1Funduck No. 1 Share Posted January 21, 2021 A subject worth discussing and with so many knowledgeable people here, I thought I would broach this long annoying subject. We have been mildly spoiled with some stunning DT's. Haloti and Igor were game changers here. I'll never forget an incredible video of a RB slamming into the defensive line that is Haloti. The RB's whole body shook and as it slammed into the massive bodied Haloti and all that Holoti did was have a minor Jersey ruffle. No body movement at all by Haloti. What an absolute stunner for a DT. Sadly, we have yet to get a DT that gets everyone talking. DE's have been off the charts. OLB's, ILB's, CB's, we've seen our fair share of big time 4/5*'s. But where is the DT's? As far as offense, when was the last time we had a Thunder and Lightening package? 5'10/11' 215/225lb. Power back. JS had all of us licking our chops when back in HS in his Junior year he looked like an NFL RB. Then his opening game he takes 9 Houston Cougars and throws them on his back as he rumbles down the field! Don't get me wrong. MC has changed recruiting at Oregon and has done it from the Line out. The results are staggering. Back to back Pac12 championships and a Rose Bowl Thumper win! But, did our RB's strike fear in anyone? Winning the Pac12 had more to do with an athletic and opportunistic defense and KT messing with USC Offensive backfield to cause very uncharacteristic TO's. So, to the powers that be, when do we get a RB and DT recruit that matches the other skill super stars? Where's the Big horse Rock carrier, where's the Elite Mammoth in the middle? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 2 Share Posted January 21, 2021 We have discussed the enigma of running back recruiting here, as well as in FishDuck articles such as this one, but it is a topic that is always relevant. As for DTs....we are going after one of the best in JTT, so I cannot fault MC in his recruiting efforts. Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDucksFan No. 3 Share Posted January 21, 2021 11 minutes ago, 1Funduck said: Where's the Big horse Rock carrier, where's the Elite Mammoth in the middle? That has been the million dollar question for at least 4 years now. Much talk among the fans but no changes on the field. Hmmmmm. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Funduck Author No. 4 Share Posted January 21, 2021 Thank you for the link. I can't help but notice that the article was preseason. Our Run game didn't have that IT factor. Only when the skat backs came in did the production increase. I won't beat the dead horse, just noticing a glaring hole IMO. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Funduck Author No. 5 Share Posted January 21, 2021 Transfer Portal is probably the quick fix....maybe. RB's 1) Zach Charbonett is originally from Cali and wants out of Michigan. Rated a high 4* in the .9700 range. 6'2" 215. I'm guessing he's probably 225 now. 2) Eric Grey is a 5'10" 205lb. .9244 kid out of Tennessee and was the #4 APB in HS. (I won't add a little Jab at T) DT's I don't see anybody that stands out in the Portal for DT. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
30Duck Moderator No. 6 Share Posted January 21, 2021 "Touchdown, Reuben Droughns" is stuck in my head and hope it never leaves. Saladine McCullough started off one season by running back the opening kickoff. Onterio Smith, Maurice Morris. Those guys were great! Than we have LaMichael James, Kenjon Barner, Royce Freeman. Thomas Tyner's spin move is one of the best plays any Duck ever had. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherOD No. 7 Share Posted January 21, 2021 Nobody is going to turn down a Haloti Ngata, but as I understand it (and as far as this terminology still applies), Avalos preferred a "single gap" approach on the DL as opposed to the "two gap" approach previously employed by Aliotti, Pellum, and Hoke. Probably means a recruiting preference for a downsized more athletic DL, rather than more bulky and hard to move ones. I think the UW runs a similar 5 DB base, but has employed "two gappers" up front (Shelton, Vea, Qualls, Gaines). The "single gap" maybe makes more sense if the defense is going to regularly be aggressive up front (UO 2019 maybe more so than UO 2020). Washington I think tends to prefer to play a lot of coverage, so their big guys need to tie up space and eventually collapse the pocket Somebody correct any and all of that which is wrong. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Funduck Author No. 8 Share Posted January 21, 2021 Now we are getting into the weeds. I love it! Whether 1 or 2 gap, that brings LB's into play. Seal off the edges and leave the middle the most porous so to speak. Then add a 260lb. LB or 2 and let them have at it. Still want the 325/6'4" Behemoth that isn't a 5x5. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishIceCream No. 9 Share Posted January 21, 2021 Hi - good comment. I too have fond memories of Haloti and Igor! I am no expert, but I can say this about landing elite mammoth defensive linemen: I remember many years ago reading a quote from a coach about that type of player, in which he said it was the aircraft carrier principle. The idea was that, looking at the navies of the world, there are thousands of frigates and patrol boats, hundreds of destroyers and cruisers, but only a few big aircraft carriers. Haloti, especially, was one of those few, but they are hard to get because there are not too many of them. I'm guessing every team in the country would if they could, though. Oregon is doing well recruiting high-level, athletic, but not huge DL IMO. I'd love to see them convince a few aircraft carriers to sign up though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 10 Share Posted January 21, 2021 2 hours ago, 30Duck said: Thomas Tyner's spin move is one of the best plays any Duck ever had. That play gets to me in so many ways; note how Tyner starts in the Shotgun and then ends up going straight ahead....like a Pistol Plunge? Only the spacing is closer to the LOS, and LOOK at the hole! We did that variation of the Inside Zone Read over six years ago and both Clemson and Alabama do it currently. It is the "Bang" option out of that altered Inside Zone Read and I did an analysis of it right here; see the view from above and in front....whew! It worked so well that Cristobal doesn't need it... Thomas Tyner 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDucksFan No. 11 Share Posted January 21, 2021 Maybe our running back coach needs to make some adjustments as to what he feels is the right type of running back we need and to recruit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptdduck No. 12 Share Posted January 21, 2021 Trey Benson has good size at 210#. Hopefully he gets a shot next year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyToBeADuck No. 13 Share Posted January 21, 2021 As a displaced Coug, I have been a rabid Duck fan since moving to Oregon in 1984. Just as things got moving forward on the Duck gridiron. For almost 3 decades Duck football had an identity. IMHO! Recruits knew what they were signing up for. Since CK left I have been wondering what our identity is. Maybe some potential Aircraft Carriers, Bell Cows and their parents are wondering that, too? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
