Oregon Football: 10 Things for the Duck Fans To Look Forward To in 2010

With the college football season creeping closer and closer, fans are becoming more anxious by the day. To help pass the time, here are the top 10 things that Duck fans can look forward to this year.

#10 Young Team

With the amount of depth the Oregon Ducks have, they are able to come back this year with 15 returning starters. Not only do the Ducks have a ton of returning talents, they are stocked with young starters at key positions and strengthened the future of the team with a top 15 recruiting class.

#9 Out Of Conference Schedule Eases Up This Year

Last year the Ducks had a out of conference schedule that was not for the faint of heart. They started the year on the road against Boise State, returned home to play Purdue and then welcomed the nations longest winning streak by playing Utah.

This year, the Ducks open the year against New Mexico and two weeks later they play Portland State at home. The only challenge this year, will be the week 2 visit to Tennessee.

#8 Playing on SEC Team On National TV

The SEC has long been thought of as the king of college football. With the amount and attention and coverage they receive, the Ducks heading into Tennessee for a national television game is a great way to gain even more exposure. With Tennessee having some offseason issues, this is a great chance for the Ducks to earn a road win in the heart of the SEC.

#7 Chance To Succeed Without Masoli

With the offseason suspension and eventual dismissal and transfer of Jeremiah Masoli, the Ducks have a real opportunity this year. The national perception of Oregon is that the Ducks went as Masoli went. This year, the Ducks and Masoli have seperated and it is time for Coach Kelly and the team to prove that last years Pac-10 title was a team effort. 

#6 TV Schedule

Before the season has even begun, the Ducks have six games that have already been picked up by ESPN. This is a great thing for the exposure of the program throughout the nation and for recruiting. The two feature games will be the September 11th game at Tennessee and the October 30th game at USC.

#5 New Turf And Stadium Art

With the amount of ligament injuries that have happened in recent memory at Autzen Stadium, many Ducks fans are welcoming the new turf with open arms. As the program has risen to national power, it is good to see Autzen get a facelift. Along with the new turf comes new wall art that will surround the field.

#4 LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner

When the Ducks had to turn to LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner last year, many fans did not know what to expect. Not only did they fill the void left by Jeremiah Johnson and suspended senior Legarrette Blount, they became stars in the Oregon offense. James came in and broke the Pac-10 freshmen rushing record and Barner had over 1500 all purpose yards.

#3 Coach Kelly

Ducks fans need to remember that Coach Kelly delivered a Pac-10 title last year in his first year as head coach of the Ducks. Kelly seems to be taking this program to the next level and has found ways to get the most out of his talent. With all the offseason issues that went on, Kelly maintained his stance on discipline and showed his players that he will support them through any situation as long as they are straight forward and honest with him.

#2 You're Not A Beaver Fan

When the 2010 season starts, all Duck fans should look in the mirror and repeat this phrase, "it could always be worse, I could be a beaver fan." With the way the last two civil wars have gone for the boys in orange, many Duck fans should think if the tables were turned. Luckily, they aren't and the Ducks kept the Beavers out of the Rose Bowl in 2008 and took the Rose Bowl and Pac-10 title from them in 2009.

#1 The Oregon Ducks Cheerleaders

Lets be honest, your at the game, the Ducks are winning but most importantly, the fine and talented Oregon Ducks cheerleaders are keeping the crowd rocking. For over the past ten years, the Oregon Ducks cheerleaders have received a lot of national attention and buzz as being some of the most attractive women in the nation. That trend is sure to continue this year and beyond.