HappyToBeADuck

Well each of us on this awesome Forum will have their different opinions, viewpoints and feelings about yesterdays game. Thats what makes this a special forum....... I do not wish to offend any poster or forum member, however I do not share the sky is falling or this is the end of the world for OBD's. I agree with Jordan that there is plenty to Quack about in our 24-14 win. Let's see how the game stat numbers played out! Defense: Last season Idaho averaged 33+ points per game. Against the Ducks they got 14. In 2023 Idaho averaged 169 yards rushing. Yesterday they got 49. In 2023 the Vandals averaged about 260 yards passing. Yesterday they got 168. The Vandals averaged 32+ minutes of time of possession in 2023. They had the ball yesterday for 20:45 Duck D got 4 sacks and 2 picks. Duck D surrendered only 10 first downs. Well done Duck D.......... Offense: First Downs: 31 Time of Possession: 39:15 Total Yards: 487 Pass Completions: 41-49 Passing Yards: 380 Rushing Yards: 109 The rushing yards were light. Keep in mind the Vandals returned all 4 of their D Line starters and were committed to stopping the run. Well done Vandals The Vandal coaching staff recognized they could disrupt the Duck O line with pressure, movement and blitzes. This may explain the false starts that occurred on 3rd downs that ended drives during the game. To me the numbers show the Ducks dominated on both sides of the ball. The Duck offense simply failed to execute at critical moments in this game. The final score reflects that. The Ducks did not dominate the last 4 minutes of the first half and the first 4 of the second half. However, the Duck offense went down the field and scored a breathing room touchdown. Well done. The lack of in game reps together by the O-Line allowed for mistakes in critical moments. When Bedford got injured, DL and staff had to triage a walk on center in the last 2 weeks. No bad snaps.... Positions changed and the continuity was not there alomg the O Line. The Vandals capitalized on that in key moments. IMHO, Bedford will be back. DL and staff will work on those mistakes. Then the Sun will be back in the sky, the stars will align and OBD's offense will roll up the points. This team has substance and week 2 will look different. If it doesnt then we can get worried.

Personally, i dont think DL and staff will show us or our opponents much on either side of the ball No need to impress Basic smash mouth football against the Vandals. Size, speed and talent should be utilized. Work on timing, assignments and take pleasure in beating up on an opening opponent that has some good number 1's Minimize injuries, play everyone who can and then get ready for a team that can make the P-12. BSU is going to bring their A plus game and that nasty blue inferiority complex. Its time they get stomped. Go Ducks.......

On paper everything appears to be in place for OBD's to make a solid run at the elusive Natty. This fan has alot of optimism for the 2024 season. Imho, this team has elite talent and depth at most positions. QB depth is a concern. Not because of a lack of elite talent because the back ups are loaded with it. They lack big game experience and 50 plus srarts under their belt. The offense would be very good with either back up. Just maybe not enough to make a run to the Natty. Keep DG upright and safe! This may very well be the most talented, disruptive defense the Ducks have ever put on the field. That defense will win a game or two this season. Only a few teams have the firepower to take on this defense. I felt we had a great chance in 2023 to get to the final four. Injuries to the secondary derailed that chance against the putrid dawgs. Last years schedule was a cake walk compared to 2024. tOSU, Michigan and Whisky on the schedule in the same season is a first for the Ducks. BSU and the Beavers will bring their A plus game against us. Going to be a long grind for this talented blue chip group. My gut tells me they can do it and this season will be one for the ages. Go Ducks..... 11-1 and in the BIG Title game .....

IMHO, one of the reasons (there were a few) DL didnt hesitate to turn down the Bama HC position was because something financial is in place. Long term, generational money? Just maybe! PK truly puts his money where his mouth is. And best of all, DL is a man true to his word. It's simply time to bring home the Natty. This 2024 road will be difficult, however the level of talent on the roster can get it done. Go Ducks...........

I was very impressed with his thoughts on Michigan for 2024. The Wolverines did lose some great players to the NFL and graduation. This program has a solid foundation and winning culture. That culture beat tOSU 3 years straight, culminating in a National Title. Thats a pinnacle the Ducks have not yet achieved. Getting closer every year! However, MIchigan can play their full game in a phone booth. They dont need a first round QB to run the ball down your throat. Or shorten the game with ball control. DL knows this and really fortified the defensive front. It will be a great test for the Duck front 7. Michigan will have their hands full with OBD's loaded offense for sure. But UM will still be one of the better defenses the Duck face. It should be a great game. Many people think the Ducks may play tOSU 3 times this season. If tOSU doesnt fix its Michigan problem no reason the Ducks couldnt face the Wolverines 3 times! This will be an epic season. Just think about this. OBD's will playing Michigan and Wisconsin, on the road in November, fighting to make the BIG Title game. GO DUCKS.........

Thanks for the article Alex and i agree about the opportunity for OBD's to carry the wide receiver u moniker. Who will step up in the. WR group in 2024 will depend on a few things in my opinion. This opinion assumes that the Duck QB gets the same level of protection that Bo received the last 2 seasons! It will be difficult for the defenses to cover all the receivers in one on one situations. How well does DG read the D and then see the field, to find and hit the open receiver. Will DG be patient and stay in the pocket to let the play unfold? He has certainly proved he can scramble and be accurate on the run. Will DG develop a connection with 1 or more receivers as the season wears on? Is a QB/WR connection like Bo had with Tez possible? Lots of questions to answer, the best part is that the talent will be on the field to make this happen. This Duck team, with this talent on offense, should be averaging plus 50 points per game when tOSU Buckeyes come to Autzen...... GO DUCKS........

Charles, i am glad we only have to ponder that.......

This is simply over the top for this old Duck fan......... And I agree that the best days are in the future. Though the future is very unpredictable......... As I look back, this Duck fan is grateful that Coach Lanning decided to turn down the helm of the Alabama Death Star and stay at home with the Ducks. Every team and their fans in the SEC, not named Alabama, should be thankful too! Can you imagine what DL could do with the Alabama brand? Go Ducks..........

The 2024 Ducks are definitely contenders for the BIG title and a CFP spot. As long as thry are no worse than 10-2 or 11-2. This team is loaded with experienced talent and depth. It all boils down to execution, coupled with some luck. Go Ducks....

The talent on this team may just be better than last years 12-2. It certainly has more depth at critical position groups. Whatever weaknesses the 2023 squad had, Charles pointed out to me that those have been addressed. So for arguement or agreement sakes, let's just say that this is the most talented and deepest Duck squad ever assembled......... In all 3 phases......... With no serious injuries to any 2 deep position group......... That is a tall task to go undefeated. It's a tall task to win 2 of 3 against tOSU, UM and Whisky. So for every reason this great Forum can give me for an undefeated season, there is a reason it cannot. 11-1 or 11-2 with a couple of losses against tOSU still positions us for a first round home game that the Ducks will win. Hopefully we draw the ACC or BIG12 champ in second round. That will be a winnable game and we make the semifinals. Pick your poison in the semi-finals? Georgia, Bama or tOSU. Whoever wins next year will truly be a National Champion ....... GO DUCKS........

Coach Lanning and staff certainly have their recruiting plan in place and are working that plan fulltime. The high level of recruits for 2025 and beyond is off the charts for this old Duck fan. Love it! Now we need to beat the huskies. 3 losses in a row is just frustrating. Must be corrected. Then we need to win the BIG Conference games against UM, tOSU and Whisky. 11-1? 10-2? Can the staff rise to the occasion in the biggest of games? DL and staff are 21-5 because they haven't won the really big games on the schedule. Other than Georgia, which was a blow out loss, 4-3 point losses kept OBD's out of the playoffs. The 2024 squad has too much talent to not go 11-1 or 11-2. Both losses to tOSU..... Go Ducks......

Thanks for the article. It certainly has been an amazing off season for the ducks. For this Duck fan can the O line jell quickly and can Dillion Gabriel lead and execute the game plan. As we all know the game is played on the field. The star ratings and talent level mean very little without execution. I feel confident this will happen and the Ducks will be unbeaten when tOSU comes to Eugene. Go Ducks.........

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......