Top 12 Non-Conference Games of 2011

On paper it looks to be. 3/4 of the line graduated last year. However, Oregon was playing a lot of guys out of position because of major attrition at the DT spot. We recruited at a lot of non-qualifiers 3-6 years ago. Bair and Clark were DEs playing DT/NT last year. Rowe was our DE that is really made for LB. All three of our graduating seniors on the line will probably go undrafted with the exception of Bair, who may be a late round pick.

Due to the blur offense and being undersized, Oregon rotated nine guys in the defensive front regularly (75% of the time we run a 3-4, so that is a lot). Our best 6 coming into this season played a lot of snaps. Likewise, we have a legit rotation at the DT spot - not guys playing out of position. This best 6 is really showing up bigtime in spring stuffing a running attack that includes LMJ, Barner and Lache Seastrunk.

Oregon was traditionally a school that recruited outside the top 25 and put their athletes on offense. Our LB corps have usually been the weak link. This year's lb corp is the most athletic we've fielded. Last year's redshirts is the most talented class we've recruited and should give us some nice depth. Good times for duck fans.

 

Does the ducks have the size in the trenches to handle the monsters LSU fields on the o-line. Ware is a big back that won't go down to arm tackles. He will put a world of hurt on smaller defenders.

 

Cam was laying on his back after the NCG and the guy that put the hurt on was an undersized DE at 240 pounds. Your oline will have a tough time against the rush and our d will be keying on run on 1st and 2nd. There is diminishing returns on weight after you get past a certain size. Our boys will line up over 300 pounds in the middle (Heimuli 321 and Wade K just shy of 300) and will be lightening quick on the edges. Azzinaro may be one of the best technicians in the game (freeney's coach at syracuse). We'll have a couple of ends lining up at 6'7" and 6'6" that use leverage very well and are putting our tackles on their face in spring (our 325 pound senior tackle 3 year starter to be exact). I am really giddy about this dline.

 

What about the loss of the three starters on the Oregon offensive line?

 

That is our biggest concern. It is no where near what we did in '09. 5 players returning have significant playing time: Asper, York, Weems, Cody and Golpashin in that order. Asper and York each have more starts than the combined line returned in '09. Asper and York are two year starters and Weems has played 20 or more snaps in every game the past two years. Cody has meaningful time the last two years and Golpashin last year and a smattering the year before. Likewise, the new guard of olinemen were recruited for our scheme and were more highly sought after than any group Oregon has recruited. The three seniors we are replacing were serviceable but did not reach the same level as even their predecessors.

In reality, our seniors last year were not individual talents but laden in leadership. That is the emphasis this spring is to have some leaders emerge. The new guard has more upside but that will most likely not be realized until well after the game against LSU.

 

Well, lately they've been playing USC, Michigan, Michigan State, Boston College, Stanford, Purdue, Pittsburgh, and Navy. Not an SEC schedule by any means but still very tough. They play Miami and OU in 2012, and I believe they had the toughest schedule in 2003. Historically would probably be a better word than traditional but in a given year, they will as much BCS conference teams as an SEC team.

 

here is Scout.com's list of the best 50 non-conference games of 2011:
Scout.com: The Top 50 Non-Conference Games of 2011

they disagree with about half of Rivals' Top 12, but they both have LSU/Oregon at #1 and both have LSU/WVU at #8

in addition to all the good non-conference match ups of 2011, it will also be interesting to see Nebraska's first season in the Big Ten. the Huskers host Ohio St, Mich St, and Iowa... and go on the road to Wisconsin's Camp Randall, Penn State's Happy Valley, and Michigan's Big House

also, Boise State's first season in the MWC will feature a Nov 12 game on the smurf turf vs TCU (who will be moving to the Big East in 2012)