Oregon has fired coach Mark Helfrich after a disappointing 4-8 season, and just two years after getting the Ducks within a victory of the programs first national championship.Helfrich was head coach of the Ducks for four seasons, leading the team to the first College Football Playoff championship game after the 2014 season. But Oregon faltered this year with a five-game losing streak, and finished at the bottom of the Pac-12 North with just two conference wins.After taking over when Chip Kelly left in 2013, Helfrich went 37-16 . He had an $11.6 million buyout on his contract with the Ducks.Helfrich met with athletic director Rob Mullens on Tuesday night and was told was being dismissed. Helfrich issued a statement saying he was honored to have served at Oregon.It is with respect and disappointment that we receive this decision, Helfrich said. Plain and simple -- we didnt win enough games this season.Ducks started this season ranked No. 24 in the preseason AP Top 25, but lost 35-32 at Nebraska in the third week of the season, starting the teams longest losing streak since 1996.The Ducks had a brief revival with a 30-28 victory over then-No. 11 Utah in Salt Lake City two weeks ago, but they ended the season with a 34-24 loss to rival Oregon State in the 120th Civil War game this past Saturday. The loss snapped an eight-game Oregon winning streak in the series.Afterward, Helfrich was asked about job security.Nobodys job is safe in college football, he said. Thats just the nature of the beast.Fan discontentment with Helfrich grew as the season dragged on and wins were scarce. Some questioned the wisdom of new assistant Brady Hokes new defensive scheme, or the reliance on graduate transfers at quarterback for the past two seasons rather than long-term player development.Didnt win enough games. I mean, thats blunt. But thats the fact. We have to own that part of it. And own the solution, Helfrich said following the loss to the Beavers.Whatever the reason, Oregons slide was a reminder of how hard it is to get good. And stay good.When Helfrich was promoted into the job at the start of 2013, he had the daunting task of replacing Kelly, who orchestrated Oregons hyperdrive spread-option offense and led the Ducks to their first national championship game appearance in 2010. An affable native Oregonian, Helfrich had served as offensive coordinator under Kelly and recruited future Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota.Helfrich went 24-4 in his first two seasons, including a loss to Ohio State in the first College Football Playoff championship. But last year he was challenged with replacing Mariota. He lured graduate transfer Vernon Adams from Eastern Washington, but Adams struggled with injury.The cracks were showing in that 9-4 season, the first with fewer than 10 wins since 2007. Losses to Michigan State, then at home to Utah and Washington State pushed Oregon out of the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2009.The ultimate embarrassment came in the Alamo Bowl, when the Ducks surrendered a 31-0 lead and TCU staged the biggest comeback in bowl history to win 47-41 in triple overtime.This season the Ducks brought in another graduate transfer at quarterback, Dakota Prukop from Montana State. But after five starts, Prukop was benched in favor of true freshman Justin Herbert.Herbert was one of the few bright spots in the dismal season, throwing for 1,936 yards and19 touchdowns with four interceptions in nine appearances.The overwhelming drag on Oregons success appeared to be the defense. The Ducks, who switched to a 4-3 scheme under Hoke, spent most of the season mired in the bottom of the NCAA defensive rankings. At times it appeared that the players didnt know their assignments.The defensive shortcomings were readily apparent in Oregons 70-21 loss at home to No. 5 Washington on Oct. 8. Huskies quarterback Jake Browning threw for six touchdowns in the victory, which snapped a 12-game losing streak to the rival Ducks.The issues on defense were again on display Saturday against the Beavers. The Ducks season ended without a bowl game for the first time since 2004. Oregon had finished every season ranked in the AP Top 25 since 2007.In the statement Tuesday night, Helfrich thanked his wife and family, the campus community, the fans, and his coaches and their families.Finally, to the players -- thank you, and I love you, he said. The future is bright for this young, talented team, and we will be supporting them and their new leadership. Wholesale Air Max From China . Thats about all he can do right now, so hes trying not to think about when he might be able to play again for the Los Angeles Lakers. 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INDIANAPOLIS -- Colts quarterback Andrew Luck isnt buying the notion that the Denver Broncos are a dirty team on defense after a number of questionable hits on Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton in Week 1.I wouldnt use that word, Luck said Wednesday. Id say they play hard and like any good defense, any good offense, like any good football team, you want to toe that line of aggression, Luck said. They are certainly a tough, physical defense. Sometimes you get hit in the head, a flag comes out or it doesnt come out. I dont worry too much about it. Its the refs job in a sense. By and large I think they do a great job of that.Lucks 2015 season ended with a lacerated kidney on a clean hit by Broncos linebacker Danny Trevathan from the front and defensive end Vance Walker?from the side in Week 9 last season.Indianapolis coach Chuck Pagano has a plan to make sure Luck isnt in the position to take any questionable hits when the Colts take on the Broncos on Sunday.If we pick things up, we communicate, get a hat on a hat, we do ouur job and obviously we can limit those things, he said.dddddddddddd Its physical, physical football. We know that. We have to do our job and everybody else has to do their job.ESPN.com Broncos reporter Jeff Legwold reported Wednesday that safety?Darian Stewart?and linebacker Brandon Marshall were both fined for hits on Carolina quarterback?Cam Newton?in Week 1. Legwold also reported that linebacker Von Miller and cornerback Bradley Roby could be fined for hits in that game, too.The Colts want to do the best possible job when it comes to protecting Luck -- and any other of their quarterbacks -- after they used five players at that position last season.I think were all aware of what was mentioned after the [Carolina-Denver] game, Pagano said. As a coach like anybody else, were counting on everybody doing their job and getting it right. Those guys are on top of their stuff. We have to do a great job. China NFL Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Basketball Jerseys Online Stitched Hockey Jerseys Wholesale Baseball Jerseys Football Jerseys Outlet College Jerseys For Sale Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys For Sale Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '