2006 Oregon Ducks Football Preview: Ducks Receivers Have Speed, Depth

Newcomer Derrick Jones and senior Jordan Kent (3-114-1) both provide the speed that Oregon has lacked the past few years.

Salem-News.com Sports

EUGENE - Senior James Finley stands as the Ducks top returning receiver after catching 57 passes for 571 yards and two TDs, while Cameron Colvin (22-332-3) , Jaison Williams (15-245-3), Garren Strong (13- 105-0), Kyle Weatherspoon (12-131-1) and Brian Paysinger (6-70-0) all return significant experience to an an offense that often employs three or more wide receivers at one time.

Senior tight end Dante Rosario is set to make a greater contribution in 2006, with the converted fullback grabbing 15 catches for 168 yards and two touchdowns last season. He accumulated 10 scoring receptions the past three years.

“Dante is a playmaker and we need to find ways to utilize him,” Bellotti said.

Senior Dan Kause and underclassmen Ryan Keeling, Brandon Bair and Ed Dickson will all provide depth there and at H-back.

Senior James Finley stands as the Ducks top returning receiver after catching 57 passes for 571 yards and two TDs, while Cameron Colvin (22-332-3) , Jaison Williams (15-245-3), Garren Strong (13- 105-0), Kyle Weatherspoon (12-131-1) and Brian Paysinger (6-70-0) all return significant experience to an an offense that often employs three or more wide receivers at one time.

Newcomer Derrick Jones and senior Jordan Kent (3-114-1) both provide the speed that Oregon has lacked the past few years.

Senior tight end Dante Rosario is set to make a greater contribution in 2006, with the converted fullback grabbing 15 catches for 168 yards and two touchdowns last season. He accumulated 10 scoring receptions the past three years.

“Dante is a playmaker and we need to find ways to utilize him,” Bellotti said.

Senior Dan Kause and underclassmen Ryan Keeling, Brandon Bair and Ed Dickson will all provide depth there and at H-back.

College Graduates

Two members of this year’s senior class already have earned their undergraduate degrees following the conclusion of spring term while four others are on pace to complete degree requirements by the end of the summer. Wide receiver Jordan Kent received his degree in business administration and center Enoka Lucas has completed degree requirements in political science.

In addition, free safety J.D. Nelson (political science), defensive lineman Matt Toeaina (political science) and running back Chris Vincent (sociology) are expected to complete degree requirements by the time the regular season opens Sept. 2nd.

Add to that mix linebacker Brent Haberly and rover Parris Moore, who are expected to complete undergraduate requirements by the end of fall term, and it comes to seven of 21 current players in their final year of eligibility who have completed degree requirements in less than five years.

Workhorse

In four season with the Oregon Ducks senior Dante Rosario has played in 36 games since the start of the 2003 season, missing none. Rosario has participated in 1,679 snaps as a fullback, H-back, tight end and special teams standout.

Multi-Sport Athlete

Senior wide receiver Jordan Kent already has accomplished something that few Division I athletes have during the modern era. Lettering in football, men’s basketball and track & field in 2005-06, Kent not became the University of Oregon’s first male athlete to letter in three or more different sports during the same year since World War II, he became the first major college athlete in the country to do so in four years.

A survey of Division I sports information directors revealed that the last Division I athlete to letter in three or more separate sports during the same school year was North Texas’ Adrian Awasom, who lettered in football, basketball and track during the 2001-02 year. Prior to that, you have to go back to 1987-88, when Deion Sanders lettered in football, baseball and track at Florida State.

The elite fraternity also includes Auburn’s Bo Jackson (1982- 83 - football, baseball, track), Tennessee’s Ron Widby (1965-66 - football, basketball, golf), Washington State’s Dale Ford (1963- 64 - football, basketball, baseball), and Navy’s Roger Staubach (1962-63 - football, basketball, baseball).

Two of the nation’s most well-known athletes of all time actually earned letters in four sports in the same year -- Syracuse’s Jim Brown did so in football, basketball, track and lacrosse in 1956-57, while UCLA’s Jackie Robinson lettered in football, basketball, track and baseball in 1940-41.

Offensive Efficiency

There is no doubt that Oregon’s revamped offense from last year proved to be a resounding success. The spread option offense resulted in the Ducks posting their second-best scoring average in school history (34.5 avg.), trailing only their 39.4-point average from 1998. Last year’s total offense average of 438.8 yards per game has been bettered only by the 482.9-yard average from ‘98 as well as 449.0 yards per game during Mike Bellotti’s second year as Oregon’s head coach in 1996.

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