18 hours ago, iubhounds said:

He checked them off like my home to do list.

What?? I thought the home to do list was something that hangs on the wall by the calendar for decoration. I've barely touched it in years!

22 hours ago, AnotherOD said:

I'm expecting the Duck's overall "Blue Chip" ratio to fall from what I believe was an all-time 78% in 2025 to 71% to 72% in 2026.

Sounds negative, but among the top 60 or so rated players out of the 85 counters (no longer needs to be 85 but most teams still seem to roughly be sticking to it), Oregon should be at a clear all-time talent high.

It's not just the talent coming out of high school that matters. Indiana proved that the last two years.

How good are the players now? How well do the units play together? How good is the team as a cohesive whole?

Bryce Boettcher didn't add anything to Oregon's star ratings, but he will be drafted into the NFL in a couple months.

A talented roster doesn't just mean what the team members were 3 years ago. How are they today?

For us old guys time already flies by too fast. Now you say spring game is just around the corner -- April 25...

AAAAAaaaaAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaa.

I have too much to do before April 25. I'd like to think I have plenty of time, but it is JUST AROUND THE CORNER!

At least, when I am disappointed that I couldn't get everything done, I'll have the Spring Game to watch!

I would much rather be rooting for Bo Nix vs. Seattle... but...

***sigh***

Seahawks win

26-17

1 TO

2 Sacks

228 yards

I thought Josh Pate was the commish...

Thanks Jon. Of course, you are "preaching to the choir". This article would never fly south of the Mason-Dixon.

The only thing I don't like about "Plan" is all of the automatic qualifiers. It feels no different than saying the SEC is the best, therefore they should have had all the teams they were trying to argue and whine into the field this last playoff.

The Plan calls for two automatic qualifiers for the ACC. They barely got one in this last year, and that only because the the committee reversed their half season long putting ND in front of Miami. If it was up to ND, the ACC would not have had any qualifiers...

And I am FINE with that... if they don't deserve it. I do think that Miami deserved it, but did a SECOND team?

If we were in the Plan, the ACC would have their two highest ranked teams when other teams could have deserved it more.

I don't think the SEC or the B1G deserve 4 automatic qualifiers if the top 4 teams in the Big 12 are ranked higher. Yeah, Yeah... but anything can happen. Two G6 teams were qualifiers this year because both were ranked higher than the ACC Champion. Anything can happen.

2 hours ago, iubhounds said:

Whenever I see the name Riaola I can't get the picture out of my head. I sat there on a nice sunny Saturday afternoon in Bloomington and watched him throw 44 times and 3 interceptions. Granted his OL was being rushed liked crazy with Bryant's Haines's defense but a couple of those interceptions were just bad bad QB decisions. I have discussed him on X with other Duck fans (any of them here under a different name?) and I am just not that sold on him even with a great Oregon OL and a year to learn the system. But I am not a full time coach, just an old arm-chair QB expert I guess.

I do not fear. If Raiola can't "get it" he won't be starting.

All you have to do is look to last year. We went out and got the best running back in the portal. We no doubt paid him a ton of money. He hardly saw the field because we had two true freshmen that were better than he. Next year he'll be toting the rock for someone else. Hopefully, he will "get it" there.

I really have to clue. I just stopped by to see what iubhounds would say.

I can see spots on the jersey going to the highest bidders.

51 minutes ago, noDucknewby said:

If we go that route, for criminy sakes make sure Phil signs off on it. If he wants exclusivity then he deserves it.

If Phil wants exclusivity, yes, he deserves it... but he will probably have to pay for it just the same.

1 hour ago, The Kamikaze Kid said:

That doesn't include in coming freshman. I'd rather let these guys play than bring in portal guys and watch them all leave.

There is only one way to find out if your position coaches can actually develop players...

I am not very disappointed that we were outbid.

I would have been disappointed if the Ducks were to pay him $4 million to play here.

I don't want to pay zillions for one great guy when we need 50-60 great guys to win a championship.

I don't mind a player going for the big bucks, if that is his priority. To each his own.

On 1/21/2026 at 1:47 PM, Washington Waddler said:

In short, lightening in a bottle does involve luck, but then becomes making that luck work for you. It’s both fortune and achievement.

Google's AI...

"Lightning in a bottle" means achieving something incredibly difficult, rare, or seemingly impossible, often a sudden, huge success, or trying to do something that's nearly impossible. It describes capturing an elusive, powerful essence or moment, like a band having a one-hit wonder, an underdog winning big in sports, or a breakthrough idea. 

3 hours ago, Solar said:

Every win should be enjoyed, and the summation of that joy for the entirety of the season should be the measure of success.

I could not have said it better myself. Thank You.

These guys want to get to the NFL, not just ruin a school.

If someone is forced to stay and take the millions, they will ball out the best they can to get the best deal they can at the next level.

That´s what they do at the next level. They ball out the best they can before they turn free agent to get the best contract they can somewhere else. Might as well learn the tactic in college. (After all, you are a STUDENT- athlete.)

I am all in favor of the Ducks leading the charge and making the B1G the national champions for the 4th straight year -- with 4 different teams winning it!

P.S. After four years, Dan Lanning is averaging 12 wins a season. That that rate he can surpass Joe Paterno's 409 wins in another 30 years. Just sayin'.

Now that THAT is settled, we'll see how it turns out in the long run.

I say, let them call the plays from wherever they feel most comfortable. A whole lot of very successful coordinators in both college and the NFL prefer to call from the sideline.

I think the advantage is that they can COACH from the sideline - looking players in the eye, going over things with the whole unit.

To each his own.

Dan Lanning was a pretty good coordinator and he was on the sideline. Every coordinator that DL has had at Oregon has called plays from the sideline. Maybe that is HIS preference.

On 1/10/2026 at 6:07 PM, Jon Joseph said:

I do not see Cignetti and friends being outcoached.

I wonder how you could have come up with this conclusion!?!!?

Absolute GREAT talk between these two former Ducks who played a lot of years in the NFL and were both on the sidelines during the game. GREAT insights on the game and the season.

Find it here.

Real.

1 hour ago, Utki said:

To determine the ROI (Return on Investment) for the current 2025–26 season, we calculate the Cost Per Win ($CPW$). This metric reveals which programs are "buying" wins at a premium and which are finding elite value through coaching and development.

In the current landscape, the average Power 4 roster spend is approximately $26 million (comprised of the $20.5M revenue-sharing cap + collective NIL).

This only represents roster investment.

I think the equation should the cost of coaches.

2 hours ago, The Kamikaze Kid said:

Not bad considering the BIG is about to win it's third straight title by three different teams.

Next year, let's make it 4.

Dan Lanning has always "over recruited" areas of need. Remember when he recruited 11 edge rushers after his first year... KNOWING they would not all stay. He just knew that he needed QUALITY at the position NOW and was willing to recruit 11 to hopefully find 3 or 4. Everyone else would transfer out.

It does not bother me at all that guys in the 2 deep are transferring out because we are keeping all the starters along the D-line. If those guys would have moved on, the #2s would be the starters (with maybe a portal or 2) and the redshirt sophomores and and juniors (next year) would make up the new #2's.

The difference with the D-line staying is that we will have NFL ready starters and the #2s that we would have next year anyway.

We can only develop guys as much as they themselves put into it. After 3 years (redshirt, frosh, sophomore), they will either be well prepared to step into at least the 2 deep, or they will be well prepared to transfer and add value to the team they transfer to.

I think that's a win-win for everyone.

There is no limit to the HS kids you can sign... and no limit to the portal either. There is only a limit on the roster size. We can lose 30+ students a year, if needed.

5 hours ago, Utki said:

How my nostalgic heart yearns for the Pac-10 days.

How my nostalgic heart years for the PAC- 8 days... before those newbies arrived.

5 minutes ago, Utki said:

Lanning clearly needs coaching upgrades

Disagree. Last year we lost one game to the eventual National Champion.

This year we lost two games to the same team... the team that will probably win the National Championship this year.

We have one of the best offenses and one of the best defenses in the country -- in several categories. The Ducks have not lost a single game the whole time that Dan Lanning has been here to an unrated team (if I'm remembering correctly).

I trust Dan Lanning to continue to make good hiring decisions. That, of course, does not mean that he will always make the best hires.