Oregon vs Boise St. - Video Prediction

College Football Insiders, Week One

John Canzano and Ken Goe make their predictions courtesy of the Oregonian.

The first 8:20 minutes are dedicated to the game thart matters.

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Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• John Hunt says the Ducks are revved up and ready to go in this story on the benefits of conditioning and practicing.

"We want to have the fastest practice in the nation,'' quarterback Jeremiah Masoli said.

For Masoli, the leader of the revved-up Oregon offense, the game is slowing down, and that's a combination sure to please Kelly.

"I think my head is a little clearer and the game a little slower,'' Masoli said, comparing this fall to last.

• Bob Rickert breaks down the matchups between Oregon's offense and the Boise St. defense in this piece. Bottom line?

Look for Oregon to run the option behind Thran early on. They've got Blount and I expect the Broncos will see a full dose of that run game until the Broncos prove they can stop it.

• Ron Bellamy has a couple of feature stories that made it into the paper. The first one delves into Chip Kelly's debut as head coach. Here's a snippet from Kelly.

“You don’t want to open against Johnson State or Adams State. You want to open up against somebody who is a tremendous football team, which Boise State is. We hope it’s an unbelievable atmosphere."

In Bellamy's other story he relates why the Bronco's head coach is worried about surprises from the Ducks on Thursday night.

“I’m sure they’ll have some wrinkles in all three phases,” (Chris)Petersen said, speaking offense, defense and special teams. “That’s a little bit of a hard thing about playing a first game. Not only do you have a good team and great coaching, and players to go with it, but you know they’ll have some things you haven’t seen."

Like losing on the Smurf Turf Chris?

• Wrapping up today's post with the first weekly football release from GoDucks.com. Everything you need to know about the first game of the season.

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Duck Stuff: Morning Mud: Video Bonus

Oregon coach Chip Kelly

• Selected quotes from head coach Chip Kelly at yesterdays news conference, video provided courtesy of the Oregonian.

• Freshman Cliff Harris was at practice yesterday. No pads yet (NCAA rule) but he could be ready to see special team action in the second or third game of the season.

• The two-deep has been released, no real surprises here but nice to see in print.

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Top 12 Boise St. Jokes

• Q: Why do Boise State University fans keep their diplomas on their dashboards?

A: So they can park in handicap spaces.

• Q: Did you hear about the Boise State University fan who locked his keys in his car?

A: He couldn't get his family out.

• Q: What's the difference between a Boise State fan and a carp?

A: One is a bottom-feeding, scum sucker, and the other is a fish.

• Q: How many Boise State University freshman does it take to change a light bulb?

A: None, it's a sophomore course.

• Q: What do you call a Boise State player with a championship ring?

A: A thief!

• Q: What's the only sign of intelligent life in Boise?

A: Eugene: 450 Miles

• Q: Did you hear about the power outage at the Boise State University library?

A: Forty students were stuck on the escalator for three hours.

• Q: Where was O.J. hiding right before the famous white Bronco chase?

A: On the Boise State University campus. That's the last place you would find a football player.

• Q: Did you hear the story about the semi-truck carrying pigs that flipped over on the Boise State University campus?

A: The officials had to check ID's before letting any of the Broncos cheerleaders back on board.

• Q: What do Boise State and pot have in common?

A: They both get smoked in bowls!

• Q: What should you do if you find three Boise State University fans buried up to their neck in cement?

A: Get more cement.

• Q: Why do they throw out a sack of manure at Boise State University weddings?

A: To keep the flies off the bride.

• And finally...this is a statement not a question:

It was reported that Boise State head football coach Chris Petersen will only be dressing twenty players for the Oregon game. The rest of the players will have to get dressed by themselves.

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Sneak Peek: Oregon vs Boise St. Halftime Show

Spud, Bronco Bob and Tater are all gay smiles but Tim remains our bitch quietly defiant in his brown jacket. He's still crying on the inside pissed that stadium officials chose his buddies to be Smurfettes during the halftime show.

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Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• We lead off today with a must read post over at Addicted to Quack. The author remembers how he became a Duck fan, the anticipation of a new season (kind of like a kid waking up Christmas morning) and thinks just maybe, some fans might be getting spoiled by our success.

Here are two of my favorite lines from the story.

...And while the grinch of Andy Ludwig presented us with socks and underwear for a few years, we've generally pulled in a nice haul this decade.

...(speaking of the '89 season here)Twenty-six lumps of coal, and we wake up on Christmas morning to find the giant Lego castle under the tree. You know mom just spent like a hundred bucks on that thing, and it was freaking awesome. Duck Nation was in delirium.

Be sure to check it out.

• Ted Miller continues his Pac-10 rankings with the defensive tackles and Oregon comes in at number eight. Due in large part to their lack of experience.

Miller also has the practice players of the week in this post. Choice for the Ducks?

Linebacker Spencer Paysinger: Paysinger has elevated his game during camp, both from a leadership standpoint as well his play on the field. He's always possessed the physical skills but now has mastered his mental approach, according to coach Chip Kelly.

• George Schroeder gives his take on the continued "late hit" controversy where he says sometimes the difference between a cheap shot and a big hit is only an inch. Here's a sample.

I’m sure this will spark debate, and that’s fine. Fans often want to think their guys are pure as the wind-driven snow, while the other guys have sinister motives. Reality is, kids are kids. They’re looking for the big hit, and they’re coached to play as close as possible to reckless abandon.

Check out the complete story here.

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Video: John Hunt previews Oregon-Boise State Game

John Hunt breaks down Ducks' fall camp, previews Oregon-Boise State

Courtesy of the Oregonian.

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Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• Rob Moseley was certainly busy yesterday filing these four stories.

First up, he notes that Oregon has named it's season captains.

They are junior quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, junior center Jordan Holmes, senior defensive end Will Tukuafu and senior cornerback Walter Thurmond III.

The captains were elected by a vote of the players.

Scout team players were announced and there was a couple of mild surprises.

There are always some tough decisions to be made when finalizing the scouts, UO coach Chip Kelly said. I’m figuring the ones today that might come as at least a mild surprise to some fans were receiver Diante Jackson, defensive tackle Andrew Iupati and linebacker Bo Lokombo.

Kelly said the makeup of the scout team could change from day to day, and even within the scope of a single practice.

Not on the scout team, freshmen Michael Clay and Blake Cantu, meaning they will probably make the team against Boise St.

Game week practice resumed yesterday and Moseley lays out the schedule leading up to the season opener. Also of note in this piece was the expected arrival of Cliff Harris yesterday.

Moseley's last piece was on the "trash talking" that has been going on in the media.

The final salvo in the war of words — which by most standards would probably be considered pretty tame — came from UO tailback LeGarrette Blount in Sports Illustrated. While watching a replay of the hit on Dickson with a reporter, Blount let slip that, “We owe that team a (butt)-whuppin’.”

Now it's time to walk the walk.

• Ted Miller ranks the Pac-10 offensive lines and predictably Oregon falls in the middle of the pack after losing four starters from last year.

#5 Oregon: Four starters are gone from 2008's dominating line, but four return with starting experience: Bo Thran, Jordan Holmes, Mark Asper and C.E. Kaiser.

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O-Games Video Highlights

Here is a short clip of some O-Games highlights from Wednesday afternoon. Courtesy of KVAL.

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Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• Cliff Harris, the highly regarded (and recruited) four star corner back from Fresno, CA was finally cleared by the NCAA clearinghouse and should join the squad at anytime. GoDucks.com has a list of all his accomplishments here.

• Ted Miller must be getting close to running out of top ten lists but he didn't forget the Pac-10 running backs and has Oregon ranked third.

Fear the "Oh Le La!" backfield. The 230-pound LeGarrette Blount could be a first-round draft pick this spring, while LaMichael James is a super-quick complement. And there's depth behind them.

You can review the complete list here.

• Ted also has a nice feature on offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich and his reasons for joining the Ducks. Here's a small sample.

So if you're wondering why Mark Helfrich jumped at the chance to leave Colorado to become Oregon's offensive coordinator -- even if that meant surrendering play-calling duties -- just know that his Oregon roots run deep.

Good story so be sure to check it out.

• Rob Moseley found a story on USA Today that attempted to pick out the "golden age" of every major college football program. No surprises on their Oregon entry.

For the Ducks, the years with Joey Harrington at quarterback from 1999 through 2001 got the nod. As the article notes, Oregon “went 30-6, won or shared two Pac-10 titles, won three consecutive bowl games and finished No. 2 nationally in 2001.”

Only one more week until gameday kids, are you feeling it yet?

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Coaches and Players Talk About Tuesday Scrimmage - Video

Courtesy of GoDucks.com

Coach Kelly


Receivers Coach Scott Frost


Jeremiah Masoli


Nate Costa


LeGarrette Blount


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In The Shadows

Dave posted this on his blog yesterday evening and I loved it. I think you will too. Enjoy!

Walking to Autzen, across the river, is one of my favorite activities in the fall. The river is striking, and the path lined with trees opens up to give you a view of our majestic stadium. The trees, as towering as they are, do not cast the largest shadows on this walk. No. The largest shadows are cast by former greats that worked as magicians inside Autzen. Shadows are cast by the memories of those that we remember by a single name. Joey. Dennnis. Snoop. Fife. Okay, not Fife, but the others are relevant.

We are about to embark on a season that has all of the possibilities to be memorable. It could be memorable as a season when we had so much talent, only to lose close games, and scratch at our potential. Maybe it will be memorable as a stepping stone...a season where we won big games only to lose some that were within grasp, making us even more gritty for the following season. Or it could be a different kind of memorable. It could be a season where we have Lee Corso don a duck head to the adoring cheers of thousands, prior to a dethroning of USC as conference badasses. It could be a season with unprecedented attention—unprecedented accomplishments. It could be that season.

This season will be defined by a former 5th string quarterback, looming to cast his own shadows. Jeremiah Masoli is the key to our success and failure this year. Sure, we have LaGarrette. But we always have talented backs, ready to pile on 1,000+ yards. Our team lives and dies by the quarterback. Joey led us to a number two ranking. Dennis led us, not Snoop. Everything hinges on the decisions of the quarterback. The beauty of our spread is not how it supports the pass, but rather, how it supports the run. Do you trust Jeremiah, a former 5th stringer? I do.

The last time I had this type of special feeling about a season, we had won a Holiday Bowl over Texas. We punched Texas in the mouth, people watched, and everybody noticed. What did we do the next year? We dominated every game, sans a slip-up against Stanford. I hate Stanford. And we finished number two in the nation. Can this team, following their own dominant Holiday Bowl victory pull off the same shenanigans? I have that special type of feeling. A new tree is growing along the river...a new shadow is being cast.

Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• The final scrimmage was held yesterday evening and we have three different reports coming out of the closed session.

• I liked what Andy Mac had to say in this line:

Touted redshirt freshman LaMichael James put his blistering speed on display during a 26-yard touchdown run, and Kenjon Barner channeled his inner Jeremiah Johnson to the tune of 52 yards on eight carries with a touchdown.

• Rob Moseley had this note on the receivers:

Kelly said he feels good right now about Jamere Holland, Jeff Maehl, Garrett Embry, D.J. Davis and Lavasier Tuinei. Newcomers Tyrece Gaines and Diante Jackson will be eased into the rotation early on after missing some of fall camp with knee injuries.

• John Hunt has the most detailed look at the scrimmage. Couple of his thoughts caught my eye.

"I feel like we're ready to play tomorrow," said Masoli, whose first pass went for a 49-yard touchdown to Jeff Maehl.

On defense, linebacker Bryson Littlejohn made a case for more playing time, with four tackles, a sack and a one-handed interception. Defensive lineman Zac Clark did, too, with five tackles, including three for loss.

• Ted Miller ranked the Pac-10 quarterbacks and it comes as no surprise to me as to who came out number one.

If you watched the final three games of 2008, you know why Jeremiah Masoli is No. 1. Moreover, Chip Kelly is still calling plays, and there's intriguing depth behind Masoli in Nate Costa and Darron Thomas.

Miller also had a piece on Pac-10 superlatives. More kudos for Masoli as he came in on this list too.

6. Most exciting player: Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli: There are a lot of possibilities here -- Best, James or Jacquizz Rodgers or a playmaker from USC -- but Masoli will be the premier pass-run quarterback in the nation by the end of the year, at least outside of Gainesville, Fla. He'll thrill with his scrambles -- like last year -- but this season he's going to make more plays in the downfield passing game.

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Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• John Hunt takes a detailed look at the preparations in place for the final scrimmage tonight.

The Oregon Ducks will hold the second of two fall scrimmages Tuesday night at Autzen Stadium - that's right, at night. Because the Sept. 3 season opener at Boise is a 7:15 p.m. kickoff, that's the schedule coach Chip Kelly will adopt, nine days before game day.

Hunt goes on to lay out the likely starters and day to day schedule between now and game day on the Smurf Turf.

• Ted Miller ranks the Pac-10 receivers and the crew from Oregon comes in at fifth.

Jeff Maehl -- 39 receptions, five touchdowns -- is the only returning receiver with double-digit receptions. But speedy Jamere Holland and newcomers Lavasier Tuinei, Tyrece Gaines, and Diante Jackson have opened eyes during practices (though Gaines and Jackson have battled injuries).

Can you feel the juices flowing yet? Oregon football is almost here.

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After Practice Videos

Jerry Allen interviews Coach Kelly, Morgan Flint and Brandon Bair after practice this last Saturday. Courtesy of GoDucks.com.

Coach Kelly


Morgan Flint


Brandon Bair


I love it that the Ducks allow these videos to be posted externally, very nice move.

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Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• Rob Moseley posted a story that appeared in the RG yesterday for your reading pleasure, "Speed spreads on defensive side." Here's a sample.

(Defensive coordinator Nick)Aliotti has tweaked his defense this offseason, and he’s done so by making over the UO defense in the image of first-year head coach Chip Kelly’s offense.

“We want nine guys that can run like hell, and two big tackles inside that can hold the point,” Aliotti said.

“That’s what we’re striving for, and that’s what we’re recruiting for from here on out.”

Check it out here for the complete story.

• Oregon's group of tall new receivers is the focus of this piece by John Hunt.

And leading the way is (Lavasier) Tuinei, a junior college transfer who might become one of quarterback Jeremiah Masoli's favorite targets.

"I guess, if I was a quarterback, I'd love that, too -- a 6-5 guy against 5-9 corners," said Tuinei when told how comfortable Masoli feels throwing to him.

Said Masoli of Tuinei: "He makes some spectacular catches with his long body. I had a tall receiver in junior college, too. It kind of brings back some memories. You can miss a little more with the tall guys."

Worth your time to read the complete article.

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Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• The final competition day of Fall Camp was held yesterday. It was the closest competition of the fall with the defense prevailing 66-63 to retain the black jerseys.

The wide receivers caught the eye of both Rob Moseley of the RG and Chris Courtney at eDuck Sports.

Here's a sample from Moseley:

Though the defense won, there were quite a few nice plays in the passing game for the offense. It seems the return to health of guys like Holland, Gaines and Jackson, and continued steady play from Lavasier Tuinei, D.J. Davis and Jeff Maehl has really helped the offense.

Now from Courtney:

This day was a particularly impressive day for the Duck receiving corp. D.J. Davis, Diante Jackson, and Lavasier Tuinei all had tremendous practices showing flashes of their outstanding potential.

Be sure to read each story as the writers saw the action from different perspectives.

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AP Top 25 Poll

The AP has released their Top 25 Poll today and we can see that Oregon is at #16. Two other Pac-10 teams make it, USC at #4 and Cal #12.

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Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• Steve Tannen at DuckTerritory attended the morning practice session and came away highly impressed with one particular player.

There is NEVER a better athlete on the field than Kenjon Barner. No question there are guys in his league, but for the entire package of speed, quickness, hands, and talent, I feel this young fella is elite. I can’t imagine the powers that be won’t find ways to get him the rock.

Check out Steve's complete write-up here for more nuggets.

• Rob Moseley covers the afternoon practice and comes away with these thoughts.

Michael Clay makes the trip to Boise, if I’m reading things correctly. At various times I’ve seen him on the No. 1 punt, kickoff and kickoff return teams. ... Lavasier Tuinei and Jeff Maehl have consistently been Oregon’s best receivers throughout camp. Each makes a play every day that leaves you shaking your head. ... Morgan Flint seemed to get the best of placekicking drills today. Rob Beard was really off, for whatever reason.

Moseley also has a feature piece on QB Darron Thomas. Long article but a good read. Here's a sample.

“He is a smart, smart guy,” said (QB coach Mark)Helfrich, who tried to recruit Thomas to Colorado before joining the UO staff. “He might be our smartest quarterback in a lot of ways, and we expect him to do nothing but great things. He just needs to apply those things with confidence.”

Thomas said his biggest area for improvement remains reading defenses and improving his feel for the game and his position. Once that happens, Helfrich said, look out.

• Bob Clark looks at the key non-league match ups and says the Ducks will have their hands full with Utah and isn't worried so much with Boise St. Check it out here.

• John Hunt dissects the new look of Oregon's "swarm defense" in this story.

"I'm really, really pleased with our D-line," Kelly said. "The group we have right now is going to surprise some people."

And so might the linebackers.

"We haven't proved anything yet," (linebacker coach Don) Pellum said. "I think it's great there's some preseason excitement about the group. Now the challenge is for us to get on the field and be what the anticipation is."

Be sure to give it a read if you have a few minutes.

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Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• Yesterday's practice was held in much cooler weather than Wednesday, much to the relief of the players.

Rob Moseley attended the spirited affair and noted that the offense had it's moments in the OT drills.

Backup quarterback Nate Costa directed the second team to three scores against the second-team defense; Meanwhile, the first-string defense prevailed over the first-string offense in the third overtime when Jeremiah Masoli’s fourth-down end zone pass to Ed Dickson fell incomplete.

Moseley also relayed the news that receiver Rory Cavaille, who took the big hit from Marvin Johnson the previous day, will likely miss the season opener against BSU due to a shoulder injury.

Congrats go out to Brandon Bair and his wife who were the proud parents of a ababy girl born Wednesday afternoon.

Moseley also posted a feature article on freshman Michael Clay who is molding himself into a player the coaches cannot overlook. He is doing whatever it takes to find a spot on the starting roster. Be sure to check it out.

• Coach Kelly has a new post on the coaches blog. A new "Tradition" was initiated Wednesday night as the team held their first ever Oregon Football Bowling tournament.

• Jeff Smith at the Oregonian has a good story on Bo Thran, who has learned the value of patience.

Since Thran's surgery in April, offensive line coach Steve Greatwood is taking the cautious route in his participation. Thran, a starter on the left side of the line if healthy, hopes to return to individual drills Friday.

• Nick at Off The Pond continues to find ways to keep the juices flowing for the upcoming Boise St. game. Here's a sample.

Jeremiah Masoli has said he was “embarrassed” by the loss to Boise a year ago and Ed Dickson was quoted stating the Broncos rub him the wrong way. (EDIT: Can’t believe I originally forgot to add LeGarrette Blount’s overlooked take in Sports Illustrated when he said of Boise, “We owe that team an ass-whuppin’.” Nothing subtle about that.).

It's a fun read so check it out.

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Need Tickets for Home Games?

Did you wait a little too long to buy tickets for upcoming home games? As long as you're okay with Standing Room Only, tickets for Purdue, Utah, Cal, WSU USC, ASU and the Beavs go on sale tomorrow at 8:00am PDT (or 9:00 am by phone or in person) at GoDucks.com.

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Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• Rob Moseley was at both sessions of practice yesterday and it was a scorcher, but not on the offensive field as the defensive unit had the better outing in the afternoon.

During the morning session, Moseley made these observations.

John Boyett has had a really strong second week of camp so far. ... Blake Cantu had a great over-the-shoulder catch of a ball thrown well over his head, and Lavasier Tuinei continues to catch almost everything. ... Tim Taylor did most of the punting with the first team today.

The offense lost the afternoon session because of interceptions in a red-zone drill. Masoli was picked off by Thurmond and a Darron Thomas pass was caught by Scott Grady. Jeff Maehl was a bright spot on offense making two acrobatic catches, one for a TD. Rory Cavaille took a monster hit from Marvin Johnson and was replaced for the rest of practice by Blake Cantu, hopefully he will be back today.

Moseley also posted this indepth look at the receivers, and which also appeared in the RG yesterday.

The article concludes with this wrap up.

Up and down the line, nearly every receiver is in the same situation as the Ducks finally get a chance to evaluate their entire receiving corps following the rash of injuries.

“I’m excited to see what they can do, see if they step up and perform or not,” Masoli said. “It’s pretty much how our team is supposed to handle this year — it’s either we’re going to step up and perform, or not. And I think we’re going to do it, with the receivers we have.”

If you haven't read the whole piece check it out.

• Ted Miller was in town yesterday and posted this story concluding that "Kelly's in Charge."

Says Miller, "if there was any question that Kelly might wait to put his imprint on a program that thrived for 14 years under Mike Bellotti, well, the answer is no. These Ducks are now Kelly-green."

Good story so be sure to give it a read.

• John Hunt takes a look at the recent letter that went out to college football programs from the American Football Coaches Association. To encourage sportsmanship in college football they are requesting that the teams meet before the game at mid-field to shake hands during the first week of the season.

Boise State assistant athletic director Max Corbet confirmed this week that it will happen. The Ducks and Broncos will meet, en masse, on the blue turf and shake hands before the game.

"Wow, that's different," said quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who suffered a concussion on a late hit by Boise State's Ellis Powers in last year's 37-32 loss to the Broncos. "That's unique. ... I don't like it. I don't even like shaking hands when you get out there with the captains for the coin flip."

I hear you Jeremiah, let the game speak for itself.

• On the subject of BSU's late hits last year comes this comment from Off The Pond.

It is regarding this article from the Idaho Statesman Journal.

"The same article says replacing Ellis Powers won’t be a problem. Two players are vying to replace the departed safety, but no mention is made about the ability of either player to deliver cheap shots to quarterbacks (yeah, I said it)."

I like it :)

• Going to finish up with this amusing post from James Day of the Statesman Journal in Salem regarding the recent SI mag that has Masoli and Holmes on the cover.

Resurgent: SI is on crack.

It’s nice that Sports Illustrated put the Ducks on the West Coast regional cover of their college football edition.
The magazine offered the view that Oregon, Oklahoma State and Ole Miss are “resurgent” teams that might shake up the BCS.
Resurgent? That means rising back up.
Want to see how down the Ducks have been?
•Nine bowl games in the past 10 seasons.
•Four 10-win seasons in the past 10 and two more of nine wins.
•An 86-38 record in the past 10 seasons.
•And they are coming off a 10-3 year.
Rising back up from what?

Gotta love that!

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Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• Chris Courtney breaks down yesterdays practice over at eDuck and noticed that the offensive line is starting to play with more consistency.

LaMichael James shook off his minor injury from Monday and was at full speed. Remene Alston found running room created by the O-Line and LeGarrette Blount missed practice due to family issues at home.

Tyrece Gaines also looked sharp in his routes and was grabbing everything thrown his way.

On the other side of the ball, Spencer Paysinger continues to impress and Marvin Johnson is seriously contending for a starting rover spot.

• It is hard to keep up with all the pre-season watch lists of late and John Hunt has compiled them all into one handy chart. Check it out here.

• I have a subscription to ESPN Insider and they posted an interesting poll that was conducted confidentially with 85 FBS players.

One of the questions was, "Do you notice the cheerleaders at other schools?"

Number one on the list? You got it, Oregon. Nice job ladies.

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New Practice Videos

Jerry Allen and GoDucks.com posted these new videos that were taken after practice this week.

First up is Jeremiah Masoli


...LaMichael James


...Mike Bowlin



Chip Kelly on Go Ducks LIVE with Jerry Allen(shot before Fall Scrimmage Game-15min.)


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Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• Rob Moseley attended both practices yesterday and was happy to note that Tyrece Gaines was back in pads and made it through his first complete practice of camp.

“Things were a little up and down but once I got into things, I settled down,” Gaines said. “It’s time for me to step up and show what I can do.”

While some have speculated that Nate Costa was seriously threatening Jeremiah Masoli for the number one QB job coach Kelly brought everyone back down to earth as he indicated Masoli still holds the top spot.

Speaking of Masoli, Moseley also noted that he was selected as one of 38 QB's nationwide to make it on the Manning Award watch list.

Yesterday's afternoon session was a competition day and the defense came away victors. Things got a little heated as Jordan Holmes and Casey Matthews got into a tussle and then Eddie Pleasant jumped in to back up Matthews. Pleasant was removed from the drills for his part in the altercation.

• Duck Territory was at practice yesterday and filed this report on the offense.

This team already seems to be in the fine tuning process, and the poetry that is Chip Kelly’s offense, is beginning to take flight.

The writer looks at the QB's, RB's and WR's. The article is well written and will definitely be worth a couple of minutes of your time so check it out.

• Jerry Allen makes his debut at GoDucks.com with his post, "Talkin' Duck: Fall Camp... I love it!"

Here is a sample.

But waiting for that first game reminds me of when I was a kid waiting for school to get out for the summer....I thought it would never get here. The first game will arrive soon enough though and when it does I think these Ducks will be ready.

• Last but not least is a story by Adam Jude on offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Mark Helfrich and his road to Eugene.

Here's how it starts out.

Mark Helfrich grew up rooting for the Ducks. His family had season tickets, and Helfrich spent many fall Saturdays traveling from Coos Bay to Autzen Stadium, dreaming that one day his family might use those tickets to watch him play.

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Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• Rob Moseley posted an indepth recap of the Fall Scrimmage, you can find it here.

• Bob Rickert is doing a countdown of how he predicts the Pac-10 will finish and has Oregon at #3.

He has Oregon losing against USC and Cal and hasn't made up his mind about the thrid loss but figures things will be very close against Boise St., Utah and Oregon St.

• Rickert also posted on some recent Oregon grads who are now playing in the NFL.

Great story here about Nick Reed and Max Unger who made a good showing for the Hawks in a pre-season win over the Chargers.

Rickert also says that Oregon may soon get a verbal from a friend of Oregon QB Darron Thomas.

Reports out that Oregon may be getting a commitment from Dontae Williams from Houston, Texas. He's a friend and former teammate of Oregon QB Darron Thomas. Rivals ranks him the 9th best back in the nation this year. He's the Thunder back they (Oregon) need. Loves Oregon but they won't let him commit until he visits. That's reported to be October 31st.

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Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• Steve Summers at eDuck Sports says "Speed Dazzles" as Oregon held it's first Fall Scrimmage yesterday.

(LaMichael) James saw time at both slot and running back and the speed he brings to field at times is breathtaking. James had four carries for 21 yards and a touchdown plus two pass receptions for 54 yards including the touchdown.

Steve was also impressed with the speed of Darron Thomas who sprinted about 50 yds. for a TD but the play was called back because of a penalty.

Freshman QB Darryl Hawkins also got into the action as he ran for a 24 yd. TD.

Nate Costa had a big day and coach Kelly noticed.

Kelly is pleased that Costa is doing well because it brings depth to a position and offered that he feels “hundred percent better about our quarterback position than a year ago at this time.”

Check out Steve's complete article here.

• Rob Moseley lays out the stats for the game here and the depth chart for the scrimmage here.

After reading all the material and watching all the highlights I for one am feeling pretty good this early in the season.

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Scrimmage Video Part 2

Here is another of the local stations video on the scrimmage yesterday. You will get to see Masoli throw a couple of TD's in this one.

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Highlight Video Fall Scrimmage

Here is the local news coverage of practice yesterday. Nate Costa looks very good this year. Nice to see him competing for the starting job.

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LaGarrette Blount Gets Ready for Boise St. - Video

This was today at the first Fall scrimmage at Autzen. On the very first play Blount runs for 34 yards....very nice!

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Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• Rob Moseley went crazy with his posts yesterday. I could hardly keep my finger off the "star this" icon in Google Reader.

• Coach Kelly introduced the "samurai flag system" yesterday at practice. It was created to simulate passing lanes the QB's will need to pass through in game situations.

• The Ducks now have a "Tazer" position.

Part running back, part tight end, part slot receiver, the Ducks have designated three players as “Tazers” within the offense this fall.

The new term comes from the letter designations given to each position: running back is known as T, tight end is Z and slot receiver is R. T-Z-R gives you Tazer. And the players manning the position are Ed Dickson, LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner, the most versatile athletes on the Oregon offense.

• Oregon will temporarily retire the jersey No. 29 in honor of former safety Todd Doxey through 2011, which would have been his senior season.

• Nate Costa and Andre Crenshaw led the second team offense to a touchdown as practice concluded yesterday. The first team was unsuccessful after a Masoli pass was intercepted by Casey Matthews after being tipped by T.J. Ward.

There is a scrimmage today at Autzen Stadium beginning at 2:15pm. It is open to the public so catch the action if you get the chance.

• Coach Kelly has a new post over at the coaches blog, "Habits, Discipline, Structure".

These three things will make us better in everything that we do for the rest of our lives.

We’re doing a much better job lately of paying attention to the small details that will help us become a better team.

• University of Oregon senior running back LaGarrette Blount and junior quarterback Jeremiah Masoli were among 55 players named to the watch list for the 73rd Maxwell Award, honoring college football’s player of the year.

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Ted Miller of ESPN Video Interview

Ted Miller of ESPN does an interview to preview the Pac-10 season.

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Videos Galore

Here is your video fix for the week. Jerry Allen and GoDucks.com put these video interviews out for your enjoyment. First up is Coach Kelly.



...and now offensive coach Mark Helfrich



...QB Jeremiah Masoli



...TE Ed Dickson



...Center Jordan Holmes



...Kicker Jackson Rice



...RB LeGarrette Blount



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Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• Rob Moseley breaks down the happenings at practice yesterday and noticed the offense was not in their black jerseys, presumably following a lackluster effort on Wednesday.

The UO defense again seemed to get the better of it in 11-on-11 situations today, but Chip Kelly declared himself happy with the way the offense responded.

“I thought our guys had a great practice today from an effort standpoint,” Kelly said. “There’s always some assignment things you’ve got to clean up, but the effort from both sides of the ball was great.”

Still no word on Cliff Harris or Justin Brown as they wait for NCAA clearinghouse permission to join the team.

• Adam Jude says "there are no dogs at rover" as he looks at Patrick Chung's apparent replacement, Talmadge Jackson. John Neal, the secondary coach had this comment.

“There’s certain players that can transition positions very well,” Neal said. “Some guys can do it because they’re really smart; some guys can do it because they’re really athletic. (Jackson) has the combination of both things, so I knew that he’d be able to pick it up intellectually quickly.”

Jackson is battling junior Marvin Johnson who looks sharp as well.

• Another series of home-and-home games with Boise St. might be in the Ducks future according to John Hunt.

According to the Idaho Statesman, Boise State athletic director Gene Bleymaier has talked with Oregon officials about another series after this home-and-home in 2008-09, but he needs to follow up with new Oregon athletic director Mike Bellotti on that idea.

• Jeff Smith at the Oregonian says QB Darron Thomas isn't worried about his red shirt status, he just wants to play.

As Oregon goes through its seventh consecutive day of practice today, Thomas remains third out of five in the Ducks' practice order for quarterbacks. But that's not stopping his enthusiasm and preparation for the season.

"I just want to play," he said.

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Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• Oregon began double-days yesterday and Rob Moseley notes that the defense ruled the day.

The defense so thoroughly overwhelmed the offense in the final 10 minutes of today’s practice that there was talk of Chip Kelly stripping the offense of the black practice jerseys they won during Tuesday’s competition periods.

T.J. Ward dropped D.J. Davis with a big hit, Titus Jackson popped Rory Cavaille pretty good and Bryson Littlejohn flattened Justin Hoffman.

You can bet Masoli will be fired up today.

Moseley also noted that the QB's were outfitted with helmet cams for part of practice.

The cameras were used for 7-on-7 sessions, to assess where each quarterbacks eyes are focused during a play.

“It’s a pretty good teaching tool,” said Kelly, who said he briefly experimented with helmet cams at New Hampshire, although “they were just too expensive for us to get.”

• The Oregon Athletic Department will conduct 2009 "Fan Day" on Saturday, August 29th. The annual event, which runs from Noon to 2:00pm, allows fans to meet and greet players and coaches from this year's football team. It will again be held inside the Moshofsky Center, adjacent to Autzen Stadium.

Fans can park in the East Lot of Autzen. Entry 5 will be available with the lot opening at 11:00 am.

• Jon Wilner picks his five toughest Pac-10 schedules and has the Ducks at third after USC and Washington.

Ducks open at Boise State, a huge game in a tough setting, then play Purdue, Utah and Cal in Autzen — and that’s September. Also: UCLA, Stanford and Arizona on the road. Yikes.

• A couple of stories from Ted Miller. In the first Miller looks at Pac-10 Heisman contenders.

One of his four choices is Jeremiah Masoli.

He was brilliant over the final three games of the 2008 season, completing 50 of 75 (67 percent) passes for 830 yards and six touchdowns with one interception. He also rushed 38 times for 248 yards (6.5 yards per carry) and seven scores. What happens if that's his standard in 2009?

In Miller's other story he says the Pac-10 is nearing an agreement with the Alamo Bowl.

If the deal is completed, the Pac-10, starting in 2010, would send its No. 2 team to the Alamo Bowl against a Big 12 foe. The Holiday Bowl would then drop a spot and get the No. 3 Pac-10 team, while the Sun Bowl would get No. 4.

Wow, I don't know about this one. Is it just me or does the Holiday Bowl seem more prestigious?

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Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• This Sports Illustrated regional cover dominated Duck news yesterday. Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and center Jordan Holmes grace the cover which was shot at the Mo Center back in July. Grab your copy sometime this month.

• John Hunt says Boise St. rubs senior tight end Ed Dickson the wrong way.

Here is a sample of the article.

"When I think about Boise State ... they will be in the category of one of those teams that really doesn't rub right with me," said Dickson.

Of all the big plays, one of the most memorable came in that Boise State game last season. Most, including Dickson, will remember the shot he took from safety Jeron Johnson on an uncatchable high pass. Dickson got up, Johnson got tossed from the game and all is clearly not forgotten.

That Dickson would speak his opinion on payback for the Broncos, as his teammates shied away from possible inflammatory comments, speaks to Dickson's emerging role as team leader.

"Sometimes you've got to," Dickson said.

By the way, Hunt posted my YouTube clip with this story (again)...sure doesn't hurt the stats the video gets :)

Check out the complete story here.

• Ted Miller had a couple of posts yesterday that caught my eye. In the first one he is predicting the bowl games for the Pac-10 (I know...way too early but what the hell). Here is his Oregon prediction:

If the Ducks get things straight on both lines, they could challenge for a Rose Bowl berth. If the lines struggle, then the options figure to be the Sun, Emerald or Las Vegas Bowls.

Prediction: The Ducks head back to El Paso for the Sun Bowl.

In Miller's second story he continues his best case/worst case scenario for the season. Yesterday was Oregon's turn.

This is a good read, probably nothing like what will really happen but still entertaining. Check it out here (long story).

• Chris Courtney at eDuck Sports continues his excellent coverage of fall camp and has a day 5 report.

The first day of full pads was the first "competition" day for the Oregon football team on Tuesday. While the defense was in control for most of the day, offense rallied big late, overcoming their deficit and ultimately defeating the defense 133-129 to earn the coveted black jerseys.

The offense got outstanding play from QB's Jeremiah Masoli and Nate Costa. On the receving front Jamere Holland, Rory Cavaille, Garrett Embry, Lavasier Tuinei, and D.J. Davis shined.

Running Back LaMichael James dazzled the crowd and the coaches with his speed and agility.

Freshman punter Jackson Rice was the most impressive kicker as he faced a live rush for the time.

On defense, the linebackers received top billing.

"That core of Spence (Paysinger), Casey Matthews, Dewitt Stuckey, Bryson Littlejohn inside and then Eddie Pleasant and Josh Kaddu outside; there are six that are playing at a very, very high level," said Kelly.

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Duck Stuff: Morning Mud

• Chris Courtney at eDuck Sports leads off todays stories with his continued coverage of fall camp. Day 4 is in the books and OL Mark Glasper gets top billing.

His steady play in team drills and his dominance of defensive linemen in one-on-ones today was comforting considering the question marks that riddle this unit going in to the season. "After the first few days," said Kelly, "[Asper's] been very consistent for us."

Nice to hear good things as there have been tons of question marks surrounding this unit.

On the other side of the ball DE Kenny Rowe has stepped up his game and was seen in the backfield numerous times.

Check out Chris' story for more indepth coverage of Day 4.

• Rob Moseley notes that today will be competition day and the team will be in full pads as the offense and defense vie for the "black?" jersey.

Kelly instituted the competition days in the spring, and the winning unit earned the right to wear black practice jerseys the following week. Because of the warmer weather for fall camp, Kelly said he may find another prize to award the winners after today.

“Maybe the white jerseys, and put the other guys in the black jerseys — with long sleeves,” Kelly joked.

• Matt Ensor at eDuck Sports has a nice piece on new offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich who has escaped media coverage to date as everyone focuses on our new head coach.

Helfrich wouldn’t have it any other way. He’s not the big ego type, nor is he a coach known for drawing attention from his antics. Make no bones about it; Coach Helfrich is a hit with his quarterbacks and fellow coaches.

Check out the complete story here.

• ESPN has posted their preseason "Power Rankings" and Oregon holds down the thriteenth spot just behind Cal.

Mike Bellotti won't be on the sidelines this fall, but don't expect the Ducks to fall off the map under new head man Chip Kelly. We'll know more after a tough opener on Boise's blue turf.

One thing to remember, to keep your kids safe, just say no to Smurfs.

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