EastBayDuckDad

Utah has seen a quality defense, and that was in Corvallis. Utah could only muster 7 points. The Beavs stuffed the run and held the Utes to under 200 yds total offense. The UW game was predicted to be a boat race decided by a single possession, and it ended up being just that. Utah has as good a defense as UW (perhaps better even with injuries) and Santa Rosa Duck is spot on that they have a significant home field advantage in the crowd and elevation. What they don't have is a Heisman level QB and an offense loaded with weapons. A boat race it won't be. Utah does have an interesting two headed QB in Johnson/Barnes, neither who would be playing much if Rising was healthy. U$C's porous defense ultimately couldn't contain Barnes and the converted safety, Vaki. He burned both Cal and U$C for big yards, but he is no longer a secret weapon. Oregon's defense will hopefully lock down Vaki and stick an apple in the pig farmer's mouth. Utah likely can't match scores with the Ducks if the offense gets rolling. The Ducks have the personnel advantage and have already done Game Day at an intensely hostile site. They will be up for this challenge. Time to purge the curse of Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Witness the difference in how Riley shielded his players, particularly Williams, from accountability after that Utah game with how Bo Nix carried himself after the UW loss. Night and day. Losses happen and failure is nearly inevitable. Only one team ends up standing at the end of every season, and most of them failed once at some point. Taking responsibility, facing the music and finding a way forward is what builds character and makes you better. Lanning and Oregon understands that. Riley and U$C do not.

David, thanks for your observations on the jumbo. The beauty of the formation and it's power run-oriented cousins is that you are not limited to the run. Witness last year's pass completion TDs to Matavao and Conerly. The use of pre snap motion gives Bo an idea of what will be the defensive weakness to attack. The entire defense is drawn in to stop the power run. Sadiq's crossing motion block that gave Bo the inside path to run through the 5 (or 7 depending on how you look at the formation) gap and score against Wazzu was beautifully executed. There is no reason there can't be an element of RPO built into the jumbos on goal line and short yard situations. All three TEs, the RB, QB and one other player like an eligible O-lineman can make a play. TFerg, PHerb, Kelly and Sadiq are all capable of making the block or sneaking out behind the defense and making the catch. The O-line are Papé-Cat D9 level bulldozers that can move fast enough to exploit any uncertainty that the defense has about what Bo is going to do. Let's hope that Stein develops this concept against the really good defenses, like Utah and OSU, that are coming up.

So this Caleb Williams quitting on U$C story is being peddled by that Fox Sports tool Emmanuel Acho. He was one of the self professed 'experts' that claimed Justin Herbert was going to be an NFL bust. Same general class of sports 'commentator' as Skip Bayless. Has a big splash of inflammatory hyperbole with his corn flakes every morning. Acho is being blasted by more reputable sports analysts like Josh Pate, Doug Gottlieb and Paul Feinbaum for this take. There is no way on this green earth that Williams bails on his teammates, coach, NIL deals and NFL draft scouts' assessments over the Trojenz tanking season. What pro GM would take that chance and draft him? This is a great big nothingburger. U$C may stay true to form and dumpster fire their 2023 season, but Williams won't put his future at risk by quitting. He will bring his A game to Autzen next month.

Totally legit block by #88. What caught my eye was that Bucky slowed down slightly when he saw Herbert coming up on his right to lay the wood to that kid. He had the field vision and instinct to set up the block that would ensure the TD. . Yet another example of how valuable #0 is to the Ducks. So relieved that Bucky was back on the sideline and in the game at the end after laying on the turf for so long in the 4th. Let's hope that he is fully recovered and available for the Utah game.

Best case scenario is that Riley stays with USC for the move to the B1G. Bad scenario is that he flips to the NFL and the Trojenz hire a good defensively minded coach. Worse case scenario is that when he flips, the Chargers fire Staley and Justin gets stuck with him for 5 years.

Three takeaways for every Lincoln Riley coached team: 1. Under-performing 2. Undisciplined 3. Over-hyped

Nice article by Ryan Robertson. The Will Stein criticism is valid to a point, but look at the final stats. Yet another 500+ yd offensive performance with almost 250 yds rushing and century marks for Bucky and Jordan. It took a while for the Ducks to settle into the successful run game and it is on the OC for not figuring that out sooner and with more consistency. You do have to give credit where it is due, and that is not a bad Coug defense. It just finally got worn down by Oregon. The really important observation is that the Duck secondary was without Kyree for the whole game (a last minute scratch) and Jahlil for the first half. It was a big factor in Ward and Wazzu putting up 250 yds in passing in the first half. Take away the garbage time last minute TD that ruined the spread bet, and the WSU second half passing stats were a fraction of the first. A healthy DB corps and the availability (finally!) of LB Jacobs give Oregon a stronger defense. That will be crucial down the stretch, starting next Saturday at Utah.

Yes, yes and maybe. The field surface at Fusky Stadium is horrible. It was the reason for tonight's pick six as the ASU receiver slipped coming out of his break. Last week the failed 3rd down where Jordan James slipped and stalled the drive that would have won the game for Oregon. And yes, to be fair, the slip Odunze had that facilitated Jahlil's interception last week. And oh lordy, let's all sing a requiem for the lamentable Pac12 refs. The acme of their competence involves just figuring out how to turn on the microphone. I hope and pray that the vast majority of them go back to their day jobs and get the optical health care they all so desperately need. SEC and B1G refs look like they've spent some time in the weight room. Pac12 refs have spent their time in the buffet line at Golden Corral.

Wow, the mutts really have a Quack hangover. That heat and smell are the byproducts of the PAC self immolating for perhaps the final time.

Came oh so close last week with predicting the game going to OT with Oregon winning on a 2 pt conversion (wide right...sigh...) Oregon 47-21 2 TO 3 Sacks 285 yds thru the air (and another 200 ground and pound)

While I like nothing more than a good laugh at the Trojenz expense, their DB coach Donte Williams was Oregon's DB coach for 2018-2019. He was a good recruiter and put a pretty decent secondary on the field for the Ducks. I remember being sorry to see him go off to U$C. Somehow he has been less effective down there both in recruiting and performance. Part of the Lincoln Riley black hole, anti-matter halo effect, I imagine.

Take a look at the YouTube video of his sack. It's impressive how quickly he got to the QB and his mobility. But then look at how fast he hops to his feet. 6'5" 295# DLs just don't do that. That kid is an athletic freak'o nature. And now he's a Duck!

Thanks for the analysis, Eric. Seen from that angle, Holden would have walked into the endzone. The zebra was kind of in the way, but Bo was certainly fixed on Franklin as his primary and just didn't seem to look anywhere else. A shame since he had decent protection and didn't need to rush the throw. So the play call was the right one. A completion to Holden and it's game over. Every negative outcome creates a teaching situation that can improve performance going forward. I have faith that Nix and Stein have analyzed the bejeebers out of that play and the lessons will be learned.

I've got no problem with ugly as long as the lipstick goes on the Wazzu pig and Oregon wins emphatically. I do not miss the old days of the Pirate's Air Raid running over and around the one-step-behind DBs and LBs. Different offense, yes, but the memories are not pleasant. Ward appears to have taken a step backwards as defenses have figured out ways to keep him contained. Dorlus said he was a pain to keep in the pocket and last year we saw him backyard football some spectacular plays. I don't think he does that in Autzen but the D-line and edges need to harass him all day to make him stay put and try to beat the backers and secondary straight up. He'll make mistakes if forced to throw stationary and off balance. The whipping Arizona put on them was telling. Who knows what internal stuff is going on in the Palouse in regards to MSU trolling for Dickert. His subsequent challenge to his players to step up or lose their starting jobs speaks volumes. Oregon's offense should do the damage it needs to do to their somewhat depleted defense and esprit de corps. I'd love to see another ESPN Deportes "Maaaasé Fuuuuna, Peek Seex, Quack, Quack, Quack, Quack!" moment without needing it to salt the game away in the 4th quarter.

The loss this past weekend notwithstanding, Oregon has sound coaching at essentially each position. Combined with stellar recruiting and an atmosphere of team first, Lanning is building a program that sooner or later will compete for a national championship. He has brought in a staff that appears to share his vision. I for one am a believer in this O-line. They may not have won every snap against UW, but they won most of them even if one or two pivotal plays didn't pan out (at least one because of that d*mn slippery turf). JPJ, Cornelius and Conerly are Sunday dudes even if the latter has some timing and technical aspects to improve. Jones and Harper are solid. 'Pancho', Faaope, Silva and Iuli are all contributors. If Strothers and Angilau get healthy there is even more depth. The exciting thing is that only Jones and Angilau will exhaust their eligibility this year. I see most of the Juniors returning even if JPJ and Cornelius could potentially jump to the NFL. Pancho and K. Rogers are getting playing time and will likely anchor the IOL in the years to come. Coach Terry has worked what was a big question mark before the season into one of Oregon's strongest position groups. Give these guys more time to work as a unit and they have the talent and pure bull strength to be perhaps the best line the Ducks have ever had.

Like everyone else here, I'm disappointed as heck'll. It sucks to lose. One less goose egg on 4th down and probably Oregon wins. There were opportunities where in retrospect DL should have taken the points so at least the Ducks would have gone into OT. The criticism directed at him is legit but that's the growing pains for a talented young coach. He'll go to the 'doctor' with everyone else and figure out what needs to be fixed. This Oregon team is damn good. So is Washington, today one play better. They are the class of the PAC. U$C just got bumrushed by the golden domers who exposed the porous Trojenz O-line and undisciplined defense. Wazzu was humiliated at home by Arizona. Looks like the Beavs will hold serve against UCLA. As predicted by many, the PAC12 is cannibalizing it's own. The Ducks need to win out now, pure and simple. This team can do it though it won't be easy. A rematch in Vegas with the Fuskys is in order. I firmly believe that outcome will be different. Go Ducks

Ok. One 4th down attempt too many. PAC 12 Championship game or bust. Neutral field will be a different outcome.

That was the stop of the year. Pure fanny kicking D line dominance. Now for an 8 minute drive with liberal doses of Bucky and James

Ticky tacky PI call. Call em both ways, will ya?

Yep. Fusky D getting gassed. One or two more stops by our D and this could be over. Trikweze has brought his A game. He'll need to the rest of the way

More like it. Two D stops in a row. Right at the spread now. Keep running that rock

KJ and Florence both down and they go right at Manning. Ducks have to respond this drive.

Yeah, should have run the ball. Shame to waste a turnover. Still, not a horrible place to be going into the half with first possession in the 3rd. Time for adjustments that take away that deep ball and account for the run game.

Too damn easy.