Oregon football coach Mike Bellotti called last year’s signing day “the most uneventful signing day I’ve been through.”
He couldn’t make a similar sentiment this time around, citing there was much more movement leading up to Wednesday as the Ducks lost quite a few recruits who were considering signing with Oregon but chose to stay closer to their respective homes.
But that’s a problem that Ducks are faced with having when the coaches recruit more consistently outside of the West Coast as Oregon’s reputation continues to grow in the eyes of the nation’s elite football prospects. Not everyone’s going to leave for a school so far away from home.
Still, plenty of recruits chose to make the long-distance commitment as the incoming class consists of four players from Texas, and ones from Florida, Georgia, Arizona and Kansas. In all, Oregon signed 20 recruits (16 high school, four junior college transfers) yesterday and will likely include a 21st once the paperwork is finally delivered.
And the biggest signing day news came earlier when the nation’s top quarterback, Pennsylvania’s Terrelle Pryor, told reporters he’s not signing his letter of intent partly because he wants to visit Eugene and give Oregon its fair chance in the recruiting process.
“We are now going to recruit nationally on a regular basis,” Bellotti said. “The best recruits in the nation are interested in visiting us.”
While Oregon will have to wait and see if it winds up with the nation’s most highly touted, and hyped, recruit, Bellotti is still plenty “excited” with the players that did sign today.
And Oregon’s next quarterback competition got more interesting. The Ducks gained two quarterbacks, Texas’ Darron Thomas, who is already enrolled at the school, and Kansas’ Chris Harper, two players who will compete for playing time immediately.
“These guys are great athletes and they help us in a lot of different places,” Bellotti said. “The idea is that they’ll be quarterbacks.
“We may use multiple quarterbacks. We’ve done that in the past and it’s dependent on who deserves to play and who’s ready to go.”
Other particular standout recruits include the junior college players, all of whom are expected to contribute immediately. LaGarrette Blount is a player that reminds Bellotti of former Oregon running back Reuben Droughns.
“He obviously is going to help us replace Jonathan Stewart, and he will compete for playing time immediately,” Bellotti said.
Long snapper Zach Taylor is considered to be the best at his position amongst JC players in the nation. Defensive linemen Blake Ferras and Justin Thompson are “extremely important” to replacing the graduating seniors on the line and offsetting the loss to Myles Wade and Simi Fili who became academically ineligible after signing day last year.
“We have some needs at the defensive tackle spots as obviously both our starters graduated, and we failed to get (Wade and Fili),” Bellotti said.
Overall, Bellotti said the athleticism throughout the class will cause some of the players to see their position change as they develop and other needs arise. For now, Bellotti has many players who were offensive stars in high school converted to defensive backs. As a result, Bellotti said freshman Jeffrey Maehl will likely continue to play as a wide receiver.

Jones on probation

After the press conference, Bellotti said that wide receiver Derrick Jones is on team probation from his Jan. 25 drug and contempt of court arrest.
Bellotti said he has spoken to Jones since the arrest and Jones’ next court day is Friday.
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