Drake

An immobile Nix creates issues. The mud rats defense is solid and it will take a solid performance from our RBs and receivers to keep them off balance. If our defense can get to their QB, then I think the Ducks will prevail. Then they need to get healthier before the PAC 12 championship.

There are always moments when you think uh oh….without pointing to one play, it really was due to our sluggish start and their ability to move the ball. Disappointed to watch OBD lose a game that they could have won. Not the first, and certainly won’t be the last. What they do after this disappointing loss will define their season.

From a few responses on the article it sounds like a really bad injury. For a running back that perhaps had NFL aspirations that is devastating. Wish him well.

Funny, that whole superiority complex thing they have must be learned behavior. Perhaps incoming freshmen are required to attend workshops on how to fake superiority. The Oregon State male rodents have more NATIONAL championships than the U Dud Man pups.

Ball security when handling the ball is such a vital part of the game. With as many times that we run during games I have to tip my cap to Coach Locklyn and all others involved. Team Fumbles per game…Top Ten 1) Minn. .4 2) Oregon. .5 3) Troy. .5 4) tOSU. .6 5) Cal. .6 5) GA Southern. .6 5) Tulane. .6 5) Ariz St. .6 9) Texas. .7 10) San Jose St. .7

No matter what happens with the CFP, I know that hiring DL and staff reignited Duck football. That flame was going out and these guys brought diesel, with a little gas added to give it some punch, and threw it onto a program just in the nick of time. A good season, could rival one of our best. Totally unexpected.

Late seventies and pretty much the eighties, the Don James era, mutt fans would flood into Autzen and many were quite boorish. There were more pup fans than Duck fans at some of those games. Many U Dud attendees were completely obnoxious during those years. They acted elite, and the funny thing is that they still hang their hat on the Don James era, and still act elite. There are many reasons to dislike and really hate on the U Duds, both before and since those times….the color purple, rumors from UDuds that Duck staff got Don James fired (hope it is true), Neuheisel the Weasel, dancing on the O, fans that think Bill Gates dropped out of U Dud to start Microsoft (that was actually stated in conversation I had with a U Dud mutt)…etc. There never is an excuse to be belligerent to opposing fans attending any of our games, but we can certainly hate that they wear purple, and cheer for the mutts.

Beware…a few of these stray pups will be driving cars down I-5 towards Eugene this Saturday…be safe everyone. The “Kenny Wheaton is going to score” is played before every game for good reason and never ceases to be entertaining. It was an improbable moment, and changed the trajectory of Duck football. The crowd will once again roar when it is played this Saturday. I know I will. Puppy fans in attendance always get so annoyed when we play that, yet again. Like I said, always entertaining. The crowd at Autzen is loud. However, when the puppies visit, it goes to another level. Autzen is definitely the place to be this Saturday.

Our OL is elite because they have played together for a long time. That experience of playing together is what separates them from the defense. The Defense has talent, but collectively they really haven’t played together that long. Plus, young DB’s get burned, that is the nature of one of the most difficult positions on a defense. Our defense will need to get more consistent pressure on opposing QB’s before they will see the defensive stats change. That may, or may not happen this year. But, we are in the CFP conversation, and our defense has been instrumental in helping us get into that position. Every team left on the schedule wants to knock us out of that conversation, and arguably each poses a legitimate threat. Statistically speaking we shouldn’t have 8 wins, but let’s throw the stat sheet out the window and play some football.

Lanning is definitely instrumental in the development of our offensive scheme. To be effective on offense you have to understand defense, and vice versa. Dillingham told the story of how he met DL in one of his interviews. He and Lanning have similar passions for coaching football. They both embrace the idea that neither of them knows everything about offense and defense, and are willing to learn new ideas from each other, and other coaches. Our offensive playbook has a solid foundation. However, it is also fluid in that our coaches watch what other teams are doing, and are willing to add plays they believe we can run effectively. When we played UCLA did anyone else get the sense that our offense was similar to Chip Kelly’s. That’s not a coincidence at all.

Ducks are in the news. Which bodes well for all sports. Eugene is a must visit for many top recruits. Solid coaching hires, sports venues and training facilities that are second to none, and a campus that looks straight out of a movie. I remember working out beneath Mac Court. The weight room and showers down there kind of reminded me of the gym where Rocky was filmed…the current student workout facilities are incredible. What a long strange trip it’s been. Go Ducks!!!

Young QBs show their raw abilities early. Unfortunately, nobody has seen any indication that he will be “the guy” next season. He looks very robotic for someone that has two years of practice at the college level under their belt. To me it just looks like he is thinking too hard about what he needs to do before every snap.

We rely on some pretty young players at key positions on defense. They are getting more experienced and getting better every game. Cornerback is a very difficult position to learn. Our defense is stingy against the run, and requires their QB to have a great game to keep up with our offense. Autzen is probably worth 6 points in this game, and if Bo Nix manages the game well, then Oregon covers the spread.

If I was an agent with a client that was a hot new coach I would want his name being used as an interested candidate at other Universities. From a monetary standpoint I am sure it helps to have DL’s name being thrown around. I suppose only those that are close to DL would know if he is actually interested in coaching at Auburn. I won’t truly believe any article until I hear him say that he is leaving.

I think some of those guys have been to a few of my parties. Always the last to leave and don’t offer to help clean up. 😉

Those conditions are in a lot of sold out football stadiums across the country. There are always choke points when you cram a decent size town into a relatively small area. Ever been in the tunnels at a sold out Rose Bowl? (Many UCLA fans haven’t…lol) I think driving to and from football stadiums is more life threatening myself. Although, the restrooms, concessions, and boxes on the Ducks side of the field do need serious renovation.

A top notch coaching staff try’s to leave nothing to chance. Competing at a high level requires attention to the details that some may overlook. Knowing the opponents personnel and tendencies requires many hours of work. What I find refreshing is how unpredictable our offense has become. Bo Nix having a Heisman worthy campaign is stunning the college football world. Defenses are being forced to defend the entire field of play. They have to respect a potent running game, and passing attack. On top of that someone needs to keep an eye on an elusive QB that may run at any time… Fun to watch.

An $80 million dollar contract and moving the family to Miami seemed like a great idea last November. This interview does nothing to explain why this team has regressed from last year. Patience from fans and alumni at this level of football will not last very long.

Ha…they can practice at the LA Kings ice rink to prepare for early Midwest storms. Fire up a snow machine, or two, and you have a great practice facility. Although it seems unseasonably warm around Lake Gitche Gumee right now.

Unsportsman like conduct definitely includes a broad area of acts and gestures. I don’t mind a brief celebration with teammates, but individual celebrations for making common plays puts the team in jeopardy of receiving dumb penalties. Those celebrations are the antithesis of team.

It’s like we have brought a hot new date to the party. We shouldn’t get all riled up if they actually talk to someone else. There will always be these types of rumors until a coach falls in love with Oregon, and what we have to offer. If DL continues to have success, then Oregon renegotiates his contract. That’s really all we can expect.

NIL may determine the outcome. However, the Spartans are not recruiting well, and they don’t have a legit shot at the CFP even with an expansion to 12 teams. East Lansing…ughhh.

The middle 8 has definitely been our sweet spot. Our OL play provides us a huge advantage on offense. They have been very instrumental in helping Bo Nix elevate his game beyond anyone’s expectations. Heisman watchlist…anyone expect that? When our OL, and Bo Nix are playing well together, the offense can play fast and gain chunk yardage through the air, or on the ground. We are forcing defenses to defend the entire field. Watching this team move the ball with relative ease is a sign of both solid coaching, and elite players that have bought into executing the game plans. I hope their best is yet to come.

The defensive response after the interception in the red zone changed the feel and direction of this game. The offense needed a defensive stop, and the defense needed the offense to get on track. Mission accomplished.

They work together well. Until I see a QB being developed, other than Bo Nix, I would rather not upset their football mojo that they have working together by answering this question.