SB Nation - Justin Roper

Oregon Roundtable

TwistNHook — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 21:00:10 -0000

TwistNHook: Every game the last few years in Autzen has been tight.

2007-Last second miracle touchback
2005-Last second missed regulation field goal leads to terrible OT
2003-Blackout gives Oregon momentum in 4th quarter

Cal is 1-2 in those games and could just as easily be 0-3 or 3-0. Odd things always seem to happen up there. Given that USC will be the next weekend at home, some Cal players might be peeking ahead. Who knows?

Avinash: How do people think Chip Kelly will fare as the new leading man at Oregon? He seemed rather quippy during Media Day.

There's no doubt he is an offensive master of the spread offense, especially the spread run, and you'd figure that their excellence will continue into this season. But as we've seen before, being both head coach and offensive coordinator can easily bog you down once you hit a rut (Tedford 2007 anyone?). Will he be able to handle both duties at once?

Do you feel that Oregon will be a better team?

TwistNHook: If I were an Oregon fan, my biggest concern would be about the O-Line. Don't they have large amounts of inexperience there?

Avinash: Maybe, although that inexperience might be deceptive.

via cdn.bleacherreport.com

"Oregon's no huddle-spread offense forces their offensive linemen to run much more than traditional units. Oregon not only relies on an exceptional conditioning program, but also uses frequent substitutions to keep their linemen fresh.

Last year the Ducks rotated nine players in and out of the lineup. While the one constant on the field, Max Unger, is now playing up I-5 for the Seahawks, the Ducks do return four players with significant game experience"

HydroTech: Doesn't sound like their OL will be as green as we thought. I'm concerned about LeGarette Blount, their runningback. This guy is apparently a first round draft pick in the waiting. He's 240 pounds! Almost as big as former Wisconsin runningback and Heisman winner Ron Dayne (250 pounds). I'm hoping Blount's career is the opposite of Dayne's - sucky in college and good in the NFL. This guy, along with Oregon's athletic offensive line, will definitely give Cal's defense a HUGE test. Frankly, just thinking about playing in Autzen and having to deal with Blount makes me feel like we're going to lose and I haven't even mentioned Masoli. So about Jeremiah Masoli. That guy can run and is another threat for the defense. His passing could use some work. He puts up some pretty inconsistent games. Last year he had a game where he threw only 33.3% completions, and another game where he threw 80.8% completions. Overall, he's about 57% passer which leaves a lot to desire stastically.

So, just thinking about Blount, Masoli, their OL, and their home field advantage makes me think this is going to be the second toughest team Cal will face in 2009. I would put this game at perhaps a coin-flip for who wins or perhaps a 60/40 in favor of Oregon.

Ragnarok: In spite of that fearsome rushing attack, I would argue that the key to the Ducks' fortunes vs. Cal lies with Masoli's arm. Let's run some numbers:

Last year, Cal's defense gave up more than 125 yards total rushing five times. They lost four of those games (accounting for all four of their losses), but only gave up more than 200 yards on the ground once, yielding 206 yards on the ground to Oregon in a 26-16 victory. Deplorable field conditions and inopportune turnovers aside, I believe that the Ducks' biggest weakness was their inability to pass the ball when they needed to.

Oregon's option offense hummed along just nicely on the ground, chewing up big chunks of yardage on first and second downs, but when the Ducks *had* to pass, especially on third down, they were abysmal. Discounting Oregon's final, desperate drive (under 2 minutes left, down 2 scores), the Ducks faced 14 3rd downs that day. How'd they do? When they dropped back to pass, they were 0/6, getting sacked once for -3 yards and throwing one interception. That...is pathetic. (They weren't much better rushing. Yes, they converted 3 of 7 times, but only once longer than 3 yards, and they gained a total of 16 yards on 3rd down. Total.)

That final drive? Masoli didn't even play. Although I don't *know* why he was benched, I feel confident in guessing that Justin Roper (who has since transferred) came in because Oregon *had* to pass, and Masoli just didn't provide enough of a downfield threat. If Masoli learns to throw, then I'll be really worried, but as it is, I don't see the Ducks getting through their schedule with fewer than three losses.

TwistNHook: Well, I agree that Masoli being able to throw is key. But I guess I'm higher on him that you are. Did you see him in the Civil War? He was killing it out there. I even said right before that game that Masoli would be key. And when he was killing it out there, the double pronged attack was murderous.

In many ways, this Oregon offense is similar to ours. Great rushing attack with a suspect passing attack. And if the passing attack CAN step it up and become consistent and productive, then they could have something special. That said, I like our talent almost across the board. This is not to denigrate the Oregon talent, including Blount Force Trauma (even though he had something like 5 rushes for 7 yards against us last year). But instead just to look positively upon our talent.

Avinash: I'm not sure even how to count last year's game. They were playing in the mud. Neither Longshore nor Masoli could do much damage when they couldn't see two feet in front of them.

Also, even though the Bears have won four of the last five from Oregon, three of those wins have been incredibly fluky. Two involved the Ducks committing a hundred turnovers in the red zone, the other involved that receiver catching a ball near the end zone that would've set up a game winning field goal, and then casually letting it drop to the ground. Rose Bowl 2004 hopes would've ended that day.

We talk about the Bears failing to execute offensively, but do you guys feel the Ducks have a similar execution problem when they're expected to succeed with their offense?

Avinash: *bold that last question, Twist.

TwistNHook: DON'T TELL WHAT I SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT BOLD!

Why you always bolding so much stuff? Regular font not good enough for you? Why you gotta hat?

Is Jairus Byrd still around? That guy has been around forever. It's like every year they have tons of hype around the secondary and we still pass well against them. If CBKWit wasn't enjoying his relaxing tour of downtown Pyongyang of indeterminate length (somebody call Big Daddy Clinton!), I'm sure he'd agree with my assessment. Those Oregon DBs always seemed to be overhyped.

Ragnarok: I'm not sure what game you were watching, Avi, but there was no mud (Memorial Stadium has turf), and visibility was fine (it was just a little wet, that's all - it's still good, it's still good!).

TwistNHook: Also, I thought Longshore passed the ball decently well, given all the conditions.

Avinash: It was hyperbole! Hyperbole, damnit!

Ragnarok: I guess you just weren't ridiculous enough. Perhaps you could take hyperbole lessons from rollonubears?

TwistNHook: Here is the box score from last year's game.

Longshore went 13 for 27 for 136 yards with an average of 5 yards per reception. In a vacuum, those are not great numbers. When you look at the other side (where the Oregon QBs were averaging 2.1 and 3.6 yards per reception) and given the weather, I thought that that was not halfway bad. Riley actually played better, but was knocked out fairly early in the game.

I am concerned about the fact that Oregon had murderized our QB the last 2 years. If that happens again this year and Sweeney is starting against USC, it could be a LONG game slash season slash off-season slash rest of our lives.

Avinash: Here is Addicted to Quack's perspective.

I do agree that if there is any Pac-10 defense that will slow down, even stifle Best this season, it will be Oregon. Their back seven is one of the fastest in the country, and they can definitely make sure Best doesn't find the holes.

TwistNHook: This story angers me greatly:

EUGENE — Receiver Diante Jackson was one happy camper Friday as the Oregon football team kicked off practices.

Jackson was cleared for academic entry into Oregon, after taking a sociology class and finishing a history class this summer. The NCAA Clearinghouse, which rules on eligibility for players, approved him Thursday.

Damn you, Diante! Why must you succeed and be happy for the other people???????

via blog.oregonlive.com

Of course, the biggest question is new coach Chip Kelly. And everybody is focusing on the offense. But what of the D? How is it going to look?

Oregonlive has this to say:

"[Last year] Oregon finished seventh in scoring defense (28 points), eighth in total defense (390 yards) and last in pass defense (270 yards). The loss of defensive end Nick Reed and rover Patrick Chung, both consummate leaders, made this season's rebuilding job that much tougher.

So the Ducks tweaked their philosophy. Like many teams, they sought to add a little speed to the edges, and the results this spring were encouraging.

Kelly's first move was to bring in feisty defensive line coach Jerry Azzinaro, who inherits a line of senior Will Tukuafu and question marks at the three other spots. Brandon Bair, 6-foot-7 and 250 pounds, figures to start at one tackle along with either Blake Ferras or Simi Toeaina. Pass rusher Kenny Rowe or stockier Terrell Turner will start at the other end.

The Ducks haven't ruled out the athletic Josh Kaddu at end as they try to add speed wherever possible and stand up one or two defensive ends to help cover the field. That leaves the middle more open, putting pressure on the steadily improving Casey Matthews at middle linebacker. At his side will be the undersized but fast Eddie Pleasant and Spencer Paysinger, who was second on the team with 95 tackles last season.

Newcomer Bryson Littlejohn was perhaps the biggest eye-opener on defense this spring, showing an eagerness to hit.

Behind them, the secondary is again a strength -- although Oregon ranked last in the league in pass defense in 2008. Hard-hitting T.J. Ward is back at safety, along with Thurmond, who was the team's best player in the spring.

Willie Glasper and Kenjon Barner will battle for the other corner, and Chung's replacement at rover will be either the athletic Talmadge Jackson or the physical Marvin Johnson -- improving juniors with complementary skills."

To me, that bodes fairly well. There is a lot of turn over. On a D that wasn't very good. A lot of camp battles for spots. Maybe some of these guys will take that next step and I'll be eating crow. But reading that leaves me feeling fairly confident (even though I think there's a good chance we lose this game).

Avinash: The last five years we've played them, I have never uttered the phrase, "Oh shit, we have to face the Oregon defense".

Football is obviously a 50-50 games; stop the offense, go at the defense. But generally Cal's offense has held their own with Oregon's defense, sometimes even blowing it open with them. Maybe it's because Tedford has coordinated alongside Allotti for three years and knows many of his tendencies (Although to be fair, Allotti probably does likewise). I'd still say Tedford is the more capable of the two in winning the strategic battles between the two, especially with Ludwig in tow (who also coordinated alongside Allotti at Oregon).

My attention will be focused on the defensive side of the ball with Cal, and how they battle the spread option. Do you guys feel that it'll be more important to beat Oregon's defense, or stop Oregon's offense?

HydroTech: I think the key is to slow down and stop Oregon's offense. Oregon's offense is so high octane and fast, that it can quickly build up a multiple touchdown lead forcing the opposing team to play "catch-up." In other words, the Oregon offense will put their team ahead enough to the point where the opponent has to start playing risky and getting aggressive to reduce that score differential before there is too little time left in the game. I think Oregon's offenses have been really carrying the team and it's the offense, not the defense, that the Cal Football team needs to really stop.

via www.marshawnlynch.info

TwistNHook: How do you guys see this one ending up? I really don't know. I feel like Cal has more talent on paper, but Oregon has such a strong home field advantage. It will be close, no matter how you cut it. I think Cal wins 4-2.

Avinash: I think Oski could put the Duck in a headlock and suplex him.

Yellow Fever: 5-4. I feel a last-second safety deciding this one.

TwistNHook: I see Cal fumbling right at Oregon's 1 yard line down 4-3. Then, Oregon takes over and we get the safety FOR THE WIN!

HydroTech: I'm really hesitant to do too much predicting of how our team will perform when we have such huge questions about our passing game. If our passing game sucks, we could lose big time. If our passing game is decent, we can win a close one. If our passing game is great, then we can crush the life out of them. I could see this being a 20 point loss, I could see a 3 point win, and I could also see a 21 point win. To me, it just all depends on how well our passing game is, and that's something we won't know until the season starts.

Poll

How will Cal do against Oregon?

Big win

37 votes

Close win

170 votes

Close loss

190 votes

Big loss

93 votes

490 votes | Poll has closed

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.

Predicting the Season - UCLA Bruins

dvieira — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 20:42:14 -0000

via ucla.freedomblogging.com. Rick Neuheisel may wish he could come in and play some QB for the Bruins this year

UCLA had a rough go of it last year, compiling a 4-8 record under first year head coach Rick Neuheisel. Karl Dorrell left the cupboard bare when he was unceremoniously fired but the Bruins have put together very good back-to-back recruiting classes that should start to contribute more to the games starting this season. In 2008, Oregon had just come off a devastating 44-10 loss at USC in welcoming the UCLA Bruins into Autzen Stadium. Under the lights, the home crowd saw Jeremiah Masoli complete 5 passes out of 19 attempts for a whopping 42 yards. One of those passes was a diving score by Chris Harper in the second quarter. The rushing game ruled the day with the Ducks rumbling for 323 yards on the ground, including a 69-yard touchdown scamper by LeGarrette Blount to seal the win for Oregon.

This year, Oregon travels to Los Angeles to face off against the UCLA Bruins in the Rose Bowl. Oregon will be coming off a 4-game homestand while UCLA will have already had a bye and a trip to a tough Stanford team on the road. The Bruins will be better in 2009 but will they have any advantage against Oregon when the teams meet in October? Let's run the numbers.

Oregon Offense vs. UCLA Defense

The Bruin Defense is definitely the brightest spot for the entire team and you don't have to look farther than 6-2, 295-pound junior defensive tackle Brian Price. He was first team Pac-10 last year and will most likely go out early to the NFL. His 14 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks were huge for an interior lineman and will cause lots of problems for opposing teams in both the running and passing games.

Kyle Bosworth will be coming back after a sprained knee sidelined him for the 2008 season and should give UCLA depth at the linebacker position. With 4 guys having starter experience, the combination of a tough defensive line and a solid linebacking core give the Bruins the potential to have an extremely stingy front 7.

If there is one concern, it would be speed around the edge and this is where Oregon should be able to take advantage, especially if LaMichael James breaks out in the first couple of games. During the middle of the season last year, there was a 4 game stretch where UCLA gave up 200 yards on the ground on average to the teams they faced. If Oregon can work sideline to sideline and get those linebackers and defensive lineman working horizontally, the speed of the Duck attack should loosen the middle up for big gains.

In the secondary, CB Michael Norris and S Brett Lockett are both gone from a unit that was ranked 8th in the nation against the pass and got better as the season wore on. Alterraun Verner will be back and locking down everyone on his side of the field. On the other side though, redshirt freshman Aaron Hester will see a lot of passes his way as teams look to go away from Verner's side. The secondary, as a whole, is young. The two-deep coming out of spring has one senior, four sophmores and three freshman. This year will be filled with growing pains as those young guys adjust.

When UCLA faced Oregon last year, Jeremiah Masoli had barely gotten his feet wet after taking over for Justin Roper. The passing game hadn't developed but the running game did a great job of helping the team win. This year should be a different story as Masoli comes in as a major passing threat. Against some young corners and linebackers that don't have blazing speed, Oregon should find a lot of success in the wide receiver screens and getting the ball to the outside with one on one chances against the secondary. With Verner on Jemere Holland, that should leave Jeff Maehl and DJ Davis with plenty of opportunities.

Oregon Defense vs. UCLA Offense

The biggest news concerning the UCLA Offense is that Kevin "Interception Machine" Craft is out as quarterback having been replaced by 6-2, 226-pound redshirt freshman Kevin Prince. A highly touted recruit, Prince will get a trial by fire during the upcoming season and unless he is the second coming of Tim Tebow, look for a lot of freshman mistakes as he learns the ropes. You would think that Kevin Craft would be the backup right? Richard Brehaut had a great spring and clearly outplayed Craft but still has a redshirt year that I'm sure the Bruins would love to keep intact.

On the offensive line, UCLA just has problems plain and simple. After the injury bug hit them hard last year, the best thing you can say is that at least they have experience. With 8 different lineman earning at least 2 starts, they will excel at lineman by committee. After a tough year last year, spring didn't look any better as bad snaps, missed blocking assignments, and issues with fundamentals continued to plague the line. Oregon, even with rebuilding their defensive line in the off-season, will have a clear advantage in the trenches. With a leaky offensive line combined with a young and inexperienced quarterback, it might be a long day for whomever is back there for the Bruins.

Running backs in Christian Ramirez, Derrick Coleman, and Johnathan Franklin all come in with a combined 72 carries among them. UCLA will probably employ a "Thunder and Lightening" attack, with 6-2, 220-pound Ramirez as the thunder and Franklin as the lightening. With how athletic the Oregon front 7 appears in the spring, look for the Ducks to neutralize the running attack and force Prince to beat them through the air.

Prince will have some options to throw to as the three top receivers for the Bruins come back for another round. Taylor Embree, Terrence Austin and Ryan Mota all come back and should give Prince opportunities in space. With a young quarterback and the lack of a truly dynamic receiver, the Bruins might have some difficulties stretching the field. With the lack of a deep threat, look for the strong Oregon secondary and linebacking units to aggressively fly to the ball, hoping to disrupt the passing and running attacks.

Special Teams

Kai Forbath is dynamite in the place kicking game, including 6-for-6 from beyond 50 yards. He just might be the biggest offensive weapon the Bruins have next year. If the defense can keep it close, Forbath might be just the guy to pull out a couple of wins for the team. UCLA will be replacing their all Pac-10 first team punter Aaron Perez and Jeff Locke looks to be getting the nod. He was the nation's premiere punter coming out of high school in 2008. Given how the offense looks, Locke should get plenty of opportunities for playing time.

Oregon should have an advantage in kick returns as the coverage teams for the Bruins were miserable nationally last year in both kick (100th) and punt coverage(107th).

Conclusion

I like Oregon's chances in this game. UCLA may have improved from last year but Oregon will be greatly improved from when the Bruins and Ducks last met. In all skill positions, Oregon is better than it was last year for this matchup and with UCLA having some inexperience in the secondary, look for Oregon to exploit the holes in the defense in the running and passing games. UCLA's season offensively will all depend on how Kevin Prince adjusts to being the man with the plan. If he struggles out of the gate, Oregon will have a field day. If Prince can get his legs under him before the Oregon game, the passing attack will allow the Bruins to stay in it, especially if their defense can get some key turnovers.

The kicking and punting game should factor into this game as both teams have some challenges. We could see a 14 point swing from special teams alone. That being said, Oregon should be able to handle the Bruins at the Rose Bowl.

Oregon 30 – UCLA 13

The Oregon Ducks Elevator - Fall Camp Week 1

dvieira — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:34:00 -0000

Welcome to the Oregon Ducks Elevator. We're just a few days into Fall Practice but that's plenty of time to see how some key components are fairing so far. Let's get started.

-- LaMichael James: James appears to be doing a lot of work with the second team and has caught the eye of the coaching staff. HIs work last year on the practice squad was top notch and appears to be continuing that hard work into fall practice. He has been impressive… so impressive in fact, Chip Kelly mentioned that he was faster than Jeremiah Johnson ever hoped of being. Elevator: Up 2 Floors

-- LeGarrette Blount: After getting kicked out of practice for not hearing a whistle, LGB seems to be keeping his head high...going about his business. The media seems to be all about portraying him as a villain for this and other transgressions. Even Dwight Jaynes compared him to Chad Johnson? Hard to move up a floor with all of this off-the-field stuff going on. If he keeps doing what he is doing, these portrayals should go away on their own. Elevator: On the Same Floor

-- Jeremiah Masoli: If sporting corn rows doesn't get you into the penthouse, I'm not sure what does. Oh, he also seems to have picked up right where he left off from last year and the spring. Elevator: Living in the Penthouse

-- Nate Costa: By a number of accounts, Costa seems to be moving around well and making some great passes. He still apparently shows some signs of trouble with the knee but anything we can get from Nate to solidify the QB spot will be wonderful. Last year at this time, he was battling it out with Justin Roper for the top spot. He probably won't get close to Masoli but being a capable backup for the Oregon Ducks will almost guarantee you playing time. For all that he has gone through, I'm pulling for the guy. Even if he doesn't see the field much, Costa has a knack of being a team leader on the sidelines. Elevator: Has gotten back in the elevator and pressed "up".

-- Chip Kelly: Work hard, win the day. That's the name of the game and the players appear to be responding to it. He has projected himself as a guy who likes to play hard and work hard. I like that he's motivating the team to work hard and his show of wit on the Tebow comment from Pac-10 Media Day. The transition from Bellotti seems to be going through without a hitch. Elevator: Up a Floor

-- Ernie Kent: The Men's Basketball Schedule was released last week and it looks like Ernie made a concerted effort to get the team a slew of games the Ducks can be confident with. After last year, Ernie needed something to get the young Ducks off to a good start and this was a step in the right direction. Also, it will be nice to see that many home games in Mac Court before we switch over to talking about Mathew Knight Arena. Elevator: Up from the basement to the ground level

Predicting the Season - Purdue Boilermakers

dvieira — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:00:15 -0000

via blog.oregonlive.com. No Jarius Byrd next year but Oregon should have more opportunities like this punt return.

Although Boise State is getting most of the attention from the media, I'm personally looking forward to the 2nd week of the season when the Purdue Boilermakers come to town. BoilerTMill, with the SB Nation blog Hammer and Rails, took a look at the matchup with Oregon back in June. We also talked him into doing a question and answer session in May. Even though the Big-10 has been getting a bad rap the past few years for being "down", there is something exciting about seeing a good, old-fashioned Pac-10/Big-10 matchup.

In 2008, Oregon escaped Ross-Ade Stadium with a victory in overtime as LaGarrette Blount ran it into the endzone for the go ahead score. I wish I had seen it. Back in the early part of the year, I agreed to help out some friends by working at the Shrewsbury Renaissance Faire. It was blistering outside, dusty with no chance for relief. Because I was working the faire, I had to be in costume. Of course, I picked the hottest, most uncomfortable monk's outfit I could find for the event. I sat in my car with the engine on, air conditioning blazing, listening to Jerry Allen call the game on an extremely weak radio broadcast, cursing and banging my head into the steering wheel, honking the horn at regular intervals. At halftime, I had all but given up. I was depressed, weakened from the Boilermaker onslaught, the searing heat and the looks of fellow nerds scoffing at the prospect of someone enjoying a sporting event. I worked a shift at a stage and slowly marched back to the car after 45 minutes just in time to find out that Oregon had come back to send the game into overtime. Heavenly...

With Purdue coming to town in early September, let's take a look at the Boilermakers and how things match up for Oregon

Oregon's Offense vs. Purdue's Defense

Purdue's defense is similar to Boise State's in that they bring back a very talented and experienced secondary with a very young front seven that hasn't performed well against the run. Because of the other schools in the Big-10 scooping up the majority of the talent, Purdue's approach seems to be taking talented athletes and putting them in position to help the team, no matter what that position is. They are the type of team that might put a quarterback at linebacker if it meant helping the team win. The talent and athleticism is there to defend the spread and the issues it poses. With the team being so young and inexperienced however, there may be some cases of over-pursuit on the zone read and that's where Oregon's offense can win the day. Jeremiah Masoli is firmly entrenched as the starter for Oregon and ended the 2008 season on a tear. If the offensive line can gel quickly, Purdue may be in for a long afternoon on the ground, especially if their inexperience rears its ugly head. Purdue did a great job against Justin Roper last year but Jeremiah Masoli is a much bigger deep threat and with an improved passing game, Purdue's defense will have to respect the passing game which should open up the run even more.

The Purdue secondary is all coming back and is very deep. Even with an improved passing game, Oregon should have some difficulty passing against this veteran group, especially Torii Williams who is back for his 17th year of eligibility. Where Oregon can take advantage is the inexperience of the linebacking core and the lack of depth to create opportunities in the short to medium passing game as well getting to the second level in the ground attack. With all of the talk from Chip Kelly about using some double tightend sets, Purdue could be exposed to these types of plays, especially given the experience and talent level of the Duck tightends. We might see Ed Dickson break out.

The X-factor will be Kwann Short, 6-4, 310lb redshirt-freshman defensive tackle. This guy looks like a future NFL pick. If he turns it up a few degrees, he might cause some massive disruptions early on in the game that could change the outlook of the contest. With Oregon replacing several starters on the offensive line, his play could very well determine how successful Oregon can be executing the offense.

Oregon's Defense vs. Purdue's Offense

Purdue lost some key players from last year's squad including QB Curtis Painter and RB Kory Sheets. If you remember from last year, Sheets ripped Oregon up carrying the ball 29 times for 180 with 2 touchdowns. Jaycen Taylor, who was going to be splitting time with Sheets last year, should be coming back after missing last season with an ACL tear. Ralph Bolden and new comer Al-Terek McBurse will round out the stable of running backs that should give Purdue lots of options, depending on who has the hot hand. They've all got quickness and can run both inside and outside. Experience may be a factor when you start going down the depth chart but with Oregon essentially rebuilding their front 7, Purdue should have some opportunities to exploit the defense in the ground game.

With Curtis Painter gone to graduation and Justin Siller having academic issues, the job falls to senior Joey Elliott who saw some limited time last year before getting a shoulder injury. He doesn't have a lot of game experience but seems a serviceable replacement for Painter. A lot of what we will see from him will be determined by how good a fall camp he has. It will also depend on what the coaching staff sees from redshirt freshman Caleb TerBush. At 6-5, 222lb with a cannon for an arm, he may very well push Elliott out of the job during the season and should see time against Oregon as a change of pace. Depending on how crazy Coach Hope goes, could we see some double quarterback sets? The pass rush for Oregon should help to pressure Elliott or TerBush into some bad decisions. Will Tukuafu is back on the defensive line and is looking to break out of Nick Reed's shadow but he will be going up against an experienced Purdue offensive line. The injury bug made for a lot of shuffling last year for the Boilermakers but the upside of that is a ton of experience coming back. With a warmup game before traveling to Autzen, you may see them come together at just the right time to help neutralize a rebuilt Oregon defensive line.

The receiving core for Purdue is young and inexperienced but talented. The offensive schemes employed always seem to get the ball into the hands of their receivers and next year should be no different, despite the inexperience. Last year, Purdue dinked short passes all the way down the field and with Elliot back there, that success should continue. Oregon has a good amount of depth in the secondary coming back but defending the passing game was not one of their strong suits. The much-heralded linebacking core for Oregon will have a lot of opportunities to make plays, but it needs to translate to the field and not just practice. Purdue should be able to move the ball in the air in the short to medium passing game but the deep ball shouldn't be a factor in the game given Elliott's arm strength and the speed/experience of the Oregon secondary.

Special Teams

Chris Summers will have the punting duties for Purdue, averaging 38.4 yards per kick last year. He was doing the field goal kicking as well but only kicked 50% last year, causing Tiller to turn to Carson Wiggs. Summers had great success kicking field goals 2 years ago so he may come back to the job. The key is consistency and if I'm a Boilermaker, I don't feel good about having to guess about field goals. Purdue's biggest weakness appears to be in punt return coverage, giving up 16.7 yards per return and 3 touchdowns, one of those touchdowns being Jarius Byrd's 87 yard run. Oregon should have an advantage as returning kicks and punts has been a hallmark of Oregon teams the past few years. The kicking game should be good for Oregon with Morgan Flint coming back but punting is up in the air going into fall camp. Jackson Rice will be looked to for an immediate contribution in punting. If he doesn't stand out as the clear favorite going into the season, Oregon could be in a world of hurt in field position.

The Bottom Line

I think Oregon fans may be looking at Purdue's 4-8 record last year and be thinking that the Boilermakers will be a pushover. Even though Purdue has some question marks, they appear to be a solid team with several ways to hurt you. There is a lot of potential to couple with inexperience and sometimes that can be a dangerous mix. With Oregon coming off an emotional game at Boise State, the outcome of that game may very well impact how the Ducks home opener will go. Win at Boise State, and it could be a long day for Purdue. Lose at Boise State, and Oregon may come in flat with Purdue able to steal one at Autzen.

Prediction

A Big-10 team coming into Autzen is always huge but I predicted a win against Boise State and I'm going to predict a win here against Purdue to start us out 2-0. I think the Boilermakers will be able to score but not enough to keep Oregon's offense at bay.

Oregon 32 - Purdue 20

Morning Quack Fix: Mike Bellotti takes over, Ashton Eaton, and new recruits on campus

jtlight — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:56:56 -0000

It was actually a fairly busy weekend for Duck news, so let's get to it.

Mike Bellotti becomes the Athletic Director on Wednesday, and the George Schroeder of the Register Guard has a long piece on the state of the department and how Bellotti will handle his duties. Despite all that Pat Kilkenny accomplished, there were rumblings around the department that the family environment was gone in pursuit of the almighty dollar. While I think that Kilkenny did what he was brought in to do (start construction on the basketball arena), it will be good to have Bellotti in the lead, and bring some balance to the department.
Ashton Eaton is getting some well-deserved love from the Portland Tribune, which asks, "Is Ashton Eaton the world's greatest young athlete?" While I don't know if I'd go that far, Eaton is just dominant. Only a junior, he took second in the US Track and Field Championships decathlon this weekend, and is an automatic win in any college decathlon.
Rob Moseley has been keeping track of which new recruits on are campus for summer school and workouts. Michael Clay and Tyrece Gaines are in town, but unfortunately Cliff Harris and Diante Jackson are not yet. While there's no reason to worry, with Harris' issues off the field this spring, the sooner he gets to campus and into school, the better.
Justin Roper has announced that he will transfer to Montana. Though not all that much closer to Georgia, good luck to him.
Buster Sports top 30 coaches of the Pac-10 is getting down to the end, with UCLA's Terry Donahue at No. 5.

There's quite a bit floating around, so if there's anything else you'd like to discuss, leave it in the comments. GO DUCKS!

Are The Ducks Going Through A Recruiting Crisis?

JConant — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:16:53 -0000

I was bummed when Tahj Boyd selected Clemson. He could have been a great fit as a QB in Oregon's spread offense. I was disappointed when Bryce Brown picked Tennessee, and a little put off by his stating that Oregon couldn't prep him for the NFL like UT. I wasn't expecting Aaron Plugrad to leave the program, but it made sense. I wasn't at all surprised when Chris Harper left, but still, it hurt a little. I was surprised when Justin Roper bailed.

Then, this past weekend...

I didn't see Oklahoma coming in the recruitment of running back Brennan Clay. Especially after Clay just weeks ago was proclaiming Oregon to be "...kind of my dream school." I'll admit I was a bit shocked when I then read that running back Ethan Grant publicly stated he was re-opening his recruitment after having committed to the Ducks earlier in the year.

It all has me pondering one question: Do the Oregon Ducks have a recruiting crisis?

Yes, I believe they do. Sort of.

I'll explain after the jump.

Why worry?

I get the sense the Ducks are falling behind in the race and I don't think we know yet whether Chip Kelly and his new-look staff have the late kick of an Oregon distance runner.

Yes, I realize that no player is a lock until he shows up in the locker room, puts on his high-tech cooling pads and rapid-dry jersey and takes the field. Yes, I may be overreacting. Our Ducks need solid running back recruits this year. One just walked away from his dream school and the other is suddenly up in the air. The competition for top talent out west is heating up and the Ducks appear to be having a tough time sealing the deal.

If you put Ethan Grant's commitment on ice for the time being, the Ducks have two verbals here in early June - local 4-star talent Curtis White and 3-star cornerback Terrance Mitchell from Sacramento.

Compare that to a couple otherwise mediocre-to-bad Pac-10 performers from 2008. Stanford has 16 verbals, and they're not just a bunch of smart 2-star guys. Coach Harbaugh has landed a couple 4-stars and a slew of 3-star players from all across the country. Washington is having a great recruiting season. The Dawgs now have nine verbals including yesterday's announcement by 4-star QB Nick Montana. Unlike Stanford, the best talent UW is landing is mostly local. Steve Sarkisian clearly is protecting the Seattle area from getting pilfered by Oregon and Oregon State. The University of Mother Earth at Berkeley (a.k.a. Cal) also is taking care of business with six verbals, including 4-star players from both Colorado and Texas.

Brand erosion for Oregon football?

So what exactly is Oregon's problem? I'm looking squarely at circumstances that have enabled a lot of potential anti-Duck propaganda. Circumstances from 2007 and 2008 are now question marks in 2009.

A few stars have fallen to injury the past couple years - Dennis Dixon, Jeremiah Johnson in ‘07, Roper early last year, Jeremiah Masoli against Boise State. The team, despite all the talent in 2007 and 2008, was unable to avoid three or four losses. LaGarrette Blount put up poor stats against quality linebacker units at USC and Cal. The top position coach in the nation tried to leave Oregon after the '08 season, but came in second place for a head coaching position and ended up hanging around. A couple other coaches were dismissed and replaced with new faces. The venerable Mike Bellotti announced he would leave sometime after the 2008 season, then stepped away and handed the whistle to a guy who has yet to prove himself as a head coach. Three reasonably high-profile players exit the program within a couple weeks following spring ball.

Those are circumstances, and not pretty ones.

We of green and yellow blood have faith. You and I believe in Chip Kelly and his new coaching additions. We understand that the Ducks lost second string guys and have depth and talent at those positions. We understand that one lost recruit just opens the door for another talented player.

The circumstances, however, raise questions. Those questions are easily manipulated into doubt. And I have no doubt those questions are being raised repeatedly by powerful coaches who covet many of the same talented players Oregon is recruiting. The Lane Kiffins and Bob Stoops of the world must be hammering away at Oregon's credibility as they pitch their programs as better options to talented young men who are likely swimming in the attention and overwhelmed by the enormity of it all.

That, my ATQ friends, is the "sort of" to the answer to my own question.

This crisis, in my opinion, isn't a matter of Oregon lacking a good product to sell. It is the result of Oregon's top competition having easy targets when it comes to Oregon's identity. In marketing we might refer to Oregon's crisis as an issue of brand erosion.

Oh, the stories they must tell.

"Their QBs all get hurt." "They've only played in one BCS game since 2001." "They'll never win a conference championship because USC has overwhelming talent." " Their spread offense doesn't translate into developing an NFL-worthy profile." "Their coaching staff is unproven." "Some of their best players are leaving so the new coaches must be difficult to play for."

Imagine that you're an 18-year-old with potential million dollar talent. You're hearing all that rhetoric from guys named Stoops, Kiffin, Sarkisian, Neuheisel, Tedford, Miles, Brown, Meyer, Saban, Tressel, Leach, Gundy, Erickson, Riley and many of their esteemed assistants. Are you not buying into those messages and basing your verbal commitment on the appearance of a more stable and nurturing program?

I believe that's exactly what's going on. The vulnerability door is open and Oregon's big-time competition is running through it full speed.

Am I crazy? Maybe.

Just to check, I bounced some thoughts off Chris Fetters, who covers college football recruiting in the Pacific NW for Scout.com. Chris gave me the encouraging notion that we're just seeing a natural process play out.

"To be honest, whenever there is regime change, there's going to be change in how things are done, who the new staff likes, and how that affects not only the current players on staff, but also the ones that were being recruited by the previous staff, but are now possibly looking at a different set of issues. That's what you're seeing right now." He added, "Is it pretty? No. But I think [Chip] Kelly has been very smart about reporting on the players that are leaving now, simply because by the time fall camp starts, that will no longer be the story."

Since Chris covers the Northwest closely, I asked him what he was hearing about Chip Kelly the new head coach, relative to recruiting. Chris had this response: "To be honest, coming from my neck of the woods - which is the NW - Kelly's recruiting hasn't been all that different from Mike Bellotti's. They target their in-state guys and whatnot, but Oregon's recent success has had as much to do with how they've recruited from afar as it has from recruiting in-state. So it doesn't surprise me at all that Kelly is recruiting nationally, and recruiting for very specific needs. His offense is highly powerful and sophisticated, and it needs the right body types to run at a high idle."

We probably agree, Chris has a pragmatic view of what's going on. I get it. The Ducks are swinging for some top shelf players that might help Chip score 56 points a game, and they're going to whiff on a few curveballs. Still, natural process or not, I can't help thinking that Oregon this year might struggle to win battles over high-profile recruits. It's my theory and I'm sticking to it. Slippage in recruiting, while conference rivals are beginning to excel, troubles me.

Is there a fix? Absolutely!

Of course, there is a way to stop the slippage (that's a great word, slippage, which I confess, I am stealing from author Stephen King).

If Oregon can't land many of their top targets this year, the coaches need to be ultra-savvy and find some gems among the cast-offs of other top-20 programs. They need to continue mining the JC ranks for guys who fit the Oregon scheme and can play or add depth immediately.

Then the Ducks simply need to win. They need to beat Boise State on the road, and Utah and Cal at home this coming season. Beating USC in Eugene again in 2009 would be huge. The Ducks need to make a Michigan-sized statement at Tennessee next year, and then generate a surge of momentum as the program transitions from the Masolian period to the Thomasonian period.

Win. Send players to the NFL in fair numbers. Earn a BCS bowl bid in the next two years. Beat a quality SEC team on the road. Give USC hell. Do all of that and simply prove all of the anti-Oregon arguments to be empty, hollow. Change the circumstances. It's a tall, tall order.

I feel uneasy looking at the recruiting notes and seeing Oregon with two verbals and Stanford with 16. I know it's early, but on my compass, that needle is pointing south. Time will tell how Chip Kelly's first recruiting season as head coach turns out for the short term.

If a recruiting turnaround happens this Fall and Oregon can continue to win nine, 10 or more games a year, the long term prospects will take care of themselves. Win and great recruits will come to Eugene, just like they do in Norman and Lincoln and Columbus and Tuscaloosa.

Then maybe, just maybe, I can stop sweating college football in the middle of June.

Another example of why old media is dying, and why the Internet will win

jtlight — Thu, 28 May 2009 20:40:52 -0000

The last few days have seen a flurry of terrible writing regarding the University of Oregon. Many pieces have lacked logic, journalism, and objectivity. While we have some great writers like Rob Moseley, who have covered this situation as a journalist should, we have also seen writers like John Hunt insert opinion into what should be news articles. And we've endured some terrible opinion pieces, like one written by Dwight Jaynes. The long time columnist from Portland has taken to the net, and in the past two days has written some of the most nonfactual, illogical and, in the end, immature posts I've ever read.

We talked a bit about this in the comments of the Roper post yesterday, but Jaynes turned in a stunningly bad piece that seemed to have almost no grasp on college football. Jaynes started his column out by talking about Masoli, and the continued with this warning:

But what makes it a little scary is that Coach Chip Kelly’s offense burns through quarterbacks the way an Indy car goes through tires on a hot day.

Oooh boy! Who cares about logic when you can create hilarious metaphors like that. But in all seriousness, I can understand people that would be concerned about QB depth. It could potentially become an issue. But when you burn through 4-5 QBs, as we did in 2007, it really makes very little difference how many QBs you have. Because when you get that far down the depth chart, you're dealing with quarterbacks who haven't even gotten many snaps in practice. So when you get to that point, you'll be starting from scratch anyway. He then continues:

Justin Roper was the real loss here. He was a proven quarterback with a big arm who might someday play on Sundays. He was a quality backup who could have started at some other Pac-10 schools.

First of all, this statement is so absurd I really wonder if Jaynes has ever seen Roper play. In what way did he prove himsef on the field? His below-mediocre 117 QB rating? Furthermore, Roper does not have a "big arm," and he has almost no shot at playing in the NFL. He has not shown anything on the field that would make any scout think he could play in the NFL. Beyond that, Roper would have a shot at starting at a lower tier Pac-10 school. But even that would not be guaranteed. Roper was a backup with experience that knew his limitations and worked from that, admirably. But to overstate that is simply false.

But then we get to the bread and butter of the article....

Jayne's real concern is that Kelly said this, "I didn’t want any of them to transfer, but if they’re not happy not being the No. 1 guy at that position, then I can’t predict how that’s going to happen. [...] The one thing we can’t do is we can’t move Eugene, Oregon, closer to Kansas." Jaynes counters:

So, in other words, you want the guys who aren’t No. 1 to be happy about it? Obviously, they never will. Your job as a coach is to keep them around, anyway — either through a realization that they’ll probably eventually get a chance to play due to injury, graduation or whatever reason. That’s what coaches do, you know — they keep the 40 kids who aren’t starters around somehow, so that they have depth.

And as far as moving Eugene closer to Kansas, come on, pal, if distance from home is going to start becoming a problem — as is being said about both departing signal callers, Chris Harper and Roper — then you better stop recruiting players from outside the Pacific Northwest, which you’re obviously not going to do.

This is unfair to Chip Kelly on a number of levels. According to this logic, Kelly should have done whatever necesssary to keep this kids around. But, what if a kid doesn't want to be there anymore? Do you want a coach that will level with that kid, or one who will hem and haw and create a divisive environment. Chip Kelly runs a specifiic offense and has created an attitude of competition. If you have a player who doesn't want to have to deal with those two things, what in the world are you supposed to do? Are we really supposed to believe that Roper would have stuck around if Mike Bellotti were in charge, in which the offense would have been exactly the same and he would have been #2? Are we supposed to think that Harper would have stuck around in the exact same position? Of course not. But James claims otherwise, without any evidence or logic behind his statements, simply rumors that are the opposite of how a good college football program should be run.

Alright, so Jaynes wrote a bad article, what of it? Well, it received a number of comments, mostly from Duck fans, some reasoned and full of depth, and some not so much. That's the way the internet goes.

But, instead of responding to these criticisms head-on, Jaynes instead wrote a completely immature piece, which included the following:

I have to tell you, Oregon Duck fans, you’re a different breed. Most fans of teams can, at least once in a while, take an objective look at their favorite team.

They can see the bad things with the good. See the potential problems. Even make constructive criticism when merited because, really, all of that is part of being a fan. Overall, they’re capable of participating in objective discussions about their favorite team.

I find these statement one of the most ironic, considering that Jaynes could not discuss his own piece objectively. Instead of responding to rational criticism, he decided to lash out at an entire fan base.

Maybe Jaynes doesn't like his pieces getting called out as they should, but his first piece was terrible. His response was simply juvenile. If you don't want responses on your blog, don't open up comments. Furthermore, if you don't like the comments, don't belittle a large group of people.

And that's why the blogosphere in general will succeed. Because, at least around here, we foster cogent and constructive arguments. Heck, most know how often and dvieira and I argue about all sorts of things. We have had very forceful disagreements many times, but that's not a bad thing. Alas, much of the old guard is still entrenched in their ways, and will treat fans accordingly. They do not want their opinions challenged. They are stuck in a world where they are important because of their connections, and they still think that they are the gateway to our sports information, so how dare we question them.

Well, the pillars of old media are crumbling. We have the ability to choose what information sources we want, and have the ability to demand the best from the media. But Jaynes and the media he represents refuse to admit that. And that's why they are failing, and blogs and other new media sources will win the day.

GO DUCKS!

A closer look at the Roper transfer and the QB situation

jtlight — Wed, 27 May 2009 17:00:14 -0000

With Justin Roper getting his scholarship release last week, there was much speculation on his reasons for release. Well, today he spoke out regarding his reasons for transferring, so let's take a look over the QB position and what we can expect from the media, and from the position next season.

First of all, good luck to Justin. From all accounts, he's a wonderful person, and has been a great teammate over the past year. There is no fault in him looking to do what is best for himself, and I wish him the best, wherever that may be.

But Roper's transfer has brought out all manner of craziness, to such a degree, that yesterday, I actually praised John Canzano. Unfortunately, the Oregonian is at it again, and this time John Hunt is getting into the act, playing up controversy for the sake of controversy. Here's a paragraph that stuck out to me.

And you can't fault Kelly for wanting to keep Roper around. Roper knows the offense well, he throws the best ball on the team, and he has proven himself in big game.

Then later, this:

Kelly favors a quarterback who can pass and run, not a passer who can run a bit. Dennis Dixon, although not recruited by Kelly, was the prototype.

These types of comments are fairly commonplace, but shouldn't be accepted from the teams beat reporters, especially those that vote in the AP poll. In this piece, and in countless others like it, there is an underlying idea that passing is secondary, that it can be sacrificed in Chip Kelly's system for running. This by itself is laughable. But to play up the running versus passing debate by claiming the Roper threw the best ball of Oregon's QBs is either totally ignorant, or a flat out lie. It's an easy, but incorrect, story.

Roper, in my opinion, threw the worst ball out of any of our QBs over the spring. His release is slow, and his arm strength isn't there either. When he throws, he seems to go slow and steady in an attempt to control the accuracy, but sacrifices significant ball speed in the process. Unfortunately, this doesn't even help his accuracy that much. And while none of the QBs is perfect, all throw better looking balls than Roper. All have quicker releases with better strength.

So, as much as certain writers want to create this artificial controversy, there is none. The best quarterback will play for the Ducks. Right now, the best throwing quarterback is the starter. He just also happens to be a very good runner. Roper was a clear number two in both respects.

So, where does all this leave Oregon? Well, first, if Masoli goes down, for any extended period of time, it will get dicey. But due to Roper's strengths and weaknesses, he would have given the team a better chance to beat mediocre teams, but a worse chance to beat good teams. If Costa or Thomas plays, I feel that both, if things work out, have a much higher upside than Roper ever did. But with Roper, you knew what you were going to get. Thomas or Costa have the physical ability to be very successful as Oregon's QB, but both have their downsides.

What this means, is that if this season's goal is a Pac-10 title, Roper's transfer will most likely not affect that. I don't feel that he would possess the ability to beat the upper half of the Pac-10. With Costa/Thomas at the helm, we have a higher probability of winning those games, but also of flaming out. And you know what, I'll take that chance. I want our team to be put in a position to achieve it's highest goals, even if that means we have a higher chance of a spectacular implosion. Masoli, Thomas, and Costa all give Oregon a chance to succeed, and I feel good about all of them.

Good luck with your endeavors, Justin. You'll always be a Duck. Well, unless you transfer to Washington.

GO DUCKS!

Chris Harper to transfer: Let's just take a deep breath...

jtlight — Wed, 27 May 2009 01:35:02 -0000

As you've most likely heard, Chris Harper is transferring, joining Justin Roper and Aaron Pflugrad in leaving the program after spring ball. The collective overreaction has begun. But let's slow down people. These things have all happened for logical reasons. Chris Harper was homesick and wasn't going to be playing QB for Oregon, and would wasn't even on the post spring two-deep. Roper was far from home as well, and was considering a change in major. Furthermore, he'd only be playing due to injury, and would likely be facing constant competition from Nate Costa and Darron Thomas. Pflugrad's dad was let go from the team. All of these players would have to work very hard and get some breaks to get consistent playing time. So, while these may come as surprises, they aren't when you break down the circumstances.

These are no reasons to flip out. People got beat out for spots, and saw little reason to ride the bench in Oregon. There isn't much more that you can read into it from this.

But that's not what you're going to hear. All we'll hear from the media and the internet voices is innuendo that this is indicative of something larger. Much like we had to hear about a quarterback curse, we'll have to hear about how Chip Kelly is losing it, without any evidence, or even any reason why Oregon fans should think that things may be amiss in Eugene. Attitude remains high, and the spring was good.

Overall, there's no reason to fret at either QB or WR, where we still have a ton of talent at those positions, and should be able to continue on admirably even with 2007 level injury rates. So, everyone just take a deep breath and don't worry.

[UPDATE] Chip Kelly has spoken out about the transfers. Depth this year will likely not be affected by these moves, but it does make recruiting, especially at QB. in 2010 that much more important. Here are a few Kelly quotes.

On meeting with the players:

I've met with everybody - we'll see,I think everybody knows where they stand. I didn't want any of them to transfer, but if they're not happy not being the No. 1 guy at that position, then I can't predict how that's going to happen.

On the number of remaining quarterbacks:

We want to have five at quarterback and never less than four, and we're at four [if you include incoming recruit Daryle Hawkins]. [...] I feel real confident in Jeremiah, Nate and Darron Thomas at quarterback, and I really like our receivers. ... We'll just go out and recruit next year and fill those spots.

GO DUCKS!