Oregon Football 2011: Why the Ducks Have Become 2nd-Best Program Behind Alabama

While the Oregon football program has been getting better and growing for the past 20 years, it has truly risen and arrived on the national college football scene over the past two seasons.

After the Ducks made the move to coach Chip Kelly, they have not looked back. Over the past two seasons, Oregon has won two conference titles and has gone to the Rose Bowl and BCS national championship.

With its recent success and growth, Oregon has shot up through the ranks and has grabbed the attention of the nation. Here are five reasons that have helped Oregon become one of the best programs in the country.

Facilities

One thing recruits have a hard time denying is that, when they get on campus and tour the facilities at Oregon, it is hard not to be impressed.

The program has a full-length practice facility and a locker room to die for. The Ducks workout facilities include a dentist office, full nutrition bar, underwater treadmills, bi-level locker room, flat-screen TVs, gaming systems and more.

Once you get past that, you also have Autzen Stadium, one of the loudest venues in the nation.

Chip Kelly

Since arriving in Oregon in 2007, Chip Kelly has brought an innovative offense that has been extremely hard for defenses to slow down.

During his time at Oregon, Kelly has transformed various quarterbacks and turned them into dual-threat stars.

Since Chip Kelly became head coach in 2009, he has only lost one conference game and two conference titles. Recruits are taking notice and following Kelly's lead.

Uniforms

Like them or love them, the Oregon uniforms are a draw and grab the attention of our youth, which also happen to be some of the nation's top recruits.

Recruits are able to see that Oregon has made a tradition out of changing up its uniforms, and the ability to have input and work on new designs is something that cannot be overlooked.

Media Attention

Over the past few seasons, the success that the program has had on the field has led to increased exposure across all medias.

The Ducks have found themselves as a part of ESPN's College GameDay multiple times, both as a home team, as well as a road team. They have also had segments run about their program on ESPN and, most importantly, had most of their games picked up by major television stations.

When you are a team playing on the West Coast, the most important factor in growing your program is exposure, and Oregon is getting loads of it.

Winning

One thing that helps turn a program around is winning. Chip Kelly has done a terrific job in just two years and people are taking notice.

The Ducks have now won two straight conference titles, and have been to the Rose Bowl and national championship in consecutive years. On top of that, Oregon is viewed as one of the favorites going forward in 2011.