Charles Fischer

What stunned me from Washington as well were seeing designed quarterback runs! And Penix ran pretty fast, got good yardage and has no indication of the prior injuries. This is a BIG element in this game, as a running quarterback (on occasion) can really stress a defense. As fragile as Penix is? I was stunned to see it, thus they must have pretty good confidence in his health, and judgment to run downfield and at the right moment---make like an Oregon fan and... Duck!

A recent article about incoming corners is that all are six foot and above--mostly above. Martin is 5'10"...and Lanning wants length with his DBs, as now we have a 6'4" corner coming in and a 6'5" safety?

From another thread... Keep in mind that the 85 scholarship number is when fall camp begins, and we will have more leave after Spring Football...whoever is at the bottom of the depth chart of each position, and is not a freshman. We have two other fast-twitch corners from last year in Daylen Austin, and Rodrick Pleasant, along with two really incredible corners brought in this year. One is the No. 1 JC of the year, and the other (Dakoda Fields) we stole from USC, which made them very butt-hurt. Oh yeah...we have Jahlil Florence returning too. They are inexperienced, but one of the most talented corner rooms ever at Oregon! And he is 6'4" at corner?

Keep in mind that the number is when fall camp begins, and we will have more leave after Spring Football. We have two other fast-twitch corners from last year in Daylen Austin, and Rodrick Pleasant, along with two really incredible corners brought in this year. One is the No. 1 JC of the year, and the other we stole from USC, which made them very butt-hurt. Oh yeah...we have Jahlil Florence returning too. They are inexperienced, but one of the most talented corner rooms ever at Oregon! And he is 6'4" at corner?

This is taken from The Athletic, and it is not the entire article. I would suggest subscribing since they have a dollar a month special, and frankly, it is worth it. --------------------------------------------------- Late in the season, as morning temperatures in Eugene dipped into the 30s, Lanning would take off his shirt as the Ducks started practice. Just to quiet those who preferred to work inside. And to show the toughness that greatness requires. “Some days it will be freezing,” linebacker Jeffrey Bassa said. “Guys got a long sleeve on. It’s cold outside. There’s frost on the ground. He’ll pop his shirt right off. You’ll see his tattoos and all that, and he’s out there yelling on the mic. It’s crazy to see.” (Mr. FishDuck Note: Eugene is not a dry cold; it is the worst, a moist penetrating cold at this time of the year. What is described above? Its insane.) What is Lanning's Super-Power? From Bo Nix: “He is a critical thinker. He’s very consistent (and) persistent. He goes after the little details harder than the bigger details.” From special teams/nickels coach Joe Lorig: “Dan is smarter than everybody else. He’s really, really, really smart. He’s just always a step ahead of everybody from a thought process.” Dan Lanning talking to Joe Lorig From right guard Steven Jones: “Somehow he’s always everywhere that we’re going to be. Like every time we go to practice, he’s out there. By the time we get to the media room, he’s already in there. (He shows up) out of nowhere. Out of thin air.” From safety Evan Williams: “He just never stops going. I feel like his mind and the way he runs, the way he’s wired, he’s always looking for improvements in every little thing he attacks. He’s just finding ways to get better, and it’s really, honestly, motivating.” After two seasons, Lanning is 22-5, setting a strong foundation, but it’s nothing Oregon hasn’t seen before. This is the price of expectations at a school used to winning. Chip Kelly went 22-4 his first two seasons with the Ducks. Mark Helfrich went 24-4 and Mario Cristobal went 21-6. About the Move to the B1G: “I think it’s going to be who wants it the most and who’s willing to work the most for it,” Nix said. “But I know the direction coach Lanning is going. I know the guys in this locker room. I think they’re going to transition really well.”

The most amusing conclusion to it all? They did it to themselves. Nobody to blame but themselves... No conference wanted them, thus it is not like they planned to stay and keep the conference going. No, they went into stealing mode once they realized they were unwanted and of low value. But I do feel REAL SORRY for them!

Or...we have some incredible defensive back recruits coming in and coming up, and he felt the footsteps behind him?

Great stuff David, and before I stick my neck out again...I need to see what we get from the portal. It was stated in the Ohio State bowl game that Ryan Day is not going to go to the portal for a quarterback! If that remains, true, then Oregon's chances at Autzen just went way up, IMHO with the Buckeye visit. Are we going to hang onto some key players on offense, such as Marcus Harper or Terrance Ferguson...or the three receivers of Bryant, Johnson and Holden? Will we get more help from the portal? Those answers will determine if we go 0-3, or 3-0 with that group. And don't overlook Wisconsin in the middle of November, as that one shouts TRAP game to me.

Jon, you bring up a point that I have been pondering as well. So much of the upcoming B1G games will be incredibly compelling, so much more interesting to watch...especially if Oregon and Washington stir things up with quite a bit more offense than they are used to. I know I will be all tied up trying to keep track of all the interesting games on fall Saturdays in my new conference. To me...I think the points made about Michigan are absolutely true, and normally I would agree with them concerning a normal great team. But I am certain that bastard, Kalen DeBoer, will pull something new out of the hat and throw off Michigan enough to pull out the win. Michigan will emphasize their toughness difference, and Washington will pull all the stops out to score. He is a damn good coach...

The final score of 45-6 was certainly one I did not see coming, but TerryM9 was feeling it, as his 42-6 prediction was only a total of three points off? Wow. If I am not mistaken...I believe this is the second time you have won? Now you are in rare territory here, and I wish I had a special prize for you. I gotta give love to WaterPoloDuck who was only five total points off with a 49-7 prediction, of which is also amazing to me. Serious congrats to TerryM9, and thanks to all who played over the course of the season. Maybe if some sponsors come forward--we could have some prizes next year and make it even more fun. Regardless, this was a great year, and I had great fun with this. Thanks to everyone!

And...while I appear to be a Will Stein apologist--no, I call it as I see it. I did not let up on Taggart running Herbert between the tackles and getting hurt, (stupid-as-hell) nor did I about the Cristobal offense. (Won't take us to the promised land) Nor to Lanning and Stein for not taking the points in the first game vs Washington. But I believe Stein has done an incredible job in his first year as OC, and utilized the tremendous weapons he had. He will get better, but I thought the Fiesta Bowl was pretty-darn-good.

Not bad! Only two off...but wait, we were No. 6 in the nation. Second in the conference to a national finalist? It shouldn't suck, but since it is Washington... Below? I knew that for years...

We got GREAT yardage off the Jet Sweeps, as that play is an example of unveiling a new play that Liberty had not prepared for, and yet took advantage of the superb blocking by Terrance Ferguson on the Force defenders. It adds to the variety of attack, keeps them off-balance, and kept drives alive. This was a throwback to when Chip Kelly did it in the 2007 Sun Bowl. Of course if Chip did it, the play was brilliant, but not now! This was also a play from Taggart’s Gulf Coast Offense that worked well in 2017. I LOVE the strategy of popping new plays on a defense…but others can call it “nickel-and-dime” and still be unsatisfied. No sweat.

Oregon is the only team in the nation that has scored 30 points a game in every single game. At some point, everyone has to ask themselves if “isn’t scoring 30 points is enough to win?” At what point do you ask the defense…”hold them under 30 points please?” I just don’t see the same questions being asked when it comes to the Washington games as 31 and 33 points were enough to win on offense.

He used a combo of the pistol and the shotgun as the new short yardage formation, and completely caught Liberty offguard. I will dive into it later in the off-season…

""He did amazing," said Jackson Powers-Johnson postgame. "Not just as a freshman but as a center. He did an amazing job leading his group. Great snaps, great everything. I'm really proud of him... I just told him that it's his time and he's on his way to greatness. And this is the night to start it off, and he did great." (Greatness and Weakness Emerge Early) Thanks so much to Pennsylvania Duck for posting that article above and ALL that she and NJDuck give us every day.

And the majority thought it was Alabama all-the-way! Now, can the bastard Huskies make it two 2024 B1G teams?

I am so fascinated with this game! Well, I've known that for years...

I understand. It isn’t good enough that Oregon is No. 2 in the nation in scoring, and averaging 44 points a game, and what did we put up today? I don’t think people appreciate what we have, as opposed to expecting perfection. (IMHO) As I am going through the game, I see we attacked them with some new tactics I had not seen before that I will cover in the off-season. People will disagree with me, and that’s fine. Goodness knows I have been wrong my share of the time too!

Michigan's defense looks pretty stout; offensive line pass protection is going to be paramount when we play them...

Disagree. He correctly identified poor pass defense as I did in my preview article, and he attacked it. Bo threw a low ball, and the receiver missed it on the first series--of which the WR was wide open.. The play was wide open also on the third down before the field goal. My gosh Tez was so open, but the pass was blocked at the LOS. Good play-call, not Stein's fault on either...

With six minutes and 22 seconds left in the first quarter, Oregon ran an overload blitz that made the Liberty quarterback throw the ball away. Dorlus was in on that play…

I thought OC Will Stein called not only a great game, but really identified weaknesses in the Liberty defense. I certainly like some of the innovation, and there was one offensive formation that Liberty was not prepared for. That is something to break down in the off-season!

I’m going to check it when I go back through the game later, but I do not recall a single bad snap by Poncho, and considering how well we ran the ball, it was impressive. I did not notice any glaring deficiencies from our freshman replacement at center. Anybody else notice anything?

I could swear I saw No. 3 out there...but I did not hear his name!