Mike West

I LOVE both of your takes. He did his job though didn't he? My question is who is going to step up in the WR room? Stewart isn't enough. Not to mention Penn State's shortcomings were directly related to weak WR play. I believe the QB, OL, and RB positions are above average to excellent. My question is who are the two F22s in the room ( can I get two supersonic pass catchers please?)

This is a very good read... Oregon Assistant Coach Confirms Major Roster Woes as Dan Lanning’s Plans for Dillon Gabriel’s Successor Announced - EssentiallySports WWW.ESSENTIALLYSPORTS.COM Oregon coach airs reservations about his side of the football after second spring... Issues to ponder my Dick friends. Are OBD in position to exceed last year's intro to the B1G?

Hythloday1 is very thorough. I really like his analysis. He is more about statistical performance, but he provides an analysis that provides a keen sense of what is happening and what may happen. It’s a shame he derides us here though, because I’ve learned more here than what he provides ( I overwhelmingly agree with his analysis skills and what he believes by the way). I doubt I’d be the analyst I am without the feedback I see and sometimes receive on this site. It is more insightful, more balanced, and frankly we like Hyrthoday, refuse to suck up for preference with the University. More often than not, we have a vision other sites seriously lack. And you can’t suck when you provide analysis here. We might not run you out of town, but you’ll get dressed down if you offer up a weak analysis. That’s why I don’t subscribe to other sites. I’m not paying ten dollars a month to witness a bunch of ill written analysis that frankly sucks. Though there are times I’d like to tell a bunch of weak analysts that insults and deflection is not an analysis. All I know is I’ve been dressed down, and frankly we are all stronger, better analysts because we have to present solid arguments here.

Fortunately, we live in a free market society. So stupid people pay marginal people (.most times) stupid money. The NCAA needs to stick to player health and welfare however. If Michigan is stupid enough to throw away $5M on a potential QB, let them. That's money they can't sprinkle to the rest of the team. The downside to all this is other sports are going to suffer due to poor decision making. Not to mention alienating the fans. It's also why I have no sympathy for the players. They get paid handsomely to deal with the rigors of the sport. So idc if they travel to Pluto from now on. It's part of the territory. Greed has consequences.

Didn't they have remote classes during COVID? Class time should not be a problem. Not to mention access to professors shouldn't be a problem. This is what happens when you want to get paid. You're a professional now. Comes with the territory. Not to mention, those six to eight hours on the plan is ample time to study. You do what you have to do. I know I would jump at the opportunity to be tired and earn $50-100k while earning a degree. I have no sympathy or empathy for these players. They worked their butts off to get that "scholarship". It doesn't change...ever.

Very astute observation. I'm not sure how many people currently recognize they are on the butcher block. I foresee many media companies suffering without access to pharmaceutical ads ( talk about a growth line item the last ten years). Of course, that would be disastrous financially for college football if trends remain the same. Old geezers like most of us here pine for the good old days. Will younger generations pick up the slack? Fortunately college football is huge compared to other live TV, so media companies have a better shot at replacing the pharmaceutical gauntlet. It's looking more and more likely the super conference concept will take hold in the future. I'm interested in whether the P2 are beta testing that concept by adding inter conference matchups to see what and who gains traction (for example, we already know Ohio State, Alabama and Texas draw well nationally. Who else will in a super conference?). I'm not sure College Football has the capability of handling unfettered free agency the way the NFL can. I think the private equity leadership will probably help the colleges and universities navigate this passage much better. Hopefully they have a solid grasp of what truly makes college football tick.

This!!!!!

Playoff appearances will count here. Oregon has the Brand recognition. Now OBD must advance far into each season, including at least a title before 2029 to secure close to the shares UM and osu2 will get. I believe OBD are already at PSU’s level and climbing (it helped beating them in the CCG). Though most will disagree, it’s time to start visiting the SEC powers ( since they obviously won’t be coming to Eugene). We need a few victories in the South ( which is entirely possible given Lanning’s L3 recruiting classes). Not to mention active recruiting in that territory is easier-especially with a win or two. It’s time to take the tiger by the neck, and grip as long as possible. Choke ‘em out if you can, but I doubt it results in death. We are on the rise and it’s time to go after the jugular. We have the right coach, and the timing is better now that NIL has leveled the playing field. The SEC can’t hog all the players anymore now that they want to play (and get paid). The SEC was able to hide their NIL before it was legal, and Scam Newton is ground zero as an example. The refs are starting to respect our brand, now it’s time to make everyone else pay attention. Besides, we can start calling out Florida, Auburn, and Ole Miss for hiding their behinds in the South and claiming they’re national powers (unlike Bama, LSU, Texas and Tennessee-who go anywhere, anytime).

Darren, As usual, you can see the pattern amidst the chaos. That’s exactly the kind of thing Coordinators do so well. You’re at that level as an analyst.

Probably a good move for the teams. I wouldn’t like it. I get what I feel,is advance notice of key future players. It’s how I found Joe Burrow, Amari Washington, and the like. Ohio State’s projected QB looks really good. Saw him last Spring. Same with Jeremiah Smith (you could see he was going to be pretty good). It’s how I knew the narrative about us losing to the third string Buckeye QB was actually the 2nd string QBs in the Spring (and he looked good then too). This kind of move will deter staffs from also getting that kind of look as a strategy to poach players, AND players won’t get as much a sense of where they stand in the Spring (meaning they will work harder to secure playing time in the Fall). Double edged sword for me. I really like getting a sense of where OBD are in the Spring. Especially on prospective young future impact players.

I actually agree with you Jon. It's just the threat of it concerns me. We've long been past amateurism in college football. Since I was a freshman in college many many years ago. I talked to the players, they knew back then opponents were paying players. But this free agency situation is harming everyone. I'm not keen on the House Settlement either. I also don't believe that stems the tide, nor pits a check on outright greed.. That's what driving things now. Pure greed. Michigan proved they'll overpay an unknown just to lock him up. Player counts are going back to 100 plus. That's just a rerun if the seventies and eighties when blue bloods stocked talent to eliminate competition. OBD will survive, but Northwestern is toast. Vanderbilt is going to be a high school team. And like Nevada Dawg stated, massively mediocre teams are going to reach the playoffs. I liked a six or eight team playoff field. That's the max number of elite teams the total talent pool offers..

Let’s be frank, The ACC and the Big 12 would be lucky to earn two playoff spots regularly moving forward. They are about to fall behind significantly once the players get paid. I agree with FishDuck. Move to 16 teams, no byes. Season begins Week 0, Big 12 and the ACC use CCG weekend as qualifiers (two games 1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3-winners advance-a financial boon for both conferences). Better yet, reduce the final week of the season to the top four each conference left open (the top four play for playoffs in the “second P2”, the top 8 play for playoffs in the P2). Ratings would hit the roof if that proposal was slotted properly (would help, if the NFL took their players’ advice and eliminate Thursday Night Football). College Football needs the P4 to separate so the G5 can create their own playoffs, while still getting those million plus ‘preseason’ games. There needs to be the thought that somebody like ASU can crash the Natty party. Think March Madness football style. The networks can still get their NFL esque matchups every week. Just pit the best of each conference against each other much like what ESPN just did to Notre Dame. We already know Bama and Ohio State are the most popular teams. And Texas. People will watch a surging Ole Miss, Florida, or whomever play Ohio State, or Michigan. Same with Oregon vs Bama. Or USC vs Texas. Mid season at that. Slot Oklahoma State with Georgia. Missouri at Penn State. You get the idea. Expose the SEC to the entire country, now that they get four slots, bump the ratings, and fans from the Second Two will not only watch all season, they will eagerly await the playoffs. Anything to be the opposite of the NFL will preserve college football. Anything resembling the NFL will destroy it.

You brought up even better points David. It really is a chicken or egg dilemma. I think the players are good enough, and I believe the secondary issues seem like the weakness, especially given the amount of transfers that have started. Yet the questions you posed give pause to reconsider. Either way, it’s clear Lanning gets plenty from his team. He is getting better in the clutch, and now it’s a matter of elevating the units to complete elite status. OBD didn’t have the most elite prospects this year. Several teams have more ‘NFL stock’. 13-1 is impressive when you consider that fact.

Not to argue or anything, Bassa is having a good camp at the Senior Bowl. I also believe he was good in coverage, but ineffective because…. You guessed it-he kept looking at the QB instead of covering guys running into his area of responsibility. Boetcher has the same problem. Lots mentioned DL has his recruits now. Well, I’m concerned then because only DL Washington has truly stood out in the interior. We have too many edge rushers in the mix in my opinion. It’s why DL has had to go to the portal to fill the interior. But we shall see this year if the guys inside are legit. I want a 4-3 / 3-4 combo formation. It’s easier to seal the edge, set more flexible coverage rules, and frankly cover the entire field better. But I’m just a hack, so I could be completely wrong. I just hope the defense starts grinding down elite offenses. Still requires an elite offense though. I really like Lanning. He beat Ohio State at home when I was pretty sure we’d lose that game. He showed me he has the chops to step into the trophy box.

That’s a good assessment. But we’re talking about public institutions here. Profit isn’t their first consideration. Especially since they acquire a good portion of their revenue from Government grants, research and Endowments. This more than likely stems from them not having had to compete like they currently do now. The stakes are real now because it’s actual competition instead of structured competition. Losing has real consequences.

I am trying to be respectful here. The level of unacceptable behavior from Ohio State fans the past two years in my opinion leaves me no room for empathy for their feelings towards another fan base. Michigan cheated in 2021 and 2022. Buckeye fans conflated that to 2023 knowing full well that was false. Then they had the temerity to act like hyenas in the jungle after Ryan Day lost games this year. Jackals as well. Death threats to a coach’s family is criminal in my opinion. That is beyond unhinged behavior. Calling him a loser when the guy has one of the most winning records ever is ridiculous. I will never look at the Ohio State fan base as acceptable. Nobody in that fan base took the time to say enough is enough. Nobody. College football is not life and death. It is a function of entertainment. When people start personalizing the game to the degree they stop acting appropriately towards others is the time to put an end to such behavior. That not one Ohio State fan actually called out fans for such behavior is disturbing to me. Worse, it was clearly evident to anybody that was paying attention that Ohio State was probably going to win the Natty. That makes the behavior even more disgusting because is was simply pile driving the team for no acceptable reason. So, I am going to say I don’t have much empathy for a fan base that feels other fan bases are out of line. Even Alabama fans have more decency than what Ohio State fans demonstrated the past 24 months.

Oh I believe the Safeties and Corners played well enough to make a difference. In both Ohio State games and the Penn State game guys were so wide open, I truly believe any of us old geezers could have run those routes and been open. Not to mention the absolute confusion on defense the last two games. Michigan started the avalanche. Between Michigan, which only scored 17 but threatened twice in the Red Zone, and Penn State that struggled against what I consider a very mediocre Boise State defense, OBD looked mighty ordinary. The variance in points allowed between the average offenses and the elite offenses was huge. Too huge. We’re talking a full three touchdowns. I completely attribute that to a flawed defensive alignment and philosophy. Never surrender the edge. Lupoi’s defense does that just lining up before the play, then drags the backside edge to the middle. Once again, linebackers and safeties eyeball the QB instead of taking away his options (a dreaded epidemic in football actually). How many times have you seen me write you can’t cover your guy if you’re looking at the QB? Now go back painfully and count the number of times WRs were so open a missile couldn’t catch up to them. That’s worse than bad. That’s pure philosophy. I talked to FishDuck about this. You can cover sideline to sideline if you’re faster than Usain Bolt. Not many guys fit that qualification. Lanning had that at Georgia. Mack trucks that could catch a missile mid air. Bulldozers that could snag gazelles in the backfield. In other words NFL ALL-PRO level guys. Devon Jackson is the only guy on the team with that kind of size and speed. Lanning has more than enough talent. He needs a scheme that allows BB to plug holes and find TEs and RBs (and stop them from getting open). He needs to bracket superstars like Jeremiah Smith much like Texas did (the guy is too big and too fast to leave alone). Lanning has a heat seeking radar missile in a safety he can use like Ohio State uses Caleb Downs. He has quality corners that aren’t exactly lockdown, but are able to take away certain routes solo, and lockdown areas with safety (and LB) help. Im telling you he has the components. They weren’t going to stop Ohio State, but they sure could have slowed them down and kept them to thirty (which at that point meant the offense needed their standard 35, that they didn’t get in Pasadena). The goal is to keep lethal offenses at around 23-27 points, and make sure your lethal offense scores more. You can’t do that when you automatically relinquish the edge on defense, and your secondary looks like it’s performing a Chinese Fire Drill on national television. Believe me, I think Lanning gets it. If he’s anything like Nick Saban, they retool the entire defense the next two years-which is what it will take given he’s had his guys for three years. I’ll bet you this, I’d never get a media pass with these kinds of critiques. But I’m telling you, a hack like me is nothing compared to a pro. They have forty plays guaranteed to explode based on the footage they’ve seen.

I'm not sure we beat Michigan last year. Their offense was more potent than this year's, and this year's team was the first to "crack the code" on our defense. Not to mention, they way we lined up against Washington last year was an open invitation for last year's Michigan to simply pile drive our defense (the Fuskies used a similar defensive front against the Wolverines in the Natty last year and got obliterated - until that game I thought Washington would win hands down). I personally believe it's time to overhaul the entire philosophy on defense. I don't get paid for these things, and I'm just a hack, but I totally believe the best coaches in the business completely know how to take down Lanning 's scheme on defense. It's just apparent to me we can out physical lower grades teams, but when it boils down to elite competition, they know exactly who to attack, and what Formations to use to neutralize a pretty damn set of talented players.

I love that Buckeye fans recognize the threat that Oregon is. It first started with the recruiting battles. Then it immediately spilled over to the field. They don’t respect us, but they respect the threat that we are to them. Whether they like it or not.

Somebody in the B1G brass has suggested using CCG week as a seeding tool. Three games. Number one versus number two. Number 4 versus Number 5 and Number 3 versus Number 6. Winners get automatic bids. Number 2 goes to the playoffs as well. Would make sense if the playoffs expand to 14 or 16. I believe the ratings would be outstanding. Vegas and the Rose Bowl could be used as sites along with Indianapolis. Talk about huge interest! Better yet, if the Big 12 and the ACC took the top 4 and had a two-week tourney starting the week after the season ended (1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3 then the Title game the next week), and the B1G and SEC used the above over two weeks after the season ended, the ratings would certainly spike. They would have to stagger the games -say on Thursday Friday and Saturday the first week. That would be similar to March Madness, but conference specific until the playoffs start. I believe that would etch College Football as a Brand to follow in November and December because the second tier of the P4 would have a new revenue source. and people will still believe in College Football (not being an NFL Esque money grabbing enterprise ironically).

Didn't he say they used that as the theme for the Rose Bowl? I thought he said that was the theme for that playoff game. He didn't reveal that until the week of the Natty from what I remember. For what its worth, I don't think any team with 11 were going to beat them the way they prepared, and strategically unveiled their strategy for us(and everybody else). We had not seen anything like what they brought to the table that game. They brought their coaching staff to the table as well. Lots of coaches thought Day's staff was more experienced, and thus would beat Oregon in Eugene. That happened the second game because they didn't take OBD for granted, and they were totally motivated to humiliate us like we humiliated them. I think Lanning learns from this. I think Lanning is going to start going to Specialists instead of General Practitioners from this point forward.

I think it will be interesting to see how he does without his son at QB. He has adapted the mercenary route to win. I'm not sure how that works out long term. One thing I can say is he did way better than I expected. I didn't believe he completely cared about his players enough to motivate them to rise above their "pay grade". That they were in contention for a conference title this year impressed me. Now we will see if he is a coach or talent acquirer. If he matches that record this year (2024's), I'll certainly be impressed.

I think that works for Gabriel too. Murray at Arizona comes to mind. Size matters if you don't know how to use your talent. Joe Montana is tiny compared to current NFL QBs. Gabriel demonstrated how much of a play maker this year. The right (smart) NFL team will pick him up. Gabriel can play if he has talent around him. I have always admired Pittsburgh's strategy of picking up NFL talent. They always go to the playoffs. I used to think Belichick did the same until Brady went to Tampa Bay. Denver seems to have adapted the same philosophy-stack your team with guys that not only fit your scheme, but pick them up in every round of the draft. The players will replace the money seekers because they are suited for the style of play. Let the greedy get the "bag". Make sure you have a complete team, and the stars are replaced by guys that will be excellent in your scheme because their talent level and capabilities match what works on your team. Money IS important. Titles matter more to me. Brady, Montana, Sanders... those guys gave up some of their salary to pick up enough talent to win Championships. Winning matters more. Especially when you are good enough already. Gabriel has a chance to make an impact if the right team with the right stuff picks him up.

I don't think his comment is any different than "they play for clicks, we play for wins". It was used in the same context. A tool to motivate his team. They were pretty ticked that they lost to us. Surprised at that. They felt they were the better team. Not that day. They were more talented. They learned from their mistakes. They left nothing to chance. They set their egos aside and really went to the doctor (nothing against DL here-I think the world of Lanning, but he's still learning). They were willing to overhaul their entire concept, their defense and offense, and they waited on purpose to unveil all they were going to display (until the playoffs). Lanning will get there. He is a more complete HC than CK ever will be. He will have to adapt his efforts to suit the strengths of his players. I think he goes there. He wants to win a title...badly. He fully grasped how to acquire talent. Now he just needs to completely put them in position to win. That will require adapting his schemes to fully exploit the strengths his players possess. That's what Ryan Day did this year. Both coaches approached the season as a long haul. They both knew it would require looking at the season as sections of its entirety. I actually believe both of Ohio State's losses tremendously helped them win the Natty. They were forced to accept it takes more than putting a philosophy on paper. It was going to require drilling down to accentuate the exact strengths each player had. They had a wealth and abundance of talent. That wasn't enough. They tweaked their schemes to suit their talent better than everyone else. Including motivating them by expressing what the players already believed (that we needed twelve to beat them because nobody with eleven could beat them).

I remember when Nick Saban called it a fad. Then asked everyone if that's what they really wanted. Then Saban basically took Chip Kelly's Offense (not Bill Walsh's) and earned three more Natty's. I believe Cio Kelly had far more an influence on the teams that earn titles than Bill Walsh has. The fad was the no huddle. The option aspect of it still forces teams to pick their poison. You have to commit to what you want to defend instead of dictate the game. I'd say football is thinking about Chip's system more than Walsh's.