HappyToBeADuck

Great points and as Smith72 pointed out "I like your summary statement". With the portal and NIL the college landscape at times will be standing on quicksand. Other times, rocking and rolling thru a 7.1 quake. IMHO, maybe the 3rd string QB position gives 3☆ talent a chance to have a scholarship, basic NIL offer and valuable practice time on a Power 5 roster. Who knows, right?

This is going to be a wild and crazy week, for sure....... It is obvious that Coach Lanning and his staff have been working non stop to bring some of this talent to Eugene. This fan is full of optimism and send nothing but positive thoughts to the Ducks staff. GO DUCKS.......

This is truly exciting and solidifies a critical position of need for our Ducks. Not to mention the value of Bo's leadership. Great positive news. I believe DL and staff will fill in the O Line needs and the Duck offense will score 40 plus points a game. Excited to see DL and the staff bring the players in on D with the skill set to implement and execute DL's scheme. Go Ducks, it's going to be a great week.

Jordan, thank you for this timely article. You are correct that the transfer portal, coupled with the lure of NIL money has created some chaos. I am looking forward to the Forum members responses because this portal onion has many layers to peel and consider. Of course not all players are transfering for NIL money or a chance at more NIL money. Some find that they can't or won't get significant playing time. Other than Flowe, how many of the Ducks in the portal were on the 2 deep roster? Of the 16 Ducks transfering how many were significant contributors? Doesn't mean those players don't have potential or solid upside. It may mean they aren't developed enough or lack the talent to crack the 2 deep on a top 25 FBS school! Best to look elsewhere. There are 2 names on the Ducks portal list who played well below their potential. Both were defensive players and they were given ample playing time to prove their worth. They didn't and I wish them both the very best in their future. As well as all the Ducks in the portal. Because of coach speak and their brotherhood of sealed lips, we will probably never know how many players were nudged to leave. Or during their season end review the player determined they were not going to see the field. The road ahead was too difficult, so greener pastures came calling. Thats part of football...... Who knows what alluring words are being whispered into a players ears from other schools? When there are no rules the people who never play by the rules come out of the woodwork like cockroaches. Jordan, I appreciate the statistics and percentages you shared from the 2020 and 2021 transfer portal. The true number that matters to me is how many players did not find a home or scholarship. Was that number 62 players or 412 players? Those are the players who gambled and lost a free college degree with benefits. These young men were now just a statistic within the chaos....... If a FBS player ends up with a FCS scholarship then that was the players choice. That was their market value. Some players will win big in the portal, while most will do okay. Some will get left out and learn a valuable, yet costly lesson.

Fun topic to consider and ponder... My confidence in Coach Lanning is as high today as it was when Oregon hired him. The story of DL as a head coach is just being written. DL salvaged an imploding 2022 recruiting class, brought key transfers into the program who produced at a high level and can hit 10 wins. Many on this Forum thought 8-4 would be difficult to achieve in season one. DL exceeded those expectations. Recruiting expectations, both high school and portal are very high. I guess we will have our answers for 2023 in the next few months. DL and staff have a tall task to field a better than average defense. Immediate playing time for recruits and transfers should be appealing. As for in game coaching decisions my confidence is high medium. This Duck fan is very disappointed that a 10-2 or 11-1 regular season was not achieved. Disappointed that the Ducks did not reach the PAC Title game and at a minimum a Rose Bowl invite. CK set the bar high by laying the foundation for NY6 bowls and Natty game appearances. MC reached and won PAC Titles and NY6 bowls. That to me is the Oregon standard. Poor coaching and player execution in the last 20 minutes of the regular season derailed all of that. Just one more Oregon first down or one (just one) 3rd or 4th down stop against Beavus and we make the RB. That was an epic meltdown on a national stage with everything on the line. It tarnished my confidence but not enough to be down on DL or staff. If that repeats in 2023, well? When it's within your grasp and your goals can be achieved, the great coaches capture the prize. We have Utah and Washington on the road and no Georgia on the schedule in 2023. If the Ducks fail to win the PAC my confidence will drop going forward....... Not my love for the Ducks, just my confidence in DL. My confidence in DL staying is high. He stayed at Georgia to finish the season. Yes the stakes were as high as they get. Thats more that can be said for Slick, MC (most of his staff) and Dilly. However, its a new world and anything can happen. Any SEC team can offer a HC $8 million per year and come calling at anytime. To me, DL has a track record of finishing what he starts. My expectatation is that after the 2023 PAC Title game, DL's head coaching record should be 22-4. And off to the CFP. That kind of success will bring DL some very tempting, high paying offers.

Personally, i feel the PAC10 is not in a position of strength. The Conference, including Oregon and Washington, has very little to bargain with. No conference is ch Late window viewing on Friday and Saturday night is all the PAC has to offer TV Networks. And that in itself is a numbers game. Every Satuday night the BIG can have either USC/UCLA in prime time competing against the PAC. The numbers dont pencil out. FOX does not need the PAC for west coast viewing because they have the whore sisters in socal. ESPN offered $300 million annually for media rights. Now it comes down to streaming and what dollars will flow.

Thank you Dazed for the well thought out and detailed article. This just leaves me with just one question about the coaches and players, why? Stopping the run is basic football. Now it's not always easy to stop a powerful ground game. Student body right at uscsuck was nearly impossible to stop for decades. But 19 straight runs to close out the game? Up 31-10 with 20 minutes left and you let your one dimensional opponent beat you? WHY? I really am looking forward to the Forums comments today. DL and TL the scheme was on you. The lack of adjustments, well that's on you also. If the players failed to execute in game 12 then thats also on the coaches. I have been very critical of the linebackers disappearing act in the 4th quarter against Beavus. I was wrong. The scheme may have set them up to fail. Dazed I am concerned and ask myself do DL and TL need 5 first round draft picks on the field to win big games? Well that is not going to happen in Eugene. It will take consistent top 5 recruiting classes, key portal acquisitions and annual CFP appearances to accomplish. As well ad a Natty or 2........ I am not down on DL or TL, just concerned. The Duck D let the huskies (a program who has not been releavant on the national scene since KW pick 6) and the Beavers (who have never been nationally relevant) keep us from the CFP/RB. If you can't make in game adjustments or develope your players (12 games into the season) then how do you expect to beat Georgia, Bama, Michigan or tOSU? We already had a taste of what that looks like against the Dawgs! I am looking forward to next season. That will tell us alot about how much DL and TL learned from the 2022 season. GO DUCKS........

For what its worth, i do remember after the Georgia beating that DL said they tried to give to much to the defensive players. They couldnt absorb the scheme and execute. He was going to scale back and bring more each week. OBDF members, some of these players either never got it or couldnt execute it. Either way, when it mattered themost the D unit could not stop the Beavers run game. You rewatch that game, the 12th game of the season and those linebackers were either out of position or sealed off. Hell you could have put 9 in the box and Beavus still couldnt complete a pass.

Thanks DNC, your article certainly provides much info to ponder. For me, it invokes more head scratching about the Ducks 2022 Defense. Still painful to discuss or ponder. More therapy needed......... In the Husky game the bend don't break cover 2 defense failed. Penix destroyed the Duck secondary with quick scoring strikes. With no up front pressure applied Penix put the Broke part front and center. Whether it was scheme or poor player execution the D let the team down. I agree mixing it up may have helped. I am with Smith72, still confused why the Ducks could not stop the Beavers run game in the 4th quarter. Just one stop by the D, just one, and win or lose in the PAC title game, we are in the Rose Bowl. Looking forward to the thoughts and comments on the OBDF today.....

Well done Coach Lanning and D staff. This young man knows how to play linebacker. One great season at Oregon and onto the NFL. Keep them coming Coach. A better than average Duck D will help win alot of games in 2023.

Charles this is exciting and very possible for the 2023 class. DL and his staff have had a full year to build for this class. There's every reason, as a fan, to be optimistic. Looking forward to that high level recruit that the Ducks flip and move the 2023 class into the Top 10. I share your excitement and belief. GO DUCKS!

After completion of the 2021 football season, the Ducks, trojans and huskies were a combined 18-20. LR and the trojans brought the most portal players in, overhauled the roster with future NFL players and turned the program around. The Ducks and huskies brought in less players via the portal than the trojans. Both schools filled immediate needs with those portal players and had good seasons. Currently the 3 PAC schools are a combined 30-7. All 3 schools landed top, elite QB's. Heisman talk, on a national level, swirled around the PAC. How often will that happen? How often will lightning in a bottle strike? Oregon is not 9-3 without Bo, Gonzo and others. Beavus, Utah and the bruins were dominated by long term players. Players developed in a system by great coaches. I am certain that those 3 schools utilized the portal where needed. Those 3 schools represent the tradition of building a long term program. On the other side of the coin, TA&M (ATM Cash Machine University) poured untold millions into high school recruits. What a flop that was....... Charles, i agree that heavy use of the portal is risky. Due diligence and caution should be applied. But that route is no more risky than the high school recruiting trail. As a coach you sre rolling the dice either way. Do i want potential high level yet unproven talent that can maybe be developed? Or...... Players with developed potential, game film and their man bodies already developed? Players with skills to fill in needs? Win now or 3 years from now...... Every school risks losing developed talent via the portal. Even Bama. Well, I guess I want both routes, coupled with great coaching. Based upon the players currently on the roster, without the portal we will not be able to replace Gonzo or Bo. Nor does there appear to be a top 5 edge rusher on the current roster. Those are positions of immediate need that need filling by experienced players. Thank goodness for the portal and the opportunities presented. As a Duck fan i want a PAC title and a CFP appearance in 2023. 2024 and beyond mean nothing to me. In 2023, we have Beavus, wazzou and uscsuck in are backyard and the utes and huskies on the road. Darn it, i would like to win those games... Bring in the best players who can get that done, no matter the route.

If Dante comes to Oregon he will be competing for PAC Conference Titles, Rose Bowl and NY6 Bowls. In 2024 and 2025, CFP invites. He will be playing at the highest level on national tv. At UCLA, very little of the above. UCLA has to replace a number of 5th and 6th year players and Chip will have to get busy in the portal. Dante and his teammates will have to go thru usuck, tOSU, Penn State and Michigan to even sniff a BIG title game, RB, NY6 bowl or a CFP invite. Oregon is positioned to show case Dante and the Bruins? Maybe not so much.......

Personally, I hope Santa brings us some top defensive talent thru the portal. The kind of playets who understand and can execute DL's system. Execute in 2023, not 3 years later. And 2 chaos promoting edge rushers. If the ducks cant pressure/contain Williams and Penix then we are playing for The Alamo or Holiday Bowl. The rubber meets the road on the defensive side of the ball. Defense, i feel cost us the dogs and beavers games.

Utilizing the potential of the portal appears to be the key. Bringing in talented players who will make an impact. Turn a weakness into a strength. How many of those players enter the portal and how many will choose Oregon, is anybodies guess. udub and uscuck brought in the right players who made them suprisingly better. From losing records to 11-2 and 10-2. That may be a season by season success but its shaping into the face of big time college football. I dont know if the portal is needed to save Oregon football? Oregon fooyball, IMHO, is positioned nicely for the future in the PAC..... But if they want an invite, annually to the CFP invitational then they best nail it every year in the portal. There were many, many on this Forum who didnt feel usuck or udub could turn it around in one season. Including me. Any doubters now? Go DL and staff. Get those key components on campus.

Charles, as i have stated before to this awesome Forum: FishDuck is a unique, one of a kind site" You are also a true "one of a kind" person. I congratulate you and admire your love, passion and committment to "all things Duck" This is your site and no one else's. As others have mentioned this is your home. That home gives us refuge. We are simply guests when we enter OBDF and if we comment then the rules need to follow. You have had to remind me on 2 occassions that I violated a rule. They were minor and just worded incorrectly. I appreciated your comments and help so as to not hurt or discourage others. I will support you no matter your choices with YOUR FORUM....... Perhaps visitors and commentors fail to understand your passion and love for the site. This is your child and you will protect it. And i love and admire you for your conviction.......

Back in the fifties, sixties and even before the bowls were a way for cities to get thousands of people to come and stay in their hotels, eat at restaurants and shops. A real cash windfall. I am certain Shreveport was estatic at the thousands of Duck fans who flocked to the Independrnce Bowl almost 40 years ago. Oregon traveled well! Some bowls had specific conference tie ins. Most obvious Rose Bowl(Big 10 vs Pac 8). Southwest Conference to the Cotton Bowl. Big 8 to the Orange Bowl. Special notes: BYU won their Natty in 1984 with a win in the Holiday Bowl. In 1991 washington could not face Miami because of the Rose Bowl committment. Thus a split fake Natty for both schools. Just another step toward BCS and CFP. The rich got richer. Each season a new bowl game was added and ESPN took over the monopoly of bowl games. One of the main reasons the lower tier bowls survive is the TV money more than pays the bills. If fans travel then the cities vendors have an annual windfall. Will the bowls survive with a 12 team playoff? Probably as long as media will pay for the broadcast rights. Personally, i would rather have Oregon playing in the Holiday Bowl than not. The younsters get 2 weeks of practice, a road trip and playing time. Thats a plus. As a fan, we get a chance to support our team. Yes the games are meaningless. But in reality they are important to everyones program When we move to the 12 team playoff we will see most years Bama, Georgia, LSU, tOSU, Michigan, Penn State, uscsuck, Clemson. Also a team from BIG 12, PAC 10, ND and Group of five. Those lesser bowls are critical for practice and exposure for about 40 other schools. Including the PAC schools.

Joshua, over the years the Holiday Bowl has produced some high scoring, exciting games. This year should be no exception. Both teams strengths are their offenses. Last team with the ball should win this game. I know very little about UNC's defense. As we all know, the Ducks D was porous and often undisciplined. As a fan I never new what to expect. I guess we will have to see how many more players transfer out prior to the game. Regardless of who starts for the Ducks, the television will be tuned to the game. Cheering for the Ducks has been a tradition during the bowl season since the Independence Bowl back in the mid eighties. I don't take the bowl games for granted every year because OBD's didn't always earn a bowl bid. Hopefully the youngsters will enjoy the trip and have a fun, safe game. Go Ducks.... All is not lost. Ducks got a better bowl invite than the rodents. The dogs lost their Rose Bowl bid and uscsuck didn't get a PAC title (so Dye doesn't get a PAC Title Ring) or a CFP invite........

Yes Pennsylvania Duck has been going above and beyond to keep OBDF in the know. Great work and thank you. Cant wait until PDuck posts all the articles announcing the top players coming via the portal.

DazeNconfused timely article. Great breakdown and assessment on the defensive departures. And more importantly, the positions of need to be filled. I agree with Kurt Rambis, why was this defense so underwhelming? With potential QB heisman candidates at usc and washington on the Duck schedule in 2023 the front seven must be manned by elite players. Players who can contain, apply pressure, disrupt flow and get to the QB. DnC, you are spot on that DL should emphasize the talent he helped put in the NFL. Not only at Georgia but the transfers who will head to the NFL off this years Duck D. That Natty ring on DL's finger will speak volumes. Street cred! DL and staff did a good job utilizing portal transfers for the 2022 season. For 2023 they need to do a great job. One or two transfers won't be enough to build a aggressive 2-deep roster. DL must win the portal like Baylor and MSU in 2021 and usc in 2022. If not we will not be amongst the favorites to win the PAC in 2023. I have faith in DL when it comes to recruiting.......

I will watch and cheer for OBD's. If Bo doesn't start then i will support Ty or the walk on back up QB. The remaning squad of players that take the field are our Ducks. They are going to play an important part of the 2023 season. Its next man up time of year. GO DUCKS...... PS: If Bo plays it will be more exciting.

Well everybody is entitled to their feelings and opinions, especially when you are home on this forum. Just can't share or support that opinion Coach Lanning just blew it. Were coaching mistakes made? Of course there were. Just for reference Coach Saban and his 5 ☆ studded players could easily have 4 losses. Out of character poor coaching decisions and lackluster player performance crept into Tuscaloosa.... Mistakes happen, players fail to execute and games get lost. I like that DL takes chances and risks. The Ducks went 9-3 not 3-9. Thats a level of success no matter the yardstick you measure by. MC would have gone 6-6 or 7-5 with his middling offensive numbers. No Coach who took the team from 34 points a game average to over 40 points a game, blew it. DL and Dilly lifted the scoring average by a touchdown per game. Well done..... Forum members, IMHO, we have the makings of a great Coach. He salvaged last years recruiting class, assembled a darn good staff and should ink a top 10 class later this month. Rest assured DL will keep taking risks and that may bring home a natty.

Well why not? Solid resume! Understands high scoring college offensive schemes. Well Coach Lanning flew to Michigan to hopefully lock down Moore, then maybe Buffalo to get Brady. Nothings a sure thing until the ink dries on a LOI or contact Maybe while DL is in the Eastern Time Zone he can head south and get some of those monster D lineman. Then head to Texas to get a few edge rushers..... Doesnt cost anything to dream..... Go Ducks and Go DL.......

Utah's football program is so under appreciated and under rated. Last year the Big Dog in the PAC was Oregon. Utah destroyed them twice and were crowned PAC Champions. This year the Big Dog in the PAC was uscsuck. Utah beat them twice. One a come from behind nail biter and the other a come from behind butt kicking. Thus earning back to back titles. Both seasons the Utes did something that Alabama and tOSU could not do. They won their Conference Title. Hec tOSU didn't make it to their own conference title game the last 2 seasons. Sort of backed into the RB. Yet they will probably get a back door invite to CFP. They did not even earn a trip to the BIG title game, yet they may earn an invite to play for the Natty. That is a lack of respect by the CFP committee. Well done Utes, now go get that Rose Bowl victory.

Darren thanks for the article. Been playing the "what if" game all week. Disappointment is not the emotion that I was hoping would rule my feelings this weekend. 10 days ago, i was certain we would beat the Rodents then have a shoot out against usc. Sure didnt land that way. However the Utes humbling the traitors was special and moved my disappointment meter. As for analytics? Did LR use analytics to go for it on 4th and 8? They failed, Utah got a short field and momentum. Little did we know that the game for the traitors was over at that point. The Utes seized the moment, took control and started their journey to the Rose Bowl. Analytics failed. Did KW use analytics when he went for it on 4th and 2 in trojan territory? Or did he use common sense or a gut feeling? They made the first down and later scored a TD. If it was analytics then it succeeded. Later in the game, KW ignored the analytics and punted around mid-field on 4th down. His in game experience told him that his D had taken control. A measurement that Nerd filled analytics may not be able to compute. KD ignored analytics. He did not give the trojans a chance to get momentum back. Thats smart coaching. Analytics had very little to do with the butt kicking the Utes put on the traitors after LR's analytical mistake. You dont hold a team to 1 yard of total offense in the 3rd quarter with analytics. Half time adjustments and smash mouth football by the Utes crushed the traitors false hope of a coronation. Analytics does not create turnovers nor take into account a QB injury. The Ute DC turned his beasts loose on a wounded prey. Caleb Williams could not overcome his injury. He gave it is all but fell short. My hat is off to an injured Bo Nix and his offensive team mates for beating Utah. They overcame...... Still injured Bo and the Duck O beat the Beavers. Poor coaching, poor analytics and a invisible Defense lost that game. I really hope DL and his staff recorded the PAC title game. KW, his staff and players laid out the blue print for back to back trips to the Rose Bowl. That's a jouney we all would like to see our Ducks take........