Ed.: JConant just thought he could sneak in here and leave a fanpost? I don't think so. Front Page'd.

If you've felt inclined, as I have the past few days, to read previews of the Oregon v. LSU game, you've run into one recurring theme. It goes something like this: "Oregon's big question mark is the offensive line, where the Ducks return only two starters. The Ducks have a history of struggling with physical defensive lines and will probably do so against LSU." It's always a foregone conclusion, typically followed by the seemingly mandatory dose of "SEC - SEC - SEC".

On a couple of occasions I've taken a few minutes to set the record straight. Fighting the good fight, if you will. Here are the facts.

Continue reading this post »

There's nothing quite like having to wait more than a month for the biggest game ever, right? Thankfully, we can drown ourselves in quack until January 10th. Here's today's fix:

• Football recruiting is really heating up. It sounds like the Ducks are expecting to get a commitment from Tra Carson, a 6-1, 220-pound RB from Texarkana, TX. Sound familiar? Yep, he's from the same high school as our consensus All-American, LaMichael James.
• That follows the long-expected news that JC defensive tackle Jared Ebert signed an LOI yesterday (includes other practices and BCS notes from Rob Moseley).
• Oregon's scout team plays an important role in as the team prepares for the BCS title game. Brandon Bair to take scout QB reps? Nope...Stephen Alexander of the Portland Trib reports that Chip Kelly isn't trying to simulate Cam Newton.
• Folks in North Pole (AK) are proud of one of those scout team players - redshirt frosh WR Dane Ebanez. BTW, Ebanez was recently named scout team player of the year for offense.
• Life lesson #371, if you try to steal someone's beloved Duck jersey, you might get beat with a baseball bat. Lesson #371b, if you perform said act and later profess to not love Duck football, you will be deported.
• How about some hoops... The Ducks are on the east coast to face Virginia Friday night. Oregon will be Virginia's third Pac-10 opponent this season, having already dropped games to Washington, 106-63, and Stanford, 81-60. 
• Ashton Eaton was back in the spotlight, as he became the second consecutive Duck (Galen Rupp in '09) to take home track and field's top honor, The Bowerman.
• Oregon pitcher Tyler Anderson has landed on a pre-season all-american list. 

No doubt there will be plenty more quack throughout the day. If you spot some, please share in the comments.

On that note, this is my final Quack Fix for ATQ. I let Dave, Jared and the guys know that I'm relinquishing my role as an ATQ editor. I just don't have the time to contribute the way a blog writer should these days. I'll still be an active ATQer, and for those of you who attend the "unofficial" ATQ tailgate, yes, you and everyone else are still welcome to hang out. Go Ducks! Bring home a crystal ball.

Happy Thursday. How 'bout them Ducks!

• You're not alone if you would vote LaMichael James ahead of Cam Newton on your Heisman Trophy ballot. Just the same, LMJ says he would vote for Newton.
• Former Oregon tight end Ed Dickson with his take on the Heisman award.
• Speaking of LaMichael, before he heads off to NYC, there's some other business to be done, including a trip to Walt Disney World in Florida. There LMJ will be one of three finalist for the Doak Walker Award, given annually to the nation's top running back. James is also a finalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year.
• Auburn is likely to be more prepared than any other team to face Oregon's up-tempo offense, simply because Auburn's offense also runs a constant no-huddle. But is that really an advantage for the Tigers, whose pace on offense also won't come as a shock to an Oregon defense that has faced hyper-speed in practice all season?
• Stupid is as stupid does, ma'am, and stupid did plenty after Oregon's Civil War win in Corvallis. So stupid got arrested yesterday. Hope it was worth it.
• Take a quick look at the throwback jerseys the basketball team will wear during Saturday's game versus Willamette U. The game commemorates the opening of Mac Court on Jan. 14, 1927.
• Check out the GoDucks.com preview of upcoming men's hoops games versus Willamette (2-5) and Jacksonville State (2-7).
• Oregon's 2010 track and field recruiting classes have been ranked no. 1 by Track & Field News.
• Oregon senior Alex Kosinski has been named the Pac-10 scholar-athlete of the year for women’s cross country. Also senior outside hitter Heather Meyers received regional honorable mention from the AVCAP (she should also get The Most Bad-ass Serve Ever award).

Enjoy your quack. There seems to be a daily flood of it, so share the latest in the comments please.

The countdown continues. Suck it Beavers, that is all.

Here is your quack:

• Yes, it's true Ducks fans. We have the best owner in college football. And right now Phil Knight is enjoying the ride just like the rest of us, call the 2010 season so far "a fabulous journey."
• It's tough for any player to lose a season of eligibility over two plays in the eleventh game of the season. Alejandro Maldonado, however, sees the positives of his situation - and when the team needed him to fill in for Jackson Rice last week, he was ready.
• Former Ducks Dino Philyaw and Anthony Newman reflect on Civil War bragging rights they earned in the 80s and 90s.
• Jason Vondersmith of the Portland Tribune weights the likelihoods against the probabilities and comes up with a Ducks Civil War win. Vondersmith seems to understand what the Beavers are on offense: inconsistent. And he gets what they are not on defense: a juggernaut.
• I want to believe it isn't possible - and how can you not support the young man - but can this really be true? Starting right tackle, a dominant part of Oregon's stout O-line, might miss the Civil War due the birth of his first child. PANIC!!!
• Lindsay Schnell at Oregonlive has updated her weekly Oregon Ducks recruit tracker. If you haven't checked out some of the video of QB Marcus Mariota, you might take a peek. Last week Mariota was 17-for-23 passing for 230 yards and three TDs in securing a 36-13 Hawaii state title win for St. Louis High School. Largely an unknown earlier this fall, Mariota combined for more than 4,000 yards and 53 TDs during the season.
• No. 8 Missouri is next up for Ducks hoops. The Ducks took their lumps against no. 1 Duke, and probably will do so again tonight at Mac Court. Dana Altman has the right frame of mind regarding the Ducks playing highly ranked opponents..."it shows us areas we need to work on."
• Oregon sophomore cross country star Jordan Hasay has secured another well-deserved award. Yesterday Hasay was named the Pac-10 women's CC athlete of the year. I'm guessing she'll own that award for the next few years.

When you're addicted to quack, a holiday is just another day and you've got have your fix. We understand. Enjoy your turkey today. Or, pork or beef or tempah or whatever. Get your slothful tryptophan high on and relax, 'cause tomorrow's a big day. Tomorrow, we dine on cat.

Here's your quack:

• While some fan bases still scoff (looking at you UW, Cal), some in the media have moved past the "gimmick" moniker when evaluating Oregon's offensive scheme. Arizona Daily Star writer Patrick Finley call's Oregon's offense a "blur" and predicts that many imitators will soon emerge.
• Just how challenging is it to face Chip Kelly's Oregon? A number of Pac-10 coaches weigh in.
• Okay, so here's the story that isn't a story, but really is... LaMichael James' use of a friend's vehicle was investigated by the University and the NCAA. It's all legit. No wrong-doing was found. We move on. Of course, there was all kinds of message boards reaction: "Not a story!" "Bored writers with an ax to grind." And so on. Folks, when the NCAA investigates possibly the top RB in the nation, who plays for the nation's current no. 1 team, it's newsworthy. It's just as newsworthy as the fact that he's been cleared and it's done.
• Autzen East? Evidently it's a restaurant in Washington D.C., where as many as a 125 people show up for ever Ducks game. Fun piece over at Oregonlive. Of course, at ATQ were already familiar with just how global the addiction has spread.
• Some old news here, but if you haven't heard the latest in football recruiting, here are some updates by Matt Prehm from DuckTerritory.com.

BYE week - an opportunity to enjoy some stress-free, late season football, or hell in the form of the longest wait ever for a shot at 11-0? Here's today's quack:

• My Twitter page displayed a variety of reactions to the news that Chip Kelly was spotted at yesterday's Seattle Seahawks practice. Concern? Really? Chip has a history of swapping notes with other coaches during some down time. Why not glean what you can from other gridiron geniuses? Pete Carrol does have some experience with national title runs, after all. Here's the little blub from The Oregonian.
• Lately I haven't paid much attention to Bleacher Report, but this slideshow recap of the Oregon season and possible bowl scenarios feels like reasonable BYE week material. Also, it's followed by this now well-aged, yet horribly done, comparison of each Pac-12 team to a corresponding beer. Clearly the BR guy knows nothing of beers...but we ATQers, we know our stuff. So show us in the comments... What does your list of Pac-12 beers look like?
• I really didn't want to write about the Cal injury bug today, but it's still burning up the webs.Ted Miller chronicles how we've got to the "irate" level, plus some good video analysis by ESPN's Todd McShay.
• Adam Jude with the R-G's latest on the fake injury buzz.
• Offense, defense, speed - yeah, that sounds about right. Jason Vondersmith takes a look at some of Oregon's potential post-season opponents.
• How would feel if Chip Kelly and a bunch of UO coaches and players showed up at your house? Probably stoked, just like these guys and gals in Coburg.
• Oregon sophomore and Pac-10 champion Jordan Hasay has been named the NCAA West Region women's athlete of the year by the USTFCCCA. Includes some notes for Ducks softball and volleyball.

Seriously. I want to see your Pac-12 team/beer list. Washington Huskies: pale ale or Miller Lite? I may not have time today to put my list together, but I'm going with Oregon = Ninkasi Total Domination IPA. Got quack? Share it in the comments. Go Ducks!

No disrespect intended towards Cal, but today we're gonna lead with some hoops.

We're gonna lead with some hoops because what happened yesterday - albeit expected - is nothing short of amazing, when you consider the shambles left in the wake of Ernie Kent's firing. Dana Altman had a lot to sell: playing time, resurrecting a program that was a conference contender just a few years ago, an amazing new facility, new staff, new offense and a rabid fan base sure to embrace anyone wearing the green and yellow. Sell he did, signing four quality players in what was ranked the no. 19 class by Rivals and no. 18 by ESPN. Well done, sir. Well done.

• R-G UO hoops beat writer Bob Clark with the rundown of Oregon's LOI-day coup: Jabari Brown, Bruce Barron, Brett Kingma and Austin Kuemper.
• John Hunt of The Oregonian provides brief profiles for each new Duck.
• Paul Westhead also landed four new recruits, receiving LOIs from two guards and two forwards...I'm guessing they can all run and shoot. And...Jim Moore hopes to continue Oregon's rise in the volleyball ranks with three new recruits, including Oregon's Gatorade player of the year, Elizabeth Brenner from Jesuit H.S., and two talented California hitters.

Finally, we're on the backside of I Hate Washington Week. Just 48 hours from now many of us will be heading over to Autzen for our pre-game rituals. If you haven't kicked a dog yet, it's time to man up and give a pooch the boot. And because most of you enjoy discussing beer, I'll share this... Went for sushi last night with a buddy from out of town. We ask the waitress for a couple bottles of Ninkasi. She returns with the most appropriately named beer ever for IHW Week...and it's my new favorite brew: Total Domination IPA. A good omen.

• Bud Withers didn't always work in Seattle, and today he's posted a fantastic perspective on Oregon's long, and sometimes laughable, rise to the top of college football. He's exactly right...the football world is spellbound by Oregon, and they don't know the half of it.
• Withers' colleague Bob Candotta knows most of his readers don't want to hear about Oregon right now, but the job has to be done. Bob scouts the no. 1 ranked Ducks with Ken Goe from The Oregonian.
• A little tidbit from ESPN - Oregon will reach an interesting milestone if they score 50 or more Saturday. If?
• UW's Keith Price is getting his first start under the most difficult of circumstances. We know this about Price: he hasn't played much, he smiles a lot, he keeps a football in his bed, and he's been to Autzen before on a recruiting visit.
• Oregon's conditioning is starting to become legendary. Gary Horowitz of the Statesman Journal digs in to find out how that happened.
• Rob Moseley with more on Kenjon Barner's return to full speed at practice.
• The latest recruit tracker is up. The Ducks are hosting eight recruits for the UW game Saturday, so perhaps we're due for some more commitments. For excellent UO recruiting insights, I recommend you follow @Prehmmr on Twitter.
• A little hoops news... Oregon's women put on a hyper-speed display of their own last night, beating Willamette 121-41 in Mac Court. The Willamette men's and women's teams were both scheduled for games in Eugene as a way to commemorate the venue's storied history and the transition to Matthew Knight Arena.

Okay, time to go find a picture of Ryan Appleby. You can do your part by sharing any fresh quack in the comments today. Go Ducks!

So close, and yet so far away. That knot in my stomach appears to be kicking in a couple days early. I suspect that has something to do with our ATQ pre-season predictions. This was the week I picked the Ducks to suffer their lone conference loss. Boo on me. But you know what rocks? I suck at picking games - a fact proven in the jersey contest standings.

This week it's all about who plays fast and who can keep up. Still, time seems to be moving very slowly. Here's your quack:

• Gary Horowitz of the Statesman Journal (Salem) looks at what I believe is Oregon's biggest strength on defense - its depth.
• Ron Bellamy of the R-G caught up with USC defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, who says his Tampa 2 defense won't work against Oregon and he wishes he had a couple more weeks to prepare. If Kiffin's defense is able to slow Oregon Saturday, then he'll have earned a large portion of the credit. If not, well, he's in good company.
• Rob Moseley's Oregon football notebook: Outside perspectives on Oregon v. USC, expanded TV coverage equals big money, and a marquee quarterback matchup.
• You're probably aware that Chip Kelly has trademarked his mantra, "Win The Day" (you gotta sense a book deal coming down the pipe, maybe even a colab with "Robby" over at the R-G). Did you realize that winning the day starts with making your bed? Evidently, according the Jason Vondersmith of the the Portland Trib.
• More interesting Chip Kelly perspective from the staff at William & Mary, which faced Kelly's offensive tactics repeatedly as a rival of New Hampshire's in the Atlantic 10.
• An L.A. Times article quotes several Trojans - a confident bunch these days - as they prepare for the Ducks. Also interesting is the possibility of a couple key injuries. Both defensive end Nick Perry and starting right tackle Tyron Smith have both missed significant practice time this week.
• SB Nation Pac-10 contributor Avinash Kunnath breaks down conference title possibilities for Oregon, OSU, Stanford, Arizona, Cal, and yes, even Washington.
• Switching gears to hoops... R-G columnist George Schroeder focuses on expectations for the coming season. Everyone has picked the Ducks to finish tenth. Dana Altman considers it his responsibility to prove everyone wrong.
• Ron Bellamy updates the scheduled transition from McArthur Court to shiny new $227 million Matthew Knight Arena. The first scheduled game will be on Jan. 13th when the men take on USC in a game to be televised on FSN. That feels like a must-attend.

There's bound to be more good quality quack floating about the interwebs throughout the day. If you find some, please pass it around in the comments. Go Ducks.

It's our second-most favorite day of the year (Can we agree it's a close second to I Hate Washington Day?). Let me be the first to wish you a happy Weasel Stomping Day! Hopefully you're taking most the day off for a mid-week tailgater at Autzen. If not, enjoy Oregon's first game ever as an AP no. 1 tonight on ESPN. Here's your quack.

• I can't help but wonder which UCLA team we'll face tonight. The team that beat then no. 7 Texas and then no. 23 Houston, or the team that got humiliated by both Cal and Stanford. Gregg Found of ESPN has your "What to Watch" for tonight's game.
• Casey Mathews and the Ducks are taking the right approach to being a top-ranked team.
• R-G columnis Ken Woody breaks down the Xs and Os of UCLA's pistol offense. Rob Moseley examines some of the key match-ups with UCLA.
• Fox Sports columnist Kalani Simpson considers the national perception of the Ducks now, versus a mere six months ago, though I disagree with his notion that all has been forgotten. Nothing has been forgotten, rather all has been dealt with and the team has rightfully moved on.
• Is back-up QB Richard Brehaut ready to lead the Bruins? He certainly thinks so.
• Yes, Jeremiah Masoli is rooting for the Ducks, and still keeps in touch with several of his good friends on the team.
• OregonLive's weekly Ducks recruit tracker is up...lots of video of our future stars.

Bye weeks are tough. Honestly, Central Florida at Marshall just didn't do it for me last night. With Chip Kelly closing practice and unwilling to discuss player statuses, to-the-day updates are lacking. But when you're no. 2, reporters will find something to write about...so here's your Thursday quack:

• Chip says he closed practices because he felt that's what the team needed - he's obviously got the FOCUS down. Anne Peterson of the AP recaps the Pac-10 media call with the Ducks coach.
• You can also check out Ted Miller's take on Kelly's tight grip on information. Unlike some, Miller is able to find humor in how Kelly runs his ship.
• Rob Moseley's latest update includes a few interesting mid-season tidbits. Concussions are serious business, and Moseley takes an in-depth look at how team doctor Greg Skaggs approaches the kind of injury suffered last Saturday by Kenjon Barner.
• Gary Horowitz of the Statesman Journal has a thorough recap of the Ducks first six games. Fair warning - the SJ site is poorly designed...look for the "next page" link to get through the entire article.
• The latest Oregon Ducks recruit tracker from OregonLive.
• The NCAA has taken over an investigation into possible rules violations by former members of the Oregon men's basketball team. Ron Bellamy of the R-G reports that Oregon officials have been cooperative and that the NCAA is now taking the lead in the process.
• The Oregon women's hoops team plays in arguably the toughest conference in the country. Rob Moseley previews the 2010 team, which will have to replace the considerable production of former Ducks Taylor Lilley and Micaela Cocks.

If you find more quack, please share in the comments. Go Ducks!

We told them to go to rehab, but they said, "No, no, no."

• 5* shooting guard from Oakland - a.k.a. Jabari Brown - picked Oregon. Nice get Dana Altman and Duck coaches. Psst...you might get a kick out of the name of the site where I found this link. ESPN's version.
• Football notes and links from Ken Goe at the Oregonian. BTW - LaMichael is not a math guy, so it's up to the rest of us to keep up with his statistics.
• A great find by TQA8 on LaMike's background and the challenges he's overcome so far. Must read!
• Oregon's got it going on in Texas and Florida. Is Pennsylvania the next border Chip Kelly and crew will cross? Maybe, if these two defensive stars are willing to come west. 
• Freshman sensation Josh Huff gets his close-up with Jason Vondersmith at the Portland Tribune.
• You can check out some Civil War soccer, and a preview of no. 13 volleyball taking on UA and ASU.

So will we or won't we see live TV this week? Right now, the outlook appears bleak, but we'll see if that changes at some point today. For those of you holding your breath, stop. You're probably killing brain cells at this point. Speaking of killing brain cells...here's your quack fix:

• Ken Goe goes one-on-one with Oregon linebacker Spencer Paysinger...and finds out he's much more than a great football player. Spencer attacks his education and life off the field with the same passion that makes him successful on the field.
• Seems just about everyone has Oregon's preparation techniques under the microscope this week - a reaction to the Ducks stunning second-half performance versus Stanford. The latest is Stephen Alexander at the Portland Trib, who digs into Oregon's unique conditioning. Oh, and there's that name again - Radcliffe.
• Rob Moseley's Wednesday practice update.
• Lots of talk yesterday about Chip Kelly's demeanor on the sidelines. In case you missed it, local columnist George Schroeder suggests a little discretion may be in order when under the national spotlight.
• The latest Oregon Ducks recruit tracker via OregonLive. Lots of video of guys we'll soon be cheering in Autzen.
• Hopefully you took a look at dvieira's Oregon hoops update from last night. Lots of changes to the roster, as detailed in The Register Guard, and over at ESPN.
• The no. 13 Oregon volleyball team will take on the Arizona schools in Eugene this weekend. Curtis Anderson over at the R-G features Oregon sophomore Alaina Bergsma, who was named national player of the week a couple weeks back following a big win over highly ranked UW.

Go Ducks, and dare I say it, go Joe Giansante and Comcast Sports Net! If you've got quack to add, please post your links, pics and videos in the comments.

Good thing we all have webbed feet. Seems like we're swimming in Quack this week as we head into the biggest game of the season to date. Here's your daily dime bag:

• ESPN's Ivan Maisel credits a diverse group of coach of the Pac-10 rise, and suggests that the conference is abandoning the status quo off the field, and on the field.
• Ted Miller examines the stark contrasts between the Ducks and the Cardinal. Miller's weekly Pac-10 predictions reflect Oregon's home field advantage - that means you, and me, and everyone else going to the game: stand up, do your best to make it audibly unbearable for Stanford's offense and be in the stadium when the third quarter starts. Miller's weekly What To Watch in the Pac-10.
• You may have already seen this... Oregon has received a verbal commit from 3-star linebacker Rahim Casell.
• Ken Goe at The Oregonian examines Chip Kelly's new contract and the climate of coaching that may have led the university to take a proactive approach to locking Kelly up in Eugene. He also references this R-G article by Greg Bolt: the university is unexpectedly having to dip into its Legacy Fund to cover construction costs of Matthew Knight Arena.
• R-G's Rob Moseley and Oregon center Jordan Holmes discussed Stanford's defense, which in many ways resembles what Holmes sees every day in practice.
• Ron Bellamy on former Jesuit H.S. and current Stanford 2-way star Owen Marecic.
• Columnist George Schroeder sets out to answer one simple question: just what is Jim Harbaugh's deal? Turns out, it's winning.

I'm now officially late for work. So if you find more quack, please add it in the comments. Thanks. Go Ducks!

This week the Ducks will be looking to clean a few things up.

Passing accuracy needs some work.  So does blocking at the point of attack. Handling kicks on special teams. Defending deep balls in man coverage. Coaches Kelly, Helfrich, Greatwood, Frost, Azzinaro, Neal, Osborn, etc., will be getting after it this week.

However, there's another guy who may be just as vital to Oregon's chances against Stanford. If you don't know who Jim Radcliffe is, you should.

Want to beat a team like Stanford? Your team better be at their very best, and it's Radcliffe's job to make certain that's exactly what happens at Oregon. This week, that's an especially important job.

Continue reading this post »

So what happens this weekend? Do the Sun Devils turn their newly-found confidence (Who knew it was in Madison, Wisconsin?) into actual competence and give the Ducks all they can handle? Or, will the Ducks run around, through and over the desert flame outs like they're the ninth best team in the Pac-10, as many suggested during preseason?

Here's your quack:

• So Chip Kelly calls this year's ASU offense "oranges" compared to last year's "apples". Rob Moseley details some of the changes Dennis Erickson and new offensive coordinator have implemented. That, and Moseley's Wednesday practice report.
• More on former Duck Aaron Pflugrad facing his old team. Seems everyone is talking about this, except Aaron, and who can blame him. Bottom line, he's a good possession receiver who is capable of shaking Oregon's corners and moving the chains. He'll need to be well defended Saturday.
• Jason Vondersmith of the Portland Trib says one of the most telling stats about Oregon's defense so far is that opponents are only 5-for-46 on third down. Yeah the competition has been poor, but my guess I suspect that if we looked at some other teams who've faced UNM, Tennessee or PSU, (ASU, Utah, Florida, Texas Tech) Oregon's D looks better than the rest. Anyone care to look it up?
• You knew that Brandon Bair was an excellent football player, but did you know that he's so much more? Nice feature in The Oregonian by Ken Goe. GoDucks.com also has a new video interview with Bair.
• Oregon hoops is evidently close to adding a player, as reported yesterday by DuckTerritory.com and confirmed by the R-G's Ron Bellamy. In a shocking turn, it was not ATQ's own Matt Daddy, but rather Jay-R Stowbridge, a much traveled 5-11 point guard with one year of eligibility remaining.

Go Ducks!

The beauty of being ranked in the top 5 - even heading into a game against a middling FCS opponent there is plenty of quack to be shared. Unfortunately, it's not all good, and I'd like to personally thank Michael Dunigan for doing next to nothing for the hoops program the past two years.

• Let's get the basketball stuff out of the way. If you missed Dave Piper's commentary here on ATQ yesterday, it's worth a read. Andy Katz of ESPN also looks at the Dunigan exit and the recent departure of other players. Ernie Kent defended the program that he guided for 13 years as "above reproach".
• Okay, enough of that hoops mess. Rob Moseley's Wednesday practice report includes an update on some of the Ducks who are battered and bruised.
• Many of the PSU players are in-state guys, some of whom grew up rooting for the Ducks. They're looking forward to playing in Autzen, but they're far from star-struck. The Vikings are still learning how to fire the pistol.
• Gary Horowitz at the Statesman Journal (Salem) writes that dealing with adversity in Knoxville has given the Ducks increased confidence. 
• Stephen Alexander of the Portland Tribune caught up with Oregon freshman Lache Seastrunk...clearly a deeply emotional and religious young man with an infectious smile and quite a back story. Can't wait to see Seastrunk fulfill the rest of his personal story as a Duck player.
• Understandably, there isn't much about the Ducks, but it's a big week for the Pac-10 as evidenced in Ted Miller's weekly What To Watch: Week 3, and Miller's week 3 predictions.

I'm going to make you one promise today - no links to any articles that encourage you to listen 18 different versions of Rocky Top. Enough already! Let's kick the ball off, beat the stuffing out of their QB, run a play about every 10 seconds to get their defense gassed, turn 1A and 1B loose, win by 30, kick their dog on the way out and prepare ourselves for a huge dose of SEC fans telling us it didn't count 'cause Tennessee isn't very good (God, please let them talk up Auburn, which looked nothing like a top-20 team on TV last night).

ATQ's Matt Daddy got on the horn with the fellers from Rocky Top Talk for a podcast:

You might also want to review jtlight's preview of the Tennessee match-up. 

• Rob Moseley's report from Thursday's practice notes that C.E. Kaiser looks to be a full go for Saturday's game. Interesting that Chip Kelly has a different outlook from some coaches about who plays on Saturday relative to practice time during the week prior.
• Evidently the line on the UT game has moved from Ducks (-13.5) to Ducks (-11.5). Ken Goe suggest that means a lot of people are not willing to bet that Oregon won't blow Tennessee out. Lots of other links included.
• Oregon faces a lot of unanswered questions about Tennessee's defense.
• LaMichael James is ready to make his 2010 debut.
• Chip Kelly went on The Bald-Faced Truth with John Canzano yesterday. This short story includes a link to the audio. Canzano also spoke with former Oregon player and now UT defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox. I think way too much is being made of Wilcox being Oregon's nemesis..."he stopped Oregon twice!!!" Really? Didn't Oregon score 32 points the first game against BSU, thanks mostly to the efforts of the 4th and 5th string QBs?
• Oregon AD Rob Mullens sat down for a Q&A with some Register Guard reporters. Mullens clearly has his hands full, and its refreshing to see a guy willing to take some tough topics head on.

ATQers, you're invited to join some of us regulars at our Autzen Stadium tailgate for every home game this season.

We're located across the street south of the Moshofsky Center, right along the millrace walking path, about 50 yards downstream from the bicycle cages. We're working on getting some kind of sign, but if you don't see one just ask around. You'll find us.

Who will be there? Me, obviously, along with our very own dviera, his wife Sherrie and the affable JShufelt. qrsouther usually show up at some point, along with Axemen23 (please, don't let that stop you). We might even get a visit from The Godfather - the blogger formerly known as Addicted To Quack - if he can find a game ticket. Every week is a little different, depending on who shows up from out of town, or out of country.

We usually have some extra food and beverages, but we cannot commit to feeding everyone who shows up. Please bring your own food - we'll have a grill going until about an hour before game time. BYOB.

JShufelt was kind enough to put together this map:

via i530.photobucket.com  

Let me be the first to wish you happy College Football Season. Lots of quack to get to today.

• We've seen plenty of UNM game previews from the UO perspective, but here's a look at one player on New Mexico's defense who should make quite an impact for the Lobos this season. Linebacker Carmen Messina patterns his game after his boyhood role model, Brian Urlacher.
• Jason Vondersmith of the Portland Tribune expects it will be Oregon's defense that shines during Saturday's opener. His prediction: Oregon 45, New Mexico 13.
• ESPN's Ted Miller posted his Pac-10 predictions for week one. Mild surprises, perhaps, in his picks of a Washington win at BYU and Oregon State in an upset over no. 6 TCU. I think he gets at least one of those wrong.
• Rob Moseley writes that after an impressive championship run in 2009, the Ducks now become everyone's target in the Pac-10. Repeating as conference champs is no easy task, and Moseley gets some perspective from two of the handful of coaches who achieved it, for UO coach Mike Bellotti and legendary UW coach Don James.
• At the same time, Moseley suggests that much of the luster was lost from the 2009 title given the Rose Bowl loss and offseason issues. Those may have heightened the Ducks' resolve and made them tough to unseat as champions.
• Yesterday on the Dan  Patrick radio show, Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt admitted that former Duck Jeremiah Masoli was going to be his starting QB. That was until the NCAA made a controversial decision to deny Masoli's eligibility to play for the Rebels this season. Still, Nutt is optimistic that Ole Miss is going to win its appeal tomorrow.
• It was a milestone win for the no. 18 Ducks volleyball squad last night, as Jim Moore got win number 100 as Oregon's coach. Last night's victim was Florida Gulf Coast in three games 25-18, 25-17, 25-14.

There should be plenty more to discuss today as we fritter away the moments until Saturday. Please share any good stuff you find on the world wide webs. Go Ducks!

(Editor's note: I'm not going to do a weekly post throughout the season. I just wanted to do something fun and this came to mind.)

Are you there Juju? It’s me, Jeremy.

Just a few more days until kick-off and I’m feeling selfish tonight. Despite all you gave us last season, I’m hoping for more.

I’d like more sunny Saturdays. More tailgate festivities with ATQers from all over the country (and Canada). More visits from College GameDay. More late-night post-game pizza feasts with Dom, Sherrie and Joe. More snow angels in Dom’s living room carpet. More red roses.

I’d like another Pac-10 championship.

You see, I love my Ducks. We Duck fans celebrate your Juju goodness and are hoping that you too will love our Ducks, again. If you’re in a giving mood, I have a short list:

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Even the best laid plans blow up in your face from time to time. The idea was to post a QB review this morning, have qrsouther, axemen23 or runfast cover the afternoon scrimmage. Then we could talk all night about who we thought would win the battle of Nate Costa v. Darron Thomas. Who was more effective? Who made the right reads? Who showed the leadership the Ducks will need to repeat as Pac-10 champs?

Then I heard today the scrimmage will be closed to media and the public.

No worries, though. We’ll all know the answer about 9:05 a.m. Saturday morning.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way, was it? This was supposed to be the year the Ducks made a run at back-to-back BCS bowls behind a dynamic senior QB with lots of wins and two bowl games under his belt. Costa and Thomas were going to spread their wings during mop-up duty versus the likes of New Mexico, Portland State and Wazzu. Perfect, until that plan took a wrong turn down Agate Alley. Or was it Agate Street? Map please!

So it’s Costa and Thomas. Or it’s Thomas and Costa. Everyone’s got an opinion, save the few rational types among us who place their blind faith in Chip Kelly and Mark Helfrich. Reality is, we’ve got it pretty good here. Two capable QBs. Can they say the same at Stanford, Arizona, Washington, Arizona State or Oregon State? If the Pac-10 comes down to quarterback attrition, Oregon should be in good shape.

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It's going to be an interesting day. The Ducks scrimmage this afternoon, but the session is closed to the public and media. Supposedly, stats will be released - presumably by Andy McNamara at GoDucks.com - following the scrimmage. At that point speculation should run even more rampant than in recent days regarding Oregon's undecided QB situation.

• Rob Moseley believes today's scrimmage is a final exam of sorts, from which several mysteries will be solved. Of course, Oregon's veteran defense - both athletic and physical - serves as a large barrier...it's going to be a grueling final for both Nate Costa and Darron Thomas.
• George Schroeder is making a prediction. He claims that when all is said and done, Nate Costa, the veteran of the two candidates for the starting job, will be the guy.
• Wednesday afternoon's practice report.
• Is New Mexico catching a break by not having to face LaMichael James on Sept. 4? Maybe not, writes Ken Goe of The Oregonian. Kenyon Barner is ready to carry the load in LMJ's one-game absence. The defense might also have a say in the outcome of that game.
• Dale Newton at the DuckStopsHere blog reminds us that QB play, even by some recent Duck heroes, has not always been pretty. Newton will be holding his breath during today's scrimmage, but not for the reason you might think.

We're closing in on game week, Duck fans. If you find some quality quack, please post in the comments area.

It’s probably fair to say that Jeff Maehl isn’t flying under the radar any more. While Oregon’s top pass catcher from 2009’s championship season isn’t listed among anyone’s Heisman dark horses or on Mel Kiper’s big board, both regional and national writers seem to get it. The secret is out. Jeff Maehl is good and he can hurt you in several ways.

Maehl leads a group of quality returning receivers. There are few questions about who starts, but plenty of questions regarding depth. Let’s get past the sour stuff. Four guys expected to possibly contribute in 2010 aren’t around. Jamere Holland is gone. Garrett Embry, also gone. Tyrece Gaines, academically ineligible, as is a guy we hope we’ll see back in a Duck uniform, Diante Jackson.

Sure, those circumstances left the cupboards a little bare. However, one man’s misfortune - or poor decisions - can be another man’s opportunity. Let’s take a look at the guys most like to catch passes for the Ducks this season.

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We're closing in on just two weeks until kickoff. Here's today's quack:

• Rob Moseley was back on double duty yesterday. Check out the morning report and Rob's afternoon report. Good to hear LaMichael James was back at it full speed. Sounds like some guys on defense are eager to lay some wood...easy boys, they're on your side.
• John Hunt of the Oregonian writes that O-line coach Steve Greatwood has his veteran unit getting their nasty on this season. Guard Mark Asper says that's not always easy in practice when you're lined up against teammates and friends.
• Stephen Alexander at the Portland Trib got in a Q&A with head coach Chip Kelly. Not a lot of surprises...Kelly seems please with the progress of fall camp so far.
• Replacing Ed Dickson at tight end isn't an enviable task for coach Tom Osborn, but he's got plenty of talent and depth to play with.
• Oregon running backs coach Gary Campbell weighed in on LaGarrette Blount's much publicized practice altercation at Tennessee Titans fall camp. Haters are having a field day, but this was just the heat of fall camp, little more. Did anyone really not see this coming given Blount's past? LGB is an obvious target for antagonistic behavior, especially during his rookie season.
• George Schroeder headed down south to check in on former Duck Jeremiah Masoli. It was a brief interview, but Schroeder got a good flavor of how Masoli is being embraced at Ole Miss. So far it's all good impressions...a familiar story to Oregon fans.

There should be plenty more quack throughout the day. Be a pal and share in the comments. Maybe JShufelt will entertain us with a funny picture or two...but he's no monkey, damnit. My WRs/TEs preview will post in a couple hours. I hope you find it informative. Go Ducks!

Sorry for the late start. I swear we're not trying to set a trend. Here's your quack:

• Bo Lokombo's name just keeps popping up everywhere - including Nate Costa's nightmares. Adam Jude of the R-G writes up the competition for one outside linebacker position made vacant when Eddie Pleasant moved to rover. Lokombo's certainly making his bid, but he'll have to beat out Josh Kaddu if he wants to start.
• Jude's Wednesday practice notes.
• Gary Horowitz of the Statesman Journal digs into the details of Eddie Pleasant's move to rover. Pleasant seems to have a great attitude about giving up his starting linebacker spot. We're all excited to see him get a 10-yard run at some ball carriers, but he'll need to play with discipline too. Pleasant seems to get that, unlike some other physical safeties...cough, cough...Taylor Mays!...cough.
• The Oregonian's Ken Goe has a great feature on Oregon assistant Tom Osborne, who has schooled up some seriously good tight ends. Oh, and any of you who want to claim Goe isn't a good writer/reporter...I've been reading his stuff for decades now and, well, you're wrong.
• Hopefully this isn't a re-post from yesterday...Goe had a chance to chat up one of Oregon's most pivotal players on offense, tight end David Paulson.
• I think we all caught Chip Kelly's egg comment yesterday regarding the QB battle between Costa and Darron Thomas. Here's Goe's take on Chip's most recent evaluation.
• Jason Vondersmith gathers player reflections on off-the-field problems, the Rose Bowl, Standford's game plan and more.

Before you read this, I’m going to recommend that you, fellow Duck fans, stop, close your eyes and take a deep breath. What you’re about to read may cause increased heart rate, rapid breathing and an overpowering desire to sing Mighty Oregon at the top of your lungs. If you’re a fan of an opponent on Oregon’s schedule, you can drop the Mighty Oregon part. All other symptoms apply. Oh, and may I wish you this sentiment: "Fat të mirë".

This group of returning players and newcomers may be the deepest, most talent group Oregon has ever fielded. It’s debatable, I know.

What isn’t debatable is the fact that the Ducks will once again be among the nation’s rushing leaders.

The Ducks return nearly 90 percent of their rushing productivity from 2009, when they finished sixth in the country for rushing (thanks to UO media guy Andy McNamara for doing the math). And, the guys responsible for that productivity will be running behind a group of talented, veteran offensive linemen. The Ducks shouldn't just be good running the ball, they should be great. Here’s a look at the 2010 stable:

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Finally inside a month until kickoff. Speculation and prognostication is at full throttle. Here's all the news that's fit to be quack:

• We've had a heavy dose of Costa, Costa, Costa the past week. Now the R-G's George Schroeder profiles the other top Oregon QB candidate - Darron Thomas.
• More on Oregon's QB competition and how Chip Kelly will use Fall practices to determine who's top Duck.
• A head-to-toe season preview for the Portland Trib.
• Rob Moseley's latest position preview: linebackers.
• Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian continues his Oregon football all-decade series with the safety position. Who's your favorite? Lewis, Chung, Ward or Nelson?
• Sounds like former Oregon QB Dennis Dixon is beginning to hit his stride with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
• Bumped into this... A blogger and passionate Duck fan from Medford sheds some light on how Duck fans in the southern part of the state may be getting shut out from some Duck programming. Related - looks like me we might see Joey Harrington filling Mike Bellotti's vacated spot for OSN broadcasts, alongside Joe Giansante and Anthony Newman.
• Changing gears to hoops... Dana Altman is preparing the Ducks for an off-season swing through Europe. One lingering question, however: are the Ducks healthy enough to field a team? Malcolm Armstead's decision to stay at Oregon certainly helps.

Jeez, that's enough quack to satisfy a small army of Whitaker neighborhood anarchists. If you've got more, please share in the comments. Go Ducks!

Even die-hard Duck fans sometimes overlook him. When we talk Oregon's explosive offense, it's all about the stars - James, Costa, Thomas, Barner and Maehl. We speak of high expectations for Oregon's highly-touted newcomers - Seastrunk, Huff, Bennett, Dontae Williams and Brandon Williams.

Is there any one player more vital to Oregon's success on offense than senior center Jordan Holmes? He touches the ball on every offensive play. He must deliver a crisp, accurate snap, or everything goes to hell. He has to make the right blocking calls. And he has to display the right amount of leadership when it's needed.

Holmes is the centerpiece of a veteran offensive line that returns not only five starters, but every backup from last season as well. The Ducks didn't lose a single offensive lineman to graduation or attrition. And what a difference a year makes.  Flip back to August 2009 when the offensive line was Oregon's offensive question mark. That unit rebounded from a rough road performance in Boise and went on to clear the path for the Ducks to lead the Pac-10 in scoring and rushing.

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Yesterday Paul said he wasn't going to mention Jeremy Mustacholi, but then he posted this. Unlike some, I'm okay with Paul's editorial comment, "Good riddance". I do hope JM will get his life back on track. It's not unreasonable for some to feel bitter when you contemplate the kind of season Oregon was poised have for before JM's legal issues and subsequent dismissal. But dammit, I'M NOT GONNA CRY. And here's why:

• We scored another sweet verbal out of Florida! The Ducks got a verbal yesterday from possibly the fastest guy in the 2011 class. WR Tacoi Sumler hails from Miami and has been electronically clocked for a 4.29 40-yard. Read more here. Check out Sumler's Scouts.com bio, and some video highlights.
• Aaron Fentress at The Oregonian continues his all-decade theme, today looking at Oregon's offensive line. It's easy to put Max Unger at the top of the heap, but my favorite from Fentress' list was Enoka Lucas.
• Stephen Alexander of the Portland Tribune caught up with the current Ducks and found the team striking a balance between hard work and summer fun.
• Chip Kelly is going to pick one QB...I think we're all clear on that. Rob Moseley follows up with some insights following Chip's radio interview with ESPN.
• Pac-10 Commissional Larry Scott continues to deliver. Finally, some much-anticipated details about his plan to launch of a Pac-10 television channel. Nice little dig at the Big 10 network, though he probably didn't intend it that way.
• Want to check out a Ducks practice this fall? I recommend it if you get the chance, even more so if you've got some young Duck fans. Here's the fall practice schedule.