Washington Waddler

Dante’s natural ability is unquestioned, but the longer his lack of development lingers, the more his coach-ability comes into question.

Hard to over come his built-in advantage. His team culture is built on developed, no name portal players who see an atmosphere that fits hand in glove - a comfort zone for “the misfits” who can then bond together to show the world what it really takes to play football. And, it ain’t stars.

Absolutely true. The problem is, we’re all getting a bit tired of saying that.

That’s the difference between a low budget, blue collar program like Indiana whose coach(es) has a keen eye, and depends upon under-valued portal talent looking for a chance to prove themselves on the biggest stage, and high budget programs wallowing in entitled high schoolers that require time to mature into ‘no stars’ before coaches can often really see who wants to play.

Addressing two themes of high interest. 1) The lack of Duck butts at the game. The vast majority of Duck fans are not sitting under the roof in club seats at Autzen. Going beyond the cost of season tickets for most is a major budget consideration, especially if tickets, flights, hotels and car rentals are involved for more than one game. The inequity of geographic game location for west coast fans is obvious. Indiana fans had an 8 hour drive to the game. That’s unlikely to change unless markets like Las Vegas, San Francisco and Seattle are willing to ante up to join the circus. 2) Lots of stars vs less stars. As pointed out by others, what Cignetti has put together at Indiana isn’t so much about stars as it is about his eye for developed players from other programs willing to transfer to his. Dan’s budget allows him to recruit top drawer, and he does a great job at getting some of the best high school talent in both athletic ability and attitude. But, the motivational edge is always going to go to, as Mendoza put it, “the misfits” whose “strong culture and unity” gives them a ‘Dirty Dozen’ mentality that doesn’t require bulletin board material in order to make them want to show up at every game, and show the world the true value of stars. Dan too gets developed players to transfer, Thieneman and Canady being good examples. But, if there is anything to be learned from Cignetti’s focused strategy, it is a possible sea change in emphasis away from high school starry-eyes to developed players ready to prove themselves on the biggest stage, irregardless of stars.

Yeah, our big game record as of late makes it look like we’re living in Tornado Alley. OBD builds this thing over 3+ months only to watch it get shredded. But, that’s football, a little like riding a hot number in Roulette. You put it all on the line every week, and what happened the previous week no longer matters - win or lose - until it’s all over. Well, for this year it’s all over, and it’s dark right now, and it’s hard to recognize who you felt you were just 4 hours earlier. So, you take a deep breath, pick up the pieces and start again. No quit. That’s life in Tornado Alley - until it isn’t.

Everytime Kiffen’s move to Louisiana is mentioned, it always brings to mind one of Mike Leach’s memorable quotes: “LSU would be a good place to stand during a lightening storm.”

Hey, it worked for him when he was told to take a time out in kindergarten, so why not now?

Kelly’s right. He needs to hire Sabrina.

I believe we have as good or better quarterback whisperers on staff as anywhere else in the country. That said, as much as the vast majority of Dante’s issues can and need to be resolved through practice and game time experience, I occasionally wonder about that intangible connection between QB and offensive staff. How tricky is it to find that right switch to flip that assists in allowing all those moving parts to slow down, and settle into a confident awareness of the game?

No sweat (or water off your back) — after all, I live in Port Angeles, but held onto my mid-valley area code when I moved here from Eugene.

What’s interesting about most of those comments is how all of that Duck hate can’t mask the panicky fear that we’re headed for a championship. When the stone-cold Husky faithful are thinking like that, maybe there’s hope for them yet. Nah

Thanks Charles for all the hours you put in to keep this forum the considerate and respectful site that it is.

It’s a Peach!

How many Seattle area codes on those phone #’s?

You are what you eat? Regarding Cignetti’s facial expressions, at times he look s to me like a juggler who’s about to add one more ball that he’s not sure he can handle.

Barking dogs. It’s gotten to the point where it’s almost kind of cute, if it weren’t for the constant noise. Somebody give them a bone.

Bill Gates once said, “success is a lousy teacher . . . It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.” While Cignetti is no fool, and his team can learn and adjust from replays from our first encounter, I think we will find and learn much more than them - because of losing - that will affect the outcome of our 2nd match-up. That’s the nature of that intangible called motivation.

Hard to call the #1 team a Cinderella story, but in the bigger picture TWJ has it right . All I know is I’m in no mood to be bested by these guys three times in a row. Time to put an end to this feel good story.

I love the New Years Day bowl tradition as much as anyone else (especially the Rose Bowl), but I’d also love to see the top heavy strangle hold the deep south has be broken by a $$ offer from Las Vegas that the CFP and the NCAA can’t refuse. Figuring Lanning has no intention of lifting his foot off the gas, it’d be nice not to have to travel for every play-off game we’ve earned into the heart of Dixie.

Dante balanced his Indiana and Texas Tech issues with his performances at Penn State and Iowa. If there’s one thing that may bring him back for another year is to grow out of his inconsistency issue.

If it wasn’t for the unfolding quarter final pattern of 1st round byes losing to 1st round winners (4 out of 4 in 2024, 3 out of 4 in 2025), I’d tend to agree. That basketball doesn’t allow higher ranked byes not only levels the playing field, but makes upsets feel genuine. Football’s CFP quarter final “upsets” not only now appear as a disadvantage for the higher ranked bye team, but are beginning to taint otherwise great wins for the lower ranked 1st round winners. To get all teams involved in the 1st round, the answer seems to be to either to shrink the format back to eight teams, or (sigh) expand it to sixteen. Either way allows for seeded 1st round games without the odd number outcome of a 12 team format. However this issue eventually resolves, it’s getting harder to ignore how the “one and done” intensity of CFP games seems to give the advantage to the team that is allowed to better sustain its game ready fitness and attitude.

No issue with the defense’s attack mentality. It’s knowing when and when not to adjust that approach on offense that troubles me.

At times, not sure what our offensive brain trust was thinking. Against a defense of the caliber of Texas Tech, a go for it, taking the bit between your teeth mentality is just not smart football. In big time games; breath, and take what the situation offers.

The vision challenged ESPN talking heads say Oregon uni’s have no green or yellow in them. They not looking at the numerals?