Mike West

I’m going to have to take a good look at them before I comment. Again, I believe it’s going to hinge on giving them solid rules for coverage. Savage couldn’t cover elite speed, but he sure was around the ball a lot. ‘’Ohio State (Chip) did a good job isolating the weakest man on man cover guys and kept the deep Safeties in conflict coverage. That is where the rubber meets the road-finding coverage rules that bolster those weaknesses and most importantly, forcing elite WRs to take short catches . Open field tackling is vital and that may be where OBD can take advantage of their skills best. This requires a lot of trial and error. Which I don’t think DCs and position coaches scheme for. It’s more the entire defense. One on One coverage is very difficult for even the best CBs and Safeties. That’s why I believe it takes looking at the best offensive plays ever designed and crafting coverage packages for them. I don’t believe coaches think that way.

I believe the scheme isn't suited to handle elite offenses. I've seen four games against that set, and then two relatively above average ( talent and scheme) offenses in Happy Valley and Ann Arbor that exposed some solid red flags. I actually believe the secondary was talented enough this year to handle Ohio State. They don't match up speed versus speed, but with the proper set of rules in zone, that group was keen enough to make plays and take away options. It is my belief that pass coverage should take options away from the QB. I don't see that as a priority in their scheme. I see a reactive formula that requires very elite talent. As in NFL esque talent. Nobody in college football is going to have a full set of players that rival NFL talent in any unit. That especially goes for a secondary. It has become quit clear the SEC learned that fact the hard way this year. Before, ten teams could stockpile talent and replace elite talent with near elite talent. Now Georgia and Bama face the same issue OBD have- holes in part of their units. In my opinion, that requires blending scheme that suits the talent level. I'm not sure many coaches are recognizing the facts on the ground yet. They still believe they can coach up the holes they have, instead of utilizing each players' strengths in order to produce an effective amount of production from the unit as a whole. Excellent coaches recognize this and exploit the weaknesses they identify. That's why Ohio State was chomping at the bit to play OBD again. The saw the flaws live, tracked our progress, and went to work on what Michigan initially exposed and Penn State exploited further. It's time to craft a scheme that is flexible enough to suit the many strengths the players demonstrate on defense. That's going to require testing the weaknesses in many forms and developing strengths that minimize those flaws. That's what I see at least. Lanning wants to use a style of defense. I see using talent that exploits several types of defenses ( that emphasize the players' strengths).

Away games are tougher. Hard to stomp a pesky home dog out. Nice victory. I’m impressed. Didn’t expect the win…

Rookie QBs usually struggle in their first playoff game. Franklin is probably an ADHD kid. That might explain the inconsistency and lack of focus.

Well, let’s hope it sticks. Kids getting ‘stupid’ with demands can take that to the NFL. This guy is good, but damn, does he really think this is really NFL land. I don’t want T to hear that Latree Spreewell nonsense (I got kids to feed). This isn’t Wall Street. Get your agent to sign some contracts for you outside NIL ( make him earn his money damn it). Greed is not good…

While I agree Ohio State wins the majority of this year's matchup over several games, I disagree (guess I'm in that mood today). The Buckeyes' loss to Michigan was the reason they're on a steamroll. But they nearly lost their Jedi status on Friday. Penalties hurt them. I haven't seen the game yet, so I'm only guessing here, they tried to bully Texas (got caught up on that I'm more physical than you stuff). I've watched Texas enough to know they had no business stopping a power passing team like Ohio State's. Which brings us back to the Ducks. The rematch would have been an OSU victory because Lanning has yet to suit his defense to the talent level of his players. I don't think that happens eight times out of ten because clearly, teams have been able to handle OSU 's strengths on offense. Nebraska, Indiana, Penn State... I doubt Lanning keeps his same stuff next year, or even the next game against a lethal offense. That's the definition of insanity and Dan Lanning is not insane. He's still a gambler but he's a much better gambler. I actually thought the secondary was much better this year, but as I previously mentioned, you cannot have guys guessing who they should cover, and when players are that out of position, they don't know what they're doing. In other words, they are given rules that don't work against even ordinary offenses like Penn State and Michigan had this year. A safety is supposed to take away the deepest route in his area of responsibility. Far too many times I saw Safeties twenty yards outside their area of containment. That's unacceptable. As I've mentioned dozens of times, in games at that, Linebackers are eyeballing QBs like they're going to eat dinner. There's a reason QBs are told to "move a safety or LB out of position . One would think a DC would take note and at least bait a QB into a bad throw. Given taking a QB's options away isn't part of the script, I see dark days ahead for OBD until they learn that lesson in a playoff game. This year's set of DBs could zone cover well enough to slow that lethal group of Buckeye WRs. That's the only way. The Mandalorian way. Ohio State barely gets out of its way. I hate to say that about Ryan Day, but now he has Chip, and Chip sure knows how to win his own way. That's is documented at this point ( I'll give him credit though, he found a way to take that late 4th quarter lead on Friday). That's why I don't believe Lanning allows an 8/10 run. This year or any year. When Lanning solves his pass coverage issues (some combo of above at least), he will win a Natty. And neither Ohio State, nor any other Blue Blood will stop him. Not even the refs will stop him once he figures that problem out. The Buckeyes are one of my favorite set of teams too. That's why I hate Ohio State fans. They damn near cost themselves a title this year.

I just don't get that upset anymore. OBD used to really, really SUCK. My first home game was a 3-63 obliteration I doubt will ever happen again in the history of the program. So what if it was bookended by another rout. This time, we're reigning B1G Champions coming off a 13-0 regular season. I expected a loss in the playoffs given how very few teams in the history of the game have gone 16-0 in a season. As in less than the fingers on a hand rare. That it was against Ohio State makes it sting. I'll take that damn ref fest in 2011 ( our first Natty appearance). Nothing sucks more than a conspiracy to prevent a new blue blood. That's my take and I'll die with a gun gripped in my hand before I'll accept another argument. We got robbed. I'll say it a hundred more times before I live my last breath.

Well, I will say this. He coached his current team better than EVERYONE EXPECTED. Including myself. You can't say he's not a good coach anymore. Like it or not, he exceeded expectations, and Colorado is way better for it. Neon did more for Colorado football than any coach since the late Bill McCartney. Not to mention, sometimes college football just needs a villain.

I love Boettcher. And he might scale up to Simon’s level. If he is used properly. He’s a heat seeking missile. Now if he does exactly what he did to get his one interception this year (watch the tape-you know what I’m talking about), the only time a QB will go his way if he is a step slow like he was in that exact play. However, if he does cover the guy ‘properly’ like that, QBs will hardly throw his way because BB will take away that option. And he already has the instinct to cover well. He just need to keep his eyes off the QB. I thought BB and Jackson were by far our best LBs this year. Now we need four more with their skill level and performance ability. Tweak the defense to suit their strengths and voila, we’ll have a top five defense for real ( if and only if they straighten out their coverage rules-which Penn State and Ohio State exposed for the universe to see-those players are better than the instructions they are given to cover guys).

That 2010 team had something no other Oregon team in my opinion. Intensity, toughness and sheer force. Nobody hit as hard as they did, nobody exploded off the page as well. They were more balanced as an explosive team. You couldn’t stop them (not even Nick Farley could sack QB Thomas-Chip blew his shot at a blowout ). You couldn’t really score on them either. Auburn got two TDs and a FG on poor ref calls. They shut down the second highest scoring offense-from the SEC at that- down. Despite giving up lots and lots of rushing yards. That 2010 team was WAY MORE PHYSICAL than Auburn. Ask the first known NIL guy Scam Newton. Watch how much he limped off that field. He got his butt kicked!!! Not one SEC team did that to him. The 2012 team had more talent, but the 2010 got robbed. And I mean Billion Dollar. Robbed. I think you could take the mentality of that team and put it on any of the best Duck teams and that group of players-if they don’t get robbed-wins a title. Including beating the 14 NFL Draft laden Buckeyes. They were that “Talented".

He has the kind of size and speed we lack. Only Devon Jackson is close to this guy’s talent level and size. ‘’That is exactly why I don’t like the defense Lupoi and Lanning run. They don’t have the prototypes to execute that type of system. OBD LBs -played well this year. Especially for what they are expected to do. Better use of their skill sets would make them even more productive in my opinion. They are not capable of what this guy can do.

DTBE. I kind of like that.

I'll say this: I doubt any Duck player forgets that loss. Ohio State is going to replace Washington as our bitter rival. They may up being that damn team back east.

Kind of gets into that issue of winning. Two losses are acceptable. Kids are leaving because they want more snaps. DE Winston comes to mind. He contributed often, and still left. Offensive Line is a little different. I believe you can't go more than 8 or 9 deep. We did see a significant drop off on the DL though. Opponents scored often when the subs came in. .So is that lack of experience or lack of talent? It took Winston three years to really contribute. I believe DT Washington is also going into his fourth year. He started making big strides, and he looked ready in the Spring. Again, some of this is purely scheme. The Edges spill into the B and C Gaps way too much for me. I've talked to FD about this, and he believes it's a pick your poison against Spread offenses. I say attack like Ohio State did, with the Safeties AND Seal the edge. But they use a 4-3 scheme to execute it. Same with Penn State. We also did in 2019 and had one of the best performances in Defense ever. Hmmm. So is it coaching or is it philosophy on defense?

Yeah, I stopped watching very early. It was obvious five minutes into the game. Ohio State got the rout they expected in October. I so wanted to shut up Buckeye fans. But I'm rooting for them because I happen to really like Ryan Day. I hope he gets that stupid monkey off his back As to OBD, it was not only a bad look, but poor timing. I think OSU still wins if we had played them later. I would hope OBD were better prepared. But alas, I'm backing DL till the end of time. He has way more upside than flaws. If he never gives us a title, I believe he gets us to a title game for sure. So many things have to go right to win a title. We've got robbed for sure and that 2010 steal will always tick me off. Yet, I'm damn near certain we have the right guy to pull off what many blue blood programs don't want: an Oregon Duck football title. We are reigning B1G champs. I sure didn't see that happening this year. So the embarrassment doesn't sting as much for me. The lessons learned this year are all that matter now

That's unfortunate if it was the treatment, not the injury itself. Jon is right. Staying in the moment matters. Because it's the people that matter to you that count. I'll tell you what though. Life is beautiful. We are so blessed to live in this country.

As usual, very good takes about this topic. Everybody wants a title. We have the components I believe Lanning has done a masterful job of recruiting talent, and putting an elite squad on the field. He took over a team with decent, but not great talent, and went to work to get the type of talent he wants. We've seen improved performance every year. Quite a few in Duck Nation weren't sure about the offense last Spring . The first two games really scared the entire fan base. DL showed just how great he really is. He and Stein took their time to truly evaluate the situation/personell this year and took that unit to an elite level. It's a work in progress. DL is performing very well given he is new at it. The College Football landscape is in a major upheaval, and DL has done an exceptional job navigating it. He has the chops to get us up the mountain, and to raise a flag on the mountain top.

I recognize why Lanning signed him. Don't recognize why Sagapolutele came here expected to play immediately. We have a super stacked QB room. Three guys that can start anywhere. Right now. Sagapolutele showed me he misunderstood what he was getting into. Some of that may be ego. Who knows. What I do know was there is no way snow will survive hell, and he wasn't going to start in 2025. Somebody gave him some very bad advice.

I only watched the first quarter. Shut it off when I posted such. What I saw was there was no way I'd blitz knowing my Safeties were going to be at least ten yards off target. Jeremiah Smith made a beautiful catch against perfect coverage ( he muscled his way open). That pass should have been batted down by a safety. Smith caught another pass in traffic for the exact same reason. The safety was late to the play. Why? Guess Cover Two requires a safety to shut down fades, posts and corner routes. It's so simple, the GEICO Cave man can do it. That's it . Three routes. But if you're looking at the QB instead of getting your butt in position to cover those routes, a blitz absolutely guarantees an explosive play. That's why I shut the TV off. I've seen this movie before. I'll say it again. With the exact personnel in the secondary the past two years, DL wins a title if his LBs and Safeties take away options instead of looking at the QB. I'll say it one more time. Tua threw an overtime TD pass because the safety, in Cover two, didn't take away the fade route on his side of the field. That is exactly why Alabama beat Georgia for the Natty. Look at the film.. Film never lies.

I look at this stuff a lot. I love BB. But I would attack him and Bassa specifically. Because both are not only a step too slow, but they're practically frozen in time looking at the QB. What makes BB special is his instinct at defending the run. He reads RBs well, and has a very good feel for where the holes are. If I'm an OC, I'm drawing up pass plays to attack those two. Because both are a step too slow.

I have to disagree just a little. I think Ohio State played possum better than Lanning did. Wil Howard practiced those plays way before the Michigan game. Over and over and over again. Lupoi never saw them. Just three or four plays against Tennessee. Stein on the other hand, in order to win every game, exposed the entire offense. Every play Stein revealed yesterday was already on film. Lupoi didn't really face an explosive offense until Ohio State, and the Buckeyes didn't show even half their playoff set of plays. Ohio State had Stein 's ( and Lupoi's) entire sample. So essentially, Lupoi and Stein had forecast every response they'd have to multiple situations, while Chip Kelly didn't show why he had against Penn State or Indiana. And ESPECIALLY Michigan. They could've obliterated the Wolverines, but they chose to shelve those plays. I believe Ryan Day concealed his entire playoff playbook because he had enough talent to win just playing basic football. Combine my pet peeves and you have the perfect storm. I believe the most fundamental tactic to win a Natty is to forget about looking at the QB. That is a guaranteed ten win season all by itself. Ask Georgia fans. They'd have three modern Titles executing that one task. It's more complicated in general, but that specific skill will shut down most QBs, and force OCs to really earn their millions. My opinion of course.

Oh I believe DL has his hands all over that defense. They're looking for a prototype at each position. DL got it at Georgia, put his stamp all over it and made those boys beyond awesome. Lightening in a bottle. One in ten million odds. From my perspective, there just aren't enough players in college football to play the kind of system DL and JL want to run. I don't want them to stop their talent acquisition strategy though. I think they'll figure it out. DL is too driven. He's going to get that damn title.

One thing I'd like to say is this team was coached well enough and was talented enough to handle Ohio State. They proved that in October. Size and physicality wasn't the problem yesterday. I've mentioned why in another post. I've actually stated what some major flaws are for two years. Never abandon the edge on defense ( ever- give up something else, but seal those damn edges as if your life depends on it). The other flaw us a national pandemic. Coaches harp on eyeballing the QB. You cannot cover your man and look at the QB simultaneously. You'll always lose your man. Even if he's right next to you. One day, I'm going to post a thousand videos of exactly that. Yes, there are thousands of examples. That's how I know it's worse than any disease mankind has faced. On offense, were fine. Physical enough by far. The only reason I won't describe why is that the changes I recommend will never be implemented. It's not my offense. Heck, I'd hire Fushduck in a hot minute and challenge him to infinity in coming up with five hundred Sequential plays. Nobody would stop Fushduck if he has 500 Sequentials. But alas, Will Stein is pretty damn good. He'll learn from today. He will find conflict routes against the best damn Havoc causing defense eventually. It is possible. Just watch Joe Montana dismantle the best havoc generating defense ever,- the 1985-87 Chicago Bears. Winning a Natty is within our reach. Lots of things have to go your way though. It's just the nature of the beast

Overall I agree. One thing I'd like to say though is this team was coached well enough and was talented enough to handle Ohio State. They proved that in October. Size and physicality wasn't the problem yesterday. I've mentioned why in another post. I've actually stated what some major flaws are for two years. Never abandon the edge on defense ( ever- give up something else, but seal those damn edges as if your life depends on it). The other flaw us a national pandemic. Coaches harp on eyeballing the QB. You cannot cover your man and look at the QB simultaneously. You'll always lose your man. Even if he's right next to you. One day, I'm going to post a thousand videos of exactly that. Yes, there are thousands of examples. That's how I know it's worse than any disease mankind has faced. On offense, were fine. Physical enough by far. The only reason I won't describe why is that the changes I recommend will never be implemented. It's not my offense. Heck, if hie Fushduck in a hot minute and challenge him to infinity in coming up with five hundred Sequential plays. Nobody would stop Fushduck if he has 500 Sequentials. But alas, Will Stein is pretty damn good. He'll learn from today. He will find conflict routes against the best damn Havoc causing defense eventually. It is possible. Just watch Joe Montana dismantle the best havoc generating defense ever,- the 1985-87 Chicago Bears. Life is good in Duck Nation. Trust me.

That was my exact sentiment going into the Wisconsin game. I do think the CCG was a lesson though. The team's resolve was tested and they passed. I absolutely believe the layoff was a factor. There was no margin for error against an elite turn like Ohio State, and we suffered from the haze while they were in complete auto pilot. Ohio State expected to drill us like that in October. Nobody had shown the blue print for showing the Ducks down, and Stein attached exactly like I would have because the Buckeyes were not expecting the level of talent they were facing. This team was good enough to win yesterday. But flaws are flaws and I'm telling you right now, Cover Two is useless if the safeties are looking at the QB. Georgia fans can tell you firsthand because a Freshman QB won a Natty simply because their safety got caught looking into the backfield instead of shutting down that left side fade route. There isn't much I'd change from this year. OBD future is as bright as the sun.