College Football Predictions: 6 Predictions for the Oregon Ducks 2011 Season

After a heartbreaking loss to the Auburn Tigers at the biggest stage of them all, the BCS National Championship Game, the Oregon Ducks are ready to make a resurgent comeback and take the NCAA by storm. With the new freshmen wide receiver prospects coming in and a limber Darron Thomas and LaMichael James back for another year, how will the Ducks fare next season?

LaMichael James Will Win the Heisman Trophy

Last year, Oregon's dynamic running back, LaMichael James, led the NCAA in rushing yards with an incredible 1,731 yards. He fell short of the Heisman trophy, being outshone by none other than Auburn's Cam Newton.

Now that Newton has moved on the the NFL, the trophy is up for grabs.

James will surpass his best performance and rush for 2,000-plus yards next season, leading the Ducks to yet another BCS title game appearance. He will lead the NCAA, once again, in rushing yards. James will send his draft stock sky high should he choose to enter the NFL Draft after his junior year.

Darron Thomas Will Have a Heisman-Like Season

Last season, Darron Thomas had a great season, passing for 2,881 yards and rushing for 486.

There's only room for improvement.

Thomas completed 61.5 percent of his passes, connecting on 30 of them for touchdowns and throwing only nine interceptions. In his junior year, he will not only throw less interceptions, but Thomas also will increase his completion percentage to above 65 percent.

He will be in the conversation for the Heisman trophy, but will be overshadowed by his teammate LaMichael James. 

Oregon's 2 Freshmen Wide Receivers Have Breakout Seasons

Oregon's offense has taken a significant shot after losing Jeff Maehl and D.J. Davis. However, the team has done an excellent job finding two replacements at the receiver position.

Maehl was Darron Thomas' go-to guy, hauling in the most receptions on the team, with 77. He grossed 1,076 yards and 12 touchdowns during his senior year with the Ducks. Davis was second on the receiving corps, with 42 receptions and 470 yards.

However, with both of them moving on, the Ducks had to find two rookie sensations to compensate for their losses.

Devon Blackmon, the super athlete from Fontana, California, has the ability to play three positions on the offensive side of the ball. He possesses the superior speed and hands to play wide receiver, the quickness and agility to be a running back and the marksmanship of a quarterback. In his senior year at Summit High School, Blackmon filled the stat sheets, rushing for 370 yards, catching 31 passes for 379 yards and 13 total touchdowns and completing 20-of-37 attempts at the helm. He won't see much at the quarterback position behind Thomas, but Blackmon's speed and athleticism is just what the Ducks need in their lineup. 

Rahsaan Vaughn is yet another speedster that Oregon will add to their wide receiving corps next season. Vaughn is a great route runner and uses his six-foot frame to make tough catches over sticky defenders. In his eight games in junior college, he caught 17 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns. He's just what the doctor ordered.

The Oregon Ducks Will Lead the NCAA in Total Offense, Again

Putting everything you've read so far together, Oregon's equation of LaMichael James, Darron Thomas, and their two freshmen wide receivers is a foolproof formula bound to knock the NCAA on its heels. With such speed at almost every position, the Ducks will have the high-octane offense defenders dread. 

Oregon will lead the NCAA in total offense, dominating every single statistic there is on that side of the ball. Only three teams stood in their way of dominating total yardage: Auburn, Hawaii and Nevada. But with Cam Newton out of the picture, the Ducks are looking very bright next season. 

Cliff Harris and John Boyett Will Have 7 or More Interceptions Each

Had enough of the Oregon offense? Me too.

They might not be the most defensive-oriented team in the NCAA, but the Ducks have some pretty good pieces in their backfield. 

Last season, Cliff Harris and John Boyett picked off six and five passes, respectively. Next season, they're going to pick those numbers up significantly. Harris and Boyett will be hounds on defense, hunting down the ball carrier wherever they are on the field. Their hands will be second to none, as they seek out and pick off anything that comes into their vicinity. 

Harris and Boyett will make the Oregon defense something to quack about.

The Oregon Ducks Will Return to the BCS Title Game and Seal the Deal

It was heartbreaking losing to Cam Newton and the Auburn Tigers at the biggest stage of all.

And what makes it worse was how they lost. A mere field goal separated the Ducks from the legacy of a BCS Championship.

That foul taste in their mouth has yet to dissipate.

The Ducks will come together as an even more cohesive unit and run down anything and everything that comes in their path. They will have a repeat performance, going perfect in the regular season, but Oregon will seal the deal when they make another title-game appearance and blow their opponents out of the water.