Mic

This brings up an interesting question: How much DO these 5* collegiate players care about a National Championship as compared to making lots of $ with NIL and then making the really BIG bucks with an NFL contract? If Moore thinks he has a better chance of making the Day 1 NFL draft by playing QB at UCLA under Chip Kelly (in the B1G) than he would playing QB for Dan Lanning at Oregon (in the Pac-12) then maybe a Natl. Cham. is much less of a factor in his decision. A National Championship is a big deal for the team and college. Getting drafted in the 1st round is a much bigger deal for the player.

Interesting point. Now, how about this: Moore knows he might not be ready to play in the B1G in just one year. (How many would?) He may think two years, one as a red-shirt, night be the right timeline. If he's as good as everyone seems to be speculating, maybe he wins the job at UCLA in his 2nd year when he comes of age. Maybe that's his plan. Learn from Chip Kelly and play in the 2nd biggest conference (talent-wise) for a team in sunny and warm California.

I don't think he's made his decision yet, but UCLA leads the pack . Maybe he wants to sit at the feet of Chip Kelly and who could blame him for that? In any regard, he's off to the B1G if he chooses the Bruins over Oregon. That too might have something to do with his choice. Meanwhile, O has Bo and I'll take that any da_n day!

That might be me on the left...

I mentioned a couple days ago losing Donte Moore might be a blessing in disguise. Turns out that was the case. Maybe Moore knew somehow Bo was staying and figured the well had dried up for him. Who knows? Meanwhile, good, good news indeed. Bo will be here to help the transition to next year's Oregon team under all new O.C I'm very happy to hear this news.

Pleasantly, in respect to above, both Utah and Oregon State are now, finally getting the national recognition their coaches and teams deserve. Both are now in the Top 25 recruiting as of this week's standings. But this hasn't always been the case. What this means for Oregon is stiff competition up ahead. As if the competition hasn't been stiff already!

It's all too easy to get focused on recruits and who's signing, who's not. But it's the "team" the coaches build out of what players they have - and how they get them all pulling in the same direction that really matters. I believe Oregon State and Utah both should serve as ample examples of what good coaching can do with the players they get, which are never anywhere near the top 25 year, in and year out.. I also think Notre Dame can serve as the same example (in the opposite direction) of what marginal coaching can do with the great players they get. ND is always in the top 20 if not the top 10 or higher. One of the most under-achieving teams in the nation if one considers the player talent on their teams, year in and year out. I have this dim memory of an absolute thrashing the Beavers put on ND a number of years ago in the Fiesta Bowl. If one were to compare the two team's recruiting classes leading up to that season, on paper the game should have been a total washout for OSU. Instead, it was ND who got washed out, big time. I'm gonna wait and see who Coach Lanning & Co. can get on-board and watch them develop those players into the best team they can. I rather expect the results will be pleasing to most of us. Of course you want the best talent you can get but you had better be able to coach those young men and teach them how to win or you have a lot of disappointed players, fans and alumni - not to mention lost seasons. I'll bet on Lanning making something great out of what he has and stop worry9ing about those recruits who "got away".

Wouldn't you just know it - CF selects my all-time favorite #1 candy bar going back to my pre-pubescent days as a rascal terrorizing the neighbors for cans and bottles to collect for comic books and ... yep! snickers or a cup-o-gold candy bar. Yeah, sometimes a guy just needs a snicker. Can't wait till Wednesday rolls around. I had better load up on some snickers. I believe the Cup-o-Golds are a thing of the past.

Bo Nix, the transfer QB from Auburn who caused so many of us so much angst when he first came here - but later proved to be the best thing that could have happened to Oregon football for 2022 - has proven once again what a fine young man he is. But then, I'm prejudiced because the young man is open about his faith in God and never forgets to remind his followers what's ultimately the most important thing in Life. Leave the program better than he found it? How often do we hear that? Certainly not from all those transfers going out the door.

Dittos, that.

It's how a lot of us here feel (I think) too. Both are good teams and certainly deserve a look by the conference. But who knows for sure what wizardly and mathematical calculations go into the decision? $. We know that for sure.

This is an interesting question because there's no way to know for certain how well-known a figure Phil Knight is to an 18 or 19 year-old boy across the country. We take it for granted that everyone must know who Phil is but I'm not so sure kids out East really care. One thing for certain, though, is that his (Donte's) 'handlers' will have a pretty good idea and what Phils $$ looks like. If Donte knows about Phil then that's probably where his information came from. Another certainty is having Phil Knight & Nike associated with Oregon sure doesn't hurt!

John Canzano's post-game photo-gallery of the just finished Las Vegas Bowl shows how the uniforms worn by OSU and Florida contrasted nicely (both wearing their dark home unis). I'd post a shot but don't know quite how to do it. I guess it struck me because the contrast reminded me a lot of the uniforms worn when Reedsport HS played Siuslaw HS (Florence) back when both teams were league opponents. Same colors, essentially with Reedsport's Black w/red trim contrasted with the Viking's blue and yellow. The good 'ol days... Congrats to the Beavers.

If Bennett Williams and Alex Forsyth feel good about things at Oregon going forward then so do I.

This is why I wouldn't rule out Michigan and Harbaugh getting a steal here if Oregon drops off his radar. I know their an outside shot but look at the team this kid would be joining. I'd rather it be Michigan than UCLA if Oregon loses him. Oregon hasn't lost him yet, though. Not yet.

Oh, I'm sure he is, along with about a dozen "advisors" one of which might be his mom Jera. You just know there's a lot of people trying to get their wagons hitched to this young man. I can only imagine the amount of pressure being directed at him right about now - from all over the country, including Michigan.

Haven't we already?

Congratulation to the Beavs. Pressure's on you Oregon. Can't let OSU win more games than you do. Go Ducks! (incidentally, the Beavs, to their credit, made a good representation of the Pac-12 against the SEC opponent, albeit one with a 6-6 record). I'm still wondering how Florida was able to beat Utah...

LOL. I thought (misogynist that I am) you were referring to the beautiful blond featured on the video Oh, the shallowness of men, eh?

I guess it depends on what we mean by "just fine". Does Oregon get to that next level to compete for and win a National Title, or does "just fine" mean another 9-3 season, getting just oh-so-close to another Conference Title, or ______? Of course, every Duck fan is hoping for the former and that is a little more uncertain with the transfer portal and NIL policies changing the landscape of college football. It might work for Oregon, it might make things harder. But yeah, I think Oregon is too good of a program and too well established to become a cellar dweller ever again like poor Colorado has become.

Again, to answer the original question: We kinda have to, don't we? Dan's the H.C. for the foreseeable future, did pretty well in his first season as the H.C., is young enough to be still developing (not an old set in his ways coach like Kirk Ferentz of Iowa) so there's still plenty of up-side potential here. Nothing we've seen other than some rookie mistakes leads us to believe he won't be a successful coach at Oregon. So yeah, we trust him - until such a time as he should prove otherwise. Go Ducks!

Might be a blessing in disguise. Who knows?

To answer the original question, Yeah, I do. I have a friend who is (was) very fond of Mike Leach and when Leach was coaching at WSU we used to have this friendly rivalry whenever the Ducks played the Cougars. But it was always tongue-in-cheek because he liked the Ducks too and I liked Mike Leach. I was really sorry to hear of his passing at 61. In my opinion collegiate football, and Life in general, could use more people like Mike Leach. I reconnected with my friend over this and at least that was a blessing - we hadn't been in touch in several years since his move to Forest Grove. May Mike Leach rest in place and may his family find some measure of solace this holiday season.

That's gotta be a thill for the young man! If he's practicing then he'll be in Duck uniform and he'll be on the sidelines watching his new team beat NC. Cool.

Well, this ought to be interesting: at the 3:19 mark (3:19-3:27) Dan was asked who would be putting together the Offensive game plan now that Dillingham's gone. And, of course, he calls out Coach Mehringer (TE's) Coach Adams (WR's) and the "rest of the Offensive "staff". No surprise there but it ought to be interesting to see how it varies in different game situations from Dillingham's calls. I'm wondering (and hoping) Mehringer and Adams will have a little different approach to things from what we saw the last three games. It also doesn't sound like Will Stein will be having much input. Also interesting but not unexpected.