Is There a Culture Problem Within Oregon Football?

[FishDuck Article]

Mario Cristobal and the Oregon staff have been preaching a 1-0 mentality all season long, and so far it has worked. Oregon is 4-0 and one of the few undefeated teams nationally. However, Oregon has time and time again played to the level of their competition. In some cases, Oregon rises and plays up to the level of their competition, ...

 

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[Charles Fischer]

That is a wonderful article David, giving us some great ponder-points concerning this team.

 

It is a youth problem, because even when underclassmen step forward to be leaders--they can set a wrong example with inexperienced judgement.  The flip-side is the benefit when so many of these talented players are playing in their third year, and have the experience and judgement, as we should have the full leadership on a team that is needed.

 

[Jon Joseph]

Great take David, thanks.

 

I have a few problems with the 'youth issue' and ipso facto thinking Oregon will necessarily improve in 2022.

 

One, I saw this team play in Columbus, Ohio versus the #3 ranked team in the country. tOSU gained a lot of yards but as Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said post-game, the Buckeyes were never in the game. Ohio State was dominated on both LOS.

 

Two, I saw the way the team played vs USC in 2020 in the Pac-12 Champ game. I also saw many games where the team appeared not to give a whip.

 

Three, I saw a team that should have gone to the Playoff under the leadership of 1st round draft pick and NFL rookie of the year, inexplicably lose at ASU. Then after keeping the Beavers in the game, the Ducks blew out favored Utah in the Pac-12 champ game.

 

4th, the youth of the team does not mitigate the abysmal play calling against a Wildcats team that should have trailed Oregon something like 35-0 before the 1st half. 

 

In other words since Mario arrived, I've seen this movie before. Why in 2022 will a switch all of sudden be flipped? Why in 2022 will the Ducks be ready to ball out in every single game and stop playing down to the level of the opponent?

 

This inconsistency is on the guys making the big bucks, The Coaches. The inconsistent play we have seen over three seasons is not aberrant because of youth, it is systemic based upon the coaching the players are (not) receiving.

 

I am more willing to forgive youth when a young player who is trying his best makes an error of commission. What I am seeing from this Ducks team from the HC on down is a team-wide error of omission. A continuing failure not to play hard and play smart from the opening whistle until game's end.

 

I see players going through the motions. Where is the will to dominate your opponent? If a team doesn't have the will, it can take an L versus any team it plays.

 

I note that Alabama had to replace over a dozen starters chosen in the 2021 NFL draft. Bama is not infallible, could have lost at UF, but the team despite the youth of the roster balls out in every game. And the team overcomes injury to great players. 

 

I see unfocused, disinterested play falling on the coaching staff. After 3 years of watching 'THIS,' I am not willing to write it off on the age of the roster.

 

 

 

[Jon Joseph]

David, sorry for the rant. Your takes are always well written and enjoyable.

 

But I do see some irony here. When Mario was 1st elevated to HC, fans argued that he was 'young;' inexperienced as a HC. At the P5 level, this was true.

 

Now, Mario is in year 3 and most of the guys on the roster are his guys. Is it a young roster holding the team back; or, is the way in which the team is coached during the week and on game days?

 

If the culture you have instilled does not equate to guys being ready to play on game day, have you instilled the proper culture?

[30Duck]

On 10/1/2021 at 9:27 AM, Jon Joseph said:

If the culture you have instilled does not equate to guys being ready to play on game day, have you instilled the proper culture?

 

Precisely. The one game where the Ducks dominated was the game that they had little chance of winning. It probably is easier to Get Up for Ohio State, then it is for Arizona. But, like Alabama has shown, the mindset of championship teams is that it doesn't matter. The winning culture will manifest itself when Oregon doesn't need to manufacture energy. 

[Drake]

Like it or not, game experience and time playing together does matter. These guys are good, and time will tell if they can become great. 
 

The person with the most experience on this team is at QB, and he is only starting his 5th game in a Duck uniform.
 

AB doesn’t throw interceptions, but does seem to throw a bunch of passes that nobody can catch.  He has the most important position that can overcome mistakes by the team on the field. He will need to play better going forward. 

 

The youth on this team is our future, and the future starts tomorrow at kick-off.

[Charles Fischer]

Boy...at times I say "yes," there is a culture problem.  But then at recruiting time I say, "heck-no!"

 

There is the experience factor of not just how many games you have played and coached, but how many BIG games. That 2014 team was mentally hardened from all the huge TV games, Rose Bowls, BCS Bowls, massive away games in packed stadiums with Herbie and Chris Fowler announcing.  That team was filled with players who were used to everyone's best shot, and were accustomed to the bright lights and the big impact of the game.

 

By contrast, the players and coaches of 2021 have more experience losing or playing poorly in games they were expected to win....than actually playing in big games.

 

Yes they were in a Rose Bowl...but that was two years ago and a major block of the players putting in major PT have come to the Ducks since that game.  The "being-the-hunted," and calloused to BIG GAMES is a growth factor within the program, and we are about to get a report card!

[David Marsh]

On 10/1/2021 at 12:36 PM, Charles Fischer said:

There is the experience factor of not just how many games you have played and coached, but how many BIG games. That 2014 team was mentally hardened from all the huge TV games, Rose Bowls, BCS Bowls, massive away games in packed stadiums with Herbie and Chris Fowler announcing.  That team was filled with players who were used to everyone's best shot, and were accustomed to the bright lights and the big impact of the game.

Learning how to just beat lesser opponents is tough to learn. It requires four quarters of solid play and those 2nd and 3rd quarters and put the opponent way. These young teams haven't had the experience to not get bogged down in the heat the game but instead rise above it and just take care of business. 

 

It is difficult keeping that institutional knowledge and talent in the program for a long period of time because graduation and players leaving in a series of waves (especially because they are successful) leaves the team very young without that knowledge. 

 

Oregon lost an insane amount of talent after 2014. In 2015 there was still some good talent left on the roster but at the end of 2015 it was ALL GONE. 

 

In rolls 2016 which was a bad year for defense was Hoke's defensive scheme was just bad but beyond that it was a team built on underclassmen. 

 

2019 and 2020 was really two years of graduations rolled into one because of the opt outs. 2019 was a pretty disciplined team (especially compared to today) and really understood their roles on the team. That defense was incredible and the 2019 class were true freshman that year. Now they are the leaders of this team but they should have had another year being underclassmen. That 2019 class though are some of the best and most productive players on the field so they have really stepped up but the team was gutted of veterans. 

 

Will everything be better and fixed in 2022? Probably not... but it should be much improved. We should see some improvement in the coming weeks as well as more players gain that starting experience and learn from their mistakes. 

[Jon Joseph]

Great observation, but I could not disagree more.

 

Saban at Bama figured it out in year 2.

 

At LSU Saban figured it out  it out in year 2.

 

Like you, I hope we see more cohesion down the road from Mario's squad in 2021? A flashback to what we already witnessed in week 2 in Columbus? Was that an aberration?

 

The same guys who won on the road in Columbus are the same guys who played Fresno, Stony Brook and Arizona.

 

How do all of these 'young guys' 'get it' in week two and not 'get it' in weeks 1, 3 and 4? And they 'got it' in Columbus missing a guy who may be the top draft pick in the 2022 draft?

 

The D was porous vs Ohio State in the back end but Oregon won both LOS. Why? Because of desire, guts and want to. Because on O. the OC was engaged and involved.

 

Where sans the Buckeyes is the effort? Why will the effort necessarily improve as the season progresses? Why not ball out now? Like the team balled out in Columbus.

 

This is about attitude and want to. It is not about the youth of the roster.  If the roster played like it did vs AZ in Columbus? Wildcats are blown out in the 1st half.

 

The coach needs time to get experience? The players who the coach recruited balled out on the road at then #3 Ohio State are too inexperienced to ball out now?

 

I'm sorry but I don't 'get it.'

 

YET, Oregon is 4-0. Maybe this is a team like the FSU team that went undefeated in the weak ACC before Marcus et al blew the Seminoles socks off in the Rose Bowl?

 

 

[30Duck]

On 10/1/2021 at 5:31 PM, Jon Joseph said:

Where sans the Buckeyes is the effort? Why will the effort necessarily improve as the season progresses? Why not ball out now? Like the team balled out in Columbus.

 

It's a conundrum for sure.  The game at Ohio State has defined the season, but is not representative of the team. It's the outlier, in terms of effort and execution. The Stanford's were annoying with their commentary during the Arizona game. But they weren't saying anything different than what we've shared here; that this Oregon team isn't the one that beat Ohio State.

 

This is how we come to truly appreciate what Saban has done at Alabama.  Year after year they're hungry. It's actually more impressive with the talent at 'Bama that this is the case. Saban has gone through Coordinators, did a 180 offensively, and is still No.1