the Catapult. This device helps coaches and trainers keep track of their athletes in ways that haven’t been possible until now. So, you’re wondering what the Catapult is. Well, the product’s website catapultsports.com says, “Catapult is a physiological/biological monitoring …

Losing Sweat Hurts, But Ducks Will Overcome

Caleb Couturie FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Just like those associated with Ohio State, Virginia Tech, Georgia and others, I too was swept up in the Josh Sweat madness. The five-star prospect chose Florida State, a team both close to home and with a recent history of winning. The decision made sense, but at the same time it stung a little. Why didn’t he want to be a …