Cacker Guy

Ohio State 41-17 0 TO 1 Sack 275 Passing Yards Hope I'm wrong...

I'm not surprised at all. Never thought we'd be considered a bona fide B1G member. There will be more "surprises" -- in football and other sports. Just to be contrary, I still think we should have tried the Apple deal. We're only getting $30M from Fox et al. for the next few years anyhow, and the athletics budget is north of $180M. So I liked the Apple gamble -- it's not my money and the difference if any is a small percentage of the overall athletics budget. As far as "linear" vs. streaming goes... how's that working out for y'all? I only stream and I'm pretty sure everyone else will be someday soon. Too bad that the PAC presidents and sleazy Larry and slow George couldn't get a good media deal done. But to be honest, I'm okay with being in the B1G -- but not ecstatic about it.

Well, it's good to be undefeated, and there is a ton of potential to improve greatly. But I have to say what I've seen so far is a lot of flash and very little substance. We are pretty mediocre -- certainly not a top tier team. Yet. Some hope for the future: 1. IMHO offensive lines are only as good as their weakest link. Unfortunately right now we have a very weak link. I think the OLine can improve a ton when they get healthy. Will they? I sure hope so (but I'm not very confident right now). 2. Gabriel can grow to understand and direct the offense better. Right now I don't see him making many checks. I don't think we appreciated how great Bo Nix really was -- how well he changed plays and protections pre-snap. He made everyone better -- he even made poor play calls into good ones. I don't think DG will get that good (who can?), but he can improve. How fast can he improve in this area? He has a long way to go and not very much time. But it can happen. 3. Leadership appears to me to be sorely lacking. Will someone step up? Bassa? Gabriel? That can happen as well. However, it should already be in place by now...

Absolutely! I still think that Bo is not given enough credit for all that he did. He helped pass pro by changing protections at the line of scrimmage according to the looks the defense was giving. He also made the run game more effective by checking into better plays and/or formations pre-snap. His preparation, knowledge and field vision helped the efficiency of the entire offense -- running game as well as passing game. He was an amazing field general for a college QB.

I wish Dante had been here last year so that he could have learned some of those "intangibles" -- how to lead -- from Bo. I can't think of a better role model. Hopefully Dillon Gabriel will prove to be a dynamic leader and good example as well, and Dante can learn from him.

Yeah, I guess so. It seems petty and childish doesn't it? Thanks for correcting me. I'll try to change my attitude toward him. There is a heck of a lot I don't know about the whole situation...

I am thrilled White's Texas team lost the NCAA championship to Oklahoma. I will always root against him. However, his Texas team was ranked #1 most of the season, and this was his second trip to the championship series since he left Oregon. We have made it to the super regional only once since he left. Any one of his five pitchers would be the ace of our staff. I like Missy Lombardi and I love the scrappy way her teams play. She seems to do an excellent job of helping her players grow on and especially off the field. She appears to really care about her players and they seem to greatly appreciate her. However there is no denying White's Texas teams have been more successful on the field than Lombardi's Duck teams. I still wonder what happened back in the summer and fall of 2018 that caused almost all our roster to transfer out. Who would you prefer to have coaching our Ducks? (Not that what we prefer matters, but this is the place to discuss hypotheticals..) I lean heavily toward Lombardi. But I wish we were the ones going to Oklahoma City every year...

No respect for former PAC teams from Fox -- including our Ducks. Friday night is for HS football. These are bottom tier games. Notice tOSU, Michigan, Penn St. and Wisconsin have no Friday night games. I'm really not happy about that Purdue game -- it makes preparation different and more difficult. Definitely a trap game now.

Great article, Ryan! Thank you -- I enjoyed it very much. You really highlighted the contributions of all our recent head coaches. Boy we have been fortunate! I am partial to Coach Bellotti -- I think he changed my opinion of the program the most. However, I think Chip had the greatest effect on the direction of the program. He changed the national perception of UO football, and that has greatly aided recruiting ever since. We have heard so many players say that Oregon was their dream school, or that they grew up loving Oregon football. Current players say this (Tez, Matayo, etc .) and I figure that the past five or six or more recruiting classes grew up loving UO during Chip's tenure. That had made a real difference in recruiting!

The softball team played very well this weekend. Not perfectly, but very well. With a couple of breaks we would have won today's game. The Ducks represented UO very well. The seniors were all terrific. They can definitely be proud of the way they played. Our defense was sensational, our pitching pretty darn good, and we played with grit and fearlessness. Without the two HBPs we would have won. And one of those came a few pitches after the home plate ump just wouldn't call a third strike on an Oklahoma batter. Too bad we had to play Oklahoma. On the other hand, we went toe-to-toe with the best. Well done, Ducks!

I agree that the conference champ games should be eliminated. One negative about the expanded playoff is that it can add two additional games to players' seasons. College football is a real grind and players' bodies take a tremendous pounding which accumulates throughout the season. Conference champs get a first round bye, but the losers of the champ game just get another game, and more bruises and injuries. One could argue that finishing third in the B1G and making the playoff but missing the B1G champ game gives a team a better chance to get to the national championship game. I haven't really thought this out and maybe getting a higher seed is more is worth playing an extra game. Of course winning the championship is winning the championship -- everyone will undoubtedly want a shot to get a ring.

A huge get for OBD!!

I think he is our best position coach. He is a jewel on and off the field. He is the one coach I really want to keep. Don't let him go to another school as a RB coach!!!

Also having great seasons are former Ducks Kylee Watson (Notre Dame), Sydney Parrish (Indiana), Sedona Prince (TCU) and Maddie Scherr (Kentucky). And Taylor Bigby is first off the bench for #5 USC.

I don't listen to the games, but I read the play-by-play. I'm no softball expert, but it seems to me that: 1. Our hitting has not been clutch. Three players are hitting VERY well: Kai Luchar (lf), Alyssa Daniel (1b) and Ariel Carlson (rf). Hannah Delgado (cf) is starting to warm up, and Val Wong (dh) is hitting very well lately. The other infielders and catcher are not hitting well at all. The bottom of the order has produced very little. 2. The numbers for our pitchers are okay, but we are getting outpitched. Stevie Hansen is getting hit pretty good -- she certainly has not performed like an ace. Morgan Scott has has some trouble. The freshman Taylour Spencer has been a pleasant surprise -- she has been lights out. And it's a good thing! 3. Our defense has made some key errors. I saw these guys play last year and their defense should be very good. Judging defense without watching is kind of lame. It's possible they are making great plays and it just shows up as an out in the play-by-play. Results have been disappointing so far, but I think it could all turn around in a hurry if the infielders start to hit, and our new catcher does what she did the past three years at Georgia Tech. And the veteran pitchers must throw better. I think it is a solid team, and should do fairly well. But I base this only on what I read, not what I see. I believe that the situation with softball is world's different that WBB. WBB is a dumpster fire. They have no chance against any PAC-12 opponent, except maybe Cal tonight. They really don't have the players except Gray and Vandersloot. It seems to me that Division I WBB has rushed by Coach Graves and left him in the dust. I hate to say it, but WBB looks to be in a terrible state. Anyhow, that's my analysis, for what it's worth (not much).

Players who transferred after Mark Campbell left include Jaz Shelley, Taylor Chavez, Taylor Mikesell, Angela Dugalic, Maddie Scherr, Kylie Watson, Sydney Parrish ... and last year Tehina PaoPao, Indiya Rogers and Sedona Prince. All went to top programs and have done very well (with the exception of Chavez who had a few good games at Arizona but didn't start). The few players who transferred in have not been anywhere near the talent level of those who left. There is mounting evidence that Campbell was largely responsible for the Ducks' success. I don't know what's going on ... but I'm not sure Graves does either.

I usually watch games with the sound off as well. I love my mute button!

Great article, Mike! I love your idea. Unfortunately, it makes too much sense, so it will probably never happen.

Coach Martin played at Michigan State...

He is a jedi master at holding. He is really really good at doing it without getting caught. I hated him last year!

Ducks are right behind Georgia and Texas and ahead of Alabama in ESPN's "2024 Way-Too-Early college football Top 25." Only non-SEC team in the top 4. 2024 Way-Too-Early college football Top 25 - ESPN WWW.ESPN.COM The 2023 college football season may have just ended, but Mark Schlabach already has a top 25 for next year.

Plus Jaz Shelley at Nebraska. All starting and playing well for good teams. It sure looks to me from 400 miles away that Mark Campbell was responsible for UO's previous success. I just watched the "highlights" of tonight's game and UO looked poorly coached to me. Poor fundamentals and poor team defense. I couldn't see much offense -- but I guess there wasn't much to see. I know it is dangerous to conclude anything from a few minutes of highlights, but nevertheless... Yikes!

Yeah, I agree that it is painful to watch. But I don't think there is any doubt about what this is -- it is offensive ineptitude all the way. Man, how is Missouri a top 10 team? Brutal QB play on both sides.

3 for 3 would do it also... just sayin'

Sure, why not? As long as he is a high character guy who will fit into the culture. Like with Moore, I trust that the coaches will make a good decision about whether or not to pursue him.