The Kamikaze Kid

Seems about right. Easily a top ten preseason roster with a lot of unproven players filling in the spots. I think this should make for a fun season as the victories should feel more earned and less simply expected. A couple learning curve losses wouldn't be the end of the world if they get it figured out by the playoffs. Being ready out of the gate and going undefeated is also a distinct possibility. Can't wait for the show to get started!

My picks tOSU is an interesting rivalry. 0-3 in bowl games, playoffs and championships but 2-0 in the regular season. Michigan. I love this one. Two double digit road wins in the last twenty years gives OBD some instant cred in this one. Penn St. Just one BIG championship game victory and OBD is already looking down on the BIG's best of the rest. Wisconsin. I love the Rose Bowl history here. Two scrappy wins against a scrappy foe. Last year's road struggle shouldn't have been a surprise according to the history. Iowa. Maybe the most concerned team about OBD's BIG arrival. The go to pick for number four in the conference now looks like number five at best. They need to come up with some upsets and create a rivalry or they may simply slide into mid tier irrelevance. Slotting in our old Pac rivalries, I'd put fuskies at 1.5, SUC at 3.5 and UCLA at yawn.

With Lanning, Cliff could have experienced the professional culture he's brought to the team and that could have help him sturdy his career with more professional decision making. With Harris, Lanning would have had one of the biggest X factors in college football that could single handedly change a game. I'm sure they could have made it work.

This is far more than a mere sports website. This is the heart of a great community of Duck fans from around the world, many of whom contribute in different ways to provide an amazing fan experience throughout the year. We've had so many great discussions on so many topics without the nastiness that most online discussions devolve in to. The forum with decorum. My favorite place on the web. Happy anniversary!

One good OC hire and I think OBD wins the 2014 national championship.

Great topic. I agree that the biggest issues the 2016 team had were terrible defensive game planning and too much reliance on the young Ducks. A decent DC and the youth maturing into their roles would have brought about a 7-5 or better record in 2017 whoever was the coach. The Ducks old school coaches were great for their time but the modern recruiting era was leaving them behind and a youth movement in the coaching staff would have been required at some point. In the end I think Taggart proved himself to be all smoke and no substance with serious character issues that make him a poor candidate for any major head coaching position. His post Duck history has only confirmed this perspective. It was a bumpy journey down an unforged trail but moving from Helfrich to Lanning will be one of the most significant coaching improvements in OBD history. Can't wait for the story to continue in just a few more weeks!

I really love this depth chart. It has some great break downs like who are the first year players, who's a transfer, who's a walk on, star ratings of players in addition to the depth chart. It it a great comprehensive over view of the make up of the team. I consult it often throughout the season. Another great feature available on this great site.

I love Lanning’s playoff take. Hope it happens. I’m also down with standardized bye schedules. I felt like the BIG tried to trip up OBD with eight conference games in a row last year.

Reggie was awesome! A human highlight reel.

If Championships were won in August, SUC would rival the 60's Celtics! We are coming down to the final month of Delusion Season and SUC once again reigns supreme. Last year they were just one, two maybe five, six or possibly fifteen, twenty plays away from a glorious playoff run. I wonder what 1,2,5,6,15,20 plays it will be this year. They have a mine field to get through just to reach .500. Here's a look at it. Georgia Southern: Their old coach returns with his scrappy little team. I expect Riley to get out coached as he costs his team a few times trying to prove himself. I'm calling giving up a pick six on 4th and goal right now. Michigan State: Jonathan Smith year two will be a dangerous animal. Again expect Riley to be way out coached and possibly even go down. Bring back Helton chant is heard for the first time. At Illinois: On the road against a potential top 15-25 team. I'd book this one as a loss even if SUC brings their A game. Michigan: UM will be looking for a We're back! game and this one would fit the shoe. Hel ton! Hel ton! Hel ton! I can hear it now. At Notre Dame: Again over their heads even bringing A game. At Nebraska: The fifth gauntlet game in a row. This shouldn't be a tough game but will be. As confidence wanes, SUCs B game looks more like their C game and it costs them on the road. Iowa: Of all the teams to try to get right again against, Iowa isn't who you want. A frustratingly disciplined team doesn't go away and again getting out coached. Disappointed SUC fans purchase Helton tee shirts from a savy street vendor on their way home. At OBD: At this point, I almost feel sorry SUC fans. Almost! UCLA: Like a garden rake to the nads, SUC over looks danger beneath their feet and pays the price. After another humiliating season is done, SUC fires Riley, hires Chip and the 2026 Delusion Bowl Champions will be excitedly hoisting that invisible trophy yet again.

This list probably doubles as his replacement list.

Coach Prime’s brash bravado rubs many the wrong way but he does provide entertainment while displaying true passion for the game. Best wishes Coach.

Great topic. Decisions like this is why Lanning is one of the best coaches in the country and I’m just another internet guy with an opinion. I’ll trust his judgement for what’s best. This QB1 QB2 situation reminds me of Joey Harrington vs AJ Feeley. Can’t go wrong either way.

Games that look like probable losses: at UO, at ND, home for Michigan. Tough games that Riley has yet to show the leadership to be able to win: at Illinois, at Nebraska, home for Iowa. Mario Riley finds a spectacular way to lose (pick one or two): Home UCLA and MSU (never sleep on a Jonathan Smith Team). I think 7-5 and wait till next year's national championship is in the cards yet again.

A humbled five star quarterback willfully sits a year to learn behind a Heisman finalist on an undefeated number one team. That doesn't happen often. I doubt Arch Manning is ranked the number 10 SEC QB even though the situations are similar. I predict this will be the best offense that Lanning has put on the field so far and the string of Heisman finalist QBs continues for OBD.

Fun topic. Here's my take toughest to easiest. At Iowa. A good defensive game but UO has way too much offense to keep it close. Ducks by 10. At fuskies. Their improving offense gets smothered by UO's relentless defense with no answer for Moore to Moore. Ducks by 14. Indiana. The Hoosiers take a step back this year but are still well coached and put up a fight for awhile. Ducks by 18. SUC. As another humbling season approaches the end, a checked out SUC shows up at Autzen ready for their beatdown. Ducks by 20.

A roster full of unknown four star dudes with something to prove. I love it.

Here's the USC vs UO history dating back to 1990 by decade. 90's: UO 3 SUC 4 (from 94-99 UO went 3-1). 00's: UO 4 SUC 4 (this includes one vacated win by SUC). 10's: UO 4 SUC 2 20's: UO 2 SUC 0 Total: UO 13 SUC 10 SUC doesn't pull even with UO until going all the way all the way back to 1984! So for the last 40 years these two schools are dead even. From the Kenny Wheaton's gonna score year and minus the vacated win, the record is UO 13-6. As long as Lanning is running the show, I'd expect the trend of the last couple decades to continue.

SUC is trapped in their own delusions of grandeur. They have assembled a mercenary roster similar to the one AnM bought a few years back. With an over rated Riley in charge, I expect similar results.

Looks like a lot of "best of luck to you" not many ones that got away. Lanning has the roster moving in the right direction.

Looks great. Great job.

SUC: The proud leader in doing it epically wrong since Carrol left.

Lanning absolutely stocked the shelves with young talent to develop while the portal guys came in and brought results. Now those well stocked shelves will be the heart of his roster the next couple years while the NIL/ direct payment circus plays itself out. How many teams are going to go all in the next couple years and absolutely way over commit too much money to high school 4-5 stars and roster retention when those top dollar recruits inflate the costs of roster retention. When dropping 2-3 mil on a five star high school kid how, does the domino effect play out keeping that four star starter or his four star back up? While other schools crash and burn over committing precious funds, Lanning will still have top flight talent and compete at the highest level with a top end NIL collective that isn't throwing around Monopoly money all over the place. When the right plan of attack presents itself for viable long term success, the UO will be once again well positioned to take the lead and control the narrative.

Remember when the Pac said no thanks to Texas? Pepperidge Farm does.

Was hoping FSU gets back on track ASAP to put even more pressure on the U but with a QB with that mentality, I'm not so sure it's going to happen.