At first, Oregon’s much-hyped “Saturday Night Live” recruiting camp appeared to be a bust. Attendance was low, and only a single prospect committed directly following the event. But good things come to those who wait. A few days after Saturday’s festivities, the Ducks added several more commits, including perhaps their top overall target. They also generated some momentum with a …
The NCAA is losing the publicity battle in its fight with the state of California over the subject of paying student athletes. Of course, this isn’t groundbreaking news. The NCAA hasn’t had good publicity in a while. But for all its faults, the NCAA does do some things right, hard as they are to find. The NCAA is at least …
“Evolve or perish,” goes the Darwinian maxim. In the college football world, evolution has taken the form of expansion. But it’s been a few years since the mass realignment and expansion led by Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas A&M, Utah, Louisville, Syracuse, Maryland, Rutgers, Pitt and TCU. Are we in line for a second wave of expansion in the Power 5 …
The further removed we get from the 2018 Oregon Duck football season, the more I am convinced that many varied weaknesses raised their ugly heads last year. The team’s struggles and fan frustration resulted not from one or two specific issues, but from the cumulative effects of: 1. New schemes 2. New coaches 3. The cumulative effects, on both players …
So often, we fans analyze the teams we follow, breaking down their strengths and weaknesses as if we’re on the coaching staff ourselves. Rarely, though, do we take a look inward and evaluate our own role as fans of our respective teams. Fans are more than just loud-mouth, obnoxious onlookers; they’re critical elements to a team’s morale, and they play …
How do smaller programs that become dynasties reload their squads every year? Among several pillars of creating a successful program, there are two major ones that stand out above the rest. These factors are applicable at the high-school level, for sure, and they also apply to the collegiate level. The first is a strong commitment to practice; meaningful and competitive …
None of Oregon’s position groups has been criticized as much as the wide receivers. Players like Jaylon Redd and Johnny Johnson looked to be in for breakout seasons in 2018, with a healthy Justin Herbert throwing the ball. But those aspirations went out the window, as the unit — outside of Dillon Mitchell — dropped passes, struggled to beat one-on-one …
(From the movie Stripes.) Cruiser: Maybe I should fold. Ox: Let me see, Cruise. Let me look first. (Looks at Cruiser’s hand.) Fold? Not with a hand like that! Come on, dare me. Bluff me! Cruiser: How much should I bet? Ox: If it was me, I’d bet everything. But I’m Mr. Las Vegas. Come on, go for it. (Cruise …
The Pac-12 South is an interesting case. While the North has been dominated by perennial contenders Oregon, Stanford and Washington, the South has been more of a mixed bag, with some programs on the rise, some on the decline and others in between. As I did a few weeks ago with our fellow Pac-12 North opponents, let’s take a look …
I’ve often wondered if Mario Cristobal has a sense of humor. Here’s a man who intentionally replaced the vaunted Chip Kelly spread offense at Oregon, featuring an awesome running game, with an offense led by a coordinator whose strength is his passing background. How’s that for a head scratcher? But guess what? Old tricks are new tricks in football. Just …
For at least one Friday night in the fast-approaching 2019 season, the Ducks are going to steal the show from high school football when they host Colorado. Autzen Stadium hasn’t played host to a collegiate football game on a Friday night in quite some time. The Ducks are used to postponing their Black Friday shopping in order to play their …
The Oregon hype train is picking up steam. The Ducks are the popular pick to win the Pac-12, and many pundits have them pegged as a playoff dark horse. ESPN is the latest to jump on the train, placing Oregon at No. 10 on its 2019 Football Power Index, far ahead of several Pac-12 rivals and one spot behind their …