David Marsh

Lets see what this Oregon team can do next year with some experience and not having what feels like the entire team injured. I believe Oregon never started the same group of starters twice all season... that is bonkers insane for a team to be 10-2 with that much turnover. I am excited about this team next year with the youth being experienced and a reduction in injuries. Yes... we will be losing some key players as well but so does everyone in College Football... replacing KT is going to be tough but that's just the way it is.

Some are unhappy others I am sure are just looking for opportunities for more playing time. The sad thing is that many will lose their scholarships and not find a new home.

I think everyone knows where Hoke belongs... at a G5 school.

USC's roster is a bit of a mess... it will take some time to straighten out. Also... the article seemed crown USC as "back" and the best team in the Pac-12. Riley was given a well opporating Oklahoma team (much in the way Chip was given a high flying Oregon team before he took over) and was able to run with it. USC is NOT a Championship ready team. They have some good pieces, sure, but they will take some time to rebuild. If they were truly Championship ready then Helton would still be the head coach.

Jackson Dart and Kedon Slovis have both looked good at times at USC. USC has not had a QB problem... offensive line, defensive line, linebacker, runningback, and parts of the secondary... yes. If Williams leaves to go to USC he loses his starting job and would have to compete with some pretty good talent. Better to stay at Oklahoma and get some of the NIL money.

I'd take Helfrich in a heartbeat. He was Marcus Mariota's QB coach for 2011 (redshirt year) and 2012 (first year starting). Even though Frost took over QB coaching duties, I always got a sense he had a very strong relationship with his quarterbacks. Also... Helfrich was Darron Thomas' QB coach and he did well at Oregon. Helfrich has a fantastic offensive mind and can certainly be trained to be a better recruiter though at the same time he knows what he wants in a quarterback. Again... Mariota and Herbert are two of his big hits. Yes, there were some misses.. though some of that can be blamed on Frost as well and Helfrich's failure to step in as the head coach is certainly a mark against him... but he wouldn't be the head coach only the OC. Though as stated is there too much bad blood with Mullens and the firing? Maybe... but who knows. One thing is for certain ... the Helfrich offense is still a GOOD offense. The offense was never a problem under Helfrich.. the defense absolutely yes and the recruiting was up and down but there were a few too many misses in recruiting (most of his classes were ranked in the teens if I recall).

It could be used as a way to get leverage for a pay raise... if that's the case then Oregon needs to pay out. If it is just a get out of Eugene move then no amount of money will change that.

And with Oklahoma now looking for coaches too that will open up more jobs.

I would like to remind everyone that Marcus Mariota was a redshirt freshman in his first season of 2012. Before Marcus, Darron Thomas was a reshirt when he led the Oregon offense to a national championship appearance. Redshirts are not signs of shame but development. Players need time to learn and adjust to the college game. Yes.. Herbert played as a true freshman and that was because he had too much potential to sit on a bench for the entire season when Prukop was the starter. Granted ... An argument could be made that Helfrich could have gotten himself another year if he just started Herbert day 1... Fans lost too much trust in him when he brought in and started a transfer QB for a second year in a row... that and the defense was the worst in Oregon history... This is really a conversation for another thread... But ... Redshirts can bring excellent results.

If he wants to go... That's ok ... It will hurt but at the same time we all knew it was going to happen sooner or later. He will be around for the championship game and I just hope this drama doesn't effect the game itself. It would be great for him to say he is going to stay through the bowl game (Rose Bowl hopefully). However, with the early signing period that is not making me hopeful... Securing the recruiting class is just too important. I know MC wouldn't say it ... But with his first game coaching at Oregon days after the signing period we all know where his focus was at. A bowl game just doesn't mean what is used to where a recruiting class is the foundation of the program.

Nothing of his players want to join him. I don't think many would follow him as established players. However, I think he will probably pull more of his recruits over to USC.

A lot of his own recruits for starters... Then it will be a real battle with Oregon and MC after he fights his current program.

It looked Oregon was pretty ready for it but that ball bounced PERFECTLY. An Oregon player should have been more aggressive jumping towards the ball but most onsides kicks don't have a bounce quite that beautiful. However, I will agree the coaching should have had the whole team ready to more aggressively attack the football.

Does USC even understand what the Trojan horse was? I mean honestly... The Trojan horse is something you DON'T want... Is this implying that Riley will destroy the USC program by brining it completely to the ground? In my Latin class at UO we did discuss how USC's classics department wasn't brought in to consult with their athletics. So I suppose the trend will continue.

Oklahoma has been a big fish in a rather small pond... Oklahoma has been the Clemson of the big-12. Going to the sec would make his job a lot harder for the same expectations. Going to USC means he just has to contend with a rising Oregon which isn't as intimidating as Bama, TAMU, or Georgia... Or whoever takes over at LSU.

Probably will end up at USC... I was thinking he would end up there no matter who they hired. They got his older brother into the NFL and that's all that Mycah wants.

Lots went wrong with the Utah game. Here's hoping that Oregon gets back to form in round two.

Wait... We have backups? I'm pretty sure we have used all our backups up this year to date. This is the most injured Oregon team I can remember... And I remember way too much about Oregon football sometimes. We may not have lost some ultra-critical players... Like quarterback which can destroy an entire season ... Granted we actually have quarterback backups right now. But we have lost so many starters across the board it's insane right now.

I think this offense will be more focused on Friday. Also playing in neutral Vegas will definitely make things easier for Oregon. SLC is a roughy environment for many reasons... Also I think this young team was probably pretty shaken up by the loss of Johnson, Redd and Pittman's nonsense. If JJ3 and Redd didn't suffer their injuries with the Pittman stuff going on, I think we would have seen a different team last week. Also... Need our defense to show up. Hoping to get DJ Johnson back and hopefully Swell and Wright are feeling good. Need to scheme against those 2 TE packages better... Those are stopping our front 7 from being disruptive.

I do wonder how much the 2020 season messed up the trajectory of the program. Yes... We did win the Pac-12 but with all the opt outs, it does raise the question of how much mentorship was lost because we started having to press freshman into service earlier than we would have otherwise. Starting to see some very good things out of the youth... Right now we are just hampered by injuries so bad it's difficult to see the growth.

I held my breath when I saw the deep ball on the move on 3rd and 3. It was his best pass all season a 50 yard bomb to Williams and it dropped right in his hands. Brown was getting the ball out right where it needed to be this game. Besides the big deep ball the rest of his deep balls were a bit overthrown. But I don't remember him throwing behind receivers on the crossing routes as much. These recievers are going to be GOOD next year with a better passer running the show.

Oregon going for 2 just for fun is now a thing of the past. It was fun when we did it though.

Can't have any more injuries .. we are out of reserves at this point. There isn't anyone left.

Oh... And I guess Campbell doesn't need to get used to a new color scheme I just realized that USC and Iowa State basically wear the same uniforms.

The problem for any team playing Ohio state (besides MSU) isnt scoring... It's scoring enough to keep up with their offense. So far only Oregon has managed it this year.