Salem-News.com Oregon Ducks articles Page 2

Oregon Football 2014 Preview: Defensive Backs Could Hold the Key to Ducks Success

Dior Mathis made a strong case to secure the other starting job with a fast start to spring drills.

(EUGENE, Ore. ) - Despite the loss of three starters from the 2013 team, there are plenty of familiar faces dotting John Neal's meeting room.

In Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, the Ducks start with possibly the best cornerback in all of college football this year.

Oregon #4 in Pre-Season Coaches Poll; FSU #1

Oregon opens the season Aug. 30 at home against South Dakota.

(EUGENE, Ore. ) - Under the new College Football Playoff format now in effect, every team in the country is playing for one of four coveted spots in the national semifinals to be hosted this season by the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl.

Those spots will be earned through play on the field, when the 2014 season kicks off later this month. The Oregon football team stands a good chance of getting there, according to the preseason coaches’ poll released Thursday by USA Today.

Oregon Football 2014 Preview: Ducks Return Talented, Experienced Linebackers

The wild card here is Johnny Ragin III, who is in line to redshirt after transferring from Cal.

(EUGENE, Ore. ) - The Ducks return a pool of talented, experienced linebackers, and that despite weathering some attrition this offseason.

Derrick Malone is the headliner after leading the team with 105 tackles last season, and middle linebacker Rodney Hardrick is Oregon’s third-leading returning tackler after 65 in 2013.

Oregon 2014 Football Preview: Offensive Line Returns Five Starters

An area for improvement, in concert with the rest of the offense, will be red-zone efficiency.

(EUGENE, Ore. ) - All five starters are back, headlined by Hroniss Grasu, who might just be the best center in the country after spurning the NFL draft and remaining in school.

The bookend tackles, Jake Fisher and Tyler Johnstone, also are multi-year starters, and guards Hamani Stevens and Cameron Hunt are back after solidifying starting spots last season.

Oregon 2014 Football Preveiw: Mariota Leads Talented Crop of QB`s at Oregon

Into the mix comes true freshman Morgan Mahalak, an UnderArmour All-American who led his high school team to a 12-1 record while scoring 46.8 points per game last fall.

(EUGENE, Ore. ) - Perhaps the best player in the country leads Oregon into the start of preseason camp on Aug. 4.

There's nobody in the nation the Ducks would trade Marcus Mariota for, after he passed up the chance to be the possible No. 1 overall NFL draft pick this past spring by returning to school.

Oregon 2014 Football Season Preview: Running Backs

The other backs on the depth chart with extensive game experience are Kenny Bassett and Ayele Forde.

(EUGENE, Ore. ) - In junior Byron Marshall and sophomore Thomas Tyner, the Ducks boast what NFL.com calls the best running back tandem in the Pac-12 entering the 2014 season.

Marshall was Oregon’s leading rusher in 2013 with 1,038 yards, despite missing most of the final two regular-season games due to injury.

Oregon Incoming Freshman Ariana Washington Wins Gold

The final day of the World Junior Championships will start Sunday at 3:00 p.m.

(EUGENE, Ore. ) - It was an exciting day for local track and field fans who were treated to a day full of finals at the 2014 IAAF World Junior Track and Field Championships before the world’s best competed in the Run TrackTown High Performance Meet at Hayward Field.

Oregon incoming freshman Ariana Washington helped bring home a gold medal with her leg on the USA’s 4x100 relay which cruised to a win in 43.46. Washington, who finished seventh in the 100 on Wednesday, was happy to finish the meet on a high note.

Ducks Lacrosse Announces Fall Camp

Campers will be divided into groups based on skill level.

(EUGENE, Ore. ) - Oregon Lacrosse’s 2014 Fall Camp will take place on August 23 at Marymoor Park in Redmond, Wash., head coach Jen Beck announced this week.

Girls entering grades 6-12 are eligible for the camp, which will be instructed by the Ducks’ coaching staff and student-athletes.

Oregon`s Brennan Finishes Seventh at World Juniors

There will only be one session of competition, Saturday, which starts at 2:30 p.m.

(EUGENE, Ore. ) - Christian Brennan finished seventh among the best junior quarter-milers in the world at the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships, Friday, in front of 8,937 track and field faithful at Hayward Field.

Brennan, who advanced to the final with a clutch performance on Thursday, finished the 400 in 54.15.

Former Duck Haley Jacob Signs with Champion`s League Club

Jacob was part of Oregon’s run to the NCAA Championship match in 2012.

(BAKU, Azerbaijan) - Former Oregon volleyball standout Haley Jacob signed a three-season contract with SuperLeague power Rabita Baku, which won the bronze medal at the 2013-14 CEV Champions League last season, the top competition for European volleyball clubs.

Jacob, 23, is in her second year as a professional, previously playing with TSV Dudingen of the Swiss League, helping the team to a fifth-place finish in the European Challenge Cup qualification, the highest in club history.