Ducks Attack Message Board Forum

Appreciation thread for those two. Honestly the last time I remember the ducks having good linebacker play. Hope they're doing well as grown men nowadays.

StevensTechU wrote:Appreciation thread for those two. Honestly the last time I remember the ducks having good linebacker play. Hope they're doing well as grown men nowadays.

Who were their back-ups? Since we have been playing ours over 80% of the time so far this season I figure that would be important to consider.

StevensTechU wrote: Sat Sep 14, 2024 9:29 pm Appreciation thread for those two. Honestly the last time I remember the ducks having good linebacker play. Hope they're doing well as grown men nowadays.

Kiko had a good run in Miami, he was always an aggressive hitter. Clay had a stint with Chip….. in Philly as a “coach type” assistant if I remember correctly. It would be nice to know some of the popular player of the past are up to.

What about the second half of last season when Bassa and Jacobs were healthy? I thought they were pretty good, but probably overshadowed by how bad the secondary was.

webfoots2001 wrote: Sat Sep 14, 2024 9:43 pm

StevensTechU wrote:Appreciation thread for those two. Honestly the last time I remember the ducks having good linebacker play. Hope they're doing well as grown men nowadays.

Who were their back-ups? Since we have been playing ours over 80% of the time so far this season I figure that would be important to consider.

Via Chile Duck, for the Fiesta Bowl in 2012 we had

Michael Clay/Derrick Malone
Kiko Alonso/Rahim Cassell
Boseko Lokombo/Tyson Coleman

Standing Edge Dion Jordan/Tony Washington

Aside from the USC shootout, the 2012 D was one of the best that I remembered. Very young (Freshman Armstead, Buckner, Balducci) and very talented (Jordan went 3rd in the draft that spring), Ifo, Troy Hill, T-Mitch, Dargan in the secondary.

Spencer and Casey before Michael/Kiko was another good duo.

Allioti's 425 was a solid scheme but it required smart LB's and typically it was a lot to digest week to week for college players. (No situational play-calling discussion allowed - lol)

Michael Clay has been the ST Coordinator for the Eagles since 2021 taking over for Dave Fipp. Pretty sure he's been on the ST Staff in Philly since Chip was the HC. Not sure what Kiko's been up to since retiring from the league.

Always liked Balducci. Alot of the times the dudes in the middle get no recognition

Funny the names people bring up. We often think the talent level is on the up & up, but that 2012 list of guys is hard to match on the defensive side of the ball. And frankly, it was no revelation with the D Boyz and others before them.

StevensTechU wrote: Sun Sep 15, 2024 8:41 pm Funny the names people bring up. We often think the talent level is on the up & up, but that 2012 list of guys is hard to match on the defensive side of the ball. And frankly, it was no revelation with the D Boyz and others before them.

I have and will continue to argue that the 2012 team was the best and most talented Oregon team of all time. That 2012 Stanford game haunts me far more than any other game in Oregon history cause I know that was the best team in the nation that year and could’ve beaten anyone, including Alabama, by at least two scores. That 2012 Stanford game was just a nightmare game with crappy Pac-12 refs.

The Gang Green group led by Jeremy Asher and Rich Ruhl was a pretty good group. When you consider Oregon’s recruiting footprint back then was Cal, Oregon and WA with a few from NV, ID and AZ. No recruiting stars back then but I would guess they would have been high 3* to mid 4*. Were they the best…. I don’t know but they were absolutely part of the foundation of the product we have today. Another player on that team y’all might have heard of Kenny Wheaton made a play or two.

No position group has a bigger gap between hype and actual on-field play than LB. Bassa looks to still be nursing the ankle injury he suffered against Idaho, and I would assume Jacobs is nursing an injury simply because that’s been the case since he arrived.

I’m excited about Devon Jackson’s development though, and would prefer he start over Bassa at the moment. Bassa is just ok even when he’s healthy, Jackson at least brings dynamic athleticism and has the potential to be a real difference maker.

You could put any two of Jacobs, Bassa, Boettcher, and Jackson on the field and I just don't know if it really matters. I need to see the plays where Jacobs is in more specifically to feel certain about that statement, in fairness.

StevensTechU wrote: Mon Sep 16, 2024 11:18 am You could put any two of Jacobs, Bassa, Boettcher, and Jackson on the field and I just don't know if it really matters. I need to see the plays where Jacobs is in more specifically to feel certain about that statement, in fairness.

Agreed.

StevensTechU wrote: Mon Sep 16, 2024 11:18 am You could put any two of Jacobs, Bassa, Boettcher, and Jackson on the field and I just don't know if it really matters. I need to see the plays where Jacobs is in more specifically to feel certain about that statement, in fairness.

I thought Jackson had a great game against BSU, and was hoping he had turned a corner, but in general, you’re right - Jackson was back to his usual ways against the beavs.

I wonder if Winston could be an inside guy.