Oregon Football Recruiting Analysis: This Class is “Good,” not “Great”

Chris Charbonnier FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Recruiting is a merciless and often brutal component of the college football system.  There’s no reason to sugar-coat it: the past couple weeks haven’t been ideal for the Ducks.  This is not going to be another article about Budda Baker.  There are plenty of those.  The fact is Baker is a great player and a great kid with a chance …

The Heisman: Just Say NO!

Mike Merrell Editorials

With the 2013 football season behind us, the hype for the 2014 Heisman has begun, with Marcus Mariota at or near the top of the list.  My reaction is simple: Just say NO! It’s not that Mariota doesn’t deserve consideration for the Heisman.  Quite the contrary, it’s the Heisman that doesn’t deserve consideration from Mariota, or any of the other …

Don Pellum Chosen Over Host of . . . Interesting Candidates

Kim Hastings FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The University of Oregon announced this week that former player and long-time assistant coach Don Pellum would be taking over as Defensive Coordinator.  This following the recent retirement of even longer time coach Nick Aliotti.  All Ducks fans wish Coach Pellum the very best of luck in what we hope will be a long and successful tenure running Oregon’s defense. …

Coaching Carousel: The 5 Biggest Coaching Changes Around the Pac-12

Pat Pannu FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The off season always brings about a deluge of coaching changes around the college football world.  Some coaches get fired during the season, such as Lane Kiffin at USC, but aren’t replaced until the dust has settled on the final games of the year, while others, like our very own Nick Allioti, retire gracefully after long, successful careers. No matter the situation, …

The BCS is History, Will the Pac-12 Send the SEC with It?

Joey Holland FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

It has been fascinating to watch the college football world attempt to justify the myth that the SEC remained, by a large margin, the best conference in the country throughout the 2013 season.   In their eyes, this was the only (untouchable) view. This view has survived for a long time, and in fairness there have always been reasonably strong …

What Fans are Getting in Oregon Football’s 2014 Schedule

Nathan Roholt FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

With the Pac-12 schedule released last week, analysts everywhere have broken down, in detail, how the schedule will impact the 12 teams in the future.  While analysts break down how the schedule impacts each team on the field, I was curious about how the schedule shakes out for the Oregon fans.  (If you haven’t seen it yet, go here.) Let’s take …

A Wave of Change Engulfs the Football Program

Don Gilman FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Another football season has come and gone.  Overall, it was another successful run for the Ducks, even if they did not meet their ultimate goals.  Another 11-win season.  Another win in a bowl game.  Another top-ten ranking to wrap up the year. Mark Helfrich proved that he can handle the pressure of running a major college program, Marcus Mariota continued …

The Ballad of the Green Brigade

Kim Hastings FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

  Fighting Ducks against the sky These are men who jump so high Men who mean just what they say The brave men of the Green Brigade Trained to live on Husky meat Washington they’re sure to beat Men who fight by day and night Listen not, to Herbie’s hype Put silver wings on my son’s chest Make him one …

Four Ways the Oregon Ducks Have Changed After Chip

Josh White FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Leading up to the kickoff against Nicholls State, Duck fans were anxious to see what Oregon would look like under new coach Mark Helfrich.  Chip Kelly had led the program to previously unprecedented heights, and had done so using a unique and distinctive approach.  His trademark spread option attack put up staggering stats, and routinely churned out over 300 yards …

Why I Won’t Be Watching Tonight’s Game

Nathan Roholt FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

When watching any given college football game, my rooting interests tend to follow this hierarchy: 1)      Oregon Ducks 2)      Any significant underdog 3)      Pac-12 teams (excluding Washington and Stanford) 4)      Any outcome that turns college football on its ear Following this hierarchy meant last week was a very good week, starting with the Ducks winning their third straight bowl game …

The Unauthorized — yet Uncensored — History of FishDuck

Kim Hastings FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

People stop me on the street all the time with two questions:  Do you know that you have toilet paper on your shoe?”  And, “What is it like working for FishDuck.com?” Well, after more requests than I can count, I decided that it’s time to pull back the green curtain and let folks see the workings of our conglomerate that …