Charles Fischer Administrator No. 1 Share Posted January 1 I thought OC Will Stein called not only a great game, but really identified weaknesses in the Liberty defense. I certainly like some of the innovation, and there was one offensive formation that Liberty was not prepared for. That is something to break down in the off-season! 4 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Ducky No. 2 Share Posted January 1 Several crazy plays but they seemed to work. Probably the kind of team to try them on. We weren’t the ones to pick our opponent but I viewed this as a preseason tune up game. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirklandduck Moderator No. 3 Share Posted January 1 I think overall WS calls plays well. However his offense seems to start slow out of the gate and it can take the entire 1st quarter or so before it finally gets going. Against offenses like Kalen DeBoers’ that can’t happen. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Author Administrator No. 4 Share Posted January 2 On 1/1/2024 at 3:17 PM, kirklandduck said: I think overall WS calls plays well. However his offense seems to start slow out of the gate and it can take the entire 1st quarter or so before it finally gets going. Against offenses like Kalen DeBoers’ that can’t happen. Disagree. He correctly identified poor pass defense as I did in my preview article, and he attacked it. Bo threw a low ball, and the receiver missed it on the first series--of which the WR was wide open.. The play was wide open also on the third down before the field goal. My gosh Tez was so open, but the pass was blocked at the LOS. Good play-call, not Stein's fault on either... 1 3 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirklandduck Moderator No. 5 Share Posted January 2 On 1/1/2024 at 4:02 PM, Charles Fischer said: Disagree. He correctly identified poor pass defense as I did in my preview article, and he attacked it. Bo threw a low ball, and the receiver missed it on the first series--of which the WR was wide open.. The play was wide open also on the third down before the field goal. My gosh Tez was so open, but the pass was blocked at the LOS. Good play-call, not Stein's fault on either... I don't doubt WS's ability to identify the opponent's weaknesses as you have correctly pointed out in the article. But the lack of execution, IMO, lies with insufficient preparation which is still under WS's purview. That is a contributing factor to slow starts. Of course this is only one example. There has been more than one game (including today) where the offense came out slow or just off and it took a while to get the ship righted. Oregon has enough firepower and talent to get past this against most opponents but it spells trouble when facing top 5/top 10 teams. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Author Administrator No. 6 Share Posted January 2 I understand. It isn’t good enough that Oregon is No. 2 in the nation in scoring, and averaging 44 points a game, and what did we put up today? I don’t think people appreciate what we have, as opposed to expecting perfection. (IMHO) As I am going through the game, I see we attacked them with some new tactics I had not seen before that I will cover in the off-season. People will disagree with me, and that’s fine. Goodness knows I have been wrong my share of the time too! 2 2 2 2 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marsh No. 7 Share Posted January 2 Did anyone else see Oregon use the pistol multiple times? Because I did and it actually worked! The pistol is a fine formation if used sometimes and used correctly! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Author Administrator No. 8 Share Posted January 2 On 1/1/2024 at 6:23 PM, David Marsh said: Did anyone else see Oregon use the pistol multiple times? Because I did and it actually worked! The pistol is a fine formation if used sometimes and used correctly! He used a combo of the pistol and the shotgun as the new short yardage formation, and completely caught Liberty offguard. I will dive into it later in the off-season… 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Author Administrator No. 9 Share Posted January 2 Oregon is the only team in the nation that has scored 30 points a game in every single game. At some point, everyone has to ask themselves if “isn’t scoring 30 points is enough to win?” At what point do you ask the defense…”hold them under 30 points please?” I just don’t see the same questions being asked when it comes to the Washington games as 31 and 33 points were enough to win on offense. 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EzDucksIt No. 10 Share Posted January 2 Oregon has the Offense, The Defense just needs to show up. Today, they made an appearance and did very well. Year Two of Dan Lanning is building it Well. Defense is improving, beating the teams we should beat. Better coached teams with better personnel is a work in progress. The Only Two Losses, to the same team, Washington by 3 both times. I am Hoping for a Michigan vs Washington Championship, Washington Winning. It will tell MANY how good DeBoer is and Penix has been leading the Offense. Both Games this year against Washington and Last Year, WATCH OUT B1G, there is a couple of New Sheriffs coming to Town and it AINT USC or UCLA. 1 1 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirklandduck Moderator No. 11 Share Posted January 2 On 1/1/2024 at 5:30 PM, Charles Fischer said: I understand. It isn’t good enough that Oregon is No. 2 in the nation in scoring, and averaging 44 points a game, and what did we put up today? I don’t think people appreciate what we have, as opposed to expecting perfection. (IMHO) As I am going through the game, I see we attacked them with some new tactics I had not seen before that I will cover in the off-season. People will disagree with me, and that’s fine. Goodness knows I have been wrong my share of the time too! It's good to disagree, proper debate is essential. For me, the question isn't whether Oregon's No. 2 scoring average isn't good enough or today's results (both are/were excellent) and I certainly wasn't trying to imply I don't appreciate what WS is doing so far (or expect perfection, that's just impossible). But it's absolutely possible to be happy with the seasonal performance in the aggregate but still call out the situational issues (few that they are) that will hold them back (and it has this season). I'm just simply pointing out that the tendency for slow starts can derail a season if they happen at crucial junctures, such as the conference championship or CFP games. Getting in a foot race with teams that employ Kalen DeBoer type of offense and stumbling right out of the gate isn't ideal, I hope WS figures out a way to remedy that next year. WS is doing an excellent job creating and directing the offense overall and I'm excited to see what he'll do against B10 teams next September. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 12 Share Posted January 2 I like it! Pefection or nada. Bo by a scintilla beats out Bama's Mac Jones for the career percentage record. Looking at the NY6 bowl games, I have not watched a better QB than Bo, Miroe? McCarthy? Welcome to Bo's jock. And the Heisman winner went 2-3 against teams with winning records. Come On UW. I want an ALL-B1G champ game. 1 1 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 13 Share Posted January 2 YES! YES! YES! ESPN, go to your room! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioDuck No. 14 Share Posted January 2 I'm pretty satisfied. Some of the trick plays were iffy if the game had still been competitive, but it wasn't. They were having fun! It was fun to watch. My only complaint, a small one, is too much nickel and diming, at times. A flair pass here, shovel pass there... sometimes it seemed the effort was being made to get Bo the completion percentage record at the expense of explosive, exciting, plays. I can understand that, send the guy off right, he's meant a lot to Oregon football these last two years. Put him in the record books! But not always the most exciting football to watch. Let's see what next year brings. BTW, I thought Novosad looked pretty good in his brief stint. Made some good throws, looked like he belonged. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Author Administrator No. 15 Share Posted January 2 We got GREAT yardage off the Jet Sweeps, as that play is an example of unveiling a new play that Liberty had not prepared for, and yet took advantage of the superb blocking by Terrance Ferguson on the Force defenders. It adds to the variety of attack, keeps them off-balance, and kept drives alive. This was a throwback to when Chip Kelly did it in the 2007 Sun Bowl. Of course if Chip did it, the play was brilliant, but not now! This was also a play from Taggart’s Gulf Coast Offense that worked well in 2017. I LOVE the strategy of popping new plays on a defense…but others can call it “nickel-and-dime” and still be unsatisfied. No sweat. 1 2 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie No. 16 Share Posted January 2 On 1/2/2024 at 8:08 AM, OhioDuck said: ... ... I thought Novosad looked pretty good in his brief stint. Made some good throws, looked like he belonged. Yes, he looked comfortable. It was good to see. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augduck No. 17 Share Posted January 2 Definitely detected a level of confidence in Novosad. Yes, the game was in hand but the fact that the play calling gave him opportunities, he did a good job. IMO, things like that are confidence builders and go a long way in building maturity and respect from teammates. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Author Administrator No. 18 Share Posted January 2 And...while I appear to be a Will Stein apologist--no, I call it as I see it. I did not let up on Taggart running Herbert between the tackles and getting hurt, (stupid-as-hell) nor did I about the Cristobal offense. (Won't take us to the promised land) Nor to Lanning and Stein for not taking the points in the first game vs Washington. But I believe Stein has done an incredible job in his first year as OC, and utilized the tremendous weapons he had. He will get better, but I thought the Fiesta Bowl was pretty-darn-good. 1 1 7 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...