Ranking the Modern-Era Oregon Ducks Quarterbacks

Darren Perkins Editorials

After three straight articles discussing the poor state of the Pac-12 Conference, I decided it was time to get back to writing something fun. Darren Perkins As I was scrolling through the Oregon Ducks section on Oregonlive.com last week, I came across a piece titled, “Is Chris Miller the most undervalued quarterback in Oregon Duck history?” Instantly, alarm bells went off …

The Rhabdo Trilogy: A Deeper Dive

Phil Anderson Editorials

Every great trilogy needs a bad guy. Star Wars had Darth Vader. Scream 3 had Ghostface. The Final Insult had … well, you get the idea. In January 2017, three Oregon football players were hospitalized with acute overexertion rhabdomyolysis (rhabdo).  On January 9, 2019, one of them — Doug Brenner — filed an 11.5-million dollar lawsuit against the University of …

Oregon Football: Lightning in a Bottle, Sludge in a Drainpipe

Jayme Vasconcellos Editorials

Ask recruits in Mario Cristobal’s remarkable, star-studded 2019 class why they considered Oregon and I’d bet first and foremost they would trace it back to the glorious Chip Kelly tenure of their formative years. That success was astounding— not just a fluke year (such as can occur in a “wonder year” among Willamette Valley Pinot Noir producers), but a succession …

Would Playoff Expansion Help or Hurt the Pac-12?

Joshua Whitted Editorials

On Championship Saturday, after all the games had concluded and the festivities died down, uneasy fans of Georgia, Oklahoma and Ohio State waited in angst. Three playoff spots had already been locked up, and all that was left was a single slot for three worthy contenders. How could Georgia — a team that gave the overwhelming favorite Crimson Tide everything …

Oregon Ducks Football: Linebacker Dru Mathis

Mike Kelly Talent Evaluation

The Oregon Ducks signed the best group of linebackers in school history December 19th, as the National Letter-of-Intent early signing period came to a close. Certainly the headliners are Under Armour All-American Ge’mon Eaford from Florida and Polynesian Bowl selection Mase Funa from Southern California. However, the Ducks inked a Junior College linebacker that is further along in his development …

Ponder-Point: Football Factory Versus Football Family

Ugly Duckling Editorials

Since the National Championship game, college football analyst Joel Klatt has been making the sports talk-show circuit (Undisputed with Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless and The Herd with Colin Cowherd). He shared some amazing insights on both shows about the game — specifically, about several differences between the Clemson and Alabama football programs. Klatt shared a statistic that might warm long-time …

Team Speed+Conditioning+Hurry-Up: (The Kelly Formula) Is its shelf-life done?

Jayme Vasconcellos Editorials

You needn’t have been clad from head-to-toe in Duck gear, hoisting locally-brewed libations, and screaming at a wide-screen (or the field) to have noticed a pond-change in the 2018 Duck football team’s persona. Actually, it shouldn’t take any deductive or visual attention at all— the new head coach, Mario Cristobal, was very clear: the Ducks needed to get bigger, stronger, …

Oregon’s Success Hinges on Cristobal’s Adaptability

Joshua Whitted Editorials

Oregon’s offense underachieved in 2018. The offensive unit had a variety of issues throughout the season, and those issues were alarmingly prevalent in the Redbox Bowl against a feisty Michigan State defense. Although the Ducks earned a hard-fought victory, it wasn’t because of their offense, which struggled to establish any sort of rhythm throughout the game. Oregon finished with a …

Calling All Quarterbacks! What Makes a GREAT ONE?

Steven Smith Editorials

It’s a wonderful time to be an Oregon Ducks fan. Justin Herbert and nine other starters are set to return on offense, so 2019 could be a special season. But what will it take for the Ducks’ talented trigger-man to take the Ducks to the next level? Let’s explore the qualities and attributes that make a great quarterback, and see if Oregon’s …

Oregon’s 2018 Season In Review: What Could Have Been

David Miller Editorials

I forgive you for thinking that the Ducks would return to glory in 2018. I forgive you for thinking that they would be Crist-o-ballin’ back to the Rose Bowl or maybe even the playoffs. And I forgive your twitter hyperbole and article comments of anticipatory grandeur, despite the fact that it was delusional to expect such a drastic turnaround in …