Byron Marshall

5'10'', 200 lbs. | Class of 2012

    Hometown: San Jose, CA
    School: Valley Christian High School
    Position: Running Back
    Status: Signed letter of intent,  Oregon  2/1/2012

After signing his letter of intent today, Byron Marshall starts work on becoming the next great Oregon running back.

Marshall lettered as a freshman and made the U.S. Army All-American team as a senior. In his last three years as a prep he scored 51 touchdowns, rushing for 1,035, 1,360 and 914 yards. He missed three games his senior year with an injury, but still averaged a whopping 9.38 yards a carry.

With LaMichael James graduating and Dontae Williams and Lache Seastrunk leaving the program last year, Marshall has the ability and the opportunity to challenge for immediate playing time.

photo right: Byron Marshall stiffarmed Cal and ASU to become a Duck, and fans will be delighted he did (bearinsider.com photo).

Andy McNamara of the Oregon Sports Information Department just released the official list of Oregon signees:

Photo right: 5-star defensive lineman Arik Armstead headlines a solid, deep, versatile 2012 recruiting class for the Oregon Ducks.

no comments

Alex Balducci has signed his Oregon letter of intent, adding to the Ducks depth and promise on the defensive line.

Balducci is a high-motor 6-4, 275-lb. defensive tackle from Portland's Central Catholic High School. The Oregon co-defensive of player of the year (also all-conference as an offensive lineme) has wanted to be a Duck since he was a grade schooler, watching Dennis Dixon and Jonathan Stewart running for touchdowns at Autzen Stadium.

“I’ve always had an interest in them,” Balducci told Aaron Fentress of oregonlive.com. “So it was an easy decision.”

Recruiting website Rivals.com rates him the #97 recruit in the country for the 2012 class. The Duck Stops Here breaks down his highlight video to show why the Army All-American is such a promising, impressive prospect, a rare find at defensive tackle in the Northwest:

Protect this house: He wore Cardinal and Gold in high school, but his heart is pure Gang Green. Alex Balducci is a big man with a Duck dream (scout.com photo).

Oshay Dunmore may be the most versatile athlete to become an Oregon Duck since Jordan Kent. This morning, Dunmore faxed his commitment to coaches Chip Kelly and John Neal, and they're delighted to have him.

He has a 3.8 grade average and a personal best of 15 feet in the pole vault. He's a nationally-ranked high school decathlete, all-state at quarterback and safety for class 4A Newport High.

A future as bright as a liquid-metal helmet: Overcoming a troubled upbringing, Oshay Dunmore excels in every area of his life, including the defensive backfield.

A year after signing Colt Lyerla, a five-star athlete with superb skills who contributed five touchdowns as a true freshman, the Ducks dominated in-state recruiting this season by landing three impact players, one each for each level of the defense, Oshay Dunmore, a Parade All-American at safety, Alex Balducci, a tough, physical all-state defensive lineman, and Brett Bafaro, a hard-hitting linebacker from Liberty High School in Hillsboro, who's also a standout baseball player.

Bafaro's commitment is particularly crucial as the Ducks lost two linebackers to graduation in Dewitt Stuckey and Josh Kaddu and two more in the last weeks of recruiting, Bryce Cottrell to Texas, Jeremy Castro to UCLA. The Hillsboro product remains their last remaining linebacker in this class after signing several good ones last year.

Photo right: A slashing, hard-nosed linebacker who plays with an edge, Bafaro is a throwback to pad-smacking Ducks like Kevin Mitchell, Anthony Trucks, Wesley Mallard and Blair Phillips (Hillsboro Argus photo).

Bafaro batted .571 in high school baseball as a junior. In just two football games in 2010, he rushed for 229 yards on 17 carries, caught six passes for 92 yards and scored five touchdowns.  In the season's first six games he had 369 rushing yards, averaging more than 10 yards per carry.  In one game against Putnam, he had 15 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and broke up two passes. For the season, he accumulated 80 tackles and five sacks.

Eric and Stephen Amoako, twin brothers from Martin High in Arlington, Texas, faxed and tweeted early this morning that they are following through on their Spring 2011 verbal commitment and are excited to become Oregon Ducks.

The Ducks have had brother acts before: Brian and Spencer Paysinger, Josh and Justin Wilcox.  Each 5-11 195, the Amoakos boast sub 4.5 40s, and played on a Martin team that went 10-3 last year, 7-0 and undefeated league champions, losing in the semi-finals of the Texas UIL division.  In the quarterfinal win over San Angelo Central the Amoako brothers and their backfield mates held their opponents to just 81 yards passing on 28 attempts.  The two seniors from that secondary both signed Division I offers in February, Devonta Burns with Texas A&M, Ryan Pollard to Air Force.

Throwing the O, they're ready to go: Solid to Oregon since May, the Amoako twins bring intensity, talent and competitive fire to the Oregon secondary (bleacherreport.com photo).

Early this morning Chance Allen faxed his letter of intent to Oregon Athletic Department, joining the 2012 recruiting class for the Ducks.

Allen is a 6-3, 190-lb. burner from Missouri City, Texas. Along with childhood friend Bralon Addison, he gives the Ducks two fast, physical playmakers to add to their young receiver rotation. They wrested the three-star prospect from Texas A&M and Oklahoma State.

Allen has good hands, runs good routes and has been timed in 40 at 4.5. Against Addison's Hightower squad he caught 14 passes for 187 yards and 3 touchdowns, leading his district in pass receptions for the season.

Photo right: A tough receiver with a strong, athletic body, Allen has great concentration in traffic (houstonnews.com photo).

Bralon Addison, a 5-10, 180-pound explosive athlete/wide receiver from Hightower High in Sugarland, Texas has faxed his letter of intent to the Oregon football office.

Addison committed to Texas A&M back in May but switched to the Ducks in the last week of recruiting. He's a remarkable, dynamic talent who played dual-threat spread quarterback in high school, racking up 2158 yards passing with 22 tds, 1625 yds rushing with 20 tds as a senior. According to 247sports.com, "Addison led the Hightower football team to the 5A Division II state title game in 2011, just nine months after leading the Hurricanes to the 5A state-semi finals on the hardwood as a point guard."

Flies like a Duck: Bralon Addison visited Oregon with childhood friend Chance Allen last weekend, and both committed this morning to the Ducks. They'll thrive in the blur-fast Oregon offense (ihigh.comphoto).