David Marsh

I wouldn't say Cristobal burned him. MC didn't accept an extension and left after four years. Kelly left after four years as well for the NFL. I was shocked to hear MC was leaving but I'm not actually angry with him leaving. I know some fans are angry and feel betrayed but this is also football. I would like a lifer... but Oregon has had only two "lifers" in the past 20 years. Mike Bellotti and Mark Helfrich... Bellotti retired and Helfrich was fired.

Wilcox would need a MUCH better staff than what he has at Cal. His Cal staff is fairly underwhelming but I assume a part of that is due to a lack of resources. I'm not sure I want Wilcox though mostly because the Cal offense has been super underwhelming. I was willing to back Cristobal because he had a long term vision for the program and with the Moorhead hire I trusted the offense would improve.. and it sorta did. But the offense on the whole was really boring and boarder-line unwatchable. The next hire needs to bring an offense that makes Oregon fans feel like well... Oregon fans. POINTS people I'm talking about POINTS!

I think a BIG help for the coaching search was the deal that was released by Canzano yesterday about how much money Oregon and Phil were willing to pay for a head coach. I think that would bring a lot of interest because it shows Oregon is serious.

But in truth I don't know who else would be a solid hire. I think Aranda is my first choice but I don't think Oregon can pull him out of Baylor...but then again maybe Oregon can offer him more than what Baylor has. I don't like Matt Campbell from Iowa State... I don't think he would give the fans the offense we want to see and I think whoever Oregon hires they need to bring back the big time offense. Chip Kelly... no... Kelly might be good with offensive x's and o's still and the defense at UCLA right now is ok... but Kelly is in the middle of southern California and isn't bringing in big time recruiting classes, he isn't going to bring in big time recruiting classes at Oregon.

The majority will sit tight and see the who the next coach is before bolting. Also.. I am reading that this deal has been in the works for three weeks... it pre-dates the first Utah game. Did players know what was going on already then? The two games against Utah, Oregon played like a team that just doesn't care. Did Pittman bolt when he did because he knew MC was going to leave?

I don't know how likely Oregon could grab him... but I do think it is worth a shot. Oregon does also have the pull to generally play games when most of the country is mostly awake.... a couple after dark late start games but this last year was on the whole a lot better than previous years.. at least for just Oregon. And again... I can't believe I am saying the things I am about wanting Oregon to pursue Lane Kiffin.

Those three things are all big and important... sadly I think Oregon can only get two of those. Numbers 1 and 2 are more important in the short term... if they succeed at Oregon and they are able to get massive money to keep them then that will solve number 3.

For the right price absolutely he would. That's why I say Kiffin is the guy to take a swing at because he has shown time and time again he wants to coach on a big stage (Ole Miss is going to be stuck behind Bama) and he is always interested in a pay increase. So I think Oregon can get Kiffin... but can they hold onto him is a bigger question.

But boy do I not like the prospect of turning to Kiffin.... Lol Because if it is Kiffin then there is always a great risk of him running. Which only perpetuates the problem.

I spent too much time this morning thinking on this... There is one name I don't want but we may actually need if MC leaves today. Lane Kiffin I'm not thrilled with the idea because he has proven to be just a gun for hire but he could save the recruiting class and keep it as a top 15 and keep recruiting at a high level. He would also bring a solid offense with him and the roster will stay more intact. I'm not a Kiffin fan but that's the only name that comes up that is big enough and can get the job done... And for the right price can actually be brought to Oregon. Campbell and Aranda both are good but I don't know if they can be brought to Oregon, let alone fast enough.

Helf was also the one who found Herbert... who was mostly injured that year.

The last Alamo Bowl Oregon played in was a beautiful (and mostly terrible) allegory for the 2015 season. Healthy Adams, Oregon is offensively unstoppable and looked like a playoff contender... injured VA... well might as well concede now to avoid the embarrassment. I'm am now convinced that for Oregon the Alamo Bowl is cursed. Next time Oregon would make an Alamo Bowl... we just need to decline and take ANYTHING else.

In this day and age I wouldn't be surprised if someone at or connected to Oregon has already done some potential interest calls. They definitely have the list together and I am sure Phil has gone through it and ordered the candidates he would want. Starting to see the benefits of firing a coach half way through the season to get a jump-start on the coaching hire... granted we weren't looking to get rid of MC so it doesn't count for us.

No to Chip. I'd take Helfrich back as HC before Chip. Kelly won't recruit, period. Oregon was able to recruit so well during the Kelly years because Kelly had lightning in a bottle. The offense w as s amazing, the uniforms were amazing, and the coaches that made it all possible were at the peak of their careers. Oregon landed some big time recruits because of the timing and they fell in Kelly's lap. A few years later using the same recruiting tactics Helfrich missed on the same high level recruits. The magic had passed. And don't say that was because Helfrich wasn't as good of a recruiter as Kelly... Helfrich did more hands on recruiting than Kelly did as an OC and HC. Kelly hates recruiting. Oregon needs a coach who can recruit big time players and bring them to Eugene.

I loved Helfrich as a coach. The defense was aweful and in truth Helfrich wasn't good hiring other coaches and he had his major flaws. But you are absolutely right Charles, Helfrich was the most loyal coach at Oregon since Bellotti and he showed his loyalty in stepping down a few years earlier than perhaps he wanted to make way for Chip. College football has no real loyalty anymore. Saban is loyal to Bama because he is comfortable there and has built his program and Bama pays him through the nose for it all. Same goes for Sweeney at Clemson. Oregon is a good coaching job but it is not a top tier job because in the end we don't sit in the middle of a recruiting hot bed. Scott Frost was right people... Recruiting to Oregon is hard... Cristobal has made it look easy but that's only because he works it harder than anyone else in the conference. If MC leaves who do we hire? A big shot that will probably use us as a stepping stone unless we pay them some insane number (which is probably not likely before we see results) or do we search for someone like Bellotti or Helfrich who will be here for a while but the fans frankly will have no patience for slow results? Right now .. I think anything is possible between MC staying or going and I'm not trying to put a homer spin on it. I have heard he has cancelled recruiting visits tomorrow and regardless of the decision that makes sense... He wants to talk with his wife, talk to his mom (because his mom is what this possible move is all about,hl her health isn't great and can you blame MC for wanting to be close to his aging mother?). Then he wants to sleep on the decision... Especially if Oregon is working on a counter offer. So tomorrow morning he will have Oregon's offer and Miami's offer. He will have talked to his family. He will have slept on it. So tomorrow we will get the decision. If he stays, he will be here for a LONG time, like Bellotti. If he goes, Oregon needs to move very quickly on a coaching search but Mullens also has to make the right decision and answer the question... Big name or long term loyalty?

Need an offensive minded coach who can bring back what put oregon on the map to begin with. Need someone who can recruit as well... That means younger (typically) which means there will be some bumps in the road along the way. I haven't got a clue who Oregon should go after if MC leaves. What I do know is that we will probably be set back 1-2 years in recruiting due to the fallout of this recruitment class and the transfer portal. I'm a little torn in my thinking right now. I'm not sure MC could bring us the national championship we all want... But I also don't know who the replacement for him would be and if we can do any better right now. Miami has issued an ultimatum that the contract they are offering is set for MC if he wants it and he has until tomorrow to accept. Now Oregon gets to make their move to try and keep him. This has not been a fun end of season that's for sure. We may be looking at interm coaches for both Oregon and Oklahoma in what will be the most lack luster bowl game in recent Oregon history.

I think MC was being truthful and I think the big thing causing him uncertainty right now is actually his mom. If his mom was healthy then I don't think he would even consider Miami but his mom is sick and that can be all it takes. His agent is going to play the money game and play it out regardless. I think it is all about his mom at this point.

First game was worse... the defense did their job more or less.. only allowed 13 points. Brown's two interceptions resulted in 10 points. Brown is playing hero ball and he can't do it. Oregon has been at its worst all season when Brown plays the hero.

Brown gives Utah 10 points... Time to sit.

Brown is literally throwing this game away.

This has become the new on going joke in the social studies office... granted my office space is only at most three people...

We did get run over by Zeke Elliot and those massive offensive and defensive lines. Oregon's smaller lines were beaten down and then Elliot ran over our leaky run defense. That was also the year that Pellum was the DC and basically refused to blitz and only ever rushed 3... Our lines now are able to go toe-to-toe with Ohio State and we all saw how the outcome was different.

That is the next level that I would say this Oregon team does not have... or maybe they do but if Brown is good they don't want to put in Thompson at this point in the year to ensure he can be a back-up in case of an injury. I think he can play in one more game before his red-shirt is burned. At this point in the year might as well preserve that red-shirt. Granted... if Thompson comes out next year and blows away the competition and looks like the next big quarterback at Oregon he may not use up all his eligibility anyways... but always best to preserve it when possible.

Well.. it is your answer.. the talent could be developing. Not every player is ready to play as a true freshman, many of the true freshman pressed into service this year weren't ready to play but they played because they were needed. I think Keith Brown would have red-shirted based on his overall production if Flowe and Mathis weren't both injured in game one. We will get our answer next year as to how well the talent has developed. Remember... Marcus Mariota was a red-shirt and by all accounts he needed that red-shirt year to grasp the college football game. He turned out pretty good for Oregon.

Well it tanked because USC was obviously not making him the next HC and I don't know when the ranking was compiled but with Riley coming in and Williams on the way out the door recruits were not going to stick around for him. Not surprising but doesn't mean he isn't a good recruiter still. No one would recruit well with that uncertainty.