Charles Fischer

Before you say anything...yeah, I know the post color is orange. But that color is so benign to me, so easy to overlook that I am not annoyed with it, I just feel sorry for it. ----------------------------------------- If you go to the game, please take the challenge that "Autzen is not that big a deal" from Ohio State fans seriously. YELL-O your head off, please. Let the damn Buckeyes and their big-head fans know we are for real. Now, I know the issue you have; the next day your throat is completely shot and beyond just sore. Heck, mine would be when the game barely got into the fourth quarter, but I found a way to make noise AND save your throat! On the vocal musical scale of Do-Re-Me-Fa-So-La, etc.....find the tone of "Fa" and cup your hands and deliver it. You can do it loud, but for some reason...it did not destroy my throat. The guy next to me and below me joined me, and for that game that they were there....our combined voices were powerful. People were looking back, and we explained it, and then a chunk of the section was doing it! Don't do it when we're on offense, of course, but never let their defense get any vocal signals...NEVER.

I wrestle with this, primarily because I never said I was noble, yet the juxtaposition of our teams is so clearly on opposite ends of the spectrum. Oregon is No. 3 in the nation playing No. 2 at Autzen with scads of national sportswriters present, and millions of eyeballs watching on NBC. Beavis is on the CW, playing Nevada. Feeling sorry for them yet?

I completely agree; we have that edge, and need to fully exploit it.

Jon...that is a fantastic article, and the key point--a massive one is how Stein designed the Oregon offense to fit Bo Nix's talents, and now has researched what Gabriel does best, and is unveiling an offense that emphasizes his strengths. That means, and I project more downfield passing, and more designed QB runs for Dillon in this game. And they also stated that Stein will design the offense for Dante Moore's strengths next year!

My belief from a few months ago was that 2024 would be the "Oregon Surprise Tour" in the B1G. Nobody would believe the stories about Oregon or Autzen until they actually experienced it. Even if we beat tOSU, the other B1G members will poo-poo it because, "the Buckeyes overlooked them, but we won't." And then they do. The buzz about Oregon and Autzen from this game will create ENORMOUS interest in Oregon from other B1G fans, who will want to visit, watch our games, etc. The ramp-up of eyeballs on Oregon that we all discussed before is about to take a big step!

You and me both. To make this all happen, I MUST have slow-motion available in my DVR, and available in the video-editing software. It took me a long time to find the right combination, and then I am paying through the nose for them. But being able to watch in slow-motion without blur, and then create videos in slo-mo is crucial for us all. Watching blocking develop in slow-motion is a thing of beauty, and can almost make the eyes of this old-fart offensive lineman glisten.

Sure, but I don't think he runs enough to remember that, or he is so darn fast, and the play occurs so fast? Or he was not sure how the blocking would develop; in case he had to pause and cut way inside....or who knows? I think another coach here might be better to address this one!

Agreed. And I think this is the game where the passing attack opens up more and becomes much more aggressive. As good as the Buckeye defensive backfield is....completing passes on them with our elite receiver corps will be easier than trying to run often on that NFL defensive line we will face, IMHO.

You make an excellent point that is step beyond what most of us would consider. To your thought...I agree. I believe (now) that in the off-season the coaching staff made a very careful analysis of the Playoffs, and how it would impact game-plans. It has taken long enough to soak into me, but I finally realized that the coaches were playing this MUCH different than in the past, and it is not something we have seen at Oregon, and thus an adaption by yours-truly. It could be a very long season, and thus a very gradual unfolding of the offense with leaving sweet stuff for crucial times in December games. This means a couple of changes, and one was having a much bigger playbook, with tons of new plays, constraints and sequentials figured out in advance. A game-plan for each game embracing certain plays, and their complementing plays unlike I've seen before. Finally, a part of their "Slow-Roll" of the offense is duplicating what Chip used to do in his glory years here; get a lead and then go into "Turtle-Time" where the players get up to the LOS, get ready to run the play, and they pause and look to the sideline as the play clock finally counted down. Then they run another Inside Zone Read into line, or another running play to not only burn clock, but shorten the game and make it impossible for the opponent to have enough remaining possessions to score enough to win. That last point above is hard to accept, as it means that we sacrifice high scoring...we will not be a leader in scoring offense! But it also means that we will have surprises kept in Will Stein's back pocket for key moments late in the season. Our coaches are truly thinking of the Long-Game within the season, and I might need to do an article about it after I expand my thoughts on it sooner. It means games are not quite as entertaining with low scoring, but it could mean winning more games, which is what we all want. Great stuff!

Well, that is what they call me on other Oregon sites! The truth is, I know some stuff that fits my wheelhouse, but a typical high school coach knows a TON more than I. This has been gently shown to me before, hence why "I know my lane" and offer analysis where I can, and stay away from the majority that is unknown. You and others here are very kind, and it makes the hours spent on it worthwhile when getting this feedback. THANKS to you and everyone again... And do pass this article on.... So MANY interesting things going on here!

Thank you Coach, and I do have to say to everyone concerning what I wrote near the end of the article....everybody missed this as they watched the game....and so did I. Because of the emotion associated with the game...I do not see analysis items until a day or two pass, the emotion subsides and I can see things clearly. When I went back a day and a half later--I could not believe what I saw. The powerful formation with Conerly at H-Back? A defensive tackle at tight end? Perfectly timed motion the opposite direction? A new play, the Straddled Double-Option? I LOVE that play! Anyway, the point is, none of us are perfect and I have an ex-wife who would attest to that. But upon film review later--you know me well enough to know that I was truly hopping in my chair upon seeing these plays. Will Stein is very quietly doing an incredible job, IMHO.

I knew this was an extraordinary defensive line, but wow... Top three sack leaders had a total of 12.5 sacks for the entire 2023 season, and the top three in 2024 have 11.5 sacks after just five games? Whew! Amazing how the addition of some players helped Burch too. Think Autzen will be rocking on Saturday?

I was pretty surprised to see what was written below, but then the B1G really doesn't know Oregon yet... The comment above by a Buckeye fan lacks some relevant background, so here is some help... “Sitting in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, Oregon’s Autzen Stadium is one of college football’s hidden jewels. Before kickoff, Autzen is as peaceful as the Willamette River, which runs through Eugene just a few minutes from the stadium. After kickoff, the fans – even the alumni – forget who they are, where they come from and what their degree is in. The audience adopts a new collective identity for the next three-and-a-half hours: the 12th, 13th and 14th man. Autzen’s 59,000 strong make the Big House collectively sound like a pathetic whimper.” “It’s louder than any place I’ve ever been, and that includes The Swamp at Florida, The Shoe in Columbus, and Death Valley at Louisiana State. Autzen Stadium is where great teams go to die.” J. Brady McCullough, The Michigan Daily

On the CW--the Beavers will get to that number in about five more games combined.... Whew! Glad we're in the B1G!

We cannot believe the USC loss to Minnesota. What would that equivalent be like in the old Pac-12? Losing to ASU last year, or Cal? Whew! Trojan tears are never salty to me....just sweet. Below is from a USC message board... ----------------------------------------------- "This year was supposed to be Riley’s transformational year, the year he would find a defense that could match his offensive prowess, that he would grow from a glorified OC to a CEO, that he would grow from a young coach, to simply just being called a coach. Well, he did grow from the Louisville game and that growth stopped at LSU." "Yup. Riley has hit his peak." "Riley will always be a glorified OC from a small town in Texas who unsuccessfully tried very hard to be a King in the bright lights of Los Angeles. Lincoln Riley is in way over his head. He doesn’t have the charisma and personality to set up shop in Los Angeles and stretch it all across California to the entire West Coast to make the rest of the country tremble. And he certainly doesn’t have the football prowess to make up for his inability to recruit elite athletes. We’ve seen the best of Riley. And it ain’t going to cut it here at USC." "Here's all I know today. We are no closer to winning a natty this season, in year 3, than we were with Helton. That's all I know and that doesn't seem good to me." --------------------------- Lincoln Riley to Oregon Fans... Speaking of blessings...let's count ours having Dan Lanning at Oregon. No. 3 in the nation, a fully loaded roster with fantastic recruiting on deck.

How about the SEC playing nine damn conference games? Do we have to get hosed at every conference we join?

Who knows? It has been rumored that he had more pressure placed upon him for recruiting...but that is unknown. What we do know is that his replacement, Ra'Shaad Samples, has been the lead recruiter in bringing two Rivals 5-Stars to verbal for the 2025 class to Eugene. Pretty darn good... (Davison and Dak Moore)

As always, I enjoy your articles Darren. I do appreciate your patience, and the tolerance of the other FishDuck writers when I slip in a sentence with a gambling link to pay the bills. Today's was especially interesting because the SEO company that contacted me is in the country of Georgia, not the state. (A WAY eastern European block nation) The link went to a gambling site in Australia, and I am in Eugene Oregon. How much more global can it be than that? Tbilisi, Georgia

Yeah, I sense the pat on the head and them saying, "you have a nice little team there...."

I completely agree and share your concern. Leaving the Pac-12 did not assure fairness in our new league. C'mon...everybody needs a hug!

All the Big Ten fans say that we don’t understand what a season of clashing heads in the trenches will do to our team playing a B1G schedule. And I would say you have never played in Autzen before when it’s crazy…

I believe very strongly that this team will be killer at the end of the season. On Wednesday I will have an analysis that shows some crafty new stuff that Stein is beginning to roll-out with devastating effect. We're going to be good on offense!

Whoever loses this game is still in the Playoff hunt as long as it is not a blow-out. Even then...win 11 games and you're in, and either team could do that. When it came to a four-team playoff...the pressure on a game like this was enormous, but now...you can go for it, and not have it ruin your season. And if you meet this opponent again, (as the loser of the first time) the psychological advantage is huge for you in the second game. It is good-or-good. So we need to relax... Right?

My key player? Evan Stewart. If they can get him going long, and utilize the accurate throwing of Gabriel, then we can keep the Buckeyes off-balance.

Yes. NFL scouts that charted his plays noted and wrote how he dropped 10% of the passes thrown at him, although not the long ones like the pass this last weekend. Most were routine ones where he was thinking about where he was running next such as a Bubble Screen.