They came out relatively healthy. At Arizona they’ve endured five catastrophic knee injuries since spring, but the Ducks have been blessed. A few players dinged up, Josh Huff nursing a lower leg, Curtis White with a serious achilles injury that will sideline him for several weeks, but the Ducks are intact and healthy, particularly on the offensive line, where they needed a solid camp to jell a unit many felt was their most serious question mark.
The offensive line had a marvelous camp. They hardly spent a minute with a player in a red jersey, and that gave them the time and reps to jell as a unit. Steve Greatwood saw his five best lock down their starting spots. Weems, Asper and York were known quantities, but Hroniss Grasu claimed the center position with determined work in the weight room this off season, following it up with a very consistent fall. He pushed the contenders aside with his strength and consistency.
Ryan Clanton did the same at right guard, making it a very successful three weeks of work for the offensive line. They have good depth in Ramsen Golpashin, Nick Cody and Everett Benyard. And 6-6, 285-lb. true freshman Jake Fisher turned heads with his physical presence and maturity, winning his share of battles in one-on-ones and team drills. Oregon’s offensive line of the not-too-distant future, featuring Fisher, Tyler Johnstone and Andre Yruretagoyena, is going to be very, very good. This year’s offensive line, with a healthy, productive three weeks of preparation, has set itself up to be supremely ready for the challenge of facing the LSU Tiger front seven in Dallas. A repeat of Boise State, always an exaggerated possibility from the mouths of the broadcast media, is now remote.
The Ducks had a second big question mark at receiver answered emphatically in fall camp. Yes, Lavasier Tuinei looks ready to blossom into a true go-to guy as a lanky possession receiver at 6-5, tough and reliable. Yes, Rahsaan Vaughn is as good as advertised, silky smooth and making big plays throughout camp. And yes, David Paulson is still durable and dependable working over the middle, a big target Darron Thomas can count on to fill a bigger role in the offense. De’Anthony Thomas and Kenjon Barner flashed their speed taking the ball out of the backfield or the slot position. Josh Huff still hasn’t been full-go at practice, but DT isn’t worried about him, and Eric Dungy, Justin Hoffman and Blackmon or Sumler look ready to fill in and make a play or two when needed. The hard-working Hoffman, a former walk-on who earned a scholarship, seems ideally suited to fill the Garren Strong/Drew Davis role in the offense, a player who doesn’t get the ball often as the first option but does all the hard, thankless work that’s essential in the Oregon spread attack, throwing key blocks, running correct routes, being where they’re supposed to be. Vaughn, Huff, Barner and DAT can provide the fireworks. Hoffman and Dungy will carry the fuses and punks.
The defense avoided injury and solidified the rotation on the defensive line. With Heimuli and Keliikipi missing some time (they’re healthy now) Remington, Hart, Ebert, Jordan, Turner, and Hanna had a great camp, so much so that Hart and Remington may get the first rotations in the Cowboy Classic. Azzinaro loves 100% effort, and all these guys understand that as long as they’re giving it, pushing as hard as they can on every snap, they’ll get their turn on the field, knowing they don’t have to hold anything in reserve. They’ve bought in, and absorbed his bellowing intense technical teaching. This will be a stronger and more athletic defensive line this year, tougher against the run, more aggressive getting to the quarterback, and Duck fans will like the results. Here are the tackles: 6-6 286, 6-6 283, 6-5 285, 6-3 300 and 6-4 320. That’s a solid interior, with a lot of tall hands in the passing lanes, a lot of strength and beef at the goal line. With an athletic group of linebackers behind them, Oregon won’t be pushed around in the running game. By anyone.
The secondary needed the youngsters to show they were ready to sub in for Cliff Harris, who has a disciplinary situation to work out. You might have heard. Harris is on track to return when the Ducks need him for Nevada and the PAC-12 season, but for LSU’s suspect aerial game, Anthony Gildon, Terrance Mitchell, Troy Hill and Avery Patterson had confidence-building fall workouts, battling Oregon’s fast new wide receivers to a standstill day after day, showing a willingness to hit and take on ball carriers in run support.
Oregon fans knew about the stars. Darron Thomas and LaMichael James were known quantities, as were John Boyett and Josh Kaddu on the defense. The good news is that the Ducks took fabulous care of business in fall camp, and as the begin the preparation week for LSU, they’re a solid, focused, intact team with high goals and a promising future.
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