Are you ready for some FOOOTBAAAAALLLLL?!?!?!?!?

I have to tell you, I have been very busy this summer. More than that, I have been focusing on things that have NOTHING to do with the Ducks. Take my family for example -- my grandsons in particular. We've had a blast together. They've spent most of the summer at my house doing what we call "Papa Camp". Working, playing, running thru sprinklers when we're not watering the garden.

Also, I've started jogging regularly again for the first time since college. I'm eating more yogurt now. I'm involved in a regional progam to help the homeless. We're talking real mature grown-up stuff here.
   I've had very little spare time or interest to spend on Masoli, LaMJ, Bellotti, new Bball coach, new A.D., spring scrimmage, quarterback dual, and everything else that's come and gone these past six months.
   I knew football season was coming, but I was too busy jogging with my grandkids while eating a yogurt  and thinking about ways to help the homeless. I was happy in my new life, putting off the childish things of football and Ducks.  And honestly, I did not feel like going back. Being a better person felt good. Rising to higher priorities, contributing to a happier self and better world -- These are the things we should be focusing on.

Poor Tyler Thomas

   And that is where I would be right now if it wasn't for one person. One man by the name of Tyler Thomas: The freshman offensive linemen for the Oregon State Beavers who, two weeks ago, while drunk and naked, entered a strangers home; and when police told him to lie on the floor, he set himself into a three-point stance and charged at them. Poor dude got oh, so tazed.
   "Wonderful," I thought. Another bonehead college football player to mess with my feng shui and harmony with all that is good in life. I must block him out and focus to remain on this higher existential plane. And I've done just that . . . . .until now.
   Today, I saw a single gold leaf on an otherwise summery tree. The air touched me with that familiar brisk chill. I heard Dan Patrick in my head. I started seeing the colors green and yellow everywhere, though having nothing to do with the trees and flowers.
My mind turned back to that poor Beaver. And in an instant, all of that higher plane crap left me. I dropped my yogurt and ran straight home, leaving the grandboys in the street. I couldn't stop myself. The itch was back.


I had to come to this computer and tell all of you right here and right now . . . .
Did you hear about the drunk and naked OSU Beaver who crouched in a three-point stance and attacked the police?
They say he was holding a beer in each hand!!!
Get it? Naked . . . three-point stance . . . beer in each hand . . . . .?


OH. IT FEELS GREAT TO BE BACK.
I'm sorry about all that "mature, grown up" stuff. This is FOOTBALL SEASON. And it's time to welcome it back -- to celebrate the great and laugh at the stupid (Guess which one you are, Trojans?!?!?!)
   This season especially, we're excited to have a Duck team eager to get back to the Rose Bowl to settle some unfinished business. And I'll tell you right now. I think they got a better than 50/50 shot at doing it.
The schedule is tougher with games at USC and Oregon State. But this team is better (Masoli who?).
   A veteran solid offensive line is back. That right there is a huge factor. LaMichael (Which, as you recall, is Spanish for "The Michael".) James is back; or at least he will be after his one game 'girlfriend fight' suspension this Saturday. Senior Remene Alston is back and healthy. And so is Kenjon (Afterburner) Barner. That would be enough running backs. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!
   Two freshmen are raising eyebrows and dropping jaws. Dontae Williams out of Houston, TX -- Kelly may redshirt him -- and the one who joins the Pac-10 Hall of Fame for Coolest Names along with Sonny Sixkiller, Igor Olshansky, and Sabby Piscatelli:  Welcome to Oregon, Lache Seastrunk!  Seastrunk is another punishing runner who reminds everyone of LaGarrette Blount minus the face punching.
   And if all of them should fail, Coach Kelly has discovered that 6'4", 192 pound redshirt freshman Daryl Hawkins, recruited as a quarterback, makes a fine running back or receiver. Kelly wants to just put him on the field and get him the ball any way he can.
   Our quarterback is Darron Thomas. He's the one whose fourth quarter heroics almost pulled Oregon out of the Boise State disaster last year. It was a choice between him and the very senior Nathan Costa. Costa is the mature, stable QB who will do no harm, make positive plays, and won't hurt the team.
   Thomas is younger, a little more risky, and definitely more explosive. His reaction to run out of the backfield is quicker. And his arm . . . oh, his arm. Look for 50 yard bombs ACROSS the field. Like I said, a little more dangerous. And we are learning that that is the way Kelly likes it.
   Seniors Drew Davis and Jeff Maehl will be Darron's favorite targets this fall, along with tightends David Paulson and JC transfer Brandon Williams.
   That's the offense. Naturally, with a new QB, it may go through some fits and starts. But here comes the great news. This year's defense will be BETTER than last year's.
6'7", 272 pound Brandon Bair may be one of the best defensive tackles in the league this year. Having hit the weight room and put on some pounds this summer, "The man's too big. The man's too strong." He, along with lightning quick DE Kenny Rowe, leads a sizable but young defensive line.
   But any inexperience stops there. Oregon is neck deep in experience and talent at the linebackers and secondary.

Here is Oregonian writer John Hunt's summary of the defense:

But the big excitement surrounds the defense. Under the direction of coordinator Nick Aliotti and with the infusion of ideas and energy from second-year defensive line coach Jerry Azzinaro, the Ducks should be improved from the unit that ranked fourth in total defense in the Pac-10 (336 yards) but first in yards allowed per play (4.6).


One key move appears to have paid off threefold.

The Ducks moved Eddie Pleasant from linebacker to rover, which put more speed in the secondary (Pleasant is the fastest defensive player), more speed overall (replacements Josh Kaddu and Bo Lokombo can move, too) and an enforcer in the defensive backfield to replace the departed T.J. Ward.

More position switches could pay off, too. Dion Jordan and Brandon Hanna have moved from receiver and linebacker, respectively, and now form fleet bookends on the second-team defensive line -- a unit that appears more than solid with Brandon Bair and Zac Clark inside, between Terrell Turner and preseason award watch list fixture Kenny Rowe at the ends.

Seniors Spencer Paysinger and Casey Matthews, the kind of players opposing coaches swear have been in Eugene for 10 years, lead the linebacking, along with Kaddu and Lokombo. The latter spent fall camp wreaking havoc on the Ducks' offense. Deep depth here includes hard-hitting Bryson Littlejohn, Dewitt Stuckey (another impressive fall camp) and coaches' favorite Michael Clay.

All that talent and versatility will have the Ducks often setting up in a 3-4 alignment.

The back four will include a bulked-up John Boyett (a team-best 90 tackles last season) and Pleasant at safety, Talmadge Jackson at one corner and what could be a corner by committee on the opposite side as coaches impatiently await the maturity of mercurial Cliff Harris. [Harris is a great, great talent. Word is he's kind of a bonehead, though. Has trouble following rules.]

The versatility of this team will be their strength. Pleasant leads several men who have the size and speed combination to come up as linebacker or drop back in the secondary. That corner by committee thing Hunt mentioned isn't a bad thing. It's Alliotti's good problem of having three or four young men who are very talented at that position.

Scouting New Mexico State.

The Lobos have this really good linebacker named Carmen Messina  . . . . . . That's it. 

Gametime Saturday, 12:30 Pacific time and will be televised by that fascist monopoly, Comcast.

--kb