Haywarduck

GA position only, you have to be able to recruit to coach at Oregon.

Great article about teams weaknesses becoming exposed as the season progresses. Last week our tendencies were taken advantage of and this week we will see the continual adjustments occur. Wonderful article about that process, and hopefully Oregon will continue to show toughness, execution and growth. The goal this team had at the start of the season is still ahead of them. It will take Lanning's continual growth mantra to coming true to make that happen. I am looking for dominance and another chance for our backup qbs to develop. Also still looking for some stats to be put up there for Jurrion, or just a pancake block by the guy. These type of games are where we also need to see next years guys start to sparkle.

Probably won't be a 9:00 AM kickoff, but thankfully there won't be a kickoff after 5:00 PM either. The tv decisions will need to take in consideration the audience in the midwest and east coast, not just Larry's network which will die off! I am done with my coffee early, but don't stay up as late as I use to. The late games kill me so this may be the one thing I like about the BIG move.

Such a great remembrance, and enjoyed the respect given to the past. That is one item I am so happy about with Lanning, he gets what Oregon means, stands for. Now he just needs to turn the 0-3 against the rivals around. The article today about recruiting gives me pause about respecting that past. Oregon has always recruited guys who developed into greatness, didn't just come ready made with stars. From Dan Fouts to Justin Herbert we have mostly picked up guys who had the magical it, not the guys everyone wanted. I actually think Lanning gets that and he isn't just chasing stars like MariØ did. We are seeing guys show greatness early, as freshman. I just hope the next Brock Purdy isn't passed over for the higher rated guy. For me seeing the walk-ons, the guy we take a chance on, excel is much like being the long shot in a game, back in the day. Your writing brought back those days and Brooks building of this program. It is a different program, but effort and ingenuity is integral to the DNA of Oregon Athletics. I just hope this continues to shine through as we flip the blue chip ratio. I don't see any lack of effort by Lanning on finding effort guys. We just need to see the score predictions crushed on the field as we play with this new higher level of perceived talent, but the same flair Francis, Fouts, Moore, Goldsmith, Takuafu, Musgrave and Harrington gave to this football program. You have to have the blue chip talent, but you still have to play with a chip on your shoulder.

I am sure Bo wants that one back as much as Holden wanted the pass. Was the pass off too? Seems like he saw the single coverage and knew he wanted to make that throw, correct? Lanning had they had a timeout if the defense wasn't set up to make the play work, so what went wrong? Tough lesson, but DeBoer's statement about tendencies should be a big message too. Unless you have a play no one can stop, they don't exist, play the options everytime.

You know you shouldn't but then.......

I always find analytics interesting when you watch golf. The broadcaster will say a pro golfer should make 80% of his putts from 5'. You then watch a pro golfer miss the 5' putt, because the pressure is on and it isn't a standard putt used to analyze the statistic being referred too. The same can be said in football about a hostile environment at the end of the half. People that use statistics to drive everything need to understand context too. This is where Lanning will learn that when the noise is deafening, and you want your kicker to have a chip shot to practice in this environment, you kick the damn field goal. That way the kicker has a chance to make the 40 plus yarder at the end of the game. Without the practice at the end of the half that 40 yd. field goal looked like it was 60 yds. So statistics are interesting, but just like driving a car, they aren't quite ready for every situation. A good driver needs to read every situation and make some judgement calls. A good coach needs to read the situation and understand all the variables. I don't think Lanning quite figured out all the moving parts when he made the decision at the end of the half, just looked at his chart. He is getting paid too much to just refer to his chart. He needs to process all that is going on, and have a bit more foresight.

When you look at our history under Lanning I think it comes down to 4th quarter toughness, execution. While the defense showed some toughness against the dawgs, and Utah last year they need to tighten it up. The offense needs to have some plays where Nix goes through his progression and knows he can get the yardage needed. Granted Lanning has done exceptionally well as a new coach. The problem is losing to our rivals, in tight games. He has to be able to stop a one dimensional beav team late in a game. He has to be able to get the team to execute late in a game against the dawgs. This is that last little element which is the difference between championship teams and very good teams. There can be no meltdown at the end of a game against a rival, or anyone. A coach should not be able to say they took advantage of tendencies. This is the tiny minutiae elite coaches spend serious hours trying to fix, or build up. I think it comes down to shrewder coaching in the those critical moments, not more juice as our previous coach use to espouse. This is something you see with truly elite teams, the game seems to slow down for them and they execute. At the end of the game, in tight situations, the game does seem to slow down, but the execution just isn't there. You could see it in Saban, Osborne and our old CK they relish these times, and will a win. The other element is players step up in moments. I was hoping a few players would step up a little more. I won't name names because they all played their hearts out. The bottomline is they didn't make that final stop on defense, or find a way on offense. We need individuals on the field playing sharper that the opponents, and giving just a little more. I too think this is fixable. Lanning is building the elements, but they aren't there yet. We are close, but, as noted, coaches need to get sharper. We need a few players to really step up to become Oregon legends if we are to make that next step. It can happen this season, but these fixable things will have to happen late in games.

Don't forget Mike Cavanaugh as the offensive analyst, experienced offensive line coach. He has 35 years experience as a coach. You have to give Lanning credit on this one. He hires a young coach, Alique Terry, he knows will be awesome, but he gives him a mentor who knows all the tricks. That my friends is brilliance!

The way we played against osu last season is the way we can never play again. I think Lanning has built this team to ensure there won't be a repeat of that fiasco. Now we just need keep improving and proving this is Lanning's team, and they don't let down. I look forward to seeing that happen from here on out.

If you're playing cards in a high stakes game and you have tendencies, you're gonna lose. Oregon was playing a high stakes game, and the opposing players knew what their hand was, fatal mistake. If Stein wants to keep playing in high stakes games he needs to be a better poker player. Nix needs to know his tendencies and use that to play a defense, not get worked. Everyone knew who Bo wanted to throw to on big downs, and that can be used by him, or the opposing defense. We have plenty of weapons, he needs to use them. He played a great game, but it usually comes down to that last hand and....

It did seem like the O-line was working better than the OC, great question. As Deboer stated he studied Oregon's tendencies, and mixing it up a bit more would have played against that info. Instead it looked like the dawgs knew what Stein and Nix were going to do at critical points. Such a great effort by the players, and coaches really, but a little more creativity may have been the difference. Great article and maybe Stein will consider leveraging the O-line as you suggest, next time!

The interesting thing about the title of the thread, "Oregon Ducks Among Nation’s Best Despite Washington Loss" is only two programs didn't realize this after the game. The Duck fans thought it was the end of the world and our program would never go anywhere. Many thought our coach completely blew it and would never reach the lofty heights seen before the game. The dawg program thought they had finally reached their birthright, better than any program on the face of the earth. Beating Oregon means everything to the dawgs. At least temporarily they were ready to hang their hat up and say the season was already as successful as possible. Come Monday and the emotional reactions have calmed and both programs will get back to work. The fans will also get back to looking ahead instead of at this big amazing game where either team could have won, but this time the entitled canines from up north lucked out.

Also that play should have the qb watching to see if the db's switch or, like in this situation, the receiver is wide open because the play causes confusion. There was no confusion with what Franklin was doing, it was a timing throw. Nix made up his mind of where to throw it before the snap. Wait a minute, water under the bridge, dooh!

For me it's...... For the coaches, players, and some fans it is fodder for improvement and to ponder. To each his own.

Perfect article for this Monday morning. There is being exposed, and then there is losing a tough game you could have won. I'll take losing a tough one any day over being exposed by the domers. The season has begun in earnest, and it ain't over! I will say a Duck landing is a beautiful thing and I have a feeling they will land back on their feet. Now going forward this isn't the time of year to lay an egg. Lets hope they get things right, and get ready to fly south to Vegas in December!

I work with people who have too much gusto and those without. I will take those who have too much and tone them down over firing up somebody who is lacking all day. We had somebody who spoke like a champion, but had little of the inner fire power needed. We now have a guy who has too much real chutzpah, and I love it! The thing he said in the interview is he has to review what he did, and the end of the half decision was something he needs to look at. I think we have a guy who is aware, and able to adjust. Maybe not fast enough to quell the old guard, but he has 'it,' and nobody can deny that.

Ok, let's close the door and stop looking at the pavement screaming by. Time to look ahead through the windshield of the season and realize the view is pretty nice. I personally remember saying weeks ago, and yesterday if we lose a tight game it may be the best thing for the program. Not the easiest thing, but maybe the best thing, and that was probably the most productive thought I had yesterday on my Ducks. We should not be micro focusing on this game and I certainly hope the coaches and players aren't. It would be like driving with the door open, while looking down at the road. You will just get sick, probably get in an accident, at least do, or say something stupid. Tandaian thanks for bringing some perspective to the minds of the faithful. Also how many head coaches actually win a National Title? Our boy wonder CK was certainly on the fast route to a title, and has floundered since. I will agree with the many who thought, in the days before the game, Dan Lanning has a formula to win big. That formula is based on the DNA of the Oregon Football Program. That is also what we saw yesterday, and it can work. We must realize behind all those statistics that show a successful coach are many failures, and plenty of people who saw exactly how they could have done better. It also took a faithful fanbase to support that process. Let's get back off the ledge, and enjoy the view ahead, it's a long road!

I suppose the big question is which football decision will be looked at by the coaches and questioned? It is amazing to see fans point out so many flaws in a game plan which almost beat a higher rated team on their field. In the end it will be the coaches looking at the game and deciding not just which players need to improve, but which coaching decision or progression of calls could be improved. It won't take much to shift the outcome and although many on here have great ideas it is the ideas these coaches come up with which will matter. I guess the only thing I haven't heard answered was why did so many Ducks slip on the turf yesterday. If a conspiracy theory could be cooked up that is one that had me curious as I watched our Ducks battle. Blaming coaches, refs, opposing players dirty plays seems trivial to a really good conspiracy theory in this era of conspiracy theories.

Most, myself included, discounted just how good the dawgs were. Most still are discounting how hard it is to win in a hostile stadium. How else could so many have predicted a decisive win in Seattle? In a few weeks maybe more people will see Oregon is an extremely good team, getting better every week, led by young warriors. In the ensuing weeks the anticipation of a rematch will be palpable. I know I can already taste revenge, and it will be sweet.

Best writing yet, not that I agree with all of it, but well done. For me the lack of execution factor was troubling. Some of that can be attributed to being in a hostile stadium, but if you are going for it on 4th down that is the time to win every matchup, and execute every move, didn't happen. Bottomline Washington is a very good team which almost got beat at home against their rival. Their defense stepped up when it had to and our play calling and execution was suspect. We won that game except when it was on the line. Going forward Oregon has to do better when everything matters. That is the trademark of a championship team, Heisman qb, elite coaching staff, and a defense with an edge to it, you make it happen. There is still lots of hope, but the program has to take another step up and forward, not there yet! I also think many who criticize Lanning, players, and others within the program aren't giving the dawgs enough credit. They are a damn good team which challenged us, and stepped up when it mattered. Many of the predictions, mine included, were based on a lack of respect for the program up north. They deserved more respect, tough to say, but next time they deserve to be throttled!

The only thing that surprised me was the dawgs. They are better than I anticipated, good for them. I stand tall with my support for Charles prediction and my support for Dan Lanning, keep it up to both of them!

Dawgs area good team, and better today. Going forward, not so much. I like the direction Lanning is taking the program. Much like the uniforms, some of us may not like them, but the student athletes do. The direction is innovative and aggressive. I like both these directions straight ahead, I say! I will take Dan Lanning good wins, tight losses any day. The only thing I wouldn't have been satisfied with today was a big loss. I also think there is one player we need to upgrade, and I won't even go there because I bet few agree with me.

He has reached his ceiling, and that bump on the head hurt. I will say there is still plenty of season to right this ship. I hate to say it, but the dawgs are a good team, that played well at home. Next time they won't be at home.