What Can Oregon Expect In 2008?

What Can Oregon Expect In 2008?

In his first season as offensive coordinator for Oregon, Chip Kelly morphed his spread system – which created obscene passing numbers for his New Hampshire program the previous few seasons – to accommodate the extraordinary athleticism of QB Dennis Dixon and the power running-game provided by TB Jonathan Stewart (5-11, 230).

Prior to his season-ending injury in Week 10, Dixon did Kelly’s passing scheme proud (2,136 yds; 20 TD’s; 4 INT’s) and also worked within the scheme to produce 583 yds (and 9 TD’s) on the ground through a combination of planned runs and improvised scrambles.  Prior to his injury against Arizona, odds were a good that Dixon would have been the upperclassmen to whom Heisman voters might have turned to avoid awarding the trophy to a sophomore for the first time in history (of course, Florida’s Tim Tebow).

Dixon is gone and college football will be a less-exciting place in his absence.  There is no silver lining to Dixon’s injury in Eugene but the fact is that injuries permitted redshirt-freshman QB Justin Roper, from Buford, Georgia, to take a substantial number of snaps under center at the end of 2007. 

Roper’s 6-6, 205-pound frame simply won’t let him accomplish the feats which Dixon accomplished last year.  However, he is unusually-quick for a tall man (3.91 in 20-yd shuttle) and he has completed more than half of his 61 career passes for 6 TD’s and 2 INT’s.  Four of his 17 completions against South Florida in the Sun Bowl went for scores and not one of his 30 passes in that game were picked-off.  That provides plenty of momentum for Roper as he sets his sights on the spring.  It also provides plenty of material for the very-versatile Chip Kelly to work with as he considers the curves and bends his system will be forced to endure as he molds it to next season’s personnel.

Of course, all bets may be off if incoming-freshmen Chris Harper (6-2, 231) or Darron Thomas (6-4, 195) fulfill expectations upon their arrival in Eugene.  Both are dual-threat quarterbacks who may find themselves a solid fit in the offense which was already molded around the existing personnel as well as the outstanding athletic gifts which Dixon possessed.

Aided by his monster-performance in this year’s Sun Bowl (253 yds against South Florida), Stewart ended the season with team-best rushing totals of 1,722 yds and 11 TD’s.  He posted a 103-yard effort against USC’s vaunted defense and a 111-yard outing against Michigan.  The gym-junkie posted a 410-pound bench press and was hand-timed this season with a 4.34 40-time. 

Oregon had two other tailbacks post significant numbers this year – Jeremiah Johnson (5-10, 205) and Andre Crenshaw.  However, both of them hover around 5-11 and 200 pounds and both rely on quickness and jukes for their production.  Their approach was an effective change-of-pace against opponents’ defenses which tended to grow weary after been tenderized by Stewarts’ power game. 

Johnson and Crenshaw will be effective in 2008 but nobody will mistake their performances for those which Stewart produced this season. 

Enter LaGarrette Blount of East Mississippi Junior College.  Blount has already enrolled in Eugene and brings a frame (6-1.5, 230) and power game which is remarkably similar to the one which Stewart employed. 

Like any newcomer, the proof will be in the pudding and Blount will have to pick up schemes and assignments throughout the spring, summer and fall to earn snaps in 2008.  However, Blount brings at least a glimmer of hope that the Ducks’ ground game could return to their 2007-form next season.

The offense returns three of its starting linemen, including center Max Unger, who has started the last 37 games-in-a-row.  Mammoth RT Geoff Schwartz (6-7, 337) will be the most-difficult player to replace in the trenches given his 35 career starts.

Defensively, the Ducks lose both defensive tackles who started the Sun Bowl as well as two of their three linebackers (only SAM Jerome Boyd returns).  However, Oregon rotated a number of tackles throughout the season and can expect solid performances out of rising-seniors Cole Linehan (6-4, 295) and Ra’Shon Harris (6-5, 321).  JUCO-transfer Blake Ferras (6-5, 285) and incoming freshman Justin Thompson (6-5, 280) from Torrance, California, could provide quality depth by the time next September rolls around.

Only FS Matthew Harper is lost in the Ducks’ backfield.  However, the three returning starters (Rover Patrick Chung and CB’s Jairus Byrd and Walter Thurmond, III) have a combined 84 career starts between them.  Continuity among them was long-ago achieved and, in the pass-happy PAC-10, that familiarity and trust could carry Oregon’s defense a long way in 2008.

Losing Dixon and Stewart hurts.  No question.  But don’t count out these Ducks in 2008.  Their schedule (USC and Cal on the road along with a non-conference road tilt at Purdue) could prevent a conference championship but expect Oregon to make an impact on the national scene next season. 

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