Why Oregon's Wide Receivers Are an Underappreciated Key to this Year's Success

Chip Kelly has said it many times. "There is no waiver wire in college football." When you lose one guy, the next guy has to step up.

The circumstances were strange and unexpected and much discussed, but now Darron Thomas is the next guy. A redshirt sophomore who has never started a college game, being handed the keys to the Oregon offense with a PAC-10 title to defend, he'll get by with a little help from his friends.

The wide receiver group is critical to Thomas' success, and Oregon's.

When a team loses a dynamic triggerman like Masoli, the coach has to look for creative ways to replace his production. Thomas runs well but he isn't apt to level a Beaver defensive back on his way to a title-clinching first down. But he is taller than the Ducks' former quarterback, and throws with better touch, a more catchable ball.


Thus the wide receivers. If they can get open for Thomas, and earn his trust by being consistent and reliable downfield, Oregon has gone a long way toward neutralizing the effect of losing their former star. They won't need a waiver wire if Jeff Maehl, Drew Davis and Lavasier Tuinei, all three seniors, step up their production.

The odds are very good they will. All three had excellent fall camps and worked hard in summer conditioning. Davis in particular looks poised for a dramatic improvement in his senior season. One full year removed from major knee surgery, he improved his speed and strength numbers and may be poised for a breakout year. Already valuable for his fierce and consistent blocking, Davis could provide the Ducks with another reliable receiving threat opposite Jeff Maehl. He might double his catch totals, and if he does, the Ducks suddenly have a formidable fifth option in the offense. This multiplicity of weapons is invaluable in the Oregon spread attack, which seeks to get playmakers matched one-on-one in open space. The more playmakers, the more open space.

On the other side Lavasier Tuinei looks ready to go and is a tough runner after the catch. He's particularly good at catching the ball in traffic, and will absorb a hit to catch the football.

One thing this group must do in the first three games is establish a working rapport with Thomas, particularly when he is in trouble. He's a sophomore and they are seniors, so they have to help him by recognizing situations, breaking off their routes and coming back to the ball to give him targets he can find on the fly. When Thomas scrambles or the pocket collapses, they have to help him and find open space. Another way veteran receivers can help a young quarterback is by playing the ball intelligently. There will be times Thomas tries to do too much in the passing game and forces a ball into coverage. A good receiver will come back to the ball and fight for it, and play defensive back if necessary to prevent a pick. Their skills can help keep Thomas out of trouble and increase his confidence.

Going in to the season the Ducks have quality at receiver but need to develop depth. Among Justin Hoffman, Josh Huff, Nick Cole and Daryle Hawkins, plus the touches Kenjon Barner gets at receiver, the Ducks have to find two or three guys who prove themselves and work into the mix.

In his second season at Oregon receiver coach Scott Frost has succeeded in instilling a new toughness in the Ducks' receivers, and that has shown in improved blocking and a team-first mentality throughout the group. If the wideouts can boost their production in 2010, the loss of Masoli might turn out to be a blessing, somewhat analgous to the uplift Oregon got when Blount punched his way out of the lineup and LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner stepped in to take his place. An improved passing game could make Masoli a distant memory, and Oregon repeat PAC-10 champions.

Some revealing numbers from the Eugene Register Guard's Rob Moseley:

Jeff Maehl caught 19 balls in the season's last three games. Lavasier Tuinei caught nine.

3.89

Time, in seconds, in the shuttle run by Justin Hoffman this offseason, tops among Oregon’s receivers and third-best on the team.

2,003

Yards of total offense by Josh Huff as a high school senior,

1,147 passing and 856 rushing.

Three Reasons Why Oregon is Still the Favorite, and a Better Pick than They Were a Month Ago

There are three compelling reasons why Oregon's stock is up after fall camp and on the eve of the first game.

1) They had a tremendous camp and first week of game preparation, in which they accomplished all their goals.

The Ducks succeeded in getting in their hitting with no major injuries. The quarterback competition was conducted perfectly and clearly settled. In Nate Costa they have a mature, reliable backup who has accepted his role. Darron Thomas is progressing daily and zipping the ball around in practice.

Oregon did an excellent job of shifting focus from the chaotic off-season. They have a resilient mindset and a team-first mentality that will serve them well in the rigors of PAC-10 play.

2) Like their coach, they don't seem to care about predictions or polls.

The Ducks have bought in to Kelly's "Win The Day" mantra with a singular focus. They think that way. They prepare that way.

3) The anchors and strengths of the team are all intact, and the role players and newcomers are pushing to contribute.

The backfield tandem of Barner and James will be dazzling. The offensive line will be fiercely efficient. The defense will stun and overwhelm opponents.

This is a squad that will burst out of the gate with a dominating performance against New Mexico, and will never look back or look forward. In the locker room after the game they will be talking about Tennessee, and it will go on that way all season long. Twelve weeks, twelve Super Bowls, one team, one voice.

The schedule is very favorable for the first seven weeks, which will give this team and their sophomore quarterback vital time to develop. Oregon made tremendous improvement from Week One to Week Four last year, and the process that made that happen is still in place. Chip Kelly is an excellent teacher and motivator, and he's blessed with a tremendous staff with many years of continuity, knowledge, and experience.

Duck fans have never been so excited for the beginning of the college football season, and their optimism is warranted. Kickoff is in less than two days, and Autzen will be rocking like never before. That, my friends, is saying something.

Week One Preducktion: Oregon vs. New Mexico

Chip Kelly and Nick Alliotti could not care less about the number, who's favored or by how much, whether it's 34 or 32 or 132. They couldn't care less about who's picked to win the conference or Oregon's chances to repeat.

They only care about the process. Kelly says his team will prepare for this week like it's the Super Bowl. Nick Alliotti says his defense will start blitzing when they get off the bus.

I like that.

Oregon's beady-eyed focus on the day, and the process of winning makes winning more possible. This isn't a team that gets caught up press clippings, hype, expectations or old news. This isn't a team to get mired in controversy or weighed down by old incidents. They're not out to live down an undeserved reputation or a distorted image. They don't care about style points, although their flashy uniform ensembles will win a few. They are excited to play a football game, and their one chance to play one this week is New Mexico.

The final score will be 55-6, but like the Ducks I'm more concerned about the process:

Does Kenjon Barner have a coming out party?

Many see Barner emerging as the 2 in the 1-2 punch of James and Barner. His role in the offense is being expanded in multiple ways this season, lining up in two-back sets, in the slot or out wide. They'll get him touches in the open field, on passes, screens, pitches and reverses. If he shows himself to be the dynamic game-changer he was vs. UCLA, USC, Oregon State and Ohio State last season, the Ducks offense gets exponentially better. Having two breakaway threats of this caliber gives defenses fits, and when you add a heady big-play receiver on the outside in Jeff Maehl, the offense stretches opponents in more ways than anyone can handle.

Barner has a chance to shine all by himself on Saturday, and Duck fans are eager to see what he does with it. Look for him to breakaway at least once in the kicking game and twice from scrimmage, and approach 250 or more all-purpose yards for the day.

Will Darron Thomas establish himself as a first-time starter?

He doesn't have to be perfect. He doesn't have to be the star, but this first week, he must show a grasp of the offense and a comfort with the starting role. It would be fantastic to see him take a snap early and announce himself with a couple of pretty throws downfield, ala Dennis Dixon at Michigan in 2007.

Is the defense ready to assert itself as a dominating, aggressive, athletic unit?

If we see the Tenacious D they've shown signs of being in camp, it could be a very special year. An outstanding defense takes a lot of pressure off a young quarterback. The Ducks are talented, deep and fast on defense. Chip Kelly says they'll play 25-30 guys, which will keep the players fresh and engaged.

Pancake, run block and smashmouth: is Oregon's offensive line prepared to build on last year's success?

This is a veteran group with high expectations. The O-line must finish blocks and plays and dictate the outcome of games up front. With the speed and elusiveness of Oregon's twin backfield burners, these five veteran bulldozers could pave the way for another 3,000-yard rushing season. Chip Kelly says Darron Thomas has a smooth running style and breakaway ability, so the Ducks' running game might not lose as much from last year as people think.

But it all starts with the line. They were disastrously bad in the season opener last year against Boise State, with the offense not making a first down until the third quarter. They rallied quickly and jelled by the time Oregon opened PAC-10 play against Cal, dominating the Bears up front in a 42-3 victory, and continued to grow and develop throughout the season. The five starters, Thran, York, Jordan, Asper and Kaiser, made 63 of 65 possible starts. For all of their improvement and all they accomplished during the PAC-10 championship run, they were underwhelming in the Rose Bowl loss. Ohio State's big defensive tackles won the battle in the trenches, and proved a disruptive force in a disappointing loss. As good as Oregon's line play was for much of the season, they began and ended with mediocrity. Among them, there has to be a quiet resolve to start faster and finish stronger this season. That resolve must be on display in game one. As Chip often says, "it's the only game we play this week."

Who will emerge as key contributors among the role players who have showed promise?

Fall camp was buzzing with stories of players who made a leap forward and showed themselves to have the potential to make big, unexpected contributions this year. That's the X factor in a championship run, the players who rise up. Last year Barner, James and Boyett fell in that group. Talmadge Jackson III did an able job when both Walter Thurmond and Willie Glasper went down.

Fans are interested to see the debut of Oregon's new "Slash" role player, Daryle Hawkins, a 6-4 quarterback who's used his athleticism and thorough knowledge of the offense to work his way into playing time at running back and receiver. A smooth runner with good hands, Hawkins led all receivers in the fall camp scrimmage. Chip Kelly calls him a dynamic player, and he may just win a close game at some point this fall with a surprise pass on a trick play.

The Ducks will feature their depth at defensive line and cornerback in the New Mexico game, and it will be interesting to see which players make plays when it's full go.

After Jeff Maehl, who rises up at receiver?

Drew Davis has bulked up and improved over the off season, and is ready to take a bigger role in the Oregon passing attack. Thomas needs reliable targets and needs to find a trust and comfort level with his receivers. Maehl had a brilliant camp. Tuinei was a little hampered by nagging injuries. Justin Hoffman is a dogged blocker and sure-handed. Josh Huff has good speed and athletic ability but had an ankle injury that slowed him for several days. Among the tight ends, David Paulsen is a capable replacement for Ed Dickson. Paulsen led the team last season with 15.4 yards per catch, and 11 of his 12 receptions went for first downs. Back-up Brandon Williams has a huge upside, Malachi Lewis has pushed for playing time.

There are a lot of possibilities in this group, but they have to prove it, prove it with clutch downfield blocking and making plays in traffic. To achieve the needed balance in the offense, this group has to find stability and consistency, and a couple of breakout performers would be a huge boost to the team's chances for success.

Duck Tracks

Against an outmanned, overmatched opponent like the 1-11 Lobos, the first order of business is to take care of business. The Ducks need to win, and be focused and convincing in doing so. If they grab initiative early and win decisively, they'll have a chance to play a lot of people and start answering some of the questions about role players and contributors, reliability and depth.

They aren't going to lose this game, provided they keep their eye on the ball. The way they win is the critical thing. Duck fans want to see a performance that reflects preparation and focus.

Week One Preducktions: Elsewhere in the PAC-10

It's a full slate of games in the opening week, although several PAC-10 teams opted for the typical serving of cupcake brunch to ease into the season.

USC 37, Hawaii 9

There's a somber mood at USC, what with sanctions, penalties, defections and suspensions, but the Trojans have too much firepower for the Rainbows. This one will be over early, and serve as a coronation for Matt Barkley. The aura of good feeling is not likely to last, however. In October the Trojans host Jake Locker's improved Washington team, then travel to Palo Alto for a clash with the Cardinal, host Cal and then Oregon on October 30 in Fright Night--the Rematch. Their once formidable depth decimated by graduation and sanctions, USC may be playing out the string by mid-October. But this Thursday night game will give the ESPN commentators a chance to cover Barkley and Kiffin with praise. Ever notice how the team winning in a football game is suddenly the greatest thing since the Four Horsemen? SC has a soft nonconference schedule this season, but the deep, tough PAC-10 slate will expose them. Lane Kiffin is the classic triumph of style over substance, and the Trojan boosters will be very disgruntled by the 8-5 finish he puts together.

Arizona 45, Toledo 17
The Wildcats have an inexperienced defense, but it won't be tested much by mid-major Toledo, and the Rockets won't have an answer for Nick Foles and Company. Another game that will be over early.

Kansas State 24, UCLA 16

The Bruins are in disarray, and Rick Neuheisel may be coaching for his job by the time they host USC in December. They've lost four starters on the offensive line, two to injuries, one to academics, and one left in December for a Mormon mission. Their best pass rusher went down the first week of fall camp; he's out till November. Starting quarterback Kevin Prince has been hurt all camp and was very limited in practice, giving him little time to master Norm Chow's new "Pistol" offense. There are few bullets in the chamber. The Bruins will have trouble blocking, tackling or scoring, and they are headed for a disappointing year.

BYU 33, Washington 27

Jake Locker's Heisman campaign moves closer to an early concession speech. He and his teammates host Nebraska in Game 3 and travel to USC for Game 4. The Husky defense is not ready for a prime-time road game, and despite Locker's heroics, the Dawgs fall short in Provo.

Paycheck 2-for-1 special:
Cal 51, UC Davis 10; Stanford 45, Sac St 17

Two games designed to make the alumni feel good about the upcoming season and keep writing the checks. Kevin Riley and Andrew Luck will pad their resumes with a pair of 300-yard games, and the two minor state schools will balance their athletic budget with a painful visit to the big boys.

TCU 31, OSU 24
It's a lot to ask of sophomore starting quarterback, traveling to Cowboy Stadium to face the number six team in the nation. The Rodgers brothers will exhort their teammates as best they can, and lead on the field with a superhuman effort, but the Beavs don't have enough to win this kind of road game this early in the year. They have a suspect front seven on defense, and a couple of question marks at receiver and offensive line. Mike Riley always improves his teams, and they'll be competitive in conference, but this is sure to be a discouraging loss.

ASU 31, PSU 17

The Sun Devils open with two lower-division opponents, Portland State and Northern Arizona, before traveling to Wisconsin and hosting the Ducks at the end of the month. They get to feel good about themselves for a while, but it's not likely to last long. By week seven or so they will look like an FCS team. Dennis Erickson has a new quarterback, Steven Threet, a transfer from Michigan, and a new spread offense. Threet is 6'5", 240 lbs., a highly-coveted prep star from Michigan with an NFL-ready body and a big arm. Curiously, he left Michigan because he felt his skills were incompatible with new coach Rich Rodriguez's spread offense, and now he finds himself in another one. The Sun Devils have some talent, but don't have enough PAC-10 players to go around.

Oklahoma State 41, Washington State 17

The Cougs are reportedly improved in 2010, but it won't translate into to many more wins. Paul Wulff works diligently and so do his players, but it's just too big of an hole. Does Mike Bellotti come in in 2011 for a major overhaul? Or does he surface in Tempe, where the weather is warmer and the recruiting climate is more hospitable? Stay tuned.

In Shorts and Helmets, The Real Practice Goes On Under the Helmet

Two and a half days till kickoff, and the Ducks are tapering down.   They held a light workout today, no pads and no hitting.  Coach Kelly said brisk hard work earlier in the week allowed them the luxury of  an extra day to review and freshen their legs.

 

Everyone looks good in shorts and helmets.  At this stage, the critical part of practice goes on under the helmet: understanding their assignments, getting mentally prepared for full go.

 

In two days and fourteen hours, they have a game with New Mexico, their first chance to show they’re ready to defend the PAC-10 championship.

Quarterback Calculus: Coaching Up Quarterbacks to Three Times the Square Root of Awesome

You've heard of Socrates? Plato? Aristotle? Morons.








The school motto at the University of Oregon is "Mens agitat molem." That translates in English as "the mind moves the masses," and Coach Chip Kelly practices it every day.

It turns out Kelly is a classicist. Last week we found out he scores Competition Days with a variant of the Pythagorean theorem and yesterday he revealed he coaches up quarterbacks by employing the Socratic method. In his weekly press conference the coach told the media:

"I still talk to those guys a lot. Usually, most of the time, I talk to the other quarterback that’s not in. Helfy’s kind of coaching the guy that’s in, but you’ll see me talking to Nate while Darron’s taking snaps, and, you know, ‘What are you seeing?’ We’ve got a pass play called, or when Nate’s in talking to Darron, ‘What do you see? Where would you go if you were in on this play? Can you get a mental rep even though you’re not taking the snap? What’s your thought process?’ Or, ‘Why did you see that?’

"And I’m a big question guy. I don’t like to tell them anything, to be honest. I want to know what they’re thinking, and explain to me what they’re thinking. A lot of times I feel, when you just tell them, you just get, ‘Yeah, yeah.’ And, I don’t know, ‘Yeah, yeah’ in my mind means you have no idea what I’m talking about right now. So I ask a lot of questions: ‘What do you see right here? Where would you go with the ball right here?’ And try to get what their thought process is.

"And then a lot of times it’s just me, because I’m calling plays, is, ‘Do you like this?’ Because it doesn’t matter if I like it, because I’m not playing. And Helf’s not playing. It’s, what do they like? But if they don’t like it, I need an answer. Not just, ‘Because.’ It’s, ‘I don’t like it because this is unclear to me,’ or, ‘It makes me indecisive.’ Now I know they’ve got a grasp, and you can carry on a pretty good conversation with them, and get an understanding of what they’re doing and what their thought process is. And it gives you a better understanding as you formulate your game-plan."

(source: Rob Moseley's Oregon Duck football blog). For an audio clip of the press conference, visit the Wines family Duck blog.

It was a refreshingly self-revealing exchange with the media, as Kelly is ordinarily a little tight-lipped and evasive with the press. Clearly his job title is Head Coach of Oregon Football, not Director of Media Relations. Every minute he spends answering germane and inane questions is another minute he doesn't have for the game plan and the other critical evaluations of players and practice. He doesn't suffer fools, gladly or otherwise.

The clip explains a lot about Kelly's method and success. He uses the same tools Socrates used to coach up Plato in the Mediterranean-10 back in 410 B.C. To build his pupils' skills, he stimulates their thinking with questions. Looking back at the rapid growth and development of Dixon, Roper and Masoli, his previous students, you can see how the method produces dramatic results. To become a good quarterback, you have to think like one, and that is what Kelly and offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich do best, teach quarterbacks how to shift through options quickly and act decisively. The physical skills are important, and get a proper emphasis, but the difference maker in the differential calculus of Oregon quarterbacking is Kelly's ability to improve their understanding of the offense, teaching them the art of recognition and making choices on the fly.

It explains how Dennis Dixon could grow so much from his junior to senior year, and how Justin Roper could learn enough quarterbacking to throw for four touchdowns in the 2007 Sun Bowl. It's a key reason why Jeremiah Masoli could go from an untested transfer with a scattergun arm to MVP of the Holiday Bowl in 2008, then produce dominating performances versus Cal, USC, Arizona and Oregon State in 2009. In his three years at Oregon Kelly's offenses have produced about 38 points a game and 5500 yards a season, and in two of those years he started with a raw, inexperienced quarterback. The Ducks have won nine, ten, and ten games, with Kelly being named PAC-10 Coach of the Year in his first season at the helm.

Thomas and Costa will succeed, because they will get the teaching that raises their games. The track record speaks for itself.

This Year's Redshirt Can Be Next Year's Star

The guys at Addicted to Quack were talking yesterday about an interview Mike Bellotti did recently on ESPN. Bellotti told the story of the night he got a call just before midnight. LaMichael James, homesick and discouraged, was in his dorm room with his bags packed, ready to go home to Texas. College life, redshirting and languishing on the scout team, juking the first-team defense out of its socks day after day but getting no closer to playing, it wasn't what he'd imagined. The fall rains had started. He wanted to go home.

Coach Bellotti talked him down, and in one frantic hour of good coaching a legend was born, and saved. Coaching is way more than x's and o's. These are still young people. They need teaching, patience, correction, encouragement. The Ducks are fortunate to have had a succession of men who have excelled at all of these, going all the way back to Len Casanova.

Now it's Chip Kelly's turn for the occasional midnight phone call and heartfelt conversation. He faces the special challenge of choosing which freshmen to play, and which to ask to accept a redshirt season and a crucial extra year of development.

Eyes will especially be on the star recruits at tailback and in the secondary. Circumstances could certainly change over the next few weeks, but right now Lache Seastrunk, Dontae Williams, Dior Mathis and Terrance Mitchell all appear to be headed toward redshirt status. These young men were all highly sought after coming out of the prep ranks, and it's hard for former stars to accept a year of seasoning and obscurity.

The benefits can be huge if they do, however. John Boyett, James, and Kenjon Barner all redshirted in 2008. In 2009 they became stars as redshirt freshmen, playing key roles in the drive to a PAC-10 championship.

A little patience now can reap huge benefits just one year into the future. But not every nineteen-year-old is mature enough to look that far ahead.

Even if the coach comes over at midnight to talk it over.