New Boss in Town

Oregon head coach Chip Kelly officially took the reigns today, as spring football began without Mike Bellotti at the helm for the first time since 1995. I want to talk a bit about the Kelly anointment in this piece, as well as what it means to the program. As many of you know Kelly came to Oregon from little known New Hampshire prior to the 2007 season. Kelly was actually recommended to Bellotti by previous offensive coordinator Gary Crowton (who later took the same position at LSU). Bellotti took a chance on the little known Kelly and brought the offensive guru west, to lead the Duck’s spread attack. Under Kelly Oregon’s offense has lead the conference in scoring (over 40 points per game), as well as rushing yards, in both 2007 and 2008.

Many throughout Oregon and the nation have questioned this hire. I believe the two reasons people have objected to this hire are….1) The current trend of the “coach in waiting” process at places like Texas, Florida State, and Purdue has rubbed many the wrong way. The reason these football programs have been favoring this anointment process is because it makes the transition easier when the Bobby Bowden’s, Mack Brown’s, Joe Tiller’s, and most recently Mike Bellotti’s step down at their respective schools. The knock on this reasoning is that the “coach in waiting” process essentially eliminates many minority coaching candidates, and therefore these coaches are not given the opportunity of their voices being heard. 2) I have heard this next argument from all types of college football fans…. “Oregon has the name, recent tradition, and resources that they could have gone after nearly any coach they wanted to”. While I certainly agree with this statement, I find it to be non applicable to the situation at hand. Without a doubt Oregon could have wowed big name head coaches with proven track records (I think names like Jeff Tedford, Chris Peterson, Mike Leach, and even Steve Spurrier are candidates that would have thrown their name in the hat).

The reason I believe this is the right hire is because of the confidence and vote of approval Mike Bellotti has given it. As I stated in a previous article a few weeks back, Bellotti was the one who built Oregon into what it is today. He isn’t going to hand the keys to the kingdom to an irresponsible individual. With Bellotti moving on to the AD position he obviously still has some vested interest in the athletic programs, and he must truly believe that Kelly is the person that can, and will lead Oregon to even brighter days ahead. I must admit, as a Duck fan my initial reaction to this hiring was pure shock. Never once did I question that Kelly couldn’t be a great head coach like many others what I did question initially was the dozen or so other big name candidates that would have been considered for the position. However after thinking it over a bit, I came to my senses and realized Kelly must be the ideal fit for the job…the person that knows the job better than anyone (Bellotti) felt so. Bellotti is much closer to the situation than any of us, therefore I trust his judgment more than any regarding Oregon football.

I can’t wait for this next chapter of Oregon football to unfold. I feel like the sky is truly the limit, and behind the relentless work ethic of Coach Kelly great things will undoubtedly happen. Mike Bellotti stated numerous times that his goal was to bring a National Championship to Oregon…his dream will still become a reality in the next few years, but he will be hoisting the Sears Trophy as the AD, and not before Kelly is done gazing at it. (Please let me know what you, Duck fan or not, think of this hire. Thanks!!)

NFL Draft Prospects: Oregon State Beavers

Here is a rundown of Oregon State football players with a chance to hear their name called during the NFL Draft in New York on April 25th-26th. A few projections are provided along with some general thoughts on how these prospects will fit into the NFL's big picture.

Andy Levitre, OG

Levitre was considered a solid prospect throughout the 2008 season and is now considered anywhere from the 1st to 5th best guard prospect in this years draft. He started in 39 games throughout his career at right and left tackle, but his relatively short build has him projected as a guard at the next level. An All-American and All-Pac-10 first teamer in 2008, Levitre has also been labeled as a team leader and model student-athlete during his time on campus. Equipped with good strength and a knack for understanding blocking schemes, Levitre should be able to succeed inside at guard, covering up some of his weaknesses, namely his quickness and ability to play in space.

Projections: Both Scouts Inc. and NFLDraftCountdown grade him as a 2nd or 3rd round pick, and if he goes that high, the team who picks him is undoubtedly hoping he becomes a future starter.

Sammie Stroughter, WR

Stroughter has been a very productive receiver and return man for the Beavs during the past few seasons. He had a breakout year in 2006, amassing just under 1300 yards receiving. He was also a premier punt returned, scoring three touchdowns on punt returns, the most memorable being his 70-yard punt return for touchdown in upset win over USC. He earned third-team All America status that season as a punt returner. He missed most of 2007 due to personal issues and a lacerated kidney, but was granted a medical redshirt by the NCAA. Bouncing back in 2008, Stroughter once again had over 1,000 yards receiving, earning first-team All-Pac-10 honors as a wide receiver. Stroughter was a little underwhelming at the combine, running the 40-yard dash in the mid-4.5 range, which left some scouts questioning his ability to stretch the field with his vertical speed. Despite these questions, his quickness, versatility, and productivity could lead to his selection in April.

Projections: Scouts Inc. has him rated as a 5th round prospect, so hearing his name called on draft day is a possibility but not a certainty.

Keenan Lewis, CB

Lewis is a big corner with a ton of experience in the Pac-10, a league known for having teams with deadly passing attacks. He started 45 games in his career, and quieted some concerns about his high-end speed with a sub 4.50 40-yard dash time at Oregon State's pro-day. While this isn't an eye-popping number, it is solid with a corner of his size. He is a decent tackler and is adept at jamming receivers off the line. While some scouts tout his instincts and awareness, I have seen too many instances in which he loses the ball in the air and cannot react properly. He must work on this if he wants to become a long-term contributer in the NFL.

Projections: Most websites have him listed as the 10th-15th best CB in the draft and expect him to be picked in the 4th or 5th round.

Brandon Hughes, CB

Hughes is another experienced beaver CB, starting 40 games after making the position switch from receiver early in his college career. He had a solid showing at the combine, putting up one of the top 40 times for a CB with a 4.50. Many still question his speed however and he doesn't have the size that projects to the NFL like his teammate Keenan Lewis, but many Beaver fans will tell you that they felt more comfortable when opponents threw to Hughes' side of the field than when they were airing it out in Lewis' area.

Projections: Projected at around #20 for CB, late round draft pick or undrafted free agent.

Other Prospects

Victor Butler, OLB, Slade Norris, DE, Al Afalava, S

These guys are rated as anything from a late round prospect to a possible undrafted free agent. Butler certainly possesses athleticism and pass-rush skills; he totaled 25.5 sacks during his career at OSU. The inevitable position change from DE to OLB will be tough, but he could get a chance to prove himself in some team's training camp workouts this summer. Norris had a good year opposite butler in 2008, but his workout numbers won't jump off the page, so expect him to go undrafted. Afalava is a safety who wasn't invited to the combine and while he was known for delivering the knockout hit on unsuspecting receivers throughout his career, he didn't show elite speed on the field. I am told that he impressed scouts with his speed at OSU's Pro Day, but I would look for him to go undrafted as well.

All in all this is a solid class of draft prospects for the Beavers coming off a 9-win season. Let's hope some of them can stick in the NFL and make a name for themselves playing on Sundays.

Brown Headed to the SEC

Bryce Brown, the #1 football recruit (class of 2009), committed to the University of Tennessee today. Brown narrowed his choices to Tennessee, LSU, Kansas State, Miami, and Oregon, but in the end stated that God gave him a sign that Tennessee was where he needed to be. Brown also said that Tennessee would prepare him the best for the next level. I respect that Brown let God play a role in his decision to become a Vol. I disagree with Brown saying Oregon's spread offense would hinder him in terms of getting to the NFL. Fromer Oregon running back Jonathan Stewart had a fine rookie season in the NFL, and Jerimiah Johnson looks to get picked up in this years draft (current running back LaGarrette Blount also could become a first day pick in the 2010 draft). With Brown heading to the SEC, Oregon will need either Andre Crenshaw, or LaMichael James to emegre as the lightning to Blount's thunder for the 2009 season.

Bellotti's Legacy Remembered

Let me start out by stating I am extremely bias towards Mike Bellotti, and consequently that affects how I will be recapping his career in this piece. Call it a blind trust if you will. I have never questioned his decisions on the gridiron, and have always stated that he leaves on his terms. To the shock of many, I have mentioned Bellotti in the same breath as Bowden and Paterno, college football legends. Bellotti built Oregon from the ground up, and made them a major player nearly every year on the job. Much like Bowden and Paterno, Bellotti’s image is larger than that of your typical head coach; he is the face of University of Oregon Athletics

I was not around during the Rich Brooks era, but every Saturday in the fall my eyes lay witness to the sign in Autzen that reads “Rich Brooks Field”. I have no quarrel with this symbol, however if Oregon named their field after Brooks, then the whole Oregon athletic department should be named in Bellotti’s honor this fall. Bellotti’s tenure at Oregon is the reason there are such high expectations throughout the whole athletic department. In his tenure, Bellotti regularly turned in top 25 finishes (5 of which were #12 or higher), entertained nationally ranked recruits, expanded Autzen, and built strong relationships with boosters and blue collar fans alike. In the beginning critics said, “Washington owns the Northwest; you can’t win at a place like Oregon”. Bellotti wanted no part of that nonsense, he quickly changed the culture of Oregon athletics and in the process stole everything the once proud Huskies had, and brought it down I-5 to Eugene.

The next phase of the “Bellotti Legacy” leads him to the Athletic Director position. He is the perfect hire for this position, leading by example and continuously raising the bar higher than it was the previous year. It will certainly be a different position for the coach, but without a doubt he will be able to adapt. Bellotti faced numerous challenges when he took the job at Oregon, but he faced all of them head on because failure was not an option in his book. I look for Bellotti to have that same mentality as the AD, Bellotti knows you can win at Oregon, he proved that season after season going 116-55 in his time roaming the sidelines. I expect all athletic programs at Oregon to accept this stance, because anything less will be unacceptable under his reign. Oregon football took a back to seat to no one under Bellotti, his teams were entertaining, his coaching style innovating, and his ability to motivate players was incredible. Coach, thank you for what you did, as well as what you are about to do.

Bellotti Moves On

Rumor has it that Mike Bellotti has made the decision to step down after 14 seasons as the Oregon Ducks head football coach. While this cant be confirmed by the Athletic Department yet, stay tuned as I will certainly be paying Bellotti the respect he deserves once this becomes official. All Duck fan's should be excited about new head coach Chip Kelly, but Bellotti was an icon around these parts, and what he did for U of O athletics will be felt for years to come. Thank you Coach.

Oregon Pro Day Results

The Oregon Ducks held their pro day this week for NFL scouts, and here is a quick look at some of the results. Defensive End Nick Reed ran a stunning 4.71 in the 40, and benched 225 lbs. 24 times. Not bad numbers for a guy who wasn’t even invited to the NFL combine. Receiver Jaison Williams ran the fastest time of the day, a 4.47 forty, hopefully good enough to overcome his dismal week in Indianapolis last month. Other participants were Jeremiah Johnson (4.57), Jerome Boyd (4.53), and Terence Scott (4.56). Expect more to come about the Oregon prospects as the NFL Draft nears.

Nation's #1 Recruit to Decide March 16th

Bryce Brown the nations #1 football recruit for the class of 2009 will announce what lucky college will get his services, Monday March 16th. Most recruits typically commit on national signing day, February 4th. However Brown is taking the same path last years #1 recruit Terrell Pryor did, and has delayed his decision. His choices are expected to come down to Kansas State, LSU, Miami, Tennessee, and Oregon. I suspect he will join his brother Arthur down in South Beach (Miami) next year, but only time will tell. Expect more on this signing later in the week, and what it could potentially mean for the Oregon Ducks.

Pac 10 Football Preview

2008 ended with USC once again claiming its 7th consecutive Conference Championship, as well as Oregon State Coach Mike Riley and freshman running back Quizz Rodgers winning both Conference Coach/Player of the Year awards. With the conference coming off a 5-0 bowl season, the PAC 10 looks to be one of the premier conferences, in my opinion. Here is a brief overview of each team, and where I anticipate them finishing the 2009 season.

1. USC – The loss of Mark Sanchez hurts the offense as Coach Pete Carroll expected him to return for his senior season, but a number of 5 star recruits will compete for his vacated spot. The defense graduated numerous stars, but the return of All American Safety Taylor Mays should enable the defense to pick up where it left off last year. USC plays at Ohio St. early in the year which would be challenging. I feel USC will without doubt win the PAC once again, and should challenge for a spot in the National Championship if they approach every game with the same intensity as they do “big” games.

2. California – Every year people say this could be the year Cal knocks off USC…well its not going to happen, but second place isn’t bad as the Bears look to build on a 9 win season. Running back Jahvid Best is the best player in the Conference, and could be a dark horse for the Heisman. The defense lost a lot in the front seven, but Cal has accumulated the talent to reload, not rebuild. “Strawberry Canyon” is undergoing a much needed face lift, which could give the Bears even a great home field advantage.

3. Oregon – Jeremiah Masoli came on strong at the end of last year, and teamed with LaGarrette Blount (temporarily suspended) the offense is capable of putting up 50 points any given Saturday. The defense lost some key play makers, and the uncertainty of Mike Bellotti’s future could mess with team chemistry. With all the big games in rowdy Autzen Stadium this year, Oregon should once again finish with a 10 win season regardless of who is at the helm.

4. Oregon State – Player of the Year Quizz Rodgers returns along with brother James, forming the most explosive duo in the PAC without question. Lyle Moevao is a senior and the conference title is often decided by Quarterback experience, which he has. The defense lost the entire secondary, and All Conference performers on the D-Line. Coach Mike Riley's team should get off to a better start this year, and that could mean big things because OSU always plays their best come seasons end.

5. Stanford – With the return of Tavita Pritchard and Toby Gerhardt the Cardinal should surprise a few teams this year, and contend for a bowl for the first time since 2002. Coach Jim Harbaugh landed the 2nd rated recruiting class this year in the PAC this year, and there is reason for optimism on “The Farm” this year. He had them headed for bowl contention last year, until the wheels fell off in the later part of the season.

6. ASU – Ranked Pre-season top 10 last year, and then a 5-7 finish isn’t exactly what Coach Dennis Erickson had in mind. 4 year starter Rudy Carpenter is gone, as are many from the offensive side of the ball, but a change of scenery may be a good thing down in Tempe as they have underachieved for the better part of a decade. Much of the defense returns, and playmakers are a plenty down in the desert.

7. Arizona – Coach Mike Stoops directed Arizona to their first bowl since 1998, and it’s a good thing because the heat was on after 5 underwhelming seasons at the helm. This years team losses quarterback Willie Tuitama, but returns an array of skill position players, headlined by All American tight end Brad Gronskowski. Coach Stoops may need this team to be playing post Christmas in order to keep his job in Tucson.

8. UCLA – Any type of offense this year would be an improvement over what Bruin fans witnessed last year. I believe Coach Rich Nuehisel will have this team contending for the conference in a few years, but as of now the talent or chemistry isn’t there for them to be a factor in the postseason. With spots 5 through 7 crowded in the conference, maybe they will spoil another teams postseason dreams, because their own are non existent.

9. Washington – After a miserable season finishing 0-12 and being the only winless team in college football change was needed, that change come in the form of giving the ax to Ty Willingham and bringing in “The Shark” Steve Sarkisian from USC. The Shark was able to convince numerous USC assistants to travel North with him to Seattle and instill energy back into a depleted fan base. The Shark does inherit Tim Tebow 2.0 in Jake Locker, but he doesn’t have much help in the Emerald City. Husky Stadium will come alive in the near future, just not this September as they host LSU, and USC.

10. Washington State – Never has there been a more over matched team in the history the PAC 10 as the Cougs were last year. Giving up 60 plus points 5 times, and being out of games immediately following kickoff made for a dreary winter up in the already chilly Palouse. A late season miracle win over Washington eased some of the pain, but the roster is completely void of anything resembling football talent, as second year Coach Paul Wulff has a long road to hoe in order to get the Cougs back to respectability.

Oregon Ducks Football Preview: Skill Positions

The Oregon Ducks certainly have momentum going into 2009 season after a strong finish to the 2008 campaign. Here is a brief look ahead at where the Oregon offense looks to be headed entering the 2009 season.

Quarterback:

It took nearly half of the season last year, but the Ducks finally found what they were looking for in sophomore QB Jeremiah Masoli. Masoli struggled in the early part of the year, but took control of the offense in a fourth quarter comeback against Stanford and never looked back. After that memorable 4th quarter drive against the Cardinal, Masoli lead his team to three very impressive offensive performances, and the Ducks finished the season in the top 10. It would appear Masoli will be entrenched as the starter entering the spring. He does however have worthy competition in juniors Nate Costa, Justin Roper, and possibly sophomore Darron Thomas, although the Ducks would like to redshirt him after burning his redshirt last year in the loss to Boise State.
Conclusion: Oregon appears to be in good hands with Masoli under center. If he can continue to build on what he did in his last four games then Masoli, then the sky is the limit in terms of what this team can accomplish going into 2009. Remember that it took Dennis Dixon 5 years to show the potential that Masoli did in a half season under the helm. Masoli must gain more confidence in his arm, because running 127 times again may be to much to ask.

Grade: A-


Running Back:

Senior LaGarrette Blount has been suspended indefinitely by the team, and if he can get things in order it would appear that he will be the Ducks workhorse entering the 2009 season. Blount does provide the thunder, but lightning counterpart Jeremiah Johnson has departed, and Oregon needs to find another back that can help ease the pain of his graduation. Senior Andre Crenshaw, and Junior Remene Alston do return, and have game experience in the Pac 10. It is yet to be seen as to whether one of them can fill Johnsons void, but Texan Freshman LaMichael James wowed the scout team last year and could be the ideal compliment to Blount with his blazing speed and stop on a dime jukes.
Conclusion: Blount set a school record with 17 touchdowns last year, and rushed for over 1,000 yards. Oregon has had its best teams however when there is a two headed monster in the backfield, look for James or possibly Crenshaw to fill the void left by Johnson and spell Blount for a few series each game.

Grade: B


Wide Receivers:

With Jaison Williams and Terrance Scott both graduating, the Ducks are looking to gain more consistency at the receiver position this spring. By no means is the cupboard bare, but much of the talent is unproven and young. Junior Jeffrey Maehl returns as the most experienced player, with 39 receptions and a team leading 5 touchdowns. Others expected to contend for starting spots are Juniors Drew Davis and USC transfer Jamere Holland. Davis and Holland have the physical tools to make a big time impact, but Davis suffered a torn ACL last year, while Holland has been slow to pick up the playbook. Quarterback turned receiver Chris Harper could be the wild card of the group, as he has the athleticism and size to give defensive coordinators nightmares whenever he lines up in the slot.
Conclusion: Similar to the last the start of last season the Ducks receiving corp once again has many questions to answer. If either Davis or Holland can emerge as a big play threat them the offense has the potential to be more explosive than last season. That however has yet to be seen by either of them.

Grade: C