latracey

Mycah Pittman leaving is NOT good news. Too bad these guys can't stick it out until next year when passing will again be featured in our offense. The fact is, we need quality WRs to win the games we have left.

It looks like the "Disrespected" Tweet last Sunday was the tip of the iceberg. Lots of chatter by folks who know Mycah that trouble has been brewing for a while now, and he isn't the only WR who is considering his options. What with ill timed injuries in his previous seasons and AB's inability to incorporate the downfield passing game into his repertoire (with what seems to be the coaches' blessings), Mycah had a hard row to hoe here. I really liked his skill set and I hate to see him go.

Given the history Jonathan Smith has with Corvallis and the Beavers, and the chance that OSU took in hiring him which he appreciates from the bottom of his heart, I'd be really surprised to see him go to Washington. That said, I was shocked when Mike Riley went to Nebraska. Obviously, money talks. Washington is superior to Oregon State in every single category as far as money, ability to attract recruits, and resources go; by A LOT! Not that he's not highly paid at Oregon State compared to most people, but he could make the kind of money at Washington that would set he and his family up for life. For example, Lake will get a 9 million dollar "see ya, wouldn't want to be ya" severance payment. There is an opportunity to experience greatness at Washington, and much sooner, than can ever reasonably be expected any time soon at Oregon State. There is also the difference of raising a young family in Seattle vs Corvallis. Is Smith bright lights and big city, or a down home and small town kind of guy? Compelling stuff, to say the least.

I hope this Tweet sent out by Johnny Johnson III's mother this morning of the image of a broken heart isn't the harbinger of bad news regarding his injury on Saturday night. His dependable hands and great blocking ability are truly needed.

Maybe Pittman and other receivers HAVE talked to the coach. That would explain why Pittman posted "Disrespected" on Twitter. It's pretty clear that Cristobal's/JoMo's quarterback and offensive strategy are set in stone at this point. We all love to win, but there is more to the big picture for wide receivers who have NFL aspirations.

The committee has seen fit so far to honor Oregon's head to head win over tOSU, in the Horseshoe in front of 100,000 Columbus, Ohio homeboys no less. It is the politically correct move given their protocol which puts a premium on head to head wins. Many of the big wigs have no interest in expanding the playoff field and are doing everything they can to maintain the status quo. That all said, not a soul on the committee, ESPN, the SEC, the Big 10, or in Vegas thinks Oregon will run the table before them. Utah is about a 3 point favorite to beat the Ducks on Saturday and ESPN is currently giving them a 5% chance of making the CFP. The notion is that Oregon will lose and tOSU can then claim their rightful position in the top 4. As Jon Joseph said above, we are talking about a combination beauty contest/invitational here and, while it reaps huge profits for the fortunate few, it is in no way, shape, or form an actual playoff. I, for one, certainly hope that gets rectified in my life time. In the meantime, wouldn't it be fun if Oregon completely rained on the parade and ran the table? The "experts" can say what they will, but I will always maintain that successfully navigating a 9 game Pac 12 schedule is as difficult as anything teams in the Big 10, SEC, or any other conference in the country have to do. Given the fact Oregon is only given a 5% chance of winning their next 3 games, someone out there agrees with me. If Oregon somehow manages to win their next 3 games and end up 12-1, they will deserve to be ranked ahead of Ohio State. Don't give me that malarkey about how tOSU played a tougher schedule. We have no idea about how WSU, or Utah would fare vs MSU, PSU, or Michigan, but we know that Oregon beat tOSU on their home field. That, my friends should be enough if both teams end up 12 - 1. And that, my friends, is EXACTLY why the CFP field needs to be expanded so that it is an actual College Football Playoff.

I have a really hard time sympathizing with models of good sportsmanship Lincoln Riley and Oklahoma who put Western Carolina on their schedule earlier this season and then happily slaughtered them 76 - 0. Even Alabama had the decency last week to keep their score vs New Mexico under 60 points. What's the old saying? Oh yeah... Karma is a bitch. I'm sure the SEC is licking their chops.

The down field blocking this season has seemed extra extraordinary. It's fun to watch replays of big running plays just to watch the great blocking from players of almost every position, including quarterback. Blocking this season has been elevated almost to the level of an art form.

Sure think DR Hilarius. Here is the interview I referred to which took place after the UCLA game. Mycah matter of factly answers the questions, but the devil is in the details. He points out that he was desperate to make something happen with the pass he caught because he doesn't get targeted very often. He also points out that there are many Oregon receivers that would be putting up the numbers of Drake London if they got as many chances as him. He is obviously frustrated at that point in the season while happy that Oregon finally had a game plan vs UCLA that focused on the passing game. One can only imagine how he feels now.

Given how suspect the officiating in the Pac 12 is, I think it's clear that we need to increase the number of cameras and camera angles available to review officials. As was demonstrated last night, there definitely need to be more than 6 cameras monitoring the game. There should be at least 3 camera angles monitoring each goal area with perhaps an overhead camera that looks down on the goal line from above. Another great idea I've heard mentioned is to have computer chips in the noses of game balls that could precisely track ball location. This would be a reliable way to decide whether or not a ball crossed the goal line plane, as well as more accurately determining the spot of a ball.

Can you actually imagine Mike Leach at USC?

The fact of the matter is that Oregon is 10 games into the season now and Anthony Brown is QB1. As Cristobal has plainly stated throughout the good, bad, and the ugly, Anthony Brown is the quarterback this year that gives Oregon the best chance of being successful. Joe Moorhead has designed this year's offense to fit Brown's specific skill set which, instead of passing a lot, focuses on Oregon's run game. While it has gone through a series of fits and starts, I think the second half of the WSU game demonstrated that, when it gets rolling, it's very hard for defenses to stop. It's also quite dangerous given Brown's past injuries. Another fact is that this is Brown's last season. Hopefully, our young quarterbacks on the sideline accept that this is a year for them to watch and learn. It's also not out of the question that, heaven forbid, one or more of them will be called on to take the reins should Brown, who has had major knee surgery on both knees, go down. He sure doesn't believe in sliding. At this late date, I think it would be hard for any of them to step into Brown's shoes and be successful. The bottom line is that, love him or hate him, Brown is the guy this year and his coaches and team mates love him. It's not always pretty, but he is one tough young man who plays hard and finds ways to win.

I mentioned in a previous thread that I saw an interview with Mycah Pittman where he expressed extreme disappointment about his lack of targets this season. His comment was something to the effect that there were several Oregon receivers, himself included, who would be putting up Drake London numbers if they were targeted as much as he was. It seemed clear to me that he's not a happy camper. At least he was fielding punts last night instead of letting them soar over his head, like he did in the first half of the Washington game last week. For a super talented receiver such as him, it has to be frustrating playing on an offense where AB's role as a runner has become a key component. I predict that more players will hit the transfer portal after this season than ever before.

The University of Washington isn't the kind of place that is going to patiently wait for Lake to get it together. His true last day was the day they lost to Montana. The proud Husky football tradition wasn't even patient enough to really give Peterson a chance to succeed there. They obviously have vast financial resources to draw from. I wonder who they will go out and get?

Oregon is a different team now than they were in any of their previous games. Every other team is different as well. That's the way a football season works in this dynamic world we live in. Great players get hurt and other players step into their moment of either greatness ,or something less. Coaches and players make mistakes and learn from them. A team, slowly but surely, discovers who they are. The games in November, by and large, are the hardest games to win. Oregon is different, and IMHO better, now than they have been all season long. Enjoy the ride !

It's too bad JoMo's deal can't also be sweeter. I fear he will be gone for one of the available head coaching jobs after this season. The job he has done maximizing the potential of the players he has at his disposal is pretty impressive. He's definitely in an elite category of great football minds. It begs the question: Who would you like to see Oregon go after if/when JoMo leaves?

While some of Oregon's assistant coaches may be lured away in the off season, I'm guessing Mario is going to remain as Oregon's head coach as Mullins and company have sweetened his deal with a 4.5 million dollar 1 year contract extension.

THAT is an excellent point Duck 1972! On almost every single play where they showed KT#5 doing his thing, he is obviously being held by whomever is trying to block him. It was CRAZY and should have resulted in at least one holding call. If I were MC, I would be submitting massive film to whomever is in charge of officiating. I would also be in the ear of the officials before the Utah game to make sure they are aware of it.

I read last week that it was either going to be 12:30 or 4:30 regardless of the outcome of either Utah's game or Oregon's game.

I love how Cardwell's running style is enough of a contrast to Dye that it keeps the defenses guessing. Throw in the possibility of AB running and you have the three headed monster that Cristobal envisioned all along. Not to be overlooked is the incredible job of run blocking being done by Oregon's offense. I believe that both Dye and Verdell have the option of coming back next year for one last season. I could see Dye doing everything he needs to do to fill out his resume and leave for the NFL after this season is finally finished, but it makes sense to me that Verdell might elect to stay for one more season to better display what he is capable of and perhaps reassure the NFL that he can survive a season without being injured. It will be interesting to see how the off season plays out. I can't imagine everyone will stay if both Dye and Verdell, or even just Verdell, come back. It makes me reflect on the interview with LaMichael James who said he was having so much fun playing college ball that he almost wished he would have stayed another year given how his pro career turned out. I also wonder which coaches are going to get lured away with the many job openings now available. Moorhead and Mastro have popped up on many short lists and I'm guessing both would like head coaching gigs. Who do they take with them should they leave?

One of the most creative ways the Ducks found to fall short last night was to have the officiating crew literally rob them of a touchdown, and the Pac 12 has proven time and time again that bad officiating can even stand in a review. I am weary of game changing bad call after game changing bad call. I'm with Charles on this one. Oregon went into halftime facing a major gut check moment. WSU had serious momentum, and their offense was carving up Oregon's defense. Instead of panicking, adjustments were made and Oregon secured the win. The games played in November are always the hardest games to win. Attrition has taken many of the best players off of the table, and teams that seemed mediocre earlier in the season have discovered who they are and how to win. Slowly but surely, through the mistakes and successes in each one of their games, Oregon is discovering who they are and I like what I see when I look at their trajectory.

From what I've seen so far this season, Oregon's defense has been vulnerable to quarterbacks with a quick release, slant passes, short passes in the flats, and the occasional run by a quality running back. WSU seems to have everything needed to rain on Oregon's parade tonight, and Lord knows they will definitely be motivated to do so. This is their Super Bowl. Historically, DeRuyter seems to have WSU's number, but remember that every single game combines new variables specific to that game's situation. For instance, who is tonight's officiating crew and what effect will they play on tonight's game? It's another Moment of Truth for our Ducks. If they hope to be in the CFP, they need to prove that they have the motivation, discipline, and skill to make it happen.

We live in a world where, thanks to the internet and the proliferation of social media, quite literally anyone with a phone has the means to spread lies passed off as the Gospel truth. Sadly, it goes far beyond the boundaries of politics and has infected information related to medicine, law, history, economics, and apparently even sports. We older people, who remember what it was like before the internet when, generally speaking, there seemed to be a higher premium on telling the truth, just shake our heads at the crazy things being passed off and believed by many as "the truth" these days. Even more so, those of us who spent long careers in the fields of science and eduction and know what actual "research" really looks like. They truly ARE out there among us, and their numbers are growing every single day.

Oregon wins 35 - 24 , 2 turnovers, 3 sacks, 180 passing yards WSU will come ready to rumble, but I'm confident that our Ducks will be just as ready to rumble.

I've often thought that successful coaching is, to a large extent, determined by how the coach fits into and is able to utilize, the components of specific environments. Peterson was dynamite at Boise State, but not so much at Washington. Kelly was legendary at the University of Oregon, but hasn't been able to conjure that success anywhere else. And the list goes on and on and on. Mario Cristobal is unique in that his selection was, to a large extent, determined by the extraordinary events of Taggart suddenly leaving, and Cristobal's popularity with the players that had them almost demanding he be hired. It was a classic case of Cristobal being in the right place at the right time, and it's worked out quite well. The facilities at the University of Oregon are nothing short of AMAZING. Cristobal knows what he has at the University of Oregon, which in no small part owes a TON to the patronage of Phil Knight, and he has used what he has to attract quality recruits here at an unparalleled rate. Cristobal might have a lot to still learn about game and clock management, but he has mastered the lessons he learned from Saban regarding how critically important the role of recruiting plays in the building and maintaining of a successful program. Love him, or not, Cristobal is a solid fit with Duck fans, the Duck community, and University of Oregon football. Mullins stumbled into a true gem of a coach. He is a hard worker, he has established a wonderful relationship with his players and their families, and he is passionate about being successful. Truly, what more could we Duck fans ask for from the coach of a football program we all Love?