Let's talk about the west for 2014 and some trends around CFB

[Conan]

Red Eye. What concerns me is something about Chip Kelly that was rarely mentioned. He was a master at molding QBs to fit his style of offense. He was a master at taking whatever talent he was left with and creating an offense that could put up the points in an overwhelming fashion. That took him about one month. Most people thought of him as a run-first minded spread-option coach as he created new offenses numerous times when he lost his starter for whatever the reason. That is true but he was also very resourceful and could adapt.

Do you remember what happened in 2007, Kelly's first year as Mike Bellotti's OC? Dennis Dixon who happened to be the leading Heisman candidate injured a knee very badly which not only ended his season but it also ended the Ducks' quest for a national championship as they tumbled in the rankings from #1 or #2 at the time. The Ducks also lost the next 3 QBs on their depth chart as incredible as that sounds and wound up playing their 5 deep QB going into the Sun Bowl vs USF, a team noted for a stout defense. That guy was RS freshman Justin Roper. I remember Roper as the type of QB who ran as if he had 2 wooden legs, stiff and slow. Kelly was given 3 weeks to prepare his offense. 4 TD passes from the pocket with no picks, 255 rushing yards from Jonathan Stewart and 56 points later people were saying Dennis who? Could Kelly adapt and make the most of what he had? I'd say so.

Now what about Helfrich? Is he as flexible as Kelly was? Can he adapt? Jake Rodrigues wins the backup job this past spring and decides to transfer? I don't get it. Oregon's procession of starting QBs has never played out as expected. Now I have no idea what to make of this development. But to be perfectly honest, I've never been able to look ahead and make hide nor hair of Oregon's future at the QB position when change was due. But I have no complaints. Does Mark Helfrich?

 

[Conan]

By the way, maybe these guys are getting one good look at Marcus and just slipping out the side door. He is a tough act to follow. Maybe that's it?

 

[Conan]

RedEye. I have also heard from a friend inside the program that they had a walk on named Taylor Alie who promptly skipped right past one or two others and that sent them packing the following day. But if it's playing time everyone wants, then what the hell does Jake Rodrigues think he's doing?

 

[culturalstew]

As a close observer of the PAC I've been expecting PAC defenses to catch up to the ducks HUNH spread ever since Kelly got his promotion. I'm now convinced its not going to happen.
ASU plays a system with similar principles and it has been almost as productive under Graham. If richrod finds a suitable QB, his offense will also be lethal.

 

[Conan]

Mr. Cultural,

You may not realize this, but Chip Kelly was the dominant student of the group. He learned far more than RichRod in the classroom. I don't mean to sound like I am putting down RR or bragging about Kelly, not at all because Rich Rodriguez was Kelly's teacher.

Furthermore, Kelly was not the coach that "installed" the spread option offense at Oregon. Gary Crowton did that just before he left to be LSU's OC. Kelly was the OC that took what Crowton left him with and polished it up better than anyone could possibly have expected except possibly Gary Crowton.

Up to that point, Mark Helfrich was Bellotti's top candidate to replace Crowton when he left. He would have accepted the offer but he had joined the Colorado Buffs only a year before and didn't want to leave them high and dry without an OC working under contract for just a year -- perhaps Helfrich isn't a flake. As it happened a few years down the road when Kelly ascended to the HC job, Bellotti and Kelly met with Helfrich and that was when Mark Helfrich joined the Ducks and became Oregon's OC under Chip Kelly. How about that for a twist of fate?

 

[Conan]

Here's a pretty interesting bit of info on Oregon's recruiting class of 2011. See the
link after the following paragraph. In a way it's old news other than the real news
is how horribly bad the services blew it which has just recently become apparent.

So much for the recruiting services and the quality of their scouting on the west coast.
I've always known that they were nothing close to the level of activity and focus typically
found in the east by the press. Anyone with some local savvy and decent recruiters out
this way has a huge leg up on the players in this region over anything the services might
have to say. The numbers alone don't add up when you look at the population base and
the sheer number of players and the size of the totality of prep football in California alone.

Then there is this sort of thing.

Please scroll to the bottom of the linked page and note the 2* player 3rd from the bottom.
ESPN has him rated as #123 at his position.

 

[sendacash]

Anyone that does not think schools from small states with good football programs are not cheating, such as Oregon and Oklahoma are kidding themselves.

 

[GoSooners]

Anyone that does not think schools from small states with good football programs are not cheating, such as Oregon and Oklahoma are kidding themselves.

I wish that were the truth. Then maybe OU would have a few more national championships. The fact is Bob Stoops has been intent on running a clean program since he's been at OU. In case you haven't noticed, he's a pretty straight laced dude, and you know he doesn't tolerate much when he won't hesitate to throw five star players like Rhett Bomar and Dusty Dvorchek off the team. He is the same way with recruiting. Like I said, I almost wish he would take a page out of Barry Switzer's book of NCAA infractions and land a few of those 5 star players out there. But he won't do it. The only thing that can help OU at this point is the Bagman...And judging by our recruiting lately, I think the Bagman is out of money...

 

[russ1945]

Anyone that does not think schools from small states with good football programs are not cheating, such as Oregon and Oklahoma are kidding themselves.

Pretty general statement if you think about it. You don't have to cheat to have a good program but there are different ways to cheat also. But the larger states have more schools to chose from. Look and California and Texas, lots of choices. Some of those places like Oklahoma University are great college towns (and plenty of good looking women). Louisville is coming of age and they have always had the backing which proves that coaching has a big effect on recruiting. I don't think anyone on here can name one school that would not bend the rules to get a difference maker on their roster. But being a larger state is not really a factor and certainly does not mean that schools located there might not cheat either. It is what it is (my most unfavorite saying). Baylor is emerging all of a sudden. They have a savvy HC and not many young guns are apt to pick Waco as their college of choice if not for other incentives (like winning). I have never understood why the best high school players don't all migrate to Hawaii myself. Why not have the best of it all. lol

 

[WinOne]

I wish that were the truth. Then maybe OU would have a few more national championships. The fact is Bob Stoops has been intent on running a clean program since he's been at OU. In case you haven't noticed, he's a pretty straight laced dude, and you know he doesn't tolerate much when he won't hesitate to throw five star players like Rhett Bomar and Dusty Dvorchek off the team. He is the same way with recruiting. Like I said, I almost wish he would take a page out of Barry Switzer's book of NCAA infractions and land a few of those 5 star players out there. But he won't do it. The only thing that can help OU at this point is the Bagman...And judging by our recruiting lately, I think the Bagman is out of money...

One thing I can say about Stoops is that he does really try to run a clean ship. He'll run kids off rather than deal with the headaches. I've got a couple of buddies that are OU guys and even they wish sometimes that he'd keep kids instead of thinning out the ranks by running off a knuckehead. But that's just the way he does business. I applaud him for it.

 

[Conan]

Anyone that does not think schools from small states with good football programs are not cheating, such as Oregon and Oklahoma are kidding themselves.

You seem to be pretty sure of yourself sendacash. Would you care to let us in on some of the current details? Maybe you could be a little more specific about the violations. Or maybe you are making a general statement like "EVERYONE DOES IT" in which case I'd like to know just what point are you trying to make? Where (if anywhere) are you going with this? That whole brouhaha over Oregon's violations a couple of years ago wound up with just a slap on the wrist. Anything aside from that are you alluding to? I happen to know someone that works in Oregon's compliance office and I promise you they take their job seriously.