College Football 2011: 5 Reasons the Oregon Ducks Will Win the National Title

The Oregon Ducks went 12-1 in 2010 ending their season with a loss in the national championship. 

Expected to be ranked in the preseason Top Five, the Ducks have a very realistic shot at returning to the national championship. 

Oregon knows that with LaMichael James returning to an already potent offense, the Ducks will have an advantage against every team in the nation.

I expect the Oregon Ducks to win the 2012 BCS National Championship and forever be remembered as the best football team in Oregon football history.

5. Darron Thomas

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LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 30: Darron Thomas #1 of the Oregon Ducks scrambles out of the pocket against the USC Trojans during the game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on October 30, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Darron Thomas is going to determine whether the next season for the Ducks will be as magical as their previous.

He is the head of the most deadly offense in the nation and every decision lies in his hands.  Last year, he threw for 2,881 yards and 30 touchdowns. 

His accuracy was the one disappointment of his play last season, completing only 61.5 percent of his passes.  He rushed for over 450 yards as well, making him a very dangerous dual-threat quarterback.

With more talent coming in from a very solid recruiting class, Darron Thomas has the talent surrounding him and the playmaking ability to bring a national championship home to Eugene. 

4. Defense

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EUGENE, OR - NOVEMBER 06: Cornerback Cliff Harris #13 of the Oregon Ducks runs back a punt in the fourth quarter of the game against the Washington Huskies at Autzen Stadium on November 6, 2010 in Eugene, Oregon. The Ducks won the game 53-16. (Photo by St

Everyone seems to believe in Oregon’s offense, but if you look at 2010, Oregon’s defense was rock solid.  They allowed only 18.7 points per game, ranking 12^th in all of college football. The ducks had 21 interceptions, ranking them sixth overall in the nation. 

John Boyett (five interceptions) and Cliff Harris (six) are both returning to the defensive secondary, making it one of the most electrifying one-two punches in the Pac-12.

The Ducks held Andrew Luck, Matt Barkley, Nick Foles and Cam Newton to an average of two touchdown passes per game last season.

Although the Ducks lost six starters on defense, with the 25-man rotation that defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti used last year, the Ducks should have no problem filling those holes.  Look out for the Ducks to improve on defense and prove to the nation that this team is solid on both sides of the ball.

3. Speed

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CORVALLIS, OR - DECEMBER 04: Kenjon Barner #24 of the Oregon Ducks runs for a touchdown against the Oregon State Beavers during the 114th Civil War on December 4, 2010 at the Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Oregon. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

If you thought that Oregon was fast last year, you are in for a surprise in 2011.  The Ducks lost a good amount of strength at their skill positions in the graduation of Jeff Maehl and D.J. Davis, but the 2011 recruiting class will prove to be one of the fastest in the nation. 

With the additions of Tacoi Sumler, DeAnthony Thomas, Devon Blackman, B.J. Kelley, Colt Lyerla and Rahsaan Vaughn, Oregon landed the fastest recruitment class in the nation. 

That speed is added to an already lethal core of speeders: With LaMichael James, Kenjon Barner, Cliff Harris and Josh Huff, the Ducks should be able to outrun any team in the nation. 

If other teams stand a chance, they need to work on their tackling pursuit angles because there is no way any team is going to be able to run down the Ducks in 2011.

2. Chip Kelly

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CORVALLIS, OR - DECEMBER 4: Head coach Chip Kelly speaks with quarterback Darron Thomas #1 and running back LaMichael James #21 of the Oregon Ducksin the second quarter of the game against the the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium on December 4, 2010

The Ducks are lucky that they have such talented players and supportive alumni, but how all this madness runs is through the mastermind himself: Chip Kelly.

The triple-option offensive scheme that Oregon runs is like no other offense in the nation.  He keeps teams guessing more often than any coach I’ve ever seen. 

He calls a fake punt against their hated rival Oregon State in the third quarter up only nine on their own 28-yard line.  Chip Kelly has all the guts in the world and the chant “Big Balls Chip” can be heard anywhere on campus. 

The one thing Chip Kelly can do to ensure the Ducks win the national title game is to fool teams that have had months to prepare for him.  The last three big games the Ducks have played on national television (Boise State, Ohio State, Auburn) have all ended in a loss. 

If Chip Kelly can continue to confuse and out-scheme the opposing team, the Ducks have a very good chance at returning and winning the national championship.

1. Experience

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EUGENE, OR - OCTOBER 13: The Oregon Duck mascot is carried by the crowd against the Washington State Cougars at Autzen Stadium October 13, 2007 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

The No. 1 reason the Ducks will win the national championship is their experience in big-time games.  Although the Ducks have lost their last two bowl games, Oregon has gained valuable experience. 

Losing in a very close game to the Auburn Tigers on a questionable down-by-contact call on Michael Dyer’s run late in the fourth quarter, the Ducks held their own. 

Last year, the Ducks beat Andrew Luck and the No. 9 Stanford Cardinal by 21 points.  Oregon then went to USC and beat Matt Barkley and the Trojans by 21 points. 

With their star performers returning on both offense and defense and the poise and experience that the Ducks have gained from nationally-televised games, Oregon is in perfect position to win the 2012 national championship.