HappyToBeADuck

David, great article and thank you. DL is an excellent recruiter and your article supports that statement. Many components must be in place to make this happen. DL also excels in building a staff that shares his vision for recruiting and recognizing talent. Together they are assembling the talent needed to bring home that first Natty. Now its time that DL and staff learn from those handful of in game coaching mistakes that contributed to 4 three point losses. There is no taking the gambler out of coach Lanning. It really is in his DNA and I love it. Other coaches heard and learned from DeBoer's comment about recognizing and anticipating DL's tendencies. This fan will be on the edge of my seat, biting my nails in anticipation on those critical 4th and 2 plays. Executing those gambles is difficult for the players in normal situations. Double difficult if the opponent knows what's coming. Can't wait for the new eta of Duck football to start........

Jon, thanks for posting these 2 articles. They give us old Ducks fans a chance to learn a little more about our new conference opponents. Personally the OOC games will not affect the BIG title chase but they will affect CFP seeding. Michigan, tOSU, Penn State, uscsuck and Oregon all have a great chance to go 8-1 or 7-2 in conference play. IMHO 3 of these five or maybe 4 will make the 12 team playoff. Assuming these 5 teams beat the teams they should beat... Then Michigan has 3 top teams on the schedule.. tOSU, Oregon and Texas. Win 2 of those 3 and 11-1 Michigan will be invited. A win over Texas could determine which Power 2 gets 4 invites. Wolverines should beat our Ducks in Ann Arbor in a fierce nail-biter tOSU has a soft schedule. Only Michigan, Oregon and PSU truly stand in the way of a 12-0 season. Oregon has the best shot of upsetting the Buckeyes. But a 11-1 Buckeye team is a lock. PSU does not play MIchigan or Oregon, only USC and tOSU. 11-1 for the Nittany Lions is a reality. USC and PSU winner may get the 4th invite to the CFP. USC has one difficult schedule. They face LSU, Michigan, PSU and ND. A win against LSU and PSU and a 10-2 season could put the trojanless wonders in the playoff. We all know they are entitled to an invite.A win against LSU helps decide which P2 conference gets 4 schools. Oregon has the talent to go 12-0. Losing to anyone besides Michigan or tOSU in 2024 is unacceptable. The Ducks split with the 2 bluebloods and 11-1 gets an invite. 2 caveats to this uninformed projection....... 1. No one really knows how the committee will rank or seed the teams. Going to be some well deserving 10-2 teams left out 2. No one really knows how usc or oregon will play in a cold, frigid snowy game in Wisconsin. For those of you who have experienced the weather in the great lakes, well it csn cut to the bone. Wisconsin gets a crack at Alabama at an upset would set the CFP on its hesd. Gonna be such an exciting, nerve wracking, rollercoaster ride. Go Ducks........

Alex great article to ponder. Many talented players on this roster could suprise us and take that step forward. There is no reason to believe that OBD's offense shouldnt be a top 5 scoring team. Bo was such a calm leader that we all became confident that we could outscore anybody. Gabriel, Moore and even Novasad will lead this team very well. After a few games the offense we be firing on all cylinders. And we will feel confidence and surety in the offense Washington exploited the weakness in the secondary and DL and staff made just a few coaching mistakes and we came up short. DL is building and eliminating those weaknesses. Shoring up against the run with a hugh transfer, coupled with outstanding secondary cover transfers will allow Burch/Tuioti to cause havoc, chaos and get sacks. DL is putting the talent on the field, in a system that requires execution. Its all coming together. 100% effort, 100% of every play by every player will reap the rewards. OBD's will field more talent than everyone but tOSU. I will be disappointed if this team doesnt go 11-1 in the regular season. Beating tOSU at home will help us hold the tie breaker with the Buckeyes. I am not writing Michigan off because they still may have the best defense in the BIG in 2024. They will be difficult to beat in Ann Arbor. Rhe putrid dogs held us well below our scoring average, twice. Our D must do that in all 12 games. And we can expect Michigan and tOSU to hold our offense down, also..... Its very possible that Michigan, tOSU and the Ducks all finish 11-1. Those 2 bluebloods will be difficult to best. I dont know who will step up to lead these Ducks. But DL is bringing in the horses to get it done. Go Ducks........

David, solid observations and breakdowns on what we saw in the spring game. Thank you for the article........ I agree that we may have the depth at QB in 2024 that has rarely existed on a Oregon squad. All the QB's looked so comfortable when their opportunities came...... As a fan, I wonder during this new NIL Era how long this depth will hold together. Austin's N. hard work in the weight room, dedication to studying the playbook and on field performance will have caught any coaches eye watching the game. Best part of the spring game was the first half defense and 4 quarter coverage by the DB's. One of my grandsons is a big Texas Longhorn fan. He devours the study of college football. His first comment was about how tight the coverage was by the DB's. The type of coverage needed to contest balls against the great receivers they will face against tOSU. His 2nd comment was about Austin N. arm strength and pin point passing. He did throw a pic into double coberage (inexperience?) However...... If you get a chance to see a replay or if Sir Charles can share the play from his in depth review......you will see Austin throw a 40 yard laser that hits the receiver in stride, right in the hands. The DB had tight coverage. The ball was dropped but the pass was exceptional. Austin will give Moore a battle for number 2 QB... Go Ducks..........

It would be reasonable, as well as understandable for Duck assistant or position coaches ro expect the going rate for BIG assistants. Matching or exceeding competitive offers is very normal in the competive world of business. Especially for talent or productive people. You want to compete with tOSU you need top level talent on and off the field. Talent is expensive..... Go Ducks....

For this Duck fan, I have always wanted to see OBD's play OOC games against the top ranked teams. Those games provided a measuring stick for where the Ducks program was in any given season. OBD's were fighting to gain and maintain national recognition. Those days are gone as soon as the first kickoff in 2024. For me, if we want to play Georgia, Bama, LSU, Texas, Clemson or Oklahoma, we must make the CFP......... Pause for a moment and consider that in any year, during the CFP, we could face any 4 of those schools to win the Natty. Don't forget we have to face the likes of tOSU, Michigan,PSU, Iowa, Wisconsin, Wahington, USC and Ucla in any given season. A few of those teams we may face in the CFP, too.. Is it better to face them power houses OOC or during CFP? To get into the final 11, plus Liberty, its better to be ranked in the top 10 before conference games begin. Any season, if Oregon starts conference play 2-1 then the Ducks will not be ranked in the Top 12. The Ducks will need to finish no less than 8-1 in conference play to reach the BIG title game. Then play a Top 5 team in the BIG title game. Bottom line, this fan feels, in any given year the Ducks will be 7-2 in conference. They best be 3-0 OOC! No 9-3 Duck team may get an invite! Missouri and MSU are smart to schedule 4 cupcakes OOC. They cannot beat the SEC powerhouses and get into their conference title game. They are playing for 3rd place to get their invite. For us fans smart OOC scheduling is critical. There will be at least 2 Top 10 games on our schedule each season. And 3 or 4 more during the CFP. We are now in the Power 2 division of CF. There will be plenty of top level opponents to play every year. Be penny wise or a pound foolish? Which process gets a CFP invite. GO DUCKS Happy Easter weekend to all.....

The Ducks should play games that make sense. In the long run those scheduled games must be in Oregon's best interest. Playing the Beavers is a no win situation for OBD's. When the Ducks win it will be expected. A loss to the pigs(beavers) could cost the Ducks an invite. The BIG schedule is sufficient enough. 10 wins may not be as easy as some on this Forum think. Mid to late November road games in the upper midwest can be played in conditions that cannot be duplicated in the mild wesy coasy climate. The Ducks should schedule light in OOC games for the next few years. See how these young men play on the road in November. The goal is the CFP. September games are for conditioning and no Natty is is won. In the new system. If you dont get a bye, you will need to beat 4 top 12 teams to claim the Natty. Isnt that difficult enough?

Alex, thanks for the article and a topic that i haven't given much thought toward! tOSU and Michigan are true blue bloods and program heavy weights in the world of college football. A split with those 2 would be nice. This fan places them on equal importance as the top game(s) for 2024. Beating tOSU at home will send a message to all the BIG schools that coming west to play will not be easy. Beating the Wolverines on their home turf? WOW. How many teams could then boast thst they beat both schools on their home turf. OBD's need to be careful of the before and after games against these powerhouses. Trap ganes? And for goodness sakes lets take care of the huskies and beavers. Go Ducks...... PS. That game against Beavus makes no sense. Jon Joseph was spot on......

Creighton can play with anybody in this years tournament. OBD's will have their hands full all game long. This Creighton team split their season series against UConn and Marquette and beat Alabama. Their resume is solid and on paper they should be favored over the Ducks.. But wait, there's more.... The Duck team that has taken the court the last 4 games has Final Four potential Creighton's coach, in a press conference felt that if Dante had been healthy all season that the Ducks would have earned a higher seed. Maybe so....... Doesn't matter, at this stage! The Ducks have a tournament tested HC, 2 seniors playing at the highest level and a team jelling at the right time. If the Duck team of the last 4 games show up and play at that same level, then the Ducks move to the Sweet 16..... Should be a fun but nerve wracking game. GO DUCKS!

Whether or not Cousinard is a superstar or not, he sure gave a superstar performance. And he is stilling playing in the 2nd round of the tournament. Long ways to go and Creighton will not be looking past the Ducks. Go Ducks.......

The talent level has certainly been elevated in Eugene. The Ducks will field a team that should win 10 games in the regular season. Notice that Greg mentioned in the early season that the Ducks should be top 3 or 4. Once tOSU comes to Eugene the heavy lifting begins for the Ducks..... DL and staff have yet to win the big games that lead to a league title. As a fan, I need to see the Ducks win some big games and play for the BIG title. tOSU, Michigan, Wisconsin and the huskies will provide DL and staff the opportunity to make thay happen. It's just wishing if you don't win the big games. GO DUCKS..........

Duckster, great article, direct and to the point. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. The right players that fit the scheme who are developed to execute that scheme is just one step in the progression to being elite. Annual top 5 recruiting classes, coupled with key portal transfers will help create a 2 deep roster of future NFL players. This year 3 departing Ducks will be drafted in the first 2 rounds. Thsy number needs to grow. Georgia and Bama have had years that saw 10 plus players drafted! To be elite and win a Natty, you have to field a team thst can beat The Dawgs, Bama and other elites. It appears that DL is heading in that direction........ Last step to being elite is to win THE BIG GAMES. DL and staff have not done that, yet. Beating Michigan and tOSU and winning the BIG will be a great start. And for goodness sake can we please beat the huskies. 3 losses in a row to those........? GO DUCKS!

IMHO, the P-4 and G-5 are not on equal footing. They don't belong at the same table. In most cases, the G-5 teams get handled by the top level P-4 teams. In reality the top level P-4 teams handle the mid to lower level P-4 teams. Yes there are G-5 teams that have had amazing seasons. But against who? They only have to get up for a big game or 2 a year. If you can handle a regular schedule that would include tOSU, Michigan, washington, Wisconsin, etc. Then you have a legitimate claim to an invite. Realistically, about 20 P-4 teams will annually fight for the CFP spots. Liberty did not belong on the field in a NY6 bowl game, let alone garnering a expanded CFP invite. Liberty had an amazing season for their level of competition. Not a CFP worthy invite. Only the fear of litigation or congressional interference keeps the BIG/ESECPN from shutting the G-5 or G-6 out of the expanded CFP. Fear of losing money or control is the competition that drives this bus. The rules will change often. Especially if a 10-2 team from the P-2 gets left out. The way the 2024 BIG schedule plays out, tOSU, Oregon, PSU and Michigan could easily have 10-2 or better seasons. Someone is going to be left out. It only takes a few upsets and Whisky and Iowa could be 10-2 or 9-3........ I just dont see the 3rd place team in the BIG with 3 or 4 losses. Not enough difficult match ups. I wish the G-6 would have their own 12 team playoff. Then all their champs and next best 6 teams would have their shot at a Natty. Of course it all depends on the Networks and the money...... Go Ducks......

Jon, thank you for dissecting this information from that interview. There is a lot to unpack mentally. The schools managed to survive the financial impact of Title IX requirements. While the House decision could bring a blockbuster financial burden, the schools will find a way survive. A solution that can be managed will be settled upon, if needed. However, There will be cutbacks in coaches and scholarships for non revenue sports. Club sports all around, maybe? No one knows yet what the true cost will be as the Pandoras box is open fully. Once upon a time, since 1869, a few athletes asked the NCAA, athletic department or administration for a few dollars spending money. They were told NO! Then a few athletes wanted a share of promotional sales from marketing jersey's. They were told NO! They just wanted a fair share, not the whole pie. The NCAA and schools did not want to share! Then as a few athletes cases moved thru the court system it is apparent that others feel those selfish NO's were unjust and violated laws. No one to blame but themselves! Will they learn their lessons? The BIG administrators really havent learned to not put money first. Hey Oregon and Washington, we really wanted you all along. Come join us but at half price! That is the one thing that never changes......

Here us my 2 cents on this tOSU has the talent and soft enough schedule to finish 12-0 in the regular season. They will hit Autzen in full stride with their focus on showing OBD's that they are the top dog(s) in the BIG! The Ducks will give the Buckeyes everything they can handle and then some. Neither team will be penalized for a close loss in a great game......... Oregon certainly has the talent to finish the regular season 11-1. Will they? The Buckeyes and road trips to Ann Arbor and Madison will be stiff challenges. My guess is 10-2. OBD's do not overlook any team...... Michigan and Penn State will probably be 10-2. Neither team has a difficult schedule in the conference. Michigan will have a big time battle with Texas. (Advantage Texas?) Penn State will be tested hard in Morgantown. No other teams will crack this top 4 in the BIG. As long as 10-2 gets OBD's a CFP invite then personally I hope PSU or Michigan finish second. Battling tOSU in the BIG Title game will take its toll on any team. Injuries and fatigue could weaken any team. Remember their wont be a 3 week rest between these games. Other than the Ducks, no former PAC school will be a CFP challenger in 2024. The Ducks cannot let the huskies spoil the party. The putrid dogs need a thrashing in Autzen. Go Ducks.......

Jon thanks for your thoughts and projections for the 2024 Duck season and the 12 potential CFP teams. If they give the champs of the P4 Conferences automatic first round byes in the CFP, then your picks for FSU and Utah as 3 and 4 are very solid. I feel like the mid november road trip to Whisky and the final game at home against the huskies are the key to CFP for OBD's. No room for a 3rd loss...... My way to early and uninformed top 4 in the BIG..... tOSU - 12-0 PSU -11-1 ( Easy schedule IMHO) MIchigan 11-1 Whoever finishes 10-2 amongst Oregon-Iowa-Wisconsin-Usuck There is no room for a 9-3 team from the BIG. If the Ducks and trojans finish 10-2 then the BIG could have 5 teams in the CFP and the SEC 4 teams. Gonna be fun and somebody is going to be left out. The more it changes the more things stay the same.. If 2 teams from the same conference make it to the Natty the payouts to that conference could be between $200 and $250 million dollars. WOW! Go Ducks.......

This is a big get for OBD's and a critical piece to staying in and winning against tOSU. The 2023 roster had a weakness in the secondary that could not stop NFL bound Penix and his trio of NFL bound receivers. Especially in critical moments. Just a few key plays kept OBD's from 13-0 and a CFP invite. Some of those plays involved the secondary. tOSU Buckeyes may not have a Michael Penix but they have high quality NFL bound receivers. These receivers must be contained to improve the chances for victory. The talent on the 2024 squad can win the BIG. Without top secondary talent we could see a 2023 repeat of the husky disappointments. This fan does not want to lose the Buckeye game in Eugene, then again in the BIG Title game. These 4 back end transfers are critical to winning 1 or both games. You know we could play the Buckeyes 3 times next season...... The 2023 backend was not broken. They just didnt match up against those talented husky receivers. It appears DL is taking steps to not let that happen......especially against the Buckeyes Go Ducks! Consider that the cost for these players is part of doing business in college football. NIL does not cost the Ducks a penny. It is provided by those who can afford the investment into the program. DL is committed to Oregon and its success. He and his staff put in the work and the time. It's easy for the NIL collective ro return that with money. So HappyToBeADuck!

My guess, for what it is worth, is that DL will field a team that is 2 deep, with top level talent. This depth and talent will serve them well during that 9 game stretch. In 2023, with all the rotations, the Ducks never looked or played tired. The S and C for the players in 2023 stood out to me. We may have not come from behind at TT (in that heat) to snatch that win without it. TT ran out of gas, not the Ducks 2024 will be a grind and the year that Oregon establishes its brand as top 5...... Penn State has a cake walk of a season compared to the Ducks in 2024. OBD's have no margin for error with tOSU and Michigan on the schedule. They must win the other 10 games no matter the circumstances. Us fans are going to need to get prepared for what could be an emotional, nail biting season. Go DL....Go Ducks.

Without a doubt the current BIG members will have to adjust and recruit better to compete with the offenses that the 4 incoming schools present........ As Charles pointed out they have seen offensive firepower from tOSU Buckeyes for years. And all but Michigan (last 3 years) have failed in their attempts to beat the Buckeyes. In 2024, the Ducks on paper, bring a fierce competitor on par with tOSU. Every team, except tOSU and UM, will need their A plus effort and the perfect storm to take OBD's down to defeat. Cant speak has to how usc, ucla and huskies will do until the rosters are completed after spring ball. In looking at the 2024 schedule the Nittany Lions have a schedule that positions them for a 2nd or 3rd place finish. They get tOSU (loss) and huskies at home. Road game to usc and dont face Michigan or the Ducks. That is a scheduling break for sure. They are replacing 6 key NFL bound defensive players with top level TP players. 11-1 or 10-2 positions them nicely for a CFP invite. The Ducks will be positioned to win 10 games with sheer talent, coaching continuity and an explosive offense. They will stretch the opposing defenses and attach every inch of the field. Michigan on the road and tOSU at home will be toss up games and could be a win or a loss. We could be 9-2 when we face the huskies. No more losing to those dogs because 9-3 will not garner a CFP invite. Especially the last gane of the regular season. DL and staff will have the team ready to compete at the highest level. However, OBD's will face 2 or 3 top 10 teams in 2024. We only faced 1 legitimate top 10 team in 2023 and lost both times. That trend must stop in 2024 and I believe it will. .... OBDF, we are playing in the BIG leagues now Go Ducks.....

Critical Duck, thanks for posting this updated roster. For me 2 things standout about this list. 1. It is beyond way to early because teams still have the transfer portal to fill gaps and eliminate weaknesses. 2. While i am excited about all the preseason hype for OBD's, and it is justified, well I cant get past the 2 losses to the huskies. 12 wins in 2023 was awesome. However, the schedule was favorable and the huskies were the only real challenge on that schedule after the TT road trip. Both games were winnable for the Ducks. Yet we didn't win! Why? Michigan had no trouble negating Penix and his receivers. And they ran over the huskies. We did neither, especially in crunch time. 2024's schedule is tough and we will face 2 or 3 Top 10 teams. UM and tOSU are more of a challenge than the huskies. My eyes tell me DL and staff are recruiting to fix and fill those defensive needs. We will find out when tOSU squad comes to Eugene. Then those road trups to Michigan and Wisconsin will answer if its hype or ODD's are TOP 5..... Go Ducks......

JJ that article presented a great deal of detailed info to make your case! Well done and thanks. uscuck definitely has the toughest road for certain. All the newbies have pretty tough schedules. Playing Top 10 teams is always rough. IMHO, i dont feel the actual schedule matters as much as which teams are ready to make a move to the top 4 of the BIG? Michigan, tOSU and PSU have had a choke hold on the top 3 spots for years. Iowa and Wisconsin, will not be easy outs. Especially on the road in November for any of the 4 babies. For this fan it boils down to who has the talent, continuity and coaching combination to win those contests? usc - no Ucla - no uw- not sure at this point..... Oregon - yes????? Perhaps we will have a better idea after spring ball and the final round of the portal. Should be alot of off season fireworks.! GO Ducks........

Good post Dr. Hilarius! Now that Sports Illustrated has been found out for AI articles under false names, well anything is possible. The article was presented like my many 10 year old grandchildren write. Uninformed, but spouting like an expert. What dribble...... If you are a player that sees the field on a Top 10 team then you are a cut above......

Schedules can be very problematic for sure. Fair or not, champions get the job done. The CFP doesnt even consider fair schedules. tOSU couldnt beat Michigan and OBD's couldnt beat the huskies. No matter how easy or hard your schedule is, you have to win the big games. That's what champions do! Our Ducks have 3 hugh games next season. tOSU, michigan and huskies. They most likely need to win 2 of those games to finish in top 12 for CFP invite. The other 9 games they better win because they should be the more talented team on the field. No margin for error on those 9 games. The most critical game is tOSU tilt in Eugene. Both teams will be undefeated and Top 5. As long as the game is a close score, hard fought battle and lives up to its expectations, then the loser will not drop. OBD's didnt drop out of the Top 10 even with 2 losses. The Ducks will have at least 3 bigtime games on National TV. The stage will be big! Go Ducks

Personally, the 2 NW schools will be treated like red haired step childs until they appear in title games, win BIG Titles, make multiple CFP appearances and win a Natty Or really draw viewers. The hierarchy pecking order, IMHO: ■ Michigan ■ tOSU ■ PSU ■ The Socal TV market The networks will set up prime time games for usuck and uclasuck. The Ducks and huskies will have to earn their stripes. We are nothing to them at this point Hopefully, the tOSU game will draw 10 million plus viewers and the Ducks win. Then the Michigan game viewership could be off the charts. Only viewers matter to the networks. It's a new world and OBD's are positioned ro carve out their place in it. Go Ducks......

That 3 minute meeting, if true, is?diappointing on so many levels That will come back to bite him hard on the recruiting trail. Between camps and social media those remaing players and incoming recruits know each other.... He lost their trust.... Evidently his word is not his bond. He truly is perfect for the horde up north. It's okay to take a better job for much more money. Thats good business. Players and their families undetstand that. Players will leave for a better NIL or playing time. However, players and their families welcomed you and your staff into their homes. You gave them all the reasons to come to AU. You gave them assurances asked them to trust you....... Aren't they worth your time to answer their heartfelt questions and take some heat? The pos city in Washington and your future was going to be there 10 or 60 minutes later. Good luck selling your we are family line in the furure. Go Ducks.....