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Great read. My thought is that with NIL, the rush to "get the bag" is not as motivating as it was less than 10 years ago, thus allowing top players to continue to develop in NFL-Lite before moving on to the NFL-Heavy. This in addition to the "free for all" free agency via the transfer portal allows more opportunities to play in/with complete teams thus maximizing your abilities, being surrounded by equal or greater talent. The expectations to Win Now are currently far less demanding in NFL-lite than with the NFL-HEAVY, where you are playing with "grown*ssed", rather large and beefy, MEN that have developed their "ManMeat" against the elite players in all of football. Big difference between a sack from a linebacker two years outa high school and one by a ten year veteran with NFL playing experience. There just is. That all being said, Dante seems to have a solid support structure and people close to him that are more interested in his development, here at Oregon, rather than making a premature push to the NFL-Heavy. At least it appears that way. Dante himself has shown maturity and logic applied to his college career to date, and I fully expect him to make the appropriate and best decision for his professional football career. Dante's is going to have a long and fulfilling career ahead of him. I am hoping that he understands that an extra year under the Oregon banner can and will make him that much more valuable and efficient when he does move up to the NFL-Heavy. As a rabid Duck Dan, I am hoping that the best choice made is to return one more year to Defend(!) our first Natty and secure a second Oregon Football Heisman Winner in the past ten years. Either way we be good. Oregon Football is no longer a team that needs to rebuild after top talent leaves...we simply reload. Probably the most important aspect of the current Dan Lanning era. I am so here for it all! OBD 🪨'S. GO DUCKS!

You’ve also seen a recent resurgence of NFL QBs who were not successful at their first stop and have found new life on new teams (better organizations). For “older” fans, Steve Young (Tampa Bay to San Francisco) comes to my mind.

I was at Rutgers for the Oregon game this year. The only reason the Rutgers fans had for staying through halftime was their drone show. It was actually really good. I heard some of them bragging that they had got one of the top tech guys from the portal. 🙄😁

Our Oregon Football program has had some MAJOR wins as of late. Evan Stewart, Gary Bryant Jr., and Dakorien “Metro” Moore were all spotted at practice this week in limited action. That bodes extremely well for the Ducks’ postseason hopes and gives the offense a much better chance to stretch the field against some of the best defenses in the country. ... Read More Source Read the full article here...

If Dante does enter the draft, I've got a "stranger things have happened" name. Nico Iamaleava. New staff at UCLA, some talk on UCLA sites, him returning there isn't currently guaranteed. The Duck staff obviously has familiarity with him due to him being a California kid and recruiting him. If he is interested and ready to attempt a Bo Nix type redemption arc, well, no better place. If a top portal name doesn't make sense for Oregon a second move might be the round of highly rated QB recruits who appear nearly locked into at least another year of sitting (who often portal). For example, it might be tough for Alabama to hold onto both Keelon Russell and Austin Mack (another California kid with a listed Oregon offer); or, Ohio State with Lincoln Kienholz and Tavien St. Clair. That sort of thing (imagine Ohio State fans if Kienholz or St. Clair joined Oregon). 🙂

My gut tells me Stewart won't be ready. At minimum Dak or Gary coming back would be a step up and both would be huge.

Hopefully Eugene's seasonal fog doesn't make an appearance, like one of our memorable "fog bowl" games. Here's 2005.

Well I sure as hell wouldn't want to be the second pick and headed to Las Vegas. On the other hand 50 million big ones with half of that up front, properly invested, will be worth a whole lot more down the road than whatever NIL Oregon can come up with. As I financial consultant (which honesty compels me to admit that I am not) I'd clearly have to advise Dante to take the money and run. That is a no-lose proposition even if Dante never starts a game in the NFL.

5 JMU players to watch Know the Foe: Five James Madison Dukes players to know

JMU from the defensive side Oregon Defense Breaks Down the James Madison Challenge Ahead of Playoff Opener

It's actually quite impressive, the drone show I mean. I don't think the football game will be in doubt by the time halftime rolls around. But I hope those few James Madison fans that make the 2,800 mile trip do stay, and take in the whole show. Hopefully the weather is nice as well. Eugene is a lovely city, in a beautiful part of the country. One day, I hope to take in a game up there. Perhaps a playoff game, or maybe a regular season one of the B1G/SEC challenge ever becomes a thing.

This is why I should have caffeine before typing, but yeah you are absolutely correct. I think our trenches are among the best in the nation and Dante has surprised me with his arm more times than I can count. Cautiously optimistic

If ASU was in the SEC, or B1G. I'd say no way. He's home, he's got resources, and he can win his conference. Which gets him a shot. But we all know who controls the future of the playoff, and those two fat bears will just keep taking more, and more, and more honey. The other conferences, and even Notre Dame, can complain. But, it will be just as useless as those poor bees that sting the greedy fat bears.

That's what I'd do with his money, age, and reputation. They'll name something after him, I'm sure. But, maybe he wants to see if he can win a title. I remember him saying something about wanting Utah to join the B1G a couple years ago. He might want to see what he can do at a big time program, in one of the big two conferences.

On the one hand, Michigan is a long time, big time program. On the other hand, what mess to step into.

I heard there’s another “ham” who just left Utah who is rumored to have mutual interest with Michigan. I understand his and Dilly’s interest in that sort of high profile position. They both have proven they can win in the Big 12 and they know that anything bigger than a conference championship is a pipe dream without significant investment. I think they want to be in a position where the resources are plentiful. Dilly has been on record practically begging for more investment into his program. Earlier this year he was saying how he wanted an indoor practice facility that could double as an indoor tailgating area on game day. He has coached at Oregon and Auburn. He knows that doing more with less can only take him so far.

Dilly was working with a 5 year starter during his tenure at Oregon. Stein has assembled one of the better offenses in the nation with a first year starter (not counting the partial year disaster at UCLA). There is that to consider!

No, yeah they've worked better for Chris, not so well for Andy!

And yet they worked wonderfully vs. USC. (I watched the game again the other day) We don't remember the ones that worked...

From Canzano: "People keep asking me if Utah coach Kyle Whittingham would pop up as a candidate at Michigan. Not happening. His retirement is actually a retirement. Whittingham’s last contract extension at Utah didn’t just include a raise — it got him a $1 million retirement bonus, and a promise of free tuition for his grandchildren."

Just think Dilly's play calling was more creative. Often time this season, my youngest who went to the UO, would groan and say "Dudwig" when that sideline pass wouldn't work...

If you are watching at home, you will have to listen to some guys droning on while watching endless SEC highlights, including how great Ole Miss looked without Lame.🤬☹️😴 This and interminable play reviews are why I begin watching the recording at 9:00 Eastern. Will the weather allow for flight clearance? The predicted weather could put OBD in a sloppy slog fest. I watched this movie vs. Wisconsin and at Iowa. Dump, Damage, and Destroy the Dukes!

Reported by The Athletic... (Above) You never know because coaches have egos...even Whittingham. "What if I had a fully stocked program? Create a legendary defense, and explosive offense for five years...and show everyone how good I really was?"

Let's see...we lost one game last year, and I certainly don't think we can blame that all on the offense! In our one loss this year...we had receivers open--the plays worked, but the QB could not deliver. Dilly was good...Stein was good.