Oregon live has video on all the Oregon recruits, compiled by Lindsay Schnell. I've linked to it previously, but what I can't get over is how sophisticated recruiting and individual player marketing has gotten. Offensive tackle Yruretogoyena's video has each section highlighted and labeled, with sections for "second level blocks," "base blocks" and "reach blocks." I had no idea there were so many kinds of blocks, but Yrurgy excels at all of them. Defenders go down like they were shot. On one play he knocks down two like bowling pins and stands over them like, "fools! What are you doing on my field?" while his tailback scoots by for a touchdown.
Used to be, the college coach called the high school coach and talked to the kid for a few minutes on the basketball bleachers, watched a few minutes of grainy film, stopped by a few weeks later and shook hands with his parents, and that was the recruiting evaluation. It's an industry now. Video companies put out a high-quality production with music, graphics and highlight arrows. The player's contact information is inserted at the front of the highlights. It's another world since youtube and scout.com.
On the other side of the ball, young linebacker Rahim Cassell plays like Vontaze Burflict with more discipline, a heat-seeking missle as a defender, picking his way past blocks to wrap up ball carriers. He's fierce in pass rush, tossing down quarterbacks with agility and strength.
These new Ducks are a lot like the current Ducks, strong and fast. The future looks bright. The Oregon coaches excel at finding the right guys for their system, and kids of quality and character.
Speaking of character, Ken Goe has another great article on another high-character guy in the Oregon program, senior Spencer Paysinger, who has already earned his degree in economics. So many sports journalists are always looking for the negative to report, and Goe has quietly put together a series on several Ducks who stand out for their values and well-roundedness, including Brandon Bair and Mark Asper previously.
If Oregon goes on to have the kind of season they could potentially have, it will be these young men that make the difference. They are the glue in this group, the essential maturity and character that have made the team so strong in accepting the vision articulated by the coaching staff. Paysinger, Bair, Asper and Costa lead with action and live their values. They take pride in being good football players, but they have brought great credit to the program and their families by being good men. Great to see them take advantage of the opportunity to get a first-rate education and a weill-rounded college experience, and really appreciate Mr. Goe for making the effort to bring out this side of the story, a story that often gets lost in all the police blotter sensationalism that dominates the off-field side of college football. It's only natural that the misdeeds and malcontents get covered, and they have to be, but it takes some real quality journalism to find the quieter story that needs to be told also.
Elsewhere on the oregonlive duckpage, there's some video of Casey Matthews and Chip Kelly talking about this week's opponent, Washington State, and both are careful to point out the strengths of the Cougar program, noting the effort on the defense and a strong passing attack.
It's amazing.
ReplyDeleteFirst, Rich Brooks took a rag tag program and lifted it from the ashes. Maybe not too deep, but some great skill players. We became minor bowl game regulars.
Then, Mike Bellotti came in and added some depth and speed and we became mid level bowl game regulars.
Now, Chip Kelly is taking us to new heights by completing the depth needed and we seem destined to regular major bowl game status.
It's been a fun and exciting progression.