Tag: Oregon Offense

3 Ducks freshman named as highly skilled players by ESPN

Jurrion Dickey, Ashton Cozart, and Blake Purchase have all been highlighted by ESPN going into the 2023 season.

ESPN writers Craig Haubert and Billy Tucker released a list of the best incoming freshman with 39 individual skills they selected. Three Oregon Ducks were selected for the list: wide receivers Ashton Cozart and Jurrion Dickey and linebacker Blake Purchase. Below are the ESPN article’s quotes about each player.

Jurrion Dickey – Skill: Best Contested Catch Ability

Dickey, 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, looks like a TE or H-back and has a similar skill set when boxing out smaller DBs on a jump ball and high pointing. Not surprisingly, he’s a basketball player with a near 40-inch vertical and polished ball skills. With his size and potential red zone value, Dickey may have a better shot at carving out a role than Cozart.

As Dickey has climbed the WR rankings in his class, he has really showcased his contested catch ability, especially on back-shoulder throws and high passes. As the ESPN article mentions, his large frame is one of the reasons he is able to compete for nearly every pass, able to both extend for each catch and muscle his defender off the ball. One thing to note about Dickey is in 2023, he will be wearing No. 99 for the Ducks, which has caused some to speculate he will redshirt this season.

Blake Purchase – Best Second-Level Blitzer

You’re not seeing Russaw here as we’re not going to repeat names. While this selection might be a bit of a surprise, it’s hard to argue with the production. Having recorded 30 sacks over his final two high school seasons, Purchase has shown excellent ability to get after the QB. Not a pure speed rusher, he’s a big body with good initial burst but also impressive power, balance and agility. At nearly 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, he may end up putting his hand down, but regardless of utilization, he can generate pressure and fill a need for the Ducks.

On the best high school team in Colorado in 2022, Blake Purchase was far and away the best player. He has the textbook frame of a hard-hitting outside linebacker but still has the speed necessary to be an elite rusher, perhaps more speed than Haubert and Tucker give him credit for. What this means is Purchase has all the skills to be an elite blitzer for Oregon, and hopefully he can turn his raw talent into results early and often for the Ducks’ defense.

Ashton Cozart – Best Deep Threat

At 6-foot-3 with a laser verified 4.45-second 40-yard dash and 10.7 in the 100 meters, Cozart has the size and speed combination to take the top off a defense. He doesn’t always look ultra-fast given his stride, but he will quickly get behind coverage, and his wide catch radius adds to his range as a pass-catcher. Oregon has a strong receiving room, and his impact may be limited this fall despite the rare size and speed combo.

Tez Johnson wasn’t the only speedy WR that the Ducks picked up this offseason, as freshman Cozart might even be faster. While Johnson’s abilities were on display in Oregon’s spring game, Cozart’s speed is no-joke (see the 40-yard dash time Haubert and Tucker highlighted above). Hopefully, he and Dickey will be able to crack into the lineup —perhaps in sets with an empty backfield and an extra WR —and make an impact this season. If Cozart is able to, Haubert and Tucker are likely correct in their assumption that it will come from the long ball, catching Bo Nix’s touchdowns.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

No. 7 TE in the class of 2025, Jack VanDorselaer names Oregon among his top schools

No. 7 TE in the class of 2025, Jack VanDorselaer names Oregon among his top schools

As we near the end of the 2024 summer recruiting cycle, coaches will begin to look to next year’s class of recruits. One of those 2025 prospects, Jack VanDorselaer, recently showed interest in the Oregon Ducks, when he included them among his top nine schools.

VanDorselaer is listed as a wide receiver and tight end hybrid. At 6’5″ and 230 lbs, VanDorselaer would likely be fully a TE in college, but if he were to lose some weight, he could also become a high-point, possession WR for QBs to target over the middle of the field, and at his back shoulder along the sideline.

[lawrence-related id=45476]

VanDorselaer is a 4-star recruit as of right now according to 247 Sports, though there is plenty of time for that ranking to move in either direction. Currently, 247 Sports has him ranked as the No. 7 TE in his class. Schools seem to agree with 247’s assessment because VanDorselaer has drawn the interest of top-quality programs such as Georgia, Alabama, USC, and more.

Since VanDorselaer is part of the class of 2025, we have to look further into the future to estimate his place in the team, and I have to make guesses as to what the team will need then. From my perspective, Terrance Ferguson will be an NFL TE by the start of the 2025 season, and Kenyon Sadiq (or someone else that gets picked up along the way) will be Oregon’s lead TE. That would leave room for someone like VanDorselaer to grow because he could get reps early in his career, while also getting to study under a talented TE such as Sadiq.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

The most important offensive linemen to know in the 2023 Pac-12 season

They don’t get the deserved glamour or glory, but they’re as important as any position on the field. Here are the top offensive linemen to know in the Pac-12 this season.

As we continue our preview of the 2023 college football season in the Pac-12 conference, we are going to shift our focus from individual teams to individual positions. The last several weeks have been spent picking apart each school out west, finding where they improved the most over the offseason, and identifying what realistic expectations should be for them going forward.

You can see them all here: Arizona Wildcats — Arizona State Sun Devils — California Golden Bears — Colorado Buffaloes — Oregon State Beavers — Stanford Cardinal — UCLA Bruins — USC Trojans — Utah Utes — Washington Huskies — Washington State Cougars

Now, we’re going to look at position groups as a whole in the conference. Whether it’s a quarterback or a linebacker, a punter or a safety, there are dozens of highly talented players out west. We want to go through them all, position group by position group, and highlight some of the most important names that fans should know at each spot.

— Quarterbacks — Wide Receivers — Running Backs — Tight Ends

What is the most important position in football? I’m not here to say that it isn’t QB; it is impossible to succeed without a good QB at nearly all levels of the sport. But you can also have an elite QB and still go nowhere because of a lackluster offensive line. The “big boys up front,” as many running backs like to call them, are vital to the success of any offense, especially in the Pac-12 where passing at a high rate is the norm.

In this article, I examine 10 offensive linemen who I think will have the most impact on their respective teams in 2023. Some have been shutting down pass-rushers for years, while others are young and have just shown flashes of what they can do. They are in my opinion, the 10 most important offensive linemen to know in the Pac-12 for the 2023 season.

There aren’t a ton of stats for the offensive line, at least not basic ones or ones that are readily available. With an absence of statistics, I chose to use a few other metrics to determine the linemen to be highlighted in this article. Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades nearly every position in college football including offensive line, which was something I took into account. I also examined former All-Pac-12 team selections as well as 2023 preseason All-Pac-12 team selections when constructing this list.

Bo Nix dishes on Dan Lanning and Kenny Dillingham at Pac-12 media day

“He was one of the biggest reasons I came to Oregon to begin with.” Bo Nix on head coach Dan Lanning

In addition to Dan Lanning and Jeffery Bassa, Oregon Ducks QB Bo Nix took the stage for Pac-12 media day, on Friday afternoon. He answered the media’s questions about his relationships with other players and coaches, past and present, as well as questions about the upcoming season for the Oregon Ducks.

Nix had some good insights into how the Ducks will fare in 2023, as well as how things have changed since last season. One of the things Dan Lanning brought up in his time with the media was the introduction of a new focus for the whole team this offseason of going from “good to great” as a program, which was an idea that was echoed by both Nix and Bassa in their time with the media.

Below a Bo Nix’s most notable responses to questions from Pac-12 media day:

On a team full of stars, the Ducks have their underrated players too

Oregon football has its share of stars, but it also has some “glue guys” that keep it all together and that value can be underrated.

As we prepare for the upcoming college football season, much of our conversations as Ducks fans revolve around the stars: Bo Nix, Bucky Irving, Troy Franklin, and more. We also discuss coaches plenty, as they are heavy on the recruiting trail, searching for players in the class of 2024.

Today, I looked at 10 of the most important players on the 2023 Oregon Ducks that we at Ducks Wire don’t talk about as much. These are players you likely are aware of, and some you’ll know well. Regardless of their skill level, I believe that every player on this list has had one aspect of their game underestimated or undervalued.

For some players, they were underrated in the recruiting process. For some they are undervalued by Ducks fans and college football fans alike, and sometimes perhaps by their own coaches. Regardless of the reason, all of these players deserve a little bit more of each conversation about Ducks football devoted to them.

PFF includes Oregon in their list of the 10 best RB rooms in CFB

With Bucky Irving and Noah Whittington back for more, the Ducks have one of the best RB rooms in the nation this year.

One moment from the Oregon Ducks’ 2022 season that stands out to me came during a drive in the 2nd quarter of the UCLA game. The Ducks ran the ball almost every down of a 10+ play drive until they scored a TD. The reason it stands out is that the Oregon backfield was collecting its 8-10 yards a play, seemingly with ease. UCLA had no answer.

While Ducks’ fans were hopeful for Bucky Irving and Noah Whittington headed into the 2022 season, they exceeded most expectations and became one of the elite RB duos in college football. Headed into 2023, both Whittington and Irving are back, along with several new pickups, and Oregon’s rushing attack seems primed for another high-achieving season. in Oregon’s pro-style offense, the success of the RB room is paramount to the success of the Oregon Ducks, and hopefully, the committee of Irving, Whittington, as well as others, are up to the challenge.

When looking at the best RB rooms in the nation, where do the Ducks stand? PFF recently broke it down.

Bo Nix named one of PFF’s biggest potential NFL draft risers

Can Bo Nix capitalize on a stellar 2022 make his way into the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft? PFF think so.

Bo Nix’s 2022 was stellar. Nix exceeded expectations weekly, both passing and running the football. But heading into 2023, there seems to be a question as to whether or not that spectacular play was a fluke or indicative of Nix’s ability.

Some in the media seem to expect Nix to take a step back in 2023. One example of this is On3’s recent Heisman favorites ranking that excluded Nix, despite the fact that he was set to be a Heisman finalist for most of 2022 until his late-season injury.

Others however, seem to expect a lot of Nix next season. Pro Football Focus (PFF) released an article that details eight players across college football that have the highest potential to raise their NFL draft stock in 2023, one of which was Bo Nix.

Cody Milardo, the article’s author, had this to say:

“After three middling seasons with the Auburn Tigers, Nix enjoyed a breakout campaign following his transfer to Oregon in 2022. The former four-star recruit compiled a 74.5 overall grade during his first three seasons, before rebounding with a career-best 86.8 mark in his first year in Eugene. Nix has flashed elite arm talent and dynamic playmaking skills out of structure in his career but has lacked the consistency to be considered a first-round caliber QB. After cutting his turnover-worthy play rate by more than half (3.8% in 2021 to 1.7% in 2022) and leading all Power 5 QBs with an 82.3% adjusted completion percentage in 2022, Nix could propel himself into the first-round conversation by building on last year’s strong performance in 2023.”

It was detailed in the article that in order for Nix to elevate his draft favor, he needs to build on his 2022, not recreate it.

Hopefully, Nix will prove that he is the real deal next fall and that last season was not a fluke. The best way for him to be successful and improve his draft hopes is by limiting his interceptions. Nix favors a fast and aggressive style of play, which naturally creates a high-risk, high-reward offense. If Nix can limit his turnovers like he did last season he will see his aggressiveness continue to pay dividends by ending drives in Ducks’ touchdowns.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

4-Star ATH Rahshawn Clark names Oregon Ducks as a top school

4-Star ATH Rahshawn Clark names Oregon Ducks as a top school

Each day it seems another high school star names the Oregon Ducks as one of their top options for where they would like to play college football. One of those players that we missed back in April was 4-star ATH, Rahshawn Clark. On April 23rd, Clark named his top six schools, which included the Ducks. Of the other five schools, three were also in the Pac-12. Clark is a native of Washington and seems to like the west coast.

In high school, Clark has played both in a TE/WR role and as an LB. On offense, some of Clark’s biggest strengths are bringing down contested catches and making tacklers miss when given space in the open field. As a defender, Clark shows an aptitude for both rushing the passer and dropping back into zone coverage from the OLB position. At the collegiate level, I think Clark will just be a pass catcher, due to his lack of the size required of a Divison 1 OLB, as he is currently 6’0″ and 180 lbs. However, if he is to grow a few more inches and add weight, he could become an elite defender at the college level, regardless of where he ends up.

Rahshawn Clark’s Recruiting Profile

Phil Steele names several Ducks in his All-America and All-Conference picks

Phil Steele names several Ducks in his All-America and All-Conference picks

In anticipation of the 2023 College Football season, independent sportswriter Phil Steele has made his predictions for All-Conference and All-America teams, both of which include several Oregon Ducks.

First, Steele believes that Oregon QB Bo Nix and edge rusher Brandon Dorlus will be the two Ducks to have All-American seasons, both of whom will earn fourth-team recognitions.

The fourth-team selection likely means  Steele sees Bo Nix as the fourth-best QB in 2023. While I would rank him slightly higher, four is much higher than much of the media has ranked him, such as his exclusion from On3’s top Heisman candidates.

Brandon Dorlus is an exciting inclusion. For the most part, Dorlus had a good 2022, though he struggle to sack the QB. With the addition of Jordan Burch and other pass rushers this offseason, Dorlus may see more opportunities to pressure the quarterback when passing, which could be why Steele expects big things from Dorlus in 2023.

As for All-Pac-12 teams, many more Ducks drew Steele’s eye. He predicts Bucky Irving, Dorlus, and Khyree Jackson to all earn first-team honors, as well as Troy Franklin and Camden Lewis to take spots on the second team. For the third team, Steele selected Nix, Terrance Ferguson, Evan Williams, and Kris Hutson. Finally, Steele sees Josh Conerly Jr., Popo Aumavae, Tez Johnson, and Jordan Burch filling out spots on the fourth team.

There are a few things that stand out from these picks. the first is Bo Nix on the third team, but with how loaded the presence of Caleb Williams and Michael Penix Jr. make the Pac-12’s QB carousel, it makes sense.

Another thing is the exclusion of Troy Franklin from the first team. Franklin played at such a high level in 2022 and it was only his sophomore season. Furthermore, while he and Nix quickly built chemistry last season, they should have an added sense of familiarity after playing side-by-side for a full season.

The last thing that stands out to me from these predictions, is the inclusion of Tez Johnson. This year’s spring game was the first time many Ducks fans got to see Tez Johnson in action, and what they saw was a speedster that couldn’t fit more perfectly into Will Stein’s offense. What makes this inclusion surprising is how low-profile Johnson’s transfer to Oregon was. He was only rated as a 3-star WR. Hopefully, Tez Johnson will do plenty of things this fall that he did in the 2023 spring game because he will shock a lot of people, though clearly Phil Steele won’t be one of those people.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Mater Dei WR Jack Ressler names Oregon in his top five, sets commitment date

Mater Dei WR Jack Ressler names Oregon in his top five, sets commitment date

Earlier this week, the Oregon Ducks received a prediction to land the No.1 OT in the class of 2024, Brandon Baker. On Wednesday, Bakers Mater Dei High School teammate, Jack Ressler announced his top 5 schools via 247Sports, which includes the Ducks.

Oregon has drawn the interest of quite a few recruits from Mater Dei High School in the 2024 cycle, including 4-star DL Aydin Breland. While Ressler only announced his top five, he is expected to join up with the Ducks according to a 247Sports crystal ball prediction of 100% confidence.

While most outlets only rate Ressler as a 3-star receiver, he still has the potential to be an impactful player. In high school, he has demonstrated the ability to find soft spots in zones, sure-handedness catching the football, and has been a reliable target.

Currently, Oregon has a star-studded WR class, but many of those stars will be on their way out soon, so a receiver like Ressler — that is less likely to transfer away than a more highly-rated recruit —could be a key pickup for the Ducks.

Jack Ressler’s Recruiting Profile