Defensive Recruits

[gofightingducks]

If the Ducks fail to land any of the D-line guys still on the board, why do you think that is? Our coaches can't close or the recruits want to play for teams better know as defensive teams? Maybe a combination of both. If it is a case of the coaches not being able to close do you think Coach Azz will do better once he gets a couple of seasons with the Ducks under his belt? If it is a matter of wanting to play for a team and coach that is better defensively then the Ducks are, do you think now that Kelly is coaching and we have been getting better players (at least at LB and in the secondary) he allows Alliotti to be more liberal with his play calling then Bellotti allowed that the defense improves which in turn creates more interest on that side of the ball. I think the fact that there are so many top rated guys still interested in the Ducks at such a late stage shows that the coaches are doing really well at recruiting but have the obstacle of not playing very well defensively the last few years (really ever) to overcome. The teams they are competing against for these recruits are mostly defensive minded teams. Thoughts?

[greenyellow]

I think it is a combination of both. Oregon really doesn't have a history of producing NFL-quality talent for DL and LB. That works against Oregon since other schools say we've produced NFL players at these positions and Oregon doesn't. The NFL line really plays well with recruits since most want to get to that level. The talent level that the coaches have to settle for is more than likely never going to develop into stars in college, just average players who fit well into their roles. Them not making the NFL keeps the cycle going of lesser talent not going and thus the coaches not being able to brag about NFL players they produced.

[fecta23]

I think it is a combination of both. Oregon really doesn't have a history of producing NFL-quality talent for DL and LB. That works against Oregon since other schools say we've produced NFL players at these positions and Oregon doesn't. The NFL line really plays well with recruits since most want to get to that level. The talent level that the coaches have to settle for is more than likely never going to develop into stars in college, just average players who fit well into their roles. Them not making the NFL keeps the cycle going of lesser talent not going and thus the coaches not being able to brag about NFL players they produced.

Oregon currently has 6 DL in the NFL right now.

[ivegottabigduck]

And one of them is the best DT in the league, hands down

[greenyellow]

I think it is a combination of both. Oregon really doesn't have a history of producing NFL-quality talent for DL and LB. That works against Oregon since other schools say we've produced NFL players at these positions and Oregon doesn't. The NFL line really plays well with recruits since most want to get to that level. The talent level that the coaches have to settle for is more than likely never going to develop into stars in college, just average players who fit well into their roles. Them not making the NFL keeps the cycle going of lesser talent not going and thus the coaches not being able to brag about NFL players they produced.

Oregon currently has 6 DL in the NFL right now.

But Oregon really hasn't produced any good NFL talent at DT since Haloti left. The DE position is fine; it's the DT position that really isn't doing well. Also, the LB position hasn't produced a NFL LB since I believe Wes Mallard, but I believe that will change with Matthews and Paysinger. They can find a place where they could contribute on ST at first and possibly some time on D in the future.

[mijaha]

Peter Sirmon is the only other one I can remember

[glazeduck]

It certainly can't help that EVERY recruit that's come to Oregon in the last decade (maybe longer) with any question as to which side of the ball he's going to play on turned into an offensive player. Belotti's love for offense took many extremely athletic players away from Allioti, and I think that's shown in our lack of solid defense.

Whitehead, Malachi Lewis (serious offensive bust...big duck disappointment), Ryan Clay (rb a few yrs ago, not sure if the last name is right?), the list goes on, everyone knows the names...

While using all our most talented players for offense undoubtedly helped the offense, it certainly hindered the defense as well.

It also doesn't help that we've been a high/quick scoring team. Meaning, regardless of how well our defense plays, we're winning (sometimes losing) games with scores like 47-38. Other teams we're recruiting against can use the fact that our avg. points against, avg. yardage against, tds, 1st downs, etc., etc., are always relatively high, when the fact is that these stats only show part of the picture.

Oregon's defensive recruiting is going to get to the next level one of two ways. 1) Fire Allioti and bring in a bigtime DC who can coach, scheme AND recruit, or 2) (w/ or w/out NA) have a truly great year both defensively and offensively, make a NC run, and have some TRUE defensive stars in the process. I think we COULD see this in 2 years. Obviously our offense should be rockin' w/ DT, LMJ, DJax, Gaines a 5th yr senior, etc., and guys like Clay, Kaddu, Pleasant, Harris, Boyett, etc. could make one hell of a defense.

As I said in another thread... At least according to ESPN's top 150 watch list, there's quite a few big DLmen in the northwest and Cali for next season. If we can pull a couple of those guys early we could see the tides begin to change!

[greenyellow]

It certainly can't help that EVERY recruit that's come to Oregon in the last decade (maybe longer) with any question as to which side of the ball he's going to play on turned into an offensive player. Belotti's love for offense took many extremely athletic players away from Allioti, and I think that's shown in our lack of solid defense.

Whitehead, Malachi Lewis (serious offensive bust...big duck disappointment), Ryan Clay (rb a few yrs ago, not sure if the last name is right?), the list goes on, everyone knows the names...

While using all our most talented players for offense undoubtedly helped the offense, it certainly hindered the defense as well.

It also doesn't help that we've been a high/quick scoring team. Meaning, regardless of how well our defense plays, we're winning (sometimes losing) games with scores like 47-38. Other teams we're recruiting against can use the fact that our avg. points against, avg. yardage against, tds, 1st downs, etc., etc., are always relatively high, when the fact is that these stats only show part of the picture.

Oregon's defensive recruiting is going to get to the next level one of two ways. 1) Fire Allioti and bring in a bigtime DC who can coach, scheme AND recruit, or 2) (w/ or w/out NA) have a truly great year both defensively and offensively, make a NC run, and have some TRUE defensive stars in the process. I think we COULD see this in 2 years. Obviously our offense should be rockin' w/ DT, LMJ, DJax, Gaines a 5th yr senior, etc., and guys like Clay, Kaddu, Pleasant, Harris, Boyett, etc. could make one hell of a defense.

As I said in another thread... At least according to ESPN's top 150 watch list, there's quite a few big DLmen in the northwest and Cali for next season. If we can pull a couple of those guys early we could see the tides begin to change!

There's no Ryan Clay, but the closest to that is Ryan Shaw, who I believe was always slated to be a RB.

[glazeduck]

There's no Ryan Clay, but the closest to that is Ryan Shaw, who I believe was always slated to be a RB.

There we go, Shaw. He came in as a LB/RB. I remember that because he moved back to LB as a senior.

[greenyellow]

There's no Ryan Clay, but the closest to that is Ryan Shaw, who I believe was always slated to be a RB.

There we go, Shaw. He came in as a LB/RB. I remember that because he moved back to LB as a senior.

Oh, now that I think about it, it's not Ryan Shaw you are thinking about, it's Chris Vincent. The main reason he was shifted to LB was that we had Whitehead, Stewart, Johnson, Shaw, and I think Kenny Washington ahead of him and they moved him to a spot where they thought he could contribute more.

[Duck07]

There's no Ryan Clay, but the closest to that is Ryan Shaw, who I believe was always slated to be a RB.

There we go, Shaw. He came in as a LB/RB. I remember that because he moved back to LB as a senior.

Oh, now that I think about it, it's not Ryan Shaw you are thinking about, it's Chris Vincent. The main reason he was shifted to LB was that we had Whitehead, Stewart, Johnson, Shaw, and I think Kenny Washington ahead of him and they moved him to a spot where they thought he could contribute more.

one year vincent would be a rb, the next a lb. his position was like a see-saw. i really wish dante had been on the defensive side of the ball though

[glazeduck]

Oh, now that I think about it, it's not Ryan Shaw you are thinking about, it's Chris Vincent. The main reason he was shifted to LB was that we had Whitehead, Stewart, Johnson, Shaw, and I think Kenny Washington ahead of him and they moved him to a spot where they thought he could contribute more.

Yeah Vincent was one (guess not Shaw)... had a little too much fun w/ my time down in Eugene, now that past is a little hazy.

Rosario (just mentioned above) was another one also...

[greenyellow]

Oh, now that I think about it, it's not Ryan Shaw you are thinking about, it's Chris Vincent. The main reason he was shifted to LB was that we had Whitehead, Stewart, Johnson, Shaw, and I think Kenny Washington ahead of him and they moved him to a spot where they thought he could contribute more.

Yeah Vincent was one (guess not Shaw)... had a little too much fun w/ my time down in Eugene, now that past is a little hazy.

Rosario (just mentioned above) was another one also...

But it's worked out for him since he's still in the NFL, just not at LB.

[bigfootlebowski]

It certainly can't help that EVERY recruit that's come to Oregon in the last decade (maybe longer) with any question as to which side of the ball he's going to play on turned into an offensive player. Belotti's love for offense took many extremely athletic players away from Allioti, and I think that's shown in our lack of solid defense.

Whitehead, Malachi Lewis (serious offensive bust...big duck disappointment), Ryan Clay (rb a few yrs ago, not sure if the last name is right?), the list goes on, everyone knows the names...

While using all our most talented players for offense undoubtedly helped the offense, it certainly hindered the defense as well.

It also doesn't help that we've been a high/quick scoring team. Meaning, regardless of how well our defense plays, we're winning (sometimes losing) games with scores like 47-38. Other teams we're recruiting against can use the fact that our avg. points against, avg. yardage against, tds, 1st downs, etc., etc., are always relatively high, when the fact is that these stats only show part of the picture.

Oregon's defensive recruiting is going to get to the next level one of two ways. 1) Fire Allioti and bring in a bigtime DC who can coach, scheme AND recruit, or 2) (w/ or w/out NA) have a truly great year both defensively and offensively, make a NC run, and have some TRUE defensive stars in the process. I think we COULD see this in 2 years. Obviously our offense should be rockin' w/ DT, LMJ, DJax, Gaines a 5th yr senior, etc., and guys like Clay, Kaddu, Pleasant, Harris, Boyett, etc. could make one hell of a defense.

As I said in another thread... At least according to ESPN's top 150 watch list, there's quite a few big DLmen in the northwest and Cali for next season. If we can pull a couple of those guys early we could see the tides begin to change!

In the case of whitehead we missed out on the top rbs in that class and needed a rb, so the move to rb was really about need much like the move of barner to rb this last season...in the spring game he was one of the only healthy rbs.