-
Finish your profile right here and directions for adding your Profile Picture (which appears when you post) is right here.
Solar
-
Posts
538 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Articles
Events
Posts posted by Solar
-
-
On 4/30/2024 at 12:47 PM, Charles Fischer said:
We need cannon fodder for the schedule. We can't beat our brains against the best every week, and the perfect teams are those who are weaker, (on a given year) but bring a healthy sized number of eyeballs to the TV games. Rutgers, Maryland, Illinois, Iowa....
We may want cannon fodder, but with this level of upheaval coming who's in and who's out won't be dictated based on "because they were there first." Not to say that some of the valuable markets don't have cannon fodder teams.
Once the have a target conference size then everything gets re-evaluated. One time relegation exercise based on historical prestige, market size and a dash of "what have you done lately."
Lastly to all. I don't think fans in the stands will be a big deal going forward in determining market size. With a 40ish team league it begins to be about national viewership/brand cache as pretty much any game will be viewed coast to coast.
-
On 4/30/2024 at 5:55 PM, AnotherOD said:
I got myself in a bit of trouble in a thread a while back and I certainly will own it, I didn't express my thoughts too well.
Bo Nix was great at Oregon and when I dabbled in a bit of perhaps criticism, it didn't go well. I've had time to reformulate the thought, so here it goes.
When Nix transferred to Oregon, he was borderland out of the draft. He came to Oregon to right the ship. Was he going all of a sudden to make a bunch of NFL throws, dropping balls into windows and throwing guys open. I think that is fair to say unlikely.
Ok, but that isn't exactly the only consideration. It's ok I think to suggest Bo arrived at Oregon with both team and personal goals.
I've heard the jokes about "Bo Pix"; but, even at Auburn he wasn't a guy who put the ball up in a lot of danger back then, and his interception numbers prior to Oregon weren't that bad.
Nix came to Oregon to rehabilitate himself and do what he does well with a fresh start. His path to the NFL was really turning some heads, putting up a huge QBR, a high completion percentage, and not turning the ball over.
Minus Washington it was fabulous.
Here is where I got in trouble. I think Bo was just programmed to mostly avoid risks. Which worked most of the time; but, to make that final step, occasionally a guy needs to drop a ball in a window or otherwise accept the risk and feel he can make a big throw. To look down field and gamble to make a play.
I do think that was not something mostly on the Nix program. And I respect that; but, I think that was a bit of the difference between the seasons Nix had and the season Penix had.
Penix got into those situations and was remarkably successful most of the way. Could Bo have done the same? Absolutely; but, I don't exactly feel he felt free to trust **everything** involved in making such throws and generally didn't decided to roll the dice. There always in such situations a **safer** percentage options that, if it fails, people tend to understand "It's the best odds that was left so it makes sense".
Which is ok unless the moment ultimately requires a bit of a play.
Akili had it, Joey had it, I think DT and really even Masoli had it, I'm not sure MM really was in that spot to much; but, Justin had it. Justin walked in as a true freshman and felt all day he had the arm to put the ball into windows and risk making a play because he had confidence he could make the throw.
Was that Bo? Looking back years from now I certainly feel I may be mistaken. In Gabriel, a different player, where embracing those throws and willing to make them is the calculus different than what was programmed into Nix? I think maybe because the "cost to benefit" ratio is just different.
Is a huge NFL throw will be more of a benefit DG than it ever would have been for BN? I will suggest accepting the gamble? Maybe. Whatever the odds I suggest it is much more likely to come at the arms of Gabriel.
Where here did it get Penix? Obviously well; but, where did it get Nix? Not to bad either.
Quite possibly this doesn't make a lot of sense. Go Ducks.
I agree with much if what you just said. Absolutely it makes sense.
I do think we saw a lot of progress in the last 2 years with Bo. Bad Bo only showed up a few times all season (TT and CCG) in 2023. And when confident this last year he was able to throw into tight windows with consistent success.
I think Bo would really benefit from the QB coach Justin had who was able to wash off all that Cristobal "everything is grind" mentality and get him to just love playing football fast.
-
On 4/29/2024 at 11:38 PM, David Marsh said:
Tier 1: B1G and SEC
Tier 2: Big 12 and ACC
Tier 3: everyone else
I think:
Tier 1 revamped B1G and SEC
Tier 2, rest of BCS
Tier 3 FCS
Tier 4 D3
The only questions are which schools are in Tier 1 long term? Is Iowa's market really big enough? Is Miami's? The schools on the margins are in for a fight over the next one to five years.
-
I watched this YouTube video by Cam Newton that I agree with 100%.
And in reality it reflected how our Offense. performed last season.
And then I hear from in the know individuals that Dillon's ceiling isn't as high as Bo's.
Then I think about how Dillon played in high pressure difficult situations, specifically against Texas.
Perhaps the biggest difference between last year's offense and this year's offense will be that we aren't quite as efficient as we were last year against bad to decent teams, but in more difficult circumstances against the best we will play our best football.
Other differences will potentially be having more plays on the ground. Running plays not out of the RPO, and more of Dillon running with the ball.
Thoughts?
-
I'm pretty confident he is right. Hard to see on a TV screen when everyone is bigger. Bigger than what else, the down markers on the sidelines?
Funny to read comments on YouTube saying "Oregon looks small, and will need to be a finesse team." Big 10 narrative eaters that haven't been pay attention for the last decade viewing things through a biased lense.
Seems pretty prevalent. It's gonna be fun welcoming those B1G fans to Oregon when we destroy their favorite team at the LOS.
-
1
-
-
On 4/28/2024 at 1:31 PM, Charles Fischer said:
Bringing in Hampton to assist Lupoi was a very under-rated or unknown move. It shouts to your great point...
I was non-plussed by Tosh from day one, and wanted him gone before the end of the first season.
But perhaps there is a dynamic here between him, Lanning, and Hampton where his unique strengths are maximized and his weaknesses and oversights are covered over by Lanning and Hampton's support. And with that, Tosh will grow to address his weaknesses and reach his ceiling as a coach.
Maybe the best quality Tosh has is he isn't head coach material and will likely stick around in a position that fits his ceiling instead of chasing the Peter Principle.
-
2
-
1
-
-
On 4/27/2024 at 9:18 AM, EastBayDuckDad said:
Broncos just drafted Troy Franklin in the early 4th round. They got a steal and the chemistry with Bo is a big plus. Wonder how much input Bo had in this decision when Franklin didn't go in the 2nd or 3rd and was still available.
Go Pro Ducks!
Broncos has two things going for them to decide to jump up 20 spots to grab Troy. #1 is Bo Nix chemistry with him is worth something if you truly believe Bo will start.
#2 Troy was who Bo was throwing to in the private tryout he had with the Broncos, so they had a pretty clear opportunity to see who they could be getting.
It was interesting to hear that one of the things that turned Sean onto Bo was Alex Forsyth, who was Bo's center at Oregon in '22.
-
I couldn't catch the game live but watched it delayed, here are my notes:
It was a bit jarring to how different this team is this year. The turnover of talent was much more obvious than I expected. There is serious work to do to become an efficient unit on offense, and the staff definitely has it's work cut out to select a two deep that can work cohesively as a team.
I've never seen so many runs in a spring game. Usually they are minimized to prevent injuries. I think it's two things, 1 having enough expendable RBs on the roster and 2 an extra intensional focus on the run game going into the B1G, as previously mentioned by Stein at least. Worth an article by itself.
Surprised by the level of violence in the play. It was violent compared to in season games let alone a spring game against your own teammates. It came from everywhere and everyone. Offense, Defense, starters, walk-ons, and even the true freshmen.
It was clear last year that James has been running with bad intentions, but jeez instead of heading out of bounds he knocked Savage out cold.
Kyler Kasper is legendary, I mean legend has it he has caught a pass, but I've never seen it. I'm certainly hoping that changes, that he can show up when the lights are on. Being excellent in practice isn't worth much.
Bryant is an enigma, he typically seems a little lost when running routes, but as soon as the ball is in his hands, he knows exactly where he is and what to do with it. He's the best true running back in the team with his sense of spacing, feel and quickness in tight spaces; too bad he's stuck in a receivers body. Give the man some tunnel screens this year Stein.
This is the most powerful DL Oregon has ever had. We have elite OL but the pocket was consistently collapsed. Bullrushes to oblivion from every position. I wasn't expecting that. Perhaps the OL were overthinking things at the snap, rather than playing nasty, but it was so consistent, hard to explain away.
There was also little room to run. That didn't stop Jay Harris from being productive. He is who we wanted Dowdell to be. He is 6.2 and 215, but he runs like he is much lighter than that. His size shows up when he refuses to go down.
-
2
-
1
-
-
The biggest thing I was hoping to see from the spring game was just this, seeing Lanning's HS recruits start to shine, and they really did. Fantastic to see.
-
2
-
-
It's just a spring game as we all know (Jeff Lockie went 12 for 12 once).
So many things had to be discounted. Pocket presence by all QBs was bad, and efficiency was bad, but lots of potential explanations for that.
All can throw a good ball at least. It seems clear that per the order of taking the field it DJ Moore is past Novasad already on the depth chart, despite this difference of experience in this offense.
-
1
-
-
On 4/27/2024 at 6:02 AM, DrJacksPlaidPants said:
Was Troy Franklin’s combine numbers really that bad? I’m scratching my head over the WR’s that have been drafted over him.
He's too skinny/weak and didn't run the gauntlet drill in a straight line are the two reasons I'm seeing. Could be the teams that were interested in him over thought it and went with a less risky pick and nobody else was really paying attention.
It sounds weird but people are assumed to not be available after a certain point in the draft so if they miss that window they can fall farther than they should.
-
1
-
-
On 4/25/2024 at 2:22 PM, JabbaNoBargain said:
Michigan taking what looks like some big hits in the portal today.
Coaching turnover will have that affect. Fits become misfits.
-
We are over our scholarship limit. Word on the street is that some will be voluntold to leave. Could be the case here.
Which makes this a possible sign that we are going to pick up a DL in the spring portal.
-
On 4/26/2024 at 6:27 AM, Haywarduck said:
Wow, stays at Auburn, may not get drafted. Transfers to Oregon, goes in the 1st round, keep the qb's, and elite transfers coming!
I will also say Denver drafted him for all the right reasons, for both parties, well done!
Just a $28 million dollar choice, no biggie. Just kidding. Our new transfer qbs are feeling pretty good about their decisions right about now..
Best landing spot possible for Bo. So many comps to Drew Brees, should be a great fit.
-
This is likely a sign that there is too much uncertainty about the future to make any decisions yet. IE let's wait for the ACC to implode, G5 to form a separate division, and a few other pieces like Notre Dame to fall into places first.
-
Most top shelf portal transfers know where they will go when they enter. Meaning they absolutely have been tampered with.
I've got a good feeling about this. As others have said we are an anchor NT away from a title level defense, and we have the ability to pull him in accordingly by offering him the highest value.
If he goes to tOSU I'll be really upset though! LoL
-
1
-
-
Caleb has the ability to be great and he cares enough to be able to achieve it.
He should go #1.
-
1
-
-
On 4/24/2024 at 10:27 AM, David Marsh said:
30 viable winners I feel is too high these days.
15-20 teams tops are viable contenders.
In any given year that number is closer to 3. 2023 was an exception of viable teams at around 8.
A change of circumstances with an enlarged playoff, and pay for play will help level the playing field. As an example, 2023 was not an exception, it is the new reality with the Transfer portal and NIL circumstances affecting team ceilings.
-
On 4/23/2024 at 12:52 PM, Jon Joseph said:
I think we will see NFL-Lite. An NFC = SEC and ESPN, and the AFC, = the B1G, and Fox. Power 2 member universities will be the employer and 'management' for negotiating purposes with the players' union that will be associated with the NFL union. There will be restrictions on total salaries, but not NIL, restrictions on transfers, and quite possibly a high school draft with a wage scale of some form. Without having to recruit and without having the roster headaches we see in CFB today, CFB coaches' salaries will deflate.
With this structure, the Power 2 conferences will have a chance for Congress to provide the same antitrust protection and protection against other differing state legislation and state and federal regulators. Federal legislation will also provide the approach the Power 2 will have to take regarding Title XI.
Will Men's basketball be NBA lite? The NCAA puts on one heck of a CBB tournament every season that is a money maker. But what union will CBB players/employees have available to them if not the NBA union? Dartmouth men's basketball players voted to join the Service Employees Union (SEU). The majority of SEU members do not play college basketball.
Whether the athletes will have to be student-athletes I haven't a clue. However, I am certain that Oregon will not be left behind no matter how these issues are decided.
I'm just not sure the individual universities' administration have the time babysit any of this. If I had to make a guess, the conferences will be delegated most of the responsibilities.
-
Rams or Broncos would be a good fit for Bo.
-
Finally. No point in have 130 teams in a single division where 100 of the teams have no chance to ever win it all
Power X should be D1, G of X D2, FCS D3, D3 should be D4.
Each division level is defined by their own playoff/bowl structure and pay to play arrangement.
The only thing we should be debating is who is in which D level.
Let's get the easy decisions worked out then the harder stuff is a little easier to deal with.
-
1
-
-
Bo is more accurate than Marcus Mariota, and has better pocket presence and does better working through his progressions when he has his confidence. The only thing Marcus did better was his elite breakaway speed, which isn't worth much in the NFL where everyone has world class speed.
Marcus went #2 in the draft. This QB class is better, but Bo is a first round talent, and I think scouts get that.
-
So do the NIL collectives get absorbed by the University or does the University now just say "call these guys" instead saying "We'll give them your name and they'll call you."?
-
So this means OSU and WSU are now eligible for that guaranteed best of Group of 5 (now 6) spot in the playoffs.
-
1
-
Lanning Wins on Draft Weekend Too
in Our Beloved Ducks
Posted
I haven't seen a single mention of ducks getting signed as UDFA. Every year we have about five. We're there really none this year?