It Never Rains at Autzen Stadium :: Oregon Ducks

**Gonzo** · 02-14-2011, 12:13 PM

Oregon Ducks :: Team Preview

Offensive Overview

The Ducks, once thought to be set at the quarterback position with a Heisman candidate returning, now find themselves unsure of who will be taking snaps once the September 4 opener rolls around. The upside is that they have two very good quarterbacks engaged in a close battle for the starting spot. Senior Nate Costa probably would have started the 2008 season if not for a preseason injury, while Darron Thomas has done nothing but impress when given the opportunity. Thomas nearly brought the Ducks back from a 24 point deficit in the fourth quarter of a 2008 matchup with Boise State and shined in the spring game on 15 of 23 passing for 196 yards and a touchdown. The battle continues�

Running back LaMichael James was one of several Ducks to run into legal trouble this offseason. After a one game suspension, James will be itching to continue his 2009 success. With Kenjon Barner, a speedy back who will get the opening game start in James' absence, backing him up, the running game should again be one of this team's strengths. James and Barner will run behind an offensive line that returns all five of its starters. Jordan Holmes will return at center with C.E. Kaiser and Bo Thran returning at the tackle spots. Thran was an all-Pac-10 honorable mention in 2009 and Kaiser is the unit's most experienced player with 22 starts to his name. Mark Asper and Carson York, who started 12 games as a freshman last season, will shore up the guard positions. Holmes, Kaiser and Thran will be seniors, Asper a junior and York a sophomore.

At the wide receiver position, Jeffrey Maehl, D.J. Davis and Lavasier Tuinei were the three leaders at their position a year ago and all return for the 2010 season. Depth took a bit of hit when Tyrece Gaines and Diante Jackson were both declared academically ineligible and will not play this season. Maehl is the most productive of the bunch and help is needed behind him to take pressure off of the running game and lessen the burden on the new quarterback. Tight end David Paulson will replace Ed Dickson after spending a year as his reliable backup. He caught 12 passes for 185 yards a year ago. He'll be used a lot in the offense with Brandon Williams, a junior college transfer at tight end, also expected to get some looks.

Defensive Overview

Dion Jordan moves from tight end to assume one of the end spots as a potential force in the pass rush. Terrelle Turner will also see time and may challenge Jordan for the starting spot this fall. On the other side will be Kenny Rowe, who recorded 11.5 sacks last season, the most in the Pac-10. The pass rush should be there, but where the Ducks show some concern is on the interior of their defensive line. Brandon Bair is a solid tackle, though, leading linemen with 45 total tackles last season. Zac Clark played in 13 games last year and could line up next to Bair at tackle, although Wade Keliikipi could also challenge for playing time.

Casey Matthews is the star of the defense as the middle linebacker. He recorded 81 tackles, three sacks and an interception last season and comes into 2010 with the NFL in his future. Eddie Pleasant moves to safety with Josh Kaddu coming in to fill the void he leaves at strongside linebacker. Kaddu played in the first seven games last season before requiring surgery after breaking his foot. Spencer Paysinger comes into the season with two years of starting experience behind him. He was an all-Pac-10 honorable mention last season after he racked up 81 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

The secondary is another area of this team with a few questions. With Pleasant possibly joining the crew, though, and youth in their ranks, depth should not be too much of a problem. Pleasant will assume a rover position with John Boyett, last year's leading tackler as a freshman, joining Pleasant at safety. Pleasant and Boyett will form a formidable duo with playmaking ability. Pleasant started at linebacker last season, coming up with three fumble recoveries (tied for most in Pac-10), four sacks and four passes defended. Boyett emerged quite unexpectedly to lead the team in tackles and even recorded three interceptions. Marvin Johnson and Javes Lewis add great depth to the position and should see significant time this season. Talmadge Jackson III will assume one of the corner spots after leading the team with four interceptions. Terrence Mitchell has generated some buzz as a freshman this spring and could start opposite Jackson at the other corner spot.

Special Team Overview

Kicker Rob Beard will be suspended for the first game following an offseason incident that left him in the hospital. He's expected to handle place kicking duties this season in addition to kickoff duties, but incoming freshman Alejandro Maldonado will have the first opportunity to impress the coaches on the field this season in his stead. Jackson Rice will once again handle punting duties after a season in which he averaged 40.3 yards per punt. Kenjon Barner averaged 10.5 yards per punt return and 24.9 yards per kickoff return with one touchdown. He'll likely handle the majority of the returns again this season.

Head Coach :: Chip Kelly

Chip Kelly spent 14 seasons with New Hampshire in various roles before being hired as the Oregon offensive coordinator in 2007. He would spend two seasons in that role before his promotion to head coach for the 2009 season. His tenure as head coach started off as badly as just about any tenure can, as mentioned above, but he quickly turned things around, winning the next seven games, finishing 10-2, winning the Pac-10 and earning a spot in the Rose Bowl where his Ducks fell to Ohio State.

His spread offense has been a big hit at Oregon. In his first season as offensive coordinator, the Ducks finished 10th in the nation in total offense (12th ranked scoring offense) and followed that up with the 7th ranked total offense (7th in scoring offense) in 2008. Last season saw a dip to the 33rd ranked total offense, but Oregon still managed the 8th ranked scoring offense. He'll be challenged to improve in the passing game, but with two capable options competing in fall camp, things are looking pretty good. As far as the defense goes, it's too early to tell the caliber of defense a Chip Kelly-led team will field, but last year's squad was vastly underrated.

**Gonzo** · 02-14-2011, 12:18 PM

Oregon Ducks :: Recruiting Overview

**Gonzo** · 02-14-2011, 12:19 PM

Oregon Ducks :: Year in Review

2010

**Gonzo** · 02-14-2011, 12:33 PM

:: Notable Starters ::

:: Team Schedule ::

**Gonzo** · 02-14-2011, 12:40 PM

Oregon Ducks :: Preseason Rankings

**Gonzo** · 02-14-2011, 02:12 PM

Oregon Ducks vs New Mexico Lobos :: Week 1, 2010

Go Ducks! Go Ducks! Go Ducks!
ON TUINEI'S FEET, DUCKS FLY FORWARD

Shortly after mustering a drive deep into Oregon, only to settle for a field goal, New Mexico let nothing but...Oregon, stand in the way of them scoring again.

Oregon rattled off 45 unanswered points after that, partly because of Lavasier Tuinei's 215 receiving yards and 3 TD's. On consecutive plays in the 3rd quarter, QB Darron Thomas and superstart HB LaMichael James both went down with very minor injuries - with a lead already built, Head Coach Chip Kelly decided it was better to rest them than test them, "There's no sense in those guys going back out there today. They listened to me before the game, and they carried out their jobs. Nothing but excited about this victory. Again, I stress, very minor injuries to both James and Thomas, it was more of a precautionary issue."

The Ducks [1-0, 0-0] take a visit to Knoxville, TN, home of the Tennessee Volunteers next week.

*** Pictures will be aligned better in the future, lolz.

**Boucher** · 02-14-2011, 04:27 PM

Original title… sounds like a book I read

**packersfan4eva** · 02-14-2011, 06:21 PM

Folowing

It Never Rains at Autzen Stadium :: Oregon Ducks

It Never Rains at Autzen Stadium :: Oregon Ducks

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