Oregon Football: 5 Indications That the Ducks Can Still Begin a Dynasty

Note: With all of the NCAA investigation news, I figured it might be nice to look at the positive side of things. Oregon is stacked right now and ready to run the Pac-12, maybe even the FBS... pending investigation of course.

17-1 in conference. 22-4 overall.

Two Pac-10 Championships. One BCS National Championship appearance.

That is what University of Oregon head coach Chip Kelly has accomplished since taking over two seasons ago. With Kelly at the helm, Oregon has redefined itself as one of the top programs in the country. Not since the 1930’s has the Oregon program been this dominant and after getting a taste of BCS National Championship glory last season, the Ducks will be looking for more.

As recruits line up to come play up in Eugene for Kelly, the 2010 Coach of the Year by numerous publications, it is evident more than ever that the Ducks are on to something big. As scouting infractions and off-the-field issues dominating Oregon Football talk this summer, it is easy to dismiss just how explosive they were last season.

They return a substantial portion of last season’s core, and as their top recruiting classes of the past two seasons come into play, Oregon looks to not only be a favorite this season, but may have begun a dynasty of their own. 

1. Chip Kelly Is Extended Through 2015

It all begins at the top with head coach Chip Kelly.

Kelly joined the team as the offensive coordinator back in 2007 and instilled the high-power spread offense, an offensive approach that relies heavily on athleticism and playmakers. Since then, Oregon’s led the Pac-10 in scoring each of the four seasons and led the conference in total yardage three of the four.

Watching Kelly on the national level back in January, it was definitely apparent that he is one of the most respected coaches in the game. Players want to play for him, his coaching staff feeds off of his intensity and the fans are certainly not complaining about the results.

Kelly’s approach to the game is unique. As UO athletic director Rob Mullens explained, “[Chip says] let's compete against ourselves. Let’s set the standard ourselves. Let’s be who we are, and in doing that let’s do it the best we can do it”. 

Things turned around when Kelly came in four years ago as OC and even more so when he took over as head coach two years later. With Kelly at the helm, things are heading in the right direction in Oregon.

2. Oregon Is Loaded with Playmakers

The spread offense is one of the most personnel-driven offensive packages in football. Lucky for Oregon, they have the perfect blend of speed, athleticism and size that allows them to run at a lightning-quick pace. Very few defenses in college football have been able to keep up.

While elite football programs tend to recruit NFL-skilled players that fill a certain positional need (i.e. Matt Barkley (USC), Robert Woods (USC), Michael Dyer (Auburn), Kelly and his staff have simply looked for the top athletic playmakers.

When Darron Thomas was recruited back in 2008, he was considered a QB suitable only for the spread offense, but could develop into a special wide receiver due to his sleek athleticism. His arm strength, accuracy and pocket-passing ability were all considered good, but not great. Come 2010, Thomas led the nation’s highest scoring offense…as the QB.

LaMichael James was said to be quick and agile but is undersized. In addition, "his frame may not allow him to be utilized as an every down back or between the tackles runner at the next level”. Last season, James carried the ball over 25 times in eight games and finished third in balloting for the Heisman Trophy.

Simply put, Oregon gets athletes and turns them into stars. From the 2010 class, they added Lache Seastrunk, an extremely quick High School All-American that should be an instant impact at running back once James leaves. This year, the Ducks swiped athlete DeAnthony Thomas from Pac-12 foe USC, an undersized running back that could switch to defensive back as well as Devon Blackmon, a dual-threat quarterback that has “cover corner or slot receiver written all over him” according to ESPN. They were the only two “athletes” rated within the ESPN 150.

3. Pac-12 Is the No. 2 Conference in the Nation

While SEC still remains supreme in the college football, the Pac-12 has finally made the leap into the No. 2 position over the Big-12 this season. While it can be argued that conference power rankings can shift season to season, the Pac-12’s improvement as a whole benefits its teams far more than by just creating better competition. As the conference gains national respect, it makes a berth in the BCS National Championship all the more likely as the system is built to showcase the top teams from the top conferences each year.

Furthering the point, the BCS National Championship has been won by the SEC champion each of the last five seasons. The SEC has been viewed as the top conference for quite some time now, and it seems like every year, the victor gets a shot. Even back in 2007, then No. 7 LSU made the leap up five spots to No. 2 after an upset victory in the SEC championship. With the Pac-12’s shift two divisions, and the creation of a championship game, the “West Coast SEC” could find itself as a BCS title game regular as well.

4. Non-West Coast Preps Want to Play

From a recruiting standpoint, the Ducks have already seen a shift in national presence, caused by the improved game in the Pac-10. Three seasons ago, Oregon was competing with other Pac-10 schools for predominantly west coast recruits out of California and maybe Arizona as the farthest.

In 2010 that all changed as Oregon landed a couple big chips out of Texas, one out of Michigan and another out of Florida. Again this year, Oregon pulled in top recruits out of Florida, Iowa, and Texas, domains that they used to never have a shot in.

We’ve seen this shift across the entire conference as well with Pac-12 play garnering more respect. UCLA’s top chip in 2011 was out of Washington DC, Stanford’s was from Georgia and Cal landed high-profile ESPN 150s out of Georgia and North Carolina.

5. The Desirable Atmosphere

Lastly it’s the atmosphere surrounding Eugene, OR right now that makes a dynasty run all the more possible for the Ducks. Over the past couple seasons, Eugene has become on of the top college football fanbases in the country. Autzen Stadium is one of the most best venues in the FBS and one of the toughest places to win on the road. It embodies what prep football players dream of when they think about taking their game to the next level and it is why so many have joined the program.

Duck fans have sold out 74 straight home games dating back to 1999 and in that time have a remarkable 81 winning percentage (61-13). The 60,000+ capacity stadium consistently pushes 120 decibels and set the record of any FBS game at 127.2 db back in 2007. NFL running back Jahvid Bet has called it the only stadium he’s ever been unable to concentrate in and recently the Sporting News called it the most intimidating venue in football right now above the greats Ben Hill (Florida), Kyle Field (Texas A&M) and Tiger Stadium (LSU).

Players thrive in situations with fanatic followers and the town of Eugene has created just that.