Scott Frost will be a head coach one day, but until he is, the Ducks are blessed with a driven and focused assistant who has done a masterful job of grooming the Oregon receiver corps. He's a perfect fit for the staff with his experience, attention to detail and dislike of the spotlight. A six-year NFL veteran and a former National Champion quarterback at Nebraska, he speaks with authority on the practice field, relates well to players, and has a youthful energy that creates connections on the recruiting trail.

Frost has a challenge ahead of him in 2012. The Ducks could be good, very, very good with an aggressive, hard-hitting defense, two elusive running backs and a solid offensive line, but Oregon will be young at receiver. Offensively, they have the speed and talent to be among the nation's elite again, but replacing Darron Thomas, LaMichael James, David Paulson, LaVasier Tuinei, Mark Asper, Ramsen Golpashin and Darrion Weems means younger players have to be made ready to take a much bigger role, especially at receiver, where the only returnees with extensive playing time are Josh Huff, who remains a question mark because of a lingering injury and a disciplinary issue, and De'Anthony Thomas, who will have a bigger load at running back this season.

photo left: Frost working a drill, physical and hands-on (oregonlive.com photo).

One of the biggest questions for Oregon in Fall Camp is who will step up receiver. In the season's first three games, the position coach will have to establish a rotation and find out who can be depended upon to make plays in games. His guys have three home contests to find the rhythm and rapport in the passing game and get comfortable with their new quarterback.

Guest Article by Michael Tallia

[Editor's note: Michael Tallia is a journalism student at the University of Oregon, an avid Duck fan, and a representative for Rent Like a Champion, a company that offers rental properties for football weekends near Autzen Stadium and around the country.]

Meet Dontre Wilson, the 5'8 RB [editor's note: recruiting sites have Wilson at about 5-10, 175-180, which makes him about the size of LaMichael James as a prep] from De Soto High School in Texas, quite possibly the next big playmaker for the Oregon Ducks. In recent exchanges with reporters, it seems that he has cut his list down to Ohio State and The Ducks! Many assume that he has the Ducks atop his board after a very successful visit to Eugene, where he spent most of his time with LaMichael James, a native to Texas who knows what its like moving away from home. According to reports, Wilson's family is close with James and has stayed in constant contact with him which makes landing him an even bigger possibility.

Another package of Texas dynamite: small and lightning-quick, Wilson could be a perfect fit in the explosive Oregon offense, and he came away impressed by his Eugene visit (eugenedailynews.com photo).

In his first three seasons Kenjon Barner did things in flurries and bursts, and now he has the opportunity to be the man.

The national pundits are reservedly optimistic about Oregon this year, most ranking the Ducks in the top 5, but behind PAC-12 rival USC. The consensus is there's a lot of talent in Eugene, but they have to travel to The Coliseum to face the Trojans, and there are giant question marks at quarterback and running back, plus depth concerns at linebacker and a dearth of proven wide receivers.

Can Barner carry the load for a full season as a feature back? He's missed multiple games with injuries in each of the last two years. Can he thrive without LaMichael James as his running mate, and be the senior leader in an offense full of younger players?

photo left: Confident and charismatic, Barner's leadership and production will define the 2012 Oregon Ducks. (oregonlive.com photo)

Not so fast, my friend.

After Marcus Mariota's impressive debut in an Oregon uniform, many fans will be ready to annoint him the immediate starter and the next Dennis Dixon, while sending Bryan Bennett back to number two. Fans loved Bennett in the middle of last season when he came off the bench against Arizona State and Washington State to spark wins, starting and going the whole way against Colorado and performing steadily in a lopsided win.

Bennett had a bad day Saturday. He was out of rhythm without a dependable running game or open targets, harried into three costly mistakes, two interceptions that included a pick six and a fumble. He struggled behind a patchwork line, falling victim to the red jersey/touch rule on a number of occasions. Elusive and nimble in live action last season while compiling a rushing average of 8.7 yards per carry, BB looked frustrated yesterday as plays were blown dead anytime the defense laid a hand on him.

Every year, you kind of get reborn.

The season could go a variety of ways, because seasons can. It's a big part of why we watch and participate, the unexpected, the unpredictable, the promise of seeing something you've never seen before, how things turn out, and maybe even the unfolding of a dream.

Last night I watched KU come from 13 points down just before the half in the Final Four versus Ohio State, with about six lead changes in the final four minutes, even down by five late in the game, tossing a clinching steal out of bounds, a game that had that wrung out, exhilarated feeling that a great game can give you.

photo left: Eight months of competition will produce a new quarterback for the Oregon offense, and the winner could give Duck fans another season of great games and memorable moments. It just might be Marcus Mariota (espngo.com photo).

The entire PAC-12, most of the SEC and the Top 25 want Eddie Vanderdoes.

He's a 6-4, 285-pound defensive lineman with an exceptional motor and an explosive first step. He plays smart and quick, and everybody from Nick Saban to Bob Stoops to Chip Kelly has offered him a scholarship and invited him to summer camp, junior day and anything else the NCAA will allow.

One of the top five defensive linemen in the country this year, he's a franchise talent and a future star, with the work habits and size to become a tremendous college football player. The hype and hysteria are only beginning, and Cal and Oregon lead for his services. Everyone will make their pitch between now and Signing Day. From Placer High School in Auburn, California, Vanderdoes is the key to a successful recruiting class for Oregon in 2013. He plays a vital position where talent like his is rare, scarce, and fiercely sought after. The Ducks already have a verbal commitment from 5-star running back Thomas Tyner, they're competing hard for elite outside linebacker Michael Hutchings, but Vanderdoes is the linchpin, anchor and focal point, because if you can land the dominating defensive linemen the entire defense suddenly becomes a more forceful and intimidating unit on the field.

Be careful what you wish for. If you are lucky and fully alive, the heart and mind will pursue it like an arrow, defining you as a person. Watching this unfold, the desires of mind and body devoted to one purpose, is at the heart of why sports are so compelling.

That, and pretty cheerleaders, the gathering of friends, and beer.

Photo left: it's Kenjon's team now. He's the leader and the focal point, but the biggest question is who is going to be handing him the ball (zimbio.com photo).

Even an empty glass is full of air. Even an empty glass holds the promise of holding cool refreshment, blessed oblivion, healing conversation or a soothing hour with a smooth, silky merlot. An empty glass can be a refuge, an escape, or a weapon of progressive self-destruction. Never underestimate anything you can hold, or has a hold on you.

The penalty phase of the Josh Huff story hasn't been announced, and may not be. Like a lot of things on a team dictated and controlled by a singular vision, we'll know when we know. We'll know when Rob Moseley and Aaron Fentress tell us, and when they ask the question they may or may not get a useful answer. It's part of the schtick. The walls around the program are the not only the price of success but part of the reason for it. It's a clarity of purpose and a fierceness that sets it apart. Things are different at Oregon than they've ever been. We can be nostalgic for the old days and open practices, but the results are a whole new era of excellence. Often Chip Kelly's bulldog intensity and clipped answers are a code for one thing: "you want to win? This is how we do it. My way. No explanations. Limited access. We'll let you know. Or maybe we won't."

Two news updates on Saturday made yesterday's column a lie or a jinx. The Eugene Register-Guard's Rob Moseley blogged running back Tra Carson is transferring (confirmed by a team source), and in another story Jack Moran of the Guard reported that wide receiver/slot back/running back Josh Huff was arrested for DUII and driving without a license.

Those new wide receivers had better be good, because walkon Ayele Ford is now the number three running back in spring practice behind fleet but smallish returning starters Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas. Running backs get nicked up. Barner has missed games in each of the last two seasons, and Thomas has electrifying talent but weighs just 173 pounds. The Ducks may be in five wides by October. New recruit Byron Marshall arrives in August, and he has the speed, strength and potential to be very good in the Oregon offense. He'll have loads of motivation to come into camp fit and acclimated, and he's a workout warrior with a mature body at 5-11, 205. His father is the trainer for Santa Clara University, and his brother Cameron starts at tailback for Arizona State. Marshall has the bloodlines, the athletic background and work habits to play early and excel. They'll need him.

Photo right: youth, wasted on the young, who think they'll be young forever: Josh Huff got into some trouble this weekend, and who hasn't? But the issue creates some problems and challenges for his coach and his team.

Part of the great joy of being a committed fan of a program and a sport is watching the journey of athletes from high school phenom to washout or legend. Around the tailgate we can talk about memories of guys that thrilled us and guys that just made us shake our heads, guys with million-dollar bodies and ten-cent heads.

Remember Dillon Baxter? Two years ago we were message-boarding all over each other about what a get he'd be for the Ducks, a 5-star running back with zoom in his shoes, the guy we had to have, maybe better than Bryce Brown. USC got him. Why did the Trojans need another tailback, and how could they keep beating Oregon to this kind of talent with a douche for a coach and sanctions hanging over their heads? Baxter was can't miss, with moves like Barry Sanders. He could flat fly in the open field.