Oregon Ducks' Promise for 2010 FB Season Headed South

There’s an old English proverb that says, “An idle brain is the devil’s workshop.” For University of Oregon star quarterback Jeremiah Mesoli his brain could not have even been idling recently. Maybe the ignition was completely turned off.

Last season Mesoli led the Ducks to their first Rose Bowl appearance since 1995. As a celebrated dual-threat QB he passed for 2,147 yards and 15 touchdowns while also rushing for 668 yards and 13 touchdowns. There was even some talk of Mesoli being part of the Heisman Trophy conversation based on the promise of a great 2010 season. If you take Mesoli out of Oregon’s prolific “Quack Attack” offense it can barely chirp.

But, now the Ducks will be looking for a new man to take the helm for 2010 despite Mesoli still having another year of eligibility. Last Friday Oregon head coach Chip Kelly suspended his top signal-caller for the entire 2010 season after Mesoli pleaded guilty to second- degree burglary in the theft of a pair of laptop computers and a guitar from a campus fraternity. Masoli pleaded guilty as part of a deal that reduced his charge from a felony to a misdemeanor. His partner-in-crime, literally, was receiver Garrett Embry, who pleaded to the same charge. Both will serve 12 months of probation, 140 hours of community service and pay $5,000 in restitution. Was it really worth it for Mesoli to throw away everything that he had going for him to illegally acquire a couple of laptops and a guitar?

It’s no secret that the off-season, that part of a college athlete’s school year when he is not going through a full regiment of practices and/or games, most lends itself to players finding their way into trouble. Oregon may be on pace to set a new record for players being sentenced to some degree of probation, or being suspended, or dismissed from the team.

From personal experience I can attest to the fact that assistant football coaches and head coaches are much more sensitive to getting phone calls at odd hours during the winter and summer months because their players have much more free time. If someone had the time and resources to compile stats on the number of scrapes with a the law that occur during the fall season, or even during spring ball, compared to true off-seasons like winter and summer, the number would shock you. You are all familiar with the “police blotter” report in local newspapers—drunk driving, assault, burglary. Well, you’ll find the same thing permeating sports pages thanks to the off-season adventures of a small percentage of college players.

Masoli and the rest of the out of bounds Ducks prove a great point that some kids, or whatever name you want to hang on these 18-22 year olds, need structure. Yes, they need to mature, handle responsibility and do all of the things that should happen when living their own lives away from their homes. But, for those who argue that some college football coaches are too demanding, too structured, too over-bearing on their players, just Google recent news stories on Oregon football and be prepared to spend some time there. It is certainly not a quick-read. Given the tremendous amount of notoriety at stake when players misrepresent their college athletic program and university, it’s no wonder coaches work incessantly to drive home important values and discipline. Coaches can’t be 24/7 baby-sitters.