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What Are Realistic Expectations for Oregon in 2023?

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Dan Lanning’s debut season as a head coach was a huge success. Yes, Oregon did get walloped by Georgia in Week 1, but the Bulldogs steamrolled just about everyone in 2022. Outside of that opening-week stinker, the Ducks were among the best teams in the country last season. They were in the thick of the playoff hunt for much of ...

 
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Dan Lanning's debut season as a head coach was a huge success. Yes, Oregon did get walloped by Georgia in Week 1, but the Bulldogs steamrolled...
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My expectation for OBD's in 2023 is 11-1 in the regular season. 10-2 would show improvement but it doesn't feel satisfying for this fan.

 

Joshua, i agree with you on the 8 teams the Ducks should win convincingly. On the national landscape a lopsided score, on the road at Texas Tech will set well with the ranking voters......

 

No stumbles against teams you should thrash.

 

The Ducks should defend the home turf and give the traitors of Troy and little brother the beatings they deserve.

 

On the road, Utah amd uw will be hard fought games. I expect the Ducks to split those 2 games.

 

This expectation is based on the following:

 

The O Line jells early and gives Bo the protection he received last year. Clear blocking lanes and time for routes to come open are a must.

 

The D unit must improve and get off the field on 3rd down. Limit the amount of plays our opponents have on offense. Generate sacks and cause turnovers.

 

Bo stays healthy. This may be the first time in CF that the QB is a 5th year starter. Not a 4th year starter in his 5th season. Their is no way to replace the in game experience that Bo brings to the field.

 

When Bo gets his invite to New York our OBD's should be headed to the CFP........

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10-2 would be my pick as well. Is it possible to have four teams at 10-2 at the end of the season?

 

Could the Beavus sneak out an 11 win season?

Looking at their schedule it looks like a real possibility.

 

No team will go undefeated in the Pac12 this year.

 

Agree that 9-3 would be a disappointment. One thing for sure it's going to be one of the most intense Pac12 football seasons in a long time. 

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PSU, Hawaii are sacrificial lambs. I expect Tech to be a 10 point game that takes more than it should to win but will really help solidify our group of players into a TEAM. 

 

At Palo Alto and Tempe is typically tougher than it should be, but I expect to win those games. Cal should be easy, but we always find a way for that game to be closer than it should be. I expect we win big at home.

 

On the road against the pups and Utes will prove tricky and I'd be happy if we split this with the win being over the mutts.  If it's the other way around, I'm disgusted but we're still alive.

 

That leaves us with the Buffs, 'Cougs, Beavs and Prophylactics. We need to win 3 of those 4, and a sweep would be perfect.  We're lucky enough this season to get the 'Cougs at home, so hopefully that minimizes the drama

 

that typically happens in the Palouse. I expect the Buffs to have some tricks up their sleeve, but we handle business. Playing Troy at home will be a sordid affair with Playoff implications, and Lanning vs Riley and Kingsbury 

 

may prove too much on our developing defense. I hate to pick it, but I think they catch us on their way out the door. Lanning will have to get the boys motivated, but I think he does the job and we handle the Beavs 2 weeks 

 

to put us at 10-2 for the year and playing the Irish or Nittany Lions in a NY6 bowl. It's not the dream season, but it's a good one to build on and keeps the momentum moving in the right direction...

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Back to my head-versus-my-heart issue when it comes to Our Beloved DucksMy head says, 10-2, but my heart believes in a slight improvement to the offense to 40 points per game, and a BIG improvement on the defense.  My heart says that although the games against USC, Utah, Washington and Oregon State are going to be tough....this older, savvy Oregon squad can do it!

 

12-0 Baby!

 

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Mr. FishDuck

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I think 10-2 would be a successful season especially if we defeat the Huskies and backstabbing USC. It all depends on defensive improvements. 

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And Joshua...you do such great research for your articles, and this was another dandy.

 

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Mr. FishDuck

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I honestly try not to get too wrapped up in these preseason predictions.  Their fun to read and ruminate on for sure but as we know the twist of one ankle can change the whole trajectory.

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On 7/17/2023 at 9:07 AM, Augduck said:

I honestly try not to get too wrapped up in these preseason predictions.  Their fun to read and ruminate on for sure but as we know the twist of one ankle can change the whole trajectory.

Of course.  These predictions are in our own green-colored fantasies....

 

But consider this; without one play of running the QB between the tackles...Oregon would have gone 11-1 last year with a crappy defense!

 

I think we will be MUCH better on defense this year, so how would that bode?

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Mr. FishDuck

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Thank you, Joshua. Always great to read your takes.

 

I am not as sanguine as you Joshua and others on the board when it comes to playing Texas Tech in Lubbock. Assuming TT doesn't have a look-ahead problem in the opening game at Wyoming, TT, and its fans will be off the charts pumped up for this game against the Ducks. It will be loud and it also will likely be very hot in Buddy Holly country. Tyler Shough in his 6th season of CFB will be pumped (Hopefully, too pumped) to pay back Oregon for the hand Mario, I never met a QB I liked, Cristobal handed him. 

 

The vote was 9-3 against taking TT and other B12 orphans into The Elite Club. I have no idea as to how Oregon voted in this matter. But I do know it is one thing to reject an applicant for anything with civility and no need to rub an applicant's face in the Elite Club nonsense. The fans of TT will not forget this slight. Will this matter on the field of play? Probably not but an already incented group of football-mad Texas fans would have already been pumped to beat any Pac-12 team without this added incentive.

 

2023, D3 is staying with the clock stopping after 1st downs. I am somewhat confused as to whether the clock running after 1st downs will be implemented in 2023 for all divisions above D3. (Help, please.) TT ran the most plays from scrimmage in P5/G5 football last season. Hopefully, the rule will be in place to help slow the TT O down. As noted above it will be hot in Lubbock and this could test the depth of players on defense in particular.

 

Best case, Oregon in 2023 goes 12-1 and makes the final Final 4 as it made the first Final 4. Mario's, in fairness, and Dan Lanning's recruiting pays off and equally important DL as a number of us believe, did a masterful job of plugging holes with players out of the portal on O and particularly, on D. Will Stein seamlessly steps in for Dilly. The talent is there and the players better understand DL's D in 2023. As Charles has artfully noted, you need a freak at every level to play the "Georgia defense." The Ducks run game and passing attack allows Oregon to have the best-balanced O in the conference. USC cannot simply shoot out its way to a conference title. SC has on paper also improved on D with players taken from the portal but these guys have to be integrated and coached up. A big if with Grinch still on board. 

 

Worst case. Oregon goes 9-3. As Joshua notes the conference is ridiculously deep in 2023. And as Forum readers are aware no team since CU and Utah came on board has gone 9-0 in conference play. There will be a number of games in 2023 where the bottom half of the conference pulls off upsets.  But I expect Oregon will go 10-2/ 8-1 in the conference and this will be good enough to get to Las Vegas and rematch with USC. SC has a nice leg up playing Utah, UW, and UCLA at home and missing an Oregon State team it was fortunate to defeat by 3 points last season in Corvallis.

 

50 days or so before the games kick off and we can focus on football and not a bunch of off-season junk. Thanks again, Joshua.

 

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At least 5 teams can and should put up 38 plus points per game in the PAC this season.  Maybe more.

 

The team with the most disruptive D unit will leave Vegas with the PAC Title.

 

I am betting on DL, his schemes and the freaks he brought on.

 

GO DUCKS.........

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On 7/17/2023 at 12:36 PM, HappyToBeADuck said:

At least 5 teams can and should put up 38 plus points per game in the PAC this season.  Maybe more.

 

The team with the most disruptive D unit will leave Vegas with the PAC Title.

 

I am betting on DL, his schemes and the freaks he brought on.

 

GO DUCKS.........

And UCLA, if Dante Moore is the real deal, and with the benefit of missing Oregon and UW and playing Cal and Stanford could also be in the mix along with Oregon, SC, Utah, UW, and Oregon State. 

 

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I'm going 11-1 with a healthy Bo, otherwise, all bets are off.

 

5 - 0 going into ewe dub will allow the O-line to gel and D to get on same page.

 

I really need a ewe dub W so when the new streak hits 14 and we lead in the series I'll only be 87 and will be able to thoroughly enjoy my 90's!

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Totally agree with your assessment Charles and agree about the defense.  

 

And apologies for my typing faster than I am thinking grammar error,  they're nor their.  😉

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Heart says 11-1, head says 10-2, reality is probably actually one of the two for once!  As always injuries could have huge effect on the outcome of the games, you look at all the QBs in the top 4 teams and they have all had injuries, none of the teams have a backup that they feel even good about I would argue.  With Oregon I think we'll see an offense that will be around the same mark as last year, the o-line is revamped but the skill positions are probably a step up from last year.

 

The defense will be very interesting, Lanning certainly has had a very good idea about the type of players he wants for his scheme, and he's found the body types that he wants for those spots, now we have to see if the round pegs into round holes will prove the difference between last year and this upcoming season.  I would bet we will see improvement, but it will be another year before we see a dominant defense.

 

In the end I think we win all the games that we should, we beat USC at home, OSU, Utah will be a toss up, and for UW...well this is where I think we see if the defense has taken a step forward.  

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I bet the D is WAY improved, which fixes all but the GA game last year.  Tech will 100k people going nuts, Shough will be fired up, but I agree...talent gap...  we'll have a week to tune up against PSU at home, O-line...we'll put up up 50+.

 

Usuc at home...mid season,  we win that.  Mutts on the road mid season with a much improved D...we win that too.  Utah?  13-0, playoffs baby.  

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On 7/17/2023 at 8:52 AM, Charles Fischer said:

Back to my head-versus-my-heart issue when it comes to Our Beloved DucksMy head says, 10-2, but my heart believes in a slight improvement to the offense to 40 points per game, and a BIG improvement on the defense.  My heart says that although the games against USC, Utah, Washington and Oregon State are going to be tough....this older, savvy Oregon squad can do it!

 

12-0 Baby!

 

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The thing is that the Ducks could actually go 12-0! 

 

I think the defense is going to be a whole lot better than last season and if we keep Nix healthy the offense is going to roll.

 

The Washington loss was really on an injured Nix and a defense that was awful. The Oregon state loss probably wouldn't have happened if Nix was healthy as well. 

 

The reality of the season is that there will be a game or two that the offense will have to win it and carry the game and there will probably atleast one game where it will be on the defense to get the stops and win the game.

 

Is this team that complete? Probably not but it's possible, they have the talent to do it. 

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On 7/17/2023 at 1:16 PM, JDuck said:

I bet the D is WAY improved, which fixes all but the GA game last year.  Tech will 100k people going nuts, Shough will be fired up, but I agree...talent gap...  we'll have a week to tune up against PSU at home, O-line...we'll put up up 50+.

 

Usuc at home...mid season,  we win that.  Mutts on the road mid season with a much improved D...we win that too.  Utah?  13-0, playoffs baby.  

It will probably sound like a 100K, no doubt. The TT stadium is the 44th largest in CFB and sits 60,454.

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With a healthy Bo the sky is the limit.

 

But, if Bo goes down... I feel this season could get ugly in a hurry.

 

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On 7/17/2023 at 11:40 AM, DUCati855 said:

With a healthy Bo the sky is the limit.

 

But, if Bo goes down... I feel this season could get ugly in a hurry.

 

 

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Mr. FishDuck

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I think 10-2 is appropriate given the quality of teams this year.  IMO I don't think any Pac12 team will finish with less than 2 losses, once you see what the 2nd half scheduling looks like you'll understand that there's going to be a lot of cannibalization going on.

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"No team has gone 9-0 in Pac since CU and UT joined up".

That's big.

 

I know Bo was banged up in the OSU game, but we have to give coaches some credit for that loss.

Remember, down by 21 at half, and they don't throw a single pass in the 2nd half, and win! And we stayed in cover 2.

 

What I'm suggesting is that there is a learning curve when you are a new head coach. Knowing when to change up the game plan for example. 

 

The Pac is solid and strong this year in the top half, and might I suggest that CU may not be the easy push over we think. Can 51 new players and coaches gel?

What type of defense or offense will they run? As much as we hate Taggert, he runs a pretty good offense. 

 

All in all, there will be upsets, almost guaranteed. 

 

I'm hoping for 10-2, but I'll take 9-3 and be happy if it means we beat both dawgs and beavs!

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Im going 12-1 GO DUCKS!!!!

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It took two complete second half defensive melt downs to keep themselves from going 11-1 in Lanning's first year with mostly Mario's guys. I think 11-1 is a reasonable expectation but 10-2 would still be a good/ great year. More than the record, I'm looking for improvement on D including some disruptive havoc plays that Lanning wants to be the identity of his D. If that happens, playoffs should be within reach this year.

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Some more detail on 2023 Texas Tech. I did not realize that in 2022 Tech won 7 1-score games.

 

FANSIDED.COM

The Big 12 has become a much more parity driven league over the past few years, with two surprise winners in 2021 and 2022...

Pac-12 'friend' plays at Baylor in 2023 after opening with Florida.

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Here's some love for Jordan Burch, Jurrion Dickey, Matayo Uiagalelei, Coach Dan Lanning, The Civil War, USC at Oregon, and a Troy vs Ducks champ game rematch. 

 

DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM

The Pac-12 media day is later this week, so we wanted to get our year-end award predictions on record.

 

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So... 2 losses last year that should have been wins. A thorough butṭ kicking right out of the gate. A defense that my 76 yo mother could score on, probably break a hip in the process for sure.

 

Ducks offense will be better than last year. Perhaps top 10 nationally. Line comes together quickly and look out. All other position groups will have marked improvement.

 

Ducks Defense can't be any worse. Should be much improved with the team speed added. Defense has the talent to be top 30 imo. Up to the coach to get them there.

 

Yep, 12-0 in conference and no worse than 13-1. Pac champs and a shot at 15-0. 

 

Some will think I am crazy. Perhaps I am. Tell me though, tell me the path isn't wide open. This is the most talented team top to bottom, Ducks have ever fielded.

 

I don't buy the "but this team, but that team" arguments. Ducks handle themselves and stay healthy-ish,  my prediction is exactly where Oregon finishes. 

 

Oh yea, need a couple lucky bounces Oregons way.

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Here's the answer on the clock continuing to run after 1st downs. It will run and likely reduce the number of plays by 7 or more.

 

DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM

A number of rule changes have been implemented for the coming college football season. Here’s a refresher on what changed.

 

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On 7/17/2023 at 10:52 AM, Charles Fischer said:

Back to my head-versus-my-heart issue when it comes to Our Beloved DucksMy head says, 10-2, but my heart believes in a slight improvement to the offense to 40 points per game, and a BIG improvement on the defense.  My heart says that although the games against USC, Utah, Washington and Oregon State are going to be tough....this older, savvy Oregon squad can do it!

 

12-0 Baby!

 

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This is not crazy. UW and Utah are woefully overrated. Beavs' lost the players that made that defense solid...Assuming Nix stays healthy, are floor should be 11-1 but think we'll be 12-0.

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