EastBayDuckDad

Mariø presser post SMOO: "We weren't physical enough. We needed to be more physical. We simply needed more physicality. We also needed more physicists (both quantum and classical), physicians, physiotherapists and physiologists. And a simpler play clock. One that one of our new quantum physicists could simply make relativistic or stop whenever I told them to. Oh yeah, and a quarterback that wouldn't take $4M and then throw a pick in OT."

Nothing cute. RTDB! (*run the damn ball) Feed Davison early and often and set the pass up so that Iowa will be hesitant to bring the house.

All the above is true. However, the run D has had issues. D-line play has largely been good to great, but the LBs have found themselves guessing the wrong gap, allowing some gash plays. D. Jackson may be a stellar athlete but he overruns himself right out of plays. Boettcher does occasionally as well. When that happens and Alexander or Washington get jammed up in a double team, unless Theinemen has come up in the delta set, the opposing RBs get to the second level. It has happened multiple times on third and 3 to 7 yds with a resulting conversion. It seems that OCs have exploited that trend and I imagine Iowa will as well. The DBs and safeties have been solid, except against Indiana where the edges rarely got pressure on Mendoza. When they did, he threw a pick-6 to Finney. You can only cover good WRs for so long. Matayo will need to get some mojo back against U$C and EweDub to re-establish a one-two punch with Tuioti. Although the opponent's trips to the red zone have been scant, when they get there they tend to score. This is not to denigrate the defense, which has the capacity to be one of the most elite units that OBD has ever fielded. They need help from the other side of the ball. If the offense can hold up their end, the defense will hold up their's.

Not really a trend but a tendency: Oregon playing better on the road than at home. Against Iowa that may become a trend. Offense needs to get established early with the ground game behind Davison so the RPO and passing opens later on. Defense needs to shore up run D by bringing Theinemen or Flowers/Johnson down into the box to help with spotty play by the LBs. The current Oregon by -2 sounds about right.

Oregon 45-9 3 TO 4 Sacks 240 yds passing Don Essig's exhortation notwithstanding, it will be wet and windy at Autzen, putting a crimp in passing for both teams. But Whisky will be using it in desperation playing catch-up, resulting in several sacks, a couple picks and at least two scores resulting from TOs

Stein to Louisville is one HC move that would make sense. It is "home" to him and his family. A program he could build and recruit to in an ACC where FSU and GeoTech are intermittently good, Clemson is fading and Mariø's U always loses one head scratcher a season. He could build a perennial CFP candidate there. Could he take a QB with him? It wouldn't be surprising. Novosad bears more than a passing (no pun intended, unless you think it was) resemblance to Shough and would have two years of eligibility left. If Louisville comes calling, I think WS is gone.

The visit to the Doctor seems to have resulted in a discharge from the hospital and a healthy dose of go kick some butt. Yes, Rutgers is not a top 25 team. But they have had their moments with good teams and a more than competent passing attack. Oregon came out with a fire lit up under their heinies and even with a crappy first series, they opened up a three quarter long can of whoopa**. Three time zones away in Piscataway. DL doesn't spare the rod when correction is needed, nor does he excuse himself and his staff when they fail to put the team in a position to succeed. I keep going back to the humiliating defeat that tOSU took at the hands of Michigan last year. At home. To a team that had no business beating the ultimate national champion. To lose to Wolverine is the worst thing that can happen to Bucknutt. The long knives were out for Day. Something turned them into the juggernaut that buzz sawed through the CFP. Something had to happen in the locker room to flip that switch. A boat ton of talent is not a guarantee that you end up on top. You need humility and an understanding that talent may get you in the door but it's drive, heart, desire and accountability to the person standing next to you that leave you the ones standing at the end. This may not have been the most entertaining and inspirational Ducks vs Them ever, but it displayed the process of overcoming adversity and righting the ship.

Five observations from this game Oregon is a top 5 team. Ohio State and Indiana are better right now Cignetti and his staff outcoached DL and his last weekend. Oregon needed that fire lit under their butts and they responded This is still a team that could win a championship

Oh my goodness. Davison is both thunder AND lightning. Serious wheels on that long run then big burst to the endzone. I'm starting to feel bad for Rutgers.

Heckuva first half. Sadiq and you will find. Hopefully he's ok after that TD grab. Johnson and Saleapaga seem to be doing ok in his absence.

ASU just knocked off #7 Texas Tech. Go Dilly! #2, #5 and #7 all fall.

That's more like it. Noah for 68 yd TD

Finney shows why he'll be a freshman All American. Rutgers gets a FG. Offense needs to get it together

Well, that's a bad way to start

Hate to still indulge in MariØ schadenfreude, and I wouldn't trade him back for DL, but this is almost as much fun as watching U$C and Riley get hosed.

And.... pick #4. Miami drops one at home. Indiana deserves to be #2 Now go get the W in Piscataway. Go Ducks!

3rd pick (actually 4th) by Beck and Louisville up by 11 with 8 min to go in the 4th. And...... Louisville fumbles and Miami recovers. Rats

Two Beck picks and Louisville can't capitalize. 14-10 at the 2:00 'time out'. Bummer

Louisville throwing the entire playbook at the U. Three QB wildcat sets, fake field goal and a tush push. Mari-no-O not happy.

Oof, my fingers are still burning from last week's prediction. But, here we go.. Ducks 42-20 1TO 3 Sacks 245 yds passing Air yards are this low because I hope OBD does a ground and pound on Rutgers. Something that was a week late in coming. Something Tony Soprano would be proud of and Jersey mobster Tony Provenzano probably did to Jimmy Hoffa.

I'd love nothing more than to see PSU pull what UCLALA pulled on them against Indiana or do a Michigan on Bucknutt. It could happen.

While the home loss to Indiana was a major disappointment on a number of levels, there is an upside to having your butt kicked and your hat handed to you. There are no longer any excuses for complacency. Last year a 6-5 Michigan team that was a nearly three touchdown underdog went into the 'Shoe and beat the Buckeyes 13-10. Ohio State was the much better team on paper, at home and only a play at Autzen away from being undefeated. The OSU fanbase was apoplectic and calling for Ryan Day's head. Something happened in the Bucknut locker room after that embarrassing (much worse than Oregon falling to Indiana) loss. Coaches and players stepped up and fixed what was wrong. We all know what happened next. What matters is how DL, the coaches, the players and their leaders respond to this setback. I just can't see things going the way of Penn State. Rutgers needs to be a get right game and I believe it will be.

EweDub QB fumbles on the 3 yd line after a 90+ yd drive, then the Fusky DBs can't stay with the Rutgers WRs. At least the D-line is holding it's own led by Matayo's cousin held them to a FG.

Cue the Prime 'Depends' commercial

I would humbly disagree that Sabs wasn't great last time. And my guess is that she has at least a good passing knowledge of football given that she sleeps with a former Oregon and NFL center every night.