Charles Fischer

I admit that I do like that helmet, and thus I will have another new helmet for avatars!

Boy...I did not see this upside development coming at all! Can you believe his PFF numbers below? Mixon Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week EUGENE, Ore. — Oregon inside linebacker Jerry Mixon was announced as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Monday for his performance in the Ducks' 34-14 win at Northwestern last Saturday. It is the first career Big Ten honor for Mixon and the first for a Duck this season. Mixon continued his breakout start to his junior season in Oregon's Big Ten opener, recording an interception for the second game in a row while matching his career high with five tackles and adding a tackle for loss. He returned the interception 36 yards to set up the Ducks' fourth touchdown of the game. Mixon became the first Duck since Khyree Jackson in 2023 to pick off a pass in back-to-back games. He is tied for sixth nationally and first in the Big Ten with two interceptions and his 62 interception return yards are No. 12 in the country. On the season, Mixon is No. 1 among qualified FBS linebackers with a 91.5 overall defensive grade from Pro Football Focus, and his 92.7 pass coverage grade ranks second among all linebackers. The San Francisco native owns a career-high 10 tackles through three games, and he made his first career start in the season opener against Montana State. Mixon and the No. 6 Ducks (3-0, 1-1 Big Ten) will wrap nonconference play with an in-state showdown against Oregon State on Saturday in Autzen Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. PT and will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.

My sincere apologies to David Marsh, as I started another big thread about this topic yesterday, before the publication of his article. I did not know the subject of his article until well after I began the other thread. But, what I like is how he brings more facts and information to the topic, to make the case stronger versus what I was writing. The basis of every defense is to stop the run, but in some cases....we may have to outscore teams. But it is hard when the opposing B1G team can grind the ground and the clock, and severely limit the number of possessions Oregon will have to score. My curiosity is whether our issues come from technique at the LOS that can be improved, the scheme itself, or simply a ton of defenders playing together for the first time? In the defensive backfield, we have three starters from the portal, along with two corners who are RS and true freshmen. We have three new starters on the defensive line, so perhaps there is some learning curve with the whole defense...that could grow into something special? However we cannot measure progress against Beavis this Saturday, as they are not a good indicator.

Thanks for giving me a big laugh, and for the humorous homework. Good one!

I do not agree...

Because they couldn't score with it until their starters went against our "2s?"

OK...there are not my facts, but what I am given due to media credentials. --Oregon is undefeated and 10-0 in the Big-10! --The Ducks have 15 Straight wins when scoring 30+ points, going 34-4 when scoring at least 30 under Lanning. (Rethinking "Defense always wins?" in 2025?) --Oregon has won 37 consecutive times when scoring first, 35 straight when leading after the first quarter, and 27 straight when leading at halftime. --The Ducks have 21 consecutive regular-season wins, the longest active streak in the nation. --Coach Lanning is 29-0 when keeping opponents to 24 points or less. --Dan Lanning at 38-6 is the most wins EVER by an Oregon head coach after 44 games. --Bear Alexander had FIVE tackles. --RS Freshman safety Aaron Flowers led the defense with a career-best seven tackles. --Blake Purchase had his first career start for the Ducks. --In three games, Dante Moore completed 78% of his passes, (50-64) for 657 yards and seven touchdowns to one interception. Interesting stuff! (I am counting my blessings as an Oregon fan)

NM.

I've been pondering again, (Always a bad thing?) and like you--was not pleased with our rush-defense, as Coach Lanning was not. Yet we know that the two Northwestern touchdowns were scored on the second team defense by the starting Wildcat offense...so just how bad is it? If we left our starters in, we probably would have got the shut-out, but isn't it more important to get playing time to the young-guns that will be starting in the next two years? How does freshman Na'eem Offord learn without getting burned in game-speed? Do you want him to learn that during a game that counts in 2026 or 2027? That is one important question we all need to ask? I've decided that playing time is more important for linebackers who are out of position--to learn at game speed--and is what they need to experience. It was garbage time...who cares? Second question; just how realistic is it for us to expect perfection from the team? Yes, the No. 1 defense gave up more ground yards than we wanted...but they kept a Big-10 team scoreless while they were in there. Isn't that the goal?\ I do think we have to readjust our thinking to the new conference; if any conference is known for tough offensive lines that bull for rush yards...it is the B1G, because they have to in order to compete. Even weak teams will move the ball on the ground against us. We lost three starters on the defensive line to the NFL from last year, but recall how well Purdue ran the ball on us? We won 35-0, but the Boilermakers got over 200 yards rushing off us, (Linked) and anytime you rush for over 200 yards, that is pretty darn good, and you will usually win. While demanding the best feels good...how realistic is it? Look at the college scoreboard, and you will see teams with good defenses, (Like Georgia and Notre Dame) get a boatload of points scored on them. I think it is pretty unavoidable these days, as everyone has the firepower on offense to score. Thus why I think Will Stein will strive to score as many as possible because when we face good teams like Penn State...they are going to score a bunch on us. Just a reality, IMHO. Agree?

Very humble, and so refreshing! So much we did not know about him...

I think it is a cool uniform with a great tribute....but any other home game please...

Wear a black uniform against Oregon State? Really?

DrJackPlaidPants! One of the great handle names on the forum that evokes pleasant memories of past champions in the state. As you know, Oregon won 34-14, and DrJackPlaidPants predicted a 35-17 score, that was only four total points off. Winner! It is wonderful to see all the great names of this forum entered in the contest each week, and if you have not--join the fun! Congrats Again to DrJackPlaidPants!

Their new conference is worse than the Mountain West? It seemed like a good idea at the time...

Oregon State 14 Texas Tech 45 Washington State 10 North Texas 59 How 'Bout Those Scores?

Good game to win, yet point out our flaws to work on. The development of many of our freshmen, is encouraging and promising for later in the season, and the future.

While our defense has not been perfect, and given up more ground yards than we are comfortable with, the bottom line is that they have given up zero points at halftime, which is certainly the goal for the first half! Ol’ TerryM9 might be pretty darn close on his score before it’s over!

While Dante has missed a few passes, he has thrown a couple of extraordinarily accurate passes. This gives him fantastic confidence going forward, and this is as good as I had hoped to see from him early in the season.

And New Mexico is up 14-7 on UCLA? The Bruins can't stop the running game of the....LOBOs?

Boy, I don't know because the designated "Star" is Jaden Canady, the transfer from Ole Miss, and he has been all over the field as that fifth defensive back. First, with five defensive backs....if the Free Safety, (Dillon) is up closer, then we still have four DBs to combat the passing attack of our opposition. And...I cannot help but think this was brought about because of the unique talents of Thieneman?

Playing a safety up closer to the box, (in the middle) allows Dillion Thieneman to crash in run-support, and yet help out in the mid-zones in pass defense. It makes sense against a run-heavy B1G conference, and we had it implemented on us in the Rose Bowl...so we know it works! It morphs into a Tampa-2 kind of defense for passes, but I think it takes a very savvy safety, (such as Dillon) to make this work. Although...I believe Kingston Lopa was playing this spot in relief, and he sure brought the wood on some running plays. Thanks for pointing this our Eric, and we look forward to more of your thoughts on this and other elements of the team! Kingston Lopa

What is remarkable to me is how nearly two-thirds of the conference only have recruits travel only a third or half as much. We have a tall disadvantage to overcome, as prior coaches knew, but Lanning and his staff overcome these barriers.