First, here’s a link to the story you already know about:

Jeremiah Masoli suspended for 2010 season. LaMichael James gets one game suspension.

It’s interesting that on Thursday John Canzano perfectly called the case results. Also interesting that he was so kind in his assessment of the punishments. Perhaps Chip and John made a deal…the scoop for leniency.

And while we’re throwing out theories, who’s excited for Jeremiah Masoli’s return to Autzen Stadium September 18 as the fearless leader of the Portland State Vikings? Anyone? Nah, probably won’t happen. Right?

Anyway, enough about quarterbacks that don’t play for Oregon. Let’s talk future!

Darron Thomas is now QB1.  The Texan has an impressive high school resume and has performed well in limited opportunities through his first two seasons on campus. After redshirting in 2009, he will be a sophomore in 2010 and in position to lock down the quarterback role for the future.

Obviously,  the company line is going to be that the job is wide open with Nate Costa in strong contention but anyone who’s being honest about the situation knows this is Thomas’ job to lose.

More on Thomas:

From ESPN.com Recruiting Profile:

“Thomas is a fantastic dual-threat quarterback who is perfect for the spread offense. He has nice size and a wiry frame to add bulk. He’s a sleek athlete who could easily play another position and could develop into a special wide out. He is an excellent athlete for the position. He can make plays on the move rolling right or left. He shows solid quickness getting to the throwing point and has a very good feel for front and backside pressure. He can make plays outside the pocket with his feet or with his arm. He is a “street-ball” type of quarterback –can make plays when everything around him breaks down and it looks like there is nothing there. He is a solid open-field runner — can make people miss.However, he will surprise you with his willingness to hang in the pocket prior to escaping. Shows decent patience and displays quality accuracy on a consistent basis.

http://insider.espn.go.com/ncf/recruiting/tracker/player?recruitId=49862

From Scout.com

“‘I’m a good athlete. At quarterback I can drop back and throw with a lot of power and accuracy. I can run the ball too and take it the distance. I’m a real dual-threat, but I’d like to improve the basics…my fundamentals and reading coverages.’”

Scout lists his 40 yard dash at 4.50 seconds which is some blazing speed at just about any position.

http://oregon.scout.com/a.z?s=128&p=8&c=1&nid=2956047

From GoDucks.com Player Bio

Thomas is listed at 6′-3″, 205 lbs. If you look at his high school listings, that would suggest he’s added somewhere between 10 and 20 lbs. in two years at Oregon suggesting he’s more physically ready for the role he’s about to take on.

The site also note that Thomas ran for 900 yards as a senior  and threw for 2,576.

http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=1550474

From Rivals.com

Darron Thomas was ranked as the country’s sixth best dual-threat quarterback.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/oregon/football/recruiting/rankings/rank-1819

Welcome to the official, “we didn’t want him anyway” post. Jeremiah Masoli to be charged in the infamous theft case? Eh, didn’t want him in the first place. LaMichael James changing his plea? Psh, not like he was the best back we ever recruited.

Right? Who’s with me? Still need some convincing? Just check out these side by side comparisons based on actual facts. Click on the projected stats link for Seastrunk. It’s mind-boggling how good he is going to be (and one has to wonder how long before ESPN sends a team of lawyers to my door step).

I think we can all agree that Oregon is in fine shape for the 2010 season and, in fact, may have just improved their standing with the criminal charges being brought against these supposed “superstars.”

It was the game the rivalry deserved. And now that it’s over, just a few simple words say it all. The Ducks are going to the Rose Bowl.

Wow.

The game wasn’t always always clean, but it was one for the ages.

Ducks and Beavers traded blows for 60 minutes and as has been the case all season, Oregon wore its opponent down in the second half and asserted itself when the game entered the decisive stages.

Until then, it looked like the Beavers might take control and use a script laid out by the Ducks in 2008 to ruin the home team’s Rose Bowl dreams. But would you believe that when things were at their worst, Chip Kelly would turn to LeGarrette Blount for the first time since the season opener?

Putting Blount in the game while facing a nine point deficit seemed crazy. Turns out, it was brilliant as the big back came up with a huge touchdown to draw Oregon within two at 30-28.

From there, LaMichael James became dominant, turning in a 52 yard lead-taking touchdown run on the next offensive series. The defense began to shine after giving up scores on five consecutive drives between the second and third quarters.

When the game was on the line in the final six minutes, it was fitting to see Jeramiah Masoli, James and Blount all turning in huge plays to ultimately ensure the Beavers would never get another chance.

Oregon State played a great game. Sean Canfield looks like a bonafide pro. The Rodgers brothers are ridiculously talented. And they all deserve a much better bowl than what might be available after Saturday’s games. The Holiday had better think long and hard about the Beavers who would travel well and be an ideal representative for the Pac-10 in the league’s second best bowl.

But I’m sure opponent respect isn’t what the Beavers were after. Clearly, they wanted the spoils of the victor, but Thursday, those were reserved for Oregon.

As the final seconds ticked down and melted into a post game celebration where fans could not and would not leave, the scene at Autzen Stadium seemed surreal even through ESPN’s cameras a state away.

I sat and watched. And smiled. And kept smiling. And then I saw that first red rose, and Oh My God! The Ducks are in the Rose Bowl! That really just happened. How sweet it is.

It’s Thursday, December 3, 2009 and you know what that means.

This is no time to be timid. Oregon State is thine enemy and no mercy can be shown. Roses are on the line, winner take all and while flowers might seem like a silly thing to play for, to a collegiate man, there’s nothing more valuable.

But don’t mistake the Rose Bowl as the only thing on the line tonight. It’s not all these guys are playing for. Mike Bellotti would tell you it’s for the right to live in the state (well, if you actually live there). Co-workers, family and friends are just a tad more bearable when you have the W on your side.

I come into this game more nervous than a year ago. Perhaps it’s because Oregon’s stakes are higher, but I think it has more to do with knowing the Ducks aren’t dropping 65 on the Beavers two years in a row. By default, this game has to be more competitive.

FOTB Pick

But also, the Beavers have their full arsenal on offense with Jacquizz Rodgers healthy this year. Say what you will about the debate between him and LaMichael James running the football, but Rodgers is also the Pac-10’s second leading receiver. He’s dynamic and it’s something OSU didn’t have a year ago.

Still, Autzen Stadium is the security blanket. The defense is far better in front of the home fans and the offense’s worst output in Pac-10 play was 42 points against Cal. The Ducks have been more dominant at home this season than any in recent memory.

At some point, with the raucous energy of the crowd behind them, Oregon is going to have that opportunity to deliver a couple of haymakers. Chip Kelly will put the pedal to the metal and the Beavers won’t know what hit them. I can see this game turning over a 5-10 minute span of defensive and offensive playmaking that demoralizes the orange and black.

But enough already. It’s all words and there’s really nothing left to discuss. It’s been two weeks of rehashed stereotypes and storylines.

The only thing left unsaid is 60 minutes of football. We’re just hours away. Your travel agent is standing by.

I may still be in ICU but they can’t stop me from blogging. Some Sunday thoughts…

1. Let’s just get this out of the way. Arizona played a hell of a game. Oregon put up 44 on them, but I felt that was the best defense Oregon has faced all season. The Wildcats were disciplined and accounted for every movement Jeremiah Masoli made. The game was a battle and it took a gritty, championship performance for Oregon to leave with a win.
2. Arizona’s fans, on the other hand, failed miserably. Who gets ready to rush the field as the other team positions itself to tie the game? That was a “haven’t been there, haven’t done that” moment for the Wildcat faithful.
   

   The blog's facial expression has been stuck in the above form since roughly 9:05 p.m. on Nov. 21.

3. Nate Costa proved that you don’t have to be a regular player to make a huge impact. I’m comfortable making the claim that his work on the extra point to tie the game with 6 seconds left was the greatest hold in the history of football. And kicker Morgan Flint did a fantastic job of being patient and putting it through as Costa got the ball down. Neither player panicked under stressful circumstances and the Ducks were able to force overtime.
4. Jeremiah Masoli is on the verge of an invite to New York for the Heisman ceremony. How could he not be? Six touchdowns, 345 total yards of offense, a 15 play, 80 yard game winning tying drive and a stellar overtime all with a Rose Bowl on the line is the work of one of college football’s best players. He should be rewarded for the way he has played. Of course, the Civil War will dictate just how worthy he is of such an honor.
5. LaMichael James isn’t just a good runner, he’s also clutch. James wasn’t getting the carries throughout the second half, but when he got the call late in the game and in overtime, his determined effort and innate vision saved Oregon. He’s also now a Pac-10 record holder with the most rushing yards for a freshman in conference history.
6. There’s no doubt Oregon got lucky. They recovered early fumbles and Morgan Flint got a fateful forward bounce off the crossbar to tie the game in the fourth quarter. But as he lined up for that kick, I couldn’t help but think of the pressure kick they had him do in practice earlier this week (he made it). I had a soccer coach that always said, “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.” In this case, the Oregon coaches put Flint in a position to feel confident on that kick. Preparation has a lot to do with who gets lucky.
7. Comment of the day goes to FOTB’s visiting friend/acting sister as she lay on the couch while Masoli scored the winning touchdown. As FOTB and the blog jump around hysterically, she calmly  – and seriously – said: “So the Ducks won, right?” Oregon football: it’s not for everyone.
8. Take Chip’s advice and allow yourself a day of celebration. A Civil War for the ages looms, but we can worry about that on Monday. Today, the blog is going to revel in the moment.

Chip Kelly announced today that LeGarrette Blount has an opportunity for reinstatement and can be eligible as early as the Stanford game on November 7.

As you read about Blount continuing to do the right thing in the wake of the incident, one couldn’t help but root for this moment.

We’re talking about a guy that messed up big time, but also about a guy who loves the University of Oregon and seemed to accept his fate not just with words, but with his actions as well.

With so many millions of dollars at stake, you have a right to be skeptical of the sincerity, but a year was always too long of a punishment. It served to quell the immediate uprising more than to dole out appropriate justice.

Now, he’ll have his chance to prove to everyone that there’s more to LeGarrette Blount than a bad moment stuck in perpetual replay on SportsCenter.

For Kelly, it’s obviously a simpler decision given that the team has succeeded without him. If the Ducks had gone 0-4 (or even 2-2), pressure on Kelly would be mounting and the move would look like an act of desperation. Instead, LaMichael James has emerged at running back and Blount can be folded back into the mix without it looking like anything more than a second chance.

You may not agree with the decision, but it’s clear Kelly is a man of conviction who does what he believes is right regardless of public perception. It’s not like he or the program needs this, because after a three game winning streak, Kelly had finally brought calm to a stormy first month on the job.

Now he’s virtually ensured all but Barnum and Bailey will be on campus from here on out. It’s a huge risk, but one Kelly feels is worth taking for the sake of an individual.

As Kelly said in his press conference, “You’re going to get critiqued in this job every step of the way. My concern is LeGarrette.”

It’s not for the cameras or any of our moral righteousness, simply for LeGarrette Blount.

Seeing as how I reported Ed Dickson missing a couple weeks ago, figured I'd let Oregon know I found him.

Sunday is so much nicer after a win.

1. I’m young. I always operate under the assumption that football started in 1994. So when I say that was the best all-around performance in a regular season game by Oregon, it’s without a lot of perspective. Still, it’s hard to imagine the Ducks ever being more abusive to a top ten team.
2. Chin up Cal, you’re not the first to see dreams die at the hands of Autzen. Now, do you understand?
3. As one text I got during the game said, “anything you can do, we can do worser!” Every time Oregon made a mistake, Cal returned the favor whether it was a fumble or a five yard punt.
4. For those of you watching the game on TV, how excited are you for ABC’s new comedy lineup? Kelsey Grammer is a businessman turned family man in Hank! It’s hilarious!
5. Can we hire someone to permanently follow Jeremiah Masoli and berate him? I figure the more we heckle this guy, the better chance we have of willing him to a Heisman Trophy. Most of us need food and water to subsist. He apparently feeds only on your doubts.
6. Jahvid Best, you may formally transfer your Heisman Trophy application to LaMichael James. If you need the address, let me know.
7. Note: The previous two Heisman statements are jokes. Let’s not get carried away here.
8. Andy Ludwig should be forever banned from Autzen Stadium. Well, he’s welcome anytime as far as I’m concerned, but I would just leave him at home if I’m Tedford.
9. For those of you wanting some Nate Costa against Cal, wish granted.
10. Someone send John Canzano a schedule and ask him if he can find six wins for Oregon. Just sayin’.
11. Speaking of which, how good does the schedule look all of a sudden?
12. Uh, Washington fans, consider this our response to the loud barking you’ve been doing in the wake of your USC win. We’ll be ready.

If there is a diametric opposite in this universe to what we witnessed against Boise State, it was shown for four hours Saturday in Autzen Stadium. It was as dominant a performance as has ever been seen from an Oregon team and in drubbling Cal 42-3, the Ducks announced their return to the Pac-10 title race.

Of course, they never really left, but most had written them off after losing to Boise State. In ESPN’s College Pick ‘Em game, 93% of the nation picked Cal and with a high level of confidence. Everyone loved Cal, save for zany fans incapable of objective analysis (guilty). Oregon had even dropped in the rankings after beating Purdue and barely registered after a win over Utah.

None of that matters, but it shows just how far off the radar Oregon had gone. On the opening kick with Walter Thurmond III fumbling and getting injured, it looked like the nation might be right. Then, Oregon went three and out on the first offensive possession. Followed that up with a fumble, but on the same play, Cal’s Josh Hill fumbled the recovery back to Oregon and the Ducks ended up with a first down. From there, the snowball rolled downhill into a mountainous avalanche of  California dream busting.

But before you can compliment the offense on its coming out party, you have to recognize what the defense did. Because really, that’s what won this game. The inauspicious start could have gone bad quickly, but the defense buckled down and stopped any thoughts of Cal rolling up an early lead. No TJ Ward? Whatever. Walter Thurmond III’s not going to be available? Big deal. Without what would be considered Oregon’s top two defensive players, the Ducks put on an effort for the ages.

They gave up a measly three points on a drive that they forced Cal to a net of negative eight yards. The Bears never reached the 20 yard line. In fact, Cal’s best drive was stopped at the  Ducks 26 and ended in a missed field goal. In the end, the Bears were held to 45 points under their average. And Jahvid Best’s Heisman campaign? Buried.

Relish the moment for now. On the wild pendulum that is 2009 Oregon football, the expectations are back at a fever pitch. There are more highs and lows to come. Hopefully, more of the former and less of the latter.

1. LaMichael James! I have been willing to drive his bandwagon from the beginning. I’m not sure 27 carries/game is a great idea, but that’s what it took to win on Saturday.

2. Uh, Chip, you have a quarterback controversy whether you like it or not. It doesn’t seem Nate Costa or Darron Thomas were considered at all against Utah and that’s fine. But anytime your quarterback gets three games into a season and still has 0 touchdown passes and seems to be getting worse, let’s face  it, you have to consider the options.

3. I’m trying to think of a better defensive effort by Oregon in recent years. Nothing is coming to mind. Utah started three drives inside Oregon’s 25 yard line and got a total of 10 points from it. Still, I’m really uncomfortable with the concept that the defense is going to win games. This is all too new to me.

4. Good job Morgan Flint. Maybe I just have no confidence in the kicking game, but when he coolly knocked in the field goal  to give Oregon a touchdown lead, I was relieved. Flint is untested in crunch time situations and it was nice to see him put three on the board when it was really needed.

5. I would still like to see a better pass rush. The defensive line is holding it’s own against the run, but despite the stellar overall performance today, in three games, I have yet to feel like Oregon is getting any real pressure on the quarterback. Fortunately, there are few, if any, QBs in the Pac-10 that have proven they can eat you alive if you give them time.

6. The punting units are an adventure. Penalties, touchdowns, blocks, fumbles. Yikes. A little consistency would be nice.

Live from Eugene, Washington, the Oregon Utes overcame their sloppy play on offense to defeat a game Utah Ducks team that saw it’s 18 game winning streak snapped. Quarterback Nate Costa had an awful day throwing the ball, but freshman Rick James  showed he’s a star in the making gaining over 150 yards on the ground. James, who would say after the game, “I’m Rick James, bitch!”, was given the bulk of the running load, leaving fewer carries for Andrew Crenshaw and Kenjon Barner.

The big story for Oregon was a dominant defense that kept Utah at bay. Linebacker Will Tukuafu came up with huge play after play while defensive lineman Spencer Paysinger was everywhere.

I enjoyed my time in the Pacific Southwest, calling this game for Fox Sports. Now, it’s back to SEC country where I actually know what I’m talking about. I think.