Oregon Ducks Spring Game (May 2nd 11am Pac-12 Net)

[UOducksTK1]

I picked Dish because they have the Pac-12 Networks, no complains so far minus how much you have to pay..

Anyway back to the game, my impressions:
-Addison and Nelson are studs. Addison is so versatile and we can practically use him in anyway offensively (even at QB). Nelson is very special and can play both sides. Carrington also looked good.
-Hard to get a read on QB play, but it's probably a Lockie vs VA battle this Fall.
-Our running game looked great (Tyner/Freeman/Benoit), except Brooks-James

Basically, there's very little from the spring game that you can come away with. It's just nice to see our skill positions guys thriving. As long as we get a QB who can operate this offense, it'll be another successful year.

[QuackininBama]

VA will get the start, no doubt in my mind. And that makes us INSTANT contenders for the playoffs. We will know a lot more after week two though. If we can win in E.Lansing, then we are right up there with the best teams in the nation again.

[QuackininBama]

So from those who saw the game what was your impressions of our defense? Ohio St did pretty much whatever they wanted to do, and losing Armstead sure didn't help our cause on the line so did anyone see anything that gave you confidence going into this season?

[hjpop]

Kaumatele definitely put his stamp on things and should make a good showing this fall. Overall, the defense was showing its late-season form and I think plugging in the backups during the season helped give them experience. There were some pass plays that went way too long for comfort (i.e. Nelson's TDs) but it may have been more his speed than a blown assignment.

I'm still not sure why people are so down on Lockie, considering he showed consistently the past couple of spring games that he knows the playbook and is comfortable with it. VA may come in during the fall camp but he won't win it without putting up a lot more effort to get it.

[Tray Dub]

VA will get the start, no doubt in my mind. And that makes us INSTANT contenders for the playoffs. We will know a lot more after week two though. If we can win in E.Lansing, then we are right up there with the best teams in the nation again.

Totally disagree. Lockie was very impressive in his gameplay yesterday, and more importantly everyone's praising his leadership. Coaches talk about the players really reacting to his words, and his quotes in today's paper struck me as very articulate and assured. I think he's the favorite right now, and I for one would be pretty excited about having him start.

[greenyellow]

VA will get the start, no doubt in my mind. And that makes us INSTANT contenders for the playoffs. We will know a lot more after week two though. If we can win in E.Lansing, then we are right up there with the best teams in the nation again.

Totally disagree. Lockie was very impressive in his gameplay yesterday, and more importantly everyone's praising his leadership. Coaches talk about the players really reacting to his words, and his quotes in today's paper struck me as very articulate and assured. I think he's the favorite right now, and I for one would be pretty excited about having him start.

I still think the problem with Lockie is he's yet to show the ability to throw down the field. Yesterday, most of his passes were 10 yard and in passes that got turned into big gains by the talented skill position guys around him. Until he shows the ability to stretch the defense vertically, he doesn't really have much of an advantage over anyone else besides time in the system.

[Tray Dub]

VA will get the start, no doubt in my mind. And that makes us INSTANT contenders for the playoffs. We will know a lot more after week two though. If we can win in E.Lansing, then we are right up there with the best teams in the nation again.

Totally disagree. Lockie was very impressive in his gameplay yesterday, and more importantly everyone's praising his leadership. Coaches talk about the players really reacting to his words, and his quotes in today's paper struck me as very articulate and assured. I think he's the favorite right now, and I for one would be pretty excited about having him start.

I still think the problem with Lockie is he's yet to show the ability to throw down the field. Yesterday, most of his passes were 10 yard and in passes that got turned into big gains by the talented skill position guys around him. Until he shows the ability to stretch the defense vertically, he doesn't really have much of an advantage over anyone else besides time in the system.

That's fair, except I think there's another big advantage: leadership. If people are buying into him as a team leader, that means a hell of a lot. Getting the team on the same page, knowing how to navigate leader-follower relationships, becoming trusted... these things are difficult, critical for quarterbacks, and very valuable. If Lockie has become a real leader on the team – and I admit I'm just going off short quotes in the newspaper and stuff, but if – that's a big boost to his stock, and would mean that Adams would have to be a major cut above Lockie in physical ability and/or he'd have to quickly establish himself as also a strong leader (and without much time to develop personal relationships with his teammates).

Does Lockie have the arm? Not sure, he's definitely not atrocious on that front but I don't know how good he really is. Does he have the athleticism? I think yeah, enough to get the job done anyways. Does he have all the intangibles, the leadership, the decision-making, the intuition? We won't know until we know, but the signals we're hearing indicate that he very well might. From all that I think we should have a lot of hope for him.

[GrandpaDuck]

I'd feel bad for Vernon Adams if he didn't win the starting job because of what he gave up to come here, but I don't think it is a lock that he'll start unless he got a guarantee like Eddie Pleasant did to switch positions from his starting SAM spot.

I watched about six of his games before I had any idea he might come to Oregon because I sometimes watch the Root network Big Sky replays when I have insomnia.

My impressions were, Vernon is short and although he is quick and shifty he isn't fast and has a hard time making the corner. He was sacked almost 4 times a game last year. He throws a lot of balls up for grabs, but his receivers were vastly better than the Big Sky DBs. (Oregon has some good receivers too though.)

Lockie is bigger and faster. Seems to be much more careful with the ball and throughout his Oregon career completes a really high percentage of his passes. With his familiarity with the system and players and his extra length to field the countless bad snaps we'll see, I think Lockie will have a good shot if there is indeed an actual open competition.

[OregonFan4Life]

I was at the game, it was fun like usual. It was so great to see Mariota honored like that, the crowd cheered so loud for him, I loved it. Looked like he may have been tearing up during that thank you video. Just to give my quick impressions:

Most impressive players:
Jeff Lockie: obviously he's not Mariota but he looked much improved from last year! With what I saw from him he looks trustworthy to lead this offense next year if it comes to that.
Thomas Tyner: Didn't get much action but he looks quicker to me! He and Freeman will make he best RB duo in the nation.
Charles Nelson: What can't he do? Incredible performance from him! Whether it's on offense or defense, he knows how to get the ball and do big things with it.

Most disappointing players:
Darren Carrington One of our most reliable WR's last year had some real butterfingers yesterday. Overall there were way too many dropped passes but he seems to be the biggest victim.
Ty Griffin: Loads of talent but he didn't look comfortable and made some head scratching plays.
Centers: I didn't see who the centers were but it sure looks like Grassu will be missed.

This team has loads of talent, even without Mariota. Having Addison back will be a huge boost and hopefully the RB's and OLine will stay healthy as that will give us a tremendous running game! Now the last two seasons there has been a lot of sloppiness, specifically penalties and dropped passes have killed us. From what I saw yesterday I'm afraid that may be an issue again.

Overall though, I see reason for optimism this season, they may not compete for a national championship but they certainly will compete for the Pac-12 championship.

[gogreen55]

Most disappointing players:
Darren Carrington One of our most reliable WR's last year had some real butterfingers yesterday. Overall there were way too many dropped passes but he seems to be the biggest victim.
Ty Griffin: Loads of talent but he didn't look comfortable and made some head scratching plays.
Centers: I didn't see who the centers were but it sure looks like Grassu will be missed.

I am surprised you would list Carrington over Evan Baylis. Carrington had a mix of good plays and bad plays. Baylis was just repeatedly awful and reminded everyone what a huge loss Pharaoh Brown was/is.

[RanDux]

VA will get the start, no doubt in my mind. And that makes us INSTANT contenders for the playoffs. We will know a lot more after week two though. If we can win in E.Lansing, then we are right up there with the best teams in the nation again.

Totally disagree. Lockie was very impressive in his gameplay yesterday, and more importantly everyone's praising his leadership. Coaches talk about the players really reacting to his words, and his quotes in today's paper struck me as very articulate and assured. I think he's the favorite right now, and I for one would be pretty excited about having him start.

I still think the problem with Lockie is he's yet to show the ability to throw down the field. Yesterday, most of his passes were 10 yard and in passes that got turned into big gains by the talented skill position guys around him. Until he shows the ability to stretch the defense vertically, he doesn't really have much of an advantage over anyone else besides time in the system.

Lockie expressed some disappointment over that very thing:

"We didn't get a chance to stretch the field as much as I maybe wanted, but that's what happens when you can throw it five yards to Charles Nelson and see him take it for 50," said Lockie, who led four scoring drives and had a fifth ended by a high snap from center Jake Pisarcik. "I can't complain. We were getting in the end zone the way I wanted to."

He did what he was asked to by those calling the plays. It would have been nice to see him asked to do more, but that is kind of the way we do things. Even Mariota usually was asked to throw short passes and let the receivers make the plays.

[Phenom]

Carrington and Springs had a good battle going. Even got chippy at times. it was fun to see.

[OregonFan4Life]

Most disappointing players:
Darren Carrington One of our most reliable WR's last year had some real butterfingers yesterday. Overall there were way too many dropped passes but he seems to be the biggest victim.
Ty Griffin: Loads of talent but he didn't look comfortable and made some head scratching plays.
Centers: I didn't see who the centers were but it sure looks like Grassu will be missed.

I am surprised you would list Carrington over Evan Baylis. Carrington had a mix of good plays and bad plays. Baylis was just repeatedly awful and reminded everyone what a huge loss Pharaoh Brown was/is.

I completely forgot about Baylis as well as French, I thought French looked really good but you're right about Baylis, that was a poor performance from him. I guess Carrington stood out so much cause of how well he played the last time we saw him. Man this team really has been snakebitten with injuries lately, Brown really is a giant loss. Hopefully at some point their luck turns around!

[UOducksTK1]

Most disappointing players:
Darren Carrington One of our most reliable WR's last year had some real butterfingers yesterday. Overall there were way too many dropped passes but he seems to be the biggest victim.
Ty Griffin: Loads of talent but he didn't look comfortable and made some head scratching plays.
Centers: I didn't see who the centers were but it sure looks like Grassu will be missed.

I am surprised you would list Carrington over Evan Baylis. Carrington had a mix of good plays and bad plays. Baylis was just repeatedly awful and reminded everyone what a huge loss Pharaoh Brown was/is.

Yeah I didn't think Carrington would make a disappointing players list. Sure he had a couple drops, but he still looked great out there, and made lots of plays.

Baylis though... He's gotta work on those hands.

[UOducksTK1]

Kaumatele definitely put his stamp on things and should make a good showing this fall. Overall, the defense was showing its late-season form and I think plugging in the backups during the season helped give them experience. There were some pass plays that went way too long for comfort (i.e. Nelson's TDs) but it may have been more his speed than a blown assignment.

I'm still not sure why people are so down on Lockie, considering he showed consistently the past couple of spring games that he knows the playbook and is comfortable with it. VA may come in during the fall camp but he won't win it without putting up a lot more effort to get it.

Someone mentioned this to me, but Kaumatele definitely looks like he can add a lot more weight. Once he hits his peak at Oregon, both physically and in terms of talent, he's going to be dominant.