Gaines as a duck

[briarduck]

I would add Blake Cantu into the slot WR discussion...he has sure hands and before the injury the coaches were pretty happy with him if I recall!

[nogerO]

I guarantee he will start. he could play slot or take over JWill's spot. He is probably best suited to play slot but with Harper and Maehl already there I would guess he takes JWill's spot. I see our WR lineup like this

flanker:
Gaines
Jackson
Jordan

Slot:
Harper
Maehl
Pflu

Wide:
Holland
Embry
Wheaton?/Johnson

I like your guarantee about Gaines. How one can make such a guarantee I do not know. What are the power ball numbers by chance?

Also, have you heard something about Davis that the rest of the fans following have not? Was his injury more serious than that of JJ and the countless others who were able to come back in less time? Please enlighten us, Nostradamus.

Calm down there Francis...

[nogerO]

Exactly...

You have to wonder how much the early turmoil at the QB position slowed the developement of the WR corps this season. No excuse for the drops, but there were also a lot of balls that were not on target. (Timing, route running, and chemistry between the skill players probably fed into that.)

I'm inclined to say that JM will be our starting QB (although I am hoping we have enough talent to make it a horse race) next year and with spring ball and fall they should have a good chemistry between WR & QB. The future looks bright indeed!

I'm curious if Nate Costa can come back again and really push Masoli. Hope so for Nate...

[briarduck]

I'm hoping the same thing, I had high hope for Nate! Getting all this talent will improve all our guys...now they just need to develop chemistry as you say...and we will be very dangerous!

[dd10snoop28]

Here's my Holland argument.
Holland, Jamere 53 13.2 0 47
On the year(not counting holiday bowl stats) 53 yards. Long of 47. Average of 13.2/catch. the 0 is TD's
Holiday bowl-the big breakout. 2 catches for 47 yards. Long of 45 0TD's.
Okay I know stats aren't everything, there's blocking, drawing double coverage.

Harper on the year(after he converted from QB) as a true Freshman
122 yards 2 td's 62 long 13.6

My point is this he's fast, wicked fast, in fact he and LaMichael James are gonna do track.

I just don't think he is a better overall receiver than some of the incoming talent, or even other guys on our roster already. Definitely not the second best IMO. I'll gladly eat crow if I'm wrong.

My list wasn't in any order.

If it were it'd be like this:


Maehl
Davis
Holland
Harper
Gaines
Pflugrad
Embry
Jordan

Embry and Jordan have huge potential IMO.

[duckgrad99]

Gaines isn't even a duck yet, so no guarantee he starts.

[ducksball]

I dont know who it will be. But it is critical that someone takes over Scott's role as the possession consistent receiver. The dependable one. All that matters to be at WR is if we have a big play threat (J-WIll) and a possession receiver (Scott). Also provided they catch the ball...

[neezy3]

Holland is a very similar player to kent, im pretty sure holland only played his junior and senior years in high school while kent only played in middle school. both players were raw athletes but projects in the sense that neither had really ever played the game of football. Wasnt holland also injured at SC so he saw very little pt? If he dedicates himself and learns the trade he could be an amazing player for us next year on the deep ball and that end around that scott always ran.

[briarduck]

Holland is a very similar player to kent, im pretty sure holland only played his junior and senior years in high school while kent only played in middle school. both players were raw athletes but projects in the sense that neither had really ever played the game of football. Wasnt holland also injured at SC so he saw very little pt? If he dedicates himself and learns the trade he could be an amazing player for us next year on the deep ball and that end around that scott always ran.

Really? While i won't argue the speed comparison, Holland was a highly rated Safety (4 star) and a 4 star WR recruit and had experience it just sounds like he expected us to give him a starting role and he found out he's going to have to earn it! So I wouldn't call Holland raw like Kent...Kent had no idea what he was doing! But i do agree once he gets the system down Holland will be very good and he does not shy away from hits, in fact he actually delivers the blow!

GO DUCKS!!

[Duckchef]

I dont know who it will be. But it is critical that someone takes over Scott's role as the possession consistent receiver. The dependable one. All that matters to be at WR is if we have a big play threat (J-WIll) and a possession receiver (Scott). Also provided they catch the ball...

Scott was not a possesion receiver. he was the big threat from this year receiving corp. J-will was not half the player he was in his sophmore and early junior year. Teams were not doubling Jwill at all this year. Scott on the other hand was as explosive of a receiver as there was in the pac10. Every time he touched the ball, he had a chance to take it all the way. the big difference between Scott and every other receiver we had was his ability to catch the ball. He was the only real sure handed receiver we had all year. Also i thought he was the best blocking receiver we had. He will surely be missed..

go ducks

[Juice]

He was the only real sure handed receiver we had all year.

correction... he was the closest thing we had to a sure handed receiver. he had a lot of drops himself.

[buckmarkduck]

I think Holland will show up big time this next year. His problem in the past was that he just tried to get by on physical talent only and that works in HS but not in the pac-10. According to MB he had a great month of practice leading up to the Holiday Bowl and if he continues that work habit look out for him next season. He did finish with 4 catches for 75 yds and had the ball been thrown to him better he would have had 2 TD's.

[ivegottabigduck]

I think Holland will show up big time this next year. His problem in the past was that he just tried to get by on physical talent only and that works in HS but not in the pac-10. According to MB he had a great month of practice leading up to the Holiday Bowl and if he continues that work habit look out for him next season. He did finish with 4 catches for 75 yds and had the ball been thrown to him better he would have had 2 TD's.

Track should help here as well. Keep him working on something in the off season and in fast shape

[OreDucks01284]

heres our WR depth roster

WR
-Ellis Krout did he RS?
-Drew Davis medical rs? soph in '08
-Jamere Holland JR
-Jeff Mahel JR
-Aaron Pflugrad JR
-Dion Jordan RS FR ?
-Will Murphy RS FR?
-Mike Mackie RS FR
-Justin Hoffman RS FR?
-Sean Daly RS FR?
-Rory Cavaville JR
-Chris Harper Soph. (HB too maybe?)
-Blake Cantu Rs in 08?
-Garrett Embry rs frosh in 08
-WR Lavasier Tuinei verbal commit to Oregon

[EncinitasDuck]

I think the Holiday Bowl was evidence that Holland finally worked his way out of Belotti/Kelly's doghouse. He will see plenty of playing time next year as long as he keeps working. You just can't keep that kind of speed off the field unless he proves to be a liability.