SB Nation - Darron Thomas

Quack Fix: Practice update, the 1958 Rose Bowl and a JC commitment

ntrebon — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:23:25 -0000

Rose Bowl preparations are finally under way as the Ducks began practice last Friday. With that, we have a little more quack than last Tuesday. Enjoy!

In Monday practice news, Nate Costa was back after missing the first three Rose Bowl practices (all absences were excused). Moseley notes that both Diante Jackson and Cliff Harris made nice plays during the practice session. John Hunt has a brief blog entry up that notes the Ducks practice schedule until they depart for Pasadena on Christmas Day.
In today's Register-Guard, Ron Bellamy takes us back to the 1958 Rose Bowl against Ohio State. tOSU came in as 19-point favorites and escaped with a 10-7 victory. For those of you not familiar with the details, it's definitely worth a read.
Continuing the ongoing Register-Guard feature that spotlights members of this year's Rose Bowl team, today's Duck of the Day is John Boyett.
John Hunt and Jeff Smith have a piece that looks at the different paths taken by two of the top dual-threat quarterback recruits of 2008: Terrelle Pryor and Darron Thomas.
Mike Tokito has a blog entry up discussing a trend that most of us are aware of: Ohio State's recent inability to come through in the big game. This is, of course, all relative. OSU has lost three consecutive BCS bowl games, including back-to-back national championship bowl games. I wish I could say the same for Oregon. That said, once you begin reaching those levels consistently, simply being there isn't enough. Here's hoping Oregon makes it four straight BCS losses for the Buckeyes.
A little under the radar yesterday, but the Ducks landed a JC recruit, defensive lineman Isaac Remington who will have two years to play two. Bob Rickert notes that Remington plans to be on campus in January.
Luke Andrews of the Mail Tribune has a feature piece on E.J. Singler, who has now started three straight games after nearly redshirting this season. This week, the basketball team hosts Mississippi Valley State on Wednesday and Oakland on Saturday as they look to end their recent struggles that have seen them go 1-4 over their last five games. I will be in town for both these as well as the Idaho State game -- anyone interested in checking out the games?

As usual, post any comments or links below.

Go Ducks!

Morning Quack Fix: Graziani's advice to Costa, the latest injury news, and going on the road

jtlight — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:23:35 -0000

We have a big game tomorrow down in LA, and here's the quack to get you through the next day:

John Canazano's at it again! Oh wait, I guess not. His latest piece is actually pretty good, comparing Nate Costa to Tony Granziani, whose first career start also came in LA, also due to the starter being injured. Coincidence? Here's to hoping the game, and the season, end in similar ways.
Here's your recent injury news. Gildon will start, T.J Ward is practicing again, but there no rush to get him back to the field. Overall, next's week BYE couldn't come at a much better time. Well, unless it was this week.
Rob Moseley has an interesting question for Duck fans. What do the Ducks do if Costa goes down? I hope the coaching staff has already decided, because pulling a BSU and only putting in Darron Thomas when it's too late would be very frustrating.
Ken Woody has a great blog post on "the Autzen mystique." This is usually a topic discussed in the off-season, when there isn't much to talk about, but it's good to hear Woody's perspective on just how noise affects players and games, both mentally and physically. He also talks about what the Ducks must overcome as it heads on the road this week.
Adam Jude from the RG has a piece on LaMichael James, and how he has flourished and grown as the starting back. He's gained nothing but priase from his coaches and teamates, and is working hard to be able to handle the responsibilities of starting for a whole season. An important note from the article, if Blount is able to become reinstated, James will still be the number one option, and he has earned that.
Here are a few more comments from new UO commit, Nick Rowland. Turns out it was actually some advice from Husky Head Coach Steve Sarkesian that helped him know where he should commit. This article also has a note that Oregon is out of the running for Trovon Reed, though to my knowledge, he's still visiting during the USC game.
In QB recruiting news, the underrated 2010 commit Bryan Bennett (the only QB Oregon will take in the 2010 class) had his official visit and it was great. Meanwhile a top 2011 recruit, DaMarcus Smith out of Kentucky, has Oregon as his top school early, after falling in love with Oregon during Dennis Dixon's senior season. Word is he will be visiting during the USC game, which is shaping up to be a huge recruiting weekend.

As always, leave your comments, as well as your answers to Moseley's question, below. GO DUCKS!

Your Pac-10 Weekend Primer: All Eyes on the Horseshoe

Avinash — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:06:24 -0000

Much bigger week for the Pac-10, with some of the best teams in the Pac-10 facing high quality OOC competition. We start off with the headliner.

via latimesblogs.latimes.com (Image from Adam Rose)

#4 USC at #6 Ohio State, 8 PM EST, 5 PM PST, ESPN HD

This figures to be a much closer affair than the one last season, where one of the best college defenses ever suited up, took the Buckeyes behind the woodshed and drilled them to pieces. No, this figures to be a real test for a Trojan squad that has won their road OOC games by a combined score of 328-101 since 2004.

Trojan Football Analysis has a fantastic four part writeup (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4) about the strategies he believes will be used by both sides. Here's the primary way he expects the Buckeyes to attack USC: "I suspect the staff will do a couple of things differently in the 2009 game versus USC. For starters the Trojans will face more two back power plays and I suspect that Ohio State will run some counter plays as they did versus Texas in the Fiesta Bowl with great success. Also I expect Ohio State simply to put the ball in Terrelle Pryor’s hands and have him run the Zone Option Read play more often. In 2008 this was arguably the most effective run play Ohio State ran at USC averaging 6.8 yards on five carries. Expect those rush attempt numbers to go up this Saturday…" I suggest reading all four parts, including a talk

Eleven Warriors has a similar Hydro-like breakdown of gamefilm: "The Buckeye secondary was torched in the Coliseum last season. Whether it be from a missed switch or assignment, a beautifully drawn-up h-back wheel route or a well-timed pick, it wasn’t pretty. The bad news is all three of the Trojans that caught Sanchez touchdowns are still on the team and while they’re extremely talented athletes, none of them pose a sever matchup problem on the face of it. The Trojan offensive line is probably the best unit on an obscenely talented squad and getting pressure won’t be easy, but if Barkley is given time to throw, we could very well be in for a similar result."

What it means for Cal: A Buckeye victory means the Trojans are likely vulnerable to the power run style that Cal is also fond of running (different schemes and styles, but the methodology is similar), and that the Bears might indeed try out Riley's ability as a mobile passer as well as runner. A Trojan victory most likely means the Bears could be facing as high as the #2 team in the country on October 3rd, and that Matt Barkley isn't intimidated by tough road crowds. Or it could mean Ohio State isn't very good.

Rest of the games to watch, starting with ours after the jump.

Our game

Eastern Washington at California 5:30 PM EST, 2:30 PM PST, CSN California

Hours and hours of scouring the Internet, and all I could find on the Eagles was a season preview from their website. Fantastic.

Eastern Washington is a very talented FCS team. They're returning 25 players with starting experience and only debuting seven new starters (albeit four on the offensive and defensive line, always critical losses). They lost to Colorado by 7 points. Starting quarterback Matt Nichols gave senior Graham Harrell and Texas Tech a decent passing battle for a half before finally getting routed last year. Because they're unlikely to be eligible for the FCS postseason, their matchup with Cal could be their biggest game of the season. This is a team that has shown it has the capability to play well against bowl-eligible FBS squads, so don't expect the Bears to just walk all over them.

Which is why it'll all come down to whether Cal doesn't turnover the ball, and whether they can run the ball with a ruthless efficiency. Both of these happening should result in a comfortable Golden Bear victory. Otherwise I'll be sick as hell pondering the upset potential for three hours.

What it means for Cal: If we lose this game, I'm covering the women's field hockey team the rest of the fall.

Games you should be able to watch

Stanford at Wake Forest, 12 PM EST, 9 AM PST, Raycom HD (should be available on ESPN360.com)

Jim Harbaugh could put the Cardinal in a very generous position with a win here. The Furd aren't world beaters by any means, but they do have a very favorable schedule, and considering the Demon Deacons are reeling from a shocking home loss to Baylor, it isn't out of the question that Gerhart and Luck can make some noise on the East Coast.

Ted Miller talks Furdball: "Harbaugh also was happy with redshirt freshman quarterback Andrew Luck's debut. Luck completed 11 of 23 for 193 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. "Andrew played very well," Harbaugh said. "He did a great job running the offense. He did a great job with the audible package. Really good in the huddle, enunciating plays. He's got a megaphone at the line of scrimmage. Throwing the ball, the receivers didn't have to go searching for the ball. For the most part, he was very accurate."

If there is a concern for the Cardinal, the defense gave up 351 yards to the Cougars, who ran the ball well at times. Grobe's offense will be a significant step up in competition."

Blogger So Dear (Wake Forest's SBN blog) ponders what went wrong in last week's defeat, eventually pointing out a general inconsistency in style of play.

I know Wake has made its mark offensively off of trick plays and mixing up the looks, but who can get comfortable with a new formation every series and sometimes from play to play? In the first drive, the Deacs had a lot of success in a wishbone set, using Chris Givens and Y'lou, but they went away from that in favor of FB football later, then tradition I-formation, then shotgun.

Lobo tends to outthink himself--he comes up with good plays and schemes, but he has a real problem sticking with one formation or another and this has to hurt the flow of the offense. And to add insult to injury, Kevin Harris had just four carries on the day and Brandon Pendergrass and Josh Adams combined for 7 carries and 20 yards. This just is not going to get it done for a team that said they were going to smashmouth football this year.

If the Deacs go back to misdirection, pulling guards, opening holes in the middle and using end-arounds as well as getting Riley good looks in the flats, over the middle and down the sidelines, Wake will have more success. It will be interesting to see what Lobo goes with this week.

What it means for Cal: A win by the Furd puts them in great position (SJSU, UW, UCLA at home) to start the season 5-0. And one win away from bowl eligiblity. Blech.

UCLA at Tennessee, 4 PM EST, 1 PM PST, ESPN HD

Just like with the Furd, this is the first real look at what the Bruins will be capable of this season. A win here could vault them into the upper half of the conference.

Bruins Nation's BlueReign goes over the keys for UCLA's D stopping Tennesee's offense.

I expect Tenn to lean on the run game. As documented, Tenn is missing experience at the WR position due to injuries. The left side of their OL (LT - Scott & LG - Richard) consits of 2 seniors with Scott being an All-Sec type of performer. Their backs (Hardesty & Brown) are on the bigger side weighing around 215 lbs. I'm not going to state the obvious (Price having a big game) but Datone will be critical in this game. He'll be matched up against Scott and if he can hold the edge, our LB's should be able to flow to the ball to limit their run game. Dye needs to take proper angles and be a sure tackler in this game because he'll need to support the front 7.

Crompton suffered the same fate like Drew by having multiple coordinators during his career but the kid has talent. Crompton is not very mobile and if we can get pressure on him, he'll make bad decisions. Tenn is playing 2 FR (Teague is starting) in their WR rotation. Every opponent will be picking on whomever is the CB opposite ATV. Viney must be ready for the challenge.

Rocky Top Talk looks at how it pits two former Trojan OCs against each other.

Kiffin maintained balance despite two factors that we thought would suggest otherwise: Jonathan Crompton and a non-competitive game. We thought coming in that Crompton's past and WKU's present would lead to a ton of rushing plays. Instead, Kiffin dialed up 43 runs but 33 pass calls in his UT debut. Along with all the points and yards, the Vols racked up 34 first downs and went 7 of 9 on 3rd down.

This was a gameplan that kept its foot on the gas and kept the opposition off balance: the Vols ran some on second and long and passed some on third and short, and I don't know about you, but I had a terrible time trying to figure out what was coming next.

And that's a very good thing.

Chow, on the other hand, has a more particular style. Especially when not blessed with USC-level playmakers at the skill positions, as he was in Nashville and is now at UCLA, Chow loves employing the tight end in the passing game. With the Titans, receptions were spread around while backs saw their yards per carry increase significantly. And under Chow Vince Young was at his best while he was there, which comes as no surprise given his long pedigree of QB development, which UCLA fans hope will soon include Kevin Prince.

Against San Diego State, Chow and the Bruins were balanced as well: 38 rushes, 31 passes. Along the way, the Bruins won time of possession by almost 12 minutes and picked up 359 yards. Most of the pieces of UCLA's offense will be different than the ones the Vols saw last year in Los Angeles, with a new quarterback, new backfield and a mostly new offensive line, so it's hard to pull a lot of relevant information from last year's game on this side of the ball. But don't expect the quarterback to throw four interceptions in the first half.

What it means for Cal: I really have no idea whether this win will tell us anything about how Cal matches up with the Bruins, since it's too early in the season to figure out how good either Tennessee or UCLA really are. To be continued.

Purdue at Oregon, 10:15 PM EST, 7:15 PM PST, FSN HD

Well now. What happened to the Ducks last week?

Addicted to Quack notes the Ducks will be very thin at running back: "First off, the running back situation has become very tenuous with Blount and Alston out. And in response, the Ducks are going small, with all backs in the rotation under 6 feet. The only player who had any reps that wasn't was Darron Thomas. That's right, our QB of the future may end up playing running back a little. If he takes a carry in the game, I think most Duck fans will just end up closing their eyes so they don't watch when he gets snapped in half. However, what the new group lacks in size and depth, they make up for in speed. James and Barner are two of the quickest players on the team, which could prove to be a huge value to the running game."

Purdue's SBN blog, Hammer and Rails, notes the importance of their offense being able to mix it up: "It will be important for us to continue being unpredictable on the offensive side of the ball. Lost in Saturday's game was the way Gary Nord mixed things up. We ran more formations than I can ever remember us running, and we were very successful in each set. Obviously, our offensive line and fullbacks did a great job in clearing holes for Jaycen Taylor and Ralph Bolden. The return of Frank Halliburton will only help an already very good situation. If our offensive line can continue to muscle Oregon's front seven around we will have a very successful day."

What it means for Cal: No Oregon run game means a much easier time for the Bears in Autzen in two weeks. Presence of a run game will mean we'd better be prepared to play well, or get burned.

Not going to be easy to find

Air Force at Minnesota, 7 PM EST, 4 PM PST, BTN HD

The Daily Gopher tries to get oriented with the triple option. Perhaps they could use Hydro's Armed Forces Bowl post on the subject! Anyone want to email them or leave them a comment with a link to it?

What it means for Cal: If Minnesota is able to slow down the Air Force running game, they could have the potential to slow down Best. I emphasize potential.

Idaho at Washington, 3:30 PM EST, 12:30 PM PST, Fox Sports Northwest/Fox College Sports Pacific

EDSBS: "We had no idea Ty Willingham was a class 1 narcotic. This is the only explanation for the passionate, intelligent, and capable play of Washington against LSU Saturday night. Washington outgained LSU 478-321, had 25 first downs to LSU’s 17, and came within a pair of turnovers from beating your 2007 BCS champions in their first game under Steve Sarkisian. Jake Locker played well, but you knew he was top-shelf liquor being thrown into cut-rate cocktails by Willingham and company. The pleasantly shocking bit was the impassioned play of the defense, who looked like different people than the morose crew who finished 2008 prone and staring at the ceiling weeping after a loss to Washington State. The whole effect of revival was made better by watching it on tv, where the cameras were shaking thanks to Husky Stadium’s suddenly vibrating crowd rocking the upper deck. Lane Kiffin had a solid performance, sure, but Sarkisian gets the early blue ribbon in Pete Carroll’s class of Young Coaching Achievers From Camp Win Forever."

What it means for Cal: Monitor these Huskies closely. This is not a team you want to play to end your season.

Hawaii at Washington State, 7 PM EST, 4 PM PST

Coug Center did a podcast with a local Hawaii reporter about the upcoming matchup with the Rainbow Warriors. They also seem very happy with their linebacker play.

Andy Mattingly, Louis Bland and Jason Stripling showed that, without question, they are one of two units on this team that are legitimately Pac-10 caliber. (Running back being the other.) In the face of what figures to be one of the better rushing attacks the team will face all year, the trio combined for 18 of the Cougs' 59 tackles.

That's what linebackers are supposed to do, and it's something that was missing all too often last season.

We've mentioned in the past that their effectiveness this season would likely be predicated on improved play by the line in front of them. While the defensive line didn't rack up a lot of tackles against Stanford, they did do their job most of the time against the run, occupying gaps and allowing the linebackers to slice in and make the play after only a few yards or less gained.

What it means for Cal: I dunno.

Northern Arizona at Arizona, 10 PM EST, 7 PM PST

Here's something from ABC15. If you're interested, which I'm sure you're not.

What it means for Cal: No one cares about this game. Took me thirty minutes to even find a preview for this game.

Oregon State at UNLV, 11 PM EST, 8 PM PST, CBS College TV

Building the Dam notes the unusual start time, but no one else seems to be too worried about the situation. They also discuss the UNLV spread offense, which gave the same BYU team that knocked off Oklahoma quite a bit of trouble last season.

What it means for Cal: Considering Oregon State's slow starts to the season, this is no gimmee for the Beavers. Ragnarok has already marked this as an early upset possibility. Ultimately it means nothing to us, since Oregon State will play us tight in November anyway, but it could show how capable the Rodgers brothers are of lifting their team on tough road occasions.

Poll

USC or Ohio State?

USC

178 votes

Ohio State

34 votes

212 votes | Poll has closed

Media Wednesday - Remember This Guy?

dvieira — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:00:31 -0000

One game is in the books and even though the game didn't end like we had hoped, Media Wednesday rolls on to give you that little dose of cheer. A lot of talk has centered around a certain running back's post-game antics but there was more to the game than just the end. Jeremiah Masoli did not have a good game. The knee-jerk reactions have already begun, calling for Nate Costa, Darron Thomas and anyone else to play quarterback. Media Wednesday is here to remind you of a Jeremiah Masoli we didn't see last week and maybe give a bit of perspective to all of those calls for the backup QB.

Morning Quack Fix: Ducks prepare for Boilermakers with questions at running back

jtlight — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:42:09 -0000

Only a few days from the home opener and hopefuly some redemption. Also, there are still a lot of Blount/suspension/whatever articles out there. But I'm not linking them. Because I don't care anymore. Here's your actual sports related quack to get you through:

First off, the running back situation has become very tenuous with Blount and Alston out. And in response, the Ducks are going small, with all backs in the rotation under 6 feet. The only player who had any reps that wasn't was Darron Thomas. That's right, our QB of the future may end up playing running back a little. If he takes a carry in the game, I think most Duck fans will just end up closing their eyes so they don't watch when he gets snapped in half. However, what the new group lacks in size and depth, they make up for in speed. James and Barner are two of the quickest players on the team, which could prove to be a huge value to the running game.
Purdue is prepping for the game this weekend, and new coach Danny Hope is saying what duck fans are thining: "One of two things will happen out of that incident. It will be a distraction in some ways, or it will cause them to bond even stronger." And Hope is not expecting to sneak up on Oregon, and expects Oregon to be ready for the game. However, I did enjoy what Hope had to say about talking with his team about sportsmanship: "I don’t think you need to have a team meeting about that. ‘Don’t sucker punch anybody while we’re shaking hands after the game.’ I didn’t have that team meeting, no. I think that would be understood."
In a little non-football news, the Oregon women's volleyball team is up to number 12 in the rankings and stands undefeated at 6-0. Oregon beat Portland State yesterday in 4 games to to improve to that mark. With this looking to be a great season, if you're in Eugene make sure to get down to Mac Court and support all Oregon teams!
Lastly, the blog Off The Pond has a great graph that I think a lot of us can relate to.

As always, leave your comments below. GO DUCKS!

The incomparable 2009 SBN Pac-10 Football Preview

Nuss — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:00:12 -0000

More photos » by Jae C. Hong - AP

USC has more question marks this year than at any time in their reign of dominance over the Pac-10, starting with who will play quarterback. Will freshman Matt Barkley be the guy? (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Browse more photos »

We SB Nation bloggers are quite proud of our independence. Yet, from time to time, an event so compelling comes along so as to draw us out from our communities and collaborate on a project of such import, the very future of SBN depends on it.

The beginning of football season is just such an event.

For seven years now, every Pac-10 football season has approached with the same question in mind: Is this the year that Oregon/Cal/Oregon State/ANYBODY supplants USC as the champion of the West Coast's premier conference? Not since 2002, when Washington State advanced to the Rose Bowl by virtue of its head-to-head victory over the Trojans, has someone other than USC represented the Pac-10 as the league's champion.

Could this finally be the year it happens? Can Jeremiah Masoli lead Oregon to the heights that Dennis Dixon's knee could not? Can Jahvid Best carry Cal there? Will Oregon State take that next step to elite status by competing for the conference title year in and year out?

In a lot of ways, this sure feels like the year. The Trojans will be breaking in another new quarterback, and while that hasn't exactly stopped them before -- a couple of guys named John David Booty and Mark Sanchez did OK -- you have to wonder if their luck doesn't run out at some point. Defensively, they'll have to replace three linebackers selected in the first two rounds of the NFL draft, and eight starters overall. Again, they've done this before ... but still.

Nationally, the take is that this string of dominance by USC says more about the rest of the conference than it does the Trojans. True or not, that's the perception. If this conference ever wants to get the respect it thinks it deserves, it's going to have to start consistently challenging the Trojans for that title, and occasionally taking one.

This just might be the year.

Predicted Order of Finish

As voted on by the Pac-10 SBN bloggers ...

Top Five Pac-10 Heisman Trophy Candidates

1. Jahvid Best

#4 / Running Back / California Golden Bears

Height: 5-10

Weight: 195

Year: junior

Best is absolutely electric; he's been described as 'silly-fast'. He's a human highlight reel who's a threat to take the ball to the house every time. He's the leading returning rusher in college football, averaging over 8 yards every time he touches the ball. If Cal wins 10+ games, he's the prototypical candidate, right?

- California Golden Blogs

2. Jacquizz Rodgers

#1 / Running Back / Oregon St. Beavers

Height: 5-7

Weight: 191

Year: sophomore

Rodgers burst onto the scene last year with a sensational campaign as a true freshman, rushing or 1,253 yards in 2008. His small size and shifty moves make him a fun player to watch -- and a tough target for opponents to bring down.

- Building the Dam

3. Jeremiah Masoli

#8 / Quarterback / Oregon Ducks

Height: 5-11

Weight: 214

Year: junior

Jeremiah Masoli is not your typical QB. He’s short, and a bit squatty, but does he ever produce. He can throw the ball, he can run the ball, and he doesn’t make mistakes. In his second year with Chip Kelly, look for him to become the most productive player in the Pac-10, and maybe run over a few safeties in the process.

- Addicted to Quack

4. Taylor Mays

#2 / Safety / USC Trojans

Height: 6-3

Weight: 235

Year: senior

Normally, defensive players don't stand a chance in the Heisman race. But Mays never has really fit the mold. A freak of an athlete -- he hits like a linebacker but runs like a wide receiver -- Mays has two things going for him that every Heisman candidate needs: 1) A well-hyped reputation that proceeds him, and 2) He plays for one of the best programs in the country. A big game against Ohio State would set his candidacy into motion.

- Conquest Chronicles

5. Jake Locker

#10 / Quarterback / Washington Huskies

Height: 6-3

Weight: 222

Year: junior

The Huskies likely won't be very good this year, but Locker is an undeniable talent and a dark-horse Heisman candidate. He's a run/pass threat who has been more run than pass so far. If new coach Steve Sarkisian can get his completion percentage up, and the Huskies can win a few more games than people think, Locker has the opportunity to put up some eye-popping numbers.

- CougCenter.com

Team Capsules (in predicted order of finish)

1. USC Trojans

By Conquest Chronicles

Overview: USC has faced using a new starting QB in the past and they have responded. The Trojans have all of their starters back on offense (except Patrick Turner) and although they are replacing most of the defense, the defense will be better in 2009 than a lot of people think. I do think the rest of the Pac-10 is catching up to USC, but until someone actually knocks USC out of the top spot ...

Key to Success: The QB position is the key to USC's success in 2009. With Aaron Corp out for a short time with an injury, don't go to sleep on true freshman Matt Barkley, who has really stunned many with quick grasp of the offense and his maturity at handling the pressure. Barkley has a ways to go, but he is a lot closer than others in his position in the past.

Potential Achilles Heel: See above ...

Best Case Scenario: USC Wins the Pac-10 but will probably have 1-2 losses.

Worst Case Scenario: USC loses the pac-10 because of some bone head lead loss in conference.

Likely Scenario: USC will have a tough time with their road schedule and their winning the Pac-10 will probably come down to the last week of the season.

2. Cal Golden Bears

By California Golden Blogs

Overview: The Nate Longshore era is over. For better or for worse, the Bears will be entering a new age of Tedford football at Strawberry Canyon, where faces have changed but the strategy remains the same: Run the ball, terrorize on defense. Those were the characteristics of the 2004 team that should've been Rose Bowl-bound, and while Tedford searches for the next great Cal QB to follow in Aaron Rodgers' footsteps, there is hope the 2009 team can finally put it all together. With eight returning starters on defense, eight on offense, plus one of the most spectacular players in the country, what's not to like?

Key to Success: The Bears' hopes to make it to the Rose Bowl remain firmly perched on the spectacular Jahvid Best. Best was the main reason for five or six of Cal's wins last season; with a battered offensive line and only sporadic quarterback play, everyone looked to Best to provide the offense with some spark. Get him the ball in space, and he's a threat to take it to the house every time, leaving defensive backs grasping at air. Cal's defense is good enough to keep the Bears in every game, but it will be up to Jahvid (and those who block for him) to put up enough points to win them.

Potential Achilles Heel: Kevin Riley still won't inspire many Cal fans until he can show he can complete a short route downfield consistently. He struggled with his command and mechanics all last season, and he and a green receiving corp never got on the same page. With another offensive coordinator coming in, it'll be most important to monitor his development as the leader of our offense. Anything the passing game can do to ease the pressure on Best will pay big dividends in the Pac-10 title chase. Runner-up: Our placekickers can't be trusted with a kick from over 30-35 yards, and kickoffs were a dicey proposition all last year.

Best Case Scenario: Pasadena. The default answer of a Cal fan. This year, though, there are two choices. We'll be happy with either one.

Worst Case Scenario: Beating USC, somehow nursing a one game lead in the Pac-10, everything going smoothly into the Big Game ... and blowing our Rose Bowl chances on the field of the Furdies. Yeah, brace yourself Cal fans. Less heartbreaking would be a repeat of the sort of meltdown that imploded the Bears' 2007 season. Even in the worst case, however, I can't see this team limping to the finish line with less than a 7-5 record.

Likely Scenario: If Riley is good and everything else holds to form, we're finally BCS-bound. If Riley struggles, we get our pick of the ESPN bowl bonanza. The Trojans will never be more vulnerable than they are this fall. The Bears will never be stronger. I would put better than even odds on the Bears winning at least 10 games this season. Our chances rest with our quarterback. Haven't we been here before?

3. Oregon Ducks

By Addicted to Quack

Overview: Oregon is beginning a new era this season, but it really doesn’t seem like much has changed. New coach Chip Kelly will continue his offensive explosion that has averaged 475 ypg and 40ppg over the past 2 years. Duck fans expect great things, as Oregon is loaded with talent at the skill positions, and the inexperienced offensive line will be coached by the top offensive line coach in the country, Steve Greatwood.

On the other side of the ball, the Ducks will rely on speed. Oregon has an experienced and talented group of linebackers, and the team is led in the secondary by All Pac-10 CB Walter Thurmond and hard hitting safety TJ Ward (Google "TJ Ward hits Zac Robinson;" you’ll be glad you did). Though Oregon’s defense has been a weak line in the past, it has the talent to improve from last season, when the Ducks’ D spent more time on the field than any team in the nation.

Key to Success: The passing defense. Oregon fans are always up in arms about the secondary, which they constantly feel is underachieving. Last year, the unit was supposed to be the best in the nation, but then gave up a combined 829 yards to BSU and USC.

This year, the unit must improve, which will be a very difficult task as Oregon lost two starters in the first two rounds of the NFL draft. The secondary is talented with a finally fully healthy Thurmond, who should be one of the top cornerbacks in the nation. But Oregon will need young players to step up at the opposite corner position, as well as at rover.

Potential Achilles Heel: Any follower of the Pac-10 knows that injuries have spelled disaster for the Ducks time and again in recent years, most notably when Dennis Dixon’s knee gave out on a terrible night in Tucson. This season is no exception, with only one experienced QB on the roster. QB Jeremiah Masoli is backed up by Nate Costa and Darron Thomas but Costa has injured his ACL three times and Thomas is an inconsistent true sophomore.

Health will also be vital at receiver and on the offensive line. The WR position has seen multiple injuries through the first week of fall camp, and the offensive line is still healing from spring ball. As the offensive line returns only 20 total starts, health will be vital in ensuring this unit can come together and help Oregon compete with the upper echelon of the Pac-10.

Best Case Scenario: Go undefeated and win the bowl game against anyone not named Florida. All the games on Oregon’s schedule are definitely winnable. Oregon has the talent to realistically stick with almost any team in the country, and has a very favorable schedule.

Worst Case Scenario: Oregon’s offensive line never comes together and neither does their defensive line or secondary. This means that Oregon can’t beat either USC or Cal at home, and drops a few games to teams like Arizona, UCLA, and Stanford. Oregon goes 6-7 after losing in Chip Kelly’s bowl debut.

Likely Scenario: Oregon goes 9-3, losing to USC, splitting Cal and BSU, and dropping another along the way. Oregon has a lot of talent, yet a lot of inexperience in a few key positions, which could mean inconsistency. But Oregon wins its bowl game, setting the stage for a big 2010.

4. Oregon State Beavers

By Building The Dam

Overview: For the second straight year, Oregon State will be looking to reload on defense. All four members of the secondary are gone from a year ago, as well as three from the defensive line. The linebackers, led by Keaton Kristick, will be the strength of the defense and should help stop this year's talented crop of Pac-10 running backs. Any pressure the defensive line (watch out for DT Steven Paea) can put on the quarterback will help the young secondary. On offense, the healthy quarterback is Sean Canfield, with Lyle Moevao taking a backseat -- for now. Jacquizz Rodgers returns at RB, but there is little proven depth behind him -- and the receivers are young.

Key to Success: Two things quickly come to mind. The first is the offensive line. LT Andy Levitre and LG Adam Speer are off to the NFL, leaving behind a young, inexperienced group-- especially on the left side. Highly touted recruit Michael Philipp has come into camp to compete for the LT spot, and has been turning some heads. According to HC Mike Riley, Philipp will either "start or redshirt", but at 6-3, 320, the Beavers need him to learn the system and start this year. The other key is Jacquizz Rodgers. He needs to stay healthy all year, or this could turn into a train wreck on offense with the inexperience at receiver, especially with Darrell Catchings going down with a wrist injury early in fall camp.

Potential Achilles Heel: The secondary, which isn’t young -- just inexperienced -- could be the achilles heel this year. It shouldn’t be quite like 2005, when the Beavers baptized freshmen Brandon Hughes and Keenan Lewis by fire at cornerback, but all four to-be starters don’t have much starting experience. It will be up to Tim Clark to hold down the group -- he has the most experience and should turn into the leader of the defensive backfield.

Best Case Scenario: The best case scenario this year is that the Beavers win all their home games (it’s doable), and then go out and win most of their tough games on the road. With road trips to Cal, Arizona State, USC, and Oregon, it’s not going to be easy, but the Beavers know they have the talent and the wherewithal to do it.

Worst Case Scenario: The worst-case scenario would be that the Beavers can’t win the games they need to win at home, and they struggle against the Pac-10’s best on the road -- which could mean that Jacquizz Rodgers goes down with an injury.

Likely Scenario: Most likely, the Beavers will win seven or eight games. It's very possible that this squad could win more-- and it probably wouldn't surprise many, based on what Riley has been able to do in the past. Look for the Beavers to get off to a better start in years past with the more favorable pre-season schedule, have a solid season, and win their sixth straight bowl game.

5. Arizona State Sun Devils

By House of Sparky

Overview: 2008 is known as the year of disappointment in Tempe. After an extremely promising 2007 campaign where they finished 10-3 and won a share of the Pac-10 with USC, the Sun Devils found themselves overconfident and overmatched, going 5-7 and missing the postseason for the first time in years. 2009 brings a new quarterback in senior Danny Sullivan, and a highly touted recruiting class that could pay instant dividends on the playing field.

The Sun Devils are headed to Athens, Georgia to play the Bulldogs in a highly anticipated rematch of the drubbing of 2008. Going into a vaunted SEC stadium and pulling off the victory would give the Sun Devils a huge vote of confidence. In all likelihood, however, this team is a year away from legitimacy, after the recruiting class gets some experience in 2009

Key to Success: If the defense can live up to its massive potential, ASU will be a sleeper pick to finish in the top 3 of the Pac-10. If true freshman LB Vontaze Burfict is eligible for the 2009 season, he and fellow true freshman DT Corey Adams will join an experienced, tenacious D led by LBs Gerald Munns and Mike Nixon. Given the uncertainty on offense, a reliable defense would give ASU a fighting chance against any competitor. Stop the run in the Pac-10, and you can put up wins. There isn't a single QB in the Pac-10 that can break down a great defense on his own.

Potential Achilles Heel: In a fairly obvious move, House of Sparky picks the quarterback position. Danny Sullivan is currently the guy, but Samson Szakacsy and Brock Osweiler are both breathing down his neck on the depth chart. In terms of talent, Osweiler is king. But as a true freshman, it's a spotty idea to even consider him for the role. As for savvy, it might just be Szakacsy. He's a laid back dude who enjoys surfing while at home in California, but he has the resolve to lead this team in the desert. As for experience, Danny is the only one who has ever played college football. Hopefully, Sullivan assumes the role nicely and takes us to a nice 8-win season. But with this lack of control over the circumstances, the QB position will be worth watching for the Devils in 2009.

Best Case Scenario: Sullivan catches onto the starting role, and the defense destroys the pretenders in the Pac-10. ASU goes into Georgia and gives them a heck of a fight, earning the respect of SEC fans everywhere. ASU wins 9 games, culminating in a victory over Oklahoma State in the Holiday Bowl. Thomas Weber wins his second Lou Groza Award.

Worst Case Scenario: Sullivan breaks down against Georgia, and we're embarrassed once again by the Bulldogs. Pac-10 competition brings about the emergence of Szakascsy, but he cannot fulfill the fans' expectations. Vontaze Burfict is deemed ineligible for competition, and has to sit out 2009. ASU wins 4 games, and Dennis Erickson is fired

Likely Scenario: Sullivan is an average Pac-10 QB, and we win 6 games, making it into the postseason, but lose to BYU in the Las Vegas bowl. Osweiler gets some reps, and is named starter going into the 2010 season. The defense scores 10 defensive touchdowns, the main bright spot on the team.

6. Stanford Cardinal

By CougCenter.com

Overview: Jim Harbaugh's program is one on the come. The Cardinal were living in the bottom of the Pac-10 in the wake of Tyrone Willingham's departure and the disaster that was Walt Harris, but after steady gains the past two seasons and one of the nation's top recruiting classes, Stanford has its eyes set on the top half of the conference. Harbaugh's got people believing down on The Farm.

Key to Success: Quarterback Andrew Luck. The highly regarded reshirt freshman has supplanted senior Tavita Pritchard, and by all accounts has the ability to be a star. If he can live up to the hype and provide a legitimate compliment to the already potent running attack led by Toby Gerhart, the Cardinal offense could take a quantum leap this year. And if it does, there's no telling what kind of noise Stanford can make.

Potential Achilles Heel: The offense ought to be good, but there are some nagging questions. The aforementioned quarterback battle could spell trouble if Luck doesn't pan out -- Pritchard has had plenty of issues over the years. And while Gerhart is a freight train, the offensive line has some new faces. The defense should be solid again, but if the offense can't come up to speed, the Cardinal might lose some games they might otherwise win.

Best Case Scenario: The Cardinal make the most of their relatively soft landing to begin the year, winning their first five against WSU, Wake Forest, San Jose State, Washington and UCLA. Emboldened by their fantastic start, Stanford goes 4-3 the rest of the way, winning a game or two against the conference's heavyweights to finish the year 9-3 and in the Sun Bowl.

Worst Case Scenario: That soft landing? Yeah, not so soft. WSU upsets Stanford after Luck throws a trio of interceptions, and it's a portent of things to come, as the Cardinal head to Wake and lose there, too. The bad start throws a wrench in the Cardinal improvement plan, and they take a step back to 4-8.

Likely Scenario: Stanford wins four of its first five, and goes 3-4 over the final seven to get to 7-5 and Las Vegas.

7. Arizona Wildcats

By AZ Desert Swarm

Overview: The 2009 season will be all about momentum. Nic Foles and Matt Scott battle out the quarterback position while the receivers, running backs, and offensive line return tons of experience. Our defense should be solid as well with a D-line that will be strong, aggressive backers, and anchors on the defensive backfield in Cam Nelson and Devin Ross. Arizona's recruiting class is the strongest since Stoops has been in Tucson. Three guys could make immediate impacts as true freshman (C.J. Parish, Trevor Erno, and Adam Hall). The Cats brought in Jonathan Hollins as a Junior transfer as well as Jack Julsing and Shane Zink for immediate experience and upper classmen strength.

Key to Success: The key to our success will definitely be the offensive line play, giving our young quarterbacks the time to throw the ball. I think that Matt Scott will be the starter at the beginning of the year. Scott will have the mobility factor that Foles isn't able to bring to the team. Nic Grigsby and Keolin will be dominant out of the backfield and shouldn't miss a beat on the offensive end. Wide receivers are deep (minus Mike Thomas) and will be open, they just need a QB to get them the ball. Defensive line is really deep with the return of Elmore, Mitchell, Horton, Reed, and the addition of Hollins. Linebackers is the weak point, with our DB's returning two guys who have lots of experience.

Potential Achilles Heel: Arizona's achilles heel is the lack of cohesiveness with the offense. We will have a new QB in Scott, or Foles. Our offensive line lost three guys, and will be making patchwork of returning backups from last year and juco transfers in Zink and Jusling. The receivers will need to find a man to step up and take Thomas' spot, most likely Delashaun Dean or Terrell Turner. Arizona's offense faces plenty of tough teams in the Pac-10 this year, will have to play a scary Central Michigan team, and travel to Iowa to play a Big-10 team on their third week of the year.

Best Case Scenario: Take care of business in the non-conference schedule by taking out Central Michigan, Northern Arizona, and Iowa without missing a beat. The next three games are Oregon State, Washington and Stanford. The Cats will probably win 2 out of 3 of these. I think our best case scenario for the Cats is to start out the season 5-1 heading back to Tucson to play UCLA. A win at home against UCLA is definitely winnable. Taking out UCLA, then lowly Washington State could lead the Cats to 7-1. I think that's where the honeymoon stops and the Cats struggle the rest of the way out. At California, home against Oregon, at Arizona State, then to USC will be a brutal way to end the year.

Worst Case Scenario: Lose at home to Central Michigan (scary team) to start the season, and then at Iowa two weeks later. I think a slide in the beginning of the year could snowball the Cats downward and cause problems for them at Oregon State and Washington. I think a 1-4 start would be the worst case scenario for Arizona. After Oregon State, UCLA and Washington could prove formidable foes. I already talked about our year end schedule, which could easily be 4 losses for the Cats this year.

Likely Scenario: A middle ground of the above scenarios. The Cats will take out Central Michigan and Northern Arizona no problem. Travel to Iowa will be a challenge. Oregon State in Corvallis will be a huge win, but unlikely. The Cats will finish 8-4 this year, but will need to find a way to put up point like they did last year. Sonny Dykes has done a great job installing the spread offense in Tucson and Matt Scott could be an unbelievable fit in the system.

8. UCLA Bruins

By Bruins Nation

Overview: To say Rick Neuheisel was handed a program that had to be built from the ground up is a massive understatement and last season couldn't even be called building a foundation. Last season, Neuheisel just cleared the scraps off the lot. This season, he will begin to build his foundation. With the infusion of talent thanks to great recruiting, some fantastic offseason work and a year of development, this program will take a major step forward this year. They won't compete for a Pac-10 title, but they'll be competitive in every game and that's progress.

Key to Success: The Bruins' key to success will be the man under center, Kevin Prince. While the offensive line is the unit that needs to take the biggest step forward, the quarterback position is still the most important on the football field and UCLA will send a redshirt freshman who hasn't played in two years (season-ending injury in the first game of his senior year of high school) into the fire. He does have a good arm though and has drawn rave reviews for his football smarts and leadership qualities. His ability to keep the turnovers at a minimum and handle the pressure sure to come from dropping back behind a green offensive line will tell the tale of the offense.

Potential Achilles Heel: The Bruins' potential achilles heel is the same as last season. While the team had issues last year, no unit caused UCLA more problems than the offensive line. The running backs never had holes to run through and last year's quarterback, Kevin Craft, showed as much toughness as anyone in the country just to make it through each game with the beating he was taking. The offensive line's first job this year will be to open some holes to get a running game going. If the Bruins have a respectable running game, then UCLA will have a chance to take advantage of the talent at the skill positions.

Best Case Scenario: The UCLA offensive line, which is amazingly inexperienced, but has some talent, could come together and provides decent play. Kevin Prince could maximize his talent a little earlier than expected and mature quickly, while the defense remains as injury-free as possible to be led by Brian Price, Reggie Carter and Alterraun Verner to an eight-win season.

Worst Case Scenario: Kevin Prince and the offensive line's play leans more towards inexperience than talent, while the linebacking core, which is strong but thin, falls prey to injury. With the offensive line and QB unable to take advantage of the talent on the perimeter, the offense flounders and the lack of linebackers lets opposing teams control possession as UCLA fails to go bowling again.

Likely Scenario: The Bruins will be inconsistent as they mesh some extreme inexperience in with their handful of great players. The offense will be much improved and keep from turning the ball over too much, but is never explosive. The defense should be steady and help the offense out with field position and special teams is stout to win UCLA seven games.

9. Washington Huskies

By CougCenter

Overview: The 2009 Huskies are in rebuilding mode under new head coach Steve Sarkisian after going through total destruction mode under the Willingham and Gilbertson eras. There is hope on Montlake, as Sark has shown the ability to bring in big recruits. If he can get those recruits to execute his offensive plan the same way his USC superstuds did, then Husky fans may see the glory of the Don James days return. Of course, having Joe Montana roaming the sidelines watching his son, all the while bumping into a few recruits and boosters, probably won't hurt.

Key to Success: Jake Locker's arm. We all know Jake can run. Last year we saw what happens when Jake relies on his legs too much. The problem is Locker has only been effective when he has made plays with his legs. Unfortunately, he has not impressed when putting the ball in the air. His most famous throw is a behind the back toss that led to a 15 yard penalty against BYU last year. If Jake can improve his throwing accuracy, the Husky offense would become difficult to stop.

Potential Achilles Heel: There is a common thread that connects all historically bad football teams. Poor line play. The Husky offensive line was very ineffective in 2008 (2.9 YPC). It doesn't matter how talented Jake Locker or any other skill player on the UW offense is, if the line doesn't block, the offense won't move.

Best Case Scenario: Jake Locker stays in the pocket a little more, hits some open receivers, continues to make some plays with his legs, and keeps his leg out of a cast for all twelve games. The lines on both sides hold up just enough and the Huskies go 5-7.

Worst Case Scenario: Another 0-12 season is unlikely thanks to the scheduled W known as Idaho. Worst case, the Huskies go 1-11 with a historic third straight Apple Cup loss to the Washington State Cougars.

Likely Scenario: The Pac 10 is down this year, but UW was just flat out bad last year. It would be a lot to ask to challenge for a bowl game. The Huskies will most likely beat Idaho, Wazzu, and either Arizona or Oregon at home. On the road, they could get one from either Stanford or UCLA. UW ends the season at 4-8.

10. Washington State Cougars

By CougCenter

Overview: The Cougs are coming off of perhaps the worst season in the history of the program. A roster already low on Pac-10-caliber talent was made worse by a plethora of injuries, especially on offense: Five different quarterbacks saw action for the Cougs and seven different offensive line combinations started games. The result was ugly: The Cougs' eight Pac-10 losses were by a combined score of 440-61. Ouchy.

But there is hope that this year can be better. There is a lot of experience returning on offense, and a number of transfers join the defensive ranks. Additionally, the team dedicated itself to strength and conditioning in the offseason, making gains that have been noticeable to observers close to the program. It should add up to the team being more competitive in 2009.

Key to Success: The biggest problem for this team last year was that it was physically dominated at the point of attack on both sides of the ball. The defensive allowed a whopping 5.78 yards per attempt last year (dead last in FBS), most of which you can lay at the feet of the line. Add in the fact that they had just 15 sacks against FBS competition, and you can that the rest of the defense never really had a chance. The story was much the same on the offensive side: 2.75 yards per rushing attempt (No. 116), 42 sacks allowed (No. 117).

If the big fellas on the offensive and defensive lines can put those strength gains to good use -- holding their own in the trenches and avoiding injury -- this team stands a real chance of being a lot more competitive.

Potential Achilles Heel: Injuries, plain and simple. This team still is paper thin at just about every position not named running back -- the Cougs are loaded there, led by explosive Cal transfer James Montgomery -- and if any unit suffers a sudden spate of injuries, it could undermine the effort of the entire team. The positive news is that it's so far, so good in camp, as no key players have suffered notable injuries; at this time last year, the training table was already overflowing. The Cougs will need that to continue in order to make the strides they want to make this year. Otherwise, it could be a replay of 2008 until more reinforcements come next fall.

Best Case Scenario: With last year's experience fresh in their minds, the Cougs play inspired football. The strength and conditioning gains made in the offseason are real, and the team is able to withstand the physical punishment of Pac-10 play. They also get a little lucky in avoiding major injuries. The offense is able to move the ball well on the ground and adequately through the air, and the defense employs a bend-but-don't-break philosophy that allows them to give the offense a chance. It all adds up to the Cougs shocking some people en route to a 5-7 season.

Worst Case Scenario: Injuries pile up again, and so do the losses. Another string of embarrassing defeats has fans questioning Paul Wulff's ability to turn the program around, and worse than that, the players' commitment, which looked so strong in the offseason, begins to waver. WSU finishes the year without a win, and Wulff never gets to see the rebuilding job come to fruition.

Likely Scenario: The team is better. Not great, but better. They're not winning a whole lot more games, but they're in a lot more games than they were a year ago. There still are some lopsided scores, but clearly, progress has been made and things are heading in the right direction. The Cougs get a couple of non-conference wins against SMU and Hawaii, jump up to bite either Arizona State or UCLA, and finish up the year with yet another win over Washington. Four wins? We'll take it.

Previewing 2009 Utah Opponents: Oregon Ducks

Jeremy Mauss — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:00:11 -0000

This off season brought in some changes for Oregon with Chip Kelly being promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach, and former head coach Mike Bellotti is now the athletic director. Oregon is the last team not named USC to win an outright conference which happened to be in 2001.

The Pac-10 typically plays a pretty strong out of conference schedule and Oregon may have one of the toughest with a road game at Boise State, home for both Utah, and Purdue. Purdue could be consider an easy win but not when you consider that many, many schools schedule directional tech for a gimme win.

Their preseason ranking varies from a near consensus in the mid teens, or Phil Steele who has Oregon ranked 40. Part of the reason for Steele's ranking is his importance in the line play. Oregon has only twenty career starts on the offensive line --that comes from one player-- which puts them 118th out of 120th in all of college football.

via vmedia.rivals.com

The line will consist of Junior Bo Thran who received multiple offers from other Pac-10 schools, Sophomore Mark Asper who just returned from a two year LDS mission, Junior Jordan Holmes who's only offer came from Oregon, Freshman Carson York who is a four star recruit, and the only returning starter is Junior CE Kaiser.

The recent success of the Ducks is their running the spread option and with the right players have been deadly. The last time the offense was great was when Dennis Dixon ran the show two years ago, but ever since his injury in that Arizona game Oregon has yet to find the 'next' quarterback to run the offense.

The offense is still very productive by ranking in the top 10 in scoring offense in 2008. The 2009 version should still be one that scores a bunch of points, even with the loss of quarterback Justin Roper who transferred to Montana. The quarterback position is their deepest position and starts with Jeremiah Mosali who after struggling to pass the ball last year, actually picked it up in the last three games.

Passing

Rushing

Completion	Attempt	Yards	Interception	Touchdown	Attempts	Yards	Yards Per Carry	Long	Touchdown
21	26	298	0	2	10	89	8.9	66	3
11	17	274	0	3	12	53	4.4	20	1
18	32	258	1	1	16	106	6.6	41	3

Others at quarterback are Nate Costa who started last year before suffering a knee injury then there is sophomore Darron Thomas who played in the Boise game after the first and second quarterbacks went down, and he did well by throwing for 210 yards and three scores. So, the Ducks are taken care if one does happen to go down with an injury.

With the spread option the Ducks have another chance to have two 1,000 yards rushers starting with returning back LaGarrette Johnson who had 1,201 yards, and then the potential other thousand yard back is redshirt freshman --and former four star recruit-- LaMichael Johnson.

The receiving crew has a potential star in the making with Jamere Holland, because of his great spring oh and he is really, really fast. The Ducks lost two of their top three receivers, but that returning wide out is Ed Dickson who was a deep threat with 14.5 yards per catch. In this offense with the way the ball is spread around any receiver with any talent can become a star in this offense.

The defense only returns five starters, but there is some pretty good talent filling in those other six spots. The defensive line was a strength last year, but with the loss of three of four lineman, and two to the NFL draft make the line a potential short coming this season.

The returing starter is Will Tukuafu who had 7.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss, however being the only starter back on the line means there will be more double teams. Those potential double teams could lead to less production by Tukuafu but open up opportunities for others.

The biggest impact newcomer is junior college transfer Bryon Littlejohn who was an All-American linebacker. Even with that talent Littlejohn may not even start because the linebacker position is the deepest on the team, but it will be hard for Littlejohn to not see some action on the field.

The Ducks have a legit shot of taking down USC for their first Pac-10 title since 2001 because USC is starting a new quarterback, and has to replace eight starters on defense. Even if they do not over take USC a 10 win season is a realistic goal for this year.

Morning Quack Fix: Rounding up the scrimmage, will UO keep two top baseball commits?

jtlight — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:08:23 -0000

Happy Monday everyone. 17 days til kickoff in Boise, and lots of football excitement in the air, with the football scrimmage this weekend. Here's your daily quack:

Overall, well, it was a scrimmage. There were ups and downs, which Rob Moseley lists here. One obvious highlight was LeGarrette Blount simply throwing off an attempted William Wallace tackle. Also, Nate Costa had an excellent showing at QB, making a few very good plays. If his knee is healthy, then our QB depth will be excellent. It was also good to see Jackson Rice have a good showing. Unfortunately though, the receiver position wasn't really able to be looked at adequately because of injuries, while the field goal attempts did not go well, and there were a few issues with Jordan Holmes's snaps. However, it was a good day overall, and leaves us with a good deal of optimism, as well as some things to look for over the next couple weeks.
Today is the final day that Oregon baseball recruits Tyler Matzek (11th pick in the MLB draft) and Jake Marisnick can sign MLB contracts. If they don't reach an agreement with their teams by 9pm tonight, they'll both be Ducks! George Horton is fairly confident that Matzek will be in summer school today (as Matzek is not close to reaching an agreement with the Rockies), though Marisnick is a bit closer to meeting terms with the Toronto Blue Jays. Either way, we'll have news updates on both players as they are available.
In 2010 recruiting news, it sounds like 4* RB Dontae Williams has pretty much committed to Oregon, and will be officially announcing for the Ducks in the next two weeks. Williams went to the same high school as Darron Thomas, and is a big pickup for the Ducks, considering the running back depth the Ducks must get this year. Oregon already has two 4* running backs commits (Williams and Ethan Grant), and is still chasing 5* RB Marcus Lattimore.
Also, Brandon Oliver from DuckTerritory has a good (free) article on recruiting expectations. I know that there have been some fans upset over not getting Pryor, Boyd, Brown, etc, but a Oliver points out that national recruiting success cannot be built overnight. And he also states what we can expect from our recruiting efforts in the south. This really is a great, and lengthy article, on recruiting in general, and the Duck's prospects for success, so check it out.

After the jump, check out two videos, one featuring Nate Costa (though it covers a lot more of the scrimmage), and another with the full Chip Kelly post-scrimmage interview. GO DUCKS!

Morning Quack Fix: Camp continues on, both lines still a work in progress

jtlight — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:08:13 -0000

It's Friday, time to celebrate with some quack:

The offense did not get to don the black practice uniforms on Thursday after a poor ending to Wednesday's practice. However, despite the defense seeming to do better on the day, the offense earned praise from Kelly. During the practice, the team was going at a very fast tempo, getting in 22 plays during on 9 minute stretch. The pace reminded new WR coach Scott Frost of his practices at Nebraska in 1997, the year he led his team to a national title. Oregon will practice today and tomorrow, but will have Sunday off, the first off day during fall camp.
Unfortunately, both lines are still a work in progress. While there are flashes of greatness, consistency must still be seen, and the offensive line must walk the delicate line of nursing C.E. Kaiser and Bo Thran to full health while still making sure they shake off any rust. And with the offensive line growing, it's tough to gauge the defensive line. However, they are working hard, spurred on by Coach Azzinaro, and seem to be channeling their inner Nick Reed. I have a feeling that both lines will be fine, and that the hard work and repetition will pay off when the season starts.
The Oregonian has a couple of short pieces on D.J. Davis and Darron Thomas. Davis hurt his foot after a TJ Ward hit on Wednesday, which has brought back some bad memories. But Nate "Mr. Three Torn ACLs" Costa has been his mentor, with his example of working hard throughout his many injuries. Meanwhile, Thomas is looking to play, and has no thoughts at all about redshirting.
Rob Moseley rounds up some of the most embarrassing "trash talk" we've seen in some time. It's quite ridiculous that Masoli's, Dickson's, and now Kyle Wilson's comments are being construed as trash talk. However, what is encouraging is that while the Ducks are looking forward to the BSU game, it never comes up in practice, and isn't needed to create excitement. The Ducks are focused on the task at hand, and I believe will carry that attitude all season.
Chip Kelly has another post up on OregonGridiron.com. Kelly is really stressing "habits, discipline, and structure," and the team seems to be responding. It's at the point of fall camp where it becomes tough, and the team must battle through, and it looks as if they're doing just that.
Buster Sports picked Oregon at Number 12 in their preseason countdown, though I'm not sure that they've talked with Nick Daschel (their Pac-10 writer) on that, as he has not been excited about the Ducks in the offseason, and pegged them at 4th in his Pac-10 poll.

As always, leave your comments and links below! GO DUCKS!

Four Star Quarterbacks, Success, Failure, and What Michigan Football can Expect out of Tate Forcier

Maize n Brew Dave — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:33:59 -0000

As a general rule, highly rated quarterback recruits are the crown jewel of any school's recruiting class. Sure you can bring in a #1 Linebacker or a #1 Offensive Tackle, but those guys don't score points and their faces aren't plastered all over ABC or CBS every fall Saturday. Offenses simply don't work without an able bodied/minded signal caller under center.

But high school kids rarely turn out to be the person we thought they'd be coming out of high school. While Dr. Saturday has pointed out on numerous occasions (link no longer available) that a 5* player is far more likely than a 4* or 3* player to make the NFL, for some reason a 5* is far more likely to get himself arrested than a 4* or 3* (from the 2005 class at least). You get your five star flame outs (Ryan Perrilloux) far more often than your #1DC's like Matt Stafford, and you're just as likely to be starting a three star quarterback that you recruited as "insurance" than your four/five star savior.

For Michigan, this is not welcome news. Since the departure of five star rated Chad Henne, Michigan has gone from five star rated Ryan Mallett to no star rated Nick Sheridan to four star rated Steven Threet, back to Sheridan, then to two star Justin Feagin, to Threet, to Sheridan, and now, finally, to four star rated Tate Forcier. Looking at the preceding list, it's easy to disillusioned by the rankings process. Mallett transferred, Threet transferred (again), Sheridan was basically useless, and Feagin is being switched to receiver. As a result, Michigan will be starting a first year quarterback for the second straight year.

Despite Michigan's string of bad luck under center last year, it has failed to temper the enthusiasm of the Wolverine faithful when talking about Tate Forcier's first snaps. While (thankfully) this enthusiasm hasn't gone all Beano Cook, it is palpable when you talk to a Michigan fan. And to his credit, Forcier has done something to stoke that fire. Four passing touchdowns and one running touchdown in your spring game, your first anything against college competition, will get people excited.

Oddly, in watching that video the first thing that jumps out at me is not, OMG Savior!, it's "our defense is going to be baaaaaaaaaaad." But I digress. Watching this video is incredibly reassuring for any Michigan fan who had to sit through or pour over bad video of last year's spring practice. Combined, IIRC, Threet and Sheridan combined for 6 turnovers and no touchdowns via the air in 2008. And that performance was turned in against what proved to be the worst Michigan defense in Michigan history. I'm just saying.

So it's kind of hard to truly judge what we can expect out of Forcier against live competition, you know, the kind that will actually try to tackle him. Last year's quarterback play set the bar very low. But, Forcier seems to have the unique abilities required to run Rodriguez system. Tate showed the ability to throw on the run. Go deep. Scramble out of a sack. Not spike himself. These are good things.

Last year Michigan quarterbacks combined to go an abysmal 165/338 for 1718 yards, 11TD/12INT and a miserable combined QB rating of 95.2. Nick Sheridan's numbers alone make you cringe, a QB rating of 81.1 and a 2/5 TD/INT ratio despite starting a handful of games. If you just threw up a little in your mouth, you're not alone. Say what you want about changing systems, these guys were not and are not good quarterbacks in any system with numbers like that. Last year Forcier's numbers look like a shiny beacon in comparison. 208/326 for 3424 yards, 23/15 TD/INT ratio, 783 yards rushing on 92 attempts, and 12 rushing TDs. But lets break this down a bit.

For context on the competition, Forcier's High School, Scripps Ranch, is a Division II South school in California. Scripps is in the middle tier high school division for California schools with enrollment between 2400 and 1100 kids. The bigger Division I schools have enrollment from 2400 and up [some almost reaching 5000 enrollment]. Scripps is one of the larger Division II schools with enrollment around 2100. So he definitely facing decent competition, he's just not facing a Long Beach Poly kind of talent pool (4600+ kids).

Now, onto the numbers. One thing that jumps out at me is the 2 to 1 TD/INT ratio in 2008. Forcier, if you look at his numbers, had his best season as a HS junior where he was 21/5 TD/INT. But that's two years ago, with different personnel. Last year in 12 games, Forcier had just three games without an INT, and threw 2 picks or more in five games. Tate's playoff numbers were a mixed bag, throwing for over 300 yards in one game, but tossing a combined 5 picks in both play off games he played in. The glass half empty kind of person can take that as Tate wilting under pressure.

But the reality is that's far from the case. Scripps was a good, but not great team last year going 8-4. Their second round bow-out from the DII playoffs was against 12-0-1 Oceanside, the defending state champs, who won their fifth consecutive Division II section title in 2008. Forcier scored both TDs in the loss for Scripps, and a look at the boxscore shows there's not a lot you can do when you give up 28 points in the 4th quarter. Looking at the results, you'll note a couple of games where Scripps gave up 40+ points, including 70(!) to the eventual state champs, Cathedral. FWIW, Forcier was 21/36 for 295 yards, 4TDs and 1INT in the Cathedral game.

What all this means is Michigan is getting a kid who has taken his lumps, knows what it's like to get planted, and has played well against higher levels of competition. Is he the Rich Rod savior we've been hoping for? Chances are we're not going to know for a while. After the jump you'll find the Rivals rankings for every quarterback receiving four stars or higher since 2005, and a few three stars of note. Of this group, over five years, you're only going to find five or six quarterbacks that jump off the page at you. Three of those page jumpers are: Tebow, Bradford, and McCoy. Surprisingly, Bradford and McCoy were three star recruits.

If it seems like things are a little off moving towards 2005, you're right. In '05 Rivals handed out only thirteen four star plus ratings to quarterbacks. In 2009, Rivals handed out twenty five four star plus ratings, nearly double the 2005 amount. In my opinion, this might have something to do with the precipitous drop in production from 4* plus players. When you're handing out high ratings like candy, eventually you degrade the overall effect of that rating. It also explains why I'm nervous about anointing a four star quarterback, even a good one, as a program savior or more modestly as an offensive savior.

So what do these numbers mean for Michigan and Tate? It means we should all cool our jets a tad. Given the number of four and five star flameouts over the last five years, a four star QB is statistically more likely to be a bust than a success. Further, regardless of pedigree, even the best of the best get hammered in year one. Everyone remembers the lumps Chad Henne took as a first year starter, the bad throws, the bailouts by Braylon. And Chad was one of the highest ranked QB recruits in the country at the time. Sam Bradford's been a starter since day one but he got beaten down fairly regularly too. What helped Braford, and what is a major question mark for Forcier, is Bradford's OU defense was AWESOME that year and Bradford often had the opportunity to fix things when he messed up.

Tate's in that middle ground between OMG SHIRTLESS and good, solid prospect. On the negative side, he's shorter than we'd like. He's got good, but not great arm strength. He's shown a propensity, at least at the High School level to throw some picks. On the positive, he has shown great escapability. Great instincts. Good decision making. Has a resume jam packed with awards and MVPS. And an arm that is more than capable of delivering the ball down field and into tight pockets mid field. But all this is conjecture before he plays a single game. So before we all start bringing offerings to his temple, let's allow the kid to show us what he can do in a real game environment.

But here's where the realistic fan in me comes out; it's really hard not to get excited about what he's shown so far. On the basis of his high school career, spring performance, and Rodriguez offense, 2,300 passing yards, 700 rushing yards, 15/9 TD/INT, 6 Rushing TD seems like a reasonable expectation. Juice Williams threw for 3,000 plus last year while running for 700 yards on a bad team. Having seen both players throw, I like Forcier considerably more than Williams as a passer. The rushing numbers will be comparable just because of the nature of the offense. Forcier's going to run the ball. It's a necessity in this offense. So he'll have every opportunity to gain rushing yards.

I may be underselling the passing a tad, but I don't know how well our receivers are going to play this year. They should be a solid group, but there were a lot of dropped and misplayed balls last year. If the receivers play better, I think Tate can get them the ball and my projection would go up from there.

Thoughts?

Here's the list of ranked quaterbacks from 2005 forward. Help me fill in the blanks on these guys if you can.

Rivals.com dual-threat quarterbacks 2009

1Russell Shepard 5* LSU

2Tyrik Rollison 4* Auburn

3Eugene Smith 4* West Virginia

4Kevin Newsome 4* Penn State

5Tate Forcier 4* Michigan

6Cody Green 4* Nebraska

7Nathan Scheelhaase 4* Illinois

8Shavodrick Beaver 4* Tulsa

9Casey Pachall 4* TCU