Mike Merrell’s Three-and-Out: Damnation, Redemption and Hope

Mike Merrell FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Since the previous week featured so much condemnation and in-fighting among Duck fans, a win over a ranked UCLA team was just what the doctor ordered to settle down some heated feelings. It appears that it isn’t just Duck fans who have trouble getting along when their team is losing. UCLA coach Jim Mora blessed us with quite a show …

One Team, One City, One Love. Go Ducks.

Ashley Young FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

If you are looking for an explanation as to why the Ducks lost, you’ve come to the wrong place. Likewise, if you are looking for someone to point a finger at, again, turn around now. I know, probably not the best way to begin this article, but I have a lot to say with an uneasy feeling in my stomach. …

Ducks Success Hangs in the Balance

Alex Towne FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm, and harmony.” – Thomas Merton After attending college for three years now and absorbing as much enlightening knowledge as a naive 21-year-old is capable of, I feel that I can say one thing for sure. Life is about balance. Balance of work and play. Health and vices. Pleasure …

Arizona Wildcats: “Lightning Strikes Twice”

Mark Saltveit FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The Arizona Wildcats upset Oregon for the second year in a row Thursday night, and coach Rich Rodriguez was exultant after the game. “I don’t know if anybody picked us. … Not on the road. Lightning doesn’t strike twice. In fact, [the end of] our video we showed our guys last night actually showed a guy getting hit by lighting …

How Royce Freeman Saved Marcus Mariota: Oregon Spread Offense Pass Protection

Charles Fischer, Mr. FishDuck Fish Reports

I know you’re shaking your head at my title; “Charles is shameless in how he tries to get hits.” There is truth in the shameless part, but there is also truth in how Royce Freeman made a huge play to help his teammates score a touchdown AND protect his quarterback, Marcus Mariota, from serious injury. Coach Tony Hoolulu in Hawaii …

What We Learned: 11 Newbs Critical to the Ducks’ Championship Run

Josh Hall FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Through three glorious weeks of college football, teams across the country have had their depth tested. Look to the east and observe a USC defensive line run over by a mediocre Boston College team in a below-average ACC conference. Look to the south and see a backup quarterback carried off the field heroically on teammates’ shoulders after managing a shaky …

Ducks get Physical with the Power Play vs. Spartans

Charles Fischer, Mr. FishDuck Analysis

Oregon getting physical? We all know that the national narrative referred to the Ducks as soft and this game went a long way to refuting it, but how? What was the game plan that Coach Helfrich used to defeat the Spartans? There is an enormous amount to cover, but today lets look at one of the staples of the Oregon …

What Mark Helfrich Has That Chip Kelly Didn’t

Nathan Roholt FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

At some point during Michigan State’s 20-point run in the second and third quarters, I recalled a forgotten worry of many Oregon fans: “Wait, did the Ducks ever solve the ‘teams with great defenses shut Oregon down’ perception?” Turns out, they hadn’t. That had been the nightmare that had haunted Oregon for the past five seasons, that its offense looked …

Royce Freeman Embraces Oregon’s Straddled Triple Option

Charles Fischer, Mr. FishDuck Analysis

There were plenty of surprises in this game to please even the most ardent fan, but for me — the most satisfying was watching new freshman running back Royce Freeman run Oregon’s Straddled Triple Option as if he were a senior and following his offensive line for years. His part of the play is the Inside Zone Read option, and most …

The Unveiling of Royce Freeman

Nathan Roholt FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

With the Ducks revealing little in anticipation of next week’s non-conference pièce de résistance, it was two true freshmen left to dominate the storylines from Saturday’s game: The Unveiling of Royce Freeman Kickoff wasn’t until 7:30 Saturday night, but the texts came early in the morning: “Is Royce going to live up to the hype?” Of all the question marks that …

Rejoice for Royce Freeman

Laura Brehm FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Just like fifty percent of Ducks at the University of Oregon, this next Duckling Profile subject did not reside in Oregon prior to arriving at the University. He’s from the golden state of California, adding to the growing abundance of Californians and also adding to the argument that the UO might as well be called “UC Oregon.” But, there are no …

DAT’s Replacement by Committee

FishDuck Staff FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

As Oregon’s 2013 football season came to a close, the majority opinion was, “the sooner the better.”  It’s a testament to how high the bar has been raised at Oregon that another double-digit win season, capped with a bowl victory, was cause for disappointment. However, amid the gloom, hope for next season came when quarterback Marcus Mariota and his teammates, …