NJDuck Moderator No. 1 Share Posted May 21, 2023 Saturday afternoon was a big day for the Oregon Duck football program as they secured commitments from 4-star defensive lineman Xadavien Sims and 4-star quarterback Michael Buren. The commitments vault the Oregon Ducks into the Top 5 in the national recruiting rankings, now opening the door to a question. Can the 2024 recruiting class become the highest-rated class in program history? That honor currently goes to the 2021 recruiting class that signed 23 recruits, and four 5-star prospects and finished with a 287.67 ranking under Mario Cristobal. The short answer is yes. The Ducks are in a position to make a run at that class ranking and sign its top class ever. The finish over the next seven months will decide how close Oregon gets there. With latest commitments in the fold, can Oregon now go for its best class ever? 247SPORTS.COM The Ducks are in a position to now ask the question: Can they sign the best class ever? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyToBeADuck No. 2 Share Posted May 21, 2023 So far 2024 recruting has been very exciting and positive. Many factors will go into whether this class will be the best Oregon recruiting class ever. This will not happen without multiple committments from 5☆ recruits. DL and staff are trending in that direction, so time will tell. Oregon has not reached the point where 5☆ talent will sit behind another 5☆ talent and wait there turn. 5☆ High school recruits want to play right away. A top 5☆QB player decommitted when Bo announced his return. He will most likely start right away at ucla. He was going to carry a clip board and redshirt at Oregon. Portal players will usually start ahead of incoming recruits. That scenario can and will affect where a high school recruit lands... Chasing 5☆ players has not always worked out on the field for the Ducks. In that light, I would rather see DL bring in a hungry talented 3☆ that fits his system. Would we prefer ro win the top spot in the PAC for recruiting classes or win what matters? A PAC 10, 11 , 12 (whatever) TItle, annual trips to the CFP, annual wins in CFP games and that elusive Natty. Of course one process leads to the other.... Utah has won back to back PAC titles without Top 15 recruiting classes. How big of a roll does playet development play in winning titles? Its not how well you recruit but what you can do with that recruit. DL and staff appear to have command on recruiting and portal opportunities. When they get command of the in game opportunities..... well look out! Great results on the horizon for sure. Go Ducks... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Funduck No. 3 Share Posted May 21, 2023 (edited) On 5/21/2023 at 9:32 AM, HappyToBeADuck said: Chasing 5☆ players has not always worked out on the field for the Ducks. In that light, I would rather see DL bring in a hungry talented 3☆ that fits his system. Star valuations are limited. They show the current ability, but can't show heart or humility with the desire to listen and learn. HS is notorious for pure athleticism on display and overrunning physically immature kids as well. Getting the physically mature kids is only half the evaluation process. Getting kids self driven and grounded psychologically is the key. With that said, getting the high 4/5*, being mentally with it, is key. I will take those all day over a 3*. Again, star valuations are limited to a snap shot in time. But, a 265lb 6'5" 18 year old DE with blazing speed against an 18 year old 225 lb. 6'5" DE just isn't the same kid nor product to be put on the field. I personally will take the 4/5* over the 3*. It's how 'Bama does it, it's how tOSU does it, it's how UGA does it. And they have the Trophies to back it up. The top rated recruits tend to bring trophies home the most consistently. Thats the secret sauce in the Guacamole baby. Edited May 21, 2023 by 1Funduck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 4 Share Posted May 21, 2023 On 5/21/2023 at 9:32 AM, HappyToBeADuck said: Chasing 5☆ players has not always worked out on the field for the Ducks. In that light, I would rather see DL bring in a hungry talented 3☆ that fits his system. I think that is true at QB, where it makes sense to embrace your strategy of getting a bunch of guys who have upside, but going to the portal for an experienced QB in the meantime. 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 5 Share Posted May 21, 2023 Happy, in response to your great take and your thoughts in regard to the Utes, Utah lost a great close Rose Bowl game against Ohio State, with the Buckeyes having many stud players sitting out the game and were stymied by Penn State. Last year Utah had the edge in playing SC in the champ game coming off a win against a hapless CU while SC was coming off a game against Notre Dame. And Utah missed UW instead of playing UW in Seattle this season. The Utes also have to play SC in LA. And again, SC will be coming off a game versus Notre Dame this time in South Bend. Utah also has to play the Beavers in Corvallis. And will Rising be good to go versus Florida and hold up for 11 other regular season games? Tables turned this year with SC being idle the week before the conference champ game. With Utah opening versus Florida and then playing at Baylor Utah has a more difficult SOS in 2023 than do Oregon, Oregon State, and UW. No team that does not have a Blue Chip Roster (more than 50% of the players being 4* and 5* recruits) won a BCS title and to date has not won a playoff title. Utah is far from having a Blue Chip Roster. Coaching can make up only so much of the difference. I see the Utes finishing 8-4 in 2023. Ls at UW, USC, Oregon State, and in SLC vs Oregon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 6 Share Posted May 21, 2023 On 5/21/2023 at 12:07 PM, Jon Joseph said: I see the Utes finishing 8-4 in 2023. Ls at UW, USC, Oregon State, and in SLC vs Oregon. Wow. Big prediction! Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 7 Share Posted May 21, 2023 But if the Dude is down? Over the line! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyToBeADuck No. 8 Share Posted May 21, 2023 Thanks for all the great comments and the points you all made. I am all for filling the roster with high 4/5 star players. The depth that Georgia, Bama and tOSU have on their roster helps them sustain key injuries and play for Natty's..... Want all of that we can get. Year in and year out..... OBD's have had the top recruiting classes 4 years running in the PAC. Yet all that talent has not brought us a PAC Ttitle the last 2 years. It still comes down to performance and fitting the system. 5☆ Noah Sewell was all world in MC's system. Not so much in DL's sysyem. 5☆ Justin Flowe looked lost no matter what the system. A good example is the Duck vs Buckeyes game in the shoe....if the announcers were accurate then tOSU played 15 - 5☆ players in that game. The Ducks had a total of 5 - 5 ☆ players and not all of them played in the game. Yet the Ducks dominated that game. The Ducks game plan vs the Buckeyes failure to adjust on defense was pivotal. But the young Ducks out played the over confident Buckeyes. No amount of 5☆ players were going to help the Buckeyes that day. I am excited avout the potential 2024 class and hope it ends up the top Duck class, ever...... GO DUCKS..... 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 9 Share Posted May 22, 2023 Oregon's track record on taking two QBs in a single class. Interesting how often this has panned out for only 1 guy and often neither guy. Oregon Recruiting: Ducks’ history of taking 2 QB recruits in a cycle DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM The Ducks took 2 QBs in the 2024 cycle, the sixth time they’ve done so since 2000. What ended up happening the other five times? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 10 Share Posted May 22, 2023 Eugene, we have a Travis Jonsen sighting. Ty is #1 on the list and no Heisman winner Marcus Mariota on the list. 'Drafting' QBs in college ball is as much of a throw of the dice as drafting QBs in the NFL. Oregon Recruiting: Where Michael Van Buren ranks among Duck QBs DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM Where does Michael Van Buren rank among the highest-rated QBs to ever commit to Oregon? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 11 Share Posted May 22, 2023 On 5/22/2023 at 7:15 AM, Jon Joseph said: Oregon's track record on taking two QBs in a single class. Interesting how often this has panned out for only 1 guy and often neither guy. Throwing mud on the wall, since being a great QB is so difficult. A stretch of Kelly/Helfrich had four QBs who were Rivals 4-Stars, but did not work out. You recruit boatloads and find out who can play, and if you recruit too many--as long as you have your winner--another winner can transfer out. To me, the only glaring weakness on this team is at No. 2 QB, thus the whole season can be lost on one play. 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KCDuck1 No. 12 Share Posted May 22, 2023 WRT Duckswire USAToday.com Article, Why would Austin Novosad not compete for the starting QB position in 2024, and perhaps 2023 (in the event of a QB injury)? I liked some of what Thompson showed us in the Spring game, but not enough yet. Why would the HC cede the position in 2024 to Thompson? Everyone that plays has to earn and deserve their time on the field. Ty may yet break out of his self-imposed mechanistic funk. WRT the QBs, didn't Nate Costa act as the 2-point QB when Chip wanted to get two points? Believe he did more than is depicted stats-wise, but perhaps I am wrong. Thanks and VR, KCDuck1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
