Are We There Yet? Game Day Notes

The Oregon injury report is short: OL C. E. Kaiser, concussion, probable. Adam Jude reported backup linemen Everett Benyard III was on crutches at Friday's walk-through.

The Ducks are a little unsettled in the kicking game going in to Knoxville. Jackson Rice wasn't called on to punt against New Mexico, and field goal kicker Rob Beard was suspended for the first game for his part in an off-season brawl and its aftermath. In practice so far Beard hasn't shown the consistency of past Oregon kickers. Morgan Flint didn't have great range but he was deadly accurate.

This game isn't likely to come down to a place kick, but there are a couple on the schedule that might. Beard emerging, finding rhythm and confidence, would be a huge boost for Oregon's season-long prospects. He has a strong leg. Mike Bellotti used to always compare kicking to the golf swing, and a lot of success comes down to the space between golfer's or kicker's ears. Timing and confidence are vital.

LaMichael James gets his first start, and he'll be highly motivated to make it special. With fresh legs, and Kenjon Barner's success serving to both to spur him on and distract Tennessee's defense, he is poised for a big day. James and Barner are good friends, and having both of them on the field creates whole new possibilities for mayhem and misdirection. Oregon has had some great backfield tandems, but none more explosive and exciting to watch.

The hard part about a late afternoon road game is waiting around. Chip Kelly has said if he had his way every game would start early morning or at noon. Of course television dictates otherwise, and that's where the money is. It's funny to me when Duck fans get riled because a given game isn't available on live TV. We've become so spoiled. A couple dozen years ago we were on TV once or twice a year, and even then it was because of who we were playing, and all the announcers except Keith Jackson would pronounce it Ore-a-GONE. And when Jackson hollered "FUUUUUMMMMMMMMMBLLLLLLLLLLLE!" it would be because one of the Ducks had coughed up the ball again.

Now we have tailbacks that are long gone in a flash, and everyone knows our name. But no one is quite sure what colors we'll be wearing today. Phil Knight probably knows, but he's not telling.

I'll be watching Darron Thomas the closest. His mindset, execution and composure on the road in this environment will tell us a lot about the upside of Oregon football in 2010. If he takes this game in his long strides the future is very bright. If he looks overwhelmed and unsteady, the Stanford game becomes a daunting roadblock. By game five he has to be a veteran quarterback, and this game before a large crowd could be either a great step in his progress, or a stark preview of how much progress he has yet to make.