OhioDuck

If Nix plays well this year, he's going to make some money in the NFL, unless we can offer him more in NIL. Of course if he is really playing well we will want him to stay. We have a couple of offers to the top guys in the '23 class. They'd be ready then when Nix left. I always want to have more than one good QB though. Too many injuries, off days, and sometimes a team just has one QB's number and another comes in and smokes them. Sometimes guys aren't on the bench because they can't play or even because they are not as good as the guy ahead of them. Off the top of your head, can anyone name the guys playing ahead of Joe Burrow that made him transfer from Ohio State?

Strategically it could be better to start Thompson even if he doesn't win the job outright. Nix is not transferring anywhere. Then the head to head can take place as the season goes on. Thompson is having an off game Nix comes in and leads to a victory, Nix then has an off game Thompson or Butterfield (let's see how that is going too) come in. Having multiple QBs ready to play and getting playing time is not a bad thing as long as both are prepared and have the reps they need. This past year we saw what it was like when one QB just couldn't get it done and the coaching staff had no one ready to come in in relief. This year whoever wins the position out of the gate, let's make sure others get reps and are ready to go. Even if Nix starts, if Thompson and Butterfield know they are going to see the field on game day too, they just might stick around until next year when he's gone.

This is a great start. just pull in a couple of these guys and that's the core of a great recruiting class! Glad they're getting "the drip" right, what ever it is?

Caleb Williams is definitely elusive and has the speed to turn that into big plays. That will help a lot to overcome any problems SC has with their O Line. But lack of a good O Line will also make it more difficult for them to run the ball effectively against some of the better defenses. Then defenses will come after Williams with a hard pass rush and a backer shadowing him. There is a difference between a QB running because that's how they plan it and a QB running because the O Line protection breaks down. Caleb Williams is good enough to make some plays while running for his life. He may also get pretty banged up doing that. I expect SC will score some points, but may also be a bit erratic if the O Line is not performing well. Games will tell the story.

When and if they get to the point were it wouldn't have a negative effect on the strength of schedule.

It depends on your defensive scheme and what other players you have around them. I'd love to see a big strong guy in the middle of the line this year, even if not the swiftest (within reason). That guy can eat up offensive linemen and keep them from getting to our very talented, big, fast linebackers. Give those guys free run to clog holes and chase QBs and our D will be on its way to being very good. Doesn't have to be 370, but 325 wouldn't hurt. As an aside, the most effective D-lineman I've ever seen at any level was a 5'11" 195 lb nose tackle in high school. He was also our star running back and a track star. He was strong enough and quick enough that he got off of blocks quickly and could chase guys down sideline to sideline. It helped that he had two 280+ guys playing tackle on either side of him. Just saying great D-linemen come in lots of different sizes and shapes.

I imagine with Sewell and Flowe both in there we're going to see a lot of them moving in and out disguising who might be coming and expect to see some delayed blitzes, even some corners and safeties coming at times. Lanning used quite a number of different kinds of blitzes to good effect during the year last year. When there isn't a KT this year, there are still way to pressure the QB. My guess is that a lot of QBs facing Oregon are going to see Mr. Sewell and Mr. Flowe in their faces. Then with the threat of those guys it will open things up for DL guys to have opportunities.

Yes! How often life works this way. short term sacrifice leads to long term success, taking care of customers/clients/fans keep them with you and earns more business.

Bengals 31-28. 285 passing, 105 rushing, 1 turnover, 2 sacks. Bengals down 21-14 at half, once again make great half time adjustments and come back for the win. Rams turn it over 3 times. Burrow pressured, but only sacked twice and able to get the ball down field often enough to get the win. Living in Southwest Ohio now gotta go for the Bengals.

The possibilities of what can happen with this coaching staff in this program the next few years are exciting to me too! There is a chance of capturing the best of all worlds. I think this coaching staff is poised to do just that! Of course we haven't even seen the first Spring Game yet, but right now the signs are pointing in a great direction. I can't wait! I'm beginning to work on plans of visiting friends in Portland next fall and actually get down and experience a game at Autzen! Problem is most of my friends in Portland are Oregon State (and even a few UW) fans.

It seems that during the tenures of Brooks, Bellotti and Kelly Oregon majored on doing their homework and getting recruits that had a great up side and then developed them to perform well beyond their star ratings. Combine that with innovation, great facilities... and Oregon grew itself into a national power and gained fans all over the country, like me. MC had high rated recruits but didn't develop them as well and was not innovative in approach. Can we combine those now? Great recruits, developed well and with an innovative system that allows them to thrive would be so much fun to watch unfold!

Yes, it was ironic that while Oregon was slowing down it's tempo and struggling offensively, some of the traditionally slow and plodding teams (Alabama, Oklahoma and Ohio State for example) stepped it up and have been very successful doing it. Time for Oregon to lead the way again.

Speed and using it!

I want a good USC, and better PAC 12. It's just more satisfying to put a hurting on SC when they come into the game playing well and thinking they are going to win. Same with any other team. Beating up on bad teams is well like beating up on bad teams. Winning when Oregon and SC are playing for a playoff bid and we send them home AGAIN, empty handed. Now that sounds good to me.

I think there is no doubt that USC will be better. Crowning them as the kings of the PAC12 without playing a single game yet under Riley is premature. We'll see what the product on the field is. I think that it will take more than Riley coming to SC to keep some of the recruits who have gotten away. There is an accepted (which is a problem to me since I don't totally buy it) truth for many that the SEC is far and away the best football conference in the country. Then the B1G is next and that all others are way down the list. It's not really power 5 in many people's view points, it's power 1 little brother and 3 little sisters. This will have to be overcome before USC, Oregon or anyone else in the PAC regularly keep the best of the best west coast recruits home. I hope it happens. Now to USC becoming dominant in the PAC, there one big thing standing in the way of that. OREGON! USC has squandered most of a decade and allowed another dog to grow in power and take the Alpha dog position. They have work to do to take it back. Though Oregon has faltered some with coaching changes, some wise and unwise hires, I think Lanning is going to prove to be a coach that takes Oregon beyond where we have been in the past. A healthy USC may have been able to take advantage, but USC was not healthy.

Part of this can be explained by style of play and what is accepted in different regions of the country. While hits that are dangerous have rightly been cracked down on everywhere, the SEC is one of the most lenient conferences in the country. Now this does not excuse many of the penalties that hurt the Ducks in games this past year that were undisciplined and uncalled for. Yes, Oregon needs to clean up a lot, but comparisons of penalties with SEC teams is apples to oranges.

Weather depends on the time of year, I'd take Eugene in August over anywhere in the SEC. You ever experienced two a days in August in the southeast (mine was Virginia, go south it's even worse)? You don't want to. Girls are everywhere.

It's really hard for me to argue against Chip Kelly's offenses with Mariota at QB. The explosiveness in both the run and pass games was beautiful to watch. That offense cemented me as a Duck fan. I'm still here too and not going anywhere.

Oregon is a hard recruit for having a shorter tradition (sometimes called being a blue blood) than some others and because of geography for some. Yes, it's a long, long way from Alabama/Georgia... or Southeastern Virginia where I grew up to Eugene. But those of you who are so lucky to live in Eugene, look around you. Look at how beautiful it is, think of all the great people, the spirit of freedom and innovation. Who wouldn't want to live there? I would take Eugene over Tuscaloosa every day of the week! Not that Tuscaloosa's a bad place, but Eugene, wow! Add to that the University, the facilities, the coaching staff and there is a lot to attract players to UO!

Gattis will be a great hire for this season. I don't suspect he will be there long. He has already been considered for some pretty good head coaching positions.

Could be our coaches know something others don't. His other offers are Ball St. Arkansas St. and Texas St. and he's not rated on 247. But he is 6'3" and 380 and you can't teach that. Does he have good hands and footwork, position quickness, good work ethic, are thy looking for him to play at 320 and be much quicker and faster? I have no idea. If the coaches want him, they know a lot more than I do.

Yeah, listening to SC folks you'd think Riley had already won a NC. I keep thinking, the guy couldn't win one at Oklahoma, is USC more of a blue blood than OK? I don't think so. USC still has a long way to go to catch up with Oregon. Oregon hiring Dan Lanning is not going to make that an easy task either.

Coach Lanning said they went for the best of the best and he got them. This is exciting! Thanks for posting this. Watch it, find the time. I had four half hour periods to do it. Glad I did. I echo the excitement about coach Dillingham too. I want guys that make plays and we will put them in position to make plays. Going for 80 plays a game! Yes!

Yes, then the other teams offense comes on the field feeling the pressure to score themselves. They make mistakes, ends u a three and out or turnover and our guys come back out and do it all again! Excited!

I hope that a strong USC helps the whole conference. Will it be tougher to get some recruits to leave Cali. Probably, but Oregon has the best facilities in the NCAA, great fan support and a staff filled with great recruiters. Oregon should still do well recruiting and now (with some thanks to MC) has a national profile. With Utah now a power in the conference, even OSU and others improving, I don't think it's going to be USC and everybody else trying to catch up any time soon. And won't it be sweet to beat USC when they are good!