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College Football Insiders "Pac-10 offensive players to watch for 2010" series concludes with Oregon wide receiver Jeff Maehl.

With preseason All-American candidate LaMichael James, dangerous return man and track sprinter Kenjon Barner, as well as highly-recruited freshmen Dontae Williams and Lache Seastrunk, the Oregon Ducks feature what might be the most talented quartet of running backs in the nation. Put those backs behind an offensive line that returns all the starters from last year’s Rose Bowl season, and you can understand why most are selecting the Ducks to repeat as Pac-10 champions. With the team breaking in a new quarterback after the sudden departure of Jeremiah Masoli, the only speed bump that might slow down their dynamic offense is the effectiveness of their seldom used passing game; Oregon was the only team in the conference to average under 200 passing yards per game, but still led the league in scoring. When they face long yardage situations, fall behind in a game, or are simply looking to keep the defense honest, their first and most dangerous target will no doubt be Jeff Maehl. The senior receiver will provide vital stability in a passing attack that will be missing Baltimore Raven Ed Dickson and have an inexperienced quarterback delivering the ball.

It would be more accurate to describe the Chico, California native as a football player rather than a wide receiver, which makes him a perfect fit for Oregon’s unique version of the spread offense. In high school he rushed, received, returned punts, returned kicks, blocked field goals, registered seven interceptions on defense, and was the top scorer on his high school’s basketball team. This versatility carried over to his freshman year in Eugene; he started the season as a safety and played on special teams, recording 14 tackles before becoming more involved in the offense toward the end of the year. The freshman started the final three games of the season at receiver and held the job during his sophomore season, which featured more versatility: seven tackles on special teams, 39 catches for 421 yard, five touchdowns, and 81 rushing yards. His role increased early in the 2009 season, but he really turned on his production in the second half of the season and had his best games as a Duck in the two dramatic, must-win victories that decided the Pac-10 title. In those two games that ended the regular season—a double overtime victory in Tucson and a dramatic four-point victory over rival Oregon St.—he caught 18 passes for 252 yards and three scores.

Maehl’s effectiveness on the field can’t be measured by his stats, his thin 6’1” frame, or his average speed. He has started 29 straight games, knows the details of Chip Kelley’s timing-dependent offense, has never fumbled, rarely drops a pass, doesn’t shy away from contact as a blocker, and has made big plays in pressure situations. The senior has a prominent tattoo on his forearm in memory of Todd Doxey, an Oregon player who died on a river rafting trip attended by teammates just before the 2008 season, and says he uses the memory of his fallen friend as motivation to keep working hard. All his hard work should payoff this season as his ability to make big plays down the field will be crucial in stretching the defense and creating running lanes for the talented Oregon backs.

Related Columns:

Pac-10 Player Watch #1 - James Rodgers, Oregon State

Pac-10 Player Watch #2 - Shane Vereen, California

Pac-10 Player Watch #3 -  Chris Owusu, Stanford

Pac-10 Player Watch #4 - Chris Polk, Washington

Pac-10 Player Watch #5 - Jeff Tuel, Washington State

Pac-10 Player Watch #6 - Nick Foles, Arizona

Pac-10 Player Watch #7 - Nelson Rosario, UCLA

Pac-10 Player Watch #8 - Brock Osweiler, Arizona State

Pac-10 Player Watch #9 - Kristofer O’Dowd, USC