For years, they were the prime example of everything fresh and futuristic, the splashy new and next in a sport that long had lived off its history and traditional pageantry.
Then in a matter of games—not seasons—the Oregon Ducks got stale. Not even Nike's deep pockets could prevent the fall. Oregon coach Willie Taggart admits that the team is now in a "rebuild"—his word—and as crazy as it sounds, he couldn't be more right.
The question is: How quickly can the Ducks get off the mat?
One weekend of recruiting is a helluva start.
One weekend when eight recruits for the 2018 class—including six 4-star players—bought what Taggart is selling: reinventing Oregon.