Is It Oregon's Turn...???

((HT: KVAL-TV Eugene))

University of Oregon officials have confirmed that the school paid about $28,000 to a pair of recruiting services, but claim the payments and services were within NCAA rules.

Yahoo!Sports is reporting that Oregon paid $25,000 to Will Lyles of Complete Scouting Services in Houston. Lyles has a "mentoring relationship" with Oregon RB Lache Seastrunk. He also has a relationship with running back LaMichael James of an unknown depth at present.

Charles Robinson's story is hyah...

ESPN.com is reporting the NCAA is probing Seastrunk's recruitment. Both Seastrunk and James are from Texas.

It's Schad and Schlabach... hyah...

Here's some silent highlights from Texas on Seastrunk's career to date...
((HT: texaspreps))


The Yahoo report also said that Oregon paid $3,745 to Baron Flenory of New Level Athletics. Flenory told Yahoo he also ran a recruiting service that provided Oregon with information about potential recruits, but the company no longer operates because of a change in NCAA rules. He does, however, run the Badger Sports Elite 7-on-7 football camps, which have had several players- running back Deanthony Thomas, defensive back Cliff Harris, defensive back Dior Mathis and wideout Tacoi Sumler- as attendees.

The Oregon athletic department issued a statement Thursday night that said: "This is something we remain confident that is within the acceptable guidelines allowed by the NCAA and occurred with the knowledge of the department's compliance office."

If a recruit was encouraged to Oregon by Flenory or Lyles, that is an NCAA violation. Both would be technically considered boosters in the eyes of the folks in Indianapolis.

And, ohbytheway, Flenory played for Chip Kelly at New Hampshire.

"We have previously stated that we have not been in contact with anyone from the NCAA or Pacific-10 Conference in regards to these practices and that situation remains unchanged," Oregon's statement said.

Joe Schad discusses with Mike Hill...
((HT: ESPN))


More when we know more...

DEVELOPING TWTW: Bee-Cee-Ess Survives Another Year, It's Auburn And Oregon...

Looks like it'll be Oregon and Auburn in Glendale on January 10th...

Cam Newton passed for a career-best 335 yards and 4 TD's, running for 2 more, as top-alphabet ranked Auburn smoked South Carolina 56-17 for the SEC title at the Georgia Dome.

Newton will likely be picking up the Heisman Trophy next Saturday in New York City.

Here's some early highlights...
((HT: SEC on CBS/Youtube))


Oregon, on the other hand, has their spot for the first time in school history,
beating Oregon State 37-20 in the Civil War game.

LaMichael James ran for 134 yards and 2 TDs and Kenjon Barner had 133 yards with 2 TDs for the Ducks- now 12-0/9-0 in the Pac-10/11/12.

Here's the end of that game...
((HT: ESPN/ABC/Youtube))


The HQ admits that we liked that even the sports drink was green...

TWTW: Oregon Survives Early Scare, Beats Arizona

((HT: KVAL-TV Eugene))

Oregon earned at least a share of its second-straight Pac-10 title and stayed on course for a trip to the BCS national championship game.

Darron Thomas passed for 148 yards and three scores and ran for one more. LaMichael James ran for 126 yards and two scores for the Ducks, now 11-0/8-0, who trailed 19-14 at halftime.

"Yeah, we finally get to eat turkey," Oregon cornerback and return specialist Cliff Harris said.

The Ducks have only won 11 games in a season once before, when they went to the Fiesta Bowl in 2001.

The Ducks can lock up the conference title and a spot in the national championship game in Glendale, Arizona, next week with a victory at Oregon State.

Here's your recap... Nick Krupke, apparently, never gets to go outside...

TWTW: Record Oregon Crowd Sees Ducks Take Huskies

((HT: KVAL-TV Eugene))

This game was actually scoreless after a quarter, leaving the Oregon faithful scratching their collective heads fer sure...

But business picked up and Oregon won 53-16...

Darron Thomas threw for a touchdown and ran for two more, and LaMichael James ran for 121 yards and three more scores. This is the first time the University of Oregon Ducks team has gone 9-0 in program history.

The announced crowd was 60,017- the largest ever at Autzen Stadium...

Bully for them... and don't think people won't be asking for that first quarter game film for the rest of the year, either...

Nick Krupke stands indoors in front of a monitor for the highlights...

TWTW: So Much For That Whole Upset Thing By USC, Oregon Stays Undefeated

((HT: KVAL-TV))

This was a game where a lot of people thought that this would be a tough test for the Oregon Ducks- this was Southern Cal's bowl game... all that...

USC lasted until the mid-point of the third quarter with their 32-29 lead, but then gave up 24 straight to lose 53-32...

LaMichael James ran for 239 yards on the night and the Trojans just couldn't keep up with the well-conditioned sprinters from Eugene.

Nick Krupke has the highlights from way above the Mausoleum...

TWTW: The State Of Oregon Does What It's Supposed To... Beavers Beat Arizona, Oregon Over Wazzu

((HT: KVAL-TV Eugene))

The biggest question for the Oregon-Wazzu game is: Why in the blue hell would the Cougars schedule the Oregon Ducks for homecoming...???

A couple of issues here after the 43-23 win, where the Ducks were listed as a 36-point favorite..

Backup quarterback Nate Costa played the final three quarter after Darron Thomas left with an apparent shoulder injury.

The Ducks were also without backup running back Kenjon Barner for most of the game after getting the worst of a head-to-head collision on a first-quarter kickoff return.

It was pretty nasty, and is in Nick Krupke's highlights below...


Second, so much for Arizona being unbeatable this year...
Ryan Katz threw for 393 yards and two touchdowns as the Oregon Staters upset Arizona and won for the fifth time in a row in the series, 29-27...

The Wildcats, now 4-1, were in the top 10 for the first time since the 1999 preseason rankings. Oregon State, now 3-2, lost standout receiver James Rodgers to a knee injury in the second quarter on a bogus tackle in the endzone as he scored...

Rodgers was hog-collared, clearly after he crossed the plane on an apparent score, and the HQ clearly understands the whole "momentum" thing. But there should have been a flag, and Rodgers may even get a medical redshirt because of this...

At the very least, he's gone for a while...

Krupke takes over again... Brian Elder is on location...

TWTW: Oregon Puts The Hammer Down On Stanford

((HT: KVAL-TV Eugene))

Darron Thomas threw for 238 yards and three TD's to lead Oregon to a 52-31 victory over 9th-ranked Stanford.

The Ducks, now 5-0, fell behind 21-3 in the first quarter, but forced two turnovers in the second half to flip the script in the Ducks favor. LaMichael James ran for 257 yards and three touchdowns.

It was Oregon's 13th straight win at Autzen Stadium and 10th consecutive Pac-10 win.
The Cardinal, dropping to 4-1, have not won a game while ranked in the top 10 since 1970.

Saturday's game was the first time Oregon and Stanford have faced each other as ranked teams. The Cardinal have not started a season 5-0 since 1951, when they won the then-Pacific Coast Conference and a shot at the Rose Bowl.

Nick Krupke was indoors after the game was over...

Go Viks! And Take The Beavers With You! Ducks Win 69-0

((HT: KVAL-TV Eugene))

When Jerry Glanville and Mouse Davis were trying to resurrect the Portland State program, we thought the AARP approach was cool- and the program needed it.

Nowadays, it's just painful...

And the Oregon matchup was an example of just how bad things have gotten...

69-0...

LaMichael James ran for 227 yards on 14 carries with two touchdowns and Oregon won in the Ducks' final tuneup before Pac-10 play.

Oregon set a school record with 528 yards rushing, surpassing the mark 465 set at Washington in 2007.

Nick Krupke has a lot of Duck highlights...

Masoli Suspended For 2011, James Suspended One Game

((HT: KVAL-TV/KMTR-TV Eugene))

University of Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and former backup wide receiver Garrett Embry will not face jail time after pleading guilty to second-degree burglary charges.

In a court hearing Friday afternoon, Masoli and Embry received 12 months probation and 140 hours of community service. In a plea deal, the charges were reduced to misdemeanors.

Masoli and Embry were alleged to have been involved a theft at the SAE fraternity house near the Oregon campus. A fraternity member reported that Masoli and Embry stole two computers and a guitar from the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house.

In addition to probation and community service, Masoli and Embry are required to pay at least $5000 in restitution.

Here's KMTR's coverage of the Masoli case...


Chip Kelly then chose to dole out his punishments...


From the university their ownselves...

"I am extremely disappointed anytime any of our players fall short of our expectations that have been clearly outlined for them in advance on numerous occasions, and this is especially true regarding their roles within the community,” University of Oregon head football coach Chip Kelly said. “Their accountability for their actions is paramount and any tainting of the reputation of the University of Oregon and this football program will not be tolerated.

“I have consistently stated that I will weigh every situation on its individual merits and will determine the consequences after carefully reviewing all the facts available to me. Frequently there are variables involved that I am unable to share in regards to the decisions I make that preclude me from discussing individual cases but I want to eliminate any uncertainly that our level of expectations are the same for all our student-athletes regardless of the role they play on this team.”

James and kicker Rob Beard are suspended for the season opener against New Mexico, and may be eligible to play depending on whether or not they meet Kelly's standards for rehabilitation...

Masoli And Embry Up On Burglary Charges

((HT: KVAL-TV Eugene))

Just what the Oregon Ducks need right now... more Ducks on serious charges...

This time, it's QB Jeremiah Masoli and former team WR Garrett Embry dealing with felony burglary charges. They're set to appear in court Friday- the same day running back LaMichael James is in court to change a plea in a sentencing hearing over the strangulation charges he's facing at present.

Lane County ((OR)) court records show that Masoli and Embry are facing charges with items allegedly stolen from the SAE house on campus back in late January.

Masoli and Embry are facing second degree burglary charges- a Class C felony in the state of Oregon.

Ducks head football coach Chip Kelly is reserving any comment until after tomorrow's decisions in court.

KVAL unleashes team coverage with Laura Rillos and Tom Ward...

LaMichael James jailed...What is it in Oregon?

It appears that there may be either a disciplinary or a character issue with the players on the University of Oregon's football team. Apparently, sometime on Tuesday, LaMichael James, a 20 year old, who was a freshman this past season who was the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year was arrested on domestic violence charges.

James was arrested and charged with: 4th degree assault, menacing and strangulation under Oregon's Abuse Prevention act. As of early Wednesday morning, he was still in jail.

The story from Registerguard.com RIGHT HERE

((LaMichael James is in trouble//Courtesy: LCSO/KMTR.com))

James adds to the criminal role for the Crima-Ducks. Kicker Rob Beard was charged with assault having to do with a fight back in January where he was injured and hospitalized. He had apparently assaulted a woman in the fight. In January, the Crima-Ducks was let go from the team after he was charged with misdemeanor assault in retaliation for Beard's fight.

The list of incidents makes one question the type of player being recruited in Eugene. Though we fully realize that a school will often take on kids that need some care to be successful, this run starts raising a few eyebrows. It seems as though a string of incidents such as this often lead to bigger problems within a program...let's hope that doesn't happen this time.

Here is some video of the aforementioned Mr. James playing football...it remains to be seen if that will still be the case. Thanks You Tube:

And here's coverage of the fun in Eugene, thanks to our friends at KVAL-TV...

TWTW: Oregon Gives USC Their Annual Pac-10 Loss 47-20

((HT: KVAL-TV/Eugene))

The tenth-ranked Oregon Ducks beat the USC Trojans 47-20 in front of a record crowd at Autzen Stadium.

The Ducks piled up 613 yards of offense against USC, and had their way against a steady but shaky Trojans' defense. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli finished 19 of 31 passing for 221 yards and one touchdown, as well as rushing for 164 yards on 13 carries and another score. Running back LaMichael James ran for a career-high 183 yards and a touchdown, consistently splitting the gaps between USC's defensive lineman.

Freshman quarterback Matt Barkley said before Saturday's match-up that the crowd at Autzen wouldn't bother him. And even though Barkley had a decent game, finishing 21-38 for 187 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, the Trojans' team as a whole never looked comfortable.

It was the worst loss by a Pete Carroll-coached team at USC...
This is what happens every year, like clockwork, somewhere in that part of the world.

And it's also what happens when you let Jeremiah Masoli loose, and you can't find the Oregon running backs...

Here's your postgame wrap, Nick Krupke got to do this one indoors...