Mike Merrell’s Three-and-Out What an exciting era for college football! Globalization, which began with soccer-style place kickers, has taken the next step forward with rugby-style punters, and hurry-up spread offenses are producing basketball-esque scores. It seems a pity that the one thing we can rely on — that one thing that never seems to change in an ever-changing world — …
The quarterback battle going on in Eugene has certainly received its share of local and national press, and justifiably so. The Ducks are replacing the single greatest player in program history, who also happened to occupy the single most important position on the field. While I do not want to diminish the importance of this position — indeed, Oregon cannot …
The Oregon Ducks defense last season was very inconsistent, both dominating opponents and being dominated by opponents. The most obvious example is the juxtaposition between Oregon’s destruction of Jameis Winston and FSU and their own destruction at the hands of Ohio State. While the defense didn’t always play up to their potential, they did pretty well most of the year, …
FishDuck.com sportswriter Austin Willhoft managed to catch up with linebacker Rodney Hardrick after Friday’s spring practice, coming away with the impression that this coming fall will be the defining season for Hardrick. After a disappointing defensive performance in the National Championship game against Ohio State, the Ducks defense looks to reload and improve despite the loss of graduates Tony Washington and Derrick …
Jordan Ingram reporting for FishDuck.com at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. While the football forecast in Eugene seems a little cloudy at times, there is one position group that will give Duck fans a sunny outlook. The Oregon linebacker corps boasts the return of seniors Rodney Hardrick, Joe Walker, Tyson Coleman and Christian French, under the guidance of linebackers coach Erik Chinander. These football veterans have become …
The Ducks begin spring practice in less than two weeks. As I wrote previously, most of the attention will be on who replaces the greatest player in Oregon history, but the Ducks should be just fine at the quarterback position next season. The position group that needs to make the biggest strides this spring is the linebackers. Last year’s Oregon defense, under …
Football is a man’s game — those with the strength and mental fortitude to compete and win each down, survive; those who do not, will die. In the case of Fotu Leiato, nobody has ever questioned his desire to finish every single play. Some people were a little put back when news broke that Mark Helfrich and staff went to a small …
It was March 2013 and new Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly had a problem. The 3-4 defensive scheme he brought from Oregon needed a versatile left outside linebacker. In his search, Kelly found the man who would become the centerpiece of his defense: Connor Barwin. Meanwhile, in Eugene, Ore., a safety-turned-linebacker named Tyson Coleman waited for his moment behind veteran Boseko Lokombo. His patience paid off in 2014, and …
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. …
Having a Heisman-hopeful, such as quarterback Marcus Mariota, is always exciting for a team. However, the timeless saying “Defense wins Championships” has been proven correct time and time again. With that being said, the Duck defense — which is arguably the best it has been since the departure of Defensive Coordinator Nick Alliotti — is possibly what could finally land …
I am not a “professional,” per se, as I refuse to write the usual “blah-blah” that you’ll see from other media outlets, but then that is why this site began. I wanted more information, and to learn — and our readers have agreed. This Oregon Football Media day was like going down memory lane … in how similar it was to my …
The departure of Kiko Alonzo and Michael Clay after 2012 made last season a rebuilding year of sorts for the Duck linebacker corps, and some maintain the Ducks’ run defense suffered accordingly. The numbers reveal that the Ducks gave up 169 ypg on the ground, up from 142 ypg the year before. How much that attributed to the extra loss …