Oregon Ducks Football: Navigating the Storm of October

[FishDuck Article]

Oregon’s October schedule harbors a horde of Huskies, Cougars, and Utes on the horizon. All ranked, all dominant, and all eager to knock the block off of our Oregon Ducks football program rising to elite status. A bye week couldn’t have been more aptly timed than now, as our Ducks have a two-week stretch to prepare for Washington, while the ...

 

Oregon Ducks Football: Navigating the Storm of October

FISHDUCK.COM

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Oregon's October schedule harbors a horde of Huskies, Cougars, and Utes on the horizon. All ranked, all dominant, and all eager to knock the...

[Haywarduck]

Great stuff Alex, but I am not sure we need to get to November 11th undefeated. We play two tough road games and if we lose one in a hotly contested manner then our goal can still be achieved.

 

We need to get to and win the Pac-12 Championship game. I would love to see that include two wins against the dawgs, but one would do too.

 

I do agree the sc game will be sparkly thing the media will drool over if we both stay undefeated. In that scenario I would like to see us beat them, then ucla beat them.  They then go on to lose another lower bowl against Miami in the Tony the Tiger Bowl, 0-3 to end the year.

 

Great title, The Storm of October will be must watch football. For now, we have to weather this weekend without OBD on the field, not an easy task!

[Mic]

Perhaps the most difficult 3-game series of the season for the Ducks.  Only one of them at home.  The Ducks are really gonna get tested and I hope that if they come out of it in good shape, the AP rewards them accordingly.  

[Charles Fischer]

Great stuff Alex, and I love your point about how there were so many questions about Bo Nix prior to last season.  Even yours-truly was having some concerns, and yet now? The team is completing over 80% of their passes?

 

[Jon Joseph]

Tough, tough schedule for the Ducks. But with SC playing at Notre Dame, and, Utah and UW in LA, SC has an equally difficult road.

 

I found it interesting that 2M more folks watched the CU at Oregon game than watched SC at CU. 

 

The CFB QB, with the most starts in CFB, has to stay healthy. But the same can be said for Williams, Penix, and Cam Ward who could move up the Heisman list with a good game at UCLA this Saturday. 

[kirklandduck]

Good article Alex!  I think realistically none of the top Pac12 teams are going to escape October without at least 1 loss, it's going to be brutal for everyone.  That being said, if a team were to actually get through unscathed then OBD would probably have the best chance given that they're the most well rounded.  The next few weeks are going to be really interesting for sure.

[Jon Joseph]

UW, Utah, and USC will be tough. But don't overlook #13. Washington State playing at Autzen between the trips to Seattle and SLC. 

 

With Utah's O a rumor without Rising, I think WSU today is a better football team than Utah.

 

And I can see USC with that awful D, as possibly being a 2L team when Troy visits Autzen.

Edited October 4, 2023 by Jon Joseph

[Mudslide]

This string of games ... this season ... this conference ... what a wonderful time to be a Duck fan!

[kirklandduck]

On 10/4/2023 at 10:51 AM, Jon Joseph said:

UW, Utah, and USC will be tough. But don't overlook #13. Washington State playing at Autzen between the trips to Seattle and SLC. 

 

With Utah's O a rumor without Rising, I think WSU today is a better football team than Utah.

 

And I can see USC with that awful D, as possibly being a 2L team when Troy visits Autzen.

If there's any justice in the world, USC will finish the season with 3 losses and a berth to the Holiday Bowl.

[OregonDucks]

I’m hoping that Oregon’s balanced offense and improved defense will be the difference maker down the stretch. However, I also think that we’ll need to let Bo use his legs more against some of the elite PAC-12 teams, ala Justin Herbert in the Rose Bowl game. 
 

This is one of the most brutal stretches that I can remember for Oregon football. If Oregon can get by with one loss or fewer, we should make the college football playoffs!

[kirklandduck]

I'm wondering if maybe that's why he hasn't really pulled the ball much these first 5 games...Will Stein is reducing the possibility of injury to Bo overall by not doing it in games they know they will win and unleashing him in just the important ones.

[DanLduck]

On 10/4/2023 at 12:01 PM, kirklandduck said:

I'm wondering if maybe that's why he hasn't really pulled the ball much these first 5 games...Will Stein is reducing the possibility of injury to Bo overall by not doing it in games they know they will win and unleashing him in just the important ones.

Run Bo just often enough to make defenses account for him. That helps the offense big time, especially if his runs are timely and successful. 

[DanLduck]

After Oregon beats the dawgs in their own house, there will be no longer any "flying under the radar".

That would push Oregon into top 5 and boost Bo's Heisman talk. The media hype will be huge.

And set a clear target on our backs for rest of Pac12. 

 

Well, that targets already there, so bring it on.

 

Oregon and Lanning have there goals set, play the game not the situation. 

Play to the Oregon standard.

One week at a time.

Bring it hard everyday. 

 

Clearly the month ahead is a doozy. It's a fans ideal month. One great game after another. It's gonna be AWESOME!

 

Last thought, on paper, we are better then all teams left to play so that's encouraging. 

Now, let's get er done.

[Desert Duck]

Great article, Alex. There are so many things that I’m seeing from Oregon right now that I really like.

 

The Defense - Even against the highly talented, dual-threat, Shedeur Sanders, our defense simply locked him down stone cold. If you look at Sanders's total YTD numbers, like BoDacious, Williams, and Penix, he is also putting up Heisman-type numbers – with the awesome exception of the Oregon game.

 

Against the Ducks, even on the rare occasion when Sanders had time to throw, our secondary was on his receivers like stink on poo. On the day, CU’s offense put up a paltry 199 yards --- however, with 93 yards of that coming in the last 5 minutes of the game when Lanning obviously had all of our backups in. Plus, our Duck D dropped 7 sacks on a highly mobile Sanders. And if we remove the CU-Oregon stats from CU’s YTD offensive totals, the Buffs are averaging 500 YPG. Including, USC giving up nearly 400 yards to CU.

 

I’m hopeful that the CU/USC is not an anomaly, and I don’t think it is. Someone around here recently said something like, “Stats are for losers.” I understand that sentiment, but they can also be extremely telling.

 

Between Oregon & the Fuskies, on paper, right now, the Ducks are hands down the better team. But some of the X-factors for me are whether our Ducks will: 1) Handle what will be the loudest and rowdiest crowd they will face all year, 2) Continue to move in the right direction regarding penalties, 3) Show up and play from the actual start of the game as we did against CU (i.e., not give the puppies a 1/3-game head start as we did against the Palm Trees)..

 

Considering that the mighty California Bears (at UW) & Arizona Wildcats put up 32 & 24 points, respectively, on the Pups over the last two weeks, I say that Oregon wins this one 38-28.

[DUCKED]

Thanks Alex. Great points, great article.

 

While everyone acknowledges how huge the Husky game is, it’s far more than just a rivalry game.

A win -on the road- firmly puts Oregon in the CFP discussion, and provides a safety net that, should the Ducks stumble down the stretch, might still allow them to sneak in.

[Log Haulin]

On 10/4/2023 at 12:01 PM, kirklandduck said:

I'm wondering if maybe that's why he hasn't really pulled the ball much these first 5 games...Will Stein is reducing the possibility of injury to Bo overall by not doing it in games they know they will win and unleashing him in just the important ones.

DeBore is going to spy Nix. Doesn't matter that he hasn't been used in the run game. DeBore knows the threat Nix is as a runner.

 

DeBore is brilliant. One of the best X/O minds in college football. As a head coach he has 70+ wins and like 11 loses. Fusky will have an excellent game plan on both sides of the ball.

 

I think Bo will look to run a few times. But it wont be called from the sideline. It will be called from the LOS by Bo. I think Lanning and Stein are going to let Bo decide and not put him in harms way.

 

Fusky also has an excellent OC in Grubb. Grubb probably gets a HC job next year. This is going to be interesting how this game plays out from the sideline. 

 

With Bo essentially being a co-oc, I give the advantage to Oregon

 

[Nevada Dawg]

This season has really been fun to watch thus far and cautious optimism is certainly warranted in my opinion.

 

Remembering my very early posts on the Fishduck forum, I feel pretty good about my limited prognosis for the Duck team over the near future. My first posts came soon after Dan Lanning took the job in Eugene. I didn't know much about the Ducks roster but i supposed that Lanning had work to do and suggested that y'all be patient and that you would love the results. I'll call that one a hit.

 

Then I jumped in with my $,02 when the Nix transfer was announced. I suggested that you were going to love this guy if you could protect him well enough for him to remain vertical. Some of you were wondering in the days following the Georgia game (doesn't that seem a lot longer ago than a year and half a season ago?). Whether Lanning was really any good or Nix hadn't been appropriately labeled as Bo Pix at Auburn. I remember jumping back on the forum to try to reassure all that this game may seem like a terrible blip in the future that was to come and to please be patient. My words probably had little to do with it, but I was happy to see patience on the part of posters here.

 

I am just glad at this point that the large steps the Ducks have taken since that fateful night in Atlanta have not made my early words seem hollow. Quite frankly, what has happened in Eugene has actually exceeded what I thought see so soon in Lanning's second year. Enjoy the progression fellow Duck fans!

 

 

 

 

[Steven A]

On 10/4/2023 at 12:01 PM, kirklandduck said:

and unleashing him in just the important ones.

ala Herbert in the Rose Bowl.

[Steven A]

On 10/4/2023 at 6:50 AM, Haywarduck said:

I would love to see that include two wins against the dawgs

Every year please.  Need to get closer to being above 500 in the overall series before I turn 80, or over in my grave with losses.

[Jon Joseph]

On 10/4/2023 at 8:41 PM, Log Haulin said:

DeBore is going to spy Nix. Doesn't matter that he hasn't been used in the run game. DeBore knows the threat Nix is as a runner.

 

DeBore is brilliant. One of the best X/O minds in college football. As a head coach he has 70+ wins and like 11 loses. Fusky will have an excellent game plan on both sides of the ball.

 

I think Bo will look to run a few times. But it wont be called from the sideline. It will be called from the LOS by Bo. I think Lanning and Stein are going to let Bo decide and not put him in harms way.

 

Fusky also has an excellent OC in Grubb. Grubb probably gets a HC job next year. This is going to be interesting how this game plays out from the sideline. 

 

With Bo essentially being a co-oc, I give the advantage to Oregon

 

To date: Ducks #4 in sacks. UW comes in at #124. UW best have a James Bond-like spy up there in Seattle.

 

When you get guys out of the portal like Penix and Nix (and Williams, Ward, Rising, and DJU) it's easier to be brilliant.

 

How is the Supposed GOAT, Bill Belichick, doing without The GOAT, Tom Brady?

Edited October 6, 2023 by Jon Joseph

[Log Haulin]

On 10/6/2023 at 11:18 AM, Jon Joseph said:

To date: Ducks #4 in sacks. UW comes in at #124. UW best have a James Bond-like spy up there in Seattle.

 

When you get guys out of the portal like Penix and Nix (and Williams, Ward, Rising, and DJU) it's easier to be brilliant.

 

How is the Supposed GOAT, Bill Belichick, doing without The GOAT, Tom Brady?

Kalen Deboer W-L record

 

Sioux Falls 67-3

Fresno State 12-6

Washington  16-2

Total 95-11

 

Thats at three different levels. Never said he was the GOAT. Never even implied he was the GOAT. At this point that title belongs to Sabin imo.

 

I said he was brilliant and the numbers back that claim. He is a great football coach and his record proves that.

 

I, as well as many others on here, believe Chip is/was a brilliant coach. Chip went 46-7 at Oregon and 2-2 in bowl games. He is 30-30 at UCLA.

 

I still think Chip has a brilliant football mind. Even though he is .500 at Bruins. Belichich is also a brilliant football mind.

 

Just because Deboer is the head coach of the one team I hate most does not mean I can't recognize him for his accomplishment.

 

I hate Pete Carroll to this day because of his time at USuC. He is still brilliant as a head coach.

 

Hope I cleared this up.

[Jon Joseph]

On 10/6/2023 at 7:32 PM, Log Haulin said:

Kalen Deboer W-L record

 

Sioux Falls 67-3

Fresno State 12-6

Washington  16-2

Total 95-11

 

Thats at three different levels. Never said he was the GOAT. Never even implied he was the GOAT. At this point that title belongs to Sabin imo.

 

I said he was brilliant and the numbers back that claim. He is a great football coach and his record proves that.

 

I, as well as many others on here, believe Chip is/was a brilliant coach. Chip went 46-7 at Oregon and 2-2 in bowl games. He is 30-30 at UCLA.

 

I still think Chip has a brilliant football mind. Even though he is .500 at Bruins. Belichich is also a brilliant football mind.

 

Just because Deboer is the head coach of the one team I hate most does not mean I can't recognize him for his accomplishment.

 

I hate Pete Carroll to this day because of his time at USuC. He is still brilliant as a head coach.

 

Hope I cleared this up.

My friend. I have zero problems with your excellent take. But as always and at every level, it mostly comes down to the Jimmies and the Joes. This is the point I was trying to make regarding Bill B sans Tom Brady.

 

I have no quibble whatsoever with the other guys you noted being excellent football coaches. I do not that Pete C at USC had a decided roster advantage but rarely went undefeated in the Pac-10. And in the BCS days, he was often screwed over due to the conference's image when he had a 1L team.

 

As far as I am concerned, you had nothing to 'clean up.' And I hope I did not come across as being churlish in my reply to your spot-on comment.

[Log Haulin]

On 10/6/2023 at 4:44 PM, Jon Joseph said:

My friend. I have zero problems with your excellent take. But as always and at every level, it mostly comes down to the Jimmies and the Joes. This is the point I was trying to make regarding Bill B sans Tom Brady.

 

I have no quibble whatsoever with the other guys you noted being excellent football coaches. I do not that Pete C at USC had a decided roster advantage but rarely went undefeated in the Pac-10. And in the BCS days, he was often screwed over due to the conference's image when he had a 1L team.

 

As far as I am concerned, you had nothing to 'clean up.' And I hope I did not come across as being churlish in my reply to your spot-on comment.

Copy, I could have read you wrong. 15 hr days this week will do that.

 

On the "spy" statement. I think that just because of Nix as a threat running, DeBore (back to preferred spelling) will spy him. 

 

I really hope he does. Takes a defender away and gives Oregon an advantage in the passing game and RPO. Even the slightest extra focus on Bo as a runner could give Oregon an advantage.

[Jon Joseph]

On 10/6/2023 at 7:59 PM, Log Haulin said:

Copy, I could have read you wrong. 15 hr days this week will do that.

 

On the "spy" statement. I think that just because of Nix as a threat running, DeBore (back to preferred spelling) will spy him. 

 

I really hope he does. Takes a defender away and gives Oregon an advantage in the passing game and RPO. Even the slightest extra focus on Bo as a runner could give Oregon an advantage.

Worst 4-letter word in the Dictionary? "WORK!"

 

Misread? No. I could have done a much better job of expressing myself.

 

Always love to read your comments.

[1Ducker1]

All I can say is Kalen DeBoer get ready for another loss.

[Jon Joseph]

Have any 3 teams, even in the vaunted SEC, ever faced an end-of-regular-season finish like OREGON, UW, and USC have coming up?

 

OREGON - at 7 UW, 13 Wazzu, at 18 Utah, Cal, 9 USC, at ASU, 15 Oregon State

 

Washington - 8 OREGON. ASU, at Stanford, at 9 USC, 18 Utah, at 15 Oregon State, 13 Wazzu

 

USC - Arizona, at 10 Notre Dame, 18 Utah, at Cal, 7 UW, at 8 OREGON, UCLA (and then SIGH, SC plays against BYE the week before the conference champ game.)

 

And this conference is going away? Miss - management to the Nth degree. How could They have messed This up?

 

[Nevada Dawg]

 

As a fan who grew up on the West Coast and became a young fan of the old PCC in the late 50s, I am still p--sed off at the disintegration of the PAC-12. I can't remember a year when so many teams had the talent of the top five or six of this year's crop with the future looking bright due to the influx of very good coaches over the past 2-3 years. Maybe the best year ever.

 

In a sane and just world, this shouldn't have happened!

[SoGaDawg]

On 10/6/2023 at 9:46 PM, Jon Joseph said:

Have any 3 teams, even in the vaunted SEC, ever faced an end-of-regular-season finish like OREGON, UW, and USC have coming up?

 

OREGON - at 7 UW, 13 Wazzu, at 18 Utah, Cal, 9 USC, at ASU, 15 Oregon State

 

Washington - 8 OREGON. ASU, at Stanford, at 9 USC, 18 Utah, at 15 Oregon State, 13 Wazzu

 

USC - Arizona, at 10 Notre Dame, 18 Utah, at Cal, 7 UW, at 8 OREGON, UCLA (and then SIGH, SC plays against BYE the week before the conference champ game.)

 

And this conference is going away? Miss - management to the Nth degree. How could They have messed This up?

 

I must admit that as a lifelong GA fan I’ve always toted the flag for the SEC.  Yet also as a lifelong CFB fan I’m extremely sad to witness the end of the PAC-12.  It’s fitting yet extremely ironic that the PAC is so strong this season.  Ultimately I understand that it is what it is, but I honestly don’t like it.  It is very disheartening to see the PAC-12 go away.  Of course I want my Dawgs to 3-peat this season, but if they falter, I will pull for a Pac team.  Well, so long as that team isn’t USC.  On second thought, so long as that team is from Eugene, Oregon!!!

 

Go Ducks 

[Charles Fischer]

I never thought I'd say that I just love Dawg fans, but the Bulldogs here sure made me distinguish between them and the Huskies.  May you make history with your three-peat, unless you face Our Beloved Ducks!  You have a ton of fans cheering for your team in all other games...