2011 Ducks May Be the Greatest Show on Turf

Fans and sportwriters called the 1999-2001 Rams The Greatest Show on Turf, but that's because nobody could envision the 2011 Ducks.

Led by running back Marshall Faulk, the NFL Offensive Player of the Year three years straight, and receiver Isaac Bruce. the Rams obliterated the record book with a dazzling aerial attack.  In 2011, Oregon will have the capability to score quickly and often, on the ground or in the air.  The diversity and innovation will make the Ducks a team on a mission, beginning in Dallas against LSU on September 3rd.

Critics and cynics will point to this year's national championship game and say the Ducks have been grounded, but the naysayers are discounting the brilliance of Chip Kelly, and the awesome array of weapons the Webfoots will bring to the field for the next two seasons.  Yesterday Rob Moseley of the Register-Guard had a preview of the running backs. 

In Kenjon Barner, LaMichael James, Lache Seastrunk and Tra Carson, the Ducks have assembled some amazing talent to carry the ball, and that doesn't include the slot counters, reverses, sweeps, pitches and shovel passes they can toss to players like Josh Huff , Colt Lyerla, Devon Blackmon, Lavasier Tuinei, and a host of promising young players whose names are not yet as familiar.  The Black Mamba, Crenshaw High product De'Anthony Thomas, will also make a bid to contribute as a true freshman.  He may be too talented to keep off the field.

Oregon moved the ball against Auburn; they had 367 yards through the air.  The tractionless turf grounded their outside speed game, and they had trouble in the red zone. 

The 2011 Ducks aren't likely to have trouble in the red zone, or anywhere else.  In fact, with this multiplicity of speed and explosiveness, the entire field becomes the red zone.  Coupled with the offense's disciplined downfield blocking and  their quick-strike cutting ability, James and Barner can turn any play into a long one.

Darron Thomas will be more of a factor in year two of running the offense.  He'll have more command.  Opponents absolutely won't be able to jam the line of scrimmage or overload the box.  At the goal line, the safeties and corners will have their hands full with Lyerla, Tuinei, Rahsaan Vaughn and Blackmon.

In Carson they'll have a back with change-of-pace, straight-ahead power, but he may be a year away from making a major contribution.  At 6-0, 225, his body is ready right now.  Marshall Faulk was 5-10 211.  For that matter, LaMichael James is 5-9, 185  and he's a very underappreciated runner between the tackles.  Fans from other parts of the country assume he's a scatback.

Chip Kelly has been laying in the weeds.  He hasn't said much since the national championship, just a few comments on the recruiting class, and a few others on the Lyles brouhaha, not much else.  But you know he's spent hours reviewing video and gameplanning.  He's a fiercely competitive guy.  Coming close and losing  burns at his soul. The Ducks will play offense with an edge in 2011, and the results will be Hall of Fame memorable.