Charles Fischer

Getting Jurrion Dickey for 2023 and he just got Kyler Kasper a week or so ago for 2022? And Coach Adams has been here how long? (Both Rivals 4-Stars) Geez...I guess Coach Lanning knows how to build a staff? (While coaching a 'Natty defense!)

Great catch McDuck....this deserves its own thread!

I was going to post his article in full...because he states how Dan Lanning is listening to him...or reading him, at minimum. Thank you Kurt, as over the years--I've had a ton of people tell me how they would see an article on FishDuck, and then almost the same thing a day or two later in OregonLive, Canzano, etc. I see that the other sites are trying to get tougher with enforcing rules....more than ever before. And this began after OBD came back into being; a coincidence? They would say so, but then--they've never credited us when it has been due umpteen times. (That is a long story of examples) They have no problem stealing from us...

Shouts Walk-on to me…

And he is a 4-Star wide receiver on Rivals as well!

Geez...he and Ware alternating? That is depth like a Blue-Blood!

That is a riot!

I imagine that 7.9 million will buy MORE in Alabama?

But it is only EIGHT bathrooms! As I said....why would he change anything he did while at Oregon when he has been reinforced with eight million a year for his decisions?

What is amazing to me is....if the players asked the Greybeards on this forum, and they could have told the players in one minute for free their chances of making it. We've watched a TON of Oregon players leave and bust....

Verone McKinley went undrafted but signed with the Dolphins. Verone McKinley, a fourth-year sophomore, gave up his final two years of eligibility at the University of Oregon and declared for the NFL Draft. Nobody picked him. Same thing for Mykael Wright, Devon Williams and CJ Verdell. All four Oregon players opted out of college early, went undrafted, and found themselves scrambling for free-agent invitations to NFL camps over the weekend. “They got horrible advice,” said one UO program insider. The Ducks had only one player — Kayvon Thibodeaux at No. 5 — selected among the 262 players picked the 2022 NFL Draft. The alarming number of undrafted, early-entry candidates from Eugene raises questions. Are NFL agents to blame? Were there other factors? And are there lessons that other Pac-12 underclassmen might benefit from learning? The answers: Yes, Yes, and… Yes. One agent who asked he not be identified, told me on Monday that bad advice “is a big problem” in the industry. He said that agencies are so desperate to represent a limited pool of new clients that they’ll routinely overpromise and underdeliver. It’s why getting unbiased advice is key for underclassmen. “You are spot on with the premise — agent advice is the biggest issue,” the agent said. “They’re being overvalued by agents.” Another year in college might have helped improve the draft standing and rookie earnings of all four Oregon players. Consider that University of Georgia players Devonte Wyatt and Jordan Davis were both encouraged by agents a year ago to declare early for the draft. They were projected at the time as third-to-fifth round draft picks but both players opted to stay at Georgia for one more season. They didn’t just win a national title together, they made millions by staying in school. Davis (6-foot-6 and 341 pounds) was selected in the first round, No. 13 overall, by the Philadelphia Eagles. Wyatt (6-foot-3, 304 pounds) was picked at No. 28 by the Packers. They end up a wonderful example of how patience and betting on yourself can pay off. Are there other factors? Absolutely. Devon Williams Williams, for example, was a fourth-year sophomore at Oregon. He was playing for his second university and facing a change of head coaches. Despite having only 577 receiving yards last year, he declared for the draft. Said the agent: “A lot of guys have put in five years due to the pandemic and some guys are tired of college.” Williams lost his mother to cancer last year. In the Instagram post announcing he was leaving college, the receiver noted that ex-UO assistant Bryan McClendon told him: “Tomorrow is not guaranteed, nobody promised you that.” The former Ducks’ receiver wasn’t picked but signed a free-agent deal with the Ravens over the weekend. McKinley signed a free-agent contract with the Dolphins and Verdell inked with the Colts. They’ll go to mini-camp and fight for a roster spot or a place on a practice squad. Previously those practice squads were limited to 10 players but during the last two COVID-19 affected seasons the NFL has allowed teams to carry 16. The prevailing thought is that the league will again have an enlarged practice squad so there may be a handful of extra opportunities for players who went undrafted. Still, there’s a massive financial hit here. If McKinley had been the fourth-round draft pick of the Dolphins — pick No. 121 overall — he would have made $927,000 in his rookie season. If he ends up on the Miami practice squad he’ll be paid $11,500 a week. McKinley may stick on an NFL roster but he’d have been far better off drafted. Even dead last. The 49ers picked Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy with the No. 262 pick of the draft. As the final selection, he gets the “Mr. Irrelevant” nickname and, more significantly, an NFL paycheck. He’ll make $727,655 his rookie season and that includes a $90,000 guaranteed bonus. The total estimated value of Purdy’s four-year rookie contract is $3.75 million. “A draft pick is an investment in a player,” the agent said, “and GMs love their picks.” It’s a draft-day lesson that Pac-12 underclassmen should study closely. The booster collectives that have formed in association with new name/image/likeness rules can play a positive role here, too. Verdell rushed for 2,929 yards and 27 touchdowns in four seasons. He’s the program’s No. 6 all-time leading rusher. I’m wondering if the Ducks’ players who now find themselves in a scrap to make an NFL practice squad might have negotiated more than $11,500-a-week next season from Oregon’s booster collective (Division Street, Inc.). “Bad agent advice is the biggest issue,” said the agent I spoke with. The Oregon head coaching change from Mario Cristobal to Dan Lanning factored in at least one decision. Wright told reporters at the NFL Combine that he planned to come back for a final season in Eugene until Cristobal left for Miami in early December. If he stayed in Eugene, Wright would have played for his third defensive coordinator in four seasons. I think he’d have been better off sticking around for Lanning, who has proven experience developing top defensive players. I doubt an agent vying to represent Wright would have told him that. I reached out to several of the undrafted Ducks’ players and will update should they offer input. But I would be ticked if I were McKinley, Wright, Williams or Verdell. It’s possible an agent gave them terrible advice. Or maybe they were all weary with the college experience and eager to get to the NFL. But there’s something about how this all went down that feels unsettling.

He averaged 24 yards per kick return? Hmmmm..

Five young running backs? How many in the portal next winter? Two or three are going to be unhappy… How many come to Oregon next year to replace them KNOWING he is “the-man?” The new reality…

Some good information here with a highlight reel. He was a 3-Star on Rivals... Oregon Football: What Mar’Kiese Iriving adds to Ducks’ backfield DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM Who is Mar’Kiese Irving? Get to know Oregon’s newest RB, and see what he might be able to add to an already talented group of rushers.

Amen Duck-Brother, as that is what I am doing as well. I do not have my head in a hole; I know change is coming, but I am not going to agitate about it until it happens a few years in the future. For now...soak it all up while I can. And yes, getting my heart broke by the Baseball team on occasion is part of that joy of having Oregon sports.

A topic like this is perfect....it is what we are about, as this community likes to ponder the big and little questions and this was a great discussion generated. Thanks for bringing it up, and do give us what you are pondering more often!

Here is the article I co-wrote with a source who knew three Pac-12 football program administrators, and had tons of contacts among coaches, players--all through the conference. He is an attorney, owns a tech company and is a big fan of his Oregon Ducks. (Alumni) Check out the value currently to a player who is at Oregon for four years...nearly 2 million dollars, and this is not enough? They must get more, to where hundreds of athletes lose their chance at a college education? It is the epitome of the "ME" culture, IMHO. Pac-12 Football Players: All for Them, and NONE for All FISHDUCK.COM Do Pac-12 football players really get it? While that may seem to be insulting to them, it is a question that many of us who do the donating and buying of...

I would have to find the article from our archives, but a guest writer (a year ago) was able to show how the total cost of the value of playing at Oregon was worth nearly $2 million over his lifetime in the current system. And it is not enough? And we will disagree, and that’s fine.

That would be true if all the money went to the university, but the current model is the ultimate in sports "Profit-Sharing" as the profits pay for 17 other sports at Oregon. Baseball, Softball, Track, Soccer....all are funded this way. I think it is unfair to label this situation of where football athletes are being taken advantage of...when the profits are not going to bureaucrats or an institution, but for far more athletes getting a college education. And they know the deal going in...

Fantastic catch McDuck, as he is such a perfect fit for us.

Jester, I would still owe you an Oregon craft beer IPA, because of your entertaining posts! A long way to go on this… But I think we have three good years before our Oregon football world changes. I am just going to soak it all up in the meantime…

About his brand? Michael Strahan, the great Giants pass rusher, advised him primarily to “keep the main thing the main thing.” Kayvon Thibodeaux self-aware as Joe Schoen’s flashy first New York Giants draft pick: ‘You can’t be a guy who blows smoke’ WWW.OREGONLIVE.COM Thibodeaux landed in New Jersey on Saturday morning with a hoarse voice and a $36 million dollar smile.

When you have some time to blow...it only takes a few minutes to complete your member profile. Learn how to do it right here, and check the directions page right here and at the top of the page! (Open two windows/tabs to the forum) I put in a ton of time each week for the community and pay the costs; would you consider helping out ten minutes a day with an easy task? Email me charles@fishduck.com It takes TEAMWORK!

As I've said many times....any of these portal/NIL changes will not affect Oregon for three, maybe four years. So enjoy it while you can, and don't check out three years before anything substantial to the program actually happens! I am making the MOST of the next three years, as non-revenue sports may go away as well. So bask in all the winning that Oregon is doing...while you can. (I am thinking of copying this somewhere so I can copy-and-paste it every time I see someone about to quit being a fan!)

Gotta love you both!