LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- There were several standouts at Tuesday's Day 2 practice for the Under Armour All-America Game (5 p.m. ET Friday, ESPN). Two players -- one for Team Nitro, the other for Team Highlight -- said they are closing in on their college decisions and will make their announcements Friday. Meanwhile, the nation's No. 1 player left the field at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports with an injury.
Folston closing in on decision
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On Thursday night, the fourth-ranked Oregon Ducks will take on the fifth-ranked Kansas State Wildcats in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Thursday is also a big day for the Ducks -- as well as every other program around the country -- as the recruiting dead period will end when the clock strikes midnight.
Once coaches are able to contact and visit recruits again, expect a flurry of activity from the Ducks' coaching staff. With a few of the Ducks' top remaining offensive targets announcing at various All-American games it seems likely that the first kids they will contact are ATH Tarean Folston (Cocoa, Fla./Cocoa), WR John Ross (Long Beach, Calif./Jordan) and TE-Y Thomas Duarte (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei).
Ross and Duarte -- two of the elite offensive weapons in the West -- both confirmed Monday that they will announce their college choice during the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl on Friday. Both four-stars have the Ducks among their finalists. Both players also have UCLA and Washington in their final group as well, with Duarte also considering Notre Dame.
Once coaches are able to contact and visit recruits again, expect a flurry of activity from the Ducks' coaching staff. With a few of the Ducks' top remaining offensive targets announcing at various All-American games it seems likely that the first kids they will contact are ATH Tarean Folston (Cocoa, Fla./Cocoa), WR John Ross (Long Beach, Calif./Jordan) and TE-Y Thomas Duarte (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei).
Ross and Duarte -- two of the elite offensive weapons in the West -- both confirmed Monday that they will announce their college choice during the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl on Friday. Both four-stars have the Ducks among their finalists. Both players also have UCLA and Washington in their final group as well, with Duarte also considering Notre Dame.
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4-star ATH Wilson still solid to Oregon 
January, 1, 2013
Jan 1
11:50
AM PT
By
Derek Tyson | ESPN.com
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Oregon coach Chip Kelly is rumored to be high on the list for several NFL coaching jobs, but ESPN 150 athlete commit Dontre Wilson (DeSoto, Texas/DeSoto) said he remains a solid commitment to the Ducks.
The 5-foot-10, 174-pound prospect said his relationship with Oregon running backs coach Gary Campbell is key to his not considering other options.
"I've heard that if Coach Kelly leaves, then Coach Helfrich, the offensive coordinator, would be the new coach," Wilson said. "So it really doesn't bother me at all. I have a strong relationship with Coach Campbell, and I don't think he's going anywhere. I'm still a solid commit to Oregon. Coach Campbell and I have always been close, he was a big reason I chose Oregon."
The 5-foot-10, 174-pound prospect said his relationship with Oregon running backs coach Gary Campbell is key to his not considering other options.
"I've heard that if Coach Kelly leaves, then Coach Helfrich, the offensive coordinator, would be the new coach," Wilson said. "So it really doesn't bother me at all. I have a strong relationship with Coach Campbell, and I don't think he's going anywhere. I'm still a solid commit to Oregon. Coach Campbell and I have always been close, he was a big reason I chose Oregon."
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Under Armour Game TV: Practice report
January, 1, 2013
Jan 1
7:49
AM PT
By RecruitingNation | ESPN.com
ESPN RecruitingNation's Jeremy Crabtree and Derek Tyson bring you the latest news and notes from the second day of Under Armour All-America Game practice at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports. Join them for a live webcast at 3:15 p.m. ET before TV coverage kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
Wisconsin pledge James setting up visits
December, 31, 2012
12/31/12
7:03
PM PT
By
Erik McKinney | ESPN.com
FULLERTON, Calif. -- Wisconsin has done a terrific job in-state with this recruiting class, as the Badgers earned verbal commitments from four of the state's top six prospects. But new head coach Gary Andersen could have a battle on his hands for the state's top-ranked player, four-star defensive end Alec James (Brookfield, Wis./Brookfield East).
While James still considers himself a Wisconsin commit, he will take visits between now and signing day. While he isn't sure how many he will take and when he will take them, he said trips to Clemson, Florida State, Michigan State and Oregon could all happen. The only one that will definitely happen is the Oregon visit, as James will see the Ducks on Jan. 11.
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Four-star WR Ross set to announce
December, 31, 2012
12/31/12
6:18
PM PT
By
Brandon P. Oliver | ESPN.com
SANTA ANA, Calif. -- One of the most active players for the West team on the first day of practice for the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl was impressive all day. So much so that he had three future Oregon Ducks in his ear about his upcoming decision.
Four-star WR John Ross (Long Beach, Calif./Jordan) made a lot of noise when he announced that he plans to announce his college decision during the second annual Semper Fidelis All American Bowl on Friday. Oregon, UCLA and Washington appear to be the front runners for the 5-foot-9, 170-pound Ross.
Ross wasn't the only one making noise, as Ducks' WR commit Darren Carrington Jr. (San Diego, Calif./Horizon), ATH Tyrell Robinson (San Diego, Calif./Lincoln) and his injured twin brother, WR Tyree Robinson (San Diego, Calif./Lincoln), were giving their best sales pitches to Ross. The small, but fast and dynamic, Ross impressed the trio with his ability to make defenders miss and make plays out of nothing.
Four-star WR John Ross (Long Beach, Calif./Jordan) made a lot of noise when he announced that he plans to announce his college decision during the second annual Semper Fidelis All American Bowl on Friday. Oregon, UCLA and Washington appear to be the front runners for the 5-foot-9, 170-pound Ross.
Ross wasn't the only one making noise, as Ducks' WR commit Darren Carrington Jr. (San Diego, Calif./Horizon), ATH Tyrell Robinson (San Diego, Calif./Lincoln) and his injured twin brother, WR Tyree Robinson (San Diego, Calif./Lincoln), were giving their best sales pitches to Ross. The small, but fast and dynamic, Ross impressed the trio with his ability to make defenders miss and make plays out of nothing.
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U.S. Army Bowl: Monday notebook
December, 31, 2012
12/31/12
5:51
PM PT
By
Damon Sayles and
William Wilkerson | ESPN.com
SAN ANTONIO -- ESPN 150 outside linebacker Mike Mitchell (Plano, Texas/Prestonwood Christian) isn’t big on speaking publicly. He’d rather let his game do the talking -- and it speaks volumes.
On Monday, the 6-foot-5, 222-pound linebacker officially confirmed that he will announce his college plans during Saturday’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Oregon, Texas A&M and Ohio State are his three finalists.
Mitchell said all three schools -- and even a fourth, Oklahoma -- had their positive qualities throughout his recruiting process. It was a feeling of comfort, however, that seemed to win him over.
On Monday, the 6-foot-5, 222-pound linebacker officially confirmed that he will announce his college plans during Saturday’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Oregon, Texas A&M and Ohio State are his three finalists.
Mitchell said all three schools -- and even a fourth, Oklahoma -- had their positive qualities throughout his recruiting process. It was a feeling of comfort, however, that seemed to win him over.
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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -– Team Nitro and Team Highlight took to the fields at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports on Monday for Day 1 of practice for Friday’s Under Armour All-America Game (5 p.m. ET, ESPN). Two powerhouse programs in the Southeastern Conference look to battle it out for one of the standout running backs, and one of the top uncommitted offensive linemen is out with an injury.
Tide and Dawgs at top for RB Kamara
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Video: Oregon CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu
December, 31, 2012
12/31/12
12:20
PM PT
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
Oregon CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu talks about the Kansas State offense, Wildcats QB Collin Klein and former Duck Chris Harper, a K-State receiver.
After the surprising decommitment of OL Alex Redmond (Los Alamitos, Calif./Los Alamitos) -- who has since committed to UCLA -- the Ducks had to re-focus their efforts as they work to piece together their future offensive line. In doing so, they found a new prospect in the most unlikely of places.
Last month, the Ducks received film from OL Jake Pisarcik (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) and liked what they saw. They liked it so much that, despite the fact that no other school at any level had offered him, the Ducks not only flew out to New Jersey to see him, they offered him a scholarship and accepted a commitment from him within a week. Pisarcik's pledge gave the Ducks three offensive line commits in their 2013 recruiting class.
When he committed, the under-the-radar Pisarcik joined in-state offensive line commits Evan Voeller (West Linn, Ore./West Linn) -- No. 181 in the ESPN 300 and an Under Armour All-American -- and Doug Brenner (Portland, Ore./Jesuit) in the Ducks' class. The Ducks have been expected to add three or four offensive linemen during this recruiting cycle. After Ducks' senior Kyle Long recently had his appeal for an extra season denied by the NCAA, it now appears that the Ducks will definitely take a fourth commit along the offensive line.
Last month, the Ducks received film from OL Jake Pisarcik (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) and liked what they saw. They liked it so much that, despite the fact that no other school at any level had offered him, the Ducks not only flew out to New Jersey to see him, they offered him a scholarship and accepted a commitment from him within a week. Pisarcik's pledge gave the Ducks three offensive line commits in their 2013 recruiting class.
When he committed, the under-the-radar Pisarcik joined in-state offensive line commits Evan Voeller (West Linn, Ore./West Linn) -- No. 181 in the ESPN 300 and an Under Armour All-American -- and Doug Brenner (Portland, Ore./Jesuit) in the Ducks' class. The Ducks have been expected to add three or four offensive linemen during this recruiting cycle. After Ducks' senior Kyle Long recently had his appeal for an extra season denied by the NCAA, it now appears that the Ducks will definitely take a fourth commit along the offensive line.
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ESPN 150 S McQuay set to decide Friday
December, 30, 2012
12/30/12
2:33
PM PT
By
Derek Tyson | ESPN.com
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- ESPN 150 safety Leon McQuay III (Seffner, Fla./Armwood) will be making his college decision at the Under Armour All-America Game on Friday.
The four-star athlete has a top five of USC, Michigan, Oregon, Vanderbilt and FSU, but McQuay said he won't have all five hats for his selection on Friday.
"Yeah ... I don't know [if Michigan still in consideration]. I don't know how many hats I'll have up there," he said. "My dad said he wasn't paying for five hats. I'll probably only have three hats up there.
The four-star athlete has a top five of USC, Michigan, Oregon, Vanderbilt and FSU, but McQuay said he won't have all five hats for his selection on Friday.
"Yeah ... I don't know [if Michigan still in consideration]. I don't know how many hats I'll have up there," he said. "My dad said he wasn't paying for five hats. I'll probably only have three hats up there.
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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Four-star defensive end Quinton Powell (Daytona Beach, Fla./Mainland) has set his official visit to USC for Jan. 18. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound athlete said he will also visit South Carolina, Oregon and possibly Miami.
"I set up Jan. 18 for USC," Powell said today at Under Armour All-America Game registration at Disney's Yacht Club Resort. "South Carolina, I'm taking that around the 20th of January. Oregon, I'll have to set up something with them too. Miami, I really haven't talked to them but I'm going to, I'm going to after this game."
Powell said he talks to former high school teammate Leonard Williams, a freshman defensive tackle at USC, about his experience at USC.
"I set up Jan. 18 for USC," Powell said today at Under Armour All-America Game registration at Disney's Yacht Club Resort. "South Carolina, I'm taking that around the 20th of January. Oregon, I'll have to set up something with them too. Miami, I really haven't talked to them but I'm going to, I'm going to after this game."
Powell said he talks to former high school teammate Leonard Williams, a freshman defensive tackle at USC, about his experience at USC.
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Coming off a junior season in which he caught 76 passes for 1,236 yards and 11 touchdowns, returned a punt for a touchdown, and helped his team to a 15-0 record and AAAA state championship, ESPN Watch List wideout Demarre Kitt (Tyrone, Ga./Sandy Creek) has become one of the most sought-after Class of 2014 prospects in the Southeast.
As it stands now, two programs are on top for the 6-foot-1, 185-pound junior.
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McEvoy could replace a transferring QB
December, 29, 2012
12/29/12
5:54
AM PT
By
Brandon P. Oliver | ESPN.com
With four underclassmen at quarterback, the Oregon Ducks could lose a quarterback to transfer this offseason.
With a freshman starter, a sophomore backup and two other freshmen in reserve, the Oregon Ducks are stocked with young quarterbacks and could be faced with the departure of one of their backups in the near future. Marcus Mariota beat out expected starter Bryan Bennett last summer and is the unquestioned starter going forward, likely for multiple seasons.
There has been a steady flow of rumors surrounding Bennett's possible transfer since the day Mariota was named the starter. Redshirt freshman Jake Rodrigues or Jeff Lockie could also choose to leave with Mariota clearly in control of the position.
With a freshman starter, a sophomore backup and two other freshmen in reserve, the Oregon Ducks are stocked with young quarterbacks and could be faced with the departure of one of their backups in the near future. Marcus Mariota beat out expected starter Bryan Bennett last summer and is the unquestioned starter going forward, likely for multiple seasons.
There has been a steady flow of rumors surrounding Bennett's possible transfer since the day Mariota was named the starter. Redshirt freshman Jake Rodrigues or Jeff Lockie could also choose to leave with Mariota clearly in control of the position.
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The most interesting man in college football
December, 28, 2012
12/28/12
10:30
AM PT
By
Ted Miller | ESPN.com
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- There is a school of thought, now apparently subscribed to by a handful of desperate NFL teams, that if that uber-suave, hirsute gentleman from those wildly entertaining Dos Equis beer commercials revealed his true identity, he would rip off a bearded mask and reveal Chip Kelly.
Is Kelly the most interesting man in the world?
Pause for a moment before chortling over our potential hyperbole, for Kelly has packed a lot into his 52-game tenure at Oregon, including 45 victories.
He has run with the bulls in Pamplona. He has led the Ducks to three Pac-12 titles and four BCS bowl games. He has done humanitarian work in Africa. He has produced Oregon's first Rose Bowl victory in 95 years. He has visited U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Kelly, 49 and single, is also fiercely private. He has never cooperated with any truly in-depth "This is your life, Chip Kelly!" story, which is exceedingly rare for a high-profile coach. Nearly all his close friends are back in New Hampshire, where he's from and where he went to college.
Kelly doesn't like glad-handing boosters, something often viewed as a prerequisite for being a college coach. He particularly dislikes talking to reporters, and he goes to great lengths to make sure they understand.
The Dos Equis guy says, "Stay thirsty, my friends." Kelly would say, "Stay away, annoying hangers-on."
Yet the vast majority of Ducks fans not only love all the winning, they love Kelly for his wiseacre, smirking self. They chant "Big Balls Chip!" inside rocking Autzen Stadium to celebrate Kelly's penchant for going for it on fourth down, going for 2 and launching onside kicks at surprising times.
He tells fans, "Shut up!" for cheering behind him during an ESPN postgame interview, and they love him more. A Twitter page, Chipisms, celebrates not only Kelly's amusing or insightful wisdom -- “I saw the ‘Feel Sorry for Yourself’ train leaving the parking lot & none of our players were on it, so that was a good sign” -- but also for his snark.
Inquiries that Kelly doesn't like might get one-word answers, clichéd responses or snappy rejoinders that belittle his inquisitors. Questions that engage him, however, receive full and thoughtful treatment. Consider this response from an ESPN story on Kelly's trip to Africa, when he worked with adolescent girls who had no idea who he was.
"The real heroes are the little girls in Africa who are trying to better themselves so they can help their families," he said. "When I hear a coach say, 'We're grinding.' I'm like: You're sitting in a room with air conditioning watching videotape. That's not grinding."
There seem to be three facets to Kelly. His standoffish public face, the detail-obsessed coach and the Renaissance man determined to drink life to the lees away from the game. Even the hard-driving, "win the day" side of Kelly can loosen up behind closed doors; those who work with him frequently cite his sense of humor.
"He [jokes around] all the time," said offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich, a leading candidate to replace Kelly should he bolt for an NFL job. "It's not: 'Aha, he smiled! Isn't that amazing?' It's daily. We have a lot of fun."
Further, while Kelly's offense almost always runs like a finely tuned machine, plenty of, er, interesting things have been interspersed with winning during Kelly's tenure. Drama has not been lacking over the past four seasons.
His first game as Oregon's head coach remains his worst: A 19-8 loss at Boise State. Not only did the Ducks gain an embarrassing 152 total yards, but Kelly's star running back LeGarrette Blount punched a Broncos player afterward, bringing the hot light of controversy to his team's feckless performance.
Some thought Kelly was in over his head. He answered that by becoming the first Pac-10 coach to lead a team to an outright conference championship his first season.
Oh, and in a sign of interesting things to come, when a season-ticket holder wrote Kelly demanding a refund for his expenses incurred after attending that disastrous trip to Boise, Kelly quickly fired off a note with a personal check for $439.
Heading into 2010, starting quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was suspended after he was involved in the burglary of an Oregon fraternity house. Losing a star quarterback typically would damage a team's chances, but all Kelly's team did was finish undefeated and play for the national championship, losing 22-19 when Auburn kicked a last-second field goal.
The NCAA came calling during the 2011 offseason, wanting to know details of Kelly's and the program's dealings with street agent Willie Lyles. A distraction? Nope. Oregon won the conference a third consecutive year and the Rose Bowl against Wisconsin.
Kelly then nearly left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His quarterback, two-year starter Darron Thomas, had already opted to leave the program, which again threw into question the Ducks' prospects. But Kelly returned and so did the winning, with redshirt freshman Marcus Mariota earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors while leading the Ducks to a No. 4 ranking and a Fiesta Bowl berth opposite Kansas State.
Yet he arrives at the Fiesta Bowl amid swirling rumors that he's about to leave for his pick of available NFL jobs. Asked about his NFL ambitions this week, he gave a 235-word answer that essentially said "no comment."
"My heart is to win the day, and that’s it," he concluded. "I know everybody wants to hear a different answer, and I know at times when I don’t give you guys the answer you guys want, then I’m being evasive. I’m not being evasive. My job is to coach the University of Oregon football team, and I love doing it. And that’s what I’m going to do.”
So the question will linger for a coach who at the very least is currently the most interesting man in college football: Will the Fiesta Bowl be his last day to win for Oregon?
Is Kelly the most interesting man in the world?
Pause for a moment before chortling over our potential hyperbole, for Kelly has packed a lot into his 52-game tenure at Oregon, including 45 victories.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Don RyanChip Kelly doesn't often discuss his life with writers, but when he does, his answers are revealing.
AP Photo/Don RyanChip Kelly doesn't often discuss his life with writers, but when he does, his answers are revealing.Kelly, 49 and single, is also fiercely private. He has never cooperated with any truly in-depth "This is your life, Chip Kelly!" story, which is exceedingly rare for a high-profile coach. Nearly all his close friends are back in New Hampshire, where he's from and where he went to college.
Kelly doesn't like glad-handing boosters, something often viewed as a prerequisite for being a college coach. He particularly dislikes talking to reporters, and he goes to great lengths to make sure they understand.
The Dos Equis guy says, "Stay thirsty, my friends." Kelly would say, "Stay away, annoying hangers-on."
Yet the vast majority of Ducks fans not only love all the winning, they love Kelly for his wiseacre, smirking self. They chant "Big Balls Chip!" inside rocking Autzen Stadium to celebrate Kelly's penchant for going for it on fourth down, going for 2 and launching onside kicks at surprising times.
He tells fans, "Shut up!" for cheering behind him during an ESPN postgame interview, and they love him more. A Twitter page, Chipisms, celebrates not only Kelly's amusing or insightful wisdom -- “I saw the ‘Feel Sorry for Yourself’ train leaving the parking lot & none of our players were on it, so that was a good sign” -- but also for his snark.
Inquiries that Kelly doesn't like might get one-word answers, clichéd responses or snappy rejoinders that belittle his inquisitors. Questions that engage him, however, receive full and thoughtful treatment. Consider this response from an ESPN story on Kelly's trip to Africa, when he worked with adolescent girls who had no idea who he was.
"The real heroes are the little girls in Africa who are trying to better themselves so they can help their families," he said. "When I hear a coach say, 'We're grinding.' I'm like: You're sitting in a room with air conditioning watching videotape. That's not grinding."
There seem to be three facets to Kelly. His standoffish public face, the detail-obsessed coach and the Renaissance man determined to drink life to the lees away from the game. Even the hard-driving, "win the day" side of Kelly can loosen up behind closed doors; those who work with him frequently cite his sense of humor.
"He [jokes around] all the time," said offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich, a leading candidate to replace Kelly should he bolt for an NFL job. "It's not: 'Aha, he smiled! Isn't that amazing?' It's daily. We have a lot of fun."
Further, while Kelly's offense almost always runs like a finely tuned machine, plenty of, er, interesting things have been interspersed with winning during Kelly's tenure. Drama has not been lacking over the past four seasons.
His first game as Oregon's head coach remains his worst: A 19-8 loss at Boise State. Not only did the Ducks gain an embarrassing 152 total yards, but Kelly's star running back LeGarrette Blount punched a Broncos player afterward, bringing the hot light of controversy to his team's feckless performance.
Some thought Kelly was in over his head. He answered that by becoming the first Pac-10 coach to lead a team to an outright conference championship his first season.
Oh, and in a sign of interesting things to come, when a season-ticket holder wrote Kelly demanding a refund for his expenses incurred after attending that disastrous trip to Boise, Kelly quickly fired off a note with a personal check for $439.
Heading into 2010, starting quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was suspended after he was involved in the burglary of an Oregon fraternity house. Losing a star quarterback typically would damage a team's chances, but all Kelly's team did was finish undefeated and play for the national championship, losing 22-19 when Auburn kicked a last-second field goal.
The NCAA came calling during the 2011 offseason, wanting to know details of Kelly's and the program's dealings with street agent Willie Lyles. A distraction? Nope. Oregon won the conference a third consecutive year and the Rose Bowl against Wisconsin.
Kelly then nearly left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His quarterback, two-year starter Darron Thomas, had already opted to leave the program, which again threw into question the Ducks' prospects. But Kelly returned and so did the winning, with redshirt freshman Marcus Mariota earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors while leading the Ducks to a No. 4 ranking and a Fiesta Bowl berth opposite Kansas State.
Yet he arrives at the Fiesta Bowl amid swirling rumors that he's about to leave for his pick of available NFL jobs. Asked about his NFL ambitions this week, he gave a 235-word answer that essentially said "no comment."
"My heart is to win the day, and that’s it," he concluded. "I know everybody wants to hear a different answer, and I know at times when I don’t give you guys the answer you guys want, then I’m being evasive. I’m not being evasive. My job is to coach the University of Oregon football team, and I love doing it. And that’s what I’m going to do.”
So the question will linger for a coach who at the very least is currently the most interesting man in college football: Will the Fiesta Bowl be his last day to win for Oregon?
ABOUT DUCK NATION
Brandon Oliver
Brandon Oliver joined ESPN in 2012. In recent years, Oliver has been involved in the Nike Football Tour with both ESPNHS and Nike. He has covered West Coast recruiting for various online outlets since 2008, with an emphasis on Oregon football. Email him at boliverespn@gmail.com.