Elite offensive line play will always be the foundation of Oregon football under Mario Cristobal. The former lineman is one of the best in the business at coaching and developing pro-ready players at the position. That showed in 2018 when three of the Ducks’ five starting linemen made Pro Football Focus’ All-Pac-12 Team, with perhaps their best tackle Penei Sewell …
Concussions are a simple fact in competitive sports. Every athlete is in danger of getting hit by a another athlete, the ball or the ground each time they step onto the field or court. Below is a chart that lays out the potential for a concussion within each major sport. I was stunned when I saw the information in the …
(To the tune of Maggie’s Farm by Bob Dylan) I ain’t goin’ to work on Emmert’s farm no more. No, I ain’t goin’ to work on Emmert’s farm no more. He hands you a nickel! He hands you a dime! Coach is makin’ millions, From my body on the line. The fans, it’s me they adore. No, I ain’t goin’ to …
Blur. No huddle. Hurry-up. These were the defining characteristics of Chip Kelly’s hyper-exciting offense. But was that the whole story? Kelly perfected a strategy that forced lumbering defenders to make split-second decisions in space, play after play, with little or no rest intervals. That much is clear. But what made his offense revolutionary was its relative simplicity, transferring a “shell …
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on … the Ducks? Calling Chris Steele’s recruitment a roller coaster ride would be the understatement of the year. The talented defensive back has given new meaning to the term “media circus,” as his indecision has everyone following the saga completely dumbfounded. By now, you know the story. A one-time …
During this summer hiatus and before fall camp bursts into view, let’s explore our first vital intersectional football game. The Ducks’ early matchup against the Auburn Tigers offers a huge opportunity to launch Oregon into the limelight of prominence — with a win. Lose, and here we go again … hype happens! While one game a season does not make, …
During last year’s Arizona game, Dillon Mitchell touched the ball on a crossing route, then got hit by Arizona’s Tristan Cooper and the ball went flying away. Mitchell fell to the turf and stayed there. Then what? This article is going to cover the Standard Assessment of Concussion (SAC) test. It’s a one-page test that will give us an idea as …
The evolution of recruiting has rocked college football. Never have fans been so heavily invested in the lives of high school athletes, tracking their every tweet, interview and lunch stop until they sign their letters of intent. In this recruiting-dominated landscape, it’s easy to forget that acquiring top-tier talent on paper doesn’t guarantee success. So what does this mean for …
Few things excite old-school football purists more than a well executed power run. The simple play encapsulates everything that they believe the game of football represents: strength, toughness, brute force and sheer determination. But there’s more to football than bone-crushing blocks and head-rattling collisions. Someone should tell Mario Cristobal. The Ducks’ coach is still under the flawed belief that straightforward …
Last season, Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert drew substantial, early season Heisman buzz. Unfortunately, his play throughout the season didn’t earn him a ticket to New York. This season, however, will be different. According to this writer’s calculations, less hype plus a feel-good story equals bronze man giving stiff arm. The Ol’ College Try, Take Four Heisman or no Heisman, Herbert …
After the Oregon spring game, Duck fans bemoaned the end of the blur offense for good. Angst returned to Oregon fandom like a lightning bolt despite positive signs of improvement on defense. In Eugene, it’s all about the offense. And on that front, nothing has changed, they say. What is Mario Cristobal thinking? Let’s take a closer look at the Oregon …
The Ducks are coming off a 2018 campaign, which, with all things considered, was a pretty good year. With their third head coach in as many years, players and fans had a lot of adjusting to do with the new personnel. Coach Mario Cristobal took the reins and made some swift but necessary changes in hope of reclaiming the national …