Is Oregon the new leader of the Pac?

With a reshuffled coaching staff, an exodus of defensive stars, and an NFL bound quarterback, one person already believes that USC has lost its grip on the Pac 10 conference. Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports doesn’t make a definite statement, appearing more as “beating around the bush”, but his early 2009 college football rankings show the Ducks positioned higher than the Trojans. The top of his early pick is similar to the final regular season rankings of 2008, with the exception of Southern Cal taking a plunge.

Dennis Dodd’s Early 2009 Top 25

1. Florida
2. Oklahoma
3. Texas
4. Alabama
5. Virginia Tech
6. Oregon
7. Ohio State
8. USC
9. Oklahoma State
10.Georgia Tech

Oregon finished the season strong, capped with a Holiday Bowl victory over Oklahoma State, but I’m still struggling to find reason for Dodd’s catapult above USC. The Ducks also have questions surrounding their coaching staff, with most speculating that Mike Bellotti is preparing to move into the athletic offices, leaving Chip Kelly to hold the reins. The top defensive playmakers, Jarius Byrd and Patrick Chung, have offered their services to the Sunday league, and joining them is their top runner (Jeremiah Johnson), top receiver (Jaison Williams), and two big bodies from the offensive line (Max Unger and Fenuki Tupou). Changes can easily affect both programs, but perhaps he is eyeing the Oregon schedule and change in venue.

Autzen Stadium will host 7 games in 2009. Inside that roaring sound machine, the home team will face Utah, Purdue, Cal, Arizona State, Oregon State, and USC. If they survive the schedule and list of style point opponents, I can see how they would finish in the top 10. They also have a road date with Boise State. But is that change of scenery enough to change the game result against mighty USC? Pete Carroll’s Trojans have lost only twice to Oregon. The first defeat came in 2001, during the miserable beginning of the coach's first year. The second occurred 2 years ago, with Mark Sanchez rushed into the line up for an injured John David Booty, and the banged up Trojans still came close to recording a win. It was Oregon’s second victory against USC in Autzen Stadium, as Carroll’s teams have overcome the noise and crowd ruckus to split 4 games played in this unfriendly pond.

Oregon at No. 6 and USC appearing 8th can only signify a one game difference between the two, which would be the head-to-head meeting in October. Dodd doesn’t say it, but he obviously has the Ducks defeating the Trojans on that day, and for the first time in 7 years, the Pac 10 crowning a new king in December.

Believe it or not, Oregon uniforms may be getting uglier

I didn’t think it was possible, but the Oregon football team may reveal yet another uniform, which would top the other hundreds of horrible combinations in ugliness. It’s a foregone conclusion that Phil Knight’s Nike whores will wear anything, but eyeing this new proposal that damages the retina, also shows their poor fashion sense has no limits.

The black helmets are a definite, and coming soon to a stadium near you. As for the winged jersey, that looks like it could be worn by a superhero on the Disney Channel, that one remains a rumor, as reported by Jeff Kneis of Bleacher Report, and channeled from another source. I’m personally hoping nothing becomes of it, because the only thing worse than seeing a six-foot duck arrive via motorcycle to midfield of Autzen Stadium, is seeing Duckman emerge from the tunnel, with 80 other sidekicks dressed the same.

But the funny thing is, you put those same feathers on their cheerleaders, and I see group of sideline beauties I’d like to pluck.

Maualuga set to return, Sanchez likely

Rey Maualuga returned to Trojan practices and took part in drills on Tuesday and Wednesday. The senior middle linebacker will start this Saturday against Arizona State, after missing last week's game with a sore knee. Maualuga has been instructed to wear a protective brace for the next 3 games as a precaution. Mark Sanchez has also returned to practice, and was under center for the first time since collapsing with a bone bruise against Oregon. Though he is listed as day-to-day, Sanchez will likely receive the start. Mitch Mustain continues to back up the starter, but often appeared winded in early week drills, having to take all the first team snaps for the first time in his short Trojans career.

An important, and often overlooked, piece of the Trojans offense is ailing. Fullback Stanley Havili has not practice since suffering stiffness in his neck after colliding with a Duck last weekend. Adam Goodman would replace Havili in the line up, which would be a significant drop off at the position.

Damage Assessment: Sanchez questionable for Arizona State

Quarterback Mark Sanchez became a casualty of the Oregon Ducks. Monday's MRI revealed a bone bruise, but no ligament damage. Sanchez is listed day-to-day and remains questionable to participate against Arizona State on Saturday. Mitch Mustain would receive the start, if he is unable to go. Mark Sanchez was recently named Pac 10 player of the week for the third time in his Trojan career. The honor ties him on a prestigious list of other Trojans that were 3-time winners. Those players are Reggie Bush, Carson Palmer, Antuan Simmons, Curtis Conway, and Rodney Peete.

Running back Allen Bradford has been suffering a nagging hip injury and may opt for surgery, if the pain becomes unbearable. Last week, Bradford was vocal about his lack of carries in the offense, but field production now appears secondary to whether or not he can complete the season. The other casualty from Saturday's game was linebacker Michael Morgan, who suffered a concussion.

No Ducking it! Trojans drub Oregon 44-10

Sticking to the script, the opponent that follows an upset loss suffers the wrath of the Trojans. Saturday’s victim was the 23rd ranked Oregon Ducks. And though they tried to compete for a quarter, this one was a forgone conclusion.

There was an unsettling feeling in the first quarter, as Oregon marched down field on their first possession to score the games first touchdown. And it was a feeling that worsened when they drove a second time to add 3 more points. USC was trailing 10-3, and some were probably having a week of flashbacks. But if you watched the game closely, there was a tremendous difference between the early drives of the Ducks, in comparison to the victorious drives of the Beavers. The 10 points posted on the board were all assisted by Trojans penalties. First, a roughing the kicker call against Clay Matthews gave Oregon a fresh set of downs in the red zone, leading to the first 7. The second (roughing the passer), on third and long, extended a drive for the next 3.

After coming out overly aggressive, the defense calmed and yellow flags were fewer. The end result, the Trojans roll off 41 unanswered points in a 44-10 victory. In the process, a defense playing without Rey Maualuga, Shareece Wright, and using a banged up Brian Cushing, limited the Pac 10’s best rushing attack (4th in the nation) to a total of 60 yards. Offensively, USC torched a very good secondary for 443 yards through the air. As the game moved on, it became more apparent that the Oregon cheerleaders were very attractive, but the Ducks’ gameplan wasn’t. Look past the early penalties, and it was clearly a mismatch from the opening kick.

In a scary moment of the third quarter, Mark Sanchez appeared to re-injure his left knee, after a horse collar tackle for a sack. After lying on the field for several minutes, Sanchez’ day was done. Preliminary reports state that he was protected by the precautionary brace he's been wearing since the dislocation of his kneecap in August, preventing any damage from his leg being pinned and twisted beneath the defender. He watched the fourth quarter from the sidelines with ice on the left knee, but didn’t give the appearance of a limp or hobble after the game.

Mitch Mustain, suddenly moved back into the role of USC’s No. 2 quarterback, played the entire 4th quarter. He gave a glimpse of why there was so much excitement in his transferring to Southern Cal from Arkansas, with a perfectly thrown 59 yard touchdown pass to David Ausberry, hitting him in stride near the right sideline.

These are the types of victories the Trojans need for the rest of the season. Because now, more than ever, style points count. And there’s no rest for the wicked, as USC now prepares for the invading Sun Devils on Saturday.

Fight On!

According to the math ‘3 Ducks=1 Dennis Dixon’

In one week the Oregon Ducks will host the Washington Huskies in the 2008 season opener. That leaves the next few days to prepare for your opponent, and Washington’s Ty Willingham would love to know which Ducks quarterback his troops should plan for. Well, according to the Oregon Staff, you better prepare for all three.

Dennis Dixon piloted the Ducks for 9 games and one quarter in 2007. He won 8 of the 9 games he completed, including victories over Michigan, USC, and Arizona State. Immediately following a torn ACL, the Ducks finished the season 1-3 in the final four games without him, and the 16-0 loss to UCLA marked the first time the Ducks were shutout in 22 years. Dixon is now a Pittsburgh Steeler, and if we reflect back on Oregon of last year, it would appear he took the offense with him.

People may forget, but Dixon didn’t begin his Oregon career as the lone quarterback. He slowly developed in the system as part of a QB duo that featured Brady Leaf. Mike Bellotti and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly either plan to revert back to those days of quarterback development, this time using three QBs, or they’re simply blowing smoke.

Nate Costa, Justin Roper and Chris Harper have battled for the starting job, and just 7 days from kickoff, no one has it. At least, the Ducks don’t want others to believe anyone has solidified their claim of the position. Costa also suffered an ACL tear in 2007, and Roper is most recognized for quarterbacking the Ducks to their only victory after the injury to Dixon, which was a 56-21 blowout of South Florida in the Sun Bowl. The freshman Harper is more likely in consideration for his mobility, as the Ducks have also lined him up as running back and wide receiver.

Would Bellotti use three quarterbacks? I wouldn’t put it past him. But despite the QB concerns, there’s another big question. Can Jeremiah Johnson equal the production of former Duck and current Carolina Panther Jonathan Stewart?

Note: Trojan transfer Jamere Holland has been participating in Oregon practices, after sitting out most of the offseason rehabbing from surgery that repaired torn cartilage in his knee. Holland has sprinter’s speed and will most likely see the field as a return man and wide receiver. Holland transferred out of the USC program because he was too low on the receiving depth chart.

Have a six Pac on me

It’s the end of the week, so what’s buzzing around the Pac 10 Conference? Fall camps are underway, the media is making their assessments, and programs are strengthening and weakening. So after a long week of work, it’s time to relax and have a six Pac, on me.

USC defeats USC

Southern California is now officially, and without dispute “USC” and the rightful owner of the interlocking “SC” logo. The battle that had been waging between Southern Cal and South Carolina finally came to an end, with the administrative tribunal of the U.S Trademark and Patent Department ruling in favor of the California school.

Rey Maualuga explained his wearing of a pink thong over his practice shorts last week, and I had been waiting for it. According to Rey, he just wanted to liven up the place and keep the guys loose, and never thought photos would surface on the Internet. Rey? Get real! This is 2008. Chances are, if you miss the toilet in a public restroom, TMZ or some other Internet source will post it. When asked where he got the pink thong, Maualuga jokingly said he took it out of teammate Brian Cushings’ locker. The whole thing was amusing, and I still dare an opponent to mention that thong on gameday.

The media loves Dennis Erickson

Arizona State was an “okay” team or even less than that, before Dennis Erickson arrived last year. Change the coach, and the media changes your identity. Suddenly the Sun Devils were an excellent program and national contender; though they lost to every good opponent they played. There’s still no let up, as analysts are still projecting greatness for the desert rats, despite little change from 2007.

Though the national media feels ASU will push USC for the Pac 10 title, the Western media didn’t give the Sun Devils a single first place vote, but did choose them to finish second. Without Dennis Erickson, and having that same roster, I wonder where the Sun Devils would rate. Probably in the middle of the Pac, as they were before his arrival.

Clock is ticking on Big Ben

The UCLA Bruins are working quarterback Ben Olsen back into the rotation, after sitting out with a foot injury. Norm Chow’s “second choice” must now shoulder the unit, while trying to maintain his health. Pass protection becomes top priority, with Junior college transfer, Kevin Kraft, sitting as the top available back up on the UCLA depth chart.

Indecision in Berkeley

There’s still no clear cut winner in the Cal QB battle. Both Nate Longshore and Kevin Riley are capable, and many programs could only wish to have this type of position battle. Give the edge to Riley, but don’t count Longshore out.

Running back Jahvid Best is the heir apparent to DeSean Jackson and the Golden Bears’ special teams. A hip injury suffered in last year’s meeting with USC that caused him to miss the remainder of the season is no longer a concern. The sophomore doesn’t appear to have any lingering effects, and Tedford is prepared to utilize his talent is several offensive areas.

Nike has vision for Ducks

It’s no surprise that Phil Knight would use his corporate empire to improve the performance of Oregon athletes. Knight, the co-founder of Nike and Oregon alum, has given the program the best shoes, uniforms, helmets, etc to bring about the best athletic performances. Now Nike has taken it a step further, as they use 4 ducks in an experiment to improve vision. No, it has nothing to do with eating carrots or popping pills. Experiments included player response in drills where they touched a series of colored lights, along with recording brain reaction when goggles are worn to block vision.

The scene of the crime

USC travels to Palo Alto this year to play Stanford. For the second year in a row, the game will be aired on Versus, which for SC fans is a return to the scene of the crime. But have no fear, because with the exception of Cal in 2004, the Trojans have embarrassed each opponent in revenge matches taking place the following year.

Eyes On A Foe: What the Duck?!?!

I never thought I’d envy the University of Oregon, but then I found out the rah rah girls have their own televised show. In the Pacific Northwest, Comcast airs a half hour series called “The cheerleaders of Oregon”. And for anyone without knowledge of the Oregon cheerleading squad, trust me, this is “must-see” TV. Call me shallow, but the Ducks squad is definitely among the top 5 in the nation, in terms of attractiveness. Hell, one of the best parts of the Oregon game day experience is watching those girls shake their pom poms on the sidelines.

Oh, I also have other news about the Ducks, so I’ll just touch on it with a Monday “Six-Pac”:

Oregon Ducks- One of the biggest questions coming out of Eugene is who will replace Dennis Dixon. Nate Costa has recovered from his knee injury, and would look to be the front runner. Is that a good thing? He pressed Dixon for the position last year, but really stunk up the place before getting hurt. Nate Roper led the Ducks to the devastation of South Florida in the bowl game, throwing 4 TD passes. Costa had the ducks on the bad side of a shutout (against UCLA), for the first time in 20 years. The choice should be logical, but it won’t be.

(Inserting another Duckie here)

Arizona State- QB Rudy Carpenter appears on the awards watch list. Why? In the last couple of years, he’s proved to be more mouth than skill. I could defend him, by saying his offensive line has been one of the worst in the country, but I won’t. I still remember his comments from 2 years ago, saying that USC wasn’t even the best team in the Pac 10. Six straight Pac 10 titles, Rudy! Please tell me who has been better.

Arizona- A quarterback being overlooked nationally, and in the Pac 10, is ‘Zona’s Willie Tuitama. Willie has matured immensely in the Sonny Dykes offense. If the line can protect, the Pac will be witnessing a full-fledged offensive attack, similar to the system Sonny coached at Texas Tech. Expect big numbers from Tuitama, and the Trojan trip to the desert in 2008 may be a possible trap game, so look out. No one needs Tuitama to succeed more than Mike Stoops and his blazing saddle. It’s a do or die year for Mike, and I think they will “do”.

Washington- Speaking of blazing saddles, Ty Willingham is at the end of his rope, and his future is also pending on the performance of his QB. Jake Locker is already receiving all the media accolades, touted as God’s gift to football. Is it any wonder that he’s targeted by opponents?

California- In just a matter of 7 months, the Bears have changed their uniforms. It’s pretty amazing, when you consider their local tree sitters haven’t changed their clothes or underwear in over a year. New uniforms, but it’s the same team. I would hardly call that a bargain.

Stanford- I don't have sh*t to say about the Cardinal. Some wounds take a little longer to heal.

Left For Dead Cagers Reveal A Pulse

First came the news of Daniel Hackett being gone for the remainder of the season. Then came the 4 point and 10 turnover performance by O.J Mayo, in their loss to the hated crosstown rival Bruins. And tonight it was a 13 point second half deficit to the Oregon Ducks that had me believing the Trojans' postseason tournament hopes were dim, and the season was dead.

It didn't look good for the Men of Troy, and the Galen Center was hushed by O.J Mayo picking up his 3rd foul before the first half even ended. Oregon had pulled out to a 15 point lead, and the lowering of the casket began. But Mayo pumped new life in the second half, scoring 18 of USC's last 24 points to finish with 32 for the game.

USC's 20-6 second half run brought the noise back to the building, returned the pep in their steps, gave the Trojans the lead, and a check in the win column. I'll admit that I had them written off from everything but the NIT, but tonight's victory leaves them in great shape. With a strength of schedule rank of 9, and a strong RPI, if the madness began today, the Trojans would be in. But there's still work to do, so let's not get too far ahead. They need to complete their schedule and have a strong showing in the Pac 10 tournament, and then we can all exhale.

Rutgers? Are You Serious?

Rutgers University made a name for themselves in football, but seriously, when do we ever mention Rutgers on the hardwood and not refer to players that have breasts? The Scarlet Knights' mens team spent the past week playing the role of "giant killers". First they take down No. 18 Villanova, and follow it up with the toppling of No. 13 Pittsburgh. We are talking about Rutgers, right?

The Pittsburgh victory represents the highest ranked opponent the Scarlet Knights have ever beaten on the road in their history. The two victories bring Rutgers to 10-11 on the season, and 2-6 in the Big East. If we pattern this to football, who's the next Big East surprise, South Florida?

Run out of the gym: After starting the year 16-0, Vanderbilt is now 7-3, and with the way the Gators ran them out of the gym, they aren't deserving of any ranking digits preceding their name. I'm not sure which was more embarrassing this weekend, the 23-0 run Florida put on Vandy, or Kansas proving they are far greater than Nebraska, in an 84-49 rout. I guess it would be the Kansas/Nebraska game, because a 23-0 run is embarrassing, but a 40 minute a$$ whoopin' is just painful.

No Place Like Home: UCLA's Kevin Love made his first trip to Oregon, since rejecting his home program and choosing the Bruins instead. The fans were quick to show they have no love for Love, as he was greeted with a chorus of boos. But sticks and stones may break his bones, but the Ducks can never hurt him. The Bruins got the victory, as Love got the last laugh. To make matters worse, Oregon then turned around and lost to USC, giving the Southern California teams a sweep in the State of Oregon. The lowly Beavers proved to be even less of a match, getting their a$$es handed to them by both squads.

Will The Real Contender Please Stand Up: Does the Big 10 have a favorite? If they do, can they make themselves known. Initially, I thought it was the Spartans. Then it was Indiana. Suddenly it became Wisconsin, before going back to the first thought, Michigan State. Looking over the field of the 10+1, I would say the Spartans have the better build to make a final four run. But looking at the schedules and records, whoever reps the 10 will have a tough road, because I doubt any will hold top seeds.

The Digits

AP Top 25
1. Memphis (46) 19-0 1,774

2. Kansas (26) 20-0 1,754

3. Duke 17-1 1,625

4. North Carolina 19-1 1,596

5. UCLA 18-2 1,500

6. Georgetown 16-2 1,377

7. Tennessee 17-2 1,339

8. Michigan State 18-2 1,320

9. Washington State 17-2 1,261

10. Texas 16-3 1,129

11. Indiana 17-2 1,065

12. Butler 19-2 948

13. Wisconsin 16-3 848

14. Stanford 16-3 786

15. Xavier 17-4 638

16. Drake 18-1 616

17. Marquette 14-4 513

18. Pittsburgh 16-4 464

19. Vanderbilt 17-3 397

20. Florida 18-3 374

21. Saint Mary's 17-2 310

22. Kansas State 14-4 281

23. Texas A&M 16-4 277

24. Mississippi 15-3 217

25. Baylor 16-3 166

Others Receiving Votes

Mississippi State 112, Connecticut 108, Arizona 102, Dayton 69, Notre Dame 63, USC 63, West Virginia 63, Louisville 40, Purdue 34, Oklahoma 28, Villanova 27, South Alabama 22, Clemson 20, Rhode Island 17, Gonzaga 17, Arizona State 16, Houston 9, Miami (FL) 7, UNLV 4, Saint Joseph's 3, Virginia Commonwealth 1.

Dropped From Rankings

Dayton 16, Villanova 18, Arizona State 24.

ESPN/USA Today Poll
1. Memphis (20) 19-0 764

2. Kansas (11) 20-0 755

3. Duke 17-1 700

4. North Carolina 19-1 663

5. UCLA 18-2 650

6. Georgetown 16-2 605

7. Michigan State 18-2 584

8. Tennessee 17-2 567

9. Washington State 17-2 515

10. Texas 16-3 473

11. Indiana 17-2 450

12. Butler 19-2 405

13. Wisconsin 16-3 395

14. Stanford 16-3 348

15. Xavier 17-4 252

16. Marquette 14-4 223

17. Drake 18-1 220

18. Vanderbilt 17-3 219

19. Florida 18-3 201

20. Saint Mary's 17-2 183

21. Pittsburgh 16-4 165

22. Mississippi 15-3 157

23. Texas A&M 16-4 136

24. Kansas State 14-4 62

25. Mississippi State 14-5 60

Others Receiving Votes

Arizona 40, Connecticut 35, Notre Dame 35, Baylor 30, Rhode Island 29, USC 29, Villanova 25, West Virginia 25, Louisville 18, Gonzaga 10, Purdue 9, Miami (FL) 8, South Alabama 6, UNLV 5, Arizona State 5, Davidson 3, Clemson 3, Kent State 3, Dayton 2, Brigham Young 2, Houston 1.

Dropped From Rankings

Villanova 18, Dayton 19, Clemson 25.

Pounded Beavers And Sitting Ducks

Trojan cagers are riding a 3 game road win streak. What began with a victory over UCLA, continues with a sweep of Oregon. After pounding the hapless Oregon State Beavers on thursday night, by a score of 68-44, the Men of Troy completed the sweep with an overtime victory over the ducks. USC blew a 10 point lead with 2 minutes to play, giving Oregon an end of regulation tie. But after putting up 21 points in the overtime period, the Trojans rebounded to a 95-86 win.

The Trojans are rolling, with what seems to be like a different contributor each night. Of course, there's always O.J Mayo, but Jefferson and Hackett stepped up and chipped in over the weekend. USC currently stands in a 3 way tie for 4th in the Pac 10, and will be hosting the Arizona schools in the coming week.

You may not like the Oregon Ducks, their team, mascot or colors, but their rah rah girls are unbelievably hot. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to post a babe, so there you have it.

Ducking The Critics

Oregon was supposed to be a sitting Duck for the South Florida Bulls. Everything looked to favor USF, with the circumstances surrounding this Sun Bowl in El Paso. The Bulls hosted and defeated West Virginia earlier this season, shutting down the spread offense, placing the Mountaineers QB on the sidelines with injury, and then keying on Steve Slaton. Oregon began a slide, following the season ending knee injury to their signal caller, and they were written off as a one man show, then booted from the national rankings. During the miserable 3 game slide, Oregon failed to score a point against UCLA, as the offense looked exactly that, offensive.

It was a predetermined mismatch, with Oregon needing to do anything and everything to avoid embarrassment, but it didn't play out that way. The Ducks came out dominant and remained that way. They were the better team on both sides of the ball. A 5th string turned 1st string QB, led Oregon up and down the field, totally in control of the USF defense. And it was child's play for Oregon's big man in the running game, as Jonathan Stewart ran for a Sun Bowl record 253 yards, and Oregon hung a Sun Bowl record 56 points on the board.

It started slow, but quickly became ugly, before the bullfight ended with these Sun Bowl Matadors grabbing a 56-21 victory. It was a tremendous job by Mike Belloti and his staff to prepare a team that could have easily folded with the feeling of nothing left to play for. Dennis Dixon made his final appearance on the Oregon sideline, but Justin Roper gave the Oregon faithful something to build on and believe in. 2008 isn't looking so bad for the Ducks, especially if Stewart turns down the opportunity to fatten his pockets with Sunday money.

Making It Personal

Oregon and Mike Bellotti finally got over the hump, by edging the Trojans in Eugene this year. And if not for their bad luck, could have probably went on to win the Pac 10, represent the conference in the Rose Bowl or even be playing for the national championship. The recent success would surely improve their recruiting, with the Ducks receiving national exposure. In all, it would have made for an interesting future, with Trojans and Ducks battling for conference championships in years to come. But apparently, that's not good enough for Mike Bellotti. He wants more than a business rivalry, he's looking to make it personal.

According to sources, Bellotti has spoken to UCLA and interviewed for their head coaching position. It looks like the northern Duck wants to take this feud across town. I accept any challenge, especially now, since Norm Chow has taken his name out of the running for the job, but it still irks me that Bellotti is even considering this. Just think, If Bellotti accepts this position, 2008's crosstown rivalry game will feature two men that interviewed for the USC job in 2001, and one man that accepted it. Bellotti was a choice before Pete Carroll, and turned down the job. For him to accept the job in Westwood, would appear as a deliberate snubbing of the Trojans. Why isn't the USC job good enough, but the UCLA job is?

Just remember this, Mike, you can spend an entire career in Oregon losing to USC, and you'll still keep your job. Run off consecutive losses to the Trojans from the UCLA sidelines, and they'll run you out of town. Why do you think the job is available?