2009 NCAA - Oregon
Mike Bellotti, the all-time leader in UO school wins, stepped aside after 14 seasons to become the athletic director, and in comes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who will continue to call his own offense. Bellotti won at least 10 games four times and took the Ducks to 12 bowls. He leaves on favorable terms, dropping 65 points on Oregon State in the Civil War to end the regular season and keep the Beavers out of the Rose Bowl. But significant graduation losses on both sides of the ball (especially up front) will make things rough on Kelly from the get-go.
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Oregon
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One place where there are no questions is as QB, where junior Jeremiah Masoli is firmly entrenched in the starter's role. He's a dual-threat that fits into what Kelly is looking for. Masoli helped guide the Ducks to 42 points and 486 yards per game last fall and backup Justin Roper transferred out. RB LeGarrette Blount ran for 1,002 yards and 17 scores in 2008 and also returns. On the negative side, the O-line must replace four starters and the kicking game was below-average at best this spring. The defense must similarly replace some departures up front, including league sack leader Nick Reed. Only one D-line starter returns, and two members of the secondary were drafted in the NFL's second round. The secondary was far more permissive of big plays than you would expect with that kind of talent in 2008, so that area remains largely a question-mark, too. |
| ASK the bookie? - With Kelly having been on staff, the transition of him to head coach figures to be fairly smooth. Can that spread attack, even with several skill players back, be as prolific as 2008's version with a lessened O-line? Can the defense be anything better than mediocre? It looks like the Ducks won't approach their preseason rating under the new coach, especially with the schedule shaping up this way (non-conference games at Boise, and at home against Purdue and Utah). It looks like eight wins is the top number Oregon will be able to manufacture this fall. |
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