Notalot

Ducks 45-28 2 turnovers 3 sacks 328 pass yds

This year’s Ducks are laden with talented receivers who get better every game. The best is yet to come. Franklin and Tez are fast and can shake and bake through heavy traffic. They are good with the ball, blocking, and can catch contested balls due to superb balance, hang time, focus and strong hands. This team is deep. The backs can catch and run after contact. The tight ends led by Ferguson, Herbert, and Sadiq are great talents. WR’s are deep with six or more who have contributed and play at a high level. I am not disputing Ryan’s synopsis, and add that there are many more capable receivers, TE’s, and RB’s. The receiving corps is very good and getting better. It is a reliable group who can create first downs, cross the middle and stretch the field. Go Ducks! Beat Trojans!

Just win (out) Baby!

Yesterday was a glorious day despite the rain in Autzen. I was with my daughter in Death Valley in Clemson, SC watching the Tigers rebound to pounce on the Irish. Fyi, it was in full fall color, sunny, blue skies and low 70’s. I was there with 81,500 of my closest friends. With the timing of the games and a 12 Noon kickoff at Clemson, following the game we stopped for a quick dinner at Twin Peaks with its 50+ TV’s all airing football, and arrived home in Greenville as the Oregon game kicked off at 5:30 local time. What a game! It had explosive plays, takeaway's, amazing catches, long runs, scatback dodging runs, spills, big hits, mistakes all resulting in a statement win with many players contributing. Oh man - I love Ducks football Saturdays. It doesn’t get any better and I’ll take memories of yesterday to my grave. The weekend two years ago in Columbus with the win in the Horseshoe at The Ohio State University, also spent with my daughter, comes in a close second to yesterday.

Charles spelled out the “x’s” and “o’s” with strategies used versus Utah. Failing to exploit the middle of the field had been a shortcoming of the Duck’s offense before this game. That tendency resulted in greater pressures in the rush and on the margins for the wideouts. The offense is functioning at a higher level now, and is a greater threat to defenders. Bo Nix is a pro at reading the defenses and calmly dissects them. With the protection he gets from the OLine, he mostly has time to do his job, or, he is improved at side-stepping and avoiding tacklers inside the box, and he is a capable runner when lanes open to him. Go Bo.

Winning big games results in signing more big players. Congratulations coaches and fans. Go Ducks!!

Utah and the Trojans will present challenges in different perspectives. The toughest game left in my view will be against the Beavers. They are an excellent team that is fast with strong lines. They play well together and their coach is one of the best and understands the importance of this game to Beaver nation. The Beavers will have skill plus some tricks up their sleeve. The Beavers will leave their guts on the field. As of now, I’m not sure that the Ducks have the same or more constitution than the Beavs. If the Ducks find the fortitude to win against Utah, it will be a step forward toward beating the Beavers, and getting into the playoff. The talent and depth are there, but is the fire?

DUCKS 45-31 2 2 341

If we think that “Oregon”, “Ducks”, fun creative offenses, cutting edge swag, uniforms, in-game fan experiences and traditions have made UO a national brand Charles is correct that the audience and fan base should explode with superior distribution. How much it expands will depend on how competitive the football team is and how consistently it is ranked inside the Top Ten, plus whether Oregon wins one or more national championship titles during the next five years. Some other factors that may affect the audience volume and popularity are, in no particular order: - What Dan Lanning’s image on the national stage becomes - Whether the Ducks have Star players on their rosters who are locks for NFL careers - Whether UO, Ducks Football, players and staff will avoid scandal - and many other influencing factors 40% lift within five years?

Thanks for pointing this out and providing support for the premise so easy to understand.

I batted against Russ pitching for PH in MidState Summer league. So, Baseball too.

Sad, but it happens. Wishing him best luck and full recovery. I also thank him for his hard work and contributions made to the flock.

It will depend game by game on what the opposing defense gives to our Ducks. This year’s Ducks football has a highly talented and deep receiver corps coupled with a top 5 nationally Running Backs group. As the season progresses some games will rely primarily on rushing while other games will be won by the receivers. Balance is beautiful. I fully expect big plays periodically by the special teams, too. This will be something not seen in recent seasons.

Harrassment? Or losing at recruiting and on the field? Hoping this was not a smear job, but if true then firing is the right action.

I begin by saying I hope that you are right and the Ducks go undefeated. I temper my expectations due to the following aspects of the team and season. First and foremost the UO coaching is unlikely to overcome Kyle Whittingham, Jonathan Smith, Lincoln Riley, Kalen DeBoer, and Joey McGuire. Big game coaching against seasoned veterans will be a mighty test for the Ducks young coaches. Another big game concern is special teams play. Last year’s return teams were atrocious, and punt and kickoff coverage only slightly better. Will this year’s ST play be far better? Show me. You have listed the defensive backs and touted them, but last year’s play was disappointing as players lacked the skills and abilities necessary to prevail. I harbor doubt about coach Martin despite his popularity. DB play in press coverage, competing for the ball, and tackling must jump markedly for the undefeated prediction to manifest itself. Finally, the players must show up and dominate in every game without let downs. This team is more likely to go 9-3 or 10-2 than 12-0 in my eyes. I previously wrote that these players have the ability to run the table, but actually doing it takes more. Go Ducks.

There has been much media speculation the past two days here in the southeast (South Carolina) that the ACC will take in Stanford, Cal, WSU, and SMU tonight, this weekend, or on Monday. FSU and Clemson will announce departure from the ACC conference in the near future, and are strategizing their moves. They may not end up in the same conference.

That's something to chew on, Jon. The analyses, facts and projections are intruiging. Let the games begin.

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I view the upcoming season's success, and the assessment of the Ducks coaching staff, dependent on the results of the toss-up games. The games against USC, UW, Utah, Oregon State and Texas Tech are big games that are all winnable, or the Ducks might whiff on all of them. The Ducks have the talent to win, but can the coaches and players overcome adversity by rising to the occasion(s) and put it all together? I'm hoping for 12-0, and optomistically hanging on for 10-2. Will the Ducks win the tough ones? Can the coaches show growth in big game management? I'll be somewhat disappointed with 9-3 or very disappointed lower.

This is great news. I fully wish Akili, the legacy of a great Duck, happiness, success, and a great UO education. Thanks for giving us good news in the current climate.

I don't really care much. UA probably won't be in the top group when all is sorted out unless basketball is its magic elixor. Football is in an uncomfortable, sometimes painful metamorphosis.

I don't know that the midst of a storm is the time to mutiny the captain. We do not know what GK has recommended or brought to the table? We do know that the executive committee allowed missteps over a long timeframe without taking corrective action. We can see that the executive committee did not have good vision of the changing environment. We also know that the committee did not strike when the opportunity to expand was ripe. The committee was continually in flux with the transitions of some of the presidents, interim presidents. Governance by committee is not as bad as management by committee. Mr. Kliavkoff accepted his role under perilous conditions beyond his control. The committee was most responsible for the vibrancy and competitiveness of the Pac12 conference. How are they doing of late?

Whichever conference the Ducks compete within during the next 5-7 years, that relationship will likely transition when there are two or three divisions of the top 48-60 programs. CFB has entered a tumultuous transition period now. The most media desirable teams will be seperated from the rest of the field leaving the lower tier teams behind. Every existing P5 conference has programs to shed to achieve the new era alignments with a super league. The Ducks will rise into the rare air after encountering turbulence. Some of the Pac programs will not, as will be the case with every other conference. Yes, even the mighty SEC. GO DUCKS.

Kliavkoff is caught in a vice, as you say, "with his pants down". Not a good look. I retort that GK should bear only a small part of the blame. The Executive Committee is most to blame, with Larry Scott in a close second place. Mr. Kliavkoff stepped onto a fast sinking ship with very bad timing. On these big issues Kliavkoff is merely an advisor as the votes and major decisions rest with the committee who made bad ones even before Kliavkoff arrived at the whipping post.

It is better to be at the top of this list than in the bottom half. Now, let us see the Ducks outperform the #3 ranking.