Although top speed of nuclear carriers is classified, it's estimated at over 70 mph. They are the fastest ships in the NAVY.

 

It takes two to cause an accident on open water, both failed to see the other in time to react and avoid collision. Because they are big it is hard to make quick changes, but then again, because they are big they should be harder to miss.

 

But it was at night and we don't know if it was foggy or not.

It's a little counterintuitive that not blitzing allowed them to pressure Mahomes more, but if your coverage is elite that is how it can work, give the 4 DL time to get home.

 

We haven't had that coverage ability since 2019 unfortunately. Here is to the development of the elite 2025 class secondary..

On 2/7/2025 at 9:49 AM, Charles Fischer said:

Right.  That has happened to a TON of teams before in a first half, and yet the defense held the opposing team to a score that was within reach for a better second half.  Not for this offense, not when the defense gave up 34 straight points...

 

Take away the deep threat and the Buckeyes could crowd the mid and short zones....now DG had to hold the ball longer as nobody was getting open and thus the sacks.  With a good defensive performance, and Evan Stewart available...this is a very different game--even with great plays by the osu2 offense.

 

I never wrote Stein was irreplaceable, but the disrespect given to him considering what my eyes revealed to me over the season...and I wrote about in FishDuck articles, are unjustified, IMHO.

 

The Rose Bowl wasn't a case of the defense not getting off the field. 7 possessions for the offense in the first half is a lot, and they did almost nothing with them. Losing Stewart really hurt, but did we really have to wait until half to adjust?

 

Looking forward, how much will Stein adapt our point guard offense now that we don't have "most college games ever played" QB behind center? 

 

It's a huge change due to personnel. Dink and dunk with a QB completion percentage of 70% or less won't work. We need to become a seven on seven greatest show in turf type scheme to make the most of our new QB's strength's that can overcome his penchant to make mistakes Bo and DG never did.

I think we need to stop caring about our overall rank, and focus on our average per-player rank. The reason being the portal.

 

The reason greater numbers of played in a class adds value is just probabilities that some of the lower ranked folks will pan out.

 

But with the portal all you need to focus on is getting quality over quantity and let someone else deal with the lower probabilities for lower ranked players, and the ones that actually pan out, grab them in the portal.

On 1/31/2025 at 4:56 PM, Jon Joseph said:

 

With private equity, the B1G gets to capitalize on its equity built up for over 100 years; Once.

 

Why not do what makes long-term sense? Form the Football Super Conference. Stop selling inventory to media companies who flip the inventory to advertisers. Sell the inventory directly. If money is needed short term to cover a shortfall, leverage future Super Conference advertising receivables. 

 

Form a Super Conference Network, akin to the NFL Network. Sell broadcast time directly to advertisers and stream the product on Venu. Bargain with a players union. Obtain Congressional relief from antitrust litigation so Venu, in effect a combined B1G and SEC Network, can go to the marketplace.  

 

Do Not enter into the House settlement which settles nothing. If Congressional relief is not available (the author of the memo approving unions for college athletes and the memo stating that Title IX applies to revenue sharing, are no longer employed) use power of the Power 2 to convince NCAA members to have the NCAA file BK. File a Plan of Arrangement that settles House and all other litigation, filed now or in the future. Even though it is a non-profit organization the NCAA can file for bankruptcy relief. 

 

The Plan will likely be appealed to a Supreme Court that can by-pass Congress if needed by confirming the plan.

 

Keeping the same system in place and selling equity to a private equity concern is not a panacea. It does not bar litigation, resolve Title IX issues, resolve employer-employee issues, resolve player union issues, resolve transfer issues, etc. It does provide another monied interest, Equity Firm X, for litigants to shoot at.

 

Of course, I respect Tony Petitti's resume and understand that he has to keep all oars in the water. 

If the B1G is too lazy or unskilled to execute and manage those things then I could see them trading away that responsibility along with an equity stake.

 

Obviously a 49% share for private equity would optimal, but I think they'd want 51% to be able to dictate outcomes to their advantage at the expense of everyone else if necessary to maximize their return on equity.

 

Therein lies the problem. You're turning over you organizational decision making to an entity that has only one objective, returns on investment.

 

Unchecked free market capitalism we've become so famous for that grabs every possible advantage to squeeze as much money as possible from as many people as possible as long as it is legal or will be legal after greasing a few palms in the right high places.

 

They would squeeze the taxpayers and students of the public universities, the private university students, all coaches, the players, the fans, the advertisers, the janitors, etc. Everyone becomes mark.

 

Will we get a benevolent PE firm (about as common as unicorns), or a United Healthcare type firm (worst case scenario), or something in between (most likely)?

 

It definitely makes me nervous.

 

We already get a taste of that from Fox and ESPN, stopped clocks to run more plays exchanged for running clocks and 2 minutes warning loaded with commercials. PE just takes that 360 degrees no stone left unturned.

From what I gather they've been getting low grades for effort, which is definitely something they can try to turn around.

On 1/29/2025 at 12:46 PM, HDuck said:

The team being punished is officially stripped of its victory, but the opposing team retains its loss—thus, vacated victories are different from forfeits, in which the losing team is given the win.

 

 

When the NCAA forced a team to vacate a game the result is moved from the win/loss record. If a team went 4-7 for a season and had to vacate the 4 wins, their record becomes 0-7 for that season.

One of the confusing aspect of vacating games is that causes no adjustment to the opponent’s record. If that 4-7 team beat a 6-6 team, the 6-6 team does not “get a win” (for a 7-5 record), nor is the loss wiped out (for a 6-5 record). That team’s record stays the same at 6-6.

 

In Washington's case, the 14-1 record would remain 14-1 and not be 14-0 or 15-0.  When they had a 12-0 regular season record, they were ranked No. 3 behind Georgia and Texas.  After the Pac12 championship, they were No. 2 at 13-0.   If the pre-1968 AP Poll rules were still in effect...which was a final ranking before the bowls...then UW would have been No. 2 in 2023, and Oregon would have been No. 1 in 2024.  But, the AP changed their process beginning the 1968 season to conduct a last ranking after the bowls.

 

UW had a "magical" season in 2023.  They won 7 of their 14 wins by a TD or less, including all of their last 5 wins.

 

Just like Oregon, UW has had 3 No. 2 AP final rankings, but never an AP No. 1

Do you really think that rules would stop Washington from claiming they were national champions?

It should be easier to tailor defense for the offenses we will face that can compete with us.

 

The game continues to change on offense. Is the Georgia scheme still the best? Or is the Ravens pro-style defense Michigan runs the best? Or is something else Jim knowles was running at OSU the best? Or what Avalos ran in 2019 the best?

 

I don't know.

 

All I know is any defense that is most vulnerable at the edges and the middle 10-20 yards downfield is going to get eaten alive with modern spread offense schemes as the Ducks have shown over the last 3 years, and it sucks to watch. I don't care about stuffing the middle all day if the other team can just go over us and around us on any down and distance.

Yes, Jordan Burch. In the fake punt he was moving so dynamically I thought it was our WR of the same number.

 

Tez should be special too. He's going to put up some amazing numbers in the jumping, 40 yard and shuttle drills. I'm curious how many reps he gets on bench at 225. 

On 1/27/2025 at 9:15 AM, GODUCKS15 said:

Will Howards slide as time ran out. 

You beat me to it.

The last thing I want to see happen here is Hampton go to OSU and outcoach Tosh. And it definitely says something already that OSU doesn't want Tosh. I know the 2 reasons why, our last 2 games of the season. You can guarantee questions Hampton will get in the interview, what happened and what would you have done differently if you were the DC?

 

 

 

 

He should have talked about how the jersey,'s have no names. It's already bad enough for image to wear a helmet, if you've got no name on the jersey all you have left is likeness.

 

So when someone buys that number 6 jersey do the license dollars get divided 3 ways between the receiver, the DB and the punter that all wear number 6?

 

I'm only half joking. It's a legit disadvantage for old school blue bloods, that are above the individuality of putting names on jerseys, to overcome.

Orford was labeled "the best man to man cover db" in the 2025 class.

 

Seems like waste to move him to safety if that is actually true.

The question about scheme change being needed defensively was not answered and is the most concerning.

 

I'm sick of a defense that can't set an edge consistently, and has coverage gaps behind the linebackers on down and distance..

Watching the anguish of Notre Dame and their fan base after it was clear they were going to lose did make me think.

 

For the first time in FBS history 11 of the arguably best 12 teams in the country finished their season with a painful loss.

 

Such is the reality of a playoff.

 

It reminds me of my decision as a college track and field jumper to not participate in the high jump. One reason is it took so long during the meet, but the other reason is I had no interest in finishing every meet by failing to clear the bar 3 times in a row.

 

Recency bias is tough thing to overcome as a fan, and we'd better get used to this new reality as a team that will find its way into the playoffs on a near yearly basis that our last game of the season is likely to be loss.

 

 

I'll try not to cry in my drink about finishing 13-1 next time it happens, but no promises..

 

 

Ok, I wasn't blown away by his kick return in the all-american game, but this was extraordinary, showing every skill a receiver needs at 10 out of 10.

 

He will be special, and should be in the starting rotation from the jump.

On 1/17/2025 at 9:04 AM, Jon Joseph said:

Here's the story from AP.

 

 

Title IX memo throws wrench in plans for schools to pay NIL money directly to athletes

APNEWS.COM

---

The U.S. Department of Education says plans for colleges to pay athletes directly for their name, image and likeness deals would run afoul of Title IX.

 

Timing? On Monday, there's a new sheriff in town. Hmmm?

This. The old regime leaves a parting gift they won't be around to enforce.

 

Each new regime can do whatever they want to do themselves, so it's still a bit early, although could subject to change every 4 years and isn't necessarily a partisan issue either.

On 1/15/2025 at 5:07 PM, Mike West said:

I believe the scheme isn't suited to handle elite offenses.  I've seen four games against that set, and then two relatively above average ( talent and scheme) offenses in Happy Valley and Ann Arbor that exposed some solid red flags. 

 

I actually believe the secondary was talented enough this year to handle Ohio State.  They don't match up speed versus speed, but with the proper set of rules in zone, that group was keen enough to make plays and take away options. 

 

It is my belief that pass coverage should take options away from the QB.  I don't see that as a priority in their scheme.  I see a reactive formula that requires very elite talent.  As in NFL esque talent.  Nobody in college football is going to have a full set of players that rival NFL talent in any unit.  That especially goes for a secondary. 

 

It has become quit clear the SEC learned that fact the hard way this year.  Before, ten teams could stockpile talent and replace elite talent with near elite talent.  Now Georgia and Bama face the same issue OBD have- holes in part of their units.  

 

In my opinion, that requires blending scheme that suits the talent level.  I'm not sure many coaches are recognizing the facts on the ground yet.  They still believe they can coach up the holes they have, instead of utilizing each players' strengths in order to produce an effective amount of production from the unit as a whole.

 

Excellent coaches recognize this and exploit the weaknesses they identify.  That's why Ohio State was chomping at the bit to play OBD again.  The saw the flaws live, tracked our progress, and went to work on what Michigan initially exposed and Penn State exploited further.

 

It's time to craft a scheme that is flexible enough to suit the many strengths the players demonstrate on defense.  That's going to require testing the weaknesses in many forms and developing strengths that minimize those flaws.  

 

 That's what I see at least.  Lanning wants to use a style of defense.  I see using talent that exploits several types of defenses ( that emphasize the players' strengths). 

Yes, it's pointless to have a scheme that allows you to dominate against slow athletes, yet gets you beat against teams that can match your speed.

 

What about the Michigan Defense brought over from the Ravens? That's different than this MINT scheme isn't it?

They isn't too much wrong with Savage at Nickel or boundary safety, we just need a speedy field safety.

Will is going to have to have a better playbook for second and long and 3rd and long, because think Moore is going to take more sacks, and his lack of running threat will reduce the YPC of the running game, putting us behind the sticks more often.

 

It was already bad this year when getting 3rd and long, now it will happen more often.

You guys are awesome.

 

A'Mauri Washington has always impressed me that he jumps forward at the snap so quickly I always think he jumped offsides.

That's a bummer.

 

Who is our boat anchor NT for next year?

On 1/15/2025 at 12:36 PM, David Marsh said:

I think so many of Oregon's problems are personnel related. 

 

Even in game one against Ohio State the Ducks struggled to cover Ohio State's receivers who were tall and have incredible hands. Nikko Reed put up a hell of a fight against Smith in game one but he's shorter and not as fast. 

 

The secondary has continued to be the biggest problem for the Ducks defense. The front seven have been good but still need to improve as well but the back end has been more vulnerable. 

 

Getting those linebackers sorted out will be critical going forward. Bassa has been a leader and a solid contributor but he's also a bit undersized for the position. 

All of that is true, but the lack of preparedness by the Defense in the last 2 games is unacceptable for any program, and it falls on the coaches.

 

Players that have played all season shouldn't look lost like that.

 

DL said schematically their game plan was wrong for what OSU did schematically, which was exactly what they did to Tennessee, which means our coaches were too distracted to game plan and coach the plan to the players thoroughly.

 

DL and the coordinators need to think long and hard about how they balance coaching and recruiting after the last regular season game. We're never going to win 3-4 post season games in a row to get a Natty if their approach doesn't change during that window.

Does Bedford have another year of eligibility? 

On 1/12/2025 at 7:16 PM, Charles Fischer said:

So true. What a difference it would have made...

 

 

So why does Oregon get hosed in both scenarios?

 

Just imagine how easy our path would have been last year since we lost the CCG /sarc.