In 18 short months Mario Cristobal and his staff have created a new level of excitement, hype and expectation around Oregon football.
1. They've elevated the talent level
2. They've ramped up coaching, training and conditioning
3. They've rehabilitated the culture and created a higher standard of work, effort and development.
Knowledgeable college football observers are beginning to notice. Phil Steele rates the Oregon offensive line as one of the three best in the country along with Clemson and Georgia.
Gil Brandt rated Jake Breeland as the number two senior tight end prospect nationally. He includes Calvin Throckmorton and Shane Lemieux as two of the best on the offensive line.
The top three 2020 recruiters in the PAC-12 are Donte Williams, Marcus Arroyo and UO linebacker coach Ken Wilson. Keith Heyward is 7th. (from Kevin Wade of TOS.)
In a feature story at si.com this week Andy Staples wrote about how Aaron Feld drives the culture change in the Oregon strength and conditioning program.
At espn.com Edward Aschoff wrote a column on how Cristobal is bringing a championship/SEC mentality to the PAC-12.
As Scott has detailed in this week's columns, it was relationships and relentlessness that has allowed the Ducks to make key acquisitions beyond the recruiting cycle. Dallas Warmack, Bryan Addison, Juwan Johnson and Chris Steele represent a huge boost in talent added to a pair of stellar recruiting classes.
This relentlessness has escalated Oregon's progress toward returning to the top levels of college football.
