Can LaMichael win LaHeisman?

All elective races have their outrages and miseries. Be it President, Prime Minister or Pope, or American Idol Season 5, there are shining moments where a great talent ascends, and years where the white smoke rises for a muddling fool who adds nothing to history. Sometimes, the race goes not to the swift but to some hick with fortunate timing and a dim future. As veteran observers, we tailor our expectations accordingly.


(photo left: LaMichael James, at last December's Heisman Awards ceremony. Getty images photo)
So too with the Heisman trophy. In week four of college football, The Heisman Pundit polls 13 likely voters and declares the two most eligible candidates are Andrew Luck (a reasonable and supportable choice) followed closely by Robert Griffin the Third of Baylor. The three also-rans of the moment are Kellen Moore, Marcus Lattimore and Case Keenum of Houston. Denard Robinson is a distant sixth. LaMichael James, the leading rusher in the country with 613 yards, 7 touchdowns and a gaudy 9.4 yard average, wasn't named on a single straw ballot. The Pundit himself, Chris Huston, also an actual Heisman voter, says James has only a dim chance with the voters for college football's most prestigious individual award:
 
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How important is a Heisman Trophy to Oregon's success?

By itself, the Heisman isn't important to Oregon or LaMichael James. Chip Kelly told Adam Jude and the rest of the PAC-12 writers today that James is a thoroughly unselfish player, and the only awards he cares about are team awards. The Ducks want to win the next game, and that's all they focus on. Pressed to be honest, most of them might admit they want another conference title and a shot at the Rose Bowl. But the next game is the meaningful building block, beating a Cal team with a strong-armed quarterback and two fast 6-3 receivers, Keenan Allen and Marvin Jones.


photo right: The Ducks haven't yet mastered the SEC, but LaMichael James two biggest games last season came in Oregon's biggest conference matchups of the year, Stanford and USC. (outside the pressbox.com photo)

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Gang Green? SEC? Duck fans want perfection, or at least a few more stops

Like their coach, Duck fans have become perfectionists. Chip Kelly, asked on Sunday about the Oregon running game, which rolled up 415 yards on Arizona after 416 yards on Missouri, and Kelly responded in his clipped New England interview voice that it could be better.


The Ducks won by 25 on the road in the conference opener, and most Duck fans, talking to their Duck buddies on Sunday and Monday, came to the same conclusion. It could be better. Darron Thomas, sharp and consistent in the passing game in two home wins, misfired downfield with receivers open. And the defense gave up almost 400 yards passing and 31 points.

Winning by 25 on the road in the conference opener wasn’t enough. GD58, one of the commenters at The Duck Stops Here, wrote, “I’d just love it if we had the kind of fast, smart and hard hitting defense that evokes the Gang Green of years not too long ago.”

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Upon further review: the ruling on the field stands

Check the play-by-play at ESPN.com. Here are the results of Arizona's first six possessions: punt, punt, field goal, punt, punt, punt. Here are the results of Oregon's first seven possessions:


LaMichael James rush for 12 yards for a TOUCHDOWN. OREGON drive: 8 plays 80 yards, 02:42 OREGON TD

photo left: any time Chip Kelly leads the Oregon team on the field, Oregon fans have grown to expect not just a win, but a dominating win. We worry because we care.

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In case you missed it: Oregon at Arizona rewind, with defensive stats

Question: when you watch a game on TV, what do you want from the announcers?


One thing I don't want is a lot of blather and rehash of how great the SEC is or what happened in another game in another conference a few hours ago. I'd like for 90% of the talk (and the commentary doesn't have to be constant--an occasional visual interlude with just the crowd noise and the sounds of the game is actually refreshing) to be focused on the last play and the next play and the storylines that are developing in the game.

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Grading the Ducks vs Arizona

This edition of the Oregon Ducks offense may be the best yet, for two reasons: they have fewer negative plays, with the offensive line developing some great consistency in pushing the pile and creating lanes, and they are better at getting out of a negative situations.


Against Arizona the Ducks only faced 9 third downs all night and converted four of those, and when they missed, they converted two out of two on fourth down. The running game was relentless and versatile, with a record-setting day by LaMichael James, Kenjon Barner providing a hard-running counterpunch, and Darron Thomas picking his spots perfectly cutting back into the center of the defense.

photo left: LaMichael James was at his darting, tough-running best against Arizona last night, setting school records for rushing and all-purpose yards. (photo oregonsportsfans.blogspot.com from the UCLA game in James redshirt freshman season, 2009)

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Keys to the game, Oregon at Arizona

Oregon opens PAC-12 play with a road game at Arizona, and again the crucial thing is not merely winning but playing in a way that shows improvement and gets the team ready for October and November, an eight-week battle to defend their conference title. Here are some of the key factors in the Ducks' PAC-12 opener:


Keeping the Zona Zoo on their side of the mythical moat

Several Oregon players have said they relish competing in a hostile environment, notably starting quarterback Darron Thomas, who basically challenged the Wildcat fans to bring their worst, batteries and all. (Rule number one: always keep your helmet on, entering or leaving the field on the road.)

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