Ducks land De La Salle athlete

Athlete prospect Jackie Bates (5-10, 185, 4.4) from Concord (Calif.) De La Salle was all ready to be the featured running back for De La Salle for the season of 2003. But that was not to be as Bates tore a ligament in his foot and missed the season. Though Bates saw his season come to an end, he was still a hot item on the recruiting trail. He put that to an end as he made Oregon Duck fans happy with his committal to Mike Bellotti and the Oregon Ducks.

“Yes it’s true,” Bate’s Mom said. “He committed to Oregon. I would love to talk to you more but I am on my way to work.”

Rivals.com will be talking to Bates later this evening and we will get his thoughts and in his own words later this evening.

The Ducks get a special player and a special person. He was looking forward to step into the very large shoes of UCLA freshman running back Maurice Drew. Like all De La Salle players Bates was looking forward to the challenge.

Most agree if not for fate, Bates would have been able to do a nice job as the featured back for DLS.

In an earlier interview with Rivals.com, Bates had this say about the challenge of replacing Drew. “For about the last six years De La Salle has always had one of the state’s best backs,” Bates said. “I am working very hard so that I can follow that tradition.”

In an interview with Rivals.com correspondent Duane Rossiter the writing was on the wall. Bates told “Roz”, "They (Oregon Ducks) are the winningest program in the Pac-10 lately and I can play early there."

Bates chose Oregon over offers from Arizona, Cal, Colorado, Colorado State, Oregon State, UNLV, Wyoming, Utah, Fresno State, San Diego State, and West Virginia.

All schools were recruiting Bates as an athlete. He will come to his first college camp with the opportunity to play on either side of the ball.

Bates was selected all-area and all-league selection as a junior after Bates logged 77 tackles and picked off four passes as a safety. Bates rushed for 747 yards and 16 touchdowns as Maurice Drew’s understudy in 2002.

Bates benches 310, squats 455 and has a very explosive 37-inch vertical.

Bates is the type of player that has been very successful for the Ducks over the years.

Great get for the Ducks.