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NJDuck

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Posts posted by NJDuck

     

    Which Big Ten teams will be the biggest rivals for Oregon going forward?

     

    For the past several decades in the world of the Pac-10, and then the Pac-12, the Oregon Ducks have been comfortable in the fact that they knew who their biggest rivals were. You had Oregon State, you had Washington, you had Stanford, you had USC, and you even had Utah to an extent later in the lifespan of the conference.

     

    Things are going to change in the future, though.

     

    With Oregon’s jump to the Big Ten Conference, we are losing a lot of rivalries that became commonplace over the years. The Ducks will still play the likes of Washington, USC, and Oregon State going forward, but now they have a new pool of teams that will be on the yearly schedule, and a whole pool of potential rivalries to jump into.

     

    This past week on the Sco-ing Long Podcast co-hosts Jonathan Stewart and Zachary Neel discussed which teams in the Big Ten would end up being the biggest rivals for the Ducks going forward.

     

    To decide who the best candidates were, both Stewart and Neel assigned a number value to each team in the conference from 1-10 (10 being the strongest) for how fierce the upcoming rivalry would be.

     

    Here’s what they came up with, and some of their reasoning.

     

    76799406.jpg?w=640

    6554b6be8c0d829a8bf63ae0c82cf121_link.pn Which Big Ten teams are most likely to be rivals for the Oregon Ducks?

    DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM
    A look at which teams in the Big Ten will likely be the biggest rivals for the Oregon Ducks when it comes to the new expanded conference.

     

     

     

    Five Players From Oregon’s 2023 Signing Class Poised for Bigger Roles

     

    There's turnover every year in college football. It's part of the game. Sometimes coaches get players for just a single year. Sometimes it's four or even five.

     

    But the best coaches bring in top talent year after year and reload their roster rather than rebuild.

     

    The Ducks lost a number of top players from the 2023 season including quarterback Bo Nix, wide receiver Troy Franklin and defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus to name a few.

     

    Today I'm taking a look at five players from Oregon's 2023 signing class, which was ranked No. 9 by 247Sports, that are poised for a larger role next season.

     

    Dickey was Oregon's lone 5-star recruit in the 2023 class, but we didn't see much of him as a true freshman. He appeared in five games (including the Fiesta Bowl) and caught one pass for seven yards.

     

    His debut season in Eugene was limited in part by a meniscus injury he suffered his senior year of high school that he was recovering from. There was also a deep group of wide receivers under Junior Adams, which could've been part of the reason we didn't see more of him.

     

    Entering 2024 there's still plenty of talent in the room, but maybe Troy Franklin's departure frees up some snaps that could come Dickey's way. He's an incredible athlete that has great ball skills and a strong frame at 6'2", 215 pounds that helps him eat up yards after the catch.

     

    Pleasant appeared in seven games as a true freshman and made an impact play in the Fiesta Bowl, forcing a fumble against Liberty.

     

    His agility, top-end speed and ball skills should make him a capable defender against most matchups despite being a bit undersized. He's an elite athlete that needs to see the field more in year two, even if that means getting the ball in his hands as a return man on special teams or even as a gadget guy on offense---something that was discussed as a possibility during his recruitment.

     

    The 6'3", 330-pound pound sophomore appeared in eight games as a true freshman and recorded two tackles.

     

    With so many players gone from a veteran-laden defensive line in 2023, Washington is a player that has a great opportunity for an increased role alongside someone like Bent Roberts, who enters his third year in Eugene.

     

    His physicality and athleticism were part of what made him so special as a four-star high school recruit and some people I spoke with on the high school scene believe he was a snub from the All-American Bowl.

     

    Gardner didn't see as many snaps as Washington, but don't let that subtract from his potential. After playing in just three games, the redshirt freshman is another player that could be in the mix for Tony Tuioti in 2024.

     

    Former Duck Casey Rogers was impressed by Gardner last year in spring ball, calling him an advanced freshman.

     

    "My'Keil Gardner has soaked things up. He's probably one of the most advanced freshmen I've ever seen come in and pick up a scheme and technique in the first couple of weeks and months he's been here."

     

    I think some people might have forgotten about Mixon after the Ducks signed three more elite linebackers in 2024. His versatility and athleticism made him a special talent in the 2023 class, as he played linebacker, EDGE, running back and even some quarterback for Sacred Heart Cathedral as a senior in high school.

     

    I think having a full year of the Oregon defense and speed of the college game under his belt did him some good and being able to focus solely on linebacker helped him. Jestin Jacobs and Jeffrey Bassa are the likely starters at linebacker, but I wouldn't be surprised if we see him line up next to Devon Jackson and/or Connor Soelle as part of the two-deep in his second year.

     

    https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/college/article286106476.html#storylink=rss

     

    With spring rapidly approaching, according to Punxsutawney Phil at least, the Oregon football team has finalized its dates for Pro Day and the start of spring practice.

     

    Earlier this month, head coach Dan Lanning shared that the Ducks’ spring game would be held at Autzen Stadium on April 27th.

     

    Leading up to the Yellow versus Green game, the Ducks will close out winter practices and dive right into their spring schedule”

     

    01hqtxmgnfwrn2ksqmk5.jpg

    favicon_2-7584840191d9f13dce826391650b7201.ico Oregon Ducks announce dates for spring practices and Pro Day

    AUTZENZOO.COM
    With spring approaching, according to Punxsutawney Phil at least, the Oregon football team has finalized its dates for Pro Day and the start of spring practice.

     

    • Thanks 1

     

    Rob Mullins said he's never seen such high demands for season tickets and package deals in a long time.

     

    Listen to Rob Mullins on Duck Insider around the 31:50 minute mark.  What he said about Big Ten fans.  Unlike visiting Pac-12 fans who can't fill their quota, he talked with one of the Big Ten AD (it could be OSU) who said they could fill Autzen with their own fans.

     

    He said get ready, because visiting fans are going to travel strong.  Duck fans need to protect our turf securing seats, keeping Autzen green and yellow.

     

     

    • Thumbs Up 2

     

    With all the newcomers, it's about "playing old" in Mark Wasikowski's clubhouse.

     

    Through seven games of the 2024 baseball season, Oregon sports a 6-1 record.  A 2-1 weekend in Arlington, Texas, followed by a four-game sweep against Lafayette, the Ducks welcome No. 24 UCSB (3-4) to PK Park for the first of a three-game series.

     

    Ducks and Gauchos square off Friday, March 1st, starting at 4:00 PM from PK Park.

     

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    247touch.png Oregon baseball 'playing old and acting old' en route to 6-1 early season record

    247SPORTS.COM
    With all the newcomers, it's about "playing old" in Mark Wasikowski's clubhouse.

     

     

    No. 1 player in 2026 class schedules visit to Oregon for annual spring game

     

    The Oregon Ducks are already off to a great start when it comes to the 2026 recruiting class, securing a commitment from 5-star DL Tony Cumberland last year. Now they’re trying to keep that forward momentum, hosting the No. 1 overall player in the class on a visit this spring.

     

    According to On3, 5-star DL Jahkeem Stewart will be in Eugene on a visit this spring, coming to see Oregon’s spring game on April 27. As we get closer to the date, there will certainly be more high-profile players who announce that they will be in attendance as well.

     

    Stewart stands at 6-foot-6, 270 pounds, and is rated by 247Sports as the No. 1 overall player in the 2026 class, and the No. 1 DL. He also has visits scheduled to see Texas A&M, Auburn, Ohio State, and USC this spring as well.

     

    Oregon currently has the No. 4 ranked recruiting class in the 2026 cycle.

     

    DucksWire_RN2.png?w=640

    6554b6be8c0d829a8bf63ae0c82cf121_link.pn Oregon Recruiting: Ducks to host No. 1 player in 2026 for spring game

    DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM
    The Oregon Ducks are set to host 5-star DL Jahkeem Stewart, the No. 1 overall player in the 2026 class.

     

    • Go Ducks! 1

     

    We do know this so far:

     

    University of Oregon, city of Eugene sign land swap agreement to pave way for new football indoor practice facility

     

    JS4F22S2ZRH43BBZHEQIVOGFN4.png

    6554b6be8c0d829a8bf63ae0c82cf121_link.pn UO, city of Eugene sign land swap agreement to pave way for football practice facility

    WWW.OREGONLIVE.COM
    The city of Eugene and University of Oregon negotiated for nearly a year and a half over a land swap that will facilitate UO rerouting Leo Harris Parkway in order to accommodate the new indoor...

     

    Plans to accommodate the following:

     

    UO Athletics plans to break ground in 2024 to construct a new indoor practice field next to Autzen Stadium. They recently released plans for additional development in this area: the relocation of the two outdoor practice fields to the south of their current location.

     

    To accommodate this, Leo Harris Parkway would be re-routed to the south and the existing City-owned paved parking lot serving Eugene Science Center, Cuthbert Amphitheater, and Alton Baker Park guests would be relocated to the City-owned parkland/field east of the Eugene Science Center building.

     

    UO-Proposed-New-Practice-Fields.png

     

    PROPOSED RE-ROUTE OF LEO HARRIS PARKWAY

     

    UO-Proposed-Leo-Harris-Parkway-Modificat

     

    PROPOSED PAVED PARKING MITIGATION

     

    ESC-2024-Parking-Areas.png

     

    Eugene-Science-Center-logo-90.png

     

    On 2/28/2024 at 9:08 AM, Chipshot said:

    Seeking clarification. Is it true, the expansion of the Autzen Complex will NOT include any expansion to Autzen Stadium seating, itself?

    This is what I know at this point, the last information on Autzen.  I do know that Rob Mullins also said season ticket sales and package deals have been off the charts, hasn't seen this happen in a very long time.

     

    With visiting fans from the Big Ten who travels well along with a possibility of hosting in the playoffs makes it imperative to bring a greater experience to the stadium with improvements.

     

    Expanding north side of Autzen Stadium ‘on our radar’ for Oregon Ducks

     

    It could be getting a little bit louder at Autzen Stadium after Oregon joins the Big Ten.

     
    UO is in the planning stages for renovating and expanding the north side of Autzen Stadium, a source with knowledge of the matter told The Oregonian/OregonLive. The source requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly.
     
    Details are murky about exactly how much bigger Oregon is aiming to make its football stadium, which has officially seated 54,000 since the south side was expanded in 2002. According to a source, early plans include the possibility of adding a second deck to the north side, which would closely mirror the south side of the stadium, and expanding and upgrading the Charter Box seating area.
     
    IEKMBB27SBDXHPRFARUD37VHKI.jpg

    6554b6be8c0d829a8bf63ae0c82cf121_link.pn Expanding north side of Autzen Stadium ‘on our radar’ for Oregon Ducks

    WWW.OREGONLIVE.COM
    Autzen is the fifth-largest football stadium in the Pac-12, but it will be the 13th-largest in the 18-team Big Ten.

     

    Oregon in planning stages of possible Autzen Stadium expansion

     

    The Univ. of Oregon is in the "planning stages for renovating and expanding the north side" of Autzen Stadium, according to a source cited by James Crepea of the Portland OREGONIAN.

     

    Autzen has officially seated 54,000 since the south side was expanded in 2002, but a source said that early plans “include the possibility of adding a second deck to the north side,” which would “closely mirror the south side of the stadium, and expanding and upgrading the Charter Box seating area.”

     

    Crepea noted the enhancements to Autzen would “likely come after the completion of the new indoor football practice facility," which has “still yet to break ground.”

     

    Autzen is the fifth-largest football stadium in the Pac-12, but it will be the 13th-largest in the 18-team Big Ten, ahead of Indiana, Rutgers, Maryland, Minnesota and Northwestern.

     

    With Oregon’s schedules set to see a "significant upgrade in quality of competition, demand from opposing fan bases about to grow substantially and the possibility of hosting home games" in the expanded CFP, maximizing the seating at Autzen is a "high priority for the athletic department" (Portland OREGONIAN, 8/7). 

     

    favicon.png Oregon looking at increasing Autzen Stadium capacity through possible renovation

    WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM
    The Oregon Ducks are making the move to the Big Ten and now the athletic department is in the planning stages for renovating and increasing capacity to Autzen Stadiums north side.

     

     

     

     

    With all of the money that pours into the University of Oregon from Nike founder and CEO Phil Knight, a handful of buildings around campus bear his name.

     

    Matthew Knight Arena, Knight Library, and Phil & Penny Knight Science Campus all feature the man so lovingly referred to as Uncle Phil. So why not the biggest athletic building in the city?

     

    Why is Autzen Stadium named Autzen?

    The future of Autzen Stadium

    As Oregon heads to the Big Ten, home to some of the most famous NCAA football stadiums in the nation, Autzen will fall short of being the most indomitable field in the conference.

     

    To mitigate Autzen Stadium turning into a little brother, a plan was proposed to expand and create an entire Autzen Complex.

     

    01hqp621hkttk8v384h3.jpg

    favicon_2-7584840191d9f13dce826391650b7201.ico Why is Oregon's stadium named Autzen? Why not Phil Knight Stadium or Nike Field?

    AUTZENZOO.COM
    With numerous donations (both monetary and in uniform), a handful of buildings around campus bear Phil Knights' name. So why not Autzen?

     

    • Thumbs Up 1

     

    Terry Jonz, a local radio host who served as the voice of Oregon Ducks women’s basketball for nearly two decades, died Feb. 20 after having non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He was 70.

     

    The Ducks announced Jonz's death Tuesday.

     

    “Not a lot of words can express the feelings of loss and love for a wonderful man who was very much like a brother, and so beloved by the fans,” Jerry Allen, the radio voice of the Ducks and a longtime colleague of Jonz, said in a story written by GoDucks.com. “I’m sure he has a courtside seat in heaven, waiting for us to join him one day to get the old broadcast team back together.”

     

     

     

    ABQWIVDS6RFGXPSN7EEUX7MSRQ.jpeg

    6554b6be8c0d829a8bf63ae0c82cf121_link.pn Longtime Oregon Ducks radio announcer Terry Jonz dies at 70

    WWW.OREGONLIVE.COM
    Jonz was the voice of Oregon women's basketball since 2005.

     

     

    Oregon's starting right tackle from a season ago, Ajani Cornelius, decided to return for the 2024 season and help Oregon's transition into the Big Ten. The talented tackle will now protect Dillon Gabriel's blind side as the Ducks return three offensive line starters from a season ago. 

     

    A transfer from Rhode Island, Cornelius, listed at 6-foot-5, 308 pounds, landing at Oregon in the 2022-2023 offseason turned out to be a significant recruiting victory, beating out Tennessee and other top schools nationwide for the talented right tackle. On top of playing over 800 snaps, Cornelius finished with the second-highest offensive grade among the starting offensive linemen per PFF with a 77.4.

     

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    247touch.png Ajani Cornelius named one of the best returning offensive tackles in the nation for 2024

    247SPORTS.COM
    PFF named Ajani Cornelius as one of the nation's best returning tackles.

     

    • Applause 1
    • Thanks 1

     

    In eight years, Smart has already grown an impressive coaching tree that keeps sprouting branches

     

    Dan Lanning, Oregon

    Inarguably the most successful Smart acolyte thus far, Lanning's ascendant coaching career is something to behold. Nine years ago, he was a graduate assistant at Alabama. Then he spent two seasons as the inside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at Memphis before Smart hired Lanning, at 32 years old, to coach outside linebackers in 2018.

     

    Lanning was named defensive coordinator at Georgia in 2019, and in 2022 he was hired at Oregon, becoming the youngest power conference coach at the age of 35. Since then, he's won 22 games with the Ducks and already has a Fiesta Bowl win under his belt. Oregon is a safe bet to compete for a spot in the 12-team playoff for years to come as Lanning steadily grows. 

     

    usatsi-22204899-168396417-lowres-1.jpg

    apple-touch-icon-180.png Kirby Smart coaching tree: How ex-Georgia assistants have fared after leaving for head coaching opportunities - CBSSports.com

    WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM
    In eight years, Smart has already grown an impressive coaching tree that keeps sprouting branches

     

    • Thumbs Up 1
    • Thanks 1

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