Oregon Ducks

The Ducks 2013 campaign was a bit of a let down. For one, Chip Kelly had left for the pros and Mark Helfrich was in his first year as a head coach. Also, star tight end Colt Lyerla left the program after only a few games. On top of that, Marcus Mariota battled knee issues throughout the season and the impact of the injury was noticeable. Mariota not being healthy is what many believe was the reason that Oregon lost to conference rival Stanford. Of course there were other factors, but a healthy Mariota could have easily been the difference of six points. Mariota’s health was a shame considering how talented the rest of the team was.

Offensively, Oregon was stacked. Josh Huff, Daryle Hawkins, Lyerla (for the beginning of the year), and De’Anthony Thomas were all playmakers that accounted for over 2,000 yards. More impressively, those were only players that will not be back in 2014. Oregon also had a handful of underclassmen contributors. As a whole, the offense had the second most yards per game and the third most points per game in the nation.

Top Newcomers

Royce Freeman, Running Back: Freeman is unlike most of Oregon’s recent running backs. As opposed to being a speed demon, Freeman is more of a Jonathan Stewart type runner. His blend of agility, power, and balance will make him a perfect compliment to a speed back like Thomas Tyner in the future.

Arrion Springs, Cornerback: As of late, Oregon has been just as good at producing top level defensive backs as they have with offensive skill players. Springs is next in line. He is a quick, aggressive cornerback that will find success by being physical and baiting quarterbacks into throws.

Top Returning Players

Marcus Mariota, Quarterback: Not only is Mariota the best quarterback in the conference, but he is one of the best in the nation. Now that he will be healthy in 2014, a Heisman worthy season is rather likely. Mariota’s wonderful playmaking ability along with his superb passing ability will allow Mariota to destroy opposing defenses.

Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Cornerback: Ekpre-Olomu is arguably the most dominant cornerback is college football. He is the best of all the top corners from the 2014 draft class put into a single player. His athleticism, physicality, and ball skills make for a player that can keep up with the best receivers that the nation has to offer.

Position Breakdowns

Quarterback: Obviously, Mariota is the starter because he is a phenomenal talent. Jeff Lockie is behind Mariota, but he is still an unknown. Lockie only threw 13 passes last season during his freshman season. Although, that should not be a concern unless Mariota tragically goes down.

Running Back: As usual, Oregon's running back corps is stacked. Byron Marshall and Thomas Tyner are a lethal speed duo that turn a simple zone read into a touchdown within the matter of seconds.

Wide Receiver: Though Oregon is losing two veterans at the position, they are certainly not devoid of talent. Bralon Addison, who had injury issues last season, and Keanon Lowe are both more than capable of handling the bulk of the receptions.

Tight End: Pharaoh Brown and Johnny Mundt are the most talented one-two punch at tight end in the nation. While Lyerla was on the team, neither got much attention, but in his absence, the two emerged as nationally recognized talents.

Offensive Tackle: Tyler Johnstone and Jake Fisher will be responsible for controlling the edge. Neither are special players, but both are solid pass protectors that will be efficient in keeping Mariota clean in the pocket.

Offensive Guard: Hamani Stevens will be starting because of his seniority more than anything. That is not to say he is bad, but he is nothing of note. Cameron Hunt did not start last season during his freshman year, but he was a four-star recruit coming out of high school. He is a mystery, but the potential is there.

Center: Seldom do centers ever get attention, but Hroniss Grasu has been crowned as arguably the best center in the nation. His movement skills are perfect for Oregon’s fast paced spread offense.

Defensive End: Thankfully, Oregon’s 2013 sack leader Tony Washington will be back in green in 2014. His counterpart DeForest Buckner will be returning as well. Buckner only had 2.5 sacks last season, but he was only a true sophomore and it was his first year starting.

Defensive Tackle: Before being enrolled at Oregon, Arik Armstead was a huge name among the college football community. 2014 will be a crucial year for Armstead being that he will get more playing time. Next to him will be Alex Balducci, who is a mystery as of now. This will be the first year in which he gets significant playing time.

Linebacker: Oregon’s reigning tackle leader Derrick Malone will be the commander of Oregon’s front seven. Rodney Hardrick is returning as well, but the final linebacker spot will be filled by Tyson Coleman, who only had 21 tackles last season.

Defensive Back: Oregon lost a handful of defensive backs that they had in 2013, but luckily, Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, who may be the nation’s best cornerback, will be back to shut down opposing receivers. Likewise, safety Erick Dargan is returning. The other cornerback spot will likely be filled by Dior Mathis, while the other safety spot will be played by Reggie Daniels, who will only be a true sophomore.

Biggest Strength

Oregon is all about speed. Not only are their players fast, but their offensive style is fast. Their goal is to score quickly and to score often. By having superb athletes at every position, Oregon can win some matchups purely because of their player's speed. As if keeping up on a single play was not tough enough, most defenses simply can not keep up with the pace of Oregon’s offense and they fall behind as fatigue begins to set in. Once that happens, Oregon’s high-paced offense continually marches down to the end zone at an incredible pace, sometimes under a minute of game time.

Biggest Weakness

There may still be a good deal of talent on Oregon’s defense, but Nick Aliotti stepped down as Oregon’s defensive coordinator. During his time at Oregon, Aliotti’s brilliance was in the shadows of the offensive success. All the while, Aliotti’s scheming was what gave so many rival offenses trouble. Aliotti had a wonderful understanding of how to use the players he had at hand. From his blitz packages to his coverage concepts, Aliotti gave opposing offensive coordinators nightmares. His creativity, most notably his use of the “Psycho” package, made playing against Oregon incredibly unpredictable. The talent that Oregon has could somewhat make up for the loss of Aliotti, but no matter what, his absence will be noticed.