David Marsh

I would say the big thing that makes the defensive performance at the spring game encouraging us that it was dominant but we also all know this offense is deadly. We all know that Bucky is going to break loads of tackles next year and that Franklin is going to beat his man in coverage regularly. But seeing the defense crap some of that down is significant.

I am sure this is happening in more places too. Sports gambling is big business and the prospect of a payday is hard to resist.

What is really interesting is that Lanning really does feel like a coach who is in the Duck continuity that was established for years. Brooks, Bellotti, Kelly, Helfrich, Lanning... They all feel like they were brought into the program as part of the continuity of the program... As all but Brooks and Lanning were continuity hires. Taggart destroyed Oregon's continuity, rightly or unrightly so. Taggart came in and declared Oregon a disfunctuonal rebuild and fired all the coaches. Were there problems within the program? Absolutely. But it's funny to also think that some of the biggest stars of Taggart and Cristobal years were those players who were brought in by Helfrich and his staff. Troy Dye, Justin Herbert, a large portion of the 2017-2019 offensive line, CJ Verdell (yes, signed under Taggart but committed under Helfrich). Along with many many others that I'd need to look at rosters to compile.

Oregon posted some good numbers and we don't have a flashy headline making new coach. So let's see how the season goes and how next year's spring game goes. I think we beat Colorado next year.

I would say this is a pretty accurate assessment of the program and fan base right now. Silently surging. We will let USC take all the limelight right now so we can make it all come crashing down for them later.

One other observation is that I had about the dline v oline is I don't remember a whole lot of sacks. Sure lots of defensive pressure that forced some errant throws but I don't remember a lot of sacks. Last year I do remember a lot of sacks. Nix also has the ability to leave the pocket and extend the play which I think is by design and just out of instinct as well. It will be fun to watch that's for sure. I feel both sides have upgraded from last year.

In past years when Oregon had an open practice in Portland the Ducks drew larger crowds.

Hardest thing to gage with a spring game like this because they mixed the groups. We didn't see the first string or the second string, we saw linemen just playing with those they really don't practice with. Last year's spring game looked similar in terms of offensive line play... Actually worse I think, and we had a great line once the season got going. I'm not worried at all and from what I've read about practice, we're in for another good line from the sound of it.

I think what's also telling, and unsurprisingly, is the draft highlights individual talent over teamwork. Oregon had one of the best offensive lines in the Nation last year. But that offensive line, those in the draft anyways, where individual trench monsters but worked as a fantastic unit. One or two were drafted in the end, I know Forsythe was, but as late round picks. USC has been able to get big individual talented players for years but has had few complete teams. It will be interesting to watch in future years as we get more talent and higher development out of this Lanning team.

With an effective pass rush I think our secondary looksiles better this year too. Gonzo became so important because he could maintain coverage for a very long time because the pass rush never got there. The secondary looked better as the year went on but without a passrush they always had to hold up in coverage far longer than they should have. Looking forward to seeing Lanning's Defense show out this coming season. They just looked so much more put together. It's obvious that between the experience in the system, the transfers and recruits and the coaching development that the defense should make a giant leep.

Yeah Ty looked better in the second half. But his first couple drives looked awful. Hopefully he continues to get more comfortable playing on the big stage because that's what I think is holding him back right now. I hear he is practicing well but I don't think that is translating to the game.

My biggest takeaway is that the defense played far more aggressive in coverage. We saw a good amount of man coverage and they put pressure on receivers at the line of scrimmage for the most part. Receivers struggled to get free as the coverage was solid. And that isn't a knock on our receivers because there were times they showed off their speed and abolyas well. Franklin is going to be a beast this year as he seems to be a bit faster than last year. He frequently got open on go routes. Tez Johnson and Kris Huston are going to be huge threats this year as well. Defense looked good and so did the offense. This Oregon team is going to be scary.

This is the abuse coaches can put out there to force players to transfer. Now in Sanders' case he is a first year head coach in his position so he can use the rule to cut unlimited players and they can stay on scholarship at Colorado. Many would like a shot at playing football elsewhere so they are in the portal, hoping to find a new place to play. I'm sure others would be happy to just be cut from the team and stay at the university with their scholarship.

And probably that one grad assistant they had... Lanning.

Glad they took him and gave us 8mil for the privilege. I'd say see them in the playoff... But let's get real that probably isn't happening... For them.

The PAC decided a season or two ago that all games on the pac-12 network would have a shorter timeout to shorten the game. The biggest problem about shortening the game is that is all about shortening the play time of the game (you know the actual product that is on the tv that we all want to watch). Rather than shortening the ad time, the thing we'd all be happy if it got cut but the corporations will never do that because that's their money. So we'll probably get a shorter game with the same amount of more ad time.

Great point and I would say there is an element at play that when everything is equal or close to equal that play calling and coaches making the right calls at the right time are the difference makers. In a lot of ways its the tie breaker. If talent and schemes are evenly matched then it comes down to the play calling to determine who will break first. I'm also a big fan of using an expansive playbook to force the other team to think. In football having players think on the field is a bad thing because they have to slow down to make a decision where if they know what they are supposed to do they just play fast and execute quickly. Having the right play calls can take highly talented players and slow them down with something they don't expect. I do think this is how Kelly and Helfrich managed to use the blur offense so effectively because not only did they go fast but they could often get the other team to second guess themselves and make mistakes because they are thinking. This can work great but the problem can come in when you play against better athletes who can afford to play slower or sloppier because they can make up for it with their sheer physical gifts. It is for this reason why a lot of highly rated players out of high school can become busts at the college level, all of the sudden they can't just rely purely on their physical abilities to make up for lack of technique or a deeper understanding of the game. I know at this point I am all over the place because I do feel that both play calling, scheme and players are all equally as important at the highest levels of the game. I also feel that Lanning and his staff also feel this way.

On the receiver side we also lost Devon Allen during the Rose Bowl game to a torn or strained ACL during a return. We also lost Pharaoh Brown against Utah with a life threatening injury. Then the previous spring we lost Bralon Addison to a torn ACL during Spring Camp. Moving Byron Marshall to WR in 2014 wasn't just cleaver to keep him on the field with the likes of Freeman and Tyner (who was also injured for most of the year) but also necessary because we were out of receivers.

From the sound of it Nix and Stein have gotten along great and are talking about the Xs and Os at a high level. I think Nix is an incredible example where scheme and a players ability when paired together can make all the difference in the world for how that player preforms. Nix has a completely different player when looking at his 2022 season compared to his 2020 and 2021 seasons. I do feel Stein is downplaying the importance of his role in order to highlight the importance of his players.

I did mention that Oregon was playing with a depleted roster but we were really badly bullied at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball that game. But in our revenge with a mediocre Cristobal scheme we beat Ohio State in their own house by running the ball down their throat. It goes to show you how players can make all the difference because in 2021 we were the bullies at the line of scrimmage.

Allowing prospective athletes to have unlimited visits is fine the way I see it. They are keeping the cap on how many official visits a school can host which is the more important number for the future of College Football and recruiting. I did write an article about what could happen if they removed that 56 cap on how many visits a school can host. Unlimited Official Visits Will Only Make College Football Worse FISHDUCK.COM College Football has always been composed of the "haves" and "have-nots" and that isn't going to change, but there is a desire to...

The other side of things is how many coaches are pushing these kids into the portal. I think Brown is one Lanning would like to keep. Though Ma'ae wouldn't surprise me if he is pushed out... Though he did just move positions to try and find playing time. Tucker is interesting because he is only a redshirt freshman. I think a lot of kids are looking elsewhere to better themselves but I think some are certainly being pushed out because roster management has never been at such a premium.

Sucks to lose Brown. Sucks more that he may end up at Oregon state if he wants to stay close to home but leave the Ducks.

I'm not sure about Ohio state... But I did write an article about making the spring game a real game a year ago. It's Time for a Real Spring Game FISHDUCK.COM The Spring Game is just a glorified scrimmage. It's something all fans know, but we still get excited about... I feel it is far more likely that a spring game against another team would be against an FCS opponent. They need the money and they won't cost nearly as much as Ohio State would to come to Oregon. Fans would still fill the stadium because it's one of the few tastes of football we get before the season.

You can trash talk and be a good sport. Seems counterintuitive but it is completely possible. Trash talk all you want but at the end of the game win or lose with grace.... Granted if you push it too far you might get far more than what you bargained for at the end of the game. But you can always flip that by being a good sport because isn't it next level trash talking to take someone who is trying to get a rise out of you and all you want to do is shake their hand? What are they supposed to do to that? The biggest thing why I think sportsmanship has disappeared is that it doesn't get clicks or views to be a good sport. Where being a poor sport raises your profile for better or worse and that's the brand and that's where the money is. Good sports tend not to bring out any strong emotions... But bad sports do both for those with you and those against you.