AnotherOD

Enjoyed this one (Burnt Orange/TXFF): "Sark lets these kids sort themselves out based on their personal priorities. If it's all about NIL, he's ok with letting them go so he can maintain his culture that's about education, development, and winning. In the long run, Sark's kids will be more stable and more coachable and less likely to hit the portal when someone else flashes a shiny object at them. He knows exactly what he's doing and I'm good with it." Sark really must have figured something out the rest of college football coaches haven't ever considered: winning, development, and education. Whoa! Guy needs to do some coaching clinics and share these crazy ideas with the rest of college football!

I would guess there will be more than a few of us Duck fans who will keep an eye out on how Ty does at Tulane, probably for a number of different reasons, but one at least being what this next chapter contributes to the long Ty Thompson debate. Both TT and Horton are three years into their career, Horton with 124 career passing attempts (52%, 6 TDs, 5 Ints, 118.4 rating) and TT 66 career passing attempts (64%, 6 TDs, 4 Ints, 140 rating). So, neither very much on the field play to this point. I don't know a thing about Tulane football other than reading a few bits here and there, it just seems like there has to be a lot of momentum towards Ty getting the spot. According to 247, Tulane's only gotten 3 four star recruits in program history. This fall they are bringing in 3 offensive former 4 star transfers (247 rankings) which would probably seem like a big step to fans: Thompson (#81 nationally #9 QB - from Oregon), Shazz Preston (#120 nationally #20 WR - from Alabama), and Mario Williams (#122 nationally #15 WR - from Oklahoma/USC). Former near 5 star transfers QB throwing to former Alabama and Oklahoma receiver (that sort of thing). This spring Tulane went offense versus defense and I guess the highlights were last year's #2 QB (Horton) throwing a 79 yard and 50 yard pair of TDs to a third WR transfer Dontae Flemming (Louisiana). Interesting but from the local paper (WGNO): "Head coach Jon Sumrall said Horton got better this spring, taking care of the football. "He (Horton) really got better in last week and a half, about really the five practices, of playing within the structure of the offense and playing within the confines of the system,” said Tulane head football coach Jon Sumrall. Sumrall said his advice to Oregon transfer Ty Thompson was to just relax and play, and Thompson, both throwing and running had his moments in the spring game. So did redshirt freshman, Darian Mensah from California. "Mensah is going to be a dude, he’s got a lot to learn,” said Sumrall ... There will not be a started named anytime real soon,” Said Sumrall. Sumrall said previously that Tulane’s ongoing quarterback competition is a three-man race. One that will be decided in the fall."

When I read those comments about Oregon/USC and "developing" players, I immediately think about two recent highly rated edge rushers from the state of California. In 2019, Kayvon Thibodeaux was the #1 player in the state of California and the #2 overall WDE. Came to Oregon and was Pac-12 Freshman defensive player of the year, won the Morris Trophy as a sophomore, and was a unanimous All-American as a junior. He went #5 in the first round, signed a 4 year $32 million dollar contract, and was a PFWA Rookie 1st-team. He followed that up with 11.5 sacks last year. In 2021, Korey Foreman was the #1 player in the state of California and the #2 overall Edge. Went to USC where he spent his first two years as primarily a backup (11 and 13 tackles) and decided after 3 games into his third year to redshirt and now will be continuing his career at Fresno State. I guess the comment mentions "at his position" well, Oregon DBs either drafted or otherwise having NFL careers over about the last 15 years: Jairus Byrd Patrick Chung Walter Thurmond III TJ Ward John Boyett Terrance Mitchell Troy Hill Ifo Ekpre-Olomu Ugo Amadi Thomas Graham Brady Breeze Deommodore Lenoir Jevon Holland Verone McKinley Christian Gonzalez Evan Williams Included in this group are an 11 year career with three Super Bowl wins (Chung), a 9 year career with 3 Pro Bowls (Byrd), an 8 year career with a Super Bowl (Ward), a 6 year career with a Super Bowl (Thurmond III), an 8 year career (Mitchell), an 8 year career (Hill), and several guys still playing including Amadi (6 years), Holland (40 starts), Lenoir (28 starts), and a rookie last year picked #17 in the 1st round (Gonzalez).

Interestingly enough, word around Tulane was that Ty probably left spring practice for their open QB spot in the #2 slot behind Tulane's 2023 back-up Kai Horton (slightly ahead of the young QB in the program Darian Mensah). Now, it sounded like the QB competition will continue into fall camp, with Ty not being way behind (more that if Tulane had to name a starter for game one out of spring camp, it would probably be Horton).

I think I read the current college football playoff contract expires after 2024 and 2025: 2024-2025: Quarterfinals: Fiesta (Phoenix), Peach (Atlanta), Rose (LA), Sugar (New Orleans) Semifinals: Orange (Miami), Cotton (Dallas) Final: Mercedes-Benz (Atlanta) 2025-2026: Quarterfinals: Cotton (Dallas), Orange (Miami), Rose (LA), Sugar (New Orleans) Semifinals: Fiesta (Phoenix), Peach (Atlanta) Finals: Hard Rock (Miami) After that, the whole thing is to be renegotiated. Many minor bowl games have contracts up after 2025-2026 as well. It will be interesting if after 2025 locations such as SoFi (LA), Allegiant (Las Vegas), Lucas Oil (Indianapolis), or even Levi (SF) attempt to break into the rotation, not just for the final but also for playoff games (Action Network reported Allegiant is thought to be the heavy favorite for 2026-2027 Championship game already). With college football trending toward "NFL-light", I wonder if college football will be able to ignore these destinations ready made with the stadiums, infrastructure, flights, hotel, weather and entertainment, and people all in place (not to mention the dollars). Just adding SoFi, Allegiant, and Lucas Oil would certainly help level the (playoff) geographic playing field for Oregon. On the less favorable front, both NRG Stadium (Houston) and Raymond James Stadium (Tampa) have also been mentioned as sites of possible future interest to college football playoff execs (though they conflict more closely with established sites in Dallas and Miami). All that said, I don't think anyone at the top of college football is overly concerned if Oregon has to play all its playoff games in Miami, Atlanta, New Orleans, or Dallas (or even Tampa or Houston). It will be the dollars that ultimately help level the playing field (not much of a real concern over travel fairness).

What is a small class anymore? I'd guess a class of at least 24-25. A look at a post spring two-deep shows 23 seniors (Holden, Johnson, Harper, Bedford, Cornelius, Ferguson, Gabriel, Burch, Caldwell, Harmon, Bassa, Jacobs, Muhammad, Alexander, Tysheem J., Brandon J., Savage, Manning, Reed, Ware-Hudson, Herbert, Strother, Silva) plus Soelle (unless he is on a NIL deal) and Boettcher (who has to be on football scholarship if he returns and is still listed post spring on the GoDucks roster). In addition, one spot that just has to be considered uncertain due to legal concerns. There have to be at least 3 more guys who, with expected big seasons, could test the NFL waters in Conerly, Stewart, and James. Given the huge number of seniors expected to start this fall, one might expect the Duck staff to be working the portal pretty heavily for 2025 (and possibly holding extra spots open); but, that isn't necessarily required as transfers in can always be balanced with transfers out. I guess one could suggest among the young guys, there isn't a ton the staff isn't going to try and hang onto; but, I'd probably argue it is equally hard to say no and stop at 18 or 19 recruits when there are 5-6 more blue-chippers ready to sign (a good problem to have for sure).

Looks like he ended up at Kansas.

I was thinking a little about this thread and what point exactly I was after? I guess the point was an interesting thought about, who do you trust more, your young guys who haven't shown (much of) anything yet; or, guys who have put a lot on film and deserve that praise, yet, have had an injury to the degree it appears the fans of that program aren't exactly devastated they moved on? And here I mean, not the programs didn't feel bad about the injury and the player ultimately departing; but, rather them accepting it at least in part happened because the injury places the future of the player somewhat in the air. Angilau (I got that right finally) and to a lesser extent Strother both were commits expected to possibly start, if not at least being rotational kind of players. I had at least one of two at least cracking rotation, and both guys essentially were only seen in mop up duty. Neither broke into the rotation and I believe Angilau at least had the chance to patition for another year and has chosen not to. Poncho stepped in instead and played more than a couple of guys with very solid resumes (some of that might have been center but the impression I've gotten is that if the need was at OG, the situation would have played out similarly). What exactly is the line between trusting your young guys and instead bring in a guy to compete with injury questions? Obviously all things being equal both are ok; but, NIL dollars too need to be budgeted (and I have no problem here suggesting those hurt guys need to make their best plays if they are offered). Thoughts? Maybe it was just me wondering?

Yes, my bad. I should edit that but probably the tread won't make sense if I do. Cornelius has been possibly even better than advertised. I was bit pumped way back when I read about Foster but; the injury situation just called for a bit of a pause. Not the kid's fault getting beat up, just what I've read in regards to the player. I think it's interesting (for those familiar), Duck hardcore fanatic (Hyolyth), while absolutely not down on the kid from Indiana, I believe placed both Angilau and Strother ahead of Bedford in tape review. Once again, interesting.

Not trying to stir anything up but his situation sounds a lot like Anjani Cornelius, the Transfer to Oregon Texas (not trying to bang on anyone as I've been a bit surprised this hasn't appeared to this point to be discussed here). Texas loved Cornelius prior to his injury and Foster similar at A&M but both appeared to have major injuries and eventually both programs appeared comfortable rolling the dice letting those guys go. Foster could step in at C and a Poncho and the kid from Indiana could compete for that spot at guard; but, the tea leaves suggest both the injuries to Cornelius and Foster represent a different sort of stumbling block. I recall, way back when, Foster having some interest in Oregon and the HC Cristobal considering it a big recruiting priority. Perhaps a positive, Foster, I believe a very good T&F athlete, was able to complete a season at A&M, prior to hitting the portal. His numbers were a bit off but injury did not stop him from competing. I read the new Texas A&M coach, actually didn't renew Foster's scholarship when he decided to focus on track. Interesting!

That is the one that stuck with me too rather than the refs. I mean, it was an SEC team, going in I think you expect to lose the battle of the calls (maybe not as bad in key spots but even then I never really expected a balanced game). Just going off memory Auburn was something like 9th nationally against the run (and something like 5th or 6th amongst P5 teams) allowing about 109 ypg at 3.4 ypc. (I did look that up). Against the pass they ranked 109th, allowing 259 ypg (something like 53rd out of about 60 P5 teams). Oregon, not exactly known in 2010 as a pass heavy team, does complete 28 passes for 374 yards and 2 TDs against them. At the time, the layoff between the teams ending the season and the Championship I believe was one, if not the longest in modern college football history. Loved just about everything coach Alliotti did game planning. They trusted their back guys and got after Newton and I will suggest to a debatable degree just beat him up (22-19 being being their second lowest output among their 14 games). On offense? It just appeared Kelly doubled down on running against a very good UA defense intent upon selling out taking away James and Barner. Much was left on DT's legs (which to that point in the year had primarily been a "if you don't respect it I will hurt you" versus "now it's in my lap and I need to ** suddenly ** have the wheels to make an elite run defense pay). I would suggest if asked the UA coaches say they watched tape for a month and were willing to take the gamble. Looked this up too, prior to about 1:40 left in the first half, when Oregon opened up to pressing the UA passing defense, Oregon ran 30 offensive plays. Two picks and an incomplete, so basically 27 other plays. 16 rushes for 32 yards and 5 passes to RBs out of the backfield for about 45. That is 21 out of 27 either rushes or drops to the RBs. Only 6 passes to WR and TEs for about 128 yards. Now, a big chunk of that was a pass to Maehl for 81; but, isn't that why to take shots down field? You target 4-5 and get at least one big play out of 5-6? The offense had another successful target to Tuinei out of those 6 throws for 19 yards. Maybe not so bad. What is possibly hard to put into the calculus is how much the early picks by DT effected play calling. Certainly after about 1:40 left in the first half Oregon went ahead and trusted DT to throw the ball. And from an Auburn perspective why not? They stuffed the run and played hit-or-miss all season with their secondary and were in the National Championship game with a lead. Just perhaps seems like the strategy didn't trust a passing game that, if prepared earlier and a bigger part of the plan, might have changed the dynamic (here read, press them with the pass to then open the run). When watching the second half of that game when it got close -- having a the lead in a game that ends up 22-19 looms perhaps larger than a game that turns into a shootout. Jump on them challenging their 109th rated pass defense against a game plan selling out to stop the run? I don't know. When I think of the game my first recollections are Nick Farely beating us up and taking our lunch money (the UA front four all pretty much had a good season). Was the Ducks best option betting against them when their secondary showed through 13 games that regularly susceptible to giving up plays? (And yes this is over a decade later after the fact backseat analysis so I accept that very valid criticism)

Not a starting group but biggest position of need? Back-ups on the OL. Extremely good fortune with the injury bug on the OL and really a pretty tight rotation the whole season. Strother came to the UO with a lot of snaps under his belt but never gained much traction, playing 55 snaps last year, almost half of them in the ASU game. I think he might be the first call at either guard position (but didn't hear much buzz tied to Nishad this spring). I guess the backups at LT and RT are Kawika Rogers who played 96 snaps at RT and George Silva 51 snaps at LT. Charlie Pickard probably is one the two deep at center with 68 snaps and 53 at center (the only other non-starting OL name I can really recalling hearing this spring other than Pickard was Lipe Moala). With 14 games (and at least 7 that were pretty comfortable) that's not a lot of guys getting snaps. Stay healthy guys. It will be interesting to see if anyone breaks into the OL rotation. Gonna be a big portal priority next year as it isn't outside the possibility Poncho is the only returning OL starter. Maybe not the time to think about such things really; but, this will be be a pretty veteran team. It's not entirely crazy to suggest Oregon might return the fewest amount of starters in 2025 I can recall in 30+ years (especially if a couple guys like Stewart and James break out and Conerly decides to test the NFL waters). Maybe something as small as 4 or 5 and even possibly as few as 2 or 3. WR: senior WR: senior WR: junior (but could possibly declare) TE: senior QB: senior RB: junior (but could possibly declare) OL: senior OL: senior OL: sophomore OL: senior OL: junior (but very possibly could declare) DE: senior DT: senior NT: senior EG: sophomore LB: senior LB: senior CB: senior CB: senior* FS: senior SS: senior NB: senior (* Not counting Florence as it sounds like he may not be recovered until into the season)

I got myself in a bit of trouble in a thread a while back and I certainly will own it, I didn't express my thoughts too well. Bo Nix was great at Oregon and when I dabbled in a bit of perhaps criticism, it didn't go well. I've had time to reformulate the thought, so here it goes. When Nix transferred to Oregon, he was borderland out of the draft. He came to Oregon to right the ship. Was he going all of a sudden to make a bunch of NFL throws, dropping balls into windows and throwing guys open. I think that is fair to say unlikely. Ok, but that isn't exactly the only consideration. It's ok I think to suggest Bo arrived at Oregon with both team and personal goals. I've heard the jokes about "Bo Pix"; but, even at Auburn he wasn't a guy who put the ball up in a lot of danger back then, and his interception numbers prior to Oregon weren't that bad. Nix came to Oregon to rehabilitate himself and do what he does well with a fresh start. His path to the NFL was really turning some heads, putting up a huge QBR, a high completion percentage, and not turning the ball over. Minus Washington it was fabulous. Here is where I got in trouble. I think Bo was just programmed to mostly avoid risks. Which worked most of the time; but, to make that final step, occasionally a guy needs to drop a ball in a window or otherwise accept the risk and feel he can make a big throw. To look down field and gamble to make a play. 50-50? Ok. Maybe even 40-60? Ok. But one gives you a chance and the other "what on the world happened?, this never had a decent chance." I do think that was not something mostly on the Nix program. And I respect that; but, I think that was a bit of the difference between the seasons Nix had and the season Penix had. Penix got into those situations and was remarkably successful most of the way. Could Bo have done the same? Absolutely; but, I don't exactly feel he felt free to trust **everything** involved in making such throws and generally didn't decided to roll the dice. There always in such situations a **safer** percentage options that, if it fails, people tend to understand "It's the best odds that was left so it makes sense". Which is ok unless the moment ultimately requires a bit of a play. Akili had it, Joey had it, I think DT and really even Masoli had it, I'm not sure MM really was in that spot to much; but, Justin had it. Justin walked in as a true freshman and felt all day he had the arm to put the ball into windows and risk making a play because he had confidence he could make the throw. Was that Bo? Looking back years from now I certainly feel I may be mistaken. In Gabriel, a different player, where embracing those throws and willing to make them is the calculus different than what was programmed into Nix? I think maybe because the "cost to benefit" ratio is just different. Is a huge NFL throw will be more of a benefit DG than it ever would have been for BN? I will suggest accepting the gamble, maybe be different than Nix. Where here did it get Penix? Obviously well; but, where did it get Nix? Not to bad either. Quite possibly this doesn't make a lot of sense. Go Ducks.

With the transfer portal these days, one never knows who (and when) guys might jump in; but, the three biggest names so far mentioned this spring (McClain, Williams, and Mathews) are all probably players (at least right now), who would be expected to probably spend at least two more seasons in college (with McClain being a case of not being draft eligible for two seasons). My first thoughts on these possible portal additions are for the 2024 season; but, not really too soon to be looking at spots that likely will graduate a lot of guys (cornerback seniors Muhammad, Manning, Alexander, safety seniors Savage, Tysheem Johnson, Brandon Johnson, Reed, DL seniors Branch, Caldwell, Ware-Hudson).

Agree I don't really mean playbook. Right now I'm sure tOSU has a group of coaches, analysts, and staff pouring over every offensive and defensive snap Oregon has ran for at least the last two seasons. They will have viewed and recorded essentially Oregon's offensive playbook and probably will have every play available to be viewed and reviewed at the push of a button. I'd say it's more about understanding what offensively Oregon likes to do down and distance, how it scripts it's plays, what it likes to go to in certain field positions and with certain time on the clock. Obviously personal on both sides of the ball (where the coaching staff feels good, and where it might be concerned -- strengths and weaknesses), audible design and philosophy. Prior to this year obviously signals (and I'm sure there are a series of line of scrimmage signals/calls planned to be used once the helmet communication cuts out, that will require extra attention now). Anything extra you can show or do that requires a team to used it's prep time up, should add up to an advantage. I would say it's one thing to study and try to understand and prepare for a philosophy; and, quite another to have someone who knows it to absolutely confirm things. Not to say it is an insurmountable obstacle, only that it will require work. Was it Ryan Day's primary motivation? I'd agree likely not. However, with much chatter last year his seat might be getting warm, I'm sure having special insight into what has to be considered tOSU's statistically most difficult opponent, can't hurt. Obviously adding Chip who studied and prepared to play Oregon in 2022 is similarly a resource.