ESPN College Football

Kicker is typically a strong position in the Pac-12. That is not the case -- at least based on preseason appearances -- this fall.

Just five teams welcome back experienced kickers. The pickings is so slim in terms of quality that Phil Steele named Arizona's Alex Zendejas third-team All-Pac-10 in his preview magazine.

So how does this thin group stack up? Read on.

Great shape

Washington: Erik Folk was perfect on 33 PATs last year while also connecting on 13 of 20 field goals with a long of 54 yards. Most years, these numbers would rate as "good" rather than "great," but having the best returning kicker in the conference, even if his numbers aren't scintillating, is a significant boost.

Good shape

Oregon: Rob Beard made 10 of 13 field goals last year -- coach Chip Kelly doesn't like field goals -- and was 63 of 64 on PATs.

Arizona: Zendejas had some, er, notable issues -- we won't even bring up the PATs in the Arizona State game -- but he did make 14 of 19 field goals with a long of 47. His 73.7 percent field goal percentage ranked third in the Pac-10 in 2010, ahead, by the way, of UCLA's Kai Forbath.

Washington State: Washington State only attempted 11 field goals last year. It made seven of those, three from Andrew Furney, who tops the post-spring depth chart. He also was 18-of-18 on PATs.

California: Giorgio Tavecchio is probably not going to be a great kicker, but he's experienced. He made 11 of 16 kicks last year with a long of 53. He missed two of his 39 PATs.

We'll see

Stanford: Jordan Williamson and Eric Whitaker battled this spring to replace Whitaker's older brother, Nate, who was first-team All-Pac-10 in 2010. Williamson seemed to have a slight lead heading into the offseason, though Whitaker has more experience.

USC: True freshman Andre Heidari was the nation's top-rated prep kicker last year. It's unlikely he will do worse than last year's kicker, Joe Houston, who ranked last in the conference in field goal percentage, though he was perfect on 43 PATs.

UCLA: The post-spring depth chart included an "or" between junior Jeff Locke -- the Bruins' punter -- and redshirt freshman Kip Smith.

Oregon State: Trevor Romaine was ahead of Max Johnson after spring practices to replace Justin Kahut. Both missed two attempts in the spring game. Romaine showed a good foot on kickoffs.

Utah: Coleman Petersen beat out Nick Marsh, the Utes' kickoff specialist last year, this spring to replace Joe Phillips. He's never kicked in a game.

Arizona State: Thomas Weber is gone. His replacement looks like redshirt freshman Alex Garoutte, who wasn't consistent this spring.

Colorado: Justin Castor topped the depth chart this spring -- he wasn't terribly consistent -- but incoming freshman Will Oliver might give him some competition.

After doing an Senior All-Pac-10 team Tuesday, it seemed reasonable to follow that up with an Underclass All-Pac-10 team.

All of the players here are redshirt sophomores or younger. They will have at least two years of eligibility left next year, though many are likely headed to the NFL draft after next season.

Lots of tough choices here -- particularly on defense -- and this feels like a high-quality group.

Here we go.

Offense


QB Andrew Luck, RSo., Stanford
RB LaMichael James, RSo., Oregon
RB Chris Polk, RSo., Washington
WR Marquess Wilson, TFr., Washington State
WR Robert Woods, TFr., USC
TE Zach Ertz, RFr., Stanford
OL Jonathan Martin, RSo., Stanford
OL David DeCastro, RSo., Stanford
OL Khaled Holmes, RSo., USC
OL Matt Kalil, RSo., USC
OL Carson York, RSo., Oregon

Defense


DL Junior Onyeali, TFr., Arizona State
DL Justin Washington, TFr., Arizona
DL Hau'oli Jamora, TFr., Washington
DL Travis Long, TSo, Washington State
LB Vontaze Burfict, TSo., Arizona State
LB Chase Thomas, RSo., Stanford
LB Shane Skov, TSo., Stanford
CB Cliff Harris, TSo., Oregon
CB Desmond Trufant, TSo., Washington
S T.J. McDonald, TSo., USC
S John Boyett, RSo., Oregon

Specialists


P Jeff Locke, RSo., UCLA
K Rob Beard, RSo., Oregon
PR/KR Cliff Harris, TSo., Oregon

Who distinguished themselves during the bowl season? Here's our All-Bowl Team.

Offense

QB Andrew Luck, Stanford: Luck completed 18 of 23 passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns in the Cardinal's 40-12 win over Virginia Tech in the Discover Orange Bowl. He also rushed for 15 yards and was sacked just once.
RB Chris Polk, Washington: Polk rushed for 177 yards on 34 carries with a touchdown in the Huskies win over Nebraska in the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl.
RB Jeremy Stewart, Stanford: Sophomore Stepfan Taylor actually rushed for more yards, but Stewart, a senior who's battled injuries throughout his career, had 99 yards on just five carries, including a 60-yard touchdown against Virginia Tech.
WR Jeff Maehl, Oregon: Maehl caught nine passes for 133 yards with a long reception of 81 yards in the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game.
WR David Douglas, Arizona: Douglas caught six passes for 91 yards in the Valero Alamo Bowl.
TE Coby Fleener, Stanford: Fleenor had a career night in the Orange Bowl, catching six passes for 173 yards and three touchdowns.
OL Jonathan Martin, Stanford: Stanford rushed for 247 yards and allowed just one sack. Martin will be an All-American candidate in 2011.
OL Chase Beeler, Stanford: Beeler, the consensus All-American center, is the brains behind the bullies, leading one of the nation's best lines.
OL David DeCastro, Stanford: The first-team All-Pac-10 performer had a number of key blocks against the Hokies.
OL Senio Kelemete, Washington: Kelemete has a chance at All-Conference honors as a senior.
OL Cody Habben, Washington: The Huskies rushed for 268 yards and allowed no sacks versus Nebraska. A nice way for the senior right tackle to go out.

Defense

LB Mason Foster, Washington: Foster had a game-high 12 tackles, including two sacks in the Huskies win over Nebraska.
LB Shayne Skov, Stanford: Skov had a game-high 12 tackles, with three sacks and another tackle for a loss against the Hokies. He also broke up a pass.
LB Casey Matthews, Oregon: Matthews had six tackles, split a tackle for a loss and, most important, forced the late fumble from Cameron Newton that set up the Ducks touchdown that tied the count 19-19 late against Auburn.
LB Victor Aiyewa, Washington: Aiyewa had three tackles for a loss and two forced fumbles in the Holiday Bowl.
DT Alameda Ta'amu, Washington: Ta'amu dominated inside, recording a sack and recovering a fumble against the Cornhuskers.
DE Hau'oli Jamora, Washington: The true freshman had three tackles for a loss and a sack versus Nebraska.
DE Kenny Rowe, Oregon: Rowe was second on the Ducks with nine tackles, four of which came for a loss. He also had a sack and a forced fumble.
CB Cliff Harris, Oregon: Harris had three tackles, two pass breakups and an interception. A second interception was not upheld by replay officials.
CB Richard Sherman, Stanford: Sherman had just one tackle against Virginia Tech. It appears that the Hokies, who completed just 16 of 31 passes, decided not to throw his way.
S Delano Howell, Stanford: Howell had an interception, a sack and four tackles in the Orange Bowl.
S Nate Felner, Washington: Felner had four tackles and an interception in the Huskies win over Nebraska.

Special teams

K Rob Beard, Oregon: There wasn't a lot of great kicking this bowl season in the Pac-10, but Beard connected on a 26-yard field goal against Auburn and scored a 2-point play on an option pitch.
P David Green, Stanford: Green didn't punt much in the Orange Bowl, but he did average 46 yards when he did (three times).
KR Travis Cobb, Arizona: Cobb returned five kickoffs for 179 yards, with a long of 64 yards.

Oregon running back LaMichael James, Oregon cornerback Cliff Harris and Washington kicker Erik Folk are the Pac-10 Players of the Week.

James, a sophomore from Texarkana, Texas, led No. 4 Oregon to a 52-31 victory over No. 9 Stanford, carrying the ball 31 times for a career-high 257 yards and three touchdowns. His 76-yard touchdown run came on his final carry as he sealed the game with 1:10 remaining. It was his second 200-yard rushing performance this season.

James also was named the Walter Camp Football Foundation National Offensive Player of the Week.

Harris, a sophomore from Fresno, Calif., collected five tackles to go along with two second-half interception and a pass breakup. His second interception occurred in the end zone when Stanford had a first and 10 on the Ducks 11-yard line. It’s the second Player of the Week honor for Harris -- he won for special teams after game one.

Folk, a junior from Woodland Hills, Calif., came through for Washington for the second straight time against USC as he hit a game-winning field goal to beat the 18th-ranked Trojans. This time, his 32-yarder split the uprights as time expired, giving the Huskies the 32-31 win over No. 18 USC. He was 4-for-4 on field goals for the evening, hitting from 23, 41, 35 and 32 yards. He also made both PAT attempts, accounting for 14 of the team’s 32 points. Last season, it was Polk’s 22-yarder with three seconds to play that made the difference in a 16-13 win over No. 3 USC.

Also nominated for offensive player of the week honors were running backs Deantre Lewis of Arizona State, Jacquizz Rodgers of Oregon State, Stepfan Taylor of Stanford, Johnathan Franklin of UCLA, Allen Bradford of USC, and quarterback Jake Locker of Washington. Also nominated on defense were defensive tackle Stephen Paea of Oregon State, safety Taylor Skaufel of Stanford, defensive tackle David Carter of UCLA and linebacker Mason Foster of Washington. Also nominated for special teams were punter Trevor Hankins of Arizona State, place kicker Rob Beard of Oregon, kick returner Jordan Poyer of Oregon State, and place kicker Kai Forbath of UCLA.

Some quick notes to get you through the hours until Saturday.

• Arizona's visit to Toledo will be the first time a Pac-10 team has played in a MAC team's home stadium.
• Arizona State opens its season vs. back-to-back Big Sky opponents, starting with Portland State on Saturday. Because the Sun Devils play two FCS foes, they must win seven games to become bowl eligible.
• California is 8-0 all-time vs. UC Davis, but the last meeting was in 1939.
• Oregon has won 16 of 17 home openers, dating to 1993. The only loss during that span was a 30-24 defeat vs. Indiana in 2004.
• The Ducks will be without the services of running back LaMichael James and kicker Rob Beard as they serve one-game suspensions.
• Oregon State, which has never played TCU, opens the season against the Horned Frogs ranked in the Top 25 for first time since 2001.
• Oregon State: 1-3 in its past four seasons openers vs FBS schools.
• Stanford's game vs. Sacramento State has been designated as the Bill Walsh Legacy Game in honor of the Hall of Fame coach who had two separate stints at Stanford (1977-78; 1992-94).
• UCLA leads the series with Kansas State 1-0, winning last year 23-9.
• The Bruins have won three of four openers on the road this decade.
• BYU has won 4 of its plast 5 vs Pac-10 schools; Washington is 1-4 vs Mountain West competition since the conference was formed in 1999.
• Huskies coach Steve Sarkisian was the BYU quarterback in 1995-96.
• Washington State holds a 2-1 advantage vs.Oklahoma State, but the Cowboys won the last matchup 39-13 in 2008.

Oregon opens preseason camp today. Here's a quick look.

Who's back: Nine starters on offense, eight on defense, P Jackson Rice

Big names: RB LaMichael James, LT Bo Thran, WR Jeff Maehl, DE Kenny Rowe, LB Casey Matthews, DT Brandon Bair

What's new: The Ducks staff returns intact for Chip Kelly's second year as head coach. They will be breaking in a new QB after Jeremiah Masoli was given the boot.

Key competition: The QB battle between senior Nate Costa and sophomore Darron Thomas will be the conference's most-watched competition. Things also are uncertain at left cornerback, where freshmen Terrance Mitchell and Avery Patterson eclipsed the more experienced Cliff Harris during the spring. There's an "Or" between Dion Jordan and Terrell Turner on the depth chart at defensive end. And things are unresolved at kicker, where Rob Beard will try to hold off freshman Alejandro Maldonado, who has Lady Gaga in his corner.

Breaking out: The 6-foot-7 Jordan is an intriguing talent. James' backup Kenjon Barner, a dynamic athlete, will get plenty of touches. Maehl surged late last season and could turn in an All-Conference season. While listed as a backup, LB Michael Clay has consistently drawn raves. FS John Boyett, LB Spencer Paysinger and DT Brandon Bair also appear poised to be in the All-Conference picture.

Quote: Kelly on the QB competition: “It’s always a question mark when you lose your quarterback. We have two competent players in Nate Costa and Darron Thomas who will battle it out in preseason camp. Both are prepared and worked really hard for it. All of our offensive line, receivers and running backs are back. They will have a supporting cast around them.”

Notes: James and Beard will be suspended for the season-opener against New Mexico because of off-field issues... Talented backup LB linebacker Kiko Alonso was suspended for the season after he received a DUI... Receivers Tyrece Gaines and Diante Jackson were both declared academically ineligible and are not expected to return to the team... Receivers receiver Jamere Holland and Garrett Embry also were dismissed from the team.

A good kicker solves a lot of problems. An inconsistent one makes everyone anxious, particularly late in tight games.

The Pac-10 will feature two of the best kickers in the nation -- two Lou Groza Award winners, no less -- in 2010, but for a handful of schools, the position is questionable.

So, who stands where?

Great shape

• UCLA: Kai Forbath is the best kicker in the country. The first-team All-American and 2009 Groza Award winner is practically automatic, even outside 50 yards.
• Arizona State: Thomas Weber suffered through a lost 2009 season because of injuries, but when healthy the 2007 Groza Award winner is a potential All-American.
• Oregon State: Justin Kahut earned second-team All-Pac-10 honors in 2009 after converting 22 of 27 field goals with a long of 50 yards.
• Washington: Erik Folk bounced back from two injury-plagued years to connect on 18 of 21 field goals in 2009.

Good shape

• Stanford: Nate Whitaker made 16 of 22 field goals last year, which is solid, but his 54-yarder against Wake Forest was the longest in the conference last season.
• Arizona: As a sophomore, Alex Zendejas was true on 17 of 22 field goals with a long of 47 yards.

We'll see

• California: Cal used two kickers last season -- Giorgio Tavecchio and Vincenzo D'Amato -- but neither was consistent.
• Washington State: Nico Grasu was solid in 2008 -- booting the game-winner in the "Crapple" Cup against Washington -- but he faded in 2009, missing the final four games with a thigh injury.
• Oregon: The Ducks are replacing the reliable Morgan Flint. Rob Beard and incoming freshman Alejandro Maldonado are the top candidates for the spot.
• USC: Unproven seniors Joe Houston and Jacob Harfman are competing to replace Jordan Congdon, the seventh-best kicker in the conference in 2009.

Ah, the beautiful Northwest. Wine country. Seafood. Snow-capped mountains. Badly behaving athletes.

It's fair to assume that Oregon State fans are no longer tee-heeing about all of Oregon's off-field troubles. While the Beavers haven't approached the headline-grabbing, are-you-kidding-me? shock of a Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback stealing thousands of dollars worth of electronics from a fraternity, their run of incidents has certainly ramped up of late.

The latest two items may threaten the status of one starter, defensive lineman Brennan Olander, and a potential backup quarterback, Peter Lalich. Olander was part of a golf cart joyride gone wrong, which is more of an issue for him than fellow alleged offenders, Lyle Moevao and Keaton Kristick, because: 1. he's still on the team; and, 2. he was involved in a previous incident. Lalich, meanwhile, was charged with a boating DUI over the weekend. He was kicked out of Virginia for two alcohol-related offenses.

If you've forgotten the Ducks' rap sheet, you can review it here: thefts, brawls, DUIs, a domestic incident, Facebook tirades, suspensions and expulsions. Lots of page turners.

As for the Beavers, Paul Buker sets it all up nicely here, while this is another effort from the Statesman-Journal.

Lalich's arrest is the Beavers' seventh police incident this offseason. The Ducks had eight.

Now, here's our issue: There have been rumbles of media criticism over how the incidents have been covered, with a few Ducks feeling like the Beavers got a free pass compared to the national coverage of Oregon's woes.

Balderdash.

We, of course, would never minimize incidents that require police involvement, but come on folks. Let's get real here.

Three Beavers take a joyride in a golf cart and flip it, doing significant damage. Dumb, but just imagine the scene in your head. Are you honestly possessed with a "let's get tough on crime!" outrage. No, you are not.

As for Olander's previous offense, which obviously slipped under the media radar, Buker of The Oregonian writes, "Olander may face additional team sanctions because he has been in court before, having pleaded guilty to second-degree theft by receiving stemming from a May 2009 incident. That incident involved a bike that had been reported stolen and was later found in Olander’s possession. Olander told authorities he had purchased the bike from a transient for $50."

The other three incidents? Two were freshmen cited for minor in possession of alcohol charges. The third was a freshman walk-on who is no longer with the team getting arrested on May 2 for resisting arrest, interfering with a police officer and being a minor in possession.

The names here? John Braun, Tyler Thomas and Kaua Olds.

Compare that to: Jeremiah Masoli, LaMichael James, Jamere Holland, Garrett Embry, Josh Kaddu, Kiko Alonso and Rob Beard.

In other words, the Ducks in trouble for various reasons were stars and contributors from a team that played in the Rose Bowl. In Holland's case, he was an oft-troubled but big-name USC transfer who went nuts on his Facebook page, which is an underhanded pitch for reporters.

Further, the Masoli theft case was a mystery that challenged mainstream reporters for whom Internet rumors are not sufficient grounds to go forward with a story. While the fraternity theft happened on Jan. 23, Masoli was never arrested or officially named a suspect until just before he pleaded guilty on March 12. Those days in between, while a variety of other incidents occurred, therefore created an atmosphere of intrigue: Did he really do it?

Yep.

Further, James' domestic incident also inspired a significant undercurrent of speculation: she's railroading him versus he beat her up. Turned out, it was a complicated, nuanced situation that was handled well by authorities. But, again, there was a long stretch between arrest and resolution. If that had been a single incident, the spotlight wouldn't have burned so bright during the interregnum. It wasn't.

From a media perspective, there was way -- WAY -- more going on with Oregon vs. Oregon State, in large part because it became a perfect storm of unresolved matters involving star players augmented by a scattering of new incidents along a timeline that provide new reasons to revisit the unresolved matters involving star players.

As in, no resolution today? Well, let's debate whether Oregon is out of control under coach Chip Kelly.

What's the bottom line here?

It is this: Oregon and Oregon State fans should know -- and I read a lot of newspapers because it's a major part of my job as a blogger -- that both teams are covered well by responsible, skilled beat reporters who work very hard to get the story correct.

There's no media bias or conspiracy. Promise.

Oregon

2009 overall record: 10-3

2009 conference record: 8-1 (conference champion)

Returning starters

Offense: 9, Defense: 9, punter/kicker: 1

Top returners: RB LaMichael James, WR Jeff Maehl, OT Bo Thran, DT Brandon Bair, DE Kenny Rowe, LB Casey Matthews, LB Spencer Paysinger

Key losses: QB Jeremiah Masoli, TE Ed Dickson, DE Will Tukuafu, FS T.J. Ward

2009 statistical leaders (*returning starter)

Rushing: LaMichael James* (1,608)
Passing: Jeremiah Masoli (2,147)
Receiving: Jeff Maehl* (696)
Tackles: John Boyett* (90)
Sacks: Kenny Rowe* (11.5)
Interceptions: Talmadge Jackson* (4)

Spring Answers

1. The secondary is deep: Injuries forced the Ducks to use a lot of young players in the secondary in 2009. The payoff this fall should be what amounts to four returning starters and some experienced backups. But, hold your horses. A number of youngsters, including hotshot freshmen such Terrance Mitchell, were impressive this spring and could eclipse those with starting experience.

2. Position changes worked: Eddie Pleasant moved from linebacker to safety and he's in line to start after showing a good learning curve for playing in space. Dion Jordan switched from tight end to defensive end and he looks like a potential breakout player -- particularly as a pass rusher -- in 2010.

3. Tight end looks good: One of the questions entering spring was replacing All-Pac-10 tight end Ed Dickson. It appears that David Paulson, Dickson's backup last year, and JC transfer Brandon Williams are ready for their close-ups. In the fall, touted freshman Curtis White arrives and could play his way into the mix.

Fall questions

1. Who's the starting QB? Think this is a big one? It seems as though senior Nate Costa and sophomore Darron Thomas are about even at the end of spring, which means this will be one of the more closely watched competitions in the nation. Sure would have been easier if Jeremiah Masoli had... oh, never mind.

2. How good is the defense? While many see Oregon as an offensive power, the Ducks were underrated on defense last year and expect to be better this fall. How much better could determine whether they win the Pac-10 title and finish in the nation's top-10.

3. Who's the kicker? While it's not a spotlight position like quarterback, the competition at kicker is just as undecided. Will it be between Rob Beard, the 2009 kickoff specialist, and incoming freshman Alejandro Maldonado?

It's fair to say the night of Jan. 23 isn't likely to become a special holiday for Oregon Ducks adherents, unless a certain sort enjoys commemorating a weekend of infamy.

That's the date (though events stretched into the next morning) the brawling Ducks kickers were unleashed onto the world -- one of whom, Rob Beard -- got knocked unconscious and ended up in the hospital -- and, of course, the fraternity theft that earned quarterback Jeremiah Masoli a season-long suspension.

The repercussions haven't stopped, though: The other brawling kicker, Mike Bowlin, who is no longer with the team, now will face three misdemeanor harassment charges and one misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct, according to KVAL-TV in Eugene.

Beard previously pleaded guilty to a harassment charge. He remains with the team but will be suspended for the season opener against New Mexico.

Beard, who had faced a misdemeanor charge for assaulting a woman, commented on the incident to The Oregonian: "I didn't remember seeing the woman, so people assumed I was too drunk to remember it ... That's not true. I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.''

A lot of that has been going around for the Ducks.

It was announced on March 13, 2009, that Chip Kelly would replace Mike Bellotti as Oregon's football coach. So, Saturday morning will be Kelly's one-year anniversary.

Happy anniversary coach.

It's certainly been an eventful year. The LeGarrette Blount meltdown after the dismal performance at Boise State. The Pac-10 championship, conference Coach of the Year honors and the Rose Bowl berth.

Then, since late January, Kelly's Ducks decided to dominate the police blotter and become a national sensation as a team supposedly full of out-of-control delinquents.

And, now, on his 364th day as Oregon's coach, Kelly announced that his star quarterback Jeremiah Masoli -- a potential Heisman Trophy candidate -- has been suspended for the entire 2010 season after he pleaded guilty to a second-degree burglary charge stemming from the theft of two laptops and a guitar from a campus fraternity house in late January.

And that his star running back LaMichael James -- the Pac-10 offensive Freshman of the Year -- has been suspended for the 2010 opener vs. New Mexico after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor harassment charge and was sentenced to 24 months on probation and 10 days in jail.

And that his kicker Rob Beard also was suspended for the opener after he pleaded guilty to a harassment charge for his part in a Jan. 24 brawl.

Kelly refused to answer any questions Friday. He spoke only for a few minutes and said, "I want to eliminate any uncertainly that our level of expectations are the same for all our student-athletes regardless of the role they play on this team.”

You can review the entire rap sheet here. In summary, Masoli is the biggest name atop a list of incidents involving nine players, three of whom were kicked off the team and two others were suspended for the 2010 season.

It surely represents one of the most embarrassing periods for the program in decades. Kelly should have talked to reporters. He'll likely get skewered for not doing so. But he probably just wanted to go lie down in a dark room and listen to soft music. Chopin, perhaps.

Is Kelly to blame for the recent run of incidents? No. And Yes.

He's only been the head coach for one year after serving for two as offensive coordinator. He's participated in creating a team culture, but it's also accurate to say that the program doesn't yet entirely belong to him. These will be Chip Kelly's Ducks when the vast majority of players in the locker room were recruited by him as head coach. That's presently not the case.

But, yes, Kelly deserves blame. He's the head coach. He's paid a lot of money to run a successful program, and that includes fielding a team that doesn't embarrass the university off the field. It's the ole "buck stops here" rule.

Has Kelly handled this run of off-field incidents well? Yes. And no.

Kelly took a measured, case-by-case approach. He sent a message to his locker room that he's not going to bow to outside pressure and quickly hand out harsh punishments just to look like he's a disciplinarian. Meanwhile, he did hand out several harsh punishments.

Did he send a mixed message? Some people felt that way. But I was never confused about his message -- felt like I knew where Kelly stood all along.

Kelly believed Masoli and James both had credible positions in regard to their incidents. Turns out James did. And Masoli did not.

What particularly stands out about the Masoli case is that he lied -- to Kelly and to police -- about his initial involvement. Even though charges against Masoli were reduced to a misdemeanor, the lying is likely a big part of why he won't suit up in 2010.

But Kelly also handled this terribly. Why? Because, for one, it happened, one incident after the other (recall where the buck stops). Second, because it was impossible to handle well.

It was embarrassing that the day after he laid down the law in front of reporters with an, "I'm in charge speech," linebacker Kiko Alonso got a DUI. And that receiver Jamere Holland decided to launch a Facebook tirade about his perception of Kelly's reaction shortly thereafter.

And that just a week ago, as things seemed to get quiet for a few days, linebacker Josh Kaddu was busted for minor in possession of alcohol.

Still, it's hard to believe that, short of putting his players on lock-down, Kelly could have prevented them from acting like knuckleheads. They've had 18-to-22 years -- pre-Kelly -- to develop such traits.

Going forward, however, is where things need to be different.

It's one thing for a first-year head coach to suffer through a run like this. It's a far different thing for it to happen in year three or four.

Kelly's a smart, organized guy, though. While his considerable ego likely will prevent him from publicly admitting mistakes -- probably one of the reasons he decided not to take questions Friday -- know that he most certainly is formulating a plan to ensure the program doesn't suffer through another run like this anytime soon.

Will he go Martin Luther and hang "The Ninety-Five Theses" in the Ducks locker room? That wouldn't shock me.

In fact, the guess here is he'll spend most of his coaching anniversary thinking about that very thing.

So, again, happy anniversary coach.

Matt Simms, a former Oregon walk-on, was sentenced Tuesday to 40 hours of community service after his misdemeanor assault charge was reduced to harassment.

Oregon coach Chip Kelly kicked Simms of the team for an undisclosed team rules violation on Feb. 3.

Sims was arrested for allegedly retaliating against a man he believed was part of a brawl in which Oregon kicker Rob Beard was knocked unconscious and suffered serious facial injuries.

Misdemeanor assault charges against Beard are still pending.

When will the bleeding end for Oregon?

The latest is Oregon coach Chip Kelly announcing Sunday he had booted Jamere Holland from the team, in all likelihood because of the receiver's expletive-filled posts on his Facebook page.

That was just the final act of another bad weekend for the Ducks. Hours after coach Kelly met with reporters Friday to reassure Ducks fans he had control of the team, linebacker Kiko Alonso was arrested early Saturday for DUI.

Running back LaMichael James, 20, was arrested last week on a domestic violence charge.

Kicker Rob Beard has been cited with investigation of misdemeanor assault in a Jan. 24 brawl that left him seriously injured and involved other players, one of whom, walk-on Matt Simms, was booted from the team.

It's been a rough month for the program.

Holland was a talented but often troubled receiver with great speed who transferred from USC but never broke through. He was academically ineligible for the Rose Bowl after catching 17 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns in two seasons.

Here's The Oregonian story, which includes information about Holland's unwise Facebook posts.

Oregon coach Chip Kelly's first year leading the Ducks should be viewed as the rough equivalent of a coaching dog year, so let's go ahead and call Kelly a seven-year veteran.

Talk about extremes of good and bad. Post-game punches, a Pac-10 championship, a Rose Bowl and a stack of police reports.

Talk about packing a career of thrills and embarrassments into a calender year.

The latest -- running back LaMichael James' arrest on domestic violence charges -- extends a recent streak of disturbing off-field incidents.

A couple of Ducks kickers were involved in a major brawl on Jan. 24. One, Mike Bowlin, left the team this week. The other, Rob Beard, was knocked unconscious in the melee, required serious facial surgery and was charged with misdemeanor assault. A walk-on defensive end, Matt Simms, previously was kicked off the team after Eugene police cited him for misdemeanor assault for allegedly retaliating against someone from the brawl.

And, of course, there are rumors that more troubles could be ahead for the Ducks.

This isn't boys-will-be boys stuff. Each off-field incident, based on available information, included serious allegations. The sort of stuff that gets folks put in jail, not to mention kicked out of school.

So it's only a sidebar that poor judgement by Ducks players could potentially ruin a 2010 season that holds such promise.

That was the salve that was supposed to heal the wound of an upset loss to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl: Oregon should be even better next year.

Ten starters were scheduled to return from one of 2009's best offenses. Sure, there were questions on defense, but not enough to prevent most prognosticators from ranking the Ducks in the 2010 preseason top-10.

The Ducks not only were projected as Pac-10 favorites, they were viewed as darkhorse national title contenders.

They still might be. But there is now the ominous prospect, due to these off-field incidents, that high hopes could shrivel up and be replaced by worrisome upheaval and controversy.

Not to mention that these young men are putting their futures at risk.

So how does this fall to Kelly?

Here's a guess that Kelly delivered a stern message about personal conduct in a team meeting in late-January. That message, however, may not have sunk in, at least based on the allegations against James.

One of the tough things about being a college coach is you are held accountable for things which you have little to no control over. But that's part of the job. Guys get paid very well to win and run a clean program, and the buck ultimately stops on the coach's desk.

Here's another guess. Kelly, now a wizened coaching veteran, will again deliver a stern message to his team. This one may go up to 11 on the volume, too.

Oregon fans surely will hope this time the message resonates as if it were coming from the Oval Office.

Oregon kicker Rob Beard has been charged with fourth-degree assault, a misdemeanor, for his role in a Jan. 24 brawl in which he was knocked unconscious and suffered facial injuries that required surgery, according to the Eugene Register-Guard.

Eugene police cited Beard, 19, for assaulting a 19-year-old woman during the fight, which reportedly involved 20 to 40 people, the newspaper reported.

Two students from a nearby community college previously were charged with second-degree assault for causing Beard's injuries.

Beard joined the fight, according to police, in order to help teammate Mike Bowlin. Bowlin, also a kicker, left the Ducks earlier this week.

A release from the Eugene police department provided no additional details and said the case remains under investigation.

Beard, Oregon's kickoff specialist in 2009, is expected to compete for the Ducks' starting kicking job, though it is unclear whether he will be able to participate in spring practices, which begin March 30, while recovering from his injuries. The Ducks must replace kicker Morgan Flint.