De’Anthony Thomas. Marcus Mariota. Josh Huff. They’re household names. Players like this are constantly in the spotlight, having their every move analyzed under a giant microscope.
So what about the other guys? Players who go relatively unnoticed but contribute just as much between the hash marks. Oregon has several of those players, some on both sides of the ball.
Hroniss Grasu
The junior center has been a starter since his first day at Oregon, but is unfamiliar to many football fans due to the nature of his position. Even though he touches the ball more than anyone else on the field, Grasu won’t make any headlines or appear on any Heisman watch lists.
“Hroniss is awesome,” head coach Mark Helfrich said. “His mentality, his toughness, his instincts, his awareness. All of the positive things that you’d want in a center, he has. He’s a really likable guy — a great leader in that way, too. So all those guys want to keep him happy.”
B.J. Kelley
Sophomore wide receiver B.J. Kelley has been overlooked thus far in his college football career by many because of the Ducks’ dominant run game. But Helfrich hyped Kelley’s speed, potential and motivation.
“There’s nothing holding him back,” Helfrich said. “He’s got all the tools — he’s a tough kid. I think he wants to be great, and we expect great things from him.”
Kelley caught six passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns last season, ranking him 10th on the Oregon squad in yards per game a year ago.
Chance Allen
Redshirt freshman receiver Chance Allen was another name mentioned by both Helfrich and wide receivers coach Matt Lubick as a player who has shown improvement during fall camp. Allen was selected as a 5A Texas Region III All-District athlete his senior year of high school and checks in at 6-feet-2-inches. The possibility of an increased passing game provides intrigue for receivers, especially returners like Allen who have little to no experience on the field but show promise.
Arik Armstead
Armstead has gained popularity by being a two-sport athlete, but like his fellow linemen, he won’t show up on the traditional highlight reels. As a freshman in 2012, Armstead appeared in all 13 games and is set to see an increased number of snaps this season.
Armstead should make more of a name for himself this season and develop into one of the top defensive threats in the country.
“He’s playing great,” defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti said. “He’s a big strong guy that can run so you love him. He can play any of our d-line positions.”