Mike West

It's the kind of thing that used to be a regular part of fandom about the time the O was placed on Skinner's Butte. Think Animal House. Toilet Paper in trees used to be a big thing too. Oregon State kidnapped Oregon's Homecoming Queen ( I believe the year OBD went to the Rose Bowl-noy sure, but the kidnapping happened). These days, you'd get arrested for such 'juvenile' antics. No harm, no foul as far as I'm concerned. Nobody died. We paint the thing every year anyway, so what's the big deal. If girls just want to have fun, why can't guys? Brings back memories. And yes, we got yelled at damn near every day. Somehow, us old geezers are doing pretty damn good.

34-31 Ducks 1 TO 1 Sack 300 Yards Passing

Ironically, it was BSU's QB that impressed me. I was sure PSU would shut Jenty down, and keep Boise under ten points. They did get a cheap TD off of a blown coverage, but BSU's QB played much better than I expected. Again, Penn State under performed. They really can't throw the ball. Not enough to win the big games.

Oh I’d take Bama fan any day. Ohio State fans were complaining about Day losing this year BEFORE they even played a game. Ryan Day is an excellent coach. Top shelf by far. His fan base better hope they don’t lose him because I don’t see ANYBODY hitting the level of success he’s already reached. Not to mention maintain the level of excellence Ohio State has been known for…for decades. If he loses Wednesday, they’re going to complain. But they just don’t realize that defense isn’t as excellent as they’ve been given credit for. They have fundamental flaws that have been exploited for years. Elite offenses own that unit. OBD have the same issue, so it will really come down to who makes more plays on defense. At least our fans can handle reality (at least better than Ohio State fans).

Penn State shouldn’t scare you. Especially if you heavily scrutinized their playoff game. We made them look much better on offense than they are in my opinion. I was extremely disappointed in their offense. They reverted right back to how they played Ohio State. I’m not impressed. I think they ransack Boise State, but they will have trouble scoring in the Semi Finals.

Oh but I want OBD to win so bad. To shut them all up. Outside of Duck Nation, it feels like nobody wants Oregon to win the Natty. FEBU

Well believe it or not, Georgia and Texas will be favored as well if we face either of them. All three squads have more talent quite frankly. Especially on defense. Dillon Gabriel has been the measurable the sports books, FPI and eye test can't account for. I want to show why, but it makes me want to say what I want to do, which isn't going to happen. I happen to believe one simple adjustment on defense would just about shut down everyone's running game. Which is ironic, because we still have trouble stopping lethal passing attacks. Again, it's a waste of breath explaining what I'd like to see because frankly, I'm not the DC. So I get to fret because I know if I see it, the guys that get paid millions see it. The one thing that gives me hope is the defense has yet to allow momentum go against them for more than two series on the field. They kill momentum enough times to allow our offense to outscore teams. That saved OBD against both OSU and PSU. Dillon Gabriel is going to be the reason we win it all. As long as Stein gives him multiple options to complete passes, OBD have a chance to make history. Because we're going to have to score 40 plus every damn game. We're basically looking at Oregon/UW circa 2023 the next three games. Get your popcorn out because fireworks are going to be on full display the next 4-12 Quarters.

I've actually been hoping he'd run a Sequential play off the bubble/tunnel screens. This is a perfect game to unload a couple with a check- down option.. Stein has created a short game juggernaut. Corners and safeties are going to look for those 5-8 yard routes Wednesday. No better time to pull a "Marcus Arroyo"and steal a TD going against his typical screen with a fake block, straight upfield fade/seam combo.

The SEC and B1G could entirely settle this by scheduling the other p2 in November. Then SOS will truly be on display. Better yet, leave games open in each of the "P4"/G5 conferences in late October to late November so the contenders can weed out the Pretenders. Will they do that? Probably not. I would love to have seen a Minnesota versus Ole Miss in Minneapolis one year, and a USC versus Bama in Tuscaloosa. Indiana at South Carolina. A&M versus Miami. Missouri versus SMU. The possibilities are wonderful. The impact enormous. The TV ratings close to playoff type numbers for the teams still in contention. Better yet, it would preserve what makes college football different than the NFL (a pull for your alma mater and rooting for the teams to beat the teams you hate). All the teams would be who they are, and we would get a mini playoff for the main contenders, and exposure of the true depth of each power conference the first and second week of November, maybe the last week of October. That would clean up a lot of mystery about who is qualified. But the SEC won't do that because their true depth would be on display. But Indiana would have been exposed. South Carolina would have had another Clemson like matchup to display their level in comparison to Bama and Ole Miss. Bama and Ole Miss could state their case on the field instead of hiding behind their conference. Notre Dame would have to prove they could handle more than just the ACC. Indiana, Miami, SMU, Clemson, Kansas State, Colorado,ASU and BYU would had their shot at showcasing their status. It might even work in lieu of the CCGs. That way, Ohio State can face Tennessee before the playoffs, and Oregon could have displayed what they were against Bama or Ole Miss since both of them were supposedly going to be favorites against the spread. What I'm saying is a little creativity would go very far to separate the wheat from the chaff while still preserving the beauty of college football. The end of the regular season can function like the.'play in' games in the NCAA basketball tourney. Some kind of format to make the end of the season a TV bonanza while people talk about who is actually deserving. The playoff committee could still be a part of the process because let's face it, controversy sells. The SEC could toot its horn and demonstrate their belief they are a better conference. The ACC and Big12 could show their Boise State circa 2004 chops. Notre Dame would been exposed without really losing much status with a decent showing (their defense impressed me this year, not sold on their offense though). I guess I like to write novels, but long story short, the P2 can take their regular season money with their power contracts, while the other p2 can get some good TV money from the deal. Even the contending G5 could get in the game. This kind of format would allow the P2 their power,, while providing some financial assistance to the P2 and the G5 contenders. College Football would still look like College Football and fans outside the P2 would still be interested in the P2 ( I don't think that will happen if the P2 go down the road they'd like to go). In my opinion, this comes down to greed versus protecting the sanctity of college football. We know the SEC has more talent in their region. We know the P2 are way better than the rest. The TV execs can get their main playoff matchups without soiling college football. It's up to the universities to fight for the game.

10-3 SEC far more qualified. Especially in Georgia's case. The Bulldogs played the "top of the conference". Whatever that's worth. The SEspnC have better lineman than the other conferences. That's about it. So Tennessee and South Carolina can probably beat Indiana. Given that, the real question is how much do we want the SEC and the B1G to take their beach ball and play on another beach? The separation is already clear between them and the other two "power" conferences. I'm fine with it so long as the SEC schedule includes B1G teams. Then roster management and coaching will determine who the best teams are.

Indiana is a solid program in need of excellent players on the LOS. If they had that, they're top ten material. Both their OTs suffered from weakness. Their DL was mediocre. Their skill players are very good. They need a break away WR. Even with that they'd be dangerous. Lane Kiffin complained about the Irish victory. Well, Ole Miss looked worse against both Kentucky and Florida, so he's got nothing to complain about. Talk about no offense. I've never seen a unit disappear as fast as Mississippi's. As to Alabama, they looked even worse against Oklahoma. So all this stuff about potential is a bunch of malarkey. You perform, or you don't. This is truly the first year you can say "your record is exactly what it says it is" in the SEC. You were either very good, or pretty average. Beating a top five program and losing shortly after is like, well, Vanderbilt!

Well, that requires a DG or BN caliber QB. Cam Ward? Not sure he's as good, but he certainly made a ton of plays this year. I've already stated I believe Ward will struggle in the NFL. Don't have specifics, this is more a feel thing. He absolutely won't get the same kind of time he did even at WSU. That's what I'm talking about here. I do believe we have that kind of QB in our room again, I believe all three have that decision making and technical skills level). I seen enough from this spring to State all three QBs will make plays if and when they play (for OBD or not). Again, 13-0 doesn't matter if you lose in the playoffs. 10-2 matters if you take the crown. It's what you do with those losses that matter. That's what makes Ohio State so dangerous. And now that Penn State will certainly gain confidence with the way their QB made plays under duress (unlike his past), they're dangerous as well. In fact I believe Indiana has a real good chance at upsetting ND because their QB is making plenty of plays as well. The only time going undefeated matters is if you make the playoffs. To address your point however, I'd like to see anybody out there point to any 2024 QB that has made the kinds of plays Bo or Dillian have made. I just haven't seen anyone close to those level of performances. I have seen the right stuff out of our group though. Kind of that Joe Burrow thing ( (I thought would excel at LSU his first hear- but when he broke out- it confirmed everything I saw his Spring in Columbus). Pull the trigger when you see the right playmakers and their intangibles (which both DG and Nix had. Nix was questioned despite showing what he had his very first collegiate game- against OBD at that). So, let's define who those guys are in CFB now.

Bo had the essentials. He came from a very flawed team, with a average Receivers and a porous OL. Gabriel was already a money QB. He had a similar situation at Norman. From what I've seen, there isn't a QB in the country as good as those two. Tulane's QB is very solid. The guy at WSU is more effective running than passing, though he is an effective QB. There is concern that Dante Moore is suspect. He had an up and down year at UCLA. I believe he is more like Jalen Daniels than a bust. Daniels was horrible at ASU, then lit it up at LSU. I also believe OBD have three QBs close to Nix and Gabriel in talent level. Not to mean at least one of the freshmen will probably develop. So, what I'm effectively saying is I'm good with who we have. Everybody knows by now I don't feel the need to go 13-0. I want the Natty(s). Going 10-2 with the three we have doesn't bother me a bit because I believe all three will end up money QBs. As in more than clutch enough when the time comes (playoffs). Mr. Jon Joseph also brought up a very good point. Ryan Day and that awesome Buckeye fan base drove QB McCord out of town, especially after he had performed beyond the standard. Ohio State lost to Michigan in 2023 because an OL blew his assignment. Jon also pointed out what Day's decision truly indicates about tOSU: they can stack the talent, but that fan base is going to ruin their team. (Day has really been hexed with poor performances at the worst time). Will Howard has underperformed in two key games. He also performed well in the other two that mattered. In my arrogant hack opinion, Kansas State would be in the playoffs had their bonehead coach allowed Howard to stay so he had an option to replace his very underperforming Howard replacement. Same with Oklahoma. If both of those QBs were as excellent as advertised, Gabriel and Howard would have ridden pine in 2023. That long winded having been said, I believe it depends on the situation. I wouldn't take Ewers from Texas. He's too inconsistent. Furthermore, I really don't see a QB in next year's rotation that is clearly so dominant that the title is already in the bag. Looking forward, I believe scouting the hell out of these high school QBs matters now. They are getting developed more than ever before, so I want to see consistent NFL caliber decision making, and NFL caliber set and release capability (being able to get rid of the ball like we've seen from both Nix and Gabriel in other words). I don't have to see it from a high four star or a five star for that matter. Lanning gets these kids to camp often. What I look for is how fast they adapt to coaching and APPLY it moving forward consistently. I have watched Akili Smith Jr often the past nine months. He gets it in 7on7, but he isn't consistent in games. A lot of these kids rely too much on their talent rather than on technique. Smith is excellent when he applies the principles necessary. But he gets complacent. Natural ability is enough. No matter how many plays you make in practice or in high school. So obviously, I'm not paying two million for a wunderkind that dominates kids. In closing, what I saw from this year's Spring Game convinced me we are fine. By the way, Ohio State's Cardell was second string in their 2014 Spring Game, so he was miscast. tOSU just had a hell of a set of QBs that year. Same for Joe Burrow. It was clearly evident in his Ohio State Spring Game that he was a "dog". That's what I see in OBD QB room. Playmakers. I don't believe we need another Portal QB. Let these guys go through their hard knocks. They are going to be difference makers. We should shore up our defense (as mentioned astutely in this thread). Defense still wins championships. Even if you have a blistering high octane offense. Those offenses always eventually run into a defense or perfect storm that shuts them down.

I won’t mind the challenge so long as OBD play clean games. The offense is playing top shelf football. It may be a big blessing for the defense to get a wake up call. They don’t;t want to repeat last year, so they’re probably going to work harder than they have all season.

Boy wouldn’t it nice to make a statement and take out three blue bloods…two in their home territory. I sure would call them out further too by saying the eSECpn never leaves the South till the Post Season. Notice how Bama’s AD starting threatening to schedule fewer P4 OOC games? As if their traveling less than 800 miles a game wasn't an advantage for them. There’s a reason Georgia waited until they were a powerhouse before they scheduled OBD. Teams in the SEC won’t dare risk their vaunted reputation by risking a loss to a "lesser" conference. Not to mention they had to do everything they could to take down Pete Carroll’s USC juggernaut using the NCAA (because they knew damn well they weren’t going to on the field). I hope Penn State learned some lessons last week. Namely they can pass the ball on anybody if they really put their minds to it. They are actually physical enough to handle Georgia. I wouldn’t mind a rematch in Atlanta. B1G on B1G two years in a row. That would be lovely. Would be even better if Indiana schemed their way into troubling both Notre Dame and Georgia. That would shut up a lot of SEC talk.

The Ducks allowed three short field TDs to BSU. When the chips were down, BSU went nowhere. The narrative nationally was Boise State nearly pulled off an upset. I don’t even beg to differ. We could easily say it wasn’t the Special Teams that won the game for OBD, but the experimenting and uncanny turnovers that allowed Boise State a shot at an upset. Remember, we got 14 "easy" points and so did they. Take away those 4 TDs and what do you have? Probably another 4 points added to our victory since we shut it down when we hit the Red Zone at the end of the game. Boise State is going to get run out of Idaho come Round One. I was hoping we’d do the honors. Kind of that “it isn’t Boise State’s fault they have to play us" kind of thing. It’s really too bad, I really wanted to serve notice to delusional BSU fans that they will never defeat Oregon again. It is time to bury the hatchet and get the G5 a financial plan by giving them their own playoff system.

I will say two things: Nobody has been more clutch than Dillian Gabriel all damn year. Dillian Gabriel answered every question about whether he is NFL caliber or not. He will further cement that in the playoffs. Dillian Gabriel has outplayed both Travis Hunter and Ashton Jenty all year. He also beat Jenty head to head, and did so with an OL that was totally inconsistent that game. Oregon will not get the respect it's due until we win a Natty. What better way to leave a lasting impression than to go 17-0 and beat the very best (especially if it's Ohio State again, Texas and Georgia). Gabriel won't get the Heisman because the powers that be don't want to legitimize OBD.

And the debate begins instead of Nick Saban saying the SEC could settle this by scheduling more P4 teams in OOC games, he went straight to the SEC has an NFLesque schedule and is getting punished. Alabama roasted Wisconsin. But they were the only SEC team to leave the South. Sure, they played tougher teams back to back, but I am sure playing Grambling State the week before your main rivalry in November skews things. SMU would gladly play Ole Miss to learn how to stack up to the better conferences. Why isn’t Ole Miss playing above average North Carolina to put an end to strength of schedule? That would display the level of talent the lesser conferences actually have. Furthermore, beating ranked teams should be relegated to the top 12 teams. Those are the playoff caliber teams. Indiana, Notre Dame, and Arizona State will be on display against a ‘more talented field’ this year. My thing is the SEC has a talented collection of teams that try to use that group as a weapon when they are totally familiar with each other. Let’s see them play teams of similar caliber they are not familiar with to see if it’s really a talent gap, or just a protection racket ( I happen to believe there is a talent gap, but I want that belief confirmed).

One of the things all the experts and pundits talk about when it comes to big games and championship games: every mistake is magnified, every flaw is exposed. Ohio State and Penn State displayed what OBD will look like against the playoff field. Ironically, some of the mediocre teams presented a blueprint for how to defend OBD, but both elite teams couldn’t pull that off. It is correct to be concerned with the lulls we see from Our Beloved Ducks. I also say it is difficult to be perfect. The lulls we saw last night show it is near impossible to be perfect. Not to mention OBD still faced elite defenses with talent equal to the number one team in the nation. Earlier in the year, I argued OBD need to lose a game in order to reboot. It’s tough for any elite team to win 17 straight over the course of the same season. Well, Dan Lanning’s idea wasn’t "sometimes you have to lose in order to win ", it was "you just need to do everything in order to win". I believe that emerged last night. Penn State wouldn’t fold, and OBD rose to the moment. I believe that stemmed from the will to win instead of succumbing to the moment. Those losses to the Fuskies last year had an impact on the mindset of this year’s team. There were many moments last night where I was totally livid because my pet peeves were violated last night. The things I believe in were ‘ignored’ (lol). I don’t run a program, and I see flaws in teams all the time. I have to give Lanning’s staff credit. They work to make those flaws meaningless. Instead, they focus on performance in the moment. This team is dialed into one play at a time, and executing during that specific play. Win the Day has turned into Win the Play. I am extremely proud of this team. They give it everything they’ve got. That’s all a fan can ask for-or at least all I can ask for.

One of the things I really give our defense credit for is they don’t cave to momentum. In both the Ohio State and Penn State games, the defense did enough. What I mean by that is Penn State nor Ohio State were not able to make enough plays to outscore OBD offense. That’s huge because the offense didn’t have to be absolutely perfect. The offense had margin for error. I believe that is the difference between this year and last year ( outside the fact fact the offense is pretty consistent - it is completely difficult to stop the offense or kill the kind of momentum the offense maintains). The defense may have difficulty with talented teams, but they find ways to handle lead changes, holding the lead, or give the offense the opportunity to take the lead when the situation calls for it.

I thought the 4Q was indicative of what BSU will face no matter who they play. And no, I was stressed

Do you really think Boise State has an elite offense?

I don’t remember who said this, but basically his point was ‘the pick’ as our brand has seen its day. Well ironically, that interception started the run that lead to the Rose Bowl that revealed we still had a way to go if we were going to catch the blue bloods. Fast forward to this year, OBD beat every single blue blood we faced this year. We are the B1G Champions year 1. I’d say we have a new identity. KINGS OF THE NORTH. ’KINGS OF THE NORTH’ ’KINGS OD THE NORTH’ ‘KINGS OF THE NORTH’

Oh I think Arizona State would boat race the Broncos. Boise State does not have the kind of defense to handle the playoff field. And I believe Arizona State’s defense is underrated.

Now I’m going to nit pick. As a safety, when you have two deep, both safeties are responsible for the post, fade, corner or post corner routes. There is absolutely no reason to look at the QB. On the interception, Safety Johnson is looking right at the QB. When WB Allan throws the ball, Johnson is ten yards behind the play. If CB Reed doesn’t cover properly, that is either a deep completion or a TD. THAT IS HOW YOU LOSE FOOTBALL GAMES. For t’hose of you new to this forum, you have no idea how ticked off I get when I see this repeatedly. If I coached, you wouldn’t play performing like that. Furthermore, I would su=ingle it out in film study. I would alson[robe you can’t cover like that in practice every damn day. This is COVID, the Spanish Flu, WWI and WWII combined as far as I’m concerned. I will blow up an imagined universe if we lose again because of deliberate coverage policies like that ( see my comments about a safety I will not name that ran past a game sealing interception because he looked at the damn QB instead of taking away his option to throw that ball). I absolutely hate the way safeties, corners and linebackers cover receivers.