jrw

Now that the playoff bubble has popped, does this team have the character to play hard the rest of the season? Why have highly-rated wide receivers if the ball is never thrown? How can Mario justify not starting Thompson now? What is up with Moorhead and this "non-covid-related illness"? How much of this loss is on the players? Was the Ohio State game Oregon's true potential or a fluke?

I said it during the game, and I’ll say it again: there’s something odd about Moorhead’s absence. A “non-covid related illness”? When the commenters said they saw him on Thursday and he seemed fine? Something doesn’t feel right about this.

Look, Mario did not call the two false start penalties on the Ducks' last drive. He did not call the two personal foul penalties on Stanford's last drive. Sometimes the players screw up, and this time they did, big time. Sure, Mario is no genius with the Xs and the Os, but the players play the game. Also, I think the thing with Moorhead being absent is kinda strange. Commentators said they saw him on Thursday and he was fine.

Why would you hope that?

Let's go back to those 2 false start penalties and the throw into the ground by AB. Those were a large part of this fiasco.

I think I've seen the stupidest last 2 minutes of a football game ever.

I wouldn't dump on AB that much; the goal line run was just an awful, awful play call. The O-line is having trouble run blocking, and AB can't throw the long ball, so that limits the options. But that 4th down call was just miserable.

Given the body of work so far this season, I would say Oregon is not inconsistent, and does not play up or down to the opposition. I would say instead that they are really not that good, and have had one exceptional game. Otherwise, they are consistently pretty bad on defense (turnovers excepted) and mediocre on offense. Every team they've played has moved the ball pretty much at will, from Stony Brook to Ohio State.

Gonna say it yet again: whatever happens in this game and over this season, the Ducks will be a much better team next year and in 2023.

Per a school spokesman, Moorhead is being evaluated for non-COVID-related illness.

Hey you kids! Get off of my lawn!

I think this is huge for Oregon. What athlete who is interested in NIL opportunities would not look at a connection with Nike and go, "Wow!".

Oregon 35-24, 1, 1, 265 yards.

I would ask these three questions: 1) Has Joe Moorhead been successful at every other stop in his career? 2) Does Mario make poor hiring decisions? 3) Was the 2020 so-called season indicative of anything? I would answer yes, no and no and not be worried about what's to come.

Great article, Ryan. Washington is definitely Uncle Rico.

Ever been to Lubbock? At least he's not in the PAC. Best of luck!

At this point, without better evidence on the field, I feel as if high expectations are a curse. But then, it's only ESPN.

Can he please wear #7?

You can't recruit to Eugene, right Scott?

Not too worried...the small percentage drop means that not many upperclassmen left, so it follows that lots of the young players now have game experience.

Prediction: he'll be Gracen the field in the Ducks uniform.

Is there a more complicated sport anywhere in the world?

It appears that if you coach a good game against the Ducks, Mario will hire you. Other good news: Jaylon Redd comes back for another year, and the crystal balls are pointing to commitments from Byron Cardwell and Gracen Halton.

Excellent article, Charles. I hope that, on average, I am a critical analysis fan. The problem is that one day I feel like a suck-up to the coaches, the next day a troll, the day after that a sunshine pumper, and the following day a dark pessimist. And, on the other days, I vow not to even think about the Ducks. Does that make me crazy, or just a typical fan? Given the recent ups and downs of the program, I'd like to think the latter.