Charles Fischer Administrator No. 1 Share Posted August 21, 2023 My FishDuck Friends, this is an amazing but true story here with the Our Beloved Ducks, and one that shocked me. It has significant ramifications going forward that generates some real pondering by all Duck-Buddies. Oregon’s Record Recruiting Class…That Never Was FISHDUCK.COM I was on top of the world as an Oregon fan in 2021, as Mario Cristobal secured the greatest recruiting class in the history of Oregon football, the best in over… 1 3 2 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Ducky No. 2 Share Posted August 21, 2023 There is no denying that MarnoO was a good recruiter. However he couldn’t coach a lick. He has still not convinced many in Miami that he can. IMO DL and his group of coaches are committed to a style of collecting players to fit the needs of the team as Charles mentioned earlier. I think this is a much more successful approach. If we can keep this nucleus of coaches together for a longer period maybe we can get over that final hump, as difficult as it is, and get the prize. Chip taught us one thing for sure, you can be a mediocre recruiter and still have big results if you get the write guys and be creative with your game plan. 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Author Administrator No. 3 Share Posted August 21, 2023 But that turnover is stunning...nothing like it before. It is a negative event brought about primarily by positive results...great Lanning recruiting, but....Man! Mario knew what he was doing....right? 2 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marsh No. 4 Share Posted August 21, 2023 I'm not sure Cristobal recruited what he needed for his own designs in honesty. He needed some big bruising backs for his old school power run game. I think Byron Cardwell may have looked like one on paper but he didn't really play like one. I mean they shoved CJ Verdell into this role and just got him repeatedly injured. I think the linebackers from this 2021 class were failures for what was needed on the field. Sewell was a big linebacker but he probably should have been converted to an edge where he was a pass rusher. Then Flowe was injured and when he did see he field he just didn't seem to understand the scheme. Even in his limited au during the Cristobal era he was just flying around the field but not with much direction. This failure at linebacker created a soft underbelly in Oregon's defense that may only now be fixed. Has Lanning Fixed the Duck Defense's Soft Underbelly? FISHDUCK.COM The Oregon Ducks' defense has maintained one major problem for the last three years. Simply put, it has a... It will also be interesting to see how Cristobal continues to do in Miami. Will he recruit with a mindset of putting together a cohesive team or will he look for good players who are highly rated and force them to fit his scheme.... Which will make them worse in the process. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OregonDucks No. 5 Share Posted August 21, 2023 Cristobal and staff chased recruiting stars, instead of doing the hard work of evaluating talent. We all know that the previous staff was not good at player development or in-game coaching, and dodged a bullet when Mario bolted for Miami. I'm optimistic that the current staff is not only signing 4/5 star players but are also signing some 3 star players who they believe have some upside. Time will tell if they can develop the talent that they sign. As Charles mentioned, the transfer portal has changed the game and the recruiting services need to figure out how to incorporate transfer players into the team's overall recruiting ratings (not that Lanning and staff cares). 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Author Administrator No. 6 Share Posted August 21, 2023 On 8/21/2023 at 9:56 AM, David Marsh said: This failure at linebacker created a soft underbelly in Oregon's defense that may only now be fixed. What is fascinating to me is how Lanning fixed the linebacker problem by recruiting a ton of defensive backs. The LB recruiting was coming up short, but Coach 'Meat was super with safeties and corners. Thus recruiting a boatload of portal DBs....he could move safeties Bryce Bettcher, and Jamal Hill to MONEY linebacker to help solve that problem. That, and adding weight. 3 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioDuck No. 7 Share Posted August 21, 2023 On 8/21/2023 at 10:57 AM, Charles Fischer said: My FishDuck Friends, this is an amazing but true story here with the Our Beloved Ducks, and one that shocked me. It has significant ramifications going forward that generates some real pondering by all Duck-Buddies. Oregon’s Record Recruiting Class…That Never Was FISHDUCK.COM I was on top of the world as an Oregon fan in 2021, as Mario Cristobal secured the greatest recruiting class in the history of Oregon football, the best in over… Yeah, I was excited about the players MC was bringing in at first. On paper these were great classes. Then the results just didn't match the level of talent coming. I've come to realize he was recruiting great players for someone else's system or maybe he just didn't know what to do with great players. Lanning's tendency to recruit to the system, maybe even leading him here and there to recruit a lesser rated player who fits better, I believe will serve Oregon football well. It is what Oregon has always done well. Now we get both the players that fit and the highly rated players (often in the same person). That will make for exciting football. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Sousa No. 8 Share Posted August 21, 2023 On 8/21/2023 at 10:44 AM, OhioDuck said: ...recruit a lesser rated player who fits better... THAT! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph No. 9 Share Posted August 21, 2023 On 8/21/2023 at 12:56 PM, David Marsh said: I'm not sure Cristobal recruited what he needed for his own designs in honesty. He needed some big bruising backs for his old school power run game. I think Byron Cardwell may have looked like one on paper but he didn't really play like one. I mean they shoved CJ Verdell into this role and just got him repeatedly injured. I think the linebackers from this 2021 class were failures for what was needed on the field. Sewell was a big linebacker but he probably should have been converted to an edge where he was a pass rusher. Then Flowe was injured and when he did see he field he just didn't seem to understand the scheme. Even in his limited au during the Cristobal era he was just flying around the field but not with much direction. This failure at linebacker created a soft underbelly in Oregon's defense that may only now be fixed. Has Lanning Fixed the Duck Defense's Soft Underbelly? FISHDUCK.COM The Oregon Ducks' defense has maintained one major problem for the last three years. Simply put, it has a... It will also be interesting to see how Cristobal continues to do in Miami. Will he recruit with a mindset of putting together a cohesive team or will he look for good players who are highly rated and force them to fit his scheme.... Which will make them worse in the process. David, Cristobal did recruit a thumper, talented RB in Trey Benson who balled out at FSU in 2022 and is on the All-ACC Preseason team heading into 2023. Benson is projected to be one of the first RBs to be drafted in 2024. Tyler Shough, if he can stay healthy is another guy who will go in the 1st 3 rounds of the draft. Mario tried with all his might to bury Justin Herbert but there was too much innate talent there for Mario to totally screw the guy up. QB Tyler Van Dyck was the ACC Rookie of the Year in 2021. Yes, he was injured during the season in 2022 but even before then, Mario made him look like a run-of-the-mill QB at best. Mario is a recruiting champ and a coaching chump. He is a .500 head football coach. As a number of players voiced when DL showed up, 'Football is fun again.' And you heard the same from the Ducks fans. Thank the U for taking Mario MIA. But, then again, he was MIA when he was coaching in Eugene. 1 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Author Administrator No. 10 Share Posted August 21, 2023 On 8/21/2023 at 12:23 PM, Jon Joseph said: Mario tried with all his might to bury Justin Herbert but there was too much innate talent there for Mario to totally screw the guy up. 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevada Dawg No. 11 Share Posted August 21, 2023 I'm back after a major computer SNAFU yesterday. Great recruiters always recruit for their system. Georgia often passes on highly rated recruits for those rated lower that better fit that system. One recent example was a 4*, Quay Walker, who became a 1st round draft pick over one of your recent 5-star linebackers not named Noah Sewell. I knew Lanning would recruit well coming out of that Georgia recruiting machine. My guess is (and I've said this before here) that he will continue to favor the high schoolers and use the portal to plug gaps and weaknesses in the roster. As he puts three or four recruiting classes together, he will use the portal less and less. I hope that Lanning doesn't get caught up, however, in ridiculous NIL bidding wars for unproven high school talent, no matter how many stars the highly imperfect recruiting industry gives them. This often creates the resentment of older players but can lead to a class more concerned about $ than with playing the game (see T$M last year). As long as Lanning and his staff follow this recruiting model, I predict that the Ducks will eventually put together teams that can realistically compete for Nattys and give the Georgias and Alabamas a run for their money. Making the playoffs may not be so much of a hurdle after next year, but having the roster of studs who can actually win the trophy should be Lanning's and Duck fans' major aspiration. 1 1 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marsh No. 12 Share Posted August 21, 2023 On 8/21/2023 at 12:23 PM, Jon Joseph said: Trey Benson who balled out at FSU in 2022 and is on the All-ACC Preseason team heading into 2023. Benson is projected to be one of the first RBs to be drafted in 2024. I completely forgot about Benson. He probably would have been unimpressive with the Cristobal scheme in truth. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Ducky No. 13 Share Posted August 21, 2023 I know I’m pounding a dead drum here but I’m still pisd at mnoO for continually pounding an undersized running back into the back of his offensive lineman’s legs against a 7 or even 8 man front. Dumb and stubborn is the only way to describe. Not to mention while having a Heisman QB on his roster. Mind boggling for sure. Sorry I thought I was done pounding on this guy but an opportunity knocked so I opened the door. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Author Administrator No. 14 Share Posted August 21, 2023 On 8/21/2023 at 1:35 PM, Nevada Dawg said: As he puts three or four recruiting classes together, he will use the portal less and less. I completely agree. I believe he is building the core of the team now, and then will add with high quality talent each via HS, and as you said--plug holes with the portal or take advantage of what comes your way. For example...a portal QB coming to us this next winter could hurt the QB room in terms of attitude. Yet do you want to start 2024 with an experienced or inexperienced QB? What to do about that decision? 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirklandduck Moderator No. 15 Share Posted August 21, 2023 On 8/21/2023 at 2:32 PM, Charles Fischer said: For example...a portal QB coming to us this next winter could hurt the QB room in terms of attitude. Yet do you want to start 2024 with an experienced or inexperienced QB? Oregon's first foray into the Big10 does come at an awkward time given that they will have to break in a new QB starter (so will the Fuskies and USuCk for that matter). Ironically UCLA might be best positioned offensively if Dante Moore has a season of starts under his belt and develops as expected. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph No. 16 Share Posted August 21, 2023 Kirk, good take. But next year Michigan will also be breaking in a new QB. Thus be it ever in college ball. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marsh No. 17 Share Posted August 22, 2023 On 8/21/2023 at 3:29 PM, kirklandduck said: Oregon's first foray into the Big10 does come at an awkward time given that they will have to break in a new QB starter (so will the Fuskies and USuCk for that matter). Ironically UCLA might be best positioned offensively if Dante Moore has a season of starts under his belt and develops as expected. Quarterback aside... Every team will be breaking in new starters at some position. Oregon has been stacking some good recruiting classes and will continue to stack them. That's what matters. Need to have high quality players at every position. I feel the Ducks will be in a good place in that regard. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirklandduck Moderator No. 18 Share Posted August 22, 2023 On 8/21/2023 at 5:38 PM, David Marsh said: Quarterback aside... Every team will be breaking in new starters at some position. Oregon has been stacking some good recruiting classes and will continue to stack them. That's what matters. Need to have high quality players at every position. I feel the Ducks will be in a good place in that regard. You're right in the other positions. I'm not so confident at QB given Ty Thompson's limited/lackluster history and Austin Novasad will only be a true freshman. Without a high performing QB at the start, the offense sputters. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevada Dawg No. 19 Share Posted August 22, 2023 In the spirit of Charles's original post, it is interesting how promising classes can deteriorate. After losing in overtime to Alabama in the 2017 Natty (a game they damn well should have won!), Kirby and staff went out and signed the #1 class in 2018, and the young recruits vowed that they would win a championship during their tenure in Athens. They were right--at least the 55% of them or so that embraced the grind and stuck it out in Athens. For various reasons, the other recruits, including about half the 5-stars, never made it to the finish line in 21 to earn their championship rings. Just the nature of big-time college football today it seems. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
