David Marsh

The pistol is like dessert... Sometimes food... It can certainly work but it shouldn't be used as an every down formation. Oregon has had some nice runs from the pistol both this year and previous years.

Oregon has been blessed with two generational talents in the same decade. I do think Thompson is going to be the next big quarterback at Oregon but does he need a few years to prepare is the question. I think no matter who is the starting qb there will be compromises made in terms of skillset. Butterfield may not be a great runner but maybe a great passer. I watched some of the masoli games and the scheme was what really helped him out. He was not a great passer (lots of passes to open recievers that recievers still had to go out of their way to catch) but he was a great runner. I think just as big as who is the quarterback is who makes up the supporting cast? That will make even an average quarterback look great.

Dye and Dollars have shown some better bounces to the outside. Dollars in particular had some very nice cuts in the Pac-12 Championship game. I would say the Pistol, the way it is being run, tends not to allow for much more than run straight ahead. Verdell tends to just want to run straight ahead and looks for contact and as he isn't that big of a back it results in minimal gains.

My only hesitation with Ashford currently is that he is very low on the depth chart at the moment... which can obviously change with a good spring and fall. Butterfield was solidly running with the threes and I wouldn't be surprised if he takes the next step and really challenges for the starting spot. It is true he is not a true runner... but neither is Shough and Shough's biggest problem down the stretch wasn't his running ability but more his decision making. He would often keep the ball when he should hand it off. Having a more pure passer would open up the run game, even for the QB, as it could stretch the field vertically and as a result the run game opens up for the runningbacks and the quarterback run. Moorhead's desire to run the quarterback isn't to make the quarterback a rusher to the degree of a runningback but make the defense respect the quarterback run and defend against it. There needs to be some qb runs in the game for that to work but it shouldn't be the quarterbacks primary job to run the ball. Right now I feel Oregon needs a solid passer who can run the ball a few times a game more than someone who is a stronger runner. Ideally we want a Marcus Mariota type who can do both things incredibly well... Mariota was a really rare talent. I would like a Vernon Adams or Justin Herbert type QB who can really stretch the field with their arm ... granted VA had some major durability issues and Herbert didn't have a receiving corp that could reliably allow him to stretch the field. Depending too much on the quarterback run just crowds the box and makes the defense's job easier.

Early front runners in my mind are ... Shough, Butterfield, and Thompson ... if Brown decides to stay throw him in there too. Though I think with a solid off season Butterfield is going to catch up on Shough and Brown. Thompson is young but you can't discount the potential.

Big... but what's their speed like? We have a big back in Habibi-Likio but he isn't terribly fast... or more to the point he isn't fast enough.

Nose Tackle would be great to get some instant impact players there... Another corner or safety wouldn't be bad... Need some depth there. Maybe a runningback? Need someone who is capable of more of a power run game than what we currently have the on the roster, but I don't feel great about picking up a quality runningback through the transfer portal at this time.

Mastro is actually one of the best recruiters in the conference... so it is very baffling why Oregon hasn't been able to land a blue chip runningback in the style of a Freeman. Verdell is really too small for an every down back and his injuries are troubling... though he is a fantastic weapon out of the backfield and even with some dumb pistol plunging runs he did seem to manage to fall forward... the big problem being that he didn't necessarily gain too many yards in the process. Dye is a wonderful change of pace back and super dangerous coming out of the backfield as a receiver. Cyrus Habibi-Likkio has the size but no where near the speed needed to be a true power back. Also his blocking is a bit suspect. Sean Dollars looked great as a runner in the Pac-12 Championship game... though he does seem to struggle with passes as he motions out of the backfield. I also suspect that he is not seeing the field as much as he is probably still developing as a blocker. Blocking, receiving out of the backfield, and running are all critical components to being a runningback in the Oregon system. Verdell seems to have all three things down but lacks the real size needed. So does Oregon need a new runningbacks coach? Maybe... Moorhead seemed to use less pistol in the last three games of the season so if that trend continues then I personally feel like it is less of an immediate issue. There are also some younger bigger backs on the roster though they weren't considered blue chip prospects... but maybe they can be developed into some powerful runningbacks. The runningback room right now is dominated by the 2017-18 classes and that has created a sort of barrier in recruiting as it would be difficult for younger players to break through... though Oregon really needs some bigger and faster backs to reach the next level.

Thanks for the update there 30Duck ... Steele is off the board but there are still a whole lot of names on that board that would be great at Oregon.

In truth I think JTT is dreaming if he thinks he will truly be able to play both football and basketball, their seasons overlap too much and the body type he would want for football doesn't necessarily covert to the basketball court. For football he needs to be big, strong and explosive and for basketball he would generally want to be leaner. Now this doesn't always hold true but will he be able to successfully cross train and practice enough to be legitimately good at both sports to play at the Division 1 level? Possible. Much better opportunity to play football and a spring sport... but I know he also loves basketball.

Offering him to play basketball is reasonable... HOWEVER the reality of it is that he probably wont see the court too much with ANY of the teams on his list as all have good football teams that will play into January. As we saw with Armstead, he had the chance to play basketball but by the time he could reasonably make it to the team his overall play time was impacted by the fact that he didn't have as much practice time as the full time basketball players. On the basketball front Oregon has had a better team on the whole than Alabama and Ohio State. So if he wants to be apart of teams that have the best opportunities of seeing the most of the post season Oregon is the destination.

Short Answer... YES! Longer Answer... Offense: From the sound of it the entire Offensive line plans to return... and even if one or two choose not to there will be plenty of talent behind them pushing for playing time. I would even be surprised that a 2020 starter loses a starting spot to a 2021 Freshman. All but one running back return and the one who is not returning wasn't even listed on this years depth chart. Johnny Johnson, and Jaylon Redd have not decided whether or not they will return next year but there is so much incoming talent and talent behind them that their starting spots will be contested if they choose to return. The only pass catcher that has so far declared they will not be returning is Hunter Kampmoyer though the Tight End room still looks like it will be well stocked next year. Quarterback will be an intense competition but that is on the whole a very good thing. Defense: Lenoir and Scott are leaving... that's about it. Everyone else got a year of needed experience and will be better next year. Summary: This Oregon team ended this year on a down note and they are going to want to prove themselves. The rest of the Pac-12 better look out because Oregon is recruiting better all the time and that youth has gained experience. KT and Wright are both going to be juniors and Sewell is going to be a sophomore, good luck Pac-12.

From the sound of it there might be some significant evaluations and changes within the program.

Most interesting... I think Mastro is a good coach as his previous stops have shown some pretty good runningbacks. Oregon needs some nice big fast backs. In real need of a Royce Freeman type. I like Cardwell as a bigger back and his speed seems good. Other big thing that is really worth mentioning about Oregon v USCs recruiting classes is that Oregon's is a pretty well rounded with an incredible offensive line class where USC has 2 quarterbacks, some Recievers and quite a few secondary players but it isnt well rounded. USC really lacks the beef on the lines. Picking up Foreman helps them in that regard but Oregon has something far more consistent.

The only thing I expect this off season is a spirited quarterback battle. Shough, Brown (assuming he stays), Butterfield, Ashford, Millen, and Thompson will all have opportunities to show their abilities. I do hope Millen thinks about switching positions though, I think he is outmatched and he delivered a real hit on special teams against USC. I think the competition will really come down to Shough, Brown, Butterfield and Thompson. Ashford is running pretty far back in the quarterback pack from this season but he could always surge to the forefront. With a rigorous off season we will know for sure we have the BEST option for quarterback.

We all know where to look if Oregon's pac-12 trophies go missing...

Happle has already said he is planning on staying at Oregon. He is enrolled in a master's program and he has always wanted to play for Oregon. I think he is a pretty smart kid and knows there isn't a realistic possibility of going pro whether he stays at Oregon or would theoretically go back to BSU. He'll get play time at Oregon next year. Doubt he is a starter but he can see the field as a reserve player. Might get himself another conference championship ring and might see another NY6 game or playoff game.

Glad he landed on a team that wears green so he can keep the green Oregon shoes.

I have soured on him pretty quickly personally... I'm sure he is a good positional coach but he has an up and down history as a play calling DC from the sound of it. And then there are some dubious stories surrounding him concerning recruiting. Oregon cannot afford a recruiting scandal! There is already enough negative recruitment against Oregon we don't need a scandal to make it worse. Also we are in the pac-12 ... So if there is a recruiting scandal we'll get all the punishment unlike sec schools.

Other side of the 4 down linemen is the flipped problem of needing four good linebackers.... a 4-3 needs 4 good, solid, powerful linemen on the field (which means at least 6 players who can play on the roster). Maintaining that year to year is pretty difficult or at least can be as some of the most coveted recruits are defensive linemen because of the physical attributes they must have to play at the College level. Though I suppose all these things are solved with recruiting. Personally, I like whatever puts the opposing quarterback on the ground with the most frequency.

I think in a normal year that might be the case... But this year their really aren't that many coaching jobs opening up. Some, yes, but if the desire is to get a new position and coach next year then their aren't many coaching vacancies. The pac-12 isn't desirable for many ... But Oregon is the big exception in many regards as I am sure there is a bit more money available as apart of Cristobal's coaching extension and back to back conference championships does set Oregon's future up in a big way... Especially with all the young talent.

He's got buyout money coming from Auburn. I know there are a lot of contracts out there that it can be advantageous for the coach and their new team to take a bit of a normal pay cut because of the way the buyout works for the contract for the team that fired them. Auburn still has to pay Steele a portion of his contract and there can be wording in there that concerns how much he may or may not be paid at a new destination and how much Auburn would have to keep paying him... if that makes sense. So Oregon (or another team) might be able to pick him up on the cheap because Auburn is still paying a chunk of the tab.

I don't know about gone... I can see quite a few coaches staying on in their current roles for some time. Maribal at offensive line for one... Though I agree that for the most part Oregon will become a revolving door of coaches who come and go. We just want coaches to leave for better jobs ideally... Because then we become a destination for that coaches want to come to develop and continue their careers, like the alabama model. It does put ever more importance on coaching hires though to make sure they are right from the start. With so many moving pieces there needs to be a connection from day one with the entire staff.

Need some speedsters. DAT had an effect on EVERY single play when he was on the field with or without the ball in his hands. The Opposing defenses needed to account for him every snap and that can pull defenders out of position and open it up for others to make big plays. Here is hope for this young man to develop and make it on the field. I don't know his background but how did he manage to sneak under the radar as a walkon?

An incredible year for Oregon Ducks in professional sports. I have watched far more nfl football than I ever do because of the Oregon connections. This is a huge boost for recruiting and a huge noon for fans.