Dana Altman is making due with what he has. With a 11-3 record heading into their second Pac-12 game, a highly anticipated matchup with No. 7 Arizona, the Ducks are already looking like they will be exceeding their projected eighth place finish by the media.
Even with the loss of 10 players to both graduation and alleged sexual assault case – including starter Damyean Dotson and regular role player Dominic Artis – the Ducks have shown signs of potentially molding into a formidable team with the additions of Dillon Brooks (14.1 points per game), Casey Benson, Dwayne Benjamin and Jordan Bell (fifth leading blocker in Division I), all players that have contributed right away.
To take it a step further, the Ducks have looked like a team that has been playing with together for years.
Simply put, the Ducks have surprised early on and have also showcased a high talent level that wasn’t previously foreseeable heading into the new year.
Altman, who is in his fifth season at Oregon, deserves a lot of credit for this year’s early season success. Despite taking a lot of heat for recent incidents involving transfer players, Altman has continually proven he can get the most out of his players and build a roster, regardless of their age or experience. His efforts toward implementing a “transfer culture” may have been questionable since arriving to Eugene, but there is no doubt that Altman can coach.
Look no further than his 97-46 record prior to this season.
As the Ducks continue to build chemistry and move forward with their conference schedule, they’ll be a team to look out for, something that wasn’t originally an expectation for this team. Altman has constantly emphasized the areas for improvement like playing as a team over their final 17 games.
Conference play often brings out the best in teams. We’ll see if this year’s team will be a part of that demographic.
While the Ducks have yet to face true adversity this season, they have given hope to the Oregon fan base. No one, including Altman, was sure about how this program would respond to this rough patch and it still remains to be seen. One thing is for sure, though: The Ducks won’t be a doormat, even in a competitive Pac-12 conference.
Oregon has the opportunity to create a new image in the coming years and it will start with this team.
Follow Hayden Kim on Twitter @HayDayKim
Kim: Oregon exceeding expectations under Dana Altman
Hayden Kim
January 7, 2015
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