Call them the Big Uglies, but what happens up front will ensure that college football’s highest octane offense remains a thing of beauty. With the possible exception of quarterback, nowhere on Oregon’s roster is there more reason for optimism heading into the 2014 season than in the offensive line. Provided Tyler Johnstone is able to rehab the torn ACL he …
Gone from the 2013 Duck D-Line are such stalwarts as Wade Keliikipi, Taylor Hart and Ricky Havili-Heimuli. All very good players who will be missed, but the cupboard isn’t bare. Though some fans panicked at Oregon’s inability to close on a couple of highly regarded D-Lineman on LOI day, there remains much to look forward to from the Duck’s DL …
Coach Mark Helfrich pulled the curtain aside for just a moment recently to let Oregon fans get a glimpse of some of the deeper recruiting strategies implemented by Oregon football. We know how Chip Kelly began a much more intense ‘vetting process’ when he became HC, but it has become apparent that Mark Helfrich has stepped it up even further. …
Disingenuous, adjective: “Not truly honest or sincere: giving the false appearance of being honest and sincere.” (From the Merriam-Webster online dictionary.) They should call it the Bret Bielema rule. Or perhaps the Bielema-Saban rule, since it is, in part, due to these two coaches’ influence that this rule is now being considered. For those who are unfamiliar with this proposal, …
What a week of college football and there is not a single game going on. We have Michael Sam making headlines for being the “first” gay football player to come out publicly and now looks to make it in the NFL, becoming the first openly gay player on a roster. You have the NCAA making new rules to make college …
We all know of them, the “Web Wackos” who post crazy stuff about Oregon football on the major recruiting message boards. You would think they had never experienced a recruiting season before, and perhaps for some of the 14-year-olds posting (in maturity, if not biological), that is true. Sitting at the recruiting luncheon in Eugene, Oregon, a week ago made …
First off, it has been a busy week for me. Not so much with National Signing Day (NSD) and paying attention to recruiting but more on the family aspect. My wife and I welcomed our 2nd child on February 1st. I know she will be a great child because she was born before the Super Bowl, allowing me to not …
Oregon will never win any recruiting championships. While teams such as Alabama, USC and LSU tend to dominate in the rankings, the Ducks rarely crack the top-15. Year after year they bring in solid, but unspectacular recruiting classes, yet year after year, Oregon takes those same recruits and turns them into champions. Why is that? What is the key that allows teams without …
Coach Levi Steier gave us an analysis of Zone Blocking that had been a regular article in our “FishWrap” in the past. It was such an extraordinary article that I placed it in our Offensive Tutorials in the “Directory” (tab at top of site) and tons of coaching sites found it. I was astounded to see the year end …
With less than a week left before national signing day, there are plenty of questions surrounding Oregon’s 2014 recruiting class. The only guarantee is that the next seven days will be eventful, one way or another. There are also seven names to keep an eye on during that time: DT Trey Lealaimatafao, DT Rika Levi, DT Ratu Mafileo, S Matrell …
DeAnthony Thomas’ time at Oregon was like one of his scorching touchdown plays: it went by in a flash. From his first game against LSU to his final appearance (if it can be called that) against Texas, DAT was the equivalent of a human meteor. He blazed a bright trail across Oregon football that will not be forgotten soon. He …
Oh, the dreaded off season. What do you want to talk about? The biggest things we can focus on right now is “National Signing Day,” the ever changing Coaching Carousel, and how every team will go about re-loading after losing players to the NFL DRAFT. 1) Right now I am really impressed with new Texas Coach Charlie Strong. He …