Well, it's a pretty quiet Friday for the Ducks, which isn't such a bad thing, as the football team gears up for some tough games and the basketball team prepares for the season. Here is today's quack:
- SILive.com (a Staten Island news site) has a profile on Jerry Azzinaro, the Duck's new defensive line coach that has had a huge impact on the team this season. He talks a bit about his experience as a Duck and in Eugene, and it sounds positive so far. What I like the best is his relentless drive. He won't let up, and won't let his players, and we've seen the results of that drive on the field.
- The Oregon basketball teams is looking to make an impact this season, and is taking a cue from the football team. After taking many lumps last season, the Duck men's basketball team could be poised to turn things around in a big way. With confidence and consistency, this team will be greatly improved, and it will be fun to see what they can do in the Pac-10.
- LeGarrette Blount took some time this week to talk to at risk teens about not letting mistakes define who you are. What is also encouraging about this is that Blount stated that this was not part of the mandates discussed by Chip Kelly, but was actually first brought up by Will Tukuafu. It's good to see Blount pulling things together, and good to see him reaching out to help others, something the athletic department (with the Heroes program and Tsunami relief efforts) has excelled at recently.
- Ken Goe of the Oregonian isn't heaping the Ducks with praise just yet. And he joins Chip Kelly in that assessment. There are no prizes in mid-October, something Chip has been preaching to his team, and that hard work will be necessary each and every week. The Ducks have shown a great ability to overcome challenge and adversity, something they will need to get through the rest of their schedule.
As always, leave your comments below. GO DUCKS!