The Factors the Recruiting Services Can't Measure Are at the Heart of Oregon's Success

Recruiting stars are overrated. Not useless, certainly, but the character/work ethic/leadership guys like Rodney Hardrick, Tra Carson and Jared Ebert possess is the difference between ratings and results.

Don't misunderstand, these young men have plenty of talent.  But they have some vital qualities that have formed the core of the Oregon way for a dozen years.  There are no recruiting stars for heart, intensity and effort.  Jairus Byrd and Nick Reed became all-league players and made it to the NFL because they lived and understood the secret that all great players do:  ability is just the beginning.  Truly great athletes practice like they have something to prove. 

Hardrick, Carson and Ebert are three guys who want to be DUCKS.  They're pumped to sign the letter of intent (Ebert's was faxed to the athletic office in December), they're fired up to start practice, and they will play like hell to get on the field.  Oregon has a core of guys like that, and the beauty of it is, many of them are already starters and stars.  John Boyett and LaMichael James are two of the hardest workers on the team.   Darron Thomas made the Oregon Iron Club as a redshirt freshman.  Oregon guys buy in.  The Jamere Hollands weed themselves out.

The real news this recruiting cycle is not that the Ducks are putting together a top ten class with top-rated talent.  What's significant is that they are getting the right guys, guys who are choosing to come here understanding the intensity and speed and desire that fuel Oregon football.  They are coming here to be a part of a corps.  The values that made the Ducks overachievers over the last four seasons are still intact, and present in the hearts and minds of the guys who will sign tomorrow.

They are Chip Kelly's kind of guys.  They are Steve Greatwood's, Don Pellum's. Gary Campbell's, John Neal's, Jerry Azzinaro's, John Neal's, and Scott Frost's.  The love, loyalty and devotion these men teach their athletes made Oregon a top ten team with top 25 ability.  The talent level is rising, but the character and focus remain constant.  When you coach with this kind of conviction, compromise is unnecessary.