Charles Fischer

Not to me. I loved how they used Travis Dye as a change-up and as a superb pass receiver out of the backfield. While CJ Verdell did not have the break-away speed of other running backs of the past, he was tough and his vision had improved significantly this past year. We will really miss him. Dye has had ball-control issues when he carries it a ton; will that happen again with all the carries in Pac-12 play? And...he is smallish; is that who you want for a crucial 3rd and 1, or an inexperienced freshman running back? Oh yeah...I forgot. They'll have Anthony Brown take-on the interior of the opposing defensive lines...

(Press Release from Oregon Athletics) (Bolding/Formatting from Mr. FishDuck) SAN FRANCISCO – Oregon was picked second in the Pac-12 preseason coaches’ poll which was announced on Tuesday at the conference’s annual media day, coming in behind only defending national champion Stanford. Pac-12 Preseason Coaches Poll 1. Stanford (11) - 121 2. Oregon (1) - 108 3. UCLA - 101 4. Oregon State - 86 5. Arizona - 83 6. Washington State - 70 7. Colorado - 65 8. Arizona State - 47 9. USC - 45 T10. Utah - 25 T10. Washington - 25 12. California - 16 The Ducks are coming off of a Sweet Sixteen run in 2020-21 when they finished 15-9 and 10-7 in Pac-12 play, coming in fourth in the league. Oregon returns its leading scorer and rebounder from a year ago in Nyara Sabally (12.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG) and assists leader Te-Hina Paopao (4.4 APG). Sedona Prince gives the Ducks another talented star in the frontcourt after averaging 10.4 points and 1.5 blocks per game while Sydney Parrish, Maddie Scherr and Kylee Watson all return after playing significant roles in their first collegiate seasons. Oregon also welcomes in a talented group of newcomers made up of five transfers and two true freshmen. Endyia Rogers arrives in Eugene from USC, where she was an all-conference performer a year ago after averaging 14.8 points and 4.3 assists per game. The Ducks also bring in graduate transfers Shannon Dufficy and Ahlise Hurst Georgia State transfer Taylor Hosendove and junior college All-American Chanaya Pinto. True freshman Taylor Bigby comes in as the No. 29 player in the Class of 2021 according to espnW in addition to being a two-time Gatorade State Player of the Year in Nevada as a junior and senior. Phillipina Kyei rounds out the group of newcomers and is the tallest player in program history at 6-foot-8. The Ducks are the only team in the Pac-12 to have three 2021 all-conference performers on the roster in Paopao, Rogers and Sabally, while the four transfers who came from other Division I schools have a combined 331 career starts under their belts. Oregon will host exhibition games against Saint Martin’s (Oct. 28, 6 p.m.) and Westmont (Nov. 6, TBA) before opening the regular season against Idaho State on Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m. in Matthew Knight Arena.

Every week I receive a press release (among many others) that has all the stats and information that refer to the next game. I found a number of interesting tidbits, and a few that raised my eyebrows. Fast FishDuck Facts: --Oregon's yardage in rushing (1,052) and passing (1,054) are surprising close. I would have thought a 60/40 split towards the rush, since we've had some trouble passing at times? --Oregon's third down conversions are the same as our opponents at only 42%? --Oregon's Red Zone scoring percentage is impressive at 91%, but an exception before halftime last game was a killer. --This one I am stunned at: the Sacks by Oregon are the same as our opponents at 10 each! (I would have thought we should have been much higher at this time, considering preseason hype) --Oregon has the third longest home winning streak in the nation at 15. --The overall series is led by Cal (?) at 41-40-2! --Oregon is tied for 1st in the nation with the fewest turnovers given up. --The Ducks are just giving up 16.7 points per home game this year. --Oregon leads the Pac-12 in scoring at just 35.80 points per game? Personnel Surprises: --The biggest ignored feel good player story of the year--is Camden Lewis as he has gone 6-6 in Field Goals and 23-23 for PATs. I never would have thought it would happen! --I think it sucks that we have to face an Oregon Alumni in the coaching staff of Justin Wilcox, (HC) Bill Musgrave, (OC) Peter Sirmon (DC) and Keith Heyward. (DBs and coaching alumni) --Verone McKinley III is in a 5-way tie for most interceptions in the nation. --Alex Forsyth is back and listed as the starter at center! --Keith Brown is listed as the starter at the weakside linebacker. (WILL) --Keyon Ware-Hudson, a redshirt freshman 288 pound defensive tackle (No. 95) is listed as a starter. --The two Tight End slots (which is unusual to list it that way) are simply listed as "or" between the four of DJ Johnson, Moliki Matavao, Terrance Ferguson and Spencer Webb. --Wide Receiver is even more jumbled as they list them as the following: Pittman or Redd, Hutson or Johnson, Franklin or Johnson? I was surprised by a number of these...some good, and some not so...

One of the best lines ever by a FishDuck writer years ago...."Starkville is the Pullman of the SEC." Leach likes the backwaters of conferences in WSU, Texas Tech, (where you can see tumbleweeds blow downtown) and Starkville.

Wow. The Athletic Department should be concerned that so many fans agree with you...a lesson in "how-to-kill-a-Brand." (And I don't blame you)

You and me both; who can predict this year at all?

OK...that is the shortest post ever that has made me laugh! Other than cat GIFs...

(Press Release from Oregon Athletics) EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon’s complete 30-game 2021-22 schedule is set, following the release of the entire Pac-12 schedule on Monday by the conference. The Ducks will play 18 conference games while hosting 15 contests at Matthew Knight Arena. Of Oregon’s 30 regular season games, 20 will be broadcast live on either Pac-12 Network or an ESPN Network, while the four home games not on a TV network will be on the Oregon Live Stream. The Ducks have 12 matchups scheduled against teams that made the NCAA Tournament in 2021, with the potential for two more in the Battle 4 Atlantis. Oregon will play three of the Final Four teams from a year ago in a five-game stretch in January, playing at Stanford on Jan. 7 before hosting Arizona on Jan. 15 and Connecticut on Jan. 17. Fans will also have two opportunities to watch Oregon in action at Matthew Knight Arena before the regular season tips off, when the Ducks host exhibition games against Saint Martin’s (Oct. 28) and Westmont (Nov. 6). The 2022 Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Tournament is set for March 2-6 in Las Vegas at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay.

And that is the difference between LSU fan and us....they truly are the worst.

This is a very informative article about Justin Herbert and confirms some fears we had about his coaching at Oregon... From the Article: But Herbert’s mechanics did cause some problems at Oregon. Beck says the Ducks coaching staff was more concerned with their young quarterback playing with a clear head rather than overcoaching his mechanics. Ideal footwork was seen as a luxury rather than a necessity, and getting Herbert prepared for Sundays wasn’t their biggest priority. They were trying to win games—and having their ultra-talented quarterback play loose was the best way to do it. “[Oregon] had footwork that they had set up within their system, but it was more of a frame of reference,” Beck said. “There weren’t nailed-down specifics … the coaches knew how talented he was, and they didn’t want him to get hung up on those throws. It was always, ‘Just let it go, Justin. Go get the next one. It’ll be fine.’ But he had a desire to know why he wasn’t making those throws.”

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! If we have that national reputation already? There goes the BRAND.

This is what I've been saying....a Super-Conference is great unless you have a good team that would be a conference leader elsewhere, but has lost a number of close games and now sits at .500. Will the fans love that? Great point Annie, and THANKS.

Jon....where do the bowls fit into your suggestion?

EUGENE, Ore. — The Pac-12 office announced Monday morning that the Oregon football team’s road game at UCLA on Saturday, October 23, will begin at 12:30 p.m. PT. The game will be broadcast on either ESPN or ABC. Final TV designations will be made following the conclusion of this weekend’s games. Coming off their bye week, the No. 9 Ducks return to action this Friday night against California in Autzen Stadium. That game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. PT start on ESPN, with Beth Mowins (play-by-play), Kirk Morrison (analyst) and Dawn Davenport (sideline) on the call.

My concern is that we have far fewer linebackers than running backs...but you are thinking outside the box--cool!

A Note to Everyone....the picture of Dennis Dixon in the article by John Giustina is just breathtaking with the colorful background. (Another reason why I want the AD to have people wear YELLOW to games!) A side note is how that picture was taken in the Arizona State game before his injury that ruined the 2007 season. That incredible picture was Dixon at his best... I am very grateful to John and to all the photographers who have provided pictures for FishDuck in the last decade. It makes all the difference in the article and the site to me...

I think that is an excellent observation, although it was a West Coast Offense under Bellotti as Brook's OC, but the NFL ran that offense extensively after that time period. Keep in mind that I was not putting the QBs back in the coach's time period to decide...I was doing the opposite. Transport the coaches from their prime to the current Ducks...what would they do with the QB situation?

No. 14 Ducks Rally Past Stanford in Five EUGENE, Ore. – Facing a 2-1 match deficit in Sunday’s top-20 match against Stanford, the No. 14 Oregon volleyball team rallied for a five-set victory (25-21, 23-25, 23-25, 25-23, 15-11) at Matthew Knight Arena. The win is the program’s first over Stanford in a decade. With the triumph, the Ducks are 14-2 this season with a 5-1 mark in Pac-12 play. “It was really hard-fought match by both sides,” head coach Matt Ulmer said. “I don’t know if it was the prettiest but there were a lot of big blockers and lots scrappy defense all over the place, and serving was pretty aggressive. I’m really proud of our group.” The Ducks have won seven of eight on their home floor this season and improve to 3-1 in five setters in the 2021 campaign. Stanford entered the day as the 17th-ranked team in the country. “We were all going out swinging,” Brooke Nuneviller said. “We were over-communicating which is something we’d struggled with in matches. I thought we just went out there and fought really hard. It was really nice to see. It was a really big turnaround for. That was a huge win so I’m really proud.” “I think my favorite part was that we earned our points at the end,” Ulmer said. “We actually went out there and we scored the points. I thought that was really important for our group.” Oregon’s home stand continues Thursday against No. 11 Washington. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. (PT) at Matthew Knight Arena. (Press Release from Oregon Athletics)

And I had no idea it was so low.... Great post Jon.

It is fun watching him with our agony going on as he throws again for nearly 400 yards in a 42-35 victory at home versus a good Cleveland team. He scored five TDs and more can be read right here, as I had my doubts about the Chargers early in the third quarter about whether they could pull this off. The Browns ran the ball extremely well, but the Chargers responded! Oooh. Good question! One thing I can say now is that the Chargers have an established offensive system. And all the players that barely lost last year have matured and are now turning those tough games into narrow wins this year. I am very happy for him!

I am very concerned that Cristobal could turn off a ton of very loyal Oregon fans from what I am reading in this forum. it would be tempting to say within three games, but it is really the pattern set over three years, the tease of Columbus, and then back to boring football.

(I do not usually cover some of the less-popular sports unless something exceptional is happening and this truly is) (Press Release from Oregon Athletics) EUGENE, Ore. – Kess Elmore scored in the 34th minute and a determined defensive effort – highlighted by Leah Freeman’s eight saves – made that goal stand up in Oregon’s 1-0 victory against Arizona State Sunday at Pape’ Field. Freeman set the school record with her eighth shutout of the season as the Ducks moved to 8-1-4 overall and 3-1-1 in the Pac-12. “I thought we had a solid performance,” said Oregon head coach Graeme Abel. “Early on I thought that we were good on moving the ball around regarding the attack. It was a great job from Kess [Elmore] to score the goal. Defensive-wise I thought we were really organized.” The sophomore from Berkeley, Calif., had a highlight reel save in the 63rd minute. Nicole Douglas blistered a shot from seven yards out but Freeman countered with a fully-extended dive to her left to knock Douglas’ drive off target. Who Stood Out: Center backs Croix Soto and Anna Phillips and outside backs Chai Cortez and Mia Palmer helped the Ducks become the first team to record a shutout against the Sun Devils (8-5-1, 0-4-1) this season. The Ducks have shutout six of their last seven opponents. What It Means: Oregon has its best 13-game record since the 1981 squad was 11-0-2 through 13 games. Quotable Head Coach Graeme Abel "Leah [Freeman] obviously gets singled out making the saves and at the end of the day, that is what she is there for. As a former goalkeeper, I get that piece of it. But as a team the way we defend is a team effort, it is a collected effort. We are not a collection of individuals, we are a team and we have been successful so far.” Notable: Freeman broke the season shutout record she shared with Jesse Chatfield (2005) and Halla Hinriksdottir (2018) … Freeman passed Cody Miles (12/2008-10) for fourth in UO career shutouts with 13 … Freeman also recorded her seventh win of the season, which is tied for 10th on the UO single-season list and just two shy of the school record … Chardonnay Curran started her 78th match as a Duck which ranks third all-time and is just two behind the school record shared by Danielle Sweeney (2006-09) and Scout Libke (2009-12) … The Ducks swept the Arizona schools for the first times since 2016. Up Next: USC, Thursday, 4 p.m. (Pac-12 Network). Leah Freeman

That is the killer remark of the week!

I wish to congratulate J Duck for not only winning the Stanford Game Prediction contest, but nailing the score precisely at Stanford: 31-24. I also wish to apologize for taking so long to recognize him, as I am guilty of trying to block so much of what happened in that game--that I forgot to follow up! Very rarely has anyone nailed the score like that, and we will have a prediction thread later in the week for Cal. Note to all? Please follow directions when making your prediction and give me the other numbers I need for tie-breaking purposes. If you do not provide them, then I cannot use your entry....and that will make someone mad.

I cannot believe the roller-coaster this year. I was so elated after the Ohio State victory because I thought it was a massive step forward for Coach Cristobal in managing as a CEO. Now...we are all in the dumps. To answer your question--it is dependent entirely upon the coaching from this point forward; a team that can beat Ohio State should be able to win the remaining of its games. Right? (They built they own high-bar)