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It was nice to see that he took the step and realized he had a scheme/counter scheme problem "He indicated he underestimated his fellow adversaries’ ability to not only adjust to Lupoi’s scheming, but also their ability to set up Lupoi and use his strengths against him. That was my impression from the discussion." Fool me once . . . hopefully moving on to the Who's "Won't Be Fooled Again" mantra.

We could have three playoff rematches from week zero and a GO5 Eliminator.

Josh Pate's B1G Shot has OBD winning 11 games and going over 9.5 wins. PSU, also with 11 wins, and 10-win Ohio State and Nebraska (?), joins OBD in the PO. Pate has SC going 9-3, 8-4 for Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and UW. 13 B1G teams finish bowl eligible. No bowl for Wisconsin, Maryland, UCLA, NW, and Purdue. On3Predicting the record for every Big Ten team in 2025.

While they recruit bigger DL, and faster players on defense, it does seem that our defensive progression is slow. Tosh seems a little like Cristobal, except on defense. Meaning that the defense seems to be underperforming to their capabilities. Not sure what the missing ingredient seems to be, but isn’t the MINT defense designed to make it difficult on a QB to determine where pressure may be coming from? Good defensive set for spread offenses, but adjustments need to be made based on personnel matchups. Perhaps the best is yet to come.

Very good observation about the secondary, and the fact the OOC teams (and West Coast Offense type teams) exploited those weaknesses.

I agree Microburst. If Lupoi struggles this year, I believe he will be on the hot seat. This year's unit is too talented to waste.

Great read, thank you! I mean, Chip Kelly is a certifiable offensive wizard that just doesn’t like recruiting. If he didn’t out coach Lupoi as an OC with that much talent, that should be considered shocking. I don’t consider it an inditement to have the D struggle last year against the best of the best in our last 2 games. It was the longest season in history and I do think we ran out of gas a bit. Our secondary personnel wasn’t all that relatively great IMO. We had 10 guys drafted, but not one from the secondary, that’s very general but telling. Jabbar was supposed to be all world and didn’t get drafted. The plodding B1G made the relative secondary weakness pretty easy to mask. Go figure we struggled against a couple of west coast style teams OOC to start the year. Looking forward to moving on, it’s on in a few days lads!

Thanks Jon for the compliment. As for above, I believe Ohio State's plan for the season was to script slugfests while in conference play. I am sure the players DID emphasize they wanted to exploit their talent advantages. But I am almost sure the team had been practicing plenty of plays designed for the playoffs. The way they executed reminded me of Michael Penix and his receivers the way they played us in Seattle-they were unconscious. The back shoulder throws were perfect, and in my eyes that was due to hundreds of passes in the summer were thrown to be that perfect. I believe Ohio State had done the same. In no way were they going to expose much of their "real" offense during the season (though I did see one play run twice against Penn State). I personally believe the elite teams should design game plans for the playoffs (against likely contenders) all year. I actually would be surprised if they didn't. They have a whole team of analysts that scout all year. In fact, I'd personally develop those analysts as if they were coaches. I'd have one set scout and design game plans for opponents, and the other design game plans against OBD. I would have them emphasize every players' weaknesses as well. But that's just me. Who knows what these elite coaches do.

Overall, I tend to enjoy the detail from the two guys over at ATQ. First of all, they tend to provide video to support their observations; and, that allows one to decide for themselves their level of agreement. Second, they seem to take care in collecting data and comparing it with historical numbers and trends. However, I sometimes feel they get a bit too into their own data and how they apply it. They have been pretty pessimistic about the 2025 Duck OL (and World in particular). I think in another recent article they suggested the best possible use of World (this single year the Ducks have him) would be for him to sit out the season and use it to get additional time learning the Duck system (to lessen their "transfer effect"), and adding more muscle (his "anchoring issues"), and to instead have him start playing in late December for the playoffs. Instead they suggest using rSO Genorris Wilson at LT (who I had hoped we would have heard more about in fall camp but that has been pretty quiet), who has I guess graded out ok so far; but, with only 50 career (mostly) garbage time snaps since high school, what does that really mean? The article even suggests it might be fair to pencil him in as "about an average FBS LT if thrown in this year" Wait, we know that exactly how? Did the coaches know that when they went out and got two portal OT? I appreciate having the guts to throw out such predictions if one really believes it (who knows maybe the OL will be the huge topic of conversation the first month of the season or longer); but, I'll have to go with the coaches and their evaluations on this one -- which by almost all accounts seem to an OL plan they are cautiously optimistic about that includes World -- rather than ATQ data. Geoff Schwartz also did a pretty deep film dive on World and seemed to think most of the problems that ATQ dinged World for were correctable. I am comfortable saying Geoff knows some OL. Further, I'm willing to give World a bump for not having to play for a Nevada team, 7-30 during his time there (getting regularly blasted in the Mountain West by the likes of Air Force, Utah State, and Hawaii). It wouldn't surprise me to see a guy lose a bit of focus, have a few bad reps, and be at times possibly a bit frustrated in that environment. The 4-8 Ducks squad in 2016 likely had some good guys put up some at times not so great reps on film getting blasted all season.

The year of my birth in February. Why can't I remeber this game 🤬!

3 Reasons Why Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel Won Cleveland Backup Quarterback Over Shedeur SandersNFL rookie Dillon Gabriel is the Cleveland Browns' backup behind starter Joe Flacco, instead of Shedeur Sanders. Three reasons why the former Oregon Ducks star is the better fit for the Browns backup role under coach Kevin Stefanski Oregon Ducks On SI3 Reasons Why Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel Won Cleveland Backu...After months of media speculation and social media frenzy, the Cleveland Browns will step on the field during the regular season with rookie quarterback Dillon

Thanks, NJ. Tears are going to flow in Columbus as a nonagenarian CFB institution hangs it up. In 1962, Maryland HC Lee Corso convinced Darryl Hill to transfer from the Naval Academy and play for the Terps. Hill was the first Black athlete to play at Maryland and in the Atlantic Coast Conference. A shining and underappreciated act by Coach Corso. On the other hand, when Lee, 'The Sunshine Scooter,' and Bert Reynolds were teammates at Florida State, Reynolds was injured, and in Bert's downtime, he took acting lessons. Corso was the first of many teammates to tell Reynolds not to waste his time trying to make it as an actor. Far from $age $tage advice.😁 The one college football guy who made me feel like a pup is exiting Stage Columbus, where the Hat Dance started in 1996. One of the best guys who ever suited up for ESPN. On Saturday, I hope he doesn't go Headdress Horny, Just Sayin. 😊

The Oregon Ducks' 2025 campaign is finally here. At kickoff on Aug. 30 at 1:00 p.m., nearly nine months will have passed since the Ducks fell to Ohio State in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff. The opponent will be the Montana State Bobcats, a team that the Ducks have rarely played in program history. Just once, in fact, with that game coming all the way back on Sept. 20, 1947 — a mere 78 years ago and just years after the conclusion of World War II. Oregon vs. Montana State series history: Ducks and Bobcats play for first time since 1947

Pretty much Smith, Lupoi did a very good job of shutting down Henderson and Judkins in Eugene. Chip came back and exploited Lupoi's tendencies in Pasadena so well it looked like it was a scrimmage.

I see some potential issues with the new delay of game against defense as refs adjust to trying to call this. Oregon D moves a lot presnap. Looks like it is a pretty subjective call. Also diving on loose balls. That always creates pandemonium. Will late guys in to the pile get called? Oh well. Bring it on. Let the games begin!

Thank you, Mike West! Fortunately, Adventure Gamers didn't rock your pods beyond your skilled ability to discuss loopholes in Lupio's schemes. The Ohio State O plodded along against Michigan, and a reliable FG kicker missing two attempts he usually made, sealed the Buckeyes' 4th loss in a row to TSUN. The players had a meeting, including Ryan Day and no other coaches, to air things out. As Tennessee and, sigh, OBD can attest, it looked like the message sent to Ryan and Chip was, Get the Playmakers the Damn Ball in Space! Open it up! No more 'typical Big Ten, Nebraska, and Michigan-like games.' I think the same plan was in place against Texas in the Cotton Bowl, but DC Pete Kwiatkowski, after his D was lit up at home by Cade Klubnik and Clemson, was prepared and shut down Jeremy Smith and the Ohio O for most of the game, aided and abetted by TOSU's 9 penalties on offense. Saturday's match-up between DC Pete K and OC Brian Hartline should be fascinating. The above is my too-long way of saying that even with all the talent brought in by Day and friends to Columbus, it wasn't until Day's 6th season and DC Jim Knowles' 3rd season that the talent was assembled to overcome an embarrassing loss and win a national championship. It was not only Chip who learned during the 2024 season; in the Rose Bowl, Knowles shut down Stein's O until the game was out of reach. A healthy Evan Stewart would have helped OBD's cause, but it's not often a tree can stop a buzz saw. I am thankful that other Forum members and I have X&O gurus like you and Charles to see and describe details that I cannot. But one thing was painfully obvious in the postseason: the Texas D-backs were superior to Lupoi's D-backs in size and skill. Oregon's guys played hard on both sides of the ball and never quit, but Ohio State clearly had the deeper, more talented roster. Coaching matters, but over a three or four-game postseason, the best football coaches need the best football players to win the ultimate prize. One upset? Doable. But three or four in a row? I hope Tosh 'gets it' this season. The talent is there, but it is inexperienced and hopefully will gel in the first four games of the season when OBD will have a clear roster advantage before matching up with Penn State. Thanks again, Mike, and Tosh, please start the season off by caroling a bunch of Cats!

New quarterback visitor Dane Weber intrigues Ducks with accuracy, leadershipOregon only has two visitors scheduled for the opener against Montana State, high school teammates Dane Weber and Eli Woodward of Chaparral High School in Temecula, California. A 2027 quarterback ranked No. 292 in the class by the 247Sports Composite and the No. 21 quarterback, Weber threw for 2,660 yards as a sophomore last season, 27 touchdowns, rushing for 834 more yards and 11 TDs. He won the starting job in his first varsity season when senior Dash Beierly transferred to Mater Dei. In October the Pumas beat 2026 Oregon commit Bryson Beaver and Vista Murrieta, 55-28. Against Norco in November, Troy and Travis Dye's old school, Weber threw for 277 yards and six touchdowns to win 48-37. For the season he completed 67 percent of his throws, a promising beginning for a 6-2, 210 sophomore, a good student with a 3.8 GPA. Autzen ZooNew quarterback visitor Dane Weber intrigues Ducks with a...Oregon only has two visitors scheduled for the opener against Montana State, high school teammates Dane Weber and Eli Woodward of Chaparral High School in Temec

Oregon’s involvement mentioned in 3 of his 10 moments. This weekend, an era comes to an end as legendary College Football analyst and staple of ESPN's College GameDay Lee Corso retires. On Saturday, College GameDay makes the trip to Columbus, Ohio the site of Lee Corso's first head gear pick to bid farewell to one of the greatest personalities in sports television. Lee Corso has touched generations as his oversized personality has become a staple of Saturday Mornings that has been passed down from parents to their children. Whether it's a head gear pick or his trademark "Not so fast my friend", every Saturday Morning you had to tune into GameDay to see what Lee Corso would do next. Saturday BlitzLee Corso retires: Relive his 10 Most unforgettable Colle...This weekend, an era comes to an end as legendary College Football analyst and staple of ESPN's College GameDay Lee Corso retires. On Saturday, College GameDay

Wednesday War Room: Previewing Montana StateDan Lanning, Montana State head coach Brent Vigen preview season opener For the second straight year, Oregon opens its season against an FCS powerhouse — but this time, the stakes feel different. No. 7 Oregon hosts FCS No. 2 Montana State, a program that has reached the FCS semifinals in three of the last four years and brings back one of the most efficient rushing attacks in the country. Duck Sports CentralWednesday War Room: Previewing Montana StateOregon Ducks football, Dan Lanning, Oregon recruiting, college football, NIL, Big Ten, Pac-12, Scott Reed, Duck Sports Central, recruiting news

I am going to use this string because it is calling all stat geeks and that is what my comment pertains to. Because I am like the rest of you, waiting for Saturday with not much else to do, I did a little stat diving. I was looking at Team Talent Composite since they started keeping this statistic in 2015. I know by picking 2024 & 2025 to compare to the other 9 years that I am using a small data sample but its fun. Remember this is Team Talent Composite rankings From 2015-2023 the average difference between the the #1 team and the #20 team was 230 points; 2024 & 2025 it was 193 Points From 2015-2023 the average difference between the the #1 team and the #10 team was 138 points; 2024 & 2025 it was 99 Points From 2015-2023 the average difference between the the #1 team and the #4 team was 73 points; 2024 & 2025 it was 42 Points So has the portal/NIL leveled the playing field or is this just a 2 year blip? Your thoughts?

Great observations Mike, and it is always fun to have a guest article from you. Many thanks!

Hmmmmm. Big and Beefy Trench Monsters. No doubt it will take the offensive line 2-3 games to gel and establish communication on a rebuilt offensive line. The talent level of these players will help hide any early season....shortcomings. But by the time we trip out to Happy Valley I have confidence that Coach Terry and company will have them ballin at an elite and dominating level of play. Remember that not only this coaching staff, but NFL-lite coaches across the country are still adapting and adjusting to high player turnover due to the wild, wild West of the transfer portal. (Well except Clemson maybe...lol). No matter where you get your players from and how you tend to utilize them in your football scheme, they still need to learn how to work as a "team" to maximize their inherent abilities to the fullest potential. Thats where the "coaching" comes into play. I believe that both our offensive and defensive line play may actually surprise a lot of sports pundits as the season progresses. But then again...I'm just a hopelessly devoted fan(atic) of OBD so what the hell do I know, Not filtered through that fandom! 🤪. Go Ducks!

It will be interesting to see how/if Tosh continues in his "growth" as the Ducks DC. He has definitely shown growth from his days in (California?) and Jacksonville, but still seemed out coached by his college football nemesis, Chip Kelly last year in the playoffs. Defense being D.Lannings "cup o tea" and the fact that he himself seems to have a lot of confidence in Tosh as his DC since bringing him in four years ago, gives me hope that they are both on the same page, defensively, and are creating one of the more dominantly consistent defenses in all of NFL-lite football. However if future games arise that Tosh seems to be a "day late and a step behind" the game plan of the opposing offense, with no clear in-game adjustments to counter, then it would not surprise me to see some interest in taking our DC in a different direction. D. Lanning will NOT wait forever for his vision of dominating defense, year in and year out, to become reality. Here's hoping Tosh has continued his progression as OBD's defensive coordinator. It can only bode well for OBD this year and into the future. Go Ducks (T-minus 3 days, 5ish hours)! QUACK! 🦆🏈🪨's

Oregon Ducks Football: Offensive Line Projections and Grades | Addicted To Quack

This year's D better communication? Why Bryce Boettcher Thinks Oregon’s Defense Could Outdo Last Year’s Unit