Haywarduck

Timeout! What do I do coach, my 5 yard pass won't cut it. Good point, not sure what you can do with your skill set today.

I would add the top coach who develops talent, not even close. 1. Kyle Whittingham

Remember, "Pay The Man" was a popular thread on Tuesday, when spinning a 180.

I think AB would admit he doesn't have it tonight. He wouldn't want to come off, but he isn't the best chance to win. This is a coaching moment, what say you Mario?

AB is a warrior, a warrior without a weapon today. The main problem, as the last interception made obvious, is his decision making. AB can make the 5 yard pass, look like I could make it. He also doesn't make some passes it feels like I could make. Bottomline we can't win without passing, and AB isn't the guy to make the pass today. Are you going to try and win tonight Mario?

I would love to see Big Joe at the top of the list. Somehow he just doesn't connect as well as I would think he would with the big boys. An NFL talent, and productive coach, but he hasn't cracked the code on bringing in the 5* lineup. I would definitely put Wison way up there. Our LB crew is awesome, especially if they could stay healthy, then lethal.

The ball is oblong, but the games are won by athletes and execution, and I don't see enough of either right now. I am still hopeful, but I wouldn't bet on it from the body of evidence I have seen.

--the winner, HomerHayward OREGON! Want to know who I pick next game? --the score, and the tiebreaker information needed from each of you is... 38-22 --the amount of turnovers Oregon creates 2, difference maker, as the Ducks see tendencies and take advantage. --the number of sacks Oregon records on the opposing team, 3, difference maker, effort and tenacity. --the number of passing yards. 299 yds., difference maker, freshman step up, AB makes the throws, transfer who! Another difference will be special teams. Camden will be exacting, Mykael has been on the verge of an explosion play and Seven is ready to take one and run!

Fascinating subject and thanks for bringing it up at this time. I think the mental difference is all about the finger. Some think it is about the crossing the fingers, luck. Football is an oblong ball and you never know how it is going to bounce. The refs can ruin the game, the wind can effect a pass, and the ball can just bounce the wrong way. You go out play, and never know who is going to win, just luck. Others think it is all about the fist. Just punch them hard enough and the other side will give up. Some propose this is Mario's default process. This has some merit when an opponent just doesn't respond. Sometimes an opponent doesn't care how hard you try, how hard you hit them, they want it more than you. This is where we will need 4 quarters, not just a fast start. The real difference is between the forefinger and thumb. Every play, every situation do you give it the extra effort mentally and physically it takes to win. The difference isn't really measurable, but over time it is extremely consequential. The Ducks need to ask themself did they give that little extra needed to win, every moment? The ball may bounce wrong, but did you give up? You may have layed out the qb, but did you come back the next play with the same intensity? The problem with that little space between the thumb and the forefinger is if it gets too close it means zero. The Ducks need to focus on the little gap, difference between winning and losing and never forget it or let it get to zero. Last season I saw that gap become zero too many times. Missed assignments, no follow through, lack of execution on individuals parts. This season I have seen that gap stay wide enough to win and win when we weren't suppose to. That is the mental part I want to see us win. If the Ducks take care of that little gap, difference between winning and losing, they can then give them the finger most were thinking I was getting too.

If true, Moorhead is going from Oregon to leading Zip. Would you go from leading one of the most innovative, exciting programs to zip if you were actually leading an innovative, exciting program? A job as the head coach of the Akron Zips isn't a lateral or a move up from the OC at Oregon. OC's from Oregon are still getting jobs elsewhere, but our OC's aren't what they once were when they came, innovated and grew under Bellotti, and even Kelly. This may be an indicator of the future. UNLV went from 0-6 to 2-10, and now Moorhead is going to the Zips. What does this mean long term? Does this mean Cristobal is developing or stifling the growth of OC's? Will we continue to be a place OC's want to come to build their resume's? When evaluating things their is the image, and then there is the reality. What is the reality of our offensive side of the ball, the OC's and player development?

If To'oto'o wanted to come to Oregon, or USC, but there wasn't enough competition the problem would have been help had Lincoln been here. Having DJ at sc instead of Clemson would have helped the league. The problem was the exodus of elite talent because there wasn't enough competition, not because there is too much. We need to make our overall product more attractive and even Mario's job become easier. He can do just about anything, including playing tosu at the shoe, or Georgia in Atlanta. What he can't do is say players are going to get exposure like the SEC. He can't say the amount of scouts will be at games like the truly competitive teams. Competition for recruits is a competition, and talent goes to where the talent is, competition is. Never be afraid, just be aware of your weaknesses. Our league and having a weak sc hurts us, and really everyone in the Pac-12. Those who are afraid of Riley should just join the mountain west, actually they would get killed in that league too, right?

Who's facts? Ok, I'll stop there.

Much like the referees, you play with what happens on the day, schedule, situation and persevere. This is another great life lesson for these young men. Are they going to be making excuses or ready to rumble? These guys should have been training for this all season, preseason too. If their goal is to win as many games as possible they have to be ready for injuries, the schedule was set, the refs are known to be lousy, and the ball to be oblong. It is time for Oregon to again, not make excuses, remember the tosu game was early, too early, and they just went in and won in the shoe. The only question is, not why, but if they are ready and want it, Go Ducks!

Great stuff, and a wonderful play for when the defense really keys off AB running. The first example Dye was wide open too, as the defense keyed on AB's running. On that one AB is just too good of a runner and can't be stopped. It seems to show AB's tendency to run as a first option. I would hope this tendency would evolve over time, but that may only come with the next great qb at Oregon. We are fortunate that AB is such a strong, capable runner, as this has carried the team at times. At other times it has't given our team the diversity of options needed to be a truly dynamic offense. That is what we will need tomorrow, hopefully what we will see tomorrow. Awesome analysis, again giving me a much better understanding of what is going on, or at least I feel like I do! It is nice to feel smarter after reading something, a novel concept!

It is interesting we are seeing Mario for who he is, as time passes. There are things we cringe about, game management. There are items we complain about the conservative offense, doesn't he know this is Oregon! At the same time there are many, many things we celebrate. One thing we don't know is what deep down will drive him to change, and ultimately go somewhere else, potentially home. I tend to think as he progresses as a coach, and reaches his stated goal of a championship at Oregon he may change and want to do the same at home. Until then the man I know, on the surface, seems to be Oregon's coach until he becomes the coach we all want. He just needs to evolve, and Oregon is the best place for that. I think he knows that. When our coach has all the pieces fitting together nicely, we will be ok with him leaving, respect that decision. Until then we just need to respect the process. I will agree Oregon is a great place for a coach to develop and grow. My one hope when Mario leaves, he leaves the Oregon Football Program in better shape than when he got here. I think that is certain, as that is how Oregon builds their programs. The next guy, or woman to coach at Oregon will be just fine, and we will persevere, Go Ducks!

Eggshells, feathers, I just want to see the Ducks fly! Let's see the Ducks put on an explosion play festival. Black, white, yellow, green whatever gets the student athletes willing to let it fly, Go Ducks!

Well played Notre Dame. It was obvious he was a rising star, now can he get an Offensive Gure to create a scoring machine? These midwest guys don't like to move around. Fickell, Day, Freeman seem to be sold on the midwest thing.

I would also say, at this point in the season players should be able to watch tape and analyze the players they will face. They should visualize how they are going to beat them. Know their weaknesses and how to take advantage of these holes in their game. It seemed Utah did that last time. Much like a boxer, you would never go into the ring and not know if they were a lefty. Not knowing their tendencies, would be asking to lose. Same thing with our receivers, defenders, and qb. These guys, at this stage of the game, should be talking amongst themselves about how they are going to win the game. AB should be looking for specific matchups, situations he is going to take advantage of based on film analysis. This is the difference between the first game and the second, if they take it to the next level, if they..... want it bad. This will be the reason players will be celebrating on the field. Not just because they executed a play well. Because they executed a play well knowing how the other team would react. This is the difference we need to see Friday.

I think it is a telling game about character and ability. Do we have the character to rise up and say not again. The coaches also have to show they know how to change the scheme based on the failures last time. Number one is do the players have the pride in themselves to not let it happen again. Some people wake up and say shouldn't not have happened and won't happen again. We saw that with the tosu game, which was huge. We had never beaten that team, in our history, and the Ducks decided now was the time and they were going to get it done. The Duck players need to have a moment where they again decide the loss wasn't ok. They are better than that and will put it that amount of effort, from the first whistle, to win. The coaches also need to show they can step up and adapt to what needs to be done to win. Again the tosu game showed they were up to the task, when challenged. This team has responded well when the challenge is big enough, do they view this as that challenge. In those games we go ahead early, will we again? Will both groups rise up, that is what the question is. I look at this as a satisfaction game. Are the players and coaches satisfied with the loss, losing to Utah, and the idea of not winning the Pac-12? We weren't satisfied with losing again to tosu, will we be to Utah?

Back in the day PK asked Bellotti what he needed to win. This was the beginning of the rise of the elite level of the Oregon Football Program. It didn't start by paying Bellotti more money. PK is focused on winning, always has been, always will be. He also knows just throwing money at a coach doesn't create wins. This is why he is having the new practice facility built. Student athletes come to Oregon because of the facilities, education and opportunity those facilities provide. The fact the coach makes $4-9 million never crosses their mind. The student athletes is where our focus needs to be and where PK's focus is. I think we also need a very good coach, but we have continually hired mediocre coaches and turned them into winners. I hope Cristobal wants to continue to be a winner at Oregon, and make a lot of money, but not stupid money. If he is focused on mindless money and outrageous expectations, then there will always be that road available. We shouldn't compete on that basis, in my opinion. The big difference maker I see we don't have is the Heisman athlete. That athlete needs the supporting cast, we have that, but we also need somebody who has the magic. I hope that missing link is on the bench, and we see that difference maker develop over the next couple years to bring home the Naty!

Wow, now that was writing, well done! Maybe the boys just need some of this?

I will be afraid when I see sc players never on the ground without somebody helping them up. The amazing thing I continually see with this program is players jumping up and down promoting themselves as players are left struggling to get up. The culture of LA is look at me. This is a major reason players and coaches are drawn to the program. I tend to think Riley may just be another person drawn to the program for the publicity without knowing the cost it will come with. I do think the publicity, like we see, will come, the success, not too sure.

No Pac-12 team should ever lose to Montana, at anything! I suppose that is true at UW for their women's programs?

The one thing we know for sure is the bottom of the list. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. The Dawgs

Great point about football being a way of life. Cristobal has stated he looks for student athletes who can't live without football. The program in Compton is full of players who feel like football can't live without them. The culture change will be massive to create what he wants. He is used to having kids who come ready made for his type of football. There will be lots of head winds the decision he made in what sounds like a short time, haven't accounted for. I mean the guy has played twice at the Rose Bowl, he is 1-1 on the west coast. The weather must have been pretty good, and he fell into the LA spell when he went there. Comparing Oklahoma and California is an easy choice on the surface.