Mudslide

Thanks for another fine article, Dazed. A worthy view or the Ducks' 2022 defense might include the team's sack stats. Oregon ranked #1 in sacks allowed with 4! The team ranked #125 in sacks generated. 125th...right next to Arizona! That's not exactly my idea of the Lanning attacking defense that many of us expected. I'm unsure if this was TL's take on the bend-but-not-break D or simply a lack of player talent and/or scheme familiarity due to the coaching change. Further, the Ducks' scoring defense ranked #77 in FBS. I believe that DL will get his recruiting chops rolling this year, portal talent included. TL also has a strong recruiting record. I'm also not disillusioned that the team has an uphill battle in the new, pass-happy PAC teams will place a big challenge on the 2023 back 7. So improvement, by a large margin, needs to occur next year, even assuming another stellar year of offense. GO DUCKS!

I enjoyed the game. The guys fought hard, I thought. The many injuries pose a real hardship on the team for both practice and game. A couple of guys were even playing the game at less than full strength, e.g. Guerrier. On the flip side, I really wish the Ducks would play a little more pressure defense. And the team in general was not very mobile. I guess the zone is necessary with so few bodies to play. But my one big issue with the team is Richardson. The guy is a turnover machine...bad passes into a crowd, driving against multiple players in tight areas. He can score...but there is a reason coach wants him at the off-guard position. Bad handles. Still, the season is young. I look for a lot of wins from this team. GO DUCKS!

Another bites the dust. UNLV fired Arroyo. UNLV fires coach Marcus Arroyo after three seasons WWW.ESPN.COM UNLV has fired coach Marcus Arroyo, who was 7-23 in three seasons.

Thanks for the article, Dazed. You bring up interesting candidates. Count me as another Garret Riley fan. And allow me to throw another hat in the ring. Jeff Lebby from UCF, their OC/QB coach. He has done wondrous things at all his coaching stops. He currently has UCF as a top 10 team in total offense. His teams there have averaged over 43 ppg for a couple of years in a row...netting top 5 NCAA scoring finishes. Earlier in his career, he coached RBs for five years. And for those five years, he had a 1,000 yard rusher in each of them. He was running backs Coach of the Year at Baylor. This dude can coach! I don't know a lot about his recruiting chops, but his coaching record speaks loudly.

Oregon 38-17 1 2 285

Hmmm...why don't we just take this nonsensical anti-civil war name idea to its nonsensical conclusion? Pardon the alliteration...how about we call it The Affable Acrimony? Or The Gracious Engagement? Those should make the schools' administrations feel safe.

The trick plays aren't the problem. It's the choice and ability of players to execute the plays that matter.

The U....minus 11 yards rushing in the first quarter. Couldn't see that coming.

The thing about this game is, of course, the injury story. The Ducks have 3 o-line starters that are doubtful, 3 d-line starters that are doubtful with one questionable, and also that big one, Nix. Unless most of these guys have a miraculous recovery at the trainer's table, a win is highly unlikely. Utah is a strong and mostly healthy team right now. Regarding the defense, this game is the one in which TL must unleash the blitzes and pressure. At the receiving positions, Utah has one incredible flanker, and is average otherwise. So it is possible to pressure with the Duck's talent. Our D has been very, very passive this entire season (though strong against the run!), which is quite unlike Lanning's Georgia D that could press and pressure everywhere.. So THIS is the time for the Ducks to defy D tendencies. Lastly, Ty Thompson. If you carefully watch the games he has been in, he never scans the opposing defense for a pre-read. He walks up to the line with his head down, staring at Forsyth's butt and doesn't look away until the snap. How can he possibly read the D? I believe he is stressed and spooked at the role...afraid of making mistakes is the likely culprit in my junior, pseudo-psychologist analysis. If Nix can't go, I too would like to see Butters get a shot at qb. So sadly, I think OBD are in the deep end with this game. I pray for the best, but without most of the injured returning and healthy, it likely won't end to our liking.

Ducks 45-24 2 3 298

NOT Van Dyke! I can run faster than he can and I've seen WAY too seasons.

Thanks, PotW. But I'm not done yet. I think... I'm just not sure if Charles will approve of my deeply inspired report on the fine Washington qb, Penix. I have a ton of Penix stories that poke holes in his hard stance on soft coverage. With the ball in his hands he could penetrate deep into Beaver territory last week. Unfortunately, he will not get over the hump against the Ducks this week with any deep shots down field. The Ducks will lay the offense of Washington's Penix completely impotent. And.........fill-in-your-own-joke.

I have a source that told me (exclusively) that he has a source that told him his other source said that most "journalists" are full of fill-in-the-blank. Just kidding. He actually said that DL is or is not considering the Auburn job. Further, he pointed out that the Regents are or are not considering letting USeeLA go to the B22G Conference. Lastly, he said there is or is not confirmation that SDSU will join the PAC. And there is some truth for you. I'm really tired of "journalists" quoting "unnamed sources" for their "information". Click bait. If they want to speculate, then speculate. If they want to pontificate, then pontificate. But if they want to give you information, prove it.

The Ducks should see a rankings bump with a stomping of the tail waggers. Udubblebubble checks in at #24 this week.