Minute to Win It: Arizona State

In the PAC-12's inaugural season, every team has a heart-warming story, and a million-dollar challenge. 2nd in a series as The Duck Stops Here goes around the league.

Dennis Erickson has won two national championships and 173 games as a college coach, but at 64, he knows better than anybody that coaching is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world.

His Arizona State team has missed a bowl game for three straight seasons, and pressure is growing for him to produce results in his fifth year as the Sun Devil coach. After leading the team to a 10-3 record and a Holiday Bowl berth in 2007, he's gone 15-21 since...

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Minute to Win It: in the PAC-12's 1st season, every team has a heart-warming story and a million-dollar challenge

This 14-week game show has everything: intense physical challenges, fabulous beat-the-clock finishes, pretty girls and an engaging host. The PAC-12 will be a primetime smash in its inaugural season with Gus Johnson at the mike.

Each team in the PAC-12 has its story of heart and courage, and each will face a critical test early in the season, something like stacking 12 toy footballs on top of each other in a vase meant for a dozen roses, only more physical. Here's a look at the stories, and those early moments of glory and mayhem for big cash and prizes in the conference of champions:

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Ducks have to be quick like a chicken to avoid the eye of the Tiger

Summer testing is completed, and the countdown to opening kickoff has reached 35 days. Duck players are taking a break before the hard work of fall camp begins, many of them making their way home for some home cooking and down time with old friends, a chance to get away from the grind of the weight room, conditioning and seven-on-seven.

Time for Duck fans to get serious about expectations, preparation and reading the Duck tracks on the 2011 team. Practice starts August 8th. Here are a few key things to look for when the Oregon players get back on the field in 10 short days, details and indicators that will make the difference in the new season:

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Jim Ebert, Jared Ebert's father, dies

Oregon defensive tackle Jared Ebert, a junior transfer from Iowa Western Community College, suffered the loss of his father Jim on Tuesday, July 26th. Jim Ebert died while climbing Mt. Whitney with Jared's brother Justin.

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What Darron Thomas could learn from Bob Rotella

Train your swing and trust it.

Darron Thomas is a wonderful, intuitive athlete, extraordinarily tough and competitive, but the teachings of Bob Rotella could give him an edge in the Cowboy Classic.

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SEC dominance is both real and manufactured

There are some great football players and great football coaches in the SEC, and the league has won five straight BCS championships and seven of the 13 altogether, but a big part of the reason they have so much success is 1) the perception is being constantly reinforced by ESPN and other pundits, and 2) the SEC schedules nonconference home patsies with relentless regularity.

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Quick facts on the PAC-12 network, and what it means for the Ducks

It means that Duck fans will be able to see every Duck football game from anywhere in the country, and anywhere in the world where they have web and mobile web access. It means the PAC-12 now has a national footprint, and the most exciting brand of football in the country can be seen, shared, studied and enjoyed around the country.

The Ducks, who are the sexiest team in college football, with speed, a winning tradition, eye-catching uniforms and an entertaining, innovative offense, are the star attraction of this new deal.

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The Duck Stops Here on TV

On the Tyler Pyburn Show, "The Pulse on Campus" from Boston Massachusetts' Pulse Network, we talked PAC-12 Media Day, Will Lyles, Chip Kelly handling the press, the build up to LSU and the start of fall practice, and Stanford.

Watch the telecast

Don't buy the Stanford hype: Luck is great, but Cardinal due for a fallback in 2011

Jim Harbaugh is the greatest salesman since the Apostle Paul. He convinced the Stanford Cardinal football team, playing for what Ted Miller described as "the most elite academic institution in the nation playing football at the FBS level," located in an area where the median home is 1.4 million dollars and the provost of the school is former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, that they were a blue-collar football team. He dressed them in gas station shirts with name badges stitched on the chest, got them to play with a chip on their shoulder and a smashmouth, underdog mentality.

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Chip Kelly wins the Media Day

He was the person in the room under the most pressure, facing the most difficult questions, badgered with the same question asked six different ways by six media members reading aloud from their next column, more interested in having the stage than illuminating the facts.

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Darrion Weems a solid protector with brains and brawn

Never underestimate a guy who can bench press you 10 times.

People say the Oregon offensive line is a question mark this year, that Oregon can't compete with the elite defensive lines or teams that have extra time to prepare for the spread, that the Cowboy Classic will be just like Boise in '09 because the Ducks lack experience in the offensive line. People say a lot of things. People are dumb.

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What Brandon Williams career-ending condition means to him and the Oregon rotation

It's a reminder of how uncertain football really is. Fans like to count the stars and project, but it isn't as simple as adding the measurables and extrapolating the stats. Nothing's guaranteed.

This morning Rob Moseley of the Register-Guard reported reserve tight end Brandon Williams has to give up football due to a medical condition. Moseley wrote:

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Oregon recruiting: this 2012 receiver prospect motivates old coaches to use new tricks

The line is long for Eugene Lewis. So long, in fact, that Joe Paterno whipped out his Skype to get face-to-face with him. Paterno, who's won a few recruiting battles in 45 years of coaching, isn't about to let an Eastern Pennsylvania kid with star power get out of the state without a skype or two.

As a sophomore wide receiver Lewis caught 31 passes for 772 yards and 9 tds, a 24.9-yard average per catch. He has big hands, long arms, and great leaping ability, tremendous timing when the ball is in the air. Not blazing fast, but he gets open. Like Devon Blackmon on the current Ducks roster, he's such a dynamic athlete that coach Pat Keating moved him to quarterback in the offense for his junior year. Lewis responded with over 2500 yards running and passing and 30 total touchdowns, leading his team to the playoffs with a 7-4 record.

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For a young quarterback, Bryan Bennett has had some vital experience

Bryan Bennett is Oregon's backup quarterback. He's never played a live down of college football, but he's one disastrous snap from being the starter on a national championship contender. For some guys, that would make them swallow hard every time Darron Thomas took a shot delivering the football.

But Bryan Bennett has some resources and experiences most young backups have never had. For one, he's a terrific fit for the Oregon spread offense, athletic at 6-2, 193 (his listed size at goducks.com, probably a little more filled out than that by now) with good quickness and explosion, as witnessed by his 32.5-inch vertical leap, tops among the kickers and quarterbacks. Many folks think he's faster than Thomas, although in winter testing neither shined in raw foot-speed (Thomas, 4.93; Bennett 5.0). Watching practice it often looks like the young understudy gets around the corner a little quicker. No one can deny he throws a beautiful ball, with zip, accuracy, and the ability to hit the deep routes.

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A Matchup to Watch in the Oregon-LSU game

Tight ends are a comfort factor for a quarterback, especially fast rangy tight ends in a new offense.
Kris Brauner of the LSU website Saturday Night Slant had a recent story on Tiger tight end Deangelo Peterson, and Brauner noted that new offensive coordinator Steve Kragthorpe likes to feature the tight ends in his offense. The writer crunched the numbers 2003-2009, when Kragthorpe coached at Tulsa and Louisville, and this is what he found:

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Stopping this guy is the key to containing the LSU offense

Spencer Ware was a five-star recruit. In the Cotton Bowl as the backup, he ran for 102 yards on ten carries. Stevan Ridley, the Tigers starter last season at tailback ran for 1147 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, but he's gone now. Ware is now the engine of the LSU offense.

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An opposing, more optimistic view of the Lyles investigation

special guest post by SDR3939

[Editor's note: this came to us in the comments section of The Duck Stops Here's recent post "On PAC-12 media day, the Ducks should come clean." We are always open to opposing viewpoints, provided they are offered in a reasonable, thoughtful manner, and this was. The writer identifies himself as a former Division I strength coach.]

Couple of issues to think of... first, Lyles was not paid by Oregon when LaMichael James was recruited. Like many of the media members you scold, you fell into that trap. James' recruitment is not, and should not, be an issue regarding Lyles. At the time, Lyles worked for a different scouting service. His help with James does not qualify in this debate.Second, there are 2 problems with even talking about vacating anything... IF it is found that Oregon violated bylaw 13.14.3 Recruiting or Scouting Services, then there is a very applicable part of this rule at the end of the bylaw which reads: 13.14.3.1 Effect of Violation. Violations of Bylaw 13.14.3 and its subsections shall be considered institutional violations per Constitution 2.8.1; however, such violations shall not affect the prospective student-athlete’s eligibility... therefor, no player(s) will be ruled ineligible, hence no vacating of wins. Second problem is that, supposing for a moment that Oregon is found to have violated different rules regarding the 2 players who Lyles mentored during the same recruiting season as Oregon signed them, neither of the players playes last season, again, negating the concept of vacating wins.

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Oregon recruiting: Cyrus "the Cyclone " Mohem wows scouts at the National Baby Combine

Seven months old now, the sturdy defensive tackle tips the scales at 22.9 pounds and 26 inches long. He's a bruiser who feeds enthusiastically and loves to play with his stuffed Duck.
Mohem tested well in baby agility drills, especially for a big man. He's scooting and crawling and extremely alert. He likes being swung to the fight song and playing "go get that guy--smash 'em" on the living room rug.

The 2024 recruit is rated a six-star defensive tackle by duckstopshere.com

Sidekicks: These unsung Ducks could play vital roles in a great season in 2011

Superheroes get all the credit. LaMichael James practically wore a cape last season with 24 total touchdowns, but he couldn't have done it without sidekicks like Bo Thran and C.E Kaiser. On defense, Cliff Harris racked up the pass breakups and big plays, but he doesn't have that kind of success without Brandon Bair and Zac Clark applying the pressure up front.

There are Ducks we haven't talked about much who will play vital roles in 2011. It's a team game. If these guys don't grow, accept the challenge and do their jobs, the flashy superhero talent in the Oregon backfield winds up hog-tied to a chair in Lane Kiffin's underground lair, held for a ransom of one million dollars. Here's a look at a few of them:

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At PAC-12 Media Day, the Ducks should come clean

Steve Andress is right. He's a sports reporter for KEZI television in Eugene, and yesterday he wrote an online story on the Will Lyles scandal that was as frank and balanced as anything I've read. He laid out the case against Oregon in concise language, without the hysteria and chortling that characterizes many of the scandal-mongers who have taken their turn speculating about the Ducks' future with the NCAA. Small people and hack reporters delight in the misfortune of others. They're always wallowing in the sleaze, and sniffing the air for another putrid innuendo. Andress did it the right way, impartial and accurate.

Just as Mike Bellotti mentioned in his interview with Jay Allen, it's pretty clear the Ducks are facing sanctions. Will Lyles didn't meet NCAA standards for a legitimate recruiting service, and it was the Ducks' responsibility to see that he did before paying off on a $25,000 invoice. NCAA rules require scouting services maintain a published price list and present quarterly reports on prospects. Lyles cut corners, and when he did, the Ducks were left in a bad position.

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Invasion of the Potential Snatchers: these Ducks must go from good to great to win another conference title

In any memorable season there must be athletes who rise up and achieve everything that is within them. Jeff Maehl was a solid player for three years, but as a senior he became a great one. Look at his four-year numbers, from espn.com:

CAREER STATS	RECEIVING					RUSHING
SEASON	REC	YDS	AVG	LNG	TD	ATT	YDS	AVG	LNG	TD
2010	77	1076	14.0	81	12	1	-1	-1.0	0	0
2009	53	696	13.1	73	6	1	-2	-2.0	0	0
2008	39	421	10.8	65	5	11	81	7.4	17	0
2007	9	118	13.1	33	1	3	34	11.3	20	0

With 1,076 yards and a school-record 12 touchdowns as a senior, Maehl became the kind of clutch receiver teams rely on to achieve a great season. He made every big catch Oregon needed for 13 games. Which Ducks will accept the challenge to grow into great players in 2011?

The candidates come in pairs:

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Duck Tracks: who makes a Sudden Impact in 2011?

It's the best recruiting class in Oregon history, but in any given year only a handful play right away. It's just the nature of college football. With the physical and mental demands of getting in school, getting in the weight room and learning the playbook, only an exceptional few can step on campus and step into the lineup after a month of practice. Part of it, of course, is born of necessity. Some kids play right away because there's a hole to fill and they're the best option. A few have talent that can't be delayed or denied.

Oregon's needs going into this season are like a Grand Slam breakfast at Denny's: they lost two receivers, two offensive linemen, two defensive tackles and two linebackers, and they have to fill their plate. Colt Lyerla is the bacon sundae; he'll play regardless, a physical freak with off-the-charts skills, 6-5 230 and still filling out, able to leap tall Plyo Boxes in a single bound. With a 40" vertical leap and uncommon poise, he'll be productive from the beginning, proving himself in the Spring Game with three catches in traffic. He'll be a reliable possession receiver and a perfect complement to David Paulson, giving the Ducks the ability to use two tight end sets to augment the young receiver corps and get a physical advantage in run game blocking.

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The Duck Stops Here on The Pulse Network

Had the pleasure today to talk to Tyler Pyburn of "The Pulse on Campus" an Internet TV site out of Boston Massachusetts. We talked about the Will Lyles issue, the 2011 newcomers, and touched on LSU-Oregon. Tyler has tremendous energy and enthusiasm for college football. He has a great future in electronic media. The other guy I'm not so sure of.

The challenge for me is, when I write if I don't like it or make a mistake I can just type it over. Stay up till one if I have to. On radio or TV, you have to think out of your head
.
By the way, my "studio" was my delivery van at work. No notes, no computer. If I had hair, it would have been on fire.

 listen to the podcast

Yes He Can! If Ken Ekanem comes West, Ducks might have their most intimidating defensive end ever

Ken EkanemClifton (Va.) Centreville High
Ht: 6'4" Wt: 245 lbs 40: 4.75 secs
Shuttle: 4.4
Vertical: 30 inches
Class: 2012 (High School)

2010 Stats: 75 tackles, 17 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and 18 quarterback hurries. Team Record 9-3

Oregon has had some wonderful defensive ends. They've had guys with relentless motors, had overachievers and fierce effort guys, guys who've made the most of their physical ability and played with great heart. Duck fans loved Nick Reed, Kenny Rowe and Will Tukuafu. They remember Devan Long and Ernest Jones, the all-time Oregon sack leader. before Nick Reed.

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Oregon recruiting: Ducks get verbal commit from NoCal QB

Jeff Lockie
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 180 40: 4.68
Position: QB
Year: Class of 2012
High School: Monte Vista HS
(Danville, CA)

2010 Stats (junior season, maxpreps.com):

Passing
Comp Att Yds Comp % TD Int Lg QB rating
167 275 2449 .607 26 9 78 108

Rushing
Att Yds ave td
57 205 3.60 6
team record 8-4 overall, 5-2 league, lost quarterfinals of CIF Northern Section Playoffs

Jeff Lockie was the number one passer in the East Bay Athletic League and the North Coast Section, first team all-league as a junior. That matters, because his league includes Ramon Valley’s Zach Kline (verbal commitment to Cal) and De La Salle’s Bart Houston (Wisconsin). Both the other two are considered elite prospects by most of the self-appointed wizards of recruiting, while Lockie is rated as a 3-star recruit by Rivals.com and a 2-star by Scout.com.

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Getting to know the 2011 Oregon Duck newcomers: a quick guide to the series

Here are quick links to all the articles in the 2011 "Getting to know" series, individual features on each one of the promising newcomers that comprise the 2011 Oregon recruiting class, with profiles, highlight video and some breakdown of their skills (position, heights, weights and 40 times from goducks.com):

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HIGH SCHOOL RECRUITS

Devon Blackmon, WR/6-1/177/4.40 – Fontana, CA (Fontana HS) UA All-American
Tra Carson, RB/6-0/227/4.60 – Texarkana, TX (Liberty-Eylau HS)
Rahim Cassell, LB/6-0/205/4.50 – Lakewood, CA (Lakewood HS)
Tyson Coleman, LB/6-1/203/4.63 – Lake Oswego, OR (Lake Oswego HS)
Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB/5-10/182/4.50 – Chino Hills, CA (Chino Hills HS)
James Euscher, OL/6-7/275 – Beaverton, OR (Aloha HS)
Jake Fisher, OL/6-6/270/4.95 –Traverse City, MI (Traverse City West HS)
Christian French, TE/6-5/236/4.50 – Cedar Rapids, IA (John F. Kennedy HS) U.S. Army All-American
Carlyle Garrick, LB/6-2/204 – Castro Valley, CA (Castro Valley HS)
Rodney Hardrick, LB/6-1/225/4.53 – Colton, CA (Colton HS)
Tyler Johnstone, OL/6-6/250/4.93 – Chandler, AZ (Hamilton HS) U.S. Army All-American
Lake Koa-Ka’ai, DL/6-4/245/4.80 – Honolulu, HI (Kamehameha Schools Kapalama HS)
Sam Kamp, DL/6-4/247/4.82 – Mesa, AZ (Mountain View HS)
B.J. Kelley, WR/6-2/175/4.43 – Fresno, CA (Central HS)
Colt Lyerla, WR/6-5/225/4.56 – Hillsboro, OR (Hillsboro HS) U.S. Army All-American
Marcus Mariota, QB/6-4/194/4.48 – Honolulu, HI (St. Louis HS)
Jamal Prater, OL/6-4/290 – Etiwanda, CA (Etiwanda HS)
Tacoi Sumler, WR/5-9/166/4.24 – Miami, FL (Christopher Columbus HS) UA All-American
De’Anthony Thomas, ATH/5-9/160/4.41 – Los Angeles, CA (Crenshaw HS) U.S. Army All-American
Anthony Wallace, LB/6-0/221/4.55 – Dallas, TX (Skyline HS) UA All-American
Andre Yruretagoyena, OL/6-5/260/4.94 – Scottsdale, AZ (Chaparral HS) UA All-American

JUNIOR COLLEGE RECRUITS
Jared Ebert, DL/6-5/285/4.80 – Iowa City, IA (Iowa Western Community College)
Rahsaan Vaughn, WR/6-2/192/4.37 – Fremont, CA (College of San Mateo)

Getting to know the Oregon Duck newcomers: Andre Yruretagoyena

Andre Yruretagoyena
OL – 6-5, 260, 4.94
Scottsdale, Ariz. (Chaparral HS)
Under Armour ALL-AMERICAN

2010 Team Record: 14-0 season, back-to-back Class 5A-II state championships.
3,700 yards rushing (263 per game), 54 TDs 7.4 yards per carry
1st Team All-State, consensus 4* recruit

Yruretagoyena: rolled r - etha - go - yehna. It looks Russian but it's Basque, the proud, dispersed people of the Pyrenees Mountains. Andre Y is likely to be a well-deserved affectionate nickname, as Duck fans will love his intensity and agressive blocking, but it shouldn't be adopted out of mere laziness.

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NCAA inquiry seeping its way into recruiting decisions

Miller posted it this afternoon. Steve Sarkisian has won the first head-to-head recruiting battle of the summer with the Ducks:
Linebacker-defensive end Jeremy Castro (Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta) has committed to Washington, according to ESPN Recruiting's Greg Biggins.

"Oregon was leading early on for me but I started to feel more comfortable with Washington and felt like it was a better fit for me," Castro told Biggins. "I had some concerns about Oregon, it seems like they could be getting in trouble soon and honestly, they haven't been recruiting me very hard and haven't been returning my calls. The UW coaches talk to me all the time and made me feel like a priority and that meant a lot to me as well."

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Sneak Peak at the New Fish Report

Special Guest Post by "Charles FishDuck" Fischer

[Editor's note: The Fish has been running deep and silent since spring practice. Duck fans haven't heard much from him. He's been working on some new video and photo editing tools to go with his own new website as well as a weekly column in "Ducks Illustrated" magazine. Here's an early look at some exciting elements of his next report.]

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Getting to know the 2011 Oregon Duck newcomers: Anthony Wallace

Anthony Wallace

LB – 6-0, 221, 4.55
Dallas, Texas (Skyline HS)
Under Armour ALL-AMERICAN

2010 Stats: 115 tackles and earned honorable mention All-State distinction at linebacker in 2010 (90 tackles in 2009)
Team Record: 9-3 7-0 league, league champions, lost to DeSoto, 38-0, in the area round of the Class 5A Division I Region II playoffs.
GPA: 3.5
RANKINGS
Rivals: #4 ILB, Rating 5.8, National 112, Rivals 250
Scout: #4 MLB
ESPN: #7 MLB, Grade 81, ESPN 150

Anthony Wallace had a lot of options. He was offered scholarships by an honor roll of football schools, including LSU, Miami, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas, USC, Penn State, Notre Dame, Stanford, Auburn, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee.

He's been training to be a football player since he was 6. Rainier Sabin of The Dallas Morning News related the story in a February 2010 interview:

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Getting to know the 2011 Oregon Duck newcomers: Rahsaan Vaughn, wide receiver

Rahsaan Vaughn
WR – 6-2, 192, 4.37
Fremont, Calif. (Washington HS/College of San Mateo)
2010 stats: 59 catches 1007 yards 17.1 ypc 11 tds
JC All-American, rated #1 JC receiver by jcgridiron.com, 4 stars by rivals and scout. Team record 8-3
Eligibility: junior with 3 years to play two

The San Mateo JC Bulldogs run a smash-mouth offense. Rahsaan Vaughn was only the fifth receiver in the school's 75-year history to crack a thousand yards, and he was named the team's MVP, an amazing honor for a receiver on a team that likes to run first. They won a state championship in Vaughn's freshman year.

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Getting to know the 2011 Oregon Duck newcomers: De'Anthony Thomas

De’Anthony Thomas
ATH – 5-9, 160, 4.41
Los Angeles, Calif. (Crenshaw HS)
U.S. ARMY ALL-AMERICAN
2010 Stats:
114 carries 1,299 yards (11.4 yards per carry) 18 touchdowns
16 catches for 359 yards (22.4 avg.) four tds
defense,42 tackles five interceptions totaling 122 return yards
voted MVP by the City Section coaches, All-City first-team on defense and City Section Player of the Year
Team record: 12-2, 5-0 league, City Section Champions

Inner city Los Angeles has produced some amazing athletes, but De'Anthony Thomas is the one the other athletes talk about.

A legend since his Pop Warner days, he's been compared to Reggie Bush and Percy Harvin. Rapper Snoop Dogg nicknamed him when he was 12 years old. Reporter Ramona Shelburne from espnlosangeles.com relates the story:

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Recruiting: Cedric Dozier

Cedric Dozier
Lakewood, WA
Lakes H.S.School
5-11 Height
175 lbs

2010 stats, maxpreps.com
Team Record: 11-2-0 League: 5-0-0 reached Washington 3A Semi-Finals
Passing
Comp Att Yds Comp % TD Int Long QB Rating
91 142 1181 .641 13 7 64 100
Rushing
Att Yds YPC LG TD
183 1223 6.68 73 17

The cloud over Oregon football will have lingering effects in recruiting. Opposing schools will use the uncertainty and the sensationalist media attention to get in recruits' ears. The kids and their coaches hear Joe Schad and Joe Blow running Oregon down and predicting gloom and doom. "Psst...you know Kelly's not going to be around. The Ducks are getting a three-year bowl ban. You want to play in a bowl, don't you?"

True or not, it'll be out there until this gets resolved. And Oregon will have to work a little harder and recruit a little smarter to compensate.

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Getting to know the 2011 Oregon Duck newcomers: Tacoi Sumler

Tacoi Sumler
WR – 5-9, 166, 4.24
Miami, Fla. (Christopher Columbus HS)
UnderArmour ALL-AMERICAN
2009 Stats: 54 catches 994 yards 17 touchdowns … Recorded two scores on kickoff returns and accumulated four interceptions, including one for td

Tacoi Sumler is the fastest freshman football player in the United States. At a Nike SPARQ camp last summer, he was clocked in the 40 at 4.24. That's faster than anyone on the Oregon roster, including Kenjon Barner, Dior Mathis, Lache Seastrunk and LaMichael James, and they've all competed for the Oregon track team.

What's even more impressive about Sumler is that he's a very polished, finished receiver. His father Tommy was a youth coach in South Florida for 30 years, for the Florida City Razorbacks, and he's given Tacoi a tremendous foundation in the game. He runs precise patterns, cuts at full speed, catches the ball at its highest point, runs extremely well after the catch.

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Getting to know the 2011 Oregon Duck newcomers: Jamal Prater

Jamal Prater
OL – 6-4, 290
Etiwanda, Calif. (Etiwanda HS)
2010 stats: Team Record 6-6, 3-2 league, lost in round of eight in CIF Southern Section playoffs
2,036 rushing yards and averaged nearly six yards per attempt in 2010
All-State and All-Valley League first teams
Rated three-star recruit by Rivals.com and Scout.com while garnering two stars from ESPN

Off the field he's a normal kid, who likes Nu Movement and Erykah Badu, and wishes his friend's houses were connected to his by secret tunnels (who hasn't wished that).

But putting on a football uniform, Jamal Prater is the rare raw material, a 16-year-old who 6-4 and 290 lbs., naturally strong enough to take other large, determined young men and stack them like Pringles next to a hot dog.

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Getting to know the 2011 Oregon Duck newcomers: Marcus Mariota

Marcus Mariota
QB – 6-4, 194, 4.48
Honolulu, Hi. (St. Louis HS)

2010 Stats: Passing 165 of 255 (64.7%) 2,597 yards, 32 td 5 int
Rushing 60 carries 455 yds (7.6 yards per carry) 7 tds
Team Record 11-1, State Champions

Marcus Mariota may have the best package of skills, running, throwing, leadership, intelligence, coaching, size and speed, of any quarterback the Ducks have recruited for the spread offense.

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Why scouting services are both necessary and evil

In my inbox today there was an email from a Florida high school running back named Fabian Moreau. "My dream is to be a Duck," he wrote, and he sent along a link to his recruiting video and a list of his measurables:

40-4.38
Shuttle-4.08
Broad jump-10’3
Vertical-34
GPA-3.4
ACT-20

According to the website varsityedge.com, very year there are about 250,000 senior high school football players, and there are roughly 2500 scholarships available at the Division one level.

Moreau is listed at 6-0, 170 pounds. These were his stats, last year as a junior:

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Getting to know the 2011 Oregon Duck newcomers: Colt Lylerla

Colt Lyerla
WR – 6-5, 225, 4.56
Hillsboro, Ore. (Hillsboro HS)
U.S. ARMY ALL-AMERICAN

2009 Stats: Rushed for 1,543 yards and 26 TDs, 843 receiving yards and 13 TDs, 40 total TDs, State MVP and a team State Championship
2010 Stats: 1,519 rushing yards, 352 receiving yards, 12.5 points per game; defense: 45 tackles and two sacks

He was born on Friday the 13th, but he's been making his own luck ever since. Although blessed by his Creator with incredible athletic gifts, Colt Lyerla has trained his body hard to make the most of them.

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Declaration of Independence

Football goes on. There's no use whining or wringing our hands about what the NCAA might do or the media speculates about. They'll predict gloom and engage in an orgy of conjecture, as if a question is the same thing as a conclusion. What did Oregon tell the NCAA? We don't know. Did Chip Kelly participate in a cover-up? Look, the IRS sends you a notice, you're going to comb your desk for receipts and call your accountant. It's not a cover-up to look for supporting documents. And what they released to the media in June isn't necessarily what they presented to the NCAA back in March, or how they presented it.

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Getting to know the 2011 Oregon newcomers: B.J. Kelley

B.J. Kelley
WR – 6-2, 175, 4.43
Fresno, Calif. (Central HS)

2010 stats: 51 catches, 1223 yards, 16 touchdowns.rushing, 12 carries for 110 yards, 1 td, 9.17 yards per carry. Team Record 8-4, 2nd round of the playoffs

Track and Field, personal bests: 200 meters, 21.98, 110 high hurdles 14.71 and 300 meter hurdles 38.37 (statistics from maxpreps.com and goducks.com)

Gone baby gone. 23.98 yards per catch. B.J. Kelley is an electrifying player. Comparisons are tricky, but the last deep threat Oregon had with this much explosive potential was Samie Parker.

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That's me in the corner, losing my religion

I never had any illusions about college football. I've studied the history, and know there have always been gray areas. Street agents used to be high school coaches. They were the gatekeepers and ran interference for the parents, getting an invitation to "guest coach" at the summer camp for their trouble, maybe a shoe box from Billy Clyde. Part of the outrage and undercurrent of suspicion started with Texas football, folks not taking kindly to someone coming along and upsetting the old arrangement. Those are our boys. They oughtta play for Texas. Chip stepped into a hornet's nest, getting in the car with Lyles.

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The saddest part of all of this

It was all so unnecessary. Chip Kelly was a dynamic, innovative coach. The Ducks had success, an exciting offense, fantastic facilities. They were getting better and competing, making inroads with top talent, winning games. They made the National Championship game with recruiting classes that averaged about 24th in the country.

The success Oregon has had was exhilarating, but this price is too high. Three, four years ago we'd have been happy with 8-4, 9-3, a Holiday or a Sun Bowl now and then, and once every ten years or so with the right group of kids and a couple of breaks, a chance at the Rose Bowl or another top game. Get the right quarterback, a leader with charisma, flair and a fabulous will to win, a couple of hard-hitting linebackers, and have an occasional season for the ages.

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Something feels like we've heard this story before

There are many reasons to love college football. Today's allegations are not one of them. It's one of the few sports where wins and the opportunity to compete can be taken away by the interpretation of the by-laws. Oregon didn't outblocked or out-tackled today. They got outsnitched.

This is what I wrote on Lyles on March 4th and March 14th. I think it's still true:

Then too, here is another brute truth: a character of this caliber, caught in the squeeze of a nationwide investigation by a powerful governing body, there is virtually no limit to how quickly and enthusiastically he would give everyone else up (coaches, players, schools) to save himself or reduce his damage. Will Lyles is not a stand-up guy. He's the kind who changes his story until he's impossibly found out. Cornered, he'll sing. And when he opens his mouth, Mighty Oregon might go silent for a long time.

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