Oregon Ducks

In case you just awoke from a long winter's nap, you might have heard that the Oregon Ducks had some big news this week. Chip Kelly pump-faked everyone and decided that the NFL was worth it. Ducks DL coach Jerry Azzinaro followed him out the door and joined him in Philly.

The DuckNation Mailbag has never been so packed, so let's see what you've got on your mind.

Bob C. (Bakersfield, Calif.): Now that Chip has taken his ego to Philadelphia, who will take over? Can the Ducks maintain their success on the field? What about recruiting?

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After the Ducks program began to take off in the mid-1990s, California hired former Ducks' offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford in 2002. As the Ducks' upward climb reached a standstill, Cal stepped up and looked like it might be the next in line to challenge USC.

The Golden Bears did win four of five games with the Ducks between 2004 and 2008, including a game for the ages in 2007. After they walked out of Autzen Stadium with a 31-24 win over the No. 5 Ducks, things began to change between the two schools. Cal did win the following season in Berkeley, as the Ducks fumbled gave away a game they dominated. Starting in the class of 2008, the Bears responded by going on an unprecedented run of recruiting success. The Ducks began to dominate the series on the field with a 42-3 win over the Bears in 2009. Despite the dominant performance over the then-No. 6 Bears, Cal beat the Ducks head-to-head for a number of elite recruits from 2008 to 2012.

Whether it was location, academics, Cal's plans for facilities upgrades -- which are now complete -- or former Cal assistant -- and current Washington assistant -- Tosh Lupoi, the Bears won the majority of the recruiting battles between the two schools. Similar to the recent history with USC, the Ducks don't care about recruiting rankings as much as they do the on-field results.

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It's that time again. The Ducks have a bye this week, so it's time to dig through the Oregon recruiting mailbag and see what's on your mind.

Ruben G. (Hillsboro, Ore.):
What is going on with the Ducks' defensive line recruiting? Haven't heard hardly any news about a position that has always been tough for them.

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Much has been made about the size -- or lack thereof -- on the Oregon roster. In past years, that was a legitimate argument, as the Ducks were smaller than most of their opponents. With a recent emphasis on matching up better with power teams, the Ducks have begun to recruit bigger players at every position.

Oregon coach Chip Kelly said as much during the Ducks' spring game in April, when he told ESPN's Brock Huard that he realized the Ducks were built to win the Pac-12, but they needed to be built to win the BCS.

It was mostly the offensive and defensive lines that took the heat for being undersized. Last year's recruiting class saw the Ducks add 6-foot-8, 300-pound Arik Armstead, 6-7, 270-pound DeForest Buckner and 6-9, 280-pound Stetzon Bair to the defensive line. The three of them have the size to line up on anyone's defensive line.

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It has been an interesting week for the Oregon Ducks. From naming a starting quarterback, potentially getting a transfer, official visits being set up by top recruits and the season opener against Arkansas State, it's fair to say that things are heating up in Eugene.

With a flurry of activity surrounding the program, it is now time to open up the mailbag and answer your questions.

Mike L. (Portland, Ore.): With Marcus Mariota being named the starter, it leaves Bryan Bennett with three years left as a backup. Like Mariota, freshman Jake Rodrigues and Jeff Lockie both have four years left. Bennett has said he's staying, but I could see him or one of the freshmen leaving this season. Should the Ducks turn their quarterback recruiting up a notch for 2013?

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Nearly two weeks into Oregon fall camp, there is plenty of speculation as to who has the upper hand in the position battles and who has put themselves in position to see the field early on.

All eyes are on the ongoing quarterback battle between sophomore Bryan Bennett and redshirt freshman Marcus Mariota.

When it comes to discussing his team, Ducks head coach Chip Kelly plays everything close to the vest. There is no greater example of this than when it comes to who will be given the keys to his high-flying offense.

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After being mostly dominated up front by the likes of Auburn and LSU in the past two years, the Oregon coaching staff seems to have made a slight shift in their approach to the game. The smaller, yet fast and powerful Ducks have been built to win the Pac-12, and that has proven to be fruitful in recent years.

However, when faced with the task of matching up against SEC powerhouses in big games, the Ducks were faced with lining up against teams that could match their speed while holding a size advantage up front. While the Ducks held up for the most part, they were unable to play their normal game. Head coach Chip Kelly took notice and has changed his philosophy ever so slightly.

The Ducks still want to play fast and still want to be the most fit team on the field every time they step on the field, but Kelly hasn't been shy about admitting the disadvantage his teams were faced with. The often brash head coach did something a lot of high-profile coaches wouldn't do. He admitted that his system might not always work against the mighty SEC without the proper personnel.

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By hauling in the No. 18 recruiting class in 2012 the Oregon Ducks added more depth, size and skill to an already young and talented roster. The class, heavy on defense and elite skill-position players, could see a number of newcomers make an immediate impact in Eugene.

Most likely to see the field

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