Oregon Ducks Spring Game 2011: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The 2011 Oregon Ducks Spring Game was a bit sloppy, but that's to be expected. The Ducks will have the rust brushed off by the start of the season, don't you worry. In front of a Spring Game record crowd, the Ducks showed flashes of their run from last season, while also introducing some new faces to the fans.
In case you missed the game, or just want a refresher, here's the good, the bad and the ugly from Oregon's 2011 Spring Game.
The Good
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Offense: Ayele Forde and Colt Lyerla
Some new faces are making names for themselves. Third-string running back got a new hat thrown into the ring, and that man is Ayele Forde. This redshirt freshman out of Victorville, Calif. had a good game with the second most rushing yards behind LaMichael James. And true freshman and early enrollee Colt Lyerla also had a good game for the Ducks. Lyerla had 37 yards receiving on three catches, and was a popular target for Darron Thomas.
Defense: Defensive Line and Secondary
In reality, there were so many great performances it was hard to pick individuals out. Young defensive backs Terrence Mitchell and Erick Dargan both had interceptions on the day. Also Wade Keliikipi, Nick Musgrove and Dion Jordan each recorded a sack on the day, wrecking havoc on the offensive line.
Special Teams: Rob Beard
Beard converted all three field goals he attempted in the game, and converted his lone PAT attempt. Beard also kicked off for the Green Team on all five of their kicks, averaging 66 yards per. Beard lead all players in points scored with 10.
The Bad
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Offense: Lache Seastrunk
Seastrunk didn’t have a horrible performance, but he was out-shined and out-carried by his counterpart, Ayele Forde. Seastrunk did not live up to his extremely hyped debut, and left fans with a bit of disappointment. He’ll need a lot of improvement in the rest of spring and summer practices to move up the running back depth chart.
Defense: John Boyett
Boyett, on paper, didn’t have a horrible performance. He was out of position a few times and only recorded one tackle after having several opportunities. But, not having a perfect Spring Game should not have Duck Nation at ease. Boyett is one of the best safeties in the Pac-12.
Special Teams: Kick Team
This one was somewhat amusing to watch. On the first kick of the game, the Green Team called a timeout because of a lineman missing. Then on the next kick attempt, the exact thing happened, this time with the defense accepting the penalty. The special team coaches need to work that out before LSU.
The Ugly
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Offense: Offensive Line and Receivers
Okay, so the O-line wasn’t “ugly,” but they were by no means good. Bad snaps and poor timing caused for a lack of consistency for both offenses. Also, the receiving group was a major disappointment. Tuinei dropped at least one pass, and only freshman Colt Lyerla shined by days end. Part of that can be attested to the absence of returning starter Josh Huff. Also, losing Jeff Maehl from last season really hurts. How exactly did he go undrafted?
Defense: None
Nobody from the defensive unit is deserving of being on this list. With a shutout by the Green Team defense and only 16 points allowed by the White Team, both teams played well.
Special Teams: Alejandro Maldonado
Maldonado did not have a good game to say the least. An 18-yard punt, a 52-yard kickoff and a poor performance was not the showing he needed. Maldonado concluded the game with an incredibly low average of 31.4 yards per punt. Let's hope Rob Beard and Jackson Rice stay healthy.
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