2010 NCAA Football Preview: Oregon Ducks
Chip Kelly had a tough task last season; he had to replace a popular, successful coach in Mike Belloti. He ended up doing better than anyone could have imagined, leading the Oregon Ducks to a 10-3 record, a Rose Bowl bid, and an 11th ranking in both the AP and Coaches Poll.
In his short tenure, Kelly has had to deal with a rather intense amount of controversy. His starting running back, LeGarrette Blount, had been indefinitely suspended following the 2008 season; Kelly reinstated him only to have to suspend him again after Blount punched an opponent following a loss to Boise State.
Going into the 2010 season he looked to have two potential Heisman candidates in his backfield, Jeremiah Massoli and LaMichael James.
As the season draws near he will only have one of these two and even he will be missing for the first contest. Massoli was eventually dismissed from the team after being arrested on drug possession charges; he had already been suspended after burglary charges. LaMichael James is going to be suspended for the first game at least also due to legal troubles. With both players, the Ducks were early favourites to be in the top five; the loss of Massoli has dropped them out of the top 10.
The key will be in how well Kelly is able to rally the team, with or without the star players.
Offence
Even without quarterback Jeremiah Massoli, the Ducks offence will be in good shape.
This could mean that the team will look to lean on sophomore running back LaMichael James a bit more until the new quarterback can get up to speed. If his 2009 season was any indication, James will be more than up to the challenge. In 230 carries he rushed for 1546 yards and 14 touchdowns. He will be expected to pick up some of the difference with Masoli’s 800+ yards now off the team; sophomore running back Kenjon Barner may get looked upon to pick up the rest.
With an offensive line returning all five starters it would not be surprising to see James do even better than he did in 2009. They will also give the expected starting quarterback, senior Nate Costa, the time he’ll need to get adjusted to the game.
Defence
On the defensive end of the ball the team is also returning most of their starters (nine).
The linebackers will look to anchor the unit with all three returning in 2010. Senior Casey Mathews was an all-conference selection in 2009 and will look to duplicate that honour. Alongside him will be fellow senior Spencer Paysinger and junior Eddie Pleasant. Paysinger and Mathews tied for second on the team in 2009 with 81 total tackles; Pleasant had 54.
Weaknesses, if any, would be in either the defensive line or the secondary. The line is the only unit not returning all of its starters. Brandon Bair and Kenny Rowe, both seniors, return with two other seniors in Zac Clark and Tyrell Irvin all looking to gain time. Junior Terrell Turner could be the other starting defensive end across from Rowe. What makes the line a possible weakness is just the lack of game time by whoever fills the two open spots.
The secondary is full of players with game experience; experience which many of them obtained last season when the unit was decimated by injuries. A year later the group, senior Talmadge Jackson, junior Javes Jackson, and sophomores Cliff Harris and John Boyett, is more seasoned which head coach Chip Kelly hopes will translate into improved play.
Early pre-season polls have the Ducks ranked in the top 20, but outside of the top 10. With the dismissal of Massoli and the suspension of James for at least the first game that rank will be in danger for at least the first game of 2010.
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