Life after Chip Kelly wasn't supposed to be that easy for the Oregon Ducks, but in their two seasons without the man who helped architect their current system, they have been incredibly successful. But can they be successful without the man who was arguably the best quarterback in school history, Marcus Mariota?
That's one of the many questions facing the Ducks in 2015.
2015 SCHEDULE
9/5: vs. Eastern Washington
9/12: @ Michigan State
9/19: vs. Georgia State
9/26: vs. Utah
10/3: @ Colorado
10/10: vs. Washington State
10/17: @ Washington
10/29: @ Arizona State
11/7: vs. California
11/14: @ Stanford
11/21: vs. USC
11/27: vs. Oregon State
SEASON WIN TOTAL
The Ducks might have a tough season ahead, and the fact that their season win total is down at just nine is certainly telling. Oregon will get a lot of play based on its history, but the fact of the matter is that it probably has a couple games in which it will be an underdog.
That early-season game at Michigan State could be devastating, and a five-game stretch against Washington, Arizona State, Cal, Stanford and USC really feels like it should have at least one, if not two losses in that mix as well.
OFFENSIVE OUTLOOK
Vernon Adams lit up the ranks of the FCS for years with Eastern Washington, and now, he is taking his trade to Eugene. The former Eagles pivot is very likely to be the starter for the Ducks this year, which is made all the more interesting due to the fact that Oregon's first game is against – you guessed it – Eastern Washington.
The team's top four receivers are all back alongside Pharaoh Brown at tight end, and Royce Freeman should once again easily exceed 1,000 yards on the ground.
Still, after averaging over 500 yards per game in each of the last two seasons, can the Ducks do it again without Mariota, even with all of this talent still in place with eight returning starters? We have to forecast at least a slight step backwards, though we aren't ones to bet against Mark Helfrich and his Quack Attack.
DEFENSIVE OUTLOOK
Seven starters are back on the defensive side of the ball for Oregon, and its front seven is once again going to be one of the best in the Pac-12. DeForest Buckner is a potential All-American in 2015, and he and Arik Armstead are both NFL prospects playing up front. Three of the four starting linebackers are back as well.
Aside from that, there isn't a lot to talk about. This secondary was abysmal last season, allowing 264.3 passing yards per game, and now that Erick Dargan and Ifo Ekpre-Olomu are both gone, we aren't sure where Oregon is going to turn in its secondary. Chris Seisay, who was largely used as a nickel corner last year, is going to have to be big in this, his sophomore season.
SEASON PREDICTION
Oregon is going to be really good once again, and there's no two ways around that. Still, the oddsmakers don't have this wrong. The Ducks are +260 to get into the four-team playoff for the second straight season, which seems to be just about right to us considering the fact that Ohio State, TCU and Alabama all feel like they should get in this season.
Still, we like the Ducks at +1800 to win it all. Of course, there's that chance that they don't get into the playoff, but they are playing a good enough schedule that the CFP Committee should take notice if they manage to win the Pac-12 at 12-1.
If Adams is the real deal like Mariota, the U of O won't miss a beat, and if that turns out to be the case, you're going to be really glad you've got an 18 to 1 price on your side on one of the perennial powers of college football.
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