New Oregon Duck defensive coordinator Andy Avalos prefers that his defense stay multiple and mix up its coverages, but quarters coverage may be his most dependable scheme on the back end. Avalos plays quarters in a more aggressive fashion, allowing his corners to play closer to the line of scrimmage in order to jam receivers and knock them off their routes …
The first article I ever wrote for FishDuck.com was about the issues Oregon would have against bigger receivers in 2018. It was an article that was proven right at times (see Stanford) and wrong at others (see Arizona State). Regardless, I felt the Ducks would be unable to overcome their lack of size at cornerback to be among the nation’s …
It’s hard to believe that this is supposed to be a relatively quiet time of the year for Oregon recruiting. It’s the evaluation period, so the Ducks are able to send 10 of their assistant coaches to visit the prospects of their choice. Of course, things have been anything but quiet. Top-100 quarterback Jay Butterfield and former top-50 defensive back …
For an offensive lineman, going unnoticed typically means that you’re doing your job. I’m sure Oregon offensive tackle Calvin Throckmorton is perfectly content living in anonymity and keeping feisty defenders away from his star quarterback. But Throckmorton deserves more than just a tap on the helmet from his running back after he opens up a gaping hole for him to …
In 2008, Chip Kelly created the “Blur Offense,” the likes of which had never been seen. Not only did Kelly’s system propel the Ducks to championship-level heights, but it left a major mark on the entire college football landscape. Today, nearly every team uses some form of up-tempo offense, largely due to the success of Kelly’s Ducks. Now, a decade post-Chip, …
Everywhere you look, you see another article about how the Pac-12 sucks. But this isn’t about the entire Pac-12. The Pac-12 North has nothing to be embarrassed about, at least not in the high-profile worlds of football and basketball. Five of the six Pac-12 North members made bowl games this academic year, and three of them won. Going 3-2 in …
The 2019 Oregon Ducks football season has already generated a lot of hype, and it’s only May. During the offseason, Coach Mario Cristobal was out to secure a top-10 recruiting class, headlined by recruits such as Kayvon Thibodeaux and Mykael Wright. Quarterback Justin Herbert and linebacker Troy Dye are also returning for their senior seasons. With the returning seniors and …
The offensive coaching staff was the biggest disappointment of the Ducks’ 2018 season. Some of you will hem and haw and throw out lame excuses like, “they need time to adjust to a new system,” or, “the wide receivers were sub-par,” or even, “a coach needs four years to get his system in place.” You get four years when you’re …
What if I told you that the Ducks aren’t finished adding pieces to their program-best, seventh-ranked 2019 recruiting class? While most of the news has revolved around the Ducks’ 2020 class, an elite 2019 prospect has re-entered the fold. Four-star cornerback* Chris Steele is back on the market, entering his name in the transfer portal after enrolling at Florida earlier …
Recently on this site, it was argued that, since women’s sports typically don’t produce much revenue, the coaches of these sports should have drastically reduced salary increases. The precipitating event, the departure of softball coach Mike White, centered around his claim that five Pac-12 Championships and five College World Series appearances — in just nine years! — merited a salary …
Amateur athletes aren’t getting paid yet, but things are heading in that direction. The subject of compensation for student athletes has dominated the college football and basketball landscapes for years now. From Ed O’Bannon’s groundbreaking lawsuit to a handful of Northwestern football players attempting to unionize, it seems that the NCAA’s current structure is inching closer to a total facelift. …
Ever feel really let down by a loss, especially an upset? It kinda ruins your weekend. A grey-blue pall overhangs one’s thoughts, feelings and attitudes for days on end. An entire lost season can crush our individual or collective spirits for even longer. How do you cope? Do you hit the sauce, snort something, rage at your spouse and kids, …