Monday, July 9, 2012

1:55 PM
Jordan Holmes was a steal for the 2006 offense
As we continue our look back to past recruiting classes, today Duck Sports Authority looks at the offensive recruits from the class of 2006. After the incredible season of 2001, the Oregon football team was a little up and down for the next few years with a losing season in 2004, the team rebounded for an incredible run in 2005 finishing the regular season 10-1. Recruiting following this season, though, was not indicative of a team who had won ten games. In fact, the 2006 class was ranked 9th in the Pac-10 and 49th nationally by Rivals. The Ducks signed 21 players in the class of 2006, eight of which were rated two-stars by Rivals. On the offensive side there were eleven players signed by the Ducks who would end up as offensive players. Among the eleven included Pat So'oalo whose impact was chronicled in our coverage of the 2005 class. Like the defensive side of this class, there were a couple of two-star rated players who would go on to make great impact. As always there were some misses and some steals in this class. So, let us take a closer look at the players signed in 2006:
NamePositionStarsGames Started
Remene Alston, Jr.

Impact: Alston chose the Ducks from the far away state of North Carolina. When he first arrived, there was great promise as he had all the tools to be an extremely successful running back for the Ducks. That future seemed even brighter during his redshirt year when he was named the scout offensive player of the week for nine consecutive weeks. On the field, though, his impact was impacted by the emergence of another running back. Alston was able to see action in 28 games during his career carrying the ball 139 times for 692 yards and 9 touchdowns. As a senior he had career highs with 63 carries for 356 yards and 5 touchdowns. Remene is now an assistant coach at Lewis & Clark College in Portland.
RB0/52
Nate Costa

Impact: Nate Costa may have had some of the worst luck of any Duck player in the last 10 years. Though he was rated as a three-star quarterback by Rivals, he seemed to fit perfectly into what would arrive just a year after his signing; Chip Kelly's version of the spread offense. A quarterback with a superb arm, but also exceptional running ability, Nate Costa was brought out of his redshirt year due to injuries in 2006. Though he was set to redshirt during 2007, he would have been the primary back up to Dixon after the injury, but a season ending ACL tear of his own made it a moot point. Was then named 2008 starter before another knee injury ended his season two weeks before the opener. Backing up Jeremiah Masoli in 2009, Costa made the lone start of his career against UCLA. His biggest impact, though, came as a holder where he saved the Arizona game for the Ducks by snatching an errant snap and placing it on an extra point attempt. As a senior, lost a hard-fought battle for the starting spot with Darron Thomas. Costa once again injured his knee in the ninth game of the season and never played another down for the Ducks. Showing his incredible work ethic and inner strength, though, he was in full uniform for the BCS National Championship Game just six weeks after surgery.
QB1/52
Andre Crenshaw

Impact: Andre had a similar career path to Remene Alston. Was able to start one game during his career against Purdue. His best season actually came in 2007 behind Jonathan Stewart. After Jeremiah Johnson was lost for the season to knee surgery, Crenshaw carried 82 times for 416 yards and 4 touchdowns as a sophomore. For his career, he carried the ball 130 times for 730 yards and 8 touchdowns. Crenshaw was most recently spotted on the roster for the Cedar Rapids Titans of the Indoor Football League.
RB1/52
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