Already enrolled in school, Jake Rodrigues is Oregon's first commit of the 2012 class.

A 6-3, 215-lb. quarterback from Whitney High in Rocklin, California, he accounted for 84 touchdowns in two years as a starter, passing for 47 and running for 39. Rivals.com called him "the best dual-threat quarterback on the West Coast." In his senior year he threw for 2,036 yards and 26 touchdowns with just five interceptions while leading his team to a 10-3 record.

In 2010 as a junior, he passed for 2,039 yards and 21 touchdowns with nine interceptions and rushed for 1,300 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Photo left: Rocket-armed California signal caller Jake Rodrigues enrolled early at Oregon, and he'll compete this spring for the starting job (maxpreps.com photo).

Jackson Rice, the thinking fan's punter, who has proved to be a weapon for the Oregon defense with his laser-accurate shots inside the ten yard line, graduates after the 2012 season. The Ducks may have picked up a great candidate to succeed him in Dylan Ausherman, who made his verbal commitment Monday after a weekend visit.

6-3 180 from College of the Sequoias in California, Ausherman is rated the #2 punting prospect in the country. He wowed scouts at a Los Angeles area kicking clinic last July, and can regularly reach 60 yards and five seconds of hang time in tryouts. A full qualifier after high school, the athletic kicker has a redshirt year available, three years to play two.

The Ducks have 19 verbal commits, including the newest and splashiest one, Arik Armstead. Counting Darron Thomas' full ride they have about six more scholarships to award. Here are the targets for those crucial six additions:

Shaq Thompson

The 6-2, 215-lb. safety is deciding between Washington, Oregon and Cal. Speculation centers around  Washington as Thompson just took a weekend visit there, has a close friend on the team, and has developed a bond with new Washington coach Tosh Lupoi.

Bralon Addison and Chance Allen

The two swift, athletic wide receivers visited Oregon this week and are childhood friends, playing at rival schools a few miles from each other in Missouri City, Texas. Both originally committed to other schools but came away impressed by their Oregon visit.

Shane Brostek

Profiled Sunday in The Duck Stops Here, Brostek is a 6-3, 300-lb. offensive lineman from Hawaii with tremendous agility for his size, able to pull, slide-step and block downfield, a great fit for the Oregon offense.

Bryan Harper, athlete

Harper is solidly built at 6-0, 180, so tremendously athletic he's played quarterback, running back, receiver and defensive back for his high school team, Colony High, which finished 11-2 and made it to the CIF semi-finals.

Jeremy Poutasi, offensive line

Poutasi was a Utah commit, but visited Oregon in January and left impressed. He's big and mobile like Brostek, a solid line prospect with the smarts and agility Oregon coaches like.

Julian Brooks, athlete

Brooks is another tall, physical receiver who is also a hard-hitting safety. Oregon's only recently been talking with him after he decommitted from Arizona.

There are some other possibilities, but these seven are all intriguing prospects with talent. Thompson is the biggest prize. The rest could become solid college players, and have the attitude and work ethic to fit in at Oregon.

Elk Grove, California defensive lineman Arik Armstead, a 6-8, 285-lb. five-star player recruited by schools from USC to Auburn, put on an Oregon hat at his verbal commit ceremony held at his family's home church just about an hour ago.

Armstead has graduated from high school and intends to enroll early. He's physical, quick and gifted, an extremely strong defender who also excelled as an offensive tackle but wants to play defensive end and power forward in college, intending to double on Dana Altman's basketball squad.

Jubilation for Webfoots: before family, friends and an impressively large press contigent, Arik Armstead thanked each of the finalists among the schools that recruited him, then donned an Oregon hat, announcing his college choice (Dan Greenspan, twitterpic photo).

Powerfully built and agressive, Armstead praised the Oregon coaching staff at his ceremony for their honesty and positive approach in recruiting him. His commitment increases the chances friend and fellow elite Sacramento-area prospect Shaq Thompson will join the Ducks. The two have remained in close contact throughout their recruitment, both originally committing to Cal until Tosh Lupoi left the coaching staff. Thompson is scheduled to announce on Signing Day.

Armstead has the size and maturity to contribute right away on the defensive line, taking a spot in the rotation as the Ducks strive to replace departed seniors Terrell Turner and Brandon Hanna. He's the highest impact defensive line prospect the Ducks have picked up since Haloti Ngata. His addition, along Alex Balducci, DeForest Buckner, Stetzon Bair, Cody Carriger and Reggie Daniel ensures Oregon of bringing a deep, talented pool of defensive linemen as they continue their drive to build a dynasty in Eugene.

Designated by the Mayans as a year of doom, in recruiting circles, it's a year of plenty and prosperity in the market for offensive linemen.

In spite of the bounty the Ducks have gone bust in their search for big guys this recruiting cycle. Zach Banner, Josh Garnett, Andrus Peat, Kyle Murphy and others have passed through town or exchanged a few phone calls before crossing the Ducks off their lists for one reason or another  Four and five star wonderkinds shot across the sky and landed in another back yard, Murphy and Garnett to Stanford, Banner to USC. One by one they passed on the Ducks, wanting a different academic challenge or drier weather or a bigger town.

Sometimes, not getting want you want is a stroke of luck. Shane Brostek, a 6-3, 300-lb. lineman from Hawaii Prep Academy, may wind up being better than all the big names.

Photo left: Brostek won't replace LaMichael James, but he may pave the way for Byron Marshall and Tra Carson if the Mayans are wrong about the future.

This is the season of hype and hysteria in college football. Recruiting is such a compelling part of the game because it encompasses so much hope. Everybody's a potential superstar in February. Every high school phenom is can't-miss, and every program is sure to land four or five players that will return Beloved U. to the glories of the past.

Read message boards from Southern California to Syracuse, Texas to Tennessee, and the story is the same: we've got to have this guy. Joe Bob Briggs is the player we need. He's a stud.

Back in the eighties the Ducks recruited an all-world talent  from the Sacramento era named Kevin Wilhite. He was sprinter-fast and could bulldoze people like a combination  of Bronko Nagurski and Jonathan Stewart. Five-star, can't miss, Parade All-American, number one in the country, instantly famous. Running track in the spring Wilhite tore a hamstring that never healed right. He floundered in and out of the lineup before becoming a capable fullback, nothing like the 2,000-yard wonderkind everyone projected.

Julian Brooks is 6-3, 200-Lb. receiver from Sierra Canyon High in Chatsworth California. He's a big-play guy who caught 15 touchdowns as a junior and averaged over 25 yards a catch on 34 receptions. He's also a crunching blocker and a 4.1 student.

Brooks committed last August to Arizona, but opened up his recruiting when Mike Stoops got fired. Early in January, he was talking with the Ducks, but the Oregon coaching staff has chosen to focus on other targets.