David Marsh

They just need a TD... the problem is that their offense isn't good enough to bleed the clock and get the TD. They aren't in that much control.

Looks like ASU just lost contain and Washington will probably sneak away with a win at this rate.

Washington D is still playing kinda dirty... getting away with lots of holds and leading with helmets as they tackle. It's dirty but the refs are letting them get away with it.

The Washington uniforms are a special kind of awful today. I mean they always have too much purple but the gold accents are awful and the shade of purple is a crime against humanity. They are hideous in every way.

I don't think the Pac-12 has any more of a home team problem than anywhere else in terms of fans and noise. The Pac has some of the most difficult away games in the country not because of the crowds or the stadiums but the geography. You have 3 teams in the PNW rainy zone, 1 in the PNW high desert, 2 rather warm (compared to the PNW) bay area teams, 2 hot LA teams, 2 SW desert teams (hot in the day and a big cool off at night), and 2 rocky mountain teams. Talk about geography giving away teams a butt kicking.

It might be the era of the return of the defensive minded head coaches. Smart is also a defensive guy. The pendulum is swinging back to defense.

I saw a thread (somewhere) complaining about how stadiums are struggling to keep fans engaged. The problem isn't that fans don't want to engage but some of those ad breaks are so long that it just kills the excitement. Stadiums are doing their best to keep fans engaged but when you are just sitting there for an ad time out it kinda sucks. Media companies demanded rule changes to shorten games but games don't need to be shorter ... The ad breaks need to shrink so we get more game time. When November rolls around and it's a cold and rainy day ... Do fans want to sit or stand in the rain during an ad timeout or be at home? As always depends on the game... But the killer if college football isn't the lack of fan interest... It's the media companies killing conferences and rivalries and the games themselves with ad breaks.

I'm banking on there will be a couple 7pm kickoffs. Oregon at home vs like Rutgers or someone lowly... Yeah they may pop that at a 7pm kick off because the Rutgers audience probably doesn't matter to Fox.

Hill Billie, did you go to Pleasant Hill High School? I had a friend when I was at UO who went there and was very proud of how their mascot was the Billy Goat... so they were the Pleasant Hill Billies.

Yep... considering Peacock is cheaper than most streaming services. Granted... I'm still not thrilled by the proliferation of streaming services. It really does feel like we are getting nickled and dimed everywhere right now. Streaming used to be cheaper... it really isn't anymore. This year I am completely streaming... or at least going without cable for football watching. I have Hulu Live TV for the majority of the sports stuff (annoying because outside of football I'm not watching much of the live TV options) and then to get the Pac-12 network I use a VPN to connect to Canada (any non-US country would do) and then on youtube you can watch Pac-12 International which is the primary live stream of the Pac-12 network. Next year I believe I can simplify down quite a bit. Oregon will only be on FOX, FS1, B1G Network, and Peacock... Pretty much all of that is covered in a basic live TV package... I think a cheapy program on Sling might even be an option.

I can't rewatch it. Whenever the Ducks lose I kinda go find a rock to hide under until the next game, which is hopefully a win to clean the bad taste from my mouth. I'm not a fair weather fan but at times the losses are just too painful and I just need to detach from football for a week to get my priorities straight again.

Josh Conerly was one of the "tightends" last year. I think he caught a touchdown off the formation, but we have plenty of linemen who could line up in this formation and we'd be good to go. Don't need 4 tightends really... Just enough big blockers in offensive linemen and we have that. We also have 3 solid blocking tight ends as well. We have the bodies.

The thing is that the formation can be used in so many different ways. Yes, brute force is an option and I think it probably could have worked for a play or two. But also slipping a TE out to be a receiver as the rest of the defense crashes down to defend the run can be an easy score. Or put a guy in motion and hand the ball off there while again the defense crashes towards the middle to stop the run. These other things have scored points as I went over last year. Oregon Football is The Embodiment of Modern Physicality FISHDUCK.COM As Oregon fans, we heard all about physicality from former HC Mario Cristobal over the last four years... It's about being multiple and throwing in additional curves. Sometimes brute force is the way to go... But sometimes the fear of brute force is enough as well. I love this formation for what it can do... I offers options and creativity while also generating high percentage conversion plays. That's what needs to happen on 3rd and 4th down. High percentage plays.

I do feel like we'll probably have Stein for a number of years to come. I think Stein and Lanning are still learning to work together. One needs to be the voice of reason, at the end of the half after a turnover you always take the points. Doubly so when you get the ball to start the half. Oregons offense came out kinda flat in the first quarter and the start of the third. That can't happen. Going three and out after getting the ball doesn't put the team in a good place.

We saw the formation used like twice this year and one time it was used was to slip TFerg into the end zone matched up with a smaller DB and Nix just tossed the ball up for him to go get it.... Which he did and it was a touchdown. The formation can be blunt force of run the ball either with a runningback or Nix as a QB sneak... Or it can have some pass plays. Good luck trying to stop it all. What we saw last year was brilliant. That mix of power and cunning that forces defenses to make a choice and hope they're right .. and hope they can beat it. Sometimes even knowing what's coming doesn't mean they can beat it.

My Tuesday article will go a bit more into it... but I do feel that play-calling could have been better. Giving Nix an opportunity to throw it when he has a super high completion percentage isn't entirely reckless but for some of those short yardage situations it feels like there were potentially some more creative ways to get those yards. The problem with those plays is that Nix was out of the pocket and already on the move and he had some pressure coming at him and he needed to get the ball out. Throwing the ball always comes with risk, risk of outright missing, risk of the receiver not catching it, risk of turning it over (whether by missing or a tip or anything unlucky). I feel there were some ways to run the ball and get the yards.

Couple things... 1. Washington defenders and offensive linemen got away with a TON of holding. Also what's up with Washington defenders lowering their helmets into players? Many of these hits are "legal" because they aren't helmet to helmet but if you go back and watch there are an absolute ton of Washington players making hits and getting their helmets into the players they are tackling. It may be borderline legal at times but it's dirty. 2. We, the common fan, may not have Lanning's ear. Though I would love to think that he reads my weekly article but he has forgotten more football than I know so my takes aren't worth much. But Phil Knight certainly has Lanning's ear and if Knight isn't happy then Lanning is going to hear about it. I like to think Lanning has learned his lesson about taking the points and knowing when he should punt. End of a half after getting a turnover.. yeah take the points they are free points. Punt to get the ball clear of your side of the field... absolutely give your defense a chance to get a stop. I love Lanning and I often love his aggressive mentality, but he needs to temper it. I have overall liked the Will Stein hire... but I go back to thinking that Lanning may have been better off with a more veteran OC. Someone who has called games for a rather long time and can just tell Lanning to take the points.

I have less of an issue with him going for it on fourth and more of an issue with the playcalls which felt like low percentage shots. If you're going for it on fourth you take your best shot... Not something you call on 2nd down.

I will say this loss is easier to take than last year and previous years. Only because my daughter gives.me.something else to focus on. She is 18 months and makes life better... Even when the Ducks lose.

Also... It looks like Washington players really lead with their helmets all the time.

That kinda feels like game... 4th and goal stuffed twice.

They will regret it...

I will probably exile myself into the basement for the game... right now I'm feeling pretty good.

So... Apparently our worst game of the year against Texas Tech which was game 2 and playing on a field that with over 100 degree heat... Is a worse win (a win by 8 where we cover the spread) than the Huskies worst win against Arizona where they win by 7. I think if Shough stayed healthy TT would be ranked by season's end ... But not at this rate. Arizona... They're better than most give them credit for... But they aren't a world beater. Listening to them amp up their Zona wins sounds like they won a top 15 match up this year... They didn't... It will be a miracle if Zona makes a bowl game this year. Neither team has played "anyone" at this point. But it's also in how you dispose of your lesser opponents matters. Both teams have done a decent job of not letting teams stick around. Both have had a scare on the road. But I still think the Ducks have more going for them. I won't claim to know their team better than Husky fans but they really do claim to know our team better than us which is silly.

I would say the offense this year hasn't restricted Nix's legs but has opted not the feature them as much. He still runs when he has open lanes to do so and there are still loads of plays where he reads the defense to determine if he keeps the ball or hands it off. The biggest difference is that there are fewer plays being called designed for him to keep it and run. He also has a solid group of receivers and fantastic pass protection so he can sit back and pick a defense apart with his arm rather than his legs. I do see him running for some positive yardage this game but if the protection is there he'll happily throw the ball all day.