Haywarduck

It is fascinating to hear we can't develop talent, and almost in the same sentence we need to start the freshman. Developing talent means you wait a year or more before you see them play. This is especially true at qb, maybe you watched the freshman 5* dawg qb throw 5 picks tonight. We have talent, we are developing talent and we are doing as much as possible with AB. AB is doing as much as possible, at great risk to his health, for this program. I think we will benefit greatly from having saved our backups for next season. Now seeing them start in Atlanta against Georgia, that won't be pretty, I can agree with that. But maybe just maybe, who knows.

I think Sam reminds me of Jake, both Washington products and highly touted as recruits. Jake's dawgs went 0-5 against the Ducks during his time at uw. Sam might be as good or better, but I doubt the dawg program will do much better against the Ducks during his time at Montlake, 0-1 so far. Also Vick had 4.3 40 speed, does Sam have even close to that speed? At 190lbs I doubt they use him like Vick was.

Agree the back-up is often the favorite qb of the fans, but a freshman qb isn't the solution very often. It is promising our freshman seems to be #2, but glad he is having lots of work in practice, not on game day. Huard with 5 interceptions, if you count the extra point, kind of proves the point AB was the right choice. It was fun to watch the dawgs in melt-down as the cougs win the Apple Cup in Sheattle. Well done cougs and best of luck in the preseason polls to the dawgs. The pundits had lots of good stuff to say about your potential which should extend into the preseason predictions, again!

Why not sc, he can win in socal, that should matter, if he would take the job.

How about the Homey game, or the 'Winners Out Bowl, make it the only rivalry game where the winner gets to play at home. You win, you get to play at home until the opposing team wins. If people want to get rid of the traditional name, get rid of the traditional, tradition of playing every other at home. Make the loser earn it, put some zip into losing and zest into winning, 'The Winners Bowl!' The motto 'Oregon, Where Winning Matters!' Maybe we could make the same agreement with the dawgs?

Oregon DC against Oregon DC mistake. Brady Hoke is living proof the grass isn't always, actually seldom is, greener on the other side. He had tremendous success until he decided to try his hand at elite level coaching and then even elite level assistant coaching. He is now back where his success reached his peak. Many coaches would do well to ponder Brady's path.

I will wait until we lose again, thanks.

A triple double with 18 blocks, crazy! https://www.yahoo.com/sports/highlights-five-star-oregon-commit-183219987.html

After Michigan State announced their extension, and new contract for their coach they lost 56-7, and we beat that team. I can hope, can't I?

And lost to WSU, my point was you really can't draw any conclusions by the records. Hopefully the home record for Oregon will come into play, but this season, right now, I can't do anything, but what I always do, pick the Ducks! The beavs have won one game away from home, we have lost 0 at home. That is the only stat which sticks out to me, but Jon, undoubtedly has a better statistical analysis than I!

--the winner Oregon, I mean the beavs lost in overtime to Colorado! --the score, and the tiebreaker information needed from each of you is... 35-28 in overtime, I mean the Ducks lost to Stanford in overtime! --the amount of turnovers Oregon creates 2 --the number of sacks Oregon records on the opposing team 4 --the number of passing yards. 248 yds.

I am not certain and don't want us to go through this again, so soon. I do think we are more resilient than many programs, but still susceptible to a slick hire, or a Helfrich promotion, both done under our AD.

I am actually just making the case where if he wants that great, we will be fine. I love Mario, but if he wants to be the next Mullens, more power to him. He isn't Saban, or Meyer, and he needs a job like Oregon to become more like them. My take is Florida would eat him up. If he values family closeness and more money, then good bye, and good luck. I will say I don't think it will be the money, but maybe I am wrong, 'what is that honey, I know.'

What I find interesting is the two dynamics I think coming into play here. One the money is getting a bit silly, and may not matter as much as it use to. The other is programs are getting desperate and that desperation is scaring coaches into staying right where they are. First the money, just how much is enough? I think the $3+ million a year is enough for most people to feel extremely comfortable, not that I know by experience. Coaches aren't as attracted by an extra million as they were by making the leap to the multi million dollar contract. I think we are seeing coaches balk at changing just because programs are throwing silly money around. The other dynamic is programs who fire coaches mid season, and after a short period are becoming unattractive, even though they look good on the surface. Why would a coach, Aranda and Fickell are perfect examples, want to leave a comfortable job where they are making bank. They see coaches getting fired in ugly ways, way too early and can picture themselves and their families experiencing the same. I think we are seeing a shift, certainly not a sea change, but a shift in how coaches are just willing to jump from one job to the next. The money just isn't the driver like it use to be, and the jobs which use to be attractive aren't as pretty as they use to be.

The Oregon Football Program has proven to be extremely resilient. We lost a most sought after coach, Chip Kelly, and stumbled, but rose back up. Mario Cristobal has shown us how to recruit, which is actually being done over multiple programs at the University of Oregon Athletic Department. I don't think the ability to recruit would be limited to some Cristobal magic. When you think about how the Oregon Football Program's foundation was destroyed by Chip leaving, and then Helfrich gutting it, we have done quite well. Much like Florida who after losing Spurrier, and Meyer struggled. Florida is now, again, looking for the quick fix. The problem is Cristobal is as close to Mullen in a hire as anyone probably could be. I hope Cristobal sees this and understands he needs to sharpen his game, at a supportive program, before he makes a leap to the killing fields of Florida or another elite program with aspirations of a savior magically winning it all, quick. I am in complete support of Cristobal cutting his teeth at Oregon. He is learning, not bumping up against a ceiling, and has the opportunity to do something special while here. The question I have is Mario going to make the same mistake so many coaches have done, take the elite program job before he is ready. Our program will move onward and forward, as long as the program isn't gutted again by the next guy. This isn't a given, but good coaches become much better at Oregon. I actually think we could find a reasonable replacement, and continue our rise. I hope that is done with Cristobal, but I am more worried about Mario leaving, for Mario's sake. I mean is Mario going to leave so he can go to more fertile grounds to recruit better? Is that really what is holding him back from winning it all, or winning all the games he should? He needs to become a more skillful coach, Oregon is the best place to do that. It's going to be him or the next guy who really sees that opportunity. I hope it is Mario.

I think they are just finding other things to do.

I think Jonathon Smith, 2021, may have bit off more than he knows what to do with this year.

My favorite, is 'Shout,' something uniquely Oregon and timeless. Oregon, Eugene is an amazing place with some unique assets, but 'Shout' speaks to so much that defines Oregon, love it.

I am disappointed in the coaches when the players lose. I also realize there is no one more disappointed in themselves when they lose, than the players. It is the job of the coaches to prepare the players, put the players in position to succeed, and make adjustment to better empower them to be successful. While failure is surest way to success, it doesn't have to happen on game day. The big failures should happen in practice and the lessons learned then should empower them to give that extra ounce of effort, and the understanding of the decisions to win on game day. This was the magic of Coach Wooden back in the day. His players weren't coached on game day, and the coaching happened at practice. This type of coaching just isn't seen anymore, but the important stuff should happen before, way before gametime. It is amazing to watch an Alabama win when expected. It is also important to know it is a tough process to set up student athletes with all it takes to win all the games expected along with some you weren't. Maybe Saban was protecting the players, but he also may be disappointed in himself and the coaches for not having the players as ready as they should be.

Wow, thankful and grateful for the Ducks and this OBD community!

Oregon has done well and not so well. Oregon has a consistency problem. We led all of college football in turnover margin, and are still looking good in our 3rd down conversion margin (5th nationally, OSU is 4th). The question on Saturday is which way we push those statistics. We need to do better, and I think a critical moment is going to be the first couple of series. The problem I see with the Ducks is they aren't dominant. We have come back and beaten a few bad teams. We didn't come back against Utah and wouldn't have against tosu. The good teams, OSU is a good team, you need to make sure, early on, they don't think they can win. If we don't dominate early then I'm worried. An underdog is dangerous when they believe. We can't let them believe, or let thier belief grow. Wouldn't it be nice if Oregon just came and beat the beavs from the start, Go Ducks!

Great analysis and things to ponder. It seems like the Pac-12 is playing checkers while the rest of college football is playing chess. At least we aren't just shooting skeet off a yacht, while the rest were playing chess, like we were under Larry.

I think slicks move to his dream job, FSU, may be the lesson many coaches need to think about when they have a great job, with potential. The grass is always greener, paycheck bigger, but what do you want and is that attainable where you are? I suppose I have always made lifestyle choices without going after the biggest bucks, but at some point these guys have to think about what is important. We all need to aim high, but if we can reach our goals from where we are, maybe we shouldn't chase after the next shiny thing. Time will tell if Cristobal is attracted to any of the shiny offers headed his way. I tend to think the sun shines just enough for us to keep Cristobal and the coaches we need to come to greatest little college town around!

I am excited to see what they can do. This is what I have been asking for all season, speed on the field with Donte! He has height, speed and hands, what else do you want? Maybe, just maybe this is what the team needs, some new blood on the field seeing things differently. I think I am more worried about the defense and the troubles there with the new guys. Hopefully they can step us too, it's Autzen time!

Seems like, in this day and age, we should just call it whatever the highest bidder wants it named. It could be called the Nike Game one year, the Reser Bowl the next year. The new game name can, once again, become another way Oregon leads in innovation. Not a bad idea seeing how we aren't doing that on the field anymore!