Per ESPN: 4 star DE Pagan parts ways with Clemson... Byers??

[karrob5250]

Rumors were Clemson was his choice if they offered.

[MacDuck]

There is certainly some speculation that if Clemson whiffs on many of their remaining DL targets that they could turn their attention very late to Byers. Byers has also said, as recently as Wed when he verballed to the Ducks, that Clemson is his dream school and if they were to offer it would cause him to re think his choice, etc. However, we need to keep in mind that the key IMO is Clemson to this point, 4 days prior to NSD, has NOT offered him. As each day passes it's going to be tougher & tougher for them to get Byers to switch. Sure RB could do an about face even on Wed morning next week, but as he gets more & more settled in w/going to Oregon in his mind the better for us. The one thing we don't know is what this kid is thinking. If he's sitting by the phone hoping for a call from Dabo then it's very likely he'd switch in a heartbeat if they offer.

One other thing: I just spent at least a half hour going over postings for the last 4 days or so on Rivals main recruiting board. There are lots of Clemson & South Carolina threads over there and Byers name doesn't come up in a single post. Many of these posts are from mods of both schools' Rivals boards. I like that Byers isn't on their minds at all.

[greenyellow]

He may take Clemson not offering him until late as a slight and may not even consider them. At this point, it's hard to get a definite read since he's a 17-18 year old kid making a big life decision. You never know what they'll do.

[ducklydoright]

The Byer situation is somewhat confusing to me because Chip has always said that he wants to recruit/sign players that "Want to be Ducks and be a proud member of the Oregon family," so if Byers is openly stating that Clemson is his dream school and that we are basically a fall back option should the Tigers not extend an offer, why are we going after him?
Now I know this kind of stuff happens all the time in recruiting and that coaches go after young men like this on a regular basis but compared to most coaches Chip IMO places a bit more emphasis in whether or not the recruit is a good fit for the team and whether the kid really wants to be a Duck and is willing to work hard. So I guess my surprise is that the coaches are going after a guy that doesn't fit the bill of what we generally go after. With that being said I do trust the coaches but I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit nervous about Byers strong desire to go to Clemson and the fact that he lives in South Carolina and would have to travel all the way across the country to play for us. Granted some kids are not fazed at all by playing somewhere far away from home but more often than not when a family wants a recruit to stay home or an instate dream school comes calling the recruit more often than not accepts the offer and stays in his own backyard.
Hopefully that wont be the case because Byers looks like he could become a beast!!!

[TheMaehlMan]

I don't think Chip would accept his commitment if he felt his heart was in Clemson. I don't claim to know all about Byers, but I'm believing he will be signing his LOI with us soon enough.

[buckmarkduck]

Doesn't sound like Clemson has offered, and ESPN makes it sound like they won't. The longer they wait the less likely it seems he would switch. It's one thing to go to your dream school when they offer with still a month left before signing day (Easley) but when they have shown no interest even this late in the game, I think most people would take it as a slap in the face this late. I think at this point Byers is all duck, we showed him the love, and if he was going to wait for Clemson until the 11th hour he would have just waited to commit until signing day.

[WoodyDuck]

Byers is a Duck. I suspect he put that Clemson hoping stuff out there to slap the Clemson staff around a little for jerking him around. So if Clemson indeed offered just before or on NSD, he could publicly announce "sorry but no thanks I'm a Duck".

In my book that would be a win-win for Byers.

[woundedknees]

I haven't found it yet, but there was a quote from after Byers committed to the effect that he is all Duck at this point... If I find the link, I'll post it.

Here it is... This is about as close to a solid statement as one could expect without having a signed LOI.

http://www.heraldonline.com/2011/01/26/ ... regon.html

He narrowed his favorites to Clemson, Oregon and South Carolina. He whittled it to three before deciding where to go.

Byers laughed and said the fancy and colorful the Ducks are famous for didn’t have an impact on his decision. But Byers said he likes them, that “if you look good you play good.’’

“I visited Oregon last weekend and made my decision while I was there,’’ Byers said. “It felt like home; great coaches, great school and great facilities. The coaches told my I will compete right away, could even start. That’s my goal.

“The recruiting process is tough. Everybody seemed to by pushing me to South Carolina. Some wanted me at Clemson. It’s going to be tough being away from my family. I’m a high school senior making a man’s decision. It was hard because all three schools are good."

"Telling any of the schools he was choosing another was hard."

[woundedknees]

Apparently. JHop is reporting on 247 that Byers is solid... Something about not wanting to be a back-up plan.

[uostudent]

Apparently. JHop is reporting on 247 that Byers is solid... Something about not wanting to be a back-up plan.

Yup, he is solid to Oregon. He said that even if Clemson offers, he'll stick with Oregon. Great news.

Saw this on a Clemson message board. They asked Byers if he didn't want to play with Clowney.

"I chose Oregon because of where God led me. All do respect to him but idc if julius peppers or freeney was there. I made the decision to be GREAT. Get a DEGREE, and be a inspiration to others. My purpose is to do GOD'S WORK. Football is only for a season nd I wanna live for a lifetime...What God has for me is for me nd Its way beyond football."

[gregspechtismyhero]

Apparently. JHop is reporting on 247 that Byers is solid... Something about not wanting to be a back-up plan.

Yup, he is solid to Oregon. He said that even if Clemson offers, he'll stick with Oregon. Great news.

Saw this on a Clemson message board. They asked Byers if he didn't want to play with Clowney.

"I chose Oregon because of where God led me. All do respect to him but idc if julius peppers or freeney was there. I made the decision to be GREAT. Get a DEGREE, and be a inspiration to others. My purpose is to do GOD'S WORK. Football is only for a season nd I wanna live for a lifetime...What God has for me is for me nd Its way beyond football."

Reminds me of Tajh Boyd saying that Clemson was more religious than Oregon. But very happy to have him and very happy that God's on our side.

[woundedknees]

In case nobody noticed, this is not the only recruit who has made that comment about the Ducks, in football and basketball.

[Duck07]

Interesting he brought up dwight freeney's name, he was of course coached by none other than Coach Azz at Syracuse.

[woundedknees]

"I made the decision to be GREAT. Get a DEGREE, and be a inspiration to others."

What more could a Duck fan ask for?

[Bigducker]

Apparently. JHop is reporting on 247 that Byers is solid... Something about not wanting to be a back-up plan.

Yup, he is solid to Oregon. He said that even if Clemson offers, he'll stick with Oregon. Great news.

Saw this on a Clemson message board. They asked Byers if he didn't want to play with Clowney.

"I chose Oregon because of where God led me. All do respect to him but idc if julius peppers or freeney was there. I made the decision to be GREAT. Get a DEGREE, and be a inspiration to others. My purpose is to do GOD'S WORK. Football is only for a season nd I wanna live for a lifetime...What God has for me is for me nd Its way beyond football."

I like. Sounds like a very respectful, good kid. Just the kinda kid the Duck staff now seems to be going after. No more Hollands, Embry's, etc.
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