The Philadelphia Eagles are increasingly becoming an NFL reflection of the Oregon Ducks. The NFL draft earlier this month saw two Ducks go to the Eagles, wide receiver Josh Huff (3rd round) and defensive lineman Taylor Hart (5th round). The Eagles also signed un-drafted UO defensive lineman Wade Kelikipiki, the three joining five other former Ducks already on the Eagles roster, in Brandon …
The “Fire Zone Blitz” is one of the effective blitzes that the Oregon hybrid 3-4 defense uses to pressure a Quarterback. The Ducks do a great job of bringing heavy pressure with 5-man zone blitzes, and then bringing 4 or often, only 3 pass rushers, but there’s another weapon that helps Duck defensive linemen get to the passer. Having success from a …
The safety: the last line of defense, constantly going in and out of attack mode, able to sift through offensive structures and break them down. Arguably the position that gives the quarterback the most trouble, due to the safety’s ability to move undetected. The Oregon Ducks have seen several players come through this position who have had a great impact. Now it’s …
The spring season has come and gone in the college football world, it was a teaser sticking around just long enough to leave everyone wanting even more in typical George Costanza-style. It’s often hard to project success or failure based on a few spring practices, and in terms of scheme, most spring games are as bare-bones as it gets. That being said, …
This past weekend marked the all-exciting NFL draft, where dreams came true and hopes were shattered, as player after player, each hoping to turn his passion for the game into a career, waited anxiously for his name to be called. The seven-round NFL draft is loaded with strategy as teams strive to improve their rosters. Players who may have dominated …
With spring ball over, football fans have now turned their attention to the NFL Draft. This is a special time where schools and conferences can brag about who’s going to the NFL, while still on the recruiting trail. We then have Kentucky going all out for football … which is a first, since it is known more for its basketball. Finally there …
You may be familiar with the name “Johnathan Loyd” if you’re an avid Oregon basketball fan. And if you were in attendance for the highly-anticipated spring game, you’ll remember chuckling as the voice of Autzen, Don Essig, introduced the freshly-tackled first-year senior with the quip: “Welcome to football, Johnny Loyd.” It’s been awhile since Loyd stepped onto a football field and …
Thanks to my friend, Charles Fischer, I have had the great opportunity to write about many of my favorite offensive schemes here on FishDuck.com. From the Zone Read Bubble to One Back Play Action to Packaged Tempo Plays, these analyses have been about concepts that are the heart of my own personal offensive philosophy. One of the few core spread …
Let’s face it. Athletes are a rare breed. Bigger. Stronger. Faster. And, quite logically, hungrier. Have you ever wondered what kind of appetite you’d have as a Division 1 athlete practicing every day, sometimes twice a day? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be that same athlete and go to bed hungry? I consider myself a …
Anyone hungry for seafood? If so head on over to Tallahassee. I hear they are just “giving” it away. On top of that fun story you have Nick Saban actually being happy with Lane Kiffin, the SEC setting forth a better way of scheduling, and some beef with how things are going to be done with the college football …
Mike Bellotti raised a lot of eyebrows in 2007 with the relatively uninspiring, no-name hire of someone named Chip Kelly out of Division IAA New Hampshire. Result: Oregon has been among the nation’s leaders in rushing since. During that span, perfecting the zone read has not only turned quarterbacks into de facto running backs, but it has made talented running backs even …
When all you have to talk about from the past week of action is people arguing over uniforms, coaches trolling schools, and players apologizing for trash talk … then it’s a slow week. We did have one big thing, though, with Northwestern’s football players taking a private vote about whether or not to unionize. That story will be the main talking point …