EastBayDuckDad

Bama, Texas and Penn St all trailing, upset Saturday? Allar doesn't look good and PSU keeps veering away from a successful run game. UCLA getting some push on their o-line and Nico has made a couple good throws. Now 24-7 UCLA. The PSU defense looks bad. Did OBD break them? At this rate the Oregon win gets significantly devalued

Between Hughes and Lamar, I think Hughes has the higher upside even if Lamar has more experience in the offense. A backfield rotation of Hill, Davison, Lamar and Hughes might be enough to keep him in Eugene for 2026 if Dink and Harris elect to move on. There has been some speculation that Offert and Hughes are a brother package and that keeping Offert is a staff priority, even if he uses a redshirt this year. I am hopeful that Hughes stays put and gives himself a big leg up for next season.

Capitalism is risk and private equity is an integral part of that risk diversification. Jon noted several huge and now publicly owned companies that received PE boosts during their 20th century startup phases. Add 21st century successes like Spotify, Uber, Fanatics, DocuSign, Shopify, AirBnB to that list. Not to mention the 800# gorillas Facebook (Meta) and Twitter (X). A significant majority of the universities that importantly figure in CFB are state run enterprises. We have seen how that management and fiscal wisdom sometimes works out: PAC12 demise. This is not to make an economic or political statement on state run vs private run entities, as billions of dollars of private money have been dumped into fruitless holes in the ground. It is merely to point out that PE is not to be feared or avoided simply because that part of the deal is focused on return to investors. Of course the PE suits will push for the best deal they can get. The negotiators for B1G are not babes in the woods that will give away the farm. They are not total fools like Larry Scott. Remember that Petitti's background is law, media and MLB, all hardnosed private enterprises. I imagine that he and the B1G negotiators know what they are doing so I would give them the benefit of the doubt as these proposals get fleshed out.

Yep, seems like more than coincidence.... On the flip side, the CFP gave Oregon too many last December leading up to Pasadena: Bye, bye....BYE! Conspiracy!

While I would agree that this edition didn't have the impact of some of the previous ones (think Colorado in 2023, Ohio St @ Autzen and Michigan last year), there was a quiet determination for most of it. It matched the 'thousand cuts' theme of wearing Penn State down over four quarters, showing the team's preparation and how the coaches create that buy in. Slow and steady, until the explosion in OT. Then it slowed down again with what I consider one of the best brief scenes of the entire series: Dierre Hill embracing Kenyon Barner after the game as the torch is passed from one great Duck to the next. Not every Ducks vs Them needs the fireworks that Happy Valley used to try and intimidate OBD as they stood waiting to take the field. The quiet determination on this video was a reflection of what we all saw in Dante's face during one of the best victories I can recall in my almost 40 years as a Duck fan.

As always, a polished and inspired production. My favorite moment was toward the end where Dierre Hill embraces Kenyon Barner with small knowing smiles on both men's faces. The passing of the torch.

Drum roll please, and prepare to crash Dish, Verizon, Starlink, DirectTV, Spectrum, Xfinity, CenturyLink, Cox and all internet feeds at 0930!

Watching Bear chew up and spit out the Spoiled Children O-Line will be a sight that will warm my heart. Centuries ago, when I was a Berkeley undergrad, we would wave $1 bills across Memorial Stadium at the U$C fans while they waved $100 bills back at us. So, yeah, it's personal.

Oregon just teased the Ducks vs Them for the PSU game. DL's quote says it all (and sorry about the profanity).

Every once in awhile I need to reread this Dennis Dodd dud about the great hire U$C made compared to the so-so one Oregon made. https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/2022-college-football-coaching-carousel-grades-lincoln-riley-an-a-with-brent-venables-an-a-replacement/ Are you not entertained?!!!

Great perspectives in the article, David. The days of Beavus and Fusky as Oregon's main rivals are now relics of the past and the ghosts of the old PAC. Maybe Washington again someday. I have to admit that I had Penn St winning in our prediction contest as I believed that Knowles would have WS's number just enough to stop Oregon's offense when it mattered. The Rose Bowl was just so jarring in terms of getting outcoached on both sides of the ball. The Bucknuts probably had the talent edge, and that made the difference with the enlightened coaching advantage. What I saw Saturday was a more talented Oregon that will be the best of the B1G for the immediate future. This match up will be exciting to watch for years to come even if Stein moves on and DL replies him with another offensive wunderkind.

What scares me the most is not the concussion risk, though it is more common with a blow to the head, but the risk of C-spine injury. Modern helmets are designed to absorb most of that concussive blow, but do not prevent the sudden flexion, extension or compression of the neck that can result in cord trauma. It was unnerving to see Lamar's head snap back from the impact knowing what was happening to the C-spine

Good sir, I concede your point as it further reinforces my premise that the Ducks have not rebuilt so much as reloaded. Dream on!

Like three day old tilapia, some things just don't age well...

It is indeed safe to dream. I think everyone figured that OBD was a year away from NC contention due to the NFL losses and youth of this team. But looking at things five games in, a few takeaways: DL..Lost Harmon, Caldwell and Burch to rounds 1-3: So far Bear, Amari, Green and Grey look pretty darn good, Matayo and Tatum are as good as last year with Purchase added to the mix LB..Lost Bassa: Mixon has upped his game and battle-ax Bryce has the green dot in the middle DBs..Lost nearly the entire secondary: Would anyone argue that Theinemen, Canady, Flowers and the Fantastic Frosh aren't an upgrade? OL..Lost Conerly and Cornelius: Pancho anchoring 'newbies' World, Harkey and Pregnon have avoided the growing pains from 2024 WR..Tez (and Evan S) gone: Add Benson and a healthy Bryant. And, ahem, Dak. TE..TFerg and PHerb moved on: Jamari J and Sadiq, Sadiq, Sadiq! RB..James to the NFL: More Fantastic Frosh in Hill and Davison, a better Lamar and Noah. Enough talent that Hughes is a depth chart afterthought QB..Lost Dillon G to Cleveland: Dante. 'Nuff said Have I left anything out? I don't want to gulp the kool-aid, but nearly every question about why this team would take a big step back in 2025 is being answered. Yep, it's ok to dream.

Surprised a little by how well the D-line held up against the PSU rushing attack, but Bear Alexander had a coming out party. The rest of the interior was solid with good if not great LB play. DBs shut down the WRs for the most part and except for the TD by #8 against Theinemen and a couple of risky but successful heave it up throws by Allar, took away the easy routes and chunk plays. Surprised a bit, and thrilled, that Tosh's schemes nullified much of what PSU was trying to do. Nothing the offense did was surprising, but ecstatic that the Duck O-line spent almost three quarters either having their way or playing straight up against that good Penn St front seven.with few misfires as a result of the hostile crowd. And Dante's performance was all that and a bag of chips. I am less worried about what Indiana will bring into Autzen in two weeks than I was after that Illinois beatdown. They are good, but OBD's better. DL, TL, WS and staff will have two weeks to dissect apart how Illinois screwed the pooch and counter what Indiana was so successful at against them and Iowa. I think Mendoza will get rattled by a steady diet of Matayo and Tatum in his grill and Bear on a mission of mayhem up the middle.

I will hand it to the Beavs, their LBs looked pretty sharp and the QB made some good throws when he wasn't running for his life. They looked good enough to win outside of not-so-special teams. A win over Houston would have boosted Oregon's SOS too.

PSU 28-27 1 TO 2 Sacks 315 yds passing I so want to be wrong here, but I think this is OBD and Dante's trial by fire that comes up one point short. Oregon plays well and beats the spread but doesn't get the outright win. Tight enough to only drop the Ducks by a place or two in the polls. Then Oregon misses the B1G CG, but runs the table ala Ohio St. last year, gets a home CFP first round game and beats PSU in the semis.

Whenever the camera pans the Illinois sideline, Bielema looks like he's trying to remember where he left his wallet and car keys. Same look he had when Oregon beat Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl over a decade ago. Lord, what an embarrassing beatdown.

Man, is Indiana really this good? They are dominating Illinois on both sides of the ball and they can't keep Altmeyer upright. Mendoza is having a career day. I agree with others that I'm glad Oregon gets them at Autzen after a bye following the Penn St game.

Beavs came to play. More to fix in the run D for the 2nd half and for next week. Doubt the 2s and 3s play much today unless a huge can of whoopa☆☆ gets opened up in the 3rd qtr by Oregon. Nice drive to end the half, except for that wonky screen in the 1 yd line.

Iowa up 38-28 after a pick and a couple of scores. Looks like the Hawkeyes will pull it off. OBD just has to play their game against both of these teams and they'll be fine, even on the road

And right on cue the Rutgers QB drops a beautiful go route in the bucket for a big gain. Between these two teams on the road, the Scarlet Knights look to be the bigger threat.

Defenses have woke up but both O-lines have gone to sleep. Turning into one of those zombie style B1G 2nd tier games.

Two teams of interest to us OBD fans going at it on Fox Sports. 21-21 midway thru 2 qtrs. Neither team all that interested in playing defense and lots of PIs when they try. The Rutgers QB Kaliakmanis running a ton of RPO, pretty good arm and decent legs when he decides to take off. Iowa is still a variation of 4 yards and a cloud of rubber pellets on offense. Other than that, entertaining game. Mark Helfrich is doing the color analysis. Better OC than announcer, I'm afraid.