Oregon Football: Why QB Darron Thomas Changed Numbers and Other Spring Tidbits
Now that spring practice has begun, college football fans are able to get a small football fix. The Oregon Ducks have begun practice and have their sights set on returning to the national title game.
With the beginning of spring practice comes new information, injuries, player development and much more. Lets take a look at the buzz around Oregon thus far.
New Quarterback?
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Last year, Darron Thomas took the nation by force when we led the Ducks to a 12-0 record and first national championship game appearance in his first year as a starter.
This year, Oregon fans will see No. 5 line up for Oregon at quarterback. Was Thomas demoted? Did he leave early?
With the graduation of senior running back Remene Alston, Thomas has taken the No. 5 jersey and gone back to his high school number. I am sure the people in merchandising love this.
Rave Reviews for Bryan Bennett
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For as high powered as the Oregon offense was last year, one thing became quite clear. When senior backup Nate Costa went down with a season ending knee injury, the Oregon offense was watered down as they limited the risk on Darron Thomas.
With the new season approaching, backup quarterback Bryan Bennett has stepped up early and shown the coaching staff that he will be ready at any time.
Bennett has impressed everyone with not only his passing ability but his understanding of the read option.
Who Is the New No. 1?
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Well, now that we know that Darron Thomas has given up his original number, who is taking it over? Last years No. 4, Josh Huff, will now be taking over this duty.
After a great freshman season, Huff has switched to his new number and hopes to have similar success to the last guy who wore this number.
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Replacing Jeff Maehl
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Speaking of Josh Huff, many are looking for him to fill the huge shoes left by Jeff Maehl. Last year, Maehl and Thomas has developed a great relationship and rode that momentum all the way to the national title game.
Early on in spring practice, many have taken notice of the improvements that Huff has made, and he looks ready to make that next step in his transition to go to guy.
Lache Seastrunk
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For as highly recruited and rated as Lache Seastrunk was last year, many were unimpressed at the skills he showed throughout the year last season. While Seastrunk was redshirted, many people did not feel he was developing the way he should throughout practices.
That tone from last year has quickly been replaced with positive reviews. Early on in spring practice, Seastrunk has showed a better grasp on the running game and has displayed speed that may be second to none on the team.
Terrell Turner Out for the Spring
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This week, Terrell Turner has been seen on crutches and has a cast on his lower left leg. While there is nothing definitive on the injury, Coach Kelly has made it pretty clear that Turner will not be returning to spring practice.
The major focus will just be on a healthy return for Turner. He is the only returning starter along the defensive line and will be needed this year. The only upside will be the work and reps that Dion Jordan will now get in his place.
Spring Game Will Honor the Troops Again
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For the second straight year, the Oregon Ducks spring game will be televised on ESPN2 but more importantly will again support the troops.
Last year, Coach Kelly matched up each player with a troop and had them exchange contact information and take time to spend with each other. At the end of the spring game last year, each player gave the jersey off their back to the soldier that had been paired with.
Oregon Offense Picking Up The Pace?
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One thing that people will remember from the 2010 season was the pace and speed that Oregon ran their offense at. The speed of the offense often caused confusion, penalties and missed assignments for the defense.
Early on this spring, Coach Kelly has been pushing the offense to go faster and improve on last year's tempo. Based on the success the offense had last year, it will be interesting to see how they are able to improve and the issues it will cause for defenses.
The Two Back System Continues To Evolve
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Since taking over at Oregon, Coach Kelly has tinkered and added things to his already successful spread offense. Never afraid of trying anything, Kelly added a new formation into his game plan and ran it multiple times during the national championship.
This formation often saw two backs end up in the backfield along with a wide receiver. While the plays saw limited success in the national championship, it was obvious that if the execution was better, the offense will likely take the Ducks to a whole new level.
Ricky Heimuli
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With the defensive line as line as it is, the hope is that one player in particular is able to live up to his potential.
Ricky Heimuli has been extremely impressive early on in spring practice and has received high praise through a comparison to Haloti Ngata.
If Heimuli is able to even come close to the level of Ngata, the Ducks defensive weakness could quickly become a strength.
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