Charles Fischer

I just wanted to put this up on our awareness radar to watch in the last half of the season. This 2023 offensive line is outperforming everyone's expectations, and is one of the best in the nation at protecting Bo Nix, just as last year's offensive line did. But the key to offensive success is balance, IMHO, but that balance starts with a great running game. Last year we had a superb running game averaging 215 yards rushing per game, and my criteria of a good rushing game or season is the 200 yard mark. Now, I know we have the meat of the schedule left, and frankly--this year's schedule in the conference is tougher than last year's IMHO again. But through the seventh game--Oregon is rushing... 225 yards per game! This will be fun to watch for in the remainder of the season!

“Beat Tulane and get back to me.”

This did not age well...

Trojan fans had to feel this on Saturday night, so this actually aged well...

Ouch!

A more accurate Utah analysis?

I forgot to mention in the opening post that Nick said something that just about made me veer into the curb.... "All three of Oregon's close losses under Lanning have had interesting 4th down decisions." Yep.

Storm trooper is the call for me...

I'm going to keep it simple; Utah likes to run the ball, and the reserve QB is an adequate, but not a great passer. Can his passing outscore Oregon? No. Pack the box, run a Cover-1 or Man-Free and make the Utes outscore us through the air. I don't think they can...

I do not listen to the John Canzano radio show except for a short commute to home, grocery store, etc. when he happens to be on. But I did catch a snippet of an interview he had (Live) with former Defensive Coordinator for Oregon and current Pac-12 Network Analyst Nick Aliotti. After a wide range of interesting questions and discussion--John asked him, "what did YOU think of the decisions by Lanning on the three 4th downs in the Washington game?" Nick emphasized a couple of times how he likes what Lanning is doing here on a number of fronts, and he is NOT second-guessing, because he gave his opinion on the downs in question as it actually happened in real-time. On the first one before halftime? "I'm kicking the field goal, going into halftime only down a point, with momentum and the ball starting the second half." Nick comforts a player crushed by the 2014 Natty Loss On the second one in mid-third quarter? "I would have kicked the field goal." (Analyst and former college coach as four Pac-12 schools--Ken Woody at the Register-Guard wrote the same thing recently.) On the third one? "I would have punted." Then he emphasized all the above again, and how his opinion doesn't make it right but,..."but I would have punted because that's who I am." Just passing it along, and this, again, might be the difference between a coach being age 37 versus 67... My History with Nick Some may recall the connection between the early days of FishDuck and Coach Aliotti, as he allowed a meeting with me before I even had the first website, before I received media credentials and when the local media only knew Oregon's 4-3 defense. I announced the change to the 3-4 defense after that meeting in May of 2010, and the rest of the media spent the rest of the summer trying to deny the change, get Chip to admit the change, or attack me personally for suggesting it. Below is the story... Fish Report: Oregon's New 3-4 Defense FISHDUCK.COM (Please note that this white paper was written and distributed onto a number of Oregon forums in June of 2010, but this article of the White Paper was not…

I did not see the interviews you did, so you have a perception there that many of us do not have. But I look at the bigger picture; he is only 37 years old, and we ALL go through growth/learning phases in our lives. Some are painful, and others give us pause as we rethink things. He might just be going through a "re-thinking" period that perhaps could have come from a discussion with an experienced coach? Maybe Bellotti, Kirby Smart, or one or more of the Oregon offensive assistants? Since his staff has been around TONS of winning coaches--maybe he had an "intervention" that is giving him pause? I do not know, just spit-balling. But considering his age and how this is his first coaching gig....and how he has lost three games in two years over the same philosophy applied...perhaps all of the above occurred? He wasn't clipped, but "advised," and is thinking it through?

I agree David, it was fun to see an Old "I" Formation again, and the jumbo near the goal line. What I love about this old "I" formation, is how you line up balanced, and thus the defense has to line up balanced, because they don't know what side you are running to. Thus whichever side the fullback is going to...we have an extra blocker on that side. BTW, I loved how Casey Kelly, who is a tight end lined up as a fullback, really stuck the linebacker/safety and created a nice gap for Jordan James to bull through the rest. Fun-fun. Thanks for the article!

I've seen a lot of people being critical of Will Stein over the last three days concerning his game-plan and attack versus Washington State. For those who missed my article on Saturday--the WSU defense sold out last year to stop the running attack of Oregon, and it worked for three quarters. Why did the Cougars do that last year? Oregon's receivers were still unproven at that time, thus it made sense to over-commit in the box to stop the rush, and make Oregon beat them through the air...and fortunately the Ducks narrowly came through last year. I believe Coach Stein anticipated a similar game-plan this year from Washington State, since it almost worked last year. I know I was expecting it, thus my article below. But the Cougars came out with a more balanced defense because they now respected Troy Franklin and the TE/Receiver corps, thus it made sense for Oregon to run at them when we could have hat-on-hat in the box. So while Stein guessed wrong on the game-plan, give him credit for not even waiting until halftime to make an adjustment; he made it immediately in the early second quarter. You have to take what the defense gives you and not do a Mario-pound-his-head-into-line when the box is stacked, or throw long when the defense has dual safeties back. (This is why our long-ball has declined) Stein is not perfect, as true of us all, but I glad he is flexible and will pivot quickly to a new game-strategy. Ultimately you want a balanced offense, and I personally do not believe we can ground-and-pound the Utes on Saturday. They are stout inside, probably the most rugged on the D-Line since Texas Tech. You need a balanced offense as the Ducks finished with on this last Saturday, IMHO. Oregon Rushing Yards: 248 Oregon Passing Yards: 293 Keys to the WSU Game That FishDuck is Watching For... FISHDUCK.COM The Cougars of Washington State have a good team that has beaten both Wisconsin and Oregon State, but as a season progresses–teams figure out weaknesses from…

That is a stark title, but it is true. Both teams have a conference loss, and it is doubtful that a two-loss team will make it to Vegas. We had one such elimination game earlier when UCLA played Oregon State, and now we have one in SLC on Saturday. Not trying to be too dramatic, but good-gosh....a lot is on the line for Utah and Our Beloved Ducks.

A lot of people are gunning for Harbaugh since he is insufferable about how they do it "the right way" compared to other schools. (Is he related to the Beavers?)

Not at FishDuck.com!

Hatfield-Dowling Complex. It was originally named after Len Casanova, (incredible Oregon coach) but they realized that calling ground zero for Oregon football, "the Casanova Complex" would not be ideal. Hatfield-Dowling Complex Len Casanova

When asked who would play in the Pac-12 Championship game--John Canzano went through the teams and came up confused and figured tiebreakers would come into play. Except for USC.... ...and he stated that "USC won't be in Las Vegas unless they buy tickets."

Not a 7:00 PM game, so we have to count our blessings with that!

We rarely get this kind of opportunity as an Oregon fan, so I think your concerns are justified. It is amazing that what was a shoo-in a week ago can change so quickly.

Right. But the question was the regular season, although you could say the choices are bad-or-bad.

I think it is, after what I saw of Utah versus USC. They have an offense now, and my only encouragement is that USC scored 32 points on the superb Ute defense. No matter what the win record...USC at home will be tough. Oregon State could be the toughest test, but again--we have them at home of which helps a ton. But Salt Lake City has been almost impossible to win at, and lately--OBD has had their butts kicked there. Is this week the toughest left on the regular schedule?

I love this play, and hope we will see it on a crucial third down situation in a big game. And that could be this weekend... Thanks Coach!