A new era has dawned at Oregon. Mike Bellotti has taken up residence in the athletic director’s suite for the Ducks, handing over the reins of the football program after a 14-year run of unprecedented success in Eugene. Now at the helm is Chip Kelly, the wunderkind offensive coordinator with only two years’ experience at the FBS level.

While the transition from Bellotti to Kelly was smooth, a new tone has been established around the program. Gone is the easygoing, West Coast personality of Bellotti. In is the gruff, East Coast presence of Kelly.

“It’s clearly different,” senior tight end Ed Dickson says. “He gets people’s attention.”

What the Ducks hope won’t change is the prolific success of the Oregon offense over the last 20 years, and the run of bowl appearances and national rankings that came along with it. Oregon finished last season ranked 10th in the nation by the Associated Press after surprising Oklahoma State in the Holiday Bowl. For the second straight year, Kelly took an unheralded quarterback — first Dennis Dixon, then Jeremiah Masoli — and developed him into a prolific dual threat in the spread-option offense.

Unlike Dixon, Masoli is back for another season with Kelly. But similar success isn’t a sure thing for Oregon in 2009. The Ducks lost three starters from both the offensive line and defensive line, plus all four team captains from last fall. A lack of leadership and experienced line play isn’t much of a formula for winning in the Pac-10.

Quarterbacks

Masoli is expected to lead the Ducks again in 2009. He’s a powerful runner who improved as a passer last fall. His leadership style was stoic in his first year in the program, but Masoli made an effort to become more vocal in the spring. The backup is expected to be Nate Costa, after Justin Roper decided to transfer to Montana. Costa, would do well to simply stay healthy and take a few snaps in games after knee injuries crippled him each of the last two years. The future is Dixon clone Darron Thomas, who could be in a position to redshirt if the Ducks stay healthy this fall.

Running backs

After a tumultuous offseason in which he flirted with leaving for the NFL and was suspended for missing workouts and classes, LeGarrette Blount hopes to make noise for the right reasons this fall. He’ll have every opportunity to carry the load for the Ducks after the graduation of Jeremiah Johnson, and with his powerful style Blount can make a compelling case to be a high NFL Draft pick. Because the Ducks weren’t able to snare top recruit Bryce Brown, depth is a little thin. Andre Crenshaw is a versatile back who can’t seem to stay healthy, and Remene Alston is a powerfully built runner who broke his foot last fall. The breakout candidate is redshirt freshman LaMichael James, who will draw comparisons to his fellow diminutive Texan, Jacquizz Rodgers of Oregon State, though James is actually much quicker and Rodgers is the more physical runner.

Receivers

Hands down, the most encouraging progress of the offseason was made by Jamere Holland, a transfer from USC who was one false move from being kicked off the team last fall but who found some direction over the winter. Holland is Oregon’s fastest player and has good ball skills; now he’s dedicated to learning his playbook and developing disciplined practice habits, too. “I’ve been B.S.’ing a lot the last couple years,” Holland says. “It’s time for me to step up as a leader for the team and contribute.” In the slot, Jeff Maehl provides the most experience at receiver. There are some intriguing newcomers, too: freshman Blake Cantu, who greyshirted last fall; tall, lanky red zone threat Lavasier Tuinei, who was on hand in the spring; and hulking speedster Tyrece Gaines, a junior college transfer set to arrive over the summer. Tight end Ed Dickson is a dangerous receiving threat. The Ducks also like redshirt freshman Dion Jordan, a converted wideout, so much that Georgia transfer NaDerris Ward was moved to the offensive line in the spring.

Offensive linemen

One of the nation’s best running teams the last two years, the Ducks will transition from a line of road-graders to a younger, more nimble group. Seniors Max Unger, Fenuki Tupou and Mark Lewis were all among the best in the Pac-10, and their size and power will be missed. The key question is who will replace Unger at center, given the Ducks’ reliance on the shotgun snap. Junior Jordan Holmes is the leader of this unit and Oregon’s most experienced guard, but he’s also the most dependable center, and the backups, led by Carson York, lack seasoning. Returning starters Bo Thran and C.E. Kaiser sat out the spring with injuries. They’re both expected to start this fall, though underclassmen Darrion Weems and Nick Cody got a lot of valuable practice time in April, which will perhaps alleviate the concerns Oregon has about its depth given the loss of six seniors to graduation.

Defensive linemen

Other side of the ball, same story: Three senior starters lost, not much experience among the potential replacements. Headlining the graduates was sack specialist Nick Reed, who didn’t look like an All-American but absolutely played at that level. Reed’s bookend, Will Tukuafu, is expected to develop into one of the Pac-10’s best this fall. Across from him is pass-rusher Kenny Rowe, and junior college transfer Zac Clark is also in the mix. In the middle, senior plugger Simi Toeaina seemed to finally emerge in the spring, and Blake Ferras will have to step up after a quiet junior year. The intriguing option is undersized converted end Brandon Bair, who presents a unique challenge with his height and agility if he can consistently gain leverage. Junior college transfer Terrance Montgomery should see action, too, so while the Ducks’ starting unit might not be as good as in past years, they may have enough depth to field a solid unit.

Linebackers

Injuries and recruiting whiffs have haunted Oregon in the past few years, but that’s no longer the case. Juniors Spencer Paysinger and Casey Matthews are budding stars, and sophomore outside linebacker Eddie Pleasant tested out as one of the team’s three fastest players over the winter. Matthews is a true run-stuffer in the middle, capitalizing on instincts worthy of his famous family pedigree, including his father, Clay, and brother Clay Jr. Paysinger is a mobile weak-side linebacker and one of the unit’s smartest players. Among the backups, junior college transfer Bryson Littlejohn looked like a beast in the spring after only a couple of weeks, and sophomores Josh Kaddu and Dewitt Stuckey will be able to spell the starters.

Defensive backs

The Ducks suffered two significant losses in rover Patrick Chung, the heart and soul of the defense, and cornerback Jairus Byrd. The good news is, lockdown corner Walter Thurmond III and punishing safety T.J. Ward are back to lead the unit. At cornerback, veterans Talmadge Jackson III and Willie Glasper lead the battle to replace Byrd, though redshirt freshmen Kenjon Barner and Scott Grady, sophomore Anthony Gildon and perhaps even true freshman Cliff Harris could factor into the mix. At rover, special teams star Marvin Johnson needs to recover from chronic knee problems to challenge Javes Lewis for the job. Johnson has a nice size-speed blend, and Lewis is a heady sophomore.

Specialists

Oregon is on shaky ground here. Two true freshmen — kicker Mike Bowlin and punter Jackson Rice — are expected to contend for starting jobs. Byrd’s early departure to the NFL will be felt on the punt return team; his return for a touchdown at Purdue last fall was a season-defining moment. Chung was also a special teams standout. Thurmond is a top kickoff returner, however, and Holland, the team’s fastest player, will be in the running to return punts.

This preview appears in the 2009 Athlon Sports Pac-10 Magazine. Click here to order yours today.

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