AnotherOD

My thought is there are quite possibly more articles than ever; but, the amount of "nothing-burger" articles is at an all time high. My guess is that it is part of the new media landscape; and, it is something that is gonna be here a while, that is, a lot of (relatively) low pay media producing content to produced nickels based on page hits rather than dollars based on established media platforms producing product to sustain their more established media positions. Just the nature of media today in the phone and internet era.

It is sort of interesting. I've read a number of Auburn fans (some Georgia fans and some SEC fans) suggest Bo isn't really much different this year than before. They suggest Bo always was good against the "weaker" competition, and all we are really seeing now is the same QB beating up on weak Pac-12 defenses. It's not my thought, but it is out there.

What is interesting is the Ducks probably will be QB shopping in the portal again. What looked like a << fairly big >> Duck rebuilding year in 2023 is looking possibly a bit better, that is with another hit on a portal QB (and Bo Nix is gonna absolutely be a huge advertisement to those next 1-2 year QB guys). An OL with: Conerly-Jones-Jackson/Powers-Harper-Jaramillo isn't quite looking so bad and Popo plus maybe Flowe/LaDuke/Brown and Manning and Florence seems like a roster that might be able to make some waves - with a solid or better QB transfer - and the returning playmakers at RB, WR, and TE. I'm interested to see where the young LB crew (Bassa, Brown, Jackson, Taggart, quite possibly Flowe - maybe even Sewell - are in another year). It wasn't totally on the radar so much prior to this UCLA week, but I imagine Bo is gonna take his shot with the NFL, and QB (once again) maybe be that "roll the dice" sort of situation. I may be to be wrong but I just don't see (in today's college football environment) a top 10-ish program taking a huge rebuilding year risking the season on a kid at the QB spot that just hasn't shown a high likelihood of success in practice (and my quess is that is just where things are currently at). Good thing is Bo having this big year absolutely will attract attention for the highly sought after portal QBs.

I guess Texas A&M indefinitely suspended 3 members of it's first "twenty five million dollar" NIL class yesterday. That's after a couple of them already got into some trouble earlier in the season (including 4 one game suspensions) for for I guess (among other things): missing curfew, criticizing the coaching staff on Twitter, and posting crazy street racing videos taken inside a parking garage. Obviously it's one school, and details are just kind of leaking out a bit at a time, but it is starting to sound like a bit of a mess (the team hasn't appeared to have the season expected and the HC is definitely on the hot seat). It's almost like taking a team full of established players and dumping millions of dollars on 18-year old high school kids (who in most cases have already been lavished attention upon for several years in recruiting including like $50k+ recruiting weekends) who have never played a down of college football, might be a recruiting strategy with some downside?

One thing we can say, there is little chance Georgia's players, coaching staff, and fan base won't totally be overconfident if there was a rematch (even Kirby kind of dumped on the Duck players in his post game comments, not that they didn't deserve it, but I did find it a bit strange - the "DL knows he doesn't have the players we do so cut him some slack" comments). Would that make a measurable difference? Who is to say? If there were a rematch, I think the Ducks would have a tough time defending the things Georgia did well in the opener, I don't like saying it, but I think they just present some difficulties that won't easily be solved in a rematch. BUT I think the Ducks will be more together on offense (it isn't like Oregon's OL got blown up that day); and, if Oregon is scoring some points << perhaps >> the overall dynamic of the game is different ...

Not directed toward anyone (and not trying to stomp on anyone's takes) BUT Anyone who downplays "the pick" most likely just doesn't fully understand "the pick". I think maybe they just see a great play that beat a hated rival and helped turn around a season ... AND Not the total pivot point and change in direction of a long downtrodden program. That set into motion Oregon moving from a program battling to keep themselves out of the cellar of Power 5 - and playing 6-6 Tulsa in an Independence Bowl was a huge deal (that indeed broke a 25 year bowl drought) to a largely successful 28 year run (25 bowls) and what today is widely and regularly recognized as a top 5-15 program (just below the very "blue bloods" of the sport) that battles for many of the best recruits in the country and has won major bowls and played for National Championships. Rarely (maybe outside of the Florida schools rise in the 1980s) does this ever happen in the college football world, let alone can be traced not only to one game, but one play!

My thoughts are he's been solid. It probably is hard to factor in how much the departure of KT influences the rest of the DL spots (he just attracted a lot of attention and pushed the pocket - even on plays he didn't record any numbers). As well, seldom mentioned, Popo missing the season has impacted the DL as well. The guys playing there have done well (Riley seems to have had a couple very good games); but, Popo was both AP and PFF 1st team All-Pac-12 last year. So, essentially, BD has played this year without a pair of All-Conference running mates.

I think it is more of what one makes of it? I see the argument but it doesn't always totally compel me (and this may not be a totally popular opinion which I understand). While full-time at least used to be 12 credits (usually 4 classes) it was 9 credits and 3 classes for athletes (at least during the season). The few athletes I encountered generally saved a few of their easy classes for the term their sport was in season. Both OSU's Jaydon Grant and UO's Bo Nix have been interviewed this year on Portland radio and the host has talked to them on their class work and it has been mostly yoga, advanced yoga, ballroom dancing, or an odd online survey class. I think one of the two guys even dropped yoga for online yoga (however that works) because getting to yoga class a couple times a week just wasn't working. More difficult course work is saved for the rest of the year and the NCAA has some pretty strict rules about the amount of time a kid can spend doing anything sports related during those months. For example, I think the S&C coach is the only guy in the coaching staff that is able to talk to kids from like January to summer and over summer the coaches are limited to 8 hours a week. They do train and try to stay in shape and do voluntary summer work, but don't a lot of college age kids do something similar because in part it is a benefit to their health (and self-esteem) and to a degree it is considered something people enjoy and/or is social or otherwise see benefit in, rather than something just done as required for compensation)? I think it is fine to pay college athletes and always was surprised more "general expense" money wasn't a regular part of a scholarship (a pair of shoes, a movie, a trip home, dinner out, Netflix, a new phone); but, I still don't see it as close to working a job 40 hours a week year around. It still is playing a sport and practicing a sport. It isn't billing, or coding, or nursing, or delivery, retail sales, office work, or building roads and bridges. A lot of it is shooting hoops, playing ball, exercising, watching tape, and hanging out with your buddies.

Not entirely on topic but one has to wonder what the dynamic on campus will become? Imagine spending 8 years earning a PhD, then spending 10 or more years teaching and developing research to get tenure, then by age 40 working your way up to $140,000 a year (rough number from the American Association of University Professors) and seeing 18 year old high school kids walking on campus getting $1 million or more per year to play 12 games of football? How about the divide between the general student body at a place like Texas A&M where 25 recruits were given full scholarship and living expenses plus a reported million a piece for playing 12 games of football a year - against the rest of the student body who are reportedly playing up to $32,000 a year in-state: roughly $13k for full tuition, books, fees, and $19k for full living expenses and budget (and as much as $58,000 for out-of-state kids) according to CollegeCalc org. Not taking either side here particularly, just wondering the dynamic? It's been many years since my college days; but, while it was recognized they did have a bit of "special status" the athletes I knew generally didn't appear to have an experience dramatically different than the rest of the student body. With the money thrown around today, I wouldn't even see why a lot of these A&M kids don't just hire someone for a couple thousand a term to go to school for them? Wouldn't cut to much into that million and would free up a lot of time for football (and fun).

Lupoi absolutely is the Duck DC but I cannot see (or really fathom) a situation where Dan Lanning isn't involved in 97% if the defensive game planning (and even 3% might be a stretch). Will Chip school Lanning? Maybe but I don't see it as a lock. Chip had, at the time (and probably still true today), the longest prep time between the end of the season and the NC game and got pretty well schooled by Gene Chizik and Ted Roof. And the thing is both dudes just did what made Auburn successful the whole season and handled Chip's long months of preparation for long portions of that game (both guys probably cashed in some bank by doing nothing different than they did all season). Oregon only likely got itself back in it, when Chip abandoned what he spent months planning (thank you very much Chip trusting NA - and Nick probably having the very best feather in his cap - over his long career - getting after Newton all game long). Definitely some things to worry about heading into the game, but something that happened with Tosh and Chip like in 2009? I guess it could, but it would really, really surprise me.

I think... I think they said the ref saw a TO called in the middle of the interception, so since it "inadvertently" made the mistake of granting the TO, they allowed the clock to be stopped? You never get a timeout that stops the clock during a live play. That was much worse than the announcing team made it out to be. How about going for 2 and the win? I think most coaches at home take it to OT. Really enjoyed it.

The Pac-12 refs dig up that blindsided block (or at least work pretty hard to get there), but then miss a pretty obvious hold in the end zone. That's a safety and instead it's a USC first down. If you are gonna let the hold go, you let the borderline blindsided block go, or call them both.

And we are tied. As much as it in theory help Oregon into a playoff spot to play an undefeated USC in the Pac-12 Championship game ... I can't do it, can't root for USC, hope they lose then lose out. There must be a path to the playoff without having to ever root for USC (or Washington). Ok, now we are not tied. First team to 45 wins?

And Stanford leading Notre Dame 13-0 in the 3rd?

And Utah somehow climbs back into the game? I wouldn't bet them right now down a score, but if you watched USC in Corvallis .................

As a Duck fan, I feel pretty good. Without GameDay, Autzen will be lathered up, with GameDay it will be approaching a boil. Overall, I'd say I think Chip and UCLA approaching the top of the conference this season. I'd be nearly shocked if Oregon shows up and plays at least "solid", it loses at home.

We can agree to disagree. Not having your high school OL commits being able to play and desperately regularly rolling the dice on JC kids very well may a definition of good recruiting and player development. It hasn't really been for the 30 or so years I have been following college football fairly closely, but maybe things have changed the last few years and I missed it? I am honestly NOT even totally against it; but, if you aspire to be Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, LSU, Clemson, even places like Texas, Michigan, Oklahoma, LSU, and even USC, it just really isn't a big part of your plan. It's landing and developing kids, and occasionally being in need and finding the right circumstance to roll the dice on a strong JC prospect. Denis and Logan following MC to Miami isn't a red flag? Maybe or maybe not but the relative largely agreed upon opinion that both were miles away from being able to regularly see the field for the Ducks probably counts for something too. Experiencing player after player you bring into the program who you don't wanna ever play to me seems like a high degree of bad evaluation, and reaching into the JC ranks again and again and again and again is fine for Kansas State, Arizona State, Indiana, Mississippi State, and others. I guess we can agree to disagree about where the last nearly 30 year success plus investment in Oregon football have put Oregon closer to Georgia, Clemson, and Alabama or someone like Kansas State, MSU, or ASU (and which group of schools it needs to follow in it's program building design). I re-read my post and I think I give MC a fair amount of credit for the OL during his time here. I just think it is ** low hanging fruit ** for people who need to come up with such angles and wanna spend 15 minutes researching it to come up with a point that will make them seem ** smart ** - and isn't such a slam dunk argument - but 80% of college football fans will gobble it up as some sort of piece of information they need to know, without actually doing any work themselves, and trusting in the idea a guy in that spot MUST know what he is talking about. I'm not sure if I linked it here on OBD (possibly not) but google and article by Hythloday1 and Klemm - and his research into Klemm's player development and the amount of UR, two, three, and low 4 star kids at UCLA that he turned into guys with meaningful NFL careers during his run there. Not sure if you are familiar with the author, but I believe he says something to the effect of, "a degree of success at that level I've never come across in my research". That isn't to say MC didn't do respectable, just perspective on what others have shown in similar spots can be done. And I must disagree at least up until this point the idea that you expect a large portion of your lower rated kids to ever develop. Yes the "hit rate" on lower rated kids needs to be adjusted for expectations, but I just can't see how it can be that low. You gonna bring in a dozen kids with the hopes 1-2 might flash? I would hope it is more than one maybe two. Georgia, tOSU, Clemson, and even places like Michigan, LSU, Oklahoma, and Texas I doubt recruit that way. Should Oregon have such a lower standard? Maybe that is a topic for a different time?

I think the "free play" was at about 8:33 in the 4th. The dangerous "almost pick" to the RB was at about 6:55 (pass to Duck RB James out of the backfield that UA DL #1 Harris almost gets).

Not that I watch a lot of recruiting video (so take this all with a grain of sand); but, recall watching some of TT's and the sort of odd thing is that Mario and Moorhead likely would have little idea or success trying to play to Ty's strengths. Playing under Kenny Dillingham (and the adjustments KD likely would make to fit TT's strengths) in my mind makes at least a little more sense. I recall there being some interest at the time in Jackson-Powers Corner Canyon HS teammate QB Jackson Dart; but, Oregon seemed 110% behind one QB and it being TT. I remember even (foolishly) thinking, hmmm, maybe this move was a sign MC and JM were gonna take the reins off and move away from his pedestrian offense and maybe break out some more aggressive vertical passing concepts? If not, Dart might seem a better "fit" for whatever that mess MC and JM had cobbled together (and not that Dart didn't throw the ball well either). In h.s., from what I saw, TT was sort of a textbook "gunslinger", appeared to take 100% of snaps from the shotgun and throw 35-40 passes a game, a bunch of them downfield throws (and a good % of just bombs). He ran a bit, but mostly because, at 6-4 and a solid 200 pounds, in many highlights he looked like one of the bigger, more powerful kids on the field (even counting some of the linemen). He sat back and threw darts all over the field (and probably yes usually in a one read and throw situation). They moved him around a bit, but mostly to throw. At least in the clips I viewed, not exactly really the "dual threat" sort of thing MC and JM might be more after (and in his time at Oregon, Ty has appeared to never have an RPO where he wanted to choose run, or any real desire to take off with his feet on a pass play, or any real appearance enthusiasm for any QB designed run). Not that I want to see TT leave (and this is just an impression) but if somebody like Leach could drill in those air raid concepts, I could see TT really loving an offense where he took a shotgun snap and was able to throw 50 passes a game Garner Minshew style.

(Somebody with more knowledge might offer an opinion) but UA went after JF at least twice in the 3rd with down field shots on the sidelines with Singer, one a catch and one a miss (about 8:23 and again at 3:10). I thought JF played both well, Singer appears to have a sideline method while running - as the ball is in the air - to literally take his off arm and hold the DB about 2 feet away with an "arm bar". In one instance the ref either behind the play or trailing it threw a PI flag, completely missing the WR creating both contact and space for the catch with his outside arm. Sort of sneaky good by the WR if you can get away with it (which appears regularly with Pac-12 refs). It is hard for a DB not to get a bit "handsy" when the WR is trying to hold you two feet apart. Interested to see if anyone else saw it the same way.

The outside media certain love the "Mario Cristobal OL Guru" angle. I suppose we could start an over/under on how many more Duck broadcasts are going to pass before we have a complete game without it being referenced at least once? As to the point about credit, my thought would be: a bit of "yes" and a bit of "well maybe not quite so much". First thought is the OL really projected to be pretty good this season. It isn't often a power five program gets to open a season with 3 players in their sixth year of college football, one in his fifth, and one in his forth. All essentially returning starters (at the very least 5 of the top 6), with a lot of snaps under their belts. As to building an OL, there is a list of MC OL recruits who never sniffed a meaningful snap at Oregon. Happens everywhere but arguably the OL recruiting success "hit rate" was pretty average. Sewell was a grand slam commit, but there doesn't seem to be much debate he walked into his first year a guy ready to go. I believe Forsyth and Walk were inherited by MC, though certainly they developed under his watch. Bass and Aumavae-Laulu were highly rated JC OL, who also were chosen and developed under MC, which is solid feather in the cap, though dipping regularly into the JC ranks to fill holes and put together competent position groups in college football generally isn't held out as a preferred player developmental strategy (more finding yourself in trouble and rolling the dice and having the fortunate of a series of good rolls). Steven Jones was a top 250 kid and has been solid, Jaramillo has contributed, Laloula may still, and Harper probably MC's biggest developmental surprise; but, with those degrees of successes are names like: Randazzo, J. Johnson, Tauanu'u, Sagapolu, Denis, Jeffers, Smith, and Suamataia. Finally, to what degree has the OL play this season been dramatically improved by Klemm and the new Duck staff? Prior to this year, I've seen reasonable arguments OL play while generally solid, often was still a mixed bag? If one looks at Klemm's success with developing OL during his last college stay at UCLA, it compares favorably to the "OL Guru". Not to say there won't be bumps along the way but if Klemm sticks around I am not expecting a drop off without MC.

Last time I saw the rule it still said something to the effect of "taking aim with the purpose of attacking and making forceable contact beyond what is necessary for a legal block or tackle" - presumably but not necessarily with the crown of the helmet - of which lowering the head is often an indication; or, something like that. Offensive players instinctively lower their heads anticipating contact all the time, as I see it, sometimes a defensive player will too; and, there will be contact with helmets. Not all helmet contact with a tackle appears to me to be lowering the head to attack with the intent to make more than a legal tackle. I saw a bang-bang sort of play where the receiver could not just stop and chill and wait to see if the pass was caught before he decided to tackle or not - because that's a huge advantage for the offense. Rules today already seem to favor the offense where playing defense is tough enough. Didn't really like the call.

They said the call came not on the field but from the Pac-12 office. Anyone think that puts a lot of pressure on a ref to agree with his bosses calling him and telling him "Hey we think you screwed up so we are giving you a chance to (agree with us) and fix it?" Maybe not too crazy about faceless guys in an office 1,000s of miles away buzzing in an making calls. It introduces the potential for conflicts of interest - that may not even be there - but could definitely look as such.

A bit crazy to think if Oregon opens with San Jose State, Colorado State, UNLV, or something similar, instead of Georgia, it probably sits at #4 and controls it's own destiny. Still rooting for some chaos (it is just is hard to see anyone taking out tOSU - not seeing a Michigan or Penn State upset - or a road opponent that might beat Clemson - as they never lose at home and look to be in good shape against whoever pulls out the Costal side). Been totally rooting against USC with extra enthusiasm so far this year but it probably helps for them to be an undefeated and highly ranked Pac-12 Championship opponent. A win there probably would be plenty against any other one loss opponents not named Alabama or Georgia. I know many find it strange but a playoff appearance, even if it doesn't go well THIS year, is going to be much > even winning a Rose Bowl after finishing the season as Pac-12 Champion but just outside the playoff. Playoff is just where it is at in college football these days. I know many will feel winning the Rose Bowl is good for this year and would be a springboard for many future playoff appearances, but I think you jump on that shot anytime it comes around as you just never know what might happen in the future. Crazy talk as Oregon even winning out I am sure wouldn't get a lot of bets nationally, but as fans we gotta keep dreaming.

Just watching parts of two games, this isn't the Stanford of old. Even compared to last year, I'd say Stanford has dropped another tier this season to this point. I understand the concern, but I absolutely would be more concerned if say Arizona was coming to town. Colorado seems to be imploding and I don't know you automatically take Stanford over them right now (might depend on the points).