HDuck

Next recruiting territory? Ireland? excerpt from The Athletic Gibbs grew up about 65 miles north of Dublin playing both soccer and Gaelic football — a cross between rugby and soccer. Gibbs had just 15 minutes to warm up before the 30-minute workout commenced in front of Tucker and special teams coordinator Justin Lustig. That’s when Franklin — who was on one of his “old man walks” as he calls his strolls around the stadium — took off his headphones and came over to chat with Leader. “And then Adam’s first punt that he hit, I have a good video of it, coach Franklin standing over his shoulder, and he hits, I think, 64 yards with 5.3 seconds of hang, which is just abnormal,” Leader said. “After Adam hit a couple of bombs, (Franklin) then walked away with coach Lustig, and at that point, I assumed something good was happening because it was not normal what Adam was doing for a kid of his age. Coach Franklin just pulled me aside and said, ‘Listen, would it be OK if we offered Adam a full ride right now?’ And so then obviously I said, ‘Yeah. That’s why we flew from Ireland and drove from New York. That’s why we’re here.’ So that was pretty cool.” For now, the plan is for him to punt and handle kickoffs at Penn State. He’s not quite sure yet if he’ll enroll early in January 2026 or wait until June.

Notre Dame and NBC money.... aside from the Big Ten, is there any other conference with NBC as a partner that would make the membership transition easy? Would be interesting to see the results of an open bidding process for Notre Dame? My guess is that each of the four major conferences would be willing to consider an unequal higher share at least for a period of time? Though the SEC didn't offer that to Texas. The Pac12 didn't offer it to USC to retain them, or the Big12 to Texas to retain them.

I suppose some fans are "truly" interested in having the best 16 teams, but I think a lot of resistance to the 5-11 model with 11 at-large is due to opinions that SEC bias will play out in those 11 at-large. If ACC, Big12, Group of 5 really want their own participation and geographical dispersal, then my proposal is "no conference will have more than 4 entrants." How often is the SEC's fifth team going to be better than most of the remaining field? Even in seasons in which B1G and SEC both get four, that will leave 8 to be spread elsewhere. Otherwise, if the SEC gets 6 of the best 16, and the B1G 4, then that leaves 6 instead of 8 to spread around. If a year comes along in which the B1G gets 3, and the SEC 4, then 9 to spread around. A limit of 4 may also lead to more interest in B1G and SEC toward the end of the regular season. As well as more interest in the Big12 which might be aligning for 3 instead of 2 entrants, because as long as the SEC bias is in play for at-large the Big12 won't be getting 3.

Moore 2023 at UCLA: 9 games, 114 completions (53%), 213 attempts, 9 interceptions, 1610 yards; 42 rushes, minus 84 yds 9 games, five starts (at San Diego State, North Carolina Central, at Utah, Washington State, at Oregon State) – (W, W, L, W, L) SDSU: 17 of 27, 290, 3 TD NCC: 8 of 12, 182, 2 TD Utah: 15 of 35, 234, 1 TD, 1 INts WSU: didn’t play much OSU: 14 of 33, 165, 1TD, 3 INTs, 10rushes, 18net I think Fall 2025 practices are going to be interesting. Novosad has a reputation for throwing a nice ball in practice. He finished his high school career with 8,983 yards passing, 114 touchdowns and just 18 interceptions. https://www.registerguard.com/story/sports/college/football/2025/06/28/austin-novosad-oregon-ducks-football-quarterback/84194894007/

From Oct. 2023, NY Times: 61 of the 133 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision, the top tier of N.C.A.A. football, have Aussie punters on their rosters, according to Prokick Australia, a Melbourne-based academy that converts Australian rules football players and some rugby players into punters (and a smaller number of kickers) for the American game. The N.C.A.A. does not keep a single database on the birthplace of punters. But Australians have made a pronounced impact with the distance and placement of their punts, which can produce tricky curves and crafty bounces and rolls. Eight times in the past 13 seasons, Australians have won the Ray Guy Award, given to the nation’s most outstanding collegiate punter. 2023: Tory Taylor, Melbourne – Iowa 2022: Adam Korsak, Melbourne – Rutgers 2019: Max Duffy, Perth – Kentucky 2016: Michael Dickson, Sydney – Texas 2015: Mitchell Wishnowsky, Perth – Utah 2013-14: Tom Hackett, Melbourne – Utah 2012: Tom Hornsey, Geelong – Memphis Entrance into ProKick requires at least a 40-yard punt, 4.5-second hang time and an invitation. According to Chapman and Smith, about 90 percent of the program’s “graduates” get NCAA scholarships. James Ferguson-Reynolds has transferred from Boise State to Oregon. Hometown Geelong. Played in 12 games in 2024 as the Broncos’ punter and holder…punted eight times at No. 7 Oregon, recording a season-long 68-yard punt (Sept. 7)… averaged 56.0 yards per punt in a win over Oregon State, placing a 64-yard punt inside the 20 (Nov. 29)….In 2023, played in all 14 games…averaged a nation-best 49.7 yards per punt, with 29 punts traveling 50+ yards and 23 punts landing inside the 20…punted seven times for 365 yards at Washington, averaging 52.1 yards per punt and tallying five that traveled over 50 yards (Sept. 2) Since he is now in the Big Ten, the Ducks are going to have to focus a bit more on rush protection, but at those distances maybe he can set up a yard or two deeper?

"Melyssa Lombardi Locked up Through 2030" Substitute the name of a Georgia football player and that title takes on a whole new meaning...

Those same 9 seasons, Iowa's total season score allowed per game, both home and away: 17.8 14.8 13.4 19.2 16.0 14.0 17.8 19.9 18.8 Oregon will be on the road after a bye. Iowa will be at home after a bye.

"Iowa hasn't allowed 30 points to an opponent at home for 56 straight games dating back to early 2016. .... just for reference, Oregon over the same stretch gave up 30+ at Autzen 12 times)." That's a pretty crazy stat when you think about it in the modern era of football. Here's the highest scoring home opponents during that stretch. Aside from Michigan in 2022, most of the highest scores were by opponents mid-and-lower tier Big Ten. Appears the scoring defense shows up for the biggest opponents? highest opponent score at Iowa's Kinnick Stadium: 2024: 21-Troy 2023: 16-Michigan St 2022: 27-Michigan 2021: 24-Purdue 2020: 21-Northwestern 2019: 20-Purdue 2018: 28-Nebraska 2017: 24-Purdue 2016: 38-Northwestern

When the Ducks won 44-6 at Iowa in 1989 it was one of coach Hayden Fry's worst Iowa teams though they did manage a 5-6 season. Iowa was 1-5 at home, 4-1 on the road. There was a noticeable difference in team speed between Oregon's offense and Iowa's defense in that September 1989 game. It was 38-0 with a bit over 6 minutes left in the third quarter. 1989 was an interesting schedule. Iowa was the only non-conference game in September. The Ducks went 3-3 in conference too, then played two non-conference games with the first in late October. The Ducks then went 2-0 in the Pac in November to finish 5-3 and 8-4. I don't think they have had a non-conference game as late as November 4 again since. And, that November 4 game wasn't an SEC version of hosting Citadel in November, it was at BYU.

The Seahawks made a pair of additions prior to the start of training camp, signing rookie cornerback Kam Alexander and nose tackle Justin Rogers on Monday. Alexander, who went undrafted out of Oregon, participated in a rookie minicamp with the Seahawks and the Falcons. 10 Ducks were drafted, the most ever. 12 Ducks signed quickly as free-agents (7) or received minicamp invites (5) like Alexander. That's 22 guys who got NFL attention that won't be on the 2025 roster.

Got to feel happy for her. https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/drama-heartbreak-and-transfers-inside-oregon-softballs-upheaval/ https://www.registerguard.com/story/sports/college/softball/2018/12/07/kleist-latest-to-leave-oregon/62943999007/

“Telling a wealthy person who owns a business that they can’t pay a student-athlete $25,000 for advertising because some other third party tells him that he’s overpaying and the student-athlete is only worth $10,000, you know, that just doesn’t feel appropriate to me, personally.” That's what I've been saying too, plus part of the "review" is supposed to be based on "market." So, a kid considering UW is told a car dealer in Seattle will be allowed to pay him $50K, but one in Pullman can only pay $10K based on "market?" How is that going to work for USC's recruiting vs the same kid considering Fresno State?

And Memphis ain't exactly beating the doors down to associate with the Pac. Yesterday's news was that they were willing to part with Big Dollars to buy their way into the Big12. What are they offering the Pac? Coupons for one free dinner at the Cozy Corner BBQ? https://cozycornerbbq.com/

If Memphis was willing to buy their way in with that much $$$ behind them, and get rejected, imagine the $$$ threshold that UNLV, OSU, WSU would have to offer to get a sniff from the Big12.

I doubt either "comes back." But, for the Beavis folks who believe that they will, they assume that when they come back they will still have the same status as when both were members of the 2023-24 Pac12. That is an error in logic, in my opinion. If they come back they will have accepted the notion that they no longer care about being a Power 4 level program. They will not bring prestige to the new Pac because they will no longer be evaluated to be at that former level. It will be akin to saying, "we are now at the Fresno State and San Diego State level." Rather than, Fresno and SDSU claiming they have increased prestige from their association with Cal/Stanford.

Looks like they have their goals set a bit higher than the Pac-12... https://sports.yahoo.com/college-football/breaking-news/article/memphis-proposing-lucrative-offer-to-join-big-12-but-it-lacks-support-from-conference-leadership-sources-175519540.html

clevelandWhich team did media pick to win the conference in the 15...For the first time ever, Penn State is viewed as the favorite to win the Big Ten conference.

Wowser on film...

The Bulldogs employ 18 staff members in recruiting and personnel, led by a whopping 9-member operations/administration department....currently No. 2 in average recruit rating for 2026. FootballScoopExclusive: Georgia football operations, recruiting staff...There are many ways to build a winning football program, but every winning football program has one thing in common: organization. The next championship-caliber football team that

One of the "fun things" about road game attendance is near-stadium atmosphere. Personally, a visit to The Grove at Ole Miss would attract me. There are other on-campus stadiums, near campus business districts, that are attractive. One aspect of Iowa's on-campus stadium is that it is close to residential neighborhoods. Season ticket holders often rent parking spaces on the front lawns of homes nearby. If you are invited to a tailgate, your host may tell you, "we're at 223 Melrose Dr." The home owner rents the space, and may provide a porta-potty as part of the annual rent for the Saturday renters, water, electricity hookup. The stadium is "walking distance" from downtown for those reasonably fit. But, if you are going and have a car I would suggest you do some research on parking. A lot of these B1G stadiums are so old they are surrounded by other development rather than being at the edge of town with parking lots. The last two November 8's in Iowa City were 55 degrees. But, you can't count on that.

Woody Hayes, Ohio State, 1951-78 (205 wins) Kirk Ferentz, Iowa, 1999-present (204) Amos Alonzo Stagg, Chicago, 1896-1932 (199) Bo Schembechler, Michigan, 1969-89 (194) Joe Paterno, Penn State, 1993-2011 (162) Hayden Fry, Iowa, 1979-98 (143) That's total wins as a Big Ten coach, not total Big Ten conference wins. Nor is it career wins at all coaching stops. Average wins per season would be a different list.

Nostalgia can be an addictive drug. What I periodically think about is where Oregon would stand in recruiting today if Taggart hadn't shown the Ducks could recruit nationwide, and Cristobal showed it wasn't just a Taggart thing.

Mason Neville is headed to the National League Central. The Oregon Ducks center fielder was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the fourth round with the No. 114 overall pick The third unanimous All-America selection in UO history, Neville tied for the national lead in home runs (26) and hit .290, had a program record .724 slugging percentage and tied for the school record with 67 runs scored. Neville is the highest selected UO player since Sabin Ceballos went No. 94 overall in 2023. A slotted value of $667,700. Oregon’s Jason Reitz is headed to the Minnesota Twins organization. The Ducks’ 6-foot-10 right-hander was selected by the Twins in the fourth round with the No. 119 overall pick. The pick has a slotted value of $635,700, according to MLB.com.