BYB Top 25 Countdown - #2 Oregon Ducks

Oregon QB Marcus Mariota

While much has been made about the loss of Chip Kelly to the NFL not near enough has been said about what still remains at Oregon. While Kelly was responsible for taking former coach Mike Bellotti’s blueprint for a house and building a mansion in its place, his best contractor Mark Helfrich is fully capable of continuing to build the Oregon program.

Helfrich, the offensive coordinator in 2012, assumes control of machine powered by Nike money that continues to churn out talented quarterbacks, standout running backs and NFL caliber defenders. New offensive coordinator Scott Frost inherits an offensive unit led by returning starter Marcus Mariota, who in one season at the helm, eclipsed what many of his predecessors had accomplished in a single season, passing for 2,677 yards and 32 TDs and rushing for 752 yards and five TDs.

Mariota is joined by all-purpose nightmare De’Anthony Thomas, who had 1,757 total yards and 18 TDs in 2012, making an impact at running back, receiver and in the return game. Byron Marshall will accept some of the rushing chores left from Kenjon Barner’s move to the NFL.

Aside from Thomas, Mariota will also have three returning starters at receiver, Josh Huff, Keanon Lowe and Daryle Hawkins and a returning tight end Colt Lyerla as targets. The line returns line starters from 2012 and the two new faces on the starting line are seniors.

The Ducks return seven starters on a balanced defense that finished in the middle of the pack against the run and pass but were 25th nationally in scoring defense, giving up 21.6 points per game.

Oregon should improve a passing defense that finished 56th nationally with the return of all four defensive backs from last season. The team also has depth and experience along the defensive line which should be able to produce the departed Dion Jordan’s productivity.

Before breaking down the schedule fully I thought Stanford was the better choice for Pac 12 North champ but Oregon’s schedule breaks down nicely.

The matchup in Palo Alto Nov. 7 should be for the division and although a road game at Washington presents a hostile environment I can’t see the Ducks losing to any team other than Stanford. I have Oregon at 11-0-1.