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Some notes.... Waz says that Oregon is not a portal team, that most of his players are developed from their freshman year onward. It is the high school recruits he mostly is focused on. He also said that the Ducks will have more options on the mound in 2026, and pitching will take a step up. (Good!) He stated that Dominic Hellman, and Drew Smith have stood out in fall practices. Great to hear that Smith is back for a fourth year, as he can fill in at third base, where he played before. I was not sure if he was going to return, and I sure wanted him to. The opening tournament in Las Vegas is going to be a DANDY. Oregon, UC Irvine, Arizona and Vanderbilt? Whew!

Great interview!

Tennessee elevated the fellow we thought to replace their HC, and Waz is safe for us at the moment. In the next post is more information...

Thanks, Mike. I agree with your points. I always root against the SEC. But, if Vanderbilt played Ohio State, I would go for Vandy!

I like your style! It's kinda like mine.

Agree, and of course NIL makes it easier to get good fast. As you said, the Ducks can get better, but will they? Hmmmmm.....

If I'm giving folks stomach issues then I know I'm doing my job! 😁

ABSO FREEAKING LUTLY

It would be difficult to stomach Indiana taking the crown this year. It just doesn't make sense to me. First of all, I don't think they're really in the great team category. But this year, no team really is. Every contender has flaws. Every single one. But to watch Indiana get more hype than OBD usually does infuriates me. Indiana or Bama, I'd have to swallow hard to root for the Hoosiers, but I already believe Bama is top three if not the best. I don't want to see an SEC team win a title for 15 more years, so Hoosier Daddy? is my moniker if they get there. Sorry GatOrlando and Nevada Dog, I like both teams, but I am so sick of eSECpn hyping the conference to the degree even the eye test is being overlooked. The SEC is still Bama and Georgia until proven otherwise, and NO I DO NOT BELIEVE A&M is going to win a Natty. Great article Darren...as usual

Yeah, I though about Clemson, but I always thought they kinda had the national name recognition like other blue bloods. More of a gut feeling by me. And, they did win it all in 1981. I put UW in the same vein, hence didn't mention them as an "outsider" who played in the championship game. Subjective for sure.

Some deep insight, appreciate it, Jon!

I feel your pain. Indiana "having our number" though is kind of like us having Michigan's number right now. Hopefully, that continues next year.

It's a thing in the NFL that you are only as good as your biggest weakness. That applies to players (especially QB's) and schemes. The reason being that opposing coaches are good enough to scout your strengths and take those options away, forcing you to play to your weaknesses. I think this has happened to Stein and Moore this year. Penn State, Indiana, and Wisconsin all doing similar things defensively to take away our strengths. Dante Moore does great with a clean pocket and man coverage? Then bring pressure and play complex zone coverages. Stein likes to use up every blade of grass within 10 yards of the LOS? Run a 4-3 multiple defense that crowds the LOS across the width of the field. The next evolution of our offense is for Stein and Moore to get better at executing to their weaknesses. Moore needs to learn how to deal with real time zone schemes with simulated pressure options and learn how to move in the pocket to buy every last millisecond of time. Stein needs to learn how to create openings up the middle of the field and revise the route trees to create opportunities that materialize quicker for Moore. We've had the luxury of being tested to our weaknesses early in the season. I really hope theses 2 weeks are used to strengthen our weaknesses. If we can have just enough success with our weaknesses (which I believe we have enough talent potential to do) that opponents have start defending them, then that will reopen our strengths.

Yeah, The Hoosiers will need to stay healthy.

Yup, the change to a playoff has altered the equation.

Probably not, Ohio State still looks dominate. But, they have the dawgs at the line of scrimmage, so they have chance.

I would, I would root for the Hoosiers. But, also with a great feeling of "crap, it wasn't us."

Yes, that one crossed my mind, but the Ducks technically were not in the "championship game," although they should have been. Of course, that Miami team was loaded, the Ducks woulda had a punchers' chance, but also a chance at getting totally blown out.

Doesn't even make my top 10 nightmare natty teams: Fuskies (obvious reasons) Domers (perennially overrated) Miami (obvious reasons) tOSU (still sick of the "Pac-1" jokes when USC was dominant) Rodents (sure never gonna happen, but man would that suck) USC (see Domers) Scumbag programs like FSU, LSU, etc. Georgia/Alabama, they don't need any more Indiana or any other progrum not OBD that doesn't have a natty

Frankly... Yeah it would suck to see Indiana win it all in year two of their coaching change. Oregon has been toiling to get the pieces put together to make a run at it for decades and hasn't gotten it done yet. Indiana as an institution has not done that, they made one great hire which is at times all it takes. I think Ohio State will probably prove too much for them when they meet in the B1G championship. I don't see either team losing two games and missing out on that game at this point. I think Oregon can only sneak in at this point if Ohio State drops a game and Oregon wins a tie breaker against them as Indiana owns the direct tie breaker on us. I don't feel confident Oregon makes much of a run in the playoff this year but I also feel there is an extra gear or two just waiting to be found for this time. If they can unlock that then the Ducks absolutely could do it. I think we are seeing Indiana at full form and they've been at full form all year. I wouldn't be surprised if we meet Indiana against this year and beat them.

Darren...your ponderings gave me indigestion from the thought of IU winning it all. But in the end...I agree with Jon's point above...

If not Oregon (or BYU, my 1b team), then I'm rooting for Indiana to win it all . . . or some other relative underdog. Indiana's story is too similar to Oregon's to not root for them. A HC "savant" with a coaching staff that's been together for years at multiple teams. Shows how continuity, consistency, scouting, and development can make an impact and overcome programs with far superior talent and resources . . . such a cool story. Wouldn't Clemson be considered part of the "outsider" group to win the championship? At least relating to the last few decades?

With the salaries even the average football coaches now command, they should not be receiving such an exorbitant retirement 🙄 payout at Taxpayer's expense.

I get your POV, but please get back to me after the Big Ten Championship game. I have not seen a dominant, sure thing CFB title winner this season. I have watched Indiana show up and win every game, including road games at a should-be-ranked Iowa and No. 6 OBD, with the opponents playing good defense and without its offense firing on all cylinders. Ohio State is the other most consistent team I have watched. The Texas A&M defense was rolled over in South Bend and by Arkansas.

I totally agree about the strength of Miami, that season...but I also believe that of the three teams, OREGON was the only squad that potentially had a puncher chance to be competitive, or even defeat Miami that year. Losing that earlier game kept the world from learning the truth. It gave the computer an excuse... How Nebraska ended up in that game still infuriates me.