DanLduck

Seems to my reckoning that Lannings first year we had one of the youngest teams in D1. Now we have more seniors than ever before. The big d-lineman from MSU, the safety Savage and corner from UW were big gets from the portal. Our defensive back group is now not a weakness but strength with depth! The d-line also has depth, much needed in the B1G. I think the transfer RB, Harris, is going to surprise people with his size and speed. Yes, the depth across the board is impressive. I think we are over 60% blue-chip as well. With all our seniors, this is the year Charles. And with a 12 team playoff... Only 3 more weeks! Let the games begin! Go Ducks!!

I'll miss the game there. Loved the idea of an Hawaiian vacation and a Duck football game!! Oh well, makes financial sense.

As usual, a great read Darren. I loved it, my wife laughed out loud! I really, really like our chances. There is no doubt we have the team to be able to win every game, at least on paper. But I have 2 main concerns: 1. Dillon Gabriel No doubt he is an all-star college qb. The key will be how fast he adapts and learns to run the high RPO offense of the Ducks. I fear that Bo Nix made running it look so easy that we think it will be automatic for DG. I fear we may not have realized just how brilliant Bo actually was. 2. The "8 game stretch". Winning every week is always tough. The season gets long, wear & tear, bumps & bruises, school work, personal issues, getting "up" every week, the long travel...it's tough under any circumstance. With such a long streak without an emotional break, is a monumental task. Also consider, every team will be "up" for our game. We will have a target on our back because of our ranking, and because we're the new kids on the block. Beating us will be every teams highlight of the year. That said, I really, really, really like our chances, as long as we don't "cute talk" our way with anybody.

I agree that players should get whatever they can, but trying to force a bidding war is a bad look. Even in the pros we never like "that guy". My biggest concern is the kids haven't proven anything yet. Not at the college level. I wish NIL was more results oriented, like a sales commission. Oh well, it is what it is. Coach Lanning has shown that character is as important as skills, so until proven otherwise, I'll assume any kid he offers fills in all the boxes. Including Pickett. Now let's play some football already!

I for one would love to see the game continue, but not every year. Maybe every 3rd or 4th year. My reasons, history for one. It's been around for over 100 years. 2. In-state fun for our state. Many of us work side by side with OSU fans and it's fun water cooler banter, especially for the casual fan. 3.It helps the local economy. (And it would make for lower travel costs, for at least 1 game) 4. Most importantly, my biggest reason, is I want to put a regular beat-down on them regularly. Like they were Portland St. After about 10 or so of those, then we can put it away. But I want to shut down their silly arrogance once and for all!

The "alpha" is the leader. In today's world that word has been abused to suggest negativety or abuse. Coach Lanning is a natural leader. He has vision. He has passion. But most of all he truly cares about people and their success. Listen to things his college roommates say about him. He was liked by all. The life of the party. The leader of the pack. Hey, He volunteered to be in charge of future grad reunions. Coach Lanning is the personification of charismatic. Now, when his in-game management experience catches up to him...wow! Oregon's future is in amazing hands.

Who knew? An honest opinion from a media source. Quite unusual for this day and age. Well, it's almost here, let's get it on! Sco Ducks!!

That's the point. Now everyone has access to the same or similar resources. Because of more TV money, most teams have upgraded their facilities. Oregon's still rank as one of the better, but many schools have great facility improvements. Even middle tier schools. All schools have NIL. All schools have great support staff. All schools are trying to improve via the portal (maybe not Clemson) Etc, etc, etc. Oregon is just doing it better. Better support top to bottom, better organization, better coaching too. The resistance to Oregon the past 20 years was in large part due to our amazing success. Oregon's brand of football has changed the game and we were considered upstarts, the new kids on the block. Even our conference was seen as weak. Now that we are in the B1G the whiners have to come up with some excuse why we are doing so well. They will see the results soon enough. Coach Lanning is starting just his 3rd season as a headcoach. He is a student of the game. I expect to see his in-game management to be improved.

Sour grapes from a sour puss. Oregon has always smacked Newweasel teams. It's envy. For decades the "blue bloods" of college football have had their way with top recruits, handing out cash, cars and home loans to players and their families. As Cam Newton said, " the money was too much to ignore". Now every school can get those perks to players, above board. The playing field has been leveled. And the blue bloods don't like it. The reality is, in the past 25 years Oregon has influenced college football more than any team since Knute Rockne and the forward pass! Up tempo, spread offense, high scoring, fast paced, new uniforms, non- traditional colors, billboards for players, the best mascot in all of cfb, and now a giant floating Duck in Indy, as a way of saying, "ready or not, here we are"! The comments from the peanut gallery are " a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing". Players and families love Oregon. Soon, more players from the mid-west will love Oregon. They are afraid, very afraid. Cuz "we comin'".

If a season is to be 17 games, potentially, then more depth in players would be a good thing. Maybe it's also just recognizing that most teams carry that many players but do so with walk-ons. This way those kids could get scholarships and not hope for NIL to cover costs.

You'd think a little preparation might have been expected. " our football team, (pause) is in LA, with, um, USC". Sheer brilliance. Wow.

Great ideas. For sure something has to change. Especially now with more playoffs using more bowls to play in. What if some bowls moved to preseason exhibition games? That would make for better weather and all players participating. I do think players getting some $$ would help participating.

Seems close enough for me. Until we beat tOSU, or Mich, or PSU, we shouldn't be picked first. Like us, tOSU is loaded this year. Mich and UW lost a lot of talent to the draft, and both with new coaching staffs. UW seems hardest hit so I'm ok with their position. UCLA was a mess. Lost their DC to rival USuC, so until they show otherwise, like MSU, they'll need to win some games to earn love. As for USuC, without all-star Williams at qb, how bad might they look this year. Riley is getting the attention he deserves. One thing for sure, it makes our schedule look very tough on the back end of that 8 games without a bye streak. According to this poll, accept for tOSU, toughest games will be last 4. Illinois, Mich, Maryland, and Wisconsin. Fun times! Bring em on!! Wow, what a season it will be.

I too feel your pain Charles. I also have Xfinity and all those channels. I pay waaayyyy too much. 🤷‍♂️ what's a Duck fan to do?

And no way does Kirby want to alienate any Nike $$. He was just funnin.

Transparency would be nice, but really, is what you make any if my business? As long as the product on the field is excellent, as long as our school isn't allowing criminals to succeed, as long as what we're doing is legal, I'll keep buying tickets and reading OBD.

I see and hear so much these days about $$ the recruits and transfers appear to be getting. No matter how anyone feels about "student athelete" getting $, there always seems to be some subtle negativity attached. Not one of us would criticize an employer who paid us more to come work for them, but if athletes do it, the coaches and teams are somehow less than good recruiters, or even somehow morally inept? Like it or not, the new rules allow for $$ but paid upfront, not under the table. These are not the days of Cam Newton (former highest paid college qb). EVERYONE does NIL. What I really admire about coach Lanning and his staff, is the quality of young men they are bringing into the program. Not just great ball players, but quality human beings. I haven't seen any guys taking some plays off, or showboating themselves. Team, family, trust, hardwork. And, (knock on wood) no serious problems with the law. We've seen different styles of recruiting since Chip and Helfrich, even Mari(0). I really like what DL is doing. This is just his 3rd year! Wow! A little or alot, the NIL playing field is level for all participants. Oregon has and is showing the ability to adapt and innovate. And not just with the coolest uniforms. Aggressive, yet calculated. Whatever it is, it's working big time. Keep it up, Sco Ducks!!

Dear Ms. Gould, isn't the Mt. West conference div 1? Your 2 schools will continue to compete at the D1 level, Only as a G5 member. Right where they belong.

I read the Big 12 are negotiating with Clemson and Florida St. How does that make you feel, Pac (1)2? Rebuilding the Pac will result in it becoming a G5 conference. Even with NIL they won't be able to compete. Not trying to be cruel, but having NFL bust Ryan Leaf be a headliner seems rather ironically appropriate.

Great points Mr Marsh. I read an article where a dozen or so top recruits were interviewed. The overall agreement was that most NIL deals were similar in $ value and the final decision was due to coaches, facilities, etc. just as David wrote. I've also read that Division Street is organized and careful with offers, not wanting to be the highest. They also seem to work for adding duration to offers, making more in the long term not just for one year. Dan Lanning as a person is a magnate for great players. Every recruit says great things about him and the other coaches. The fact Alabama was interested in him speaks volumes. The NIL is obviously a big part, but all the big schools have plenty of $$. At the end of the day it's coaching and development. We all heard that pre-game speech for Colorado, and I know I was ready to suit up and run through a wall for him! How much more young talented players all across the country. Lastly, being in the B1G is more valuable than maybe we first thought. Every game more accessible for family, opportunities to play in famous stadiums against the best competition... It all fits to make Oregon a dream destination. The NIL is just icing.

Thanks JJ. A good read to compare our move. I can't wait to see how our viewership explodes being in the B1G. Will only help recruiting and NIL.

Great article Ryan. It is fun to see the LA market so "Ryled" up! Lanning may not have won a Natty yet, or even a conference championship, but he has only lost to 3 teams in two years and by less than 4 points each time (well, all except UGA) for a total of 5 losses. Our roster has never been so loaded with blue-chip studs, and they keep bringing in stud after stud. As an old Duck myself, this is amazing to see! I believe Dan the Man will get us a Natty sooner, rather then later. And then the USuC whiners will really get their panties twisted in knots!

Participating in the B1G for the first time will take all my time and energy. No need for politics. No worries Mr Fishduck! 🫡

I too was at this game. Got LaMike's autograph at the pregame tailgate tent. Btw, this was a major rebound season for Kenjon. The season prior he was nearly decapitated at WSU and he gave serious thought to quitting football as he rehabbed. So glad he didn't. Had a magnificent season and a pretty good NFL career. 3 superbowl rings. Not bad.

The only drawback I see to the big payout of 2031 is the value of tv revenue dwindling. ESPN has cut personnel in a $$ savings effort. Streaming is now gaining in popularity daily. Will the networks afford the big payday we are hoping for? When motivated, the public has responded negatively to perceived slights by corporations (Bud Light, Target, etc). Mike does have a point about fans becoming disillusioned. College kids being paid will change fan reaction, as many will have even less tolerance for dropped passes or missed blocks. The era of overt big money to players is relatively new and fans are still adjusting. If Oregon isn't in the Rosebowl, will I watch? Or care? I would if it was a Pac12 team, but loyalties are now broken. I see potential for a loss of excitement in CFB as it becomes more NFL light. Too many commercial breaks, new rules to protect players and teams investments...right now they are 2 different games and fans appreciate that. But hey, in the meantime, we should be really excited for the Ducks future. It's never looked brighter. Our brand and fan base will only grow larger as we now get better TV coverage. We have great games coming against teams we've never played or too seldom played over the next 3 years. Lanning and Co are nailing recruiting. We are well placed to succeed going forward. And yeah, we got cool new uniforms too. How good can it get!