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Joshua Whitted
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Posts posted by Joshua Whitted
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On 2/23/2022 at 7:06 PM, EzDucksIt said:
Bringing in a former starter is always a wise choice, as was AB. Insurance against injury, meltdown or down right horrid game play. But serious development falls on coaching, no excuses. The job of HC and OC is to get game plans together, talent developed and put players into winning situations.
The issue for the staff will be, effort made to develop the talent. You lack the development and high level recruits will not come. MC was going to have that kind of issue, had he elected to stay, IMHO. On top of not being able to keep a OC and changing systems every two years.
And Off Topic, DJ Johnson, is one HECK of a TE, blocking and catching passes. His talent on Offense is just as impressive as his Defensive skills. I hope they make use of his talent and willingness to play either way for the team and his sake too. It would be a great injustice to not let his two way skills shine.
Really great point, the coaches have to put whoever starts in the best position to succeed. I do wonder what a guy like Shough could have done under a better offensive staff.
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On 2/23/2022 at 3:27 PM, HappyToBeADuck said:
Joshua you are on target that bringing in Nix was a good move by Coach Lanning.
Under the bright or dark shadow of the transfer portal the QB room could change again after spring ball.
In or out...........
Very very true. I hope we hang on to Butterfield, but I wouldn't be shocked to see him exploring other options either.
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On 2/23/2022 at 1:08 PM, kirklandduck said:
I don't think Lanning really had a choice in the matter. Pre-Nix there was virtually no in-game experience in the QB room after Brown graduated...add to that the now obvious revelation that QB development wasn't much of a focus during Cristobal's time and you have a precarious situation for the offense.
Yep, it was a bit of an eye-popper at first, but the more you look at it, the more obvious it was that we needed a veteran QB.
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On 2/23/2022 at 12:32 PM, 30Duck said:
I agree Joshua, it was the right move. Oregon has a very tough schedule in 2022, starting with the "neutral" game against Georgia. If Thompson or Butterfield can beat Nix out, great. But having a veteran SEC QB, familiar with Dillingham, looks like a winner to me.
You all have been bringing up a very good point about the schedule, specifically the opener. I know winning is a longshot in general, but I'm sure the coaching staff is glad they have a guy who has played in these types of games before, specifically playing Georgia three times already.
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On 2/23/2022 at 12:05 PM, Jon Joseph said:
Another great take. Thank you Joshua.
There will be a hotly contested battle to see who starts at QB in 2022; otherwise, Oregon hired the wrong head coach.
3 years of starting in the SEC and being reasonably successful over this time, including SEC Frosh of the year on O and a win against Alabama (and Oregon, sigh,) definitely trumps putting up big numbers in Arizona high school football. Nix is one of the very few players on the Ducks roster who will have played in front of the type of crowd the Ducks will see in the opener in Atlanta versus Georgia. If Nix starts, it will be his 4th start versus the Dawgs. (Only Auburn and Tennessee have 'the privilege' of playing Alabama and Georgia every season.)
Definitely spot on regarding the portal being the go-to place for many the school to find its starting QB. Arizona, ASU, CAL, Oregon, USC, Washington and Washington State could all have transfer QBs starting this season. A transfer QB will be starting at Oregon State and at Utah.
As you so correctly noted Joshua, CFB today has 'free agency.' There is no control, to date, unlike in the NFL, over when a player can enter the portal and no control over the school a player transfers to, even if that school is a member of the same conference. You can bet that there is roster tampering going on coupled with NIL pay-for-play inducements to transfer. Roster management in P5 CFB today is far more difficult than managing a roster in the NFL.
The NFL has a union to bargain with on pay and transfer issues; CFB does not. If a CFB Player's Union comes to fruition, what CFB entity will be there to represent 'management' in the bargaining process? At the P5 level, it will not be the NCAA. And can CFB players who belong to a union be considered to be anything other than 'employees?'
Thanks again. May the best QB win.
Yeah the Transfer Portal itself could be broken down in like a months worth of articles lol. I understand that coaches jump ship all the time, but there are monetary consequences for them doing so. I feel like that part has gotten ignored when comparing coaches leaving to players transferring. The NCAA has a mess on its hands here and not really much power to do much about it...
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On 2/23/2022 at 10:59 AM, Badwater said:
It looks to be a necessary move. MC's strong suit did not appear to be developing quarterbacks, something that Lanning's offense must address.
Dillingham and Lanning are saying all the right things, which is refreshing to hear. Hopefully they put those words into action because you are correct, Cristobal did not develop quarterbacks.
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On 2/23/2022 at 10:30 AM, Duck1984 said:
Lanning understands that the QB position will be a key for the Duck’s success, so it makes sense for him to bring a known winner like Nix into the flock.
I have mixed feelings about Nix though, as I suffered through his clutch play for Auburn in a winning drive in the 2019 season opener against the Ducks in his freshman debut.
While he’s no Vernon Adams, Nix is a gamer that doesn’t wilt under pressure. He will be a great competitor and leader in the QB room.
I too am mixed on Nix as a player. I'm a big fan of the process of adding a guy via the portal. That said, I wish we would've swung for some of the other QBs available. (To be fair, we might have and just lost.)
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On 2/9/2022 at 10:36 PM, HappyToBeADuck said:
I had all day to ponder this article and all the really solid comments. Honestly it is painful to ponder how one coach, one single coach, could undo a near decade of vurtually unstoppable offenses. Nothing was broke, very little needed to be done offensively when MC took over.
IMHO, MC either lacked vision or was completely lacking in his ability to keep up. Perhaps in his need to control everything he simply choked the life out of the Ferrari. He did not know how to handle this amazing, high performance machine. The control freak put a Governor regulator on the throttle. To me it is unfathomable and fricking unforgiveable............
So to the article. How do we get back to our offensive identity? That must watch offense. First the coaching staff must have the desire to want to score lots of points. Don't talk about it just take all restrictions off the throttle. You all remember those 6 play, one minute and eight second scoring drives. A thing of beauty that decimated opposing defenses. An attacking, high speed offense.
Then the damn defense get the ball back to the offense with great field position. Install and teach that attacking defense we saw in the Natty. Force turnovers.... Improve the special team units. Make them a force to be reckoned with. You know old school football with a heavy dose of thunder and lightning.
Recognize that the Oregon Duck football team got to 2 Nattys by scoring points. Lots of points. Put those scoring teams on the field with a top ten defense and what do you get?
Oregon Ducks first football National Championship. It's about damn time, isnt it?
I don't have anything to add, as I agree with this wholeheartedly. I gave Mario a pass for the struggling offense because he recruited so well, but boy did he really set our offense back...
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On 2/9/2022 at 10:20 AM, Jon Joseph said:
SPOT ON. Joshua, you perfectly describe what we witnessed, Mario football destroying the brand that put the Ducks, along with creative marketing like different uniforms for every game, on the map. I was surprised that for time, Phil Knight was on board with giving Mario another pay raise and extension.
Mario claims he was trying to bring 'Alabama football' to Oregon. Apparently he hasn't watched Bama play football since Lane Kiffin was hired to be the Tide's OC? People are going to drive 30 miles north from Coral Gables to watch Mario's brand of grind it out 1 score football games? Good luck.
UGA did not run an Air Raid O but Kirby Smart saw what was happening at Bama and hired Todd Monken to 'modernize' the UGA O. Lanning was on board when Kirby made the change and he hired Dillingham for a reason and portaled-in a QB who played for Gus Malzahn and played against his UGA Ds, for a reason.
I expect a return to more exciting and productive football on O and an O that will not only score more points but also help the D with far fewer 3 and punt series. We may even see the QB position coached up?
Spot on to you too, Jon. Yep, Alabama adapted and runs a very modern, creative offense. Hopefully Lanning was taking notes.
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On 2/9/2022 at 10:13 AM, Grandpa Duck said:
The most important change is an offense that plays up-tempo. The Lanning Dillingham goal of 80 plays a game will make the Ducks “must see TV”.
I am very excited to see us play with tempo again. It's been missing far too long.
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On 2/9/2022 at 9:22 AM, Haywarduck said:
Mario championed toughness and physicality along with predictability. The toughness and physicality are actually ok, it was the predictability that bothered me. Toughness and physicality redefined might be appropriate, but those traits are an integral part of any football team.
It would seem Lanning wants the physicality to include overpowering with size and strength. Seeing more of that at the line of scrimmage would be a welcome change. I would love to see the opponents running game shut down at the line of scrimmage. Toughness being defined as able to withstand adversity is another element I would like to see. If the team suffers multiple turnovers, or injuries, they need to show the esprit de corps to win every game expected and rise up to do the unexpected.
Repetition on offense may be ok, but execution is critical. We also need to see innovation, the unexpected. One area I am excited about again is special teams. The special teams coach is going to be a huge upgrade. Shutting down the opponents before they start and exploiting transitions in possessions will hopefully be fun again!
Innovation on offense can look like any number of schemes. I just want to see the opponents confused, maybe even in awe again. We need to become must see tv again!
I think your last paragraph is key. Innovation can come in a variety of ways; as long as we're keeping defenses on their toes we're doing our job.
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On 1/26/2022 at 1:56 PM, EastBayDuckDad said:
No reason we can't recruit outstanding DLs. We have in the past with Ngata and Olshansky and more recently DeFo B and Arik A (and even Mondeaux, a Portland 3* who is carving himself out a nice spot with the Steelers).
Dorlus and Taimani look to be good start
Yeah, Dorlus is really, really good. With this staff, he might be a game-wrecker.
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On 1/26/2022 at 12:15 PM, Drake said:
I agree that the DL is the heart and soul of the defense.
This year we know that Oregon’s recruiting takes a hit. However, Lanning has an opportunity to take a big step forward with recruiting if he gets this team on track with a stingy defense and a wide open offense.
Duplicating Georgia’s defensive line anytime soon isn’t very realistic. However, winning games by wide margins gets attention. Boot stomping lesser teams would be a good start.
Lanning has compiled a solid coaching staff and inherited a solid core of players. Fans at Autzen know a good product when they see one. I hope this staff helps to return Autzen to one of the loudest stadiums in college football.
I do hope Lanning gets the Ducks to play up to their potential more often than Cristobal did. I feel like Oregon only brought its A-game like once or twice a year under him.
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On 1/26/2022 at 11:30 AM, Haywarduck said:
As much as I love Big Joe as our coach, he didn't put us over the top recruiting elite interior lineman. A student athlete like Siaki Ika, from SLC, was a must get, but we never moved the dial on this guy. He wasn't the only one, but Oregon is now more attractive to those prospects.
Between Tosh and Tuioti Oregon has committed to recruiting and developing interior d-lineman. I completely agree with what Joshua says about the lineman making the whole defense go. Back when we had Ngata and Igor our LB's looked much better than they were. Now that we have elite LB's, all we are waiting for is some beef with speed and power to help out.
As the fans focus on bringing back the Oregon O, the program is focused on building an elite defense. It will be great to see explosive plays again, but the defense will be exploding offensive opportunities if Lanning does what he was hired to do. I look forward to this development, which has already started!
Adding Tosh is such a massive addition, and he should be a big help in recruiting the Southeast. Of course LBs are important too, but they're really able to shine when teamed with an elite D-Line. I am confident Lanning will get the D-Line in championship-level shape before long, so long as he gets some recruiting wins at that position.
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On 1/26/2022 at 11:25 AM, Jon Joseph said:
Another great take Joshua. How long did it take Kirby to win a Natty? Patience will be required.
Absolutely. This is going to be a process, especially with all of the roster turnover.
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On 1/26/2022 at 11:23 AM, Just Ducky said:
Along with 3 studs up front you also need quality back ups or the starters will get wore down chasing a lot of these mobile QBs around that exist in college football. The more time the big dogs spend on the field the less effective they will probably be. The 2 deep is so important.
This is a fantastic point and one that should not be overlooked. Depth is HUGE. You hit the nail on the head.
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On 1/26/2022 at 10:57 AM, Charles Fischer said:
Great information Joshua for us Oregon fans to be aware of. Unfortunately, it really calls attention to the importance of elite defensive linemen, the scarcity of them and how difficult it will be to get them to the PNW.
The Washington Transfer was a good start!
I'm VERY excited about the transfer from Washington. He was a much-needed addition to our relatively thin D-Line.
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On 1/12/2022 at 6:21 AM, Haywarduck said:
Both Oregon and SC need to put a compelling team on the field. Under Cristoball we were at risk of turning off the Oregon identity and brand, sc's was on life support.
Georgia is all about their stifling defense. Alabama has become an offensive juggernaut, along with a compelling defense. The tosu program is just about having swagger, and it is a pretty good school.
Oregon needs to create excitement about who they are going forward. Do student athletes want to be the next Anthony Brown, or really any of our players on offense? Same can be said about the sc offense, maybe a receiver for the trojans, but no longer do they have a top RB.
I agree it is about recruiting and balancing the recruiting, but it is also about turning the lights back on with our program. If the light shines bright enough people will want to watch no matter what time the games are on.
Lanning's job is to get the talent, and turn the power back on with the program with an exciting product. The rest will take care of itself, that is the Oregon way!
The focus on recruiting is great, but turning the product on the field back into can't miss tv has to be job 1. Recruit, develop and create a compelling product on the field, and keep it growing!
Hayward, this is a great point and it leads us to a great discussion on whether this is a “chicken or egg” scenario.
Elite recruits want to go to schools that create draft prospects, and the schools that generate NFL players generally do so because they sign the best prospects. To break the cycle, a school has to stand out and do something different from everyone else. Oregon used to be that school. If it can regain that reputation under Lanning, the recruits will follow.
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On 1/12/2022 at 8:04 AM, Jon Joseph said:
Another terrific article Joshua, but why bother with the SEC and the G5?
When OK and TX formally join the SEC, only 5 SEC member schools will be AAU member institutions. Why compete against a conference where athletics 'Just Mean More' than academics. A conference where A+M just paid $70M+ to sign the number 1 recruiting class.
As I have suggested before, come 2026, the year after this so-called "playoff" ends, the ACC, B1G, Pac-12 and Notre Dame should conduct their own post-season Run For The Roses Tournament.
The field in 2021 (no conference with more than 3 entrants) would have been as follows with 3 conference champs and 5 at large making up the field.
8 Wake Forest at 1 Michigan
5 Utah at 4 Michigan State
Semifinal played in Indianapolis
7 Oregon at 2 Notre Dame
6 Pitt at 3 Ohio State
Semifinal played in Las Vegas
Championship Game in Rose Bowl on 1/1 - 5 PM kickoff.
Kickoff the season in what is now referred to as 'week zero,' half teams bye week 6, the other half week 7. 2 OOC games with at least 1 vs a P5 opponent. 10 conference games. No divisions, no conference champ game, champ decided in the regular season using agreed upon tie-breakers as may be required. Notre Dame to play 11 P5 games out of 12. NIL agreements arranged to compensate players participating in The Run For The Roses. Loss of Income Insurance provided for all players.
As much money without the SEC in the mix? No. But CBS, NBC, FOX, etc. would pay significant money for the postseason media rights. No ESPN? So what?
4 and 5 stars head for the SEC? Who cares. There will be parity among the participating conferences and Notre Dame. (The B12's participation would be decided upon by Alliance members.) Clemson, FSU leave for the SEC? Again, who cares? I see no circumstance under which Ohio State would leave the B1G.
Conferences contracting to play one another in certain bowls have not be held to be and IMO would not be held to be in violation of antitrust laws. The Alliance would regulate CFB in conformance with state and federal law but free of the NCAA.
I for one prefer this alternative over continuing to participate in the CFB arms race. The SEC has built the better CFB mousetrap. The smart mice should stop coming around.
Jon, terrific insight as always. I just don’t think we need to change the college football infrastructure to nerf the SEC. I think the easiest way to balance the sport is for many other premier programs to simply pull their weight. There’s no reason Michigan should be a a clear second fiddle to Ohio state in recruiting, likewise USC should be owning the west. Texas shouldn’t be letting Texas A&M take the state from them.
I think there have been monumental recruiting failures from many former blue-blood programs and that more than anything has allowed a select few programs to dominate the landscape.
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On 12/29/2021 at 10:33 AM, Steven A said:
"Sure, Cristobal was one of the more impactful figures in recent memory for the Ducks, and his individual skill set can’t be replicated."
Yes, Mario was impactful and he did leave the program better than he found it for which I am happy. So, I'm assuming the "skill set" you are referring to is recruiting. Otherwise, the only other skill set of his we want to keep is his work ethic (the non-I'm-outta-of-here ethic).
I think we'll know in early February how good Lanning is at trying to duplicate the recruiting success and if he can, then we won't miss MC at all.
However, I am pessimistic about both a good game out of the Ducks and a W as I'm afraid we will see another Utonian effort. I can only hope OU duplicates that type of effort, then we'll have a game.
Yeah, I think Cristobal had a bunch of good qualities. He was a strong leader, hired really good coaches, had an infectious personality and as you said, was a relentless worker. I think we'd be fortunate to have those traits in another head coach. Of course he wasn't perfect, and ideally Lanning can learn from what Cristobal did well and improve upon what he didn't.
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On 12/29/2021 at 9:56 AM, Notalot said:
UO v OU is an epic and anticipated matchup anytime. Slotted in TV prime time on a slow sports night the game will be watched coast to coast. What better time is there for the Ducks to prove that the win over the Buckeyes in the Shoe was deserved?
I would like to see the O-line push the Oklahoma defense with Dye passing 150 yards rushing and Cardwell adding 100 more.
It will be great if the defense can plug the LOS and play a pressing pass defense taking away the first six yards that the Ducks opponents feasted on throughout the season.
No guts no glory. No balls no blue chips. Go Ducks.
Perfectly said. Honestly, what an absolutely cool matchup. I wasn't too bummed when we lost the Pac-12 Championship because I knew this game would be our consolation prize, and I think it's a pretty cool one!
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On 12/29/2021 at 9:12 AM, Haywarduck said:
I want to be clear, I have already said my good byes to the Cristobal era, it's over.
What are you looking for in tonight’s matchup, as we say goodbye to the Cristobal regime and move towards a new era of Oregon football?
The new era is on the bench, but I want to see execution and some trick plays. I have seen Moorhead get creative in the past, and I would like to see Joe give us a show. That would bring in the new era very nicely.
As has been stated, if I see too many 3 and outs, with predictable play calling I may just turn off the tv, and wait until next year to see the new era. If it really does look like Cristoball, then I won't watch.
I hope the student athletes get to have fun, and play to their potential, if so it will be a good game.
I would absolutely love to see Moorhead empty his bag of tricks. I'm sure he's got some really cool plays drawn up that he's been sitting on.
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On 12/29/2021 at 11:46 AM, Duck1984 said:
Does anybody believe things have changed so much that we will see the Ducks play loose on offense? Or that things have improved enough that we will play tight on defense?
The strengths of the remaining team are on the O-line and in the backfield. Our QB is a runner. Unless our young receivers become great downfield blockers, the Ducks may have trouble scoring.
A major weakness is our secondary. We will get beat if we press on defense, which leaves slants and underneath crossing routes open. We will likely see continued soft coverage and prevent D.
A winning game plan is to run to control the clock, and play prevent D outside the 10 yard line. This game may not be as fun to watch as I would like, but I will watch anyway.
I think our offense will be just fine crazily enough. I'm pretty concerned about our defense this game, though.
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On 12/29/2021 at 4:14 PM, Jon Joseph said:
Always a treat to read one of your articles Joshua, thank you. I do think the OK players will stand up and put out for the legendary Bob Stoops. Bob is an interim coach but one with far more 'presence' than the part-timer coaching Oregon. So, will the OR players have the competitive juice to show up and play hard in this game? I am uncertain because in 2 or Oregon's last 3 games I saw little to no leadership on the sidelines or on the field. I am concerned about the guys who are practice no shows and why we have received no explanation regarding their absence; I hope this is not affecting the team's will to win?
The best player on the field will be Oklahoma QB Caleb Williams. Mainly due to opt outs OK is missing lots of starters. But looking ahead to 2022, OK's QB will be one of the top 3 in the country coming into next season. It is hard to win any football game. Harder when the opponent has a material advantage at the all important QB position. Oregon has by far a better OOC win in 2021 than does OK. But OK played in a top to bottom conference far more difficult than the Pac-12. There is no reason to believe Oregon can win this game, which is why the Ducks, if the team truly feels disrespected, could win this game.
Win the game? Great. But please at least show up, ball out for 60 minutes and do not quit.
I sure am hoping this game does not become a 3-hour Heisman campaign for Williams ...
Three Questions Lanning Must Answer This Spring
in Our Beloved Ducks
Posted
I too am hoping one of the young QBs takes the horse by the reins. Nix is a good backup option if they don't pan out, but I think that's a (relatively) worst-case scenario.