Haywarduck

He says all the right things, checks all the boxes, and is the real deal. I don't care if he stumbles, trips up, he is my Oregon Head Football Coach, Leader of our Program, as long as he is willing!

Love Rising, the guy is a warrior. I would say it will take Whittingham telling him he can't play to keep him off the field. The thing that makes him so electric is he loves to play and his teammates feed off of his energy. The problem is if he isn't 100% there is nothing in his DNA which will make him pull up, or slow down in the moments when that would be wise. The guy is a great football player!

As a critic, skeptic of Mr. Martin, I too am impressed. After last season where the DB's looked like fools too many times the overhaul is astounding. We had a first round draft choice as a DB, but still couldn't slow down a passing attack. It is possible to create a healthy competition between elite talent, but oh what a juggling match that is. With the egos and chemistry within a team so critical I give huge kudos to the players for buying in, and Mr. Martin for keeping all the parts in play. I also want to give Demtrice Martin and Tony Tuioti kudos for raising some amazing young men. I was also skeptical of recruiting two coaches kids on to the team. Both players seem like gamers, and the type of foundational players a team needs. This isn't always the way with a coaches son. Often if you want to create a chemistry problem, just recruit a coaches kid. So I humbly agree with all Charles is declaring, and will gladly eat my humble pie this weekend as I try and find something to do!

'You can turn your hat around so the 'W' is on the back, but your t-shirt still says your a dawg fan.' 'Honey, don't worry I actually put money on the Ducks to win and maybe our kid can still get into the U of O!'

My opinion, Lanning doesn't say too much without a purpose.

Looking forward to seeing this, anyone have a caption? 'But we're at home and were undefeated!'

Oregon needs to work on taking away their biggest weapon, the crowd. If Oregon gets out front early and stifles the crowd, all will be good. There are few things as dangerous as a young college student who thinks they can do something and then is cheered on to keep thinking that. Even when they shouldn't, probably couldn't, a little enthusiasm can make it all happen. Oregon needs to set the dawgs straight right off the bat, and let them know last year was an anomaly. All will also be good with the fan base. Few things bring joy to opposing teams fans then a road game turned quiet. If the Ducks can put the choke collar on the crowd I know I will be extremely happy. The Ducks can make it hard on themselves and keep the dawgs in the game or do the Colorado thing and put 35 on them in the first half. I want to see the Ducks come out, and give the dawgs an extra special treat, a lesson they won't soon forget.

Thank you Mr. Whittington for putting it on the line for the Duck Nation! Hoping for a speedy and full recover, expecting nothing less. You thrilled on the field, now amaze us in recovery!

Great stuff Alex, but I am not sure we need to get to November 11th undefeated. We play two tough road games and if we lose one in a hotly contested manner then our goal can still be achieved. We need to get to and win the Pac-12 Championship game. I would love to see that include two wins against the dawgs, but one would do too. I do agree the sc game will be sparkly thing the media will drool over if we both stay undefeated. In that scenario I would like to see us beat them, then ucla beat them. They then go on to lose another lower bowl against Miami in the Tony the Tiger Bowl, 0-3 to end the year. Great title, The Storm of October will be must watch football. For now, we have to weather this weekend without OBD on the field, not an easy task!

Chip Kelly is the standard to reach for until Lanning gets a little further along on the trail. CK was 4-0 against both rivals so Lanning already has some work to do. I agree there is lots to get excited about with Lanning, but until he does little more on the sideline lets not push CK accomplishments to the curb. CK got beat because of a lack of depth, his RPO was hard to stop with all the starting talent. As I noted CK's defenses were also rated in the low teens, 12th, 13th nationally, so his defenses were pretty good too. Lanning measures up pretty well against the programs we face coming up. Lets keep it to that until he gets through this season and maybe next. I look forward to Lanning becoming the greatest coach ever, but he is not there yet.

If you're a fan, short for fanatic, you have to believe. We have the easy job. It isn't a fantasy, just what fanatics do! Now if you're a college player with coeds running around, homework, tests, family far away, and now NIL money, winning all the games is bit harder. Oh to be a college student again!

Great points, and well supported argument, love reading your stuff Mr. Marsh. Agree the running game along with a O-line only getting better as the season progresses can be a difference maker. The defense also is a huge advantage when it can effectively slow down a passing attack. With this in mind Oregon really has to focus on Oregon to win the games it has coming up, I heard this somewhere. I mean the road game difficulties, penalties, and lack of focus are the only barriers to winning out. First off Oregon can't sleep through the first quarter against the coming opponents. While the defense needs to continue to hold teams to field goals and limited scoring, the offense needs to be ready from the first time they touch the ball. A lead needs to be built early and then no let up. The Colorado formula needs to be repeated. Special teams also needs to be sharp. It was said maybe Cam Lewis wasn't ready to kick on natural turf, inexcusable. Special teams needs to be an asset not a liability going forward. If Cam really is developing the yips, the dawg kennel will be a pressure cooker for him. This will be a critical element come next Saturday. I love seeing Ducks never panic and just keep plugging along. What we need to see is for the opponent to panic because of the reasons you mention, along with special teams, firing on all cylinders for four quarters, Go Ducks!

Minnesota should be grateful he came there. They are 4-0 in bowl games since he arrived. They were 3-7 before that and seldom went to a bowl game. I would say the Gopher fans are the ones in trouble. If they run PJ out of town who will replace him? Build the program and go with the ups and downs. You have a good coach. As far as at Oregon, who knows, but PJ is a damn good coach and won't have to look too long for a better job if fired.

Interestingly under CK, Mr. Offense, we had the number 12 and 13 ranked defenses a couple of his years. It was under Helfrich the defense fell apart, and that was one of the indicators he was in over his head. It has taken this long to really reestablish that standard. After the 2010 season CK defense was ranked #12. CK proved you could have an elite offense and defense. Frost led the thinking you couldn't recruit to Oregon, and many thought you couldn't have both a top offense and defense. Chip Kelly started the move towards dispelling that misunderstanding, Lanning may solidify it! Lanning is again going after these metrics. Can Lanning match or improve on what CK did at Oregon, big question!

As long as there is green, yellow or both I am good. I actually enjoy when the dawgs put on a more blue color, hate purple, makes me want to puke. Also glad they are wearing Adidas, Nike just doesn't seem right on the dawgs.

If we win against the dawgs what emotion will best describe your state after the game? I am trying to get in touch with my emotions so this is something I am pondering as the game gets close. I guess if I was honest I would say schadenfreude would describe my emotion as the game goes our way. There is nothing like seeing a dawg fan down in his bowl. After the game I would say pride and excitement take over. It will be a great moment for Lanning and his team and the troubles the dawg fans are having are best left. Here is probably the best post game expression after a win up north.

Good point, on the chance to run the tables, this is the big game. I look at the OSU game as the other game that is a big risk. Home field advantage hasn't always been the biggest factor. The beavs had our number last year, and will be putting everything on the line this year. I do hope Lanning understands how big the dawg and beav game is to the Duck Faithful. He needs to get on the board with wins in these rivalry games. The National Championship is the ultimate goal, but wins against the beavs and dawgs is how one compares coaching histories. CK, 4-0 against both, and Brooks ruled the beavs, while Bellotti new these games were big and had winning records against both. Next game is important to show growth in all areas of our football program, and get winning again against our rivals!

We may only have to look at the beavs to see how tough road games are. The beavs lost to #21 WSU on the road. They then beat the #10 Utes at home. Winning on the road is tough in the Pac-12 and really anywhere! Utah beat a pretty good Florida team at home. Florida has lost both away games, and beat #11 Tennessee at home. They are undefeated at home. Utah is undefeated at home and actually won a game on the road. The road game was a close one to Baylor who isn't a great team this year. Washington is, of course, undefeated at home. They also beat Michigan State in away game. They came out and thumped them early and never looked back. Basically when a ranked team plays at home they seldom lose. We will be playing a higher ranked team away, and it will be extremely tough. How much more difficult do the Duck faithful see this game? How big of a deal is playing on the road, and what is needed to win on the road? I look at this game as a massive test where a win isn't the only outcome we need to see, blasphemy I know!

The concern is special teams and Camden Lewis. When a kicker gets the yips it can cascade into something terminal. Not sure what was happening to Lewis, but he better get it turned around against the dawgs. It will take all phases executing well to win going forward. I tend to think the defense was playing almost a rope of dope kind of defense in the first quarter. See what a team has and then shut them down. The big thing is don't get hurt, and two field goals while feeling out an offense isn't getting hurt. I have been skeptical of Tosh, but am coming around to becoming a believer. As Charles noted the defense has the guys it wants, and Tosh is starting to put them together. This next game will be a true test of what our secondary can do. I look forward to watching that battle. In two weeks we will also need pressure, and as was pointed out Williams is a closer. No longer do we have secondary guys blitzing and missing. Evan is the secret weapon who will be like a guided missile against Penix. We also have a healthy Dorlus who is a disruptor like we use to have.

Best thing that could have happened to the Ducks. They need to know it is difficult to win on the road. In both road games this season Oregon fell behind, but responded. In our next game we need to get ahead and keep the gas on. Lewis also needs to up his game. Clean kicks and no misses on gimmes is his job, and he was the canary in the coal mine for the Stanford game. We can't count on the dogs to lay down on the kickoff in this next game, although they are the leg lifters, and maybe they will squat a couple times. One of the toughest components of a championship team is road game toughness. Oregon is developing this but the next game will be a huge test. From the kickoff to the last whistle we need to see the coaches and players execute, and this still hasn't happened on the road. Next game might be part of a continuing learning curve, or can the Ducks establish themselves as the dominant team both at home and away!

As soon as Lewis opening kickoff went out of bounds I was waiting, patiently, for the tide to turn, and wasn't liking it. It seemed inevitable, but my patience was wearing thin. Nice test of Lanning's coaching ability, and showed he can turn things around.

Evan Williams is a difference maker. From last year to this year, Evan is arguably the guy who makes the biggest difference. He is a gamer, much like DAT was on offense, and Troy Dye was on defense. Both Dorlus and Williams will be interesting to watch on Sundays.

I would say Miami, averaging 44 points a game and 4-0. They may be shown as a fraud in October when they travel to Chapel Hill and play NC, but Cristobal is showing he can play offense, and lead a team in September. Come November they will undoubtedly have trouble in Tallahassee, but congrats to Mario and the hurricanes! I will say September is easy, October is where the lights starts to shine, and November is when the lights turn out for those who can't hold the standard set in the previous months.

Seems like the dawgs use to revel in winning preseason accolades. Now the dawgs, along with the buffs are September darlings. In both scenarios it doesn't matter that much what you do preseason, or in September. Silly dawgs, all that matters is what is done as the season grinds to a close. Maybe I shouldn't look too far ahead, but October and beyond can't come quick enough.

I like it, one has to keep it simple and understandable to really have people follow a tagline. If Lanning grabs 'The Standard' as his, then I approve. We had probably the worst, 'Do Something' and fortunately that meant leave after one season. We then had a guy who said 'what do you mean what's my slogan,' and we learned there really wasn't a real plan other than empty words like 'juice' and maybe 'bring it.' What we were left with was sour juice he had brought, left and now cleaned up by Lanning. For now CK's 'Win the Day' is the greatest, but that is because the outcome has so much meaning to all of us who lived through that period. Let's hope 'The Standard' grows in meaning to become recognized as the definition for winning, not just the day, but it all! GO DUCKS, Go Coach Lanning!