Redshirt sophomore defensive back Eric Amoako has become the fifth player to transfer out of the program this season, following Eric Dungy, Jake Rodrigues, Damion Hobbs, and Tyrell Robinson.
The 5-11, 190-lb cornerback appeared in one game in 2013, and he was 4th on the depth chart for this fall behind Ifo Ekpre-Olomu,, Dominique Harrison and Chris Seisay at one cornerback spot. His twin brother Stephen is remaining with the team, ironically the second set of twins to be severed this week after Robinson opted out on Tuesday.
Amoako apparently told coaches about his decision after the spring game, but it didn’t make the news until Andrew Greif of the Oregonian reported it today.
The move gives the Ducks an additional scholarship for the 2015 recruiting season, one in which they’re likely to have no more than 17-18 available.
Just today Jihree Stewart of Centennial High School in Corona, California announced a verbal commitment to the Ducks after taking an unofficial visit on Tuesday. Stewart is a 3-star prospect, 5-11, 175, the fifth commitment of the 2015 class and the first defensive player. He’s an active, aggressive player and a great hitter, in the mold of a long line of ball-hawking defensive backs that secondary coach John Neal has recruited and trained in Eugene.
This year’s crop of incoming freshmen report to school in another week, and that class includes three standout secondary prospects, Arrion Springs, Mattrell McGraw and Glen Ihenacho. Junior college transfer Harrison is already with the team, the Defensive Player of the Year in the Bay Valley Conference last season at Contra Costa Junior College.
While some attrition is normal, and it’s more apt to be the norm when a roster is crowded with 4-star players who were touted recruits, the body count seems unusually high for a school that’s on the cusp of a great season. Still, no school is immune. Les Miles and the LSU Tigers lost a four-star quarterback today. Ty Isaac, a talented USC tailback transferred to Michigan last week.
With just 79 days until the first Saturday of the college football season and seven weeks until the start of fall camp, this is the time for watch lists and preseason All-Americans and lists and ratings. Mel Kiper of ESPN has made a living out of lists and ratings, and he ranks Ekpre-Olomu as the best cornerback in the nation, Marcus Mariota as the second-best quarterback.
If the NFL draft were held today, Winston would be the first passer taken, Kiper says. The order is likely to change after this season. While Winston has been shrugging off a rape allegation and a shoplifting arrest, Mariota’s been quietly working on his game.
Most players make the most improvement between their first and second year of starting, but Mariota will make a significant leap this year. He just seems more comfortable in the role of leader, less bothered by the attention and scrutiny. He’s more at ease in interviews, surer in his answers.
The junior from Hawaii has always had an exceptional work ethic, and he returned to school partly because he was intent on improving his footwork, pocket awareness and ball security. Mariota threw just four interceptions in 2013, 6 as a redshirt freshman. His completion percentage dropped five points in year two, but with another full off season to refine his delivery, expect a big leap in that area. He’ll have better starts. He’ll put the ball in the right spots with greater consistency, find his groove earlier, longer and more often. He’ll feel less pressure, more flow and command.
His first two years were marvelous. His third will be historical.
Three of his new receivers, Darren Carrington, Dwayne Stanford and Jalen Brown, all have good hands and body control and his backs and tight ends are much better than average in that area. Pharaoh Brown and Keanon Lowe suffered some drops, and they’ll be working at that. Lowe in particular is a fierce blocker and a good leader, almost certain to grasp and thrive in the role as elder statesman among the receivers. Scott Frost and Matt Lubick will run the passing game better after a year of working together. Stanford, Carrington and Brown would all be better targets for that fade route the Ducks developed an unhealthy crush on in November. There are four or five candidates to become true deep threats, and few linebackers in the country could cover Marshall or Tyner on a wheel route.
It helps too that the Oregon running attack is so potent. Defenses will have their heads on a swivel trying to chase down Tyner, Mariota, Marshall and Freeman. It could be Oregon’s most potent offense ever, even with Bralon Addison sidelined, provided it’s properly schemed.
Summer workouts convene next week. They are more important this year than normal, because the Ducks have to start building rhythm in that aerial attack, the way Gus Dorias and Knute Rockne did on a beach in Ohio a hundred years ago.
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