Haywarduck

Development is key, and quite evidently something Whittingham and his staff do well. The other aspect is picking talent which fits your scheme and culture. I don't downplay the development of players, but the shotgun approach of a couple previous coaches didn't serve the program well. Lanning is developing talent, but going after specific players. Lanning and his coaches know the makeup of the players they want. Just because they have stars next to their name isn't enough. They have to fit the culture, and be, in some cases, very specific types of athletes to fit the mold they need for the scheme. I would say Whittingham has created a very strong culture, and that is number 1. The other thing he has done is pick Bellotti, Brooks type of guys. He gets a 3* qb like Rising, a Bryson Barnes from Milford Utah, nobody wanted. These guys play with a chip on their shoulders, and have talent his culture feeds off. I tend to think we aren't anything like what we use to be or what Utah is now. We are creating, not a blue blood program, but an elite talent level program. The trick is still keeping that hunger Utah shows, and the way Oregon use to play. I think Lanning is doing that and this will be the trick going forward. Talent and talent development is important, but plenty of programs have failed with elite talent. It is the culture Whittingham has and the culture we are beginning to see and hopefully will see this afternoon. We have seen little let up in effort and resilience within this team this season. The question is can this keep up and grow, develop. That is what I want to see today and going forward this season.

He is one of the good ones. Hard to hate the Utes, but would hate to lose to them. Link is in the article National spotlight on Utes as ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ returns to Utah | Gephardt Daily GEPHARDTDAILY.COM The college football spotlight shines on Salt Lake City on Saturday as ESPN's "College GameDay" visits 13th-ranked Utah for its showdown with No. 8 Oregon.

Pay him some money and the insurance in case he gets hurt. It would seem paying these guys insurance to make sure they are covered in case of injury would be pretty compelling for guys who want the degree, love college ball, make a decent amount in NIL. Also in Pickard next in line? Center is so important I hope the next guy up is ready to go!

I agree, as fans we can talk all the hype we want. What I like is the culture Dan Lanning is building isn't about talk, at all!

Love it, 'we are just getting started.' The guy is relentless, called top recruit, the kids mom and grandma on his way to lunch. He doesn't have Lanning's mind, but he does embody his effort, and intent on the field. Perfect understudy for a guy like Lanning. He has the utmost respect for Lanning so Tosh will learn and glean from what the coach knows. Makes total sense why our defense is getting better as the two of them work together.

I will add when looking at what defines an aggressive coach in the NFL, it comes down to blitz's and passing. Makes me wonder when Lanning is going to start throwing downfield more, and blitzing more. Going for it on 4th down doesn't really move the dial, when defining an aggressive NFL team. Going for it on 4th down is more about not trusting ones defense, and taking a chance on the offense. Is that what Lanning really wants to convey, do? If he wants to be aggressive thrown it downfield, get after the opposing qb more. What I also find interesting is when a grandmaster plays a computer in chess, the computer wins because it sits back and waits for the grandmaster to make mistakes. It isn't overly aggressive, just probes, waits for mistakes, that is one of the interesting observations about a computer against a human. If Lanning really wants to be aggressive, wait for mistakes, set up the opposition. Use quantitative analysis and get aggressive during regular play with blitz's and passing, probe more. I wonder if Lanning is moving that direction with wide receiver and edge rusher recruiting? Maybe he just isn't there yet? I doubt he is going to move away from being aggressive, maybe just in another way once all the pieces are in place? For now I am over the piling on his going for it on 4th down, what is next? Where is Lanning aggressive style going, because it isn't going away.

Except Helton won his first bowl game, a big one. One would think the sc faithful knew that wasn't going to happen with Riley.

Fun to kick them when they are down, but we better kick them when they come calling. The spoiled children are still dangerous, and hopefully the coaches and players can keep their head down and just play football. Fortunately the Riley led team hasn't really beaten anyone formidable, or had an upset, just lost to ranked teams and lost bowl games, repeat. The trojans faithful should have seen this one coming like a train coming down the tracks heading the wrong direction. They just saw the bright light of the Heisman trophy, and didn't realize it was a train wreck gaining speed. All we can do is wait for the next train wreck. From their supposed great AD hire, who blew up the Pac-12, to Riley sc is that gift you open up with promise, but it's just something pathetic each time.

I tend to want to listen to the poker players intuition. We may not be seeing a change, change seldom happens to a person with a solid mind and belief system. What we can expect to see is a shift. I think Log Haulin is seeing a shift, not feathers being clipped, feathers ruffled, but Lanning scratching his head and questioning his decision process. This process is painful, as we all know, and many have written about, but the end result is a sharper decision making process. I don't think we are going to see any fundamental change with Dan Lanning, and I am grateful for that. We want Lanning to be aggressive, innovative, but we want him to grow, shift. I would say he pondered his decisions, because he hates being 0-3 against our rivals more than anyone knows. Log Hauler noticed that pondering process, and the hand Lanning plays next time just might show that shift.

They haven't been relevant since 2008. Of course they are always relevant preseason, and with their hiring decisions. They also seem important in recruiting, but don't do much with the talent they get. The trojans are relevant, until they are proven irrelevant, again, and again! I worry about the trojans like I worry about the mullet coming back in style. Never liked the mullet, and not going to change the way I do things if it does come back in style.

Professional NFL teams and players make more for playing in the playoffs. Up to this point only programs made more for playing in bowl game, basically playoffs. In the future players in college football will need to get some of the money. They already get gift bags, but that won't cut it going forward with NIL already opening the $ train. Last years Cheez-It Bowl the players got about $400 worth of stuff, and all the boxes of Cheez-It's they could grab. In the coming years they will be grabbing more than boxes of crackers.

Retro uniforms, and a few retro coaches helping out would have been something. Hey Dan, I think you might want to.......... in this situation.

Not a bad idea, seeing how he will be an NFL owner after being drafted, per his demand. He needs to start planning how he is going to run a franchise, lead a team, and continue his advertising jobs. There really isn't much time to play qb at sc when you have all of that ahead of you, or not!

Did Stein read your article, not sure, but he should have. Did Stein read this weeks article not sure but he should, well done! Not sure there is a grad assistant position available, but at least an offensive analyst position.

If Oregon wins out and remains one of the top offenses in the nation, the financial incentive to have Oregon in the playoffs will be pretty high. The ratings show Oregon is a huge draw. In the end all the Ducks can do is take care of business and improve. We don't want to just get into the playoffs! We have a Heisman, but need this one in the trophy case.

I like what the Navy Seals say, the only easy day was yesterday. There will be greater challenges every day going forward. Basically, if the Ducks keep improving every team ahead of them will be giving them their best shot. What I want to see is the Ducks coming out on fire and they just keep the pedal to the metal. We need to show this type of play in order to make the upcoming opponents afraid, doubtful. The sleepy, sporadic play recently is just fueling the belief we are beatable.

They lose November 11th, badly, all I care about. I do take great joy in the troubles down south, but that is just what was predicted when the guy who bought a house with 12 bathrooms came to town. This way the program can ...... themselves 12 straight games at some point.

As the answer to Oregon's offense becomes apparent, this just sets up a play to take advantage of that tendency. Great stuff to actually be aware of both the tendency of the defense and designing a play perfectly made to take advantage of it. When the LB's key on our RB's their job of covering the TE creates opportunities. I love when we use our TE's and we have a couple great ones who can block, catch and run. Time to take advantage of their catch and run abilities a bit more!

A dawg will always nap, a Duck occasionally, but it will always fly!

When you make a commitment to something you are all in, wow. My family, businesses, a couple of hobbies and maybe vacation planning might get that kind of dedication, but thank you for giving this place that kind of attention!

Great stuff, watching Bucky is so much fun you miss the details happening around him.

The luck of the refs is another thing you can't count on all season. We are not the only ones who are looking at this today and wondering why they blew it. Next time the dawgs may not get that call, then again this is the Pac-12 refs.

Sparking Stein is valid in my opinion. He does deserve kudos, but you have to get your O performing when it counts. Whether it is penalties, or execution, when it counts, those will need to cleaned up against the Utes. It is easy to say Stein deserves lots of credit based on blindly totaling up stats and going wow! We also need to look at critical moments and see how the performance is. This weekend will be another opportunity to go against a focused opponent, this time a guy who prides himself on defense, and again on the road. I don't care so much about leading statistically, or winning all the recruiting battles, it is on the field and the practice field where the real wins happen. Keep criticizing Ryan, until we get that natty, there is plenty to criticize!

And we wonder why the SEC does so well playing an 8 game conference schedule? Do you think their extra non-conference game is away? College students, and even professionals have a tough time traveling and playing games. What we are seeing is a preview of how hard it is going to be joining the BIG and traveling across the country. My prediction there will be a lot of whining about the BIG being at a disadvantage because of all the travel, and the 9 game conference schedule. The SEC will just be laughing as they pack a rested set of teams into the playoffs. Enough of this, let's get it done this season, and worry about that next year. Huge game in SLC, Oregon's O against the Utes D, can't miss tv! It might come down to the Oregon D showing up mightily, and Jacobs really starting to make a difference.

Great article and sleepy they were. It was almost like they were napping, woke up long enough to put them away, and then back to the nap. Hopefully our Ducks were napping so they could be rested for the trip to SLC and the challenge the Utes will provide. Come this Saturday it will be big boy time, no naps. The Utes will take our full attention and nobody, coaches or players will be able to nap come game time or they will be looking for shoulders to cry on. At least we didn't go down to Arizona and fall asleep with the devils, and we better not! Another note Jacobs looked solid, actually better than solid, and will be important as the season moves on. 6 tackles and a sack in his first game for Oregon was, hopefully, a preview of bigger things to come. As he integrates into the defense our level of play should rise!