Be interesting to see what happens when the justice system finally weighs in on LaMichael James and Jeremiah Masoli. And I think it’s prudent in these cases that people wait for all the facts to come out.

In the James case, when men are accused of assaulting women, it’s one of those crimes where they’re sometimes treated as if they’re guilty before anything is proved. And in some domestic violence cases, that’s needed in order to protect potential victims from their alleged abusers. It’s a sticky situation and I’ve worried all along that James could have been a target there instead of an abuser. But again, we really don’t know and I don’t think it’s fair to talk punishment until we really know what has happened.

That’s not to say I wouldn’t, as a coach, have suspended him when he was accused of the crime. I think the serious nature of the charge, and the fact that James put himself in that position to be charged in the first place, means you suspend him pending a resolution. Then reinstate him immediately if you find out he is innocent of wrongdoing.

When it comes to Masoli, I’d lean toward saying the same thing. I don’t think I’d kick him off the team unless I knew for sure that he actually is guilty of felony burglary — which he is charged with. Given that Masoli has a history of such crimes going back to high school, when he was involved in strong-arm robberies, I’d suspend him, too, pending the outcome of his trial.

And in Masoli’s case, if he’s guilty I cut him no slack due to the nature of his previous indiscretions. If his record was clean, I’d be tempted to go with a suspension of a few games — maybe take the position that this was some sort of fraternity prank gone bad, a momentary mistake that shouldn’t cause the complete loss of a kid’s future. But I’m not sure he’s now entitled to another chance.

I know this for sure — it’s not good to have your football team spread across the front page of The Oregonian in the off-season. That almost certainly always means bad news. And in this case, damage has been done by the behavior of a few players. The fact that these players are among the team’s best ones hurts even more.

And it’s all falling on Chip Kelly’s shoulders right now, fair or not. This is the part about being a head coach that being an offensive coordinator just doesn’t prepare you for.

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Tags: Chip Kelly, College football, Dwight Jaynes, Jeremiah Masoli, LaMichael James, Oregon Ducks

I think it’s like a cult up there in Seattle. They won’t let you go unless they’re done with you.

On the very same day that ESPN’s Todd McShay wrote that he believed Jake Locker would go No. 1 in the NFL draft, the kid announces he’s going to stay at the University of Washington for his senior season.

Really? I mean, REALLY?

He’s going to pass on possible No. 1 money to come back and risk an entire career just to play for that college team? Sorry, that’s insane. And his coach is doing him a major disservice by not telling him to go.

Yeah, if you’re not a high pick, play out your collegiate eligibility. But if you’re a top five pick — or perhaps even the top pick — it’s a very poor fiscal decision to not enter the draft. And as much as his college coach wants him back, he has a responsibility in this case to tell the kid to jump.

We’re talking about millions and millions of dollars, enough money for his family and all the Lockers for generations to come.

Ridiculous.

UPDATE: As several commenters have already mentioned, I was remiss in not mentioning that the next collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and its players may include a rookie wage scale, which would make this decision look even more severely boneheaded.

Locker may be throwing away $30-$40 million by not entering this draft.

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Tags: College football, Jake Locker, NFL Draft, University of Washington Huskies

I believe it’s Nigel Burton, defensive coordinator at Nevada — who is considered a hot property and dynamite recruiter. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s named in the next two or three days.

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Tags: College football, Dwight Jaynes, Nigel Burton, Portland State University

This story in the Eugene Register-Guard uncovers some things about the Duck quarterback’s background that haven’t been reported before:

Masoli is unwilling to discuss the details of his guilty plea for the robberies in and around San Mateo, Calif., in 2005, which resulted in his expulsion from Serra High and a stint in the juvenile detention center.

But, speaking in general terms, Masoli acknowledged the significance of his experience in the detention center.

“I definitely grew up quickly,” he said. “Once you go inside, you definitely have to grow up quickly.”

Juvenile court records are closed, but media accounts and a source close to the school confirmed that Masoli was one of several Serra football players arrested in June 2005, and subsequently expelled, for targeting individuals at San Mateo’s Hillsdale Mall and isolated bus stops in the area, muscling them for money.

A respected student and a team captain, Masoli pleaded guilty to robbery, according to the San Francisco Examiner.

Citing California student-privacy laws, Serra football coach Patrick Walsh wouldn’t discuss specifics about Masoli’s involvement with the crimes but did say it had a tremendous effect on the school and the football team.

“Very shocking,” said Walsh, now in his ninth season as the coach at the private, all-boys Catholic school. “It was very difficult on all of us. He was an all-league quarterback, and he just got caught up in something he shouldn’t have.”

Masoli said his family and his faith helped him get through.

“It’s one of those things I was taught when I was little, just to persevere no matter what,” he said. “You just gotta lean on God. That’s really what I was brought up on. Everybody has their bad days, bad weeks, whatever. I just feel like I’m such a strong person because of the people who raised me that I could get through anything.”

He admitted, though, that there were moments his faith waned, moments when he wasn’t sure if he’d be given another chance to play football.

“It’s always tough. There’s temptation everywhere,” he said. “I’m just like any other person on the street.

“It is what it is,” he added. “It’s life, and that’s what happened. And now I’m here and doing this.”

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Tags: College football, Dwight Jaynes, Jeremiah Masoli, Oregon Ducks

I’d never thought much about the leverage that college students might have with athletic departments all over the country.

Until I found BCSbusters.com.

If you’re in college, or wish you were, you really need to go to that site. It’s maintained by a group of college kids in Portland (who attend a college that doesn’t even have football!) who are fed up. And they’ve found a little bit of leverage where I think they might have a valid way of impacting that system.

Every year, students pour millions into college athletic departments with student fees. In many cases, those athletic departments — and football programs — would be in some serious financial trouble without that contribution.

But what if students decided to rebel and withhold that money until the whole BCS thing is fixed? Or better yet, abolished? I’m not sure, but I can tell you right now that it would frighten the daylights out of some colleges to even hear of a student senate contemplating legislation that would cut off funds.

And why shouldn’t students get involved? Perhaps it’s the only thing that would help. I’m so sick of this stinky stuff — a bunch of university presidents bowing down to the bowl bigwigs in a corrupt system that really makes no sense in the modern world.

And it’s so ridiculously unnecessary. Previously I’ve outlined my plan to use almost all the existing bowl games to host national playoff games, suddenly turning obscure bowls into first-round playoff matchups that could feature some of the top teams in the country.

And talk about television revenue! It would make March Madness look like chicken feed. But oh yeah — there are all these reasons that we can’t do it. Of course, none of those apply to every other level of NCAA and NAIA football, where playoffs already exist.

Anyway, these kids at BCSbusters.com have it figured out. I’d love to see people all over the country involved in this — just to make university administrations uneasy, if nothing else. Please kids, go there, register for their newsletter and forums, send the link to your friends and get involved.

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Tags: BCS, bcsbuster.com, College football, Dwight Jaynes

I just haven’t bought into the whole Huskies-are-back thing this season. Sure, they’re better. But come on, they didn’t beat USC in that game — USC beat USC. Washington was incredibly lucky with the Southern Cal injury situation and the way the game went. It was nothing like the Oregon State upset over the Trojans last season, where the Beavers pushed USC all over Reser Stadium.

The Huskies won another fluke game, beating Arizona when the ball bounced off some guy’s foot.

So, on the one hand I firmly believe Oregon is the better team, on the other, Washington is having one of those seasons where everything just seems to fall in its lap. And with EPSN’s Game Day probably scheduled to hit Eugene next weekend for the USC game if all goes well this weekend, it’s always the sort of game where the Ducks are vulnerable.

But come on, Oregon is just better. It shouldn’t be close — let’s say two touchdowns, at least.

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Tags: College football, Dwight Jaynes, Oregon Ducks, Oregon State Beavers, USC Trojans, Washington Huskies

Just a few thoughts before the games get going:

– Purdue is better than you think, Duck fans. If your team’s offense doesn’t get going, this one is going to be a real struggle. I do, though, expect a few first downs in the first half — no matter what.

– And Beaver fans, UNLV is better than YOU think, too. I expect a lot of points and a real shootout.

– Portland State fans, you’re not as good as you’re going to think you are after playing Southern Oregon this afternoon. Really, if you’re going to drop down and play a team at this level, at least play Linfield — so they’ll bring a large contingent of fans and make you some more money.

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Tags: College football, Dwight Jaynes, Linfield, Oregon Ducks, Oregon State Beavers, Portland State Vikings, Purdue, Southern Oregon State, UNLV

It seems Kelly granted total access to ESPN’s Ivan Maisel for the Boise State game and he produced a long column about it. It was an OK piece, I guess, obviously set up expecting a much better effort than what Oregon gave.

There wasn’t really as much insider stuff as I expected. As a beat guy, I always hated it when national writers were granted more access than the local guys. I think the reporters at the Register Guard or The Oregonian would have done as well with this as Maisel — who is a fine writer — did with it. But of course, it wouldn’t have gotten the program as much nationwide exposure.

And in this case, I’m not sure nationwide exposure was a good thing.

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Tags: Chip Kelly, College football, Dwight Jaynes, ESPN, Ivan Maisel, Oregon Ducks

Chip Kelly owes LeGarrett Blount a lot this week because that whole mess has kept the focus off the Oregon offense. And in spite of all the copy written lately about the Ducks, I have seen nothing about the most compelling topic of the week:

What the hell happened, exactly, to the Oregon offense? Was it the play calling? Who was really calling the plays, anyway? Was it the offensive line? Bad reads by the quarterback? Poor preparation? Was Boise State THAT great on defense?

Folks, Oregon had no first downs — ZERO — in the first half Thursday against the Broncos. Portland State had one on its first series against Oregon State and was massively overmatched. How could such an offensive disaster of train wreck proportions have happened?

I haven’t seen any explanations out of the Oregon coaching staff yet. They’ve had days to look at the film, so what the hell happened?

And seriously, what’s your best guess?

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Tags: Boise State Broncos, Chip Kelly, College football, Dwight Jaynes, LeGarrett Blount, Oregon Ducks

Oregonlive.com had this story Sunday:

After meeting with Oregon coach Chip Kelly on Saturday, running back LeGarrette Blount has decided to remain with the Ducks and will practice Monday.

Blount, whose one-man melee after Oregon’s 19-8 loss at Boise State on Thursday night became an ESPN and YouTube sensation, was suspended for the rest of the season but was allowed to remain with the team.

Blount, who met with the media and apologized to fans shortly after the tirade, also apologized by phone Saturday to BSU coach Chris Petersen and Broncos linebacker Byron Hout, whom Blount punched. He will not be allowed to talk again with the media until further notice.

But then today we read:

EUGENE — LeGarrette Blount laid low Monday, missing Oregon’s morning practice

And:

Kelly said he didn’t know for sure when, or if, Blount would return.

“The conversation about LeGarrette is done,” Kelly said. “It’s how do we move forward and what are the actions that take place for him to move forward as a person.”

UPDATE: This from Oregonlive.com a few minutes ago:

LeGarrette Blount showed up briefly at Tuesday morning’s practice. Blount, suspended for the season after his tirade last Thursday in Boise, was in street clothes and exchanged greetings with teammates before leaving early in the practice. He did not speak with the media. 

What are the odds he’ll be in school when it starts later this month?

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Tags: Chip Kelly, College football, Dwight Jaynes, LeGarrett Blount, Oregon Ducks