Jon Joseph

1 difference. CK's job came with a group of quality, assistant coaches who had been in Eugene for many a moon and had coached with Chip.. The team he took over was already running CK's O. And Nick A was the perfect DC for the offense Chip ran. Riley is bringing his own guys with him to SC. But he knows most of the guys; he worked with most of them at OK. I think bringing Caleb Williams along for the ride is simply huge; especially, in year 1. Williams knows the OK/Riley O. RBs usually do very well in Riley's O and bringing vets in like Dye and Jones from Stanford is also a big help. As is Caleb Williams being familiar with WR Williams who also transferred in from OK. This SC team in 2022 is going to be hard for many the Pac-12 team to out-score. And while it certainly will not be great, I do expect the D to improve under Grinch. If SC was to win the south in 2022 it would not shock me in the least. Missing Oregon is very good break. And having your 2 top competitors for the S title playing at Oregon, UCLA and Utah, is also a favorable scheduling break for the Trojans.

Ah, wouldn't it be nice to have that choice? And be young enough to do something with it?

I agree but it is going on all over the place. Especially when it comes to poaching talented guys from the G5.

In theory, yes.

These guys entering the portal should have an agreed upon landing spot. Lots of young men who are giving up their current scholarship are finding that the not only is the grass not greener, but there is no new grass.

Man, the Pac-12 likes its FCS 'cupcakes' hard and not soft. I agree that playing the Cougars in Pullman after playing the Cougars in Autzen could be very tough sledding. Especially, if Cameron Ward is the real deal at QB.

Great take. The SEC with 8 regular season games means a title matchup will most often not be a rematch. UGA plays Bama in the regular season once every 6 or 7 years. When OK and TX come on board I think the SEC will go to pods instead of divisions and will play 9 conference games. But even with 9 conference games in a 16 team conference there will be fewer champ game repeats than we will witness in the Pac-12. With the B1G's reluctance to drop to 8 conference games to facilitate OOC games vs the Pac-12 and the ACC, I imagine the Pac-12 will stay with 9 regular season games? I hope the Pac-12 will eliminate divisions but if the conference stays with divisions I'd like to see the cross-division games follow the OOC games. If there is a rematch, the first game will have happened earlier in the season. (I also hope the CA schools playing one another every season goes away?) In 2022, I would much rather have the Ducks playing Utah in October and not in late November. Coherent conference scheduling has rarely been seen in the Pac-12; especially, under the aegis of Scott and Merton Hanks. This is an issue that GK, IMO, needs to address prior to the schedules being formatted for the 2023 season.

I agree the OL is thin but it does have talent. Average rush last season was 4.4 yards. Gave up only 18 sacks in 12 games, with a less mobile guy than Caleb Williams playing QB. Brought in a very good OL guy from UVA. RB? Getting Dye from the Ducks and Jones from Stanford were 2 very solid pickups. The same at WR with Williams from OK (no relation to Caleb) leading a talented group of WR transfers. If the OL holds up and with the other talent on O including Caleb Williams who finished with the 4th best QBR last season, I think this team could shoot-out its way to 10 wins in 2022, and make a run at the S division championship. Teams will be coming at Caleb no doubt, but the cat is elusive. SC missing the Ducks in 2022, and Utah having to play in Autzen, could really help out the Trojans. SC can take a loss in Salt Lake City and still win the South title. Yes. Riley took over a great situation with Oklahoma, but how can he not be an improvement over the incompetent who preceded him? He has assembled a much better staff than Helton ever had at SC, and he understands what a championship program looks like and what has to be done to compete at a championship level. Riley is competing in a conference that is less difficult than the B12. The Pac-12 went 0-5 in its 2021 bowl games. At 5-2 in its bowl games, the B12 finished with the best P5 bowl record. The 2 teams that defeated OK in 2021? Baylor defeated Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl and OK ST defeated Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. We all know what happened in the Alamo Bowl. Terrific take from Alex. Of course Oregon is not going to fear SC, but I think many the Pac-12 fan may be selling Riley short?

'WE?' As I recall, you were the guy with the sack to question Mario on a 'public' site and took a whole lot of unjustified grief for doing so?

Will Gilbert, who has an 'interesting' CFB journey to date, UF to LSU, back to UF and then back to LSU where he did not play. Will he show up on 9/3?

Coach, this should reclassify the 2022 #16 recruiting ranking north? Further ahead of all the other Pac-12 teams. The AZ teams cannot keep the top guys at home; too bad, so sad.

The Georgia spring game was played yesterday. All American TE, Brock Bowers from Napa, CA, was dinged and not able to play. But LSU TE transfer, Arik Gilbert, 6'5" 248 pounds stepped up and caught 2 TD passes from returning national champ winning QB, Stetson Bennett. Barret Sallee of CBS Sports post game take - "When you have TEs like Bowers, Gilbert and Washington in the mix with UGA's versatile backfield and WR corps, the O should be much better and more balanced than last season's. In other words, 'get your popcorn ready." Sallee could also have mentioned Bennett returning at QB and an experienced OL. Wow! Lots of turnover on the UGA DL but the O should be solid indeed. As tough a test as the Ducks D could face in the opening game. Beavers? The QB play for OR ST yesterday was inconsistent at best. Not as germane to the Ducks in 2022, but in its spring game, the Bama OL looked like it has the same problems it had in 2021. Heisman winner QB Young was rarely given time to set up and throw the ball. Also, the tOSU D looked improved but needs to make additional improvement. But the O sans Wilson and Olave at WR, still looked lethal.

LOL! I went nuts over this one! Don't know if it's a new kitty cat high or low? Keep 'em coming!

To my knowledge, Caleb Williams kept the job and finished with the 4th best QBR in the nation? After being benched vs TX, Rattler came in and threw a critical 2 point conversion pass. But he never started another game at OK after Williams engineered a great comeback. Also in 2021, especially for a Heisman front runner, he played awful football in OK's OOC games. IMO. Riley made a gutsy and proper call to bench Rattler in favor of a true frosh.

Good take and maybe? But Riley never lost more than 2 games as HC at OK. I think this is a Rattler problem far more than a systemic problem under Riley. Rattler handled getting booed about as well as did Mario.

Any Ducks fan the least bit surprised? In 2021, did Miami boosters watch any game other than the W versus Ohio State? Make no mistake! A terrific win but it came against the worst tOSU D in decades. With the Buckeyes QB making his 2nd start.

Because of a Puddles Cardinal Sin?

The ESPN's FPI? Usually does fine with the top 6. But his season? Hard to quibble with Bama, OH ST, UGA and Clemson in the top 4. But Notre Dame at 5, when it has to open at 2 Ohio State and also plays 4 Clemson? And Texas at 6! UT plays Bama OOC and was not bowl eligible in 2021. How about Auburn, another team with a losing record in 2021 and with players leaving left and right, at 10? I think Bill Connolly's SP+ metric, also up on ESPN, is a far more reliable forecaster than is the FPI. SP+ has A+M at 6, Wisconsin at 10. Auburn is 25 and Texas is not in the top 25. It does have Miami ranked at 20; BYU at 23. Oregon at 32! (BXXXXXD!) FPI has the Ducks at 23 and BYU is not in the top 25? The computers guesses are only as good as the algorithms being used by human beings. Human being and ESPN guy Mark Schalbach, has Oregon 12. Texas and Auburn are not top 25 preseason ranked. As of April, 2022, this is, of course, all complete guess work. No guru forced to make future bets modeled on the rankings so no-harm, no-foul for any of these dart throwers. The best preseason indicator IMO? The Roster Rankings after fall practice and prior to season kickoff on 9/1. Last season's Roster Rankings had Bama at #1, with Georgia being close to being T1. Ducks roster ranking was 12.

What can GK do other than fire the unqualified person overseeing the refs and also perhaps, fire Larry's guy, Merton Hanks? Another guy who is being paid well while seemingly doing nothing? I see no other option(s) available to GK? Also, especially in today's world, why not make public the person(s) evaluating the refs and a crew's post-game evaluation. Also, what are the credentials for being hired as referee and what is considered to be an adequate grade to remain employed as a referee? To David Marsh' excellent point, why can't games be speeded up by setting a time limit in which plays can be reviewed. IMO, if a call 'cannot' be overturned after two minutes of review, the call should stand and play on. How much independence and authority does GK have? He reports to a board of 12 people. Thus, he cannot change anything material without board approval. Taking the HQ remote is a great move. But look at the numbers and how could any commissioner and governing body not have accomplished this year's ago? I like GK. He 'gets 'it!' He knows the conference has to step up in CBB and CFB; and this includes how the games are reffed. But without help from the folks he reports to, GK can't make this happen on his own.

At 278 pounds I doubt that he would start at tackle for any 'big time' program? By delaying his commitment he knew he wouldn't be able to be on campus for spring football. I think he is well aware that he needs a season f bulking up. If he wanted to start as a true frosh, why choose Oregon with an experienced OL? I think Conerly continues to make the smart long play.

Other than going remote with HQ, what has GK done? The person overseeing the referees is an ex military officer and not a long time college referee?

I've got the game ready to tape as I play even more bad golf. Thank you.

Is he wrong? Is there a better CFB 'town' in the west than Eugene? Folks show up in the Coli when SC wins, otherwise?

Man, it's tough seeing all of the DL starters plus Flowe dinged up. Hopefully, these guys will all be good come the 1st game? Lots of great guys on the roster but have to stay healthier than last season. I like Lanning holding these guys except for learning the new schemes, out of spring ball contact. Need all hands on deck come 9/3.

Something that never looks better on your permanent record Chip. Great stuff. Great looking future.