1Funduck

I wouldn't expect a long term contract. I also wouldn't expect a termination clause that wasn't 100% favorable to Oregon. Make no mistake, Oregon is looking for the splash hire. They may have reached into a shallow bowl with little in the pot this year, but every year there is a Large Pot to go fishing in. Maybe this next time they will be the first hand in the Pot and pull out the Big Fish.

Further, Mullens won't stop looking for a Coach either, even if CK comes to town. Every single year there is Monster names that get hired. Shocking moves are the story of todays CFB.

This is NOT a splash hire if CK comes back to Eugene. The kids wont think it is. The defections won't stop. But, his offense is undeniable. The #7 QB in the nation taking the reigns next year fully built for the spread. What has been mentioned ad nauseum is that CK can't recruit top 10 classes. Well, he has, basically 3 of them sitting in the stables. This year is to be determined, but he could bring it back up. Let's be clear, I don't view CK as a splash hire. No, seriously. I do believe that Oregon would be settling. Don't expect Oregon and CK to be married for long either if he does come back to the Valley. CK Will show up on the hot seat and never be off it. Anything less than 10 wins each year gets the roll-O-dex spinning. CK will get no learning curve and no room for error. Win now or there is the door. Don't misread me as a cynic or crotchety for that matter. This is Oregon's demands not 1 Fun Ducks. $8.5 million a year told me that.

Thats pretty arrogant to think that a HC would demote himself to coach at the arguably worst conference. Its Oregon, sure, but its not Alabama. Split HC's? What???!!! One HC. And no, neither one will come to a demoted position at Oregon.

"Today's kids want wide open make the defense defend the entire field style offense." That's the NFL as well.

I don't think so. MC was hired 3 days after Slick Willie left. Mullens wasn't slow then. But, that was lightening in a bottle. MC was the right guy at the right time and already on the 'Roster' so to speak. Only took 3 days.

I couldn't believe we were so embarrassed in Rice-Eccles Stadium. The next day I was left wondering if that was a perfect storm. Great teams don't submit to perfect storms. Neither do Great Coaches. Lose? Yes. But, get beat down? Nope. Then it happened again and in worse fashion. Now, with MC gone I am left pondering the observations and comments to friends throughout the year. Wonderful defense but soft in the middle. Built to compress in the red zone. Vanilla Offense..... just Vanilla. Built to smash mouth. Problem was that we have an average QB at best. He needed 3-5 seconds to run the offense. Utah did it in 2-3 seconds. The end result was stop the run by loading the box. I couldn't believe how many receivers were open with runways to the end zone that AB overthrew. Aaaaaallll year looooooong. I'm not a hater. It's just an observation and I believe a reasonable conclusion. AB didn't have it between the ears to be 'The Guy'. A baller, a Winner, someone who wills his team to victory. After 6 years, one would think any QB running a Big 5 program would have it locked down, even a transfer. After all, he had last year to learn it. And that brings me to the other half of my argument. MC, we will forever be grateful for what he has done. That's why it hurts so much and so many feel so betrayed. Oregon has N-E-V-E-R had this many 'Dudes' on the roster at the same time, NEVER! That's because MC recruits like a mad man. He is Top Tier in recruiting period. Who of us didn't feel like a Natty was on the table in the next year or so? Thank You MC for that. But, something was amiss this 2021 season. We all felt it. The offense was mediocre and the defense felt like it had slipped a bit. Sure, teams figured out the need to play away from KT. But, that should have made the defensive scheme easier. If an offense needs to double team a player, that leaves an offense more vulnerable on a consistent basis. We have NFL players on defense, so, that wasn't the problem. And our Offense line all of a sudden became Swiss Cheese? Hmmm. This brings me to a positive point. Thank you MC for your service and I am truly sincere with that complement. But, while top tier recruiting is Mandatory, there are an enormous amount of schools that win with average tiered players. Oregon did it with 0-3 star players. Patrick Chung? Chip Kelly did it with that formula as well and one could argue that Oregon went to the Natty twice under Chips Players? Nope, it was under Chips scheme. Chip was not a Top Tier recruiter. But, Chipper was a Top offensive schemer. His offense exploded the opposing teams game plan and those teams had to try and play catch up. By half time, it was too late. 49-10 seems to ring a bell. Now, did you ever feel MC had control of an offense, even remotely, capable of putting an opposing team on their heels? Me neither. Not even from day 1. And that was fine. We were winning, 'ScoreBoard', 'nuff said. I'm bringing this up because, while players are essential, Coaching is critical. We need an incredible recruiter, but an offensive minded HC. The next level for Oregon demands it. Yes, I believe that after taking my Green and Yellow glasses off, Oregon was NOT at the next level, at least not yet. I believe all the pieces are here. Facilities, they are World Class. Players, loaded with top ten talent in their position up and down the roster. Boosters willing to open their wallet for a 'Natty' Coach. Now we need the right Coach. Yes, this hurt. But the door that has opened could very well be the door to the PlayOffs. Thank you Mario Cristobol and to your family for making Oregon relevant again! Now let's go get a Coach that will bring home the Shiny Hardware!

Well said. Let's be honest. If you want kids from all over the U.S. Then a 'home town' boy doesn't matter. Home town doesn't matter. If you want a 'Natty', then you will go anywhere to get it. The common denominator is NOT loyalty. Duck fans are NOT loyal to coaches. Duck fans want a 'Natty'. We need to stop diluting ourselves in thinking that HC's need to be loyal. We aren't requesting a loyal Coach. We ARE requesting a NC. If you want a Loyal coach then winning a NC comes second to loyalty. Winning comes first. Otherwise, why play the game? Don't get me wrong, there is a right way to be a winning program, right Jimmy Lake? But, winning comes first.

Prime Time will NEVER remain loyal and will move on until he stops coaching and retires for good.

Some here are pretty tore up about MC leaving and are taking it personal. MC didn't lie. He said he had nothing to say until there was. You can take that any way you want. I personally take it that the ink wasn't dry so therefore it wasn't written in stone. Why in the world would you tell your boss you are looking at his competitor to go work for them? Not one person here would take that advantage away from the opportunity for your preferred job. It would be treasonous to your family. But, I understand the Hurt from us Duck fans. We feel this is a destination school. We want continuous continuity with coaching. Stay forever for Saban like Championships that decorate the MOE. Its business...plain and simple. And we are happy that Uncle Phil has the cash to hire the winning combo.

I think what gets lost is that HC's are 'working' at their job. Its a job. Its not loyalty. None of us are loyal over our family and our dreams. If we have great work ethic then you give your all where ever you are. I would give MC the benefit of the doubt and say he was loyal to the program. But, he's loyal to his dreams and his family first. Thats a solid character guy. Would any of us do any different?

The Natty is what the players aspire to. If you aren't talking Natty, players aren't signing letters of intent.

No, I don't think so. MC is a wonderful recruiter. When he had the game plan of smash mouth implemented, some teams folded but it was never a blow out. ISU proved that you can't just play smash mouth but you need to throw wrinkles in there if you were going to beat them. Staying with AB is case in point as well. Watching an average QB with difficulties between the ears should have garnered a harder look at the roster. Jonathan Smith saw mediocrity and switched QB's. Kyle Whittingham saw mediocrity early and switched QB's. I loved MC, but he struggled in making the hard snap decisions that are needed to win

I have been an Oregon Ducks fan for 21 years ever since a friend introduced me to Oregon-vs-Texas and the lead up to Joey Heisman in 2021. I had no interest in football. Basketball and the Trailblazers were my sport of choice from the early days of the late 70's. Then the Jail Blazers happened. Truly a very sad time for me and my young children who I couldn't share special moments with. This was around 2000 and the timing couldn't be better for me to be 'looking'. Then this friend of mine drug me to a game at Autzen in 2001. In person I was able to feel the game through the crowd, see the whole 'Chess match' as it unfolded. I found myself getting riled up about a play and not even knowing what had happened. But, I could feel it, and I was hooked. Those times were awash in long term Coaches and a continuous rise in a winning program. Bellotti and company were like your Grandpa. Full of wisdom and you couldn't help but love him. Respectful, insightful, knowledgeable, and thoughtful. This was my introduction to Oregon Football. But, the times they be a changing, and... I understand. Time is a wonderful ally and your worst enemy. Over time, we can learn so much. What constitutes a 15 yard penalty? I had no idea in 2001. Over time I learned. A winning season takes time, all 3 months of it. A winning program takes time, many years of it. But, we don't live in this environment anymore. It's the way of yesteryear. This brings me to my hard learned point as a middle aged man who is understanding the double edged sword of what 'Time' means. I have many years left, many Good years left. But, I'm keenly aware that the years in front of me are less than the years behind me. I believe that Phil Knight is looking through this same lense. This February, Uncle Phil will be 84! Surprised me too. Time is not on his side. Bringing in a HC that is a no name is not an option. The 10 year $85 million contract for Cristobol proved that money wasn't a factor. Winning is! USC brought in Lincoln Riley and LR became the highest paid coach even higher than Saban. What's even more shocking is that LR left Oklahoma! Thats a storied program and a destination job. USC still got him. More Glitz and more Green. The Sports world was shocked and shaken at its core. You think USC is going to be instantly a threat, a contender for PAC12 Championships within 2-3 years? Yeah, me too. This brings me to Oregon's HC search. The Boosters have no more time for a rebuilding stint. Oregon may not be the top 5 destination, but they are top 10 with an incredible bank account to rival the top 5. Oregon isn't in the business to be mediocre anymore. Time isn't on it's side and, it's about time we swing for the fences and bring in a Sports World shocking HC. The Boosters are willing to pay. Who? What do I know? I'm sure the debate will rage H-O-T. But, it needs to be a shocker. Urban Meyer is in the middle of losing this season in Epic fashion. Its ugly down there. Yet, his name at Oregon would create shock waves, not just in the PAC, but in the whole College football world. The PAC would have raised eyebrows from every conference. Urban Meyer and Lincoln Riley. North heavy weight against Southern heavy weight. And the team benefit to Oregon? The recruits would beat down UM's door. We should know relatively soon who our next HC will be. It's just a matter of time.

Could you imagine a prolific offense like 10 years ago with the athletes of today?

I see it much differently. Of course UT is paying the bill, but the coin donated is breath taking. The money in Texas is astounding.

Thank You Fish. What a thoughtful and fair article analyzing the reality of 2020. I've been chirping that Shough hasnt received a fair shake, and this article was in part why. 1 start on the offensive line? Oh boy, it would take a phenom to overcome such youthful protection and be successful. And our defense seemed soft in the middle. Your article shares with us why. We took the General off the field and introduced the Private. I'm loving how this year is shaping up and especially if we get a full Spring and Fall ball to prepare for a full season. Thx again Fish!

Just weird. I was talking to a friend yesterday about Shough and we both thought he would end up at AU. Its back home. Its with a team that he will win the starting job immediately. AU has no place to go but up. As far as Shough gaining confidence, I don't think its as fragile as everyone thinks. I always got the impression that the coaching staff had high expectations and when a QB goes through a hiccup of a spell, that its part of the growing process. I can't think of a past QB that hasn't had growing pains. But our coaching staff sure seemed twitchy when Shough got a bit wonkey. Lets not forget, our Defense seems to be a bit porous making it difficult on the Offense. We weren't world beaters on any level last year. Last year was such an anomaly. We were just so young. I personally think he would have been fine this coming year. But, I believe he will be fine next year at AU. I hope he does well. And when they have their rivalry with the territorial cup, I hope he puts it on ASU.

Oh boy! Somebody is seething. There is not one thing you said that wasn't relevant. It all impacts the overall outcome. So, let me say I'm on board with the slap the PAC office mantra. They deserve it. To be fair, Oregon is at a point now that they can overcome any slight by the Commissioners office or the Pac for that matter. We love the coin but we have enough to make the moves. We have no problem bringing in talented players. We have won a playoff game with a middle of the road recruiting roster. We are back to back champions of the PAC. Played beautifully against a powerful Wisconsin team. Before all this dream coin came flowing in, USC was feared. UW garnered concerned eyebrow raises. Why? Their base is beyond rich. Their coaching was respectable to absurdly good. The recruits were stories of envy...from around the nation! What happened? IMO, Carrol was a bad boy and USC has been paying the price ever since. It wasn't coin that made them irrelevant. It was Coaching. How else do you explain a top 10 average recruiting roster on the verge of collapse last year, every year? And UW? Ugh. Lets be honest. UW doesn't need outside money. They don't need better facilities. What's the problem? Coaching. Oregon is in the same templet. They have everything. They just had the youngest roster in all of CFB. They have a fine Coach and will lead the team to the playoffs. I believe a Championship game and win is on the immediate horizon. This is not a PAC-12 problem IMO. Just look at Clemson. Garbage conference. But how did Clemson become so relevant? Does anyone believe their conference put them in a position to win? Hmmm. Just win. Oregon is on the Cusp. We all know it. That's not me talking with Green and Yellow glasses on, its simply a numbers game. Recruiting is top 10 with multiple top 5 players all over the field. Coaching is a bit reserved but promising some flair this coming year on both sides of the ball. Lets be clear. Oregon has the #1 DE, the #1ILB, the #4 I think #1, QB, the #4 CB..etc. Etc. Etc. We are loaded with top 10 talent. We got them in spite of the PAC 12 office. I would take issue with the timing of games. Yes, I believe we need some prime time games showcasing the conference. The sweet spot is a 2:00 game. But to be fair, we are on the West coast. We sit 3 hrs behind Florida. Its just logistics. Ole Miss isn't going to play a 7:00pst game. That's 10:00 for them. I want all our games to be highlighters. But, we live on the West coast. The PAC is going to get more than its fair share of late games because we live in the PST. You want more respect in the PAC? USC needs to stop losing to ND every stinking year. They need to thump'em. Its a built in relevance factor for the PAC. One highlighter like that can sway the national perception. Oregon needs to get over the 'almost made it' moniker. They need to not lose by any score, 3 points or 23. Go stinking Win. Anytime, any place, anywhere. Just win. I put this on the Coaches....period. We neutered a Colorado team with a load of 2/3 stars. The PAC had nothing to do with that. We played 7:00 games ad nauseum that year. Just Win, all the rest will take care of itself. But, I wouldn't turn down the coin either. Duck On!!

No words....... They aren't going to get away with that so easily. The best collegiate woman BBall player........Ever!

Average over the last 4 years? UW 21 ASU 35 USC 24 UO 9.25 To be fair USC only brought in a few players and thats totally uncharacteristic of USC. Take out that outlier and your average is closer 10-12. Basically the same as Oregon. Make no mistake, the recruits from USC and Oregon are on par with each other. The other schools are average to good hauls. It just takes a bit of scheming and developing to bring those Kids up to D-1 par. Coaching matters when you are the middle of the PAC if you want to win the PAC.

"No conference promises to be more competitive than the Pac-12 in 2021. " That statement stood out to me. UW, UO, Cal, Utah, USC, UCLA, ASU, all look like more than capable teams. To win the PAC? Thats probably down to 5-6 teams. Every team is capable. I have questions with Cal but can see all the other teams putting up fights and capable of winning. Its going to be a healthy year for the PAC IMO.

Whats sad is that TS was the best QB in the PAC. A QB rating in the 160's? Uh, thats pretty good. He had a couple of series in the end of the season that stumbled. Cant argue this but, Wow! The confidence of TS evaporated awfully quick. Either way, TS must have gotten a 1 on 1 and was informed that he would Not be the starter. At the very least it was going to be an open audition with TT having the fans backing already. Its just fact.