Mike West

Chip Kelly transformed the game of football....any ego smaller than our galaxy is an insult (lol). Seriously though, I’d put Chip Kelly up there with Einstein. Look at what he’s doing in Westwood (with a QB that can perform at the highest level). UCLA is two years behind Chip’s abilities. If he had a QB from day one at UCLA, Helton wouldn’t be at USC.

I just don’t know. I can say this...it was a team effort for sure. I didn’t see anybody out there, coaches included, that fumed like they did after they (lol we?-all of a sudden I’m distancing myself, ha ha ha ) lost to Auburn last year. I want to know if they are junk yard dogs. I want to know how ferocious they are. I want to see ruthless effort, punishing contact, and an aura that scares even the seasoned elite. Who is this team right now? Monikers mean nothing to me. Effort, commitment, fearlessness, and an effort to put it all in the line-second by second. A willingness to make mistakes, learn quickly from them, then punish those in their way. That matters to me. I don’t see that in this team right now. In fact, I’m getting that sick feeling most had when the Snake showed up in Eugene. Until I see unbridled intensity, I sense we’re being conned. I better see some exhausted coaches and players all year. Like there’s no tomorrow.

I love the sentiment BDF (“I love you man” lol). My emphasis: Now. There is no tomorrow. And while we don’t have a bruiser like Rolls Royce, we have an OC that knows how to get guys open in space. Our RBs are going to have to be receivers that can get those five to six yard gains agains speedy defenses. Our WRs, even if not hypersonic fast, or Michael Irvin dangerous, are with an OC that dials up explosive plays. We have a HUGE offensive line-and an OC that knows how to use them. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, if MC needs to take a walk off the field when the offense is on the field, so be it. So, a fully loaded QB room is the difference maker. And we need two, maybe three to rise more dangerously than Darth Vader did before he obliterated the Universe. That’s how I’d coach that unit. Be better than you ever dreamed you could be. Because even if you leave, you’ll have set yourself up to claim someone else’s spot at another school. And in the meantime, no injury will hurt us. Now the defense? Should be 2019 stellar. Best ever, with maybe the exception of 2010(that defense shut down and beat down an explosive Tiger team DESPITE gashing run gains-22 points!!! Half what Scam Cam yielded all year). We have more talent than any defense ever fielded in Oregon history. Even without a Buckner and Armstead tandem. It cracks me up that Superman Mario Cristobal wants to fight in a phone booth. The dude can fly to the edges of the Universe, and he wants to use 3 square feet! So...it’s either beat down the most explosive offenses college football has ever seen, or slow then down and outscore them. Either way, who cares about 2023. It is February 24, 2021. The NEXT title game is in 11 months. You know who is going to challenge without all the talent in place? North Carolina. So we BETTER stop making excuses. You win with the horses you have in your stable, not against the field they compete against. Make the elite play a perfect game. Believe you can catch lightning in a bottle. Our future is NOW. You must believe you can beat Ohio State before you play them. You must prepare for Bama, Clemson and LSU before you take the field. In fact, all preparation SHOULD be for that set, and the effect should net dominant victories against everyone else(if you can design game plans for that group, you SHOULD be able to 86 normal teams). All I care about is this: our boys give their all-every second for the next eleven months. Every cell, every drop of sweat, every breath of energy. The chips will fall much better if they give the effort of their lives to winning a title this year. And the same goes with “I did it my way” Cristobal. The six inches between your head make the difference between winning and losing. Carpe Diem.

Darren, I’ll rarely question your assessments because you’re very accurate. What drove me crazy in 2019 and 2018 was it seemed to me Arroyo could not only set defenses up to fail, but he saw how to do so three or four plays ahead. The Rose Bowl’s final drive comes to mind. It always seemed to me MC interrupted Arroyo’s flow. Arroyo always had an excellent opening drive, then it always seemed to fall apart from there. MC seemed to disrupt every single bit of momentum Arroyo started, and MA always took the heat for MC’s choices. Well I hope 2020 destroyed the notion Arroyo didn’t know what he was doing, because MC singlehandedly disrupted anything JM developed. The offense was abysmal this year. Horrific...pathetic...disgusting. I surely would love to have seen what Arroyo, and especially what Moorhead would do unleashed. I dare say we would see nonstop scoring...despite very, very subpar WRs. Anybody can get open with an effective design. Anybody. I’d love to take any defensive back’s strengths and turn them into weaknesses. Blanket cover CBs can be shredded. Using their strengths. Moorhead can definitely execute that kind of strategy. MC needs to go to the locker room when the offense is in the field. IMHO.

Man, What a great observation about Flowe. I’m missing out here because I haven’t seen much 2020 tape, and I’m not familiar with the new DC. If I get the time, I’m surely going to start a new thread on this topic and the overall defense. I believe Hill is a pure safety. I believe Jackson is the most “natural “ fit initially. Facing today’s offenses is more difficult because there aren’t many OLBs with natural coverage skills. Not to mention they aren’t used to seal the edges (my major pet peeve when it comes to defensive strategy period). There are no Ronnie Lott/Troy Palomalu safeties, and very few Ray Lewis/Dick Butkus MLBs. Nobody uses the 46 1984 Chicago Bears scheme-which is the best defense I’ve ever seen (because only Montana and Bill Walsh could attack it effectively). Im speaking concepts here, but in my (oversized ego) opinion (and I’m talking the size of those jumbo balloons at the Macy parade here lol), the best way to attack these offenses is dozens and dozens of attack schemes and very well masked back five coverages. I believe we already have two effective edge guys in Funa and Thibs. That Sam guy would be great support in order to seal the edges completely, and Hill is nearly the ball hawk Breeze and Holland were. So again, when it comes to concept, deceptive appearance and creating confusion is key here. QBs and OL personnel should always have to think about what’s coming their way. It’s fun to play what if. And in 2019 I believe Avalos really maximized his personnel. That’s why it is critical for a HC to be a concept guy, and hold his coaches to high standards of executing strategy, and using the round table method of maximizing performance. 2020 should have been an awesome year. The team is stacked, and it’s really about performance now. If I ruled the world...LMAO.

You and I both BDF. FWIW, There have been plenty of times this season I was disappointed with games Avalos called this year. In fact, if Heyward did call both USC games, it tells me he has a knack for exploiting matchups. No matter the downside, if he is capable of extrapolating his success to all teams, then I’m for promoting him. The talent on Defense will take a hit on the DL. But if they are successful at sealing the edges and forcing all runs inside (and the Edge LBs or DEs rush then cover RBs running routes to the flat), this defense can crush it. There is another post I can’t find right now that wraps around this thought about Hayward I’d like to add to. IF we can only find two DeForest Buckner or Erik Armstead types on the DL, then it makes sense to surround that talent with a Funa type and some damn good range LBs like Sewell. Funa disappeared this year, but he is very talented. The key to a dominant defense is consistently getting Armstead/Buckner types. Whether we develop them or get them to Eugene. Then again, who are we fooling. The coaches have their own vision, thus we have to ponder what if’s or celebrate the surprises like the past two conference title games.

So many variables. Ultimately, in my opinion the fundamental philosophy MC uses is troubling. But talent is still under the radar for me. We still need more deforest, Peneii, and Lagaretts, not to mention a Colvin or two. We had semblances of Byrd and Matthews, a Herbert or two, but if we want to win a Natty, we’re going to need that kind of talent two deep. Getting to a NY6 is a reasonable goal with the kind of talent we have. It is reachable every year. Even with the coaching issues.

I would agree with you if NLI weren’t coming to town. The coaches that can build depth year by year will win. You have three elite staffs and respective deep, stables that will be tough to compete with. I guarantee you, name brands will still sell. Even worse, one conference stands out so much above the rest on every level, it’s only going to get tougher. Unfortunately for us, I think last year was our peak for quite awhile. I know exactly what I would do do put serious breaks in Oregon’s recruiting effectiveness. If I know, you know damn well the elite know. And Oregon is more name brand than Iowa State, whom has to compete with Iowa (who gets Big 10 crumbs). SEC teams are only going to get stronger. Which will,diminish teams like Oregon, Cinci, Central Florida, and the second tier teams. Florida, a Georgia, LSU and A&M are going to start “stealing talent” from the next tier. I definitely don’t see it in my lifetime, because depth matters in football far more than March Madness luck. Strength, Power and Speed isn’t that deep in football.

Frankly, another four or five games wouldn’t have made a difference. As I intimated last night, we don’t have the horses. This is not an experience thing. We need guys the size of the Oregon grads that are NFL standouts. Armstead; Buckner; the set of 2014 and 2007 WRs. Blunt; Rolls Royce; Ngata; Sewell; Stewart; Herbert; Harris; Matthews; and others that are built like NFL players. This group and the incoming recruits are too small. They will elevate the program, but they are not enough. We can start with the first two guys I mentioned above. Bama, Clemson and Ohio State have six or seven guys that size on the defensive line. Our receivers still don’t torch the best nationwide. You can see it today. Verdell is close, but Blunt, Stewart and Freeman are archetype bruisers with speed. We have to get bigger and faster. There isn’t enough juice or toughness that can match that caliber consistently in my opinion. Maybe a semifinal victory, but I don’t see titles in our future. Iowa State is tough, but they do not look like or perform like the Big 3.

I lean more at 28-21 Iowa State. Hope I’m surprised.

LOL

I was wrong: Our lack of experience would have hurt us against Ohio State last September had we played. Not to mention, they have more depth and talent right now.

Man, Is there any Quarterback ready to step up to the level of play we’ve seen tonight on Our Beloved Ducks squad? Any running backs that run and punish like those three teams above? Wide Receivers? Defensive Tackles? Cornerbacks and Safeties? We may have the lineman on offense. Maybe the linebackers. But that’s about it. From what I saw tonight, there is a huge difference between us and the elite teams. Unless we absolutely trash Iowa State tomorrow, we are not going to get playoff consideration this year. Any thoughts?

Did you really believe the results would differ in an expanded playoff? Florida? No Cinci? Absolutely not. Georgia? Did you see Bama dismantle them last time? What teams are in the stratosphere like Bama, Clemson and Ohio State? Its boring because nobody can take the throne from these guys. I’m actually converted. I want to see 8-12 teams. Because maybe just maybe, people will acknowledge just how far ahead the top two to three are ahead of everyone else. it’s time to give Cinderella her shoes. And glitter dress. So we can see if style beats substance.

I don’t mind the Pistol if it is used properly. As in to close out a team (“with physicality “ as our stubborn leader proclaims). Mario Cristobal wants to wear down an opponent. I’m fine with that as long as he wears down their minds from the annihilation they experience as the offense drops more than forty points by the end of the third quarter. You know, like he claimed he would do in the first place. Hopefully the game plan is to make Iowa State dizzy from confusion and a barrage of points. Sir Joe Moorehead is the kind of guy that can unleash that type of offense. I hope Cristobal demands it. And gets out of the way. I frankly never want to see a seven point victory for the rest of my life (and while I’m fantasizing here, why not add no more losses for life either...lol).

30, I think everyone wishes good riddance to 2020. Ironically, we all expected at least a conference title. The path the team took to get there was ugly, but honestly, didn’t we figure the team was at least a year away from greatness? My beef is the missed opportunity to gauge the team’s true abilities against an elite team that also expected to reload this year. The roster our beloved Ducks started the 2020 season with was bulging with talent, and to host a blue blood we have yet to conquer was going to be the best part of this year in my opinion. What a wasted opportunity to witness a mixture of the last vestiges of the “old guard” mixed with the newcomers. To be tested by a team known throughout the ages as a true powerhouse. Fortunately, we will witness the matchup in 2021. Yet the bitter taste in my mouth from missing out on the introduction to a burgeoning era... Die forever 2020 Roll in 2021 on another good note my beloved Ducks.