Why Marcus Mariota Should Tell the NFL Where He Wants to Play

Mike Sweeney FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The NFL landscape is littered with quarterbacks who have failed to live up to the hype built off of impressive college careers and first-round draft picks. On April 30, Marcus Mariota will become the first Oregon quarterback to carry such high expectations into the NFL since Joey Harrington was selected with the third overall pick by the Detroit Lions, back …

FishDuck.com Goes to the Movies

Kim Hastings FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

If you are anything like me, Frank Kaminsky has made it difficult to sleep during the last week. He has surpassed Urban Meyer in the Insomnia Derby. But it’s time to put it aside. The Ducks had a better year on the hardwood than most of us thought they could. They made the tournament and played to their seed. (An 8 …

Marcus Mariota and the Nonbelievers

Nik Brownlee FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

I don’t get it. Maybe I’m wrong, or maybe my football knowledge isn’t what I thought it was, but I can’t understand the constant negativity toward Marcus Mariota and his transition to the NFL. Last night I read something on Twitter so shocking to me I had to do a double take. NFL Media analyst, Daniel Jeremiah, said, “Look, just …

Spring Practice Begins

David Koh FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The Oregon Ducks open spring football practices on Tuesday, and the team is bound to look a little different from the dynastic dynamo that came up one game short of a national title in January. Gone are Heisman field general Marcus Mariota and line anchor Hroniss Grasu. Here to stay (hopefully) are a slew of fresh faces headlined by line-beasts Canton …

Oregon Spring Football: A Look at the Linebackers

Nik Brownlee FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

On Monday — March 30 — Oregon will begin its spring practices and the page officially turned from the greatness that was the 2014 season. There are several key story lines to keep an eye on as the Ducks begin preparation for the new football season. The offense often gets the majority of the accolades, and rightfully so, but the …

Mariota — From Saint Louis to New Orleans?

Noah Smith FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

We all know that NFL “experts” don’t like “gimmicky Oregon spread offense players” such as Marcus Mariota right? Well, if you didn’t, then let me be the one to tell you – they don’t. This can be clearly seen in the fact that two of NFL.com’s so-called experts have Mariota going outside of the top 10 picks, with Bucky Brooks having him going …

Could this be the best distance team Oregon has ever assembled?

Isaac Gibson FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Earlier this month, the Oregon men’s track and field team returned home from the indoor NCAA championships with a 74 point victory, winning the team title. Most of the points came from the distance events, causing one to harken back to the days of when legendary coaches Bill Bowerman and Bill Dellinger led the team. Back in the ’70s and …

Ken Whisenhunt Says Mariota Would Start for the Titans

Caleb Couturie FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Ken Whisenhunt, the coach of the Tennessee Titans, believes Marcus Mariota would unquestionably be the Day 1 starter for his team. In an article by Jim Corbett of USA TODAY, Whisenhunt said, ”If we pick him at No. 2, you definitely think he can be the Day 1 starter.” Whisenhunt went on to say that, “In watching him at his workout with …

Recruiting Update: QB Green Workin’ on the Pipeline

Mark Flores FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Football Recruiting Offers A slew of offers to the nation’s elite seems to be the tone early in the 2015-16 recruiting cycle. Look no further than Oregon’s recent nod to hard-hitting safety Brandon Jones (4-Star/Nacogdoches, TX/Rivals100). “I’ve been waiting on that one (offer) for a while,” said Jones. “… I already know Oregon will be in my top five when …

First-Year Starting Quarterbacks Have Made Winning a Habit

Joey Holland Men of Oregon: Players and Coaches

For a quarterback, the leap from high school or junior college to a major college football program is significant, and those veterans who have had two or three years in their offensive systems certainly benefit from their experience, while rookies may struggle to find footing early on. However, recent trends indicate that brand-new quarterbacks have enjoyed more success than their seasoned …

Four-Star Cornerback to Visit Eugene in April

Nik Brownlee FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The Oregon football team is already making good strides when it comes to the 2016 recruiting class. So far, the Ducks have five verbal commits for next year, and if things go well, possibly a sixth could join them soon. Andrew Nemec, of OregonLive, reports that four-star cornerback Jared Mayden will be taking an unofficial visit to Eugene the first …

A Tale of Two Games…and Two Offensive Lines

Levi Steier Analysis

Charles Dickens famous opening to A Tale of Two Cities perfectly captures Oregon football and illustrates the vast range of emotions that its fans have endured in the last five years. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, …