FishDuck Article Administrator No. 1 Share Posted January 5 Well, it’s over. In swift and brutal fashion, the Oregon Ducks‘ historic season ended abruptly in a 42-21 loss to No. 6 Ohio State. The Buckeyes delivered a statement performance in the 111th Rose Bowl, routing what once was the nation’s only unbeaten team to advance to the College Football Playoff semifinals. In shock, Mr. FishDuck retreated to his study ... Making Sense of Oregon’s Shocking Rose Bowl Loss to Buckeyes |... FISHDUCK.COM Well, it’s over. In swift and brutal fashion, the Oregon Ducks’ historic season ended abruptly in a 42-21 loss to No. 6 Ohio State. The Buckeyes... 1 1 2 1 Two Sites: FishDuck and the Our Beloved Ducks forum, The only "Forum with Decorum!" And All-Volunteer? What a wonderful community of Duck fans! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smith72 Moderator No. 2 Share Posted January 5 Jordan, painful to read your recap. But brutally honest! Inquiring minds still ask what caused this unlikely performance by the Ducks. There's lots of conjecture concerning the players health. We'll probably never know. Coach Lanning is standing tall saying the buck stops with him. However that inquiry goes, Once a Duck Always a Duck! I'll be excited to hear about spring practices and who is new to fill the roster; look forward to the spring game, and continue to cheer for Our Beloved Ducks! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
30Duck Moderator No. 3 Share Posted January 5 The game wasn't just a shock to Oregon fans. The spread was -2-5 Ohio State. Not a lot, but a few "experts" picked the Ducks, Saban could only come up with, "well it's hard to beat a good team twice, so, Ohio State". But Ohio State jumped on top early, and as Playoff games to go, as well as some regular season basketball games, it just kept getting worse. The time off vs. getting a game in, the juices flowing can't be discounted. We'll never know how the game would have gone if it had been two weeks later for the Natty. But I agree with Lanning, Ohio State was the better team in the game that was played, and I expect them to win the Natty. OBD will go to the doctor, perhaps they were really in need of one the last month, and begin getting ready for another season of B1G football and I can hardly wait. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kamikaze Kid Moderator No. 4 Share Posted January 5 I think to understand what happened, it is important to understand the situation the Ducks found themselves in. The one point win at home against the Buckeyes and an undefeated season along with the tosu2 collapse against UM made this game feel more even going in than it really should have. Lanning has been recruiting at a level nearly even with the Buckeyes for the last couple years but those guys were still freshman, redshirts and sophomore back ups heading into the game. the starters were mostly three and four star guys who portaled in while the Buckeyes were mostly 4-5 star seniors that rose up to starters after being in the program their entire careers. Big difference. Ohio State's talent level is so far ahead of everybody's this year I would compare it to going up against a prime Mike Tyson. If Mike shows up unmotivated, distracted and disengaged then you may have a chance of coming out with a victory and that's only if you're a top level fighter bringing your A game. If Mike's locked in and focused, you have no chance even if you yourself are an undefeated reigning champion. I think the what happened can be summed up by the Ducks met an over confident Buckeye team that thought their B game was enough the first time then brought their A game for the rematch. If Mike shows up feeling his mojo, then you'll soon be feeling the canvass even if you are the second best in the world. I think it's just that simple. 1 2 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OregonDucks No. 5 Share Posted January 5 (edited) On 1/5/2025 at 9:53 AM, 30Duck said: OBD will go to the doctor, perhaps they were really in need of one the last month, and begin getting ready for another season of B1G football and I can hardly wait. Let’s be honest, Oregon was unprepared and didn’t belong on the same field as Ohio State on 1/1/25: • Rushing: 181 (7.2 YPC) vs. -23 •Sacks: 8 vs. 0 • Smith: 187 yards on 7 catches (26.7 YPC) with 2 TDs Can anyone explain what Oregon was trying to do on defense against Ohio State (e.g., keep everything in front/limit the explosive plays, stack the line of scrimmage to take away the running game) because I still have no idea what the strategy was? Ohio State did anything they wanted to with little resistance. While Oregon is improving its recruiting ratings, we’ll see whether it translates on the field. You still have to recruit the right players, need to develop that talent (including in the weight room) and then put that talent in the best position to succeed. The top teams still look different to me with bigger, more athletic wide receivers, linebackers and secondaries. Our offensive line looked slow and unathletic against the Buckeyes - it could not have helped some of the players draft evaluations. If you can’t match up physically, then you need to do something different schematically to try to gain an advantage. If Oregon completed but lost by a score or two, I would simply tip my cap to Ohio State and say the better team won but that was a complete beat down (as the article points out) and Coach Lanning and the staff need to do some real soul searching this offseason. The regular season was nice but the goal is to win a national championship. It might be worthwhile to bring in a former HC (e.g., Saban, Meyer) to look at everything and what we need to do, as a program, to get over that final hump. Edited January 5 by OregonDucks 1 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Santa Rosa Duck No. 6 Share Posted January 5 Thank you Jordan. Reviewing it again makes me sad again. That first game in Eugene was a great game with our DUCKS getting a big assist from Autzen Stadium. I believe the Buckeyes got five procedure penalties due to the noise. In the Rose Bowl rematch, there is no question that our DUCKS were not prepared and that is on Dan Lanning and Will Stein and Tosh Lupoi. Why were they not prepared? Not sure I understand. Dan Lannig is a great coach and I want him here for years and years but what happened? Mike Tyson once said and I paraphrase "The great plan you have all changes once you get punched in the mouth". Well we got punched and had no answer at all. It seems there is a lot to correct on both sides of the ball. I still love my DUCKS! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notalot No. 7 Share Posted January 5 OSU recognized Gabriel’s height and exploited it with high arms and hands while rushing. There were tipped balls, scrambles and arm slot adjustments in reaction thereby impeding Gabriel’s passing. This is one of a number of causes of the route. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie No. 8 Share Posted January 5 Ari Wasserman said that, "In the end, Ohio State had more really good players than the Ducks had." I think DL is on the road to changing the sooner rather than later. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrw Moderator No. 9 Share Posted January 5 I'm at the acceptance stage. It's over and done with, and we'll never know why it happened. We all saw how it happened, but why is way too metaphysical a question for me. Time to flush it, move on and look to the future. 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OregonDucks No. 10 Share Posted January 5 On 1/5/2025 at 12:15 PM, Notalot said: OSU recognized Gabriel’s height and exploited it with high arms and hands while rushing. There were tipped balls, scrambles and arm slot adjustments in reaction thereby impeding Gabriel’s passing. Yes, but this is nothing new and Coach Stein had a full season to adjust - moving the pocket or designing plays (chop blocks with quick passes) to create throwing lanes. Perhaps he started to do this after the first quarter, when I turned off the game… Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kamikaze Kid Moderator No. 11 Share Posted January 5 Sometimes your movie run into their movie. I remember the 1990 March Madness storyline of Loyolla Marimont. That team had their star player actually die on the court due to heart failure. The spunky team still made it to the madness, actually won a couple games and became America's favorite underdog story. That is until they ran into the UNLV machine that was mowing every team down by 20 plus points and that outcome was no different. That UNLV team went on to become one of the best college teams in history while Loyolla had to settle for a nice little human interest story. Sometimes it just is what it is. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyToBeADuck No. 12 Share Posted January 5 I was reading an article about travel miles for the BIG 2024 schedule. Michigan and Ohio State traveled less than 6,000 miles. osuhated2's round trip to Eugene represented 72% of the miles they traveled. Oregon, counting the BIG CCG against PSU, just over 16,000 miles in 2024. With 4 round trips into the central or eastern time zone. For further perspective ucla travel 22,000 miles plus. They had a 6k round trip to Hawaii...... osu2 looked to have more energy than OBD's.......they contolled the LOS and every aspect the the RB. The BIG needs to not worry about making sure everybody plays each other every few years. This should be addressed now. The 4 west coast additions should play each other annually to reduce travel and subsequent fatique. Does that have a bearing on performance? I have traveled extensively to central and eastern time zones in any given quarter. It is grueling and is a drain on your energy. My job is mental work not physical bit i am exhausted. As for the virus. It was noticed that OBD's defense did in fact have the virus during the PSU game. Rewatching the game, after the Ducks got up 28-10, the defense seemed to slow down their pursuit. They got beat deep for touchdowns and let PSU run all over them. Almost let the game get away. They may have run out of gas. Now some would say that was in early December. Well this virus can be transmitted back to someone who has already had it. On a personal note, i see between 300 and 400 hundred people within the 50 plus businesses i call on, weekly. This virus has been brutal and keeps recirculating. Some of my customers could not staff fully since before Thanksgiving. The ones who were working were struggling with fatigue weeks after recovery. Maybe this was a factor, maybe not. Fact is OBD's got beat by a better team who traveled almost a third less miles and no mention of the flu virus. Will the BIG look at this? It is not the end of the world because DL has shown he will work tirelessly to fix weaknesses. Game plans and schemes are another story. 2024 was a awesome season with a thud for an ending. Love these coaches and players. Thank you for a BIG Title and some great entertainment. 2025 will be another great year. GO DUCKS....... 1 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OregonDucks No. 13 Share Posted January 5 (edited) On 1/5/2025 at 1:43 PM, HappyToBeADuck said: I was reading an article about travel miles for the BIG 2024 schedule. Michigan and Ohio State traveled less than 6,000 miles. osuhated2's round trip to Eugene represented 72% of the miles they traveled. Oregon, counting the BIG CCG against PSU, just over 16,000 miles in 2024. With 4 round trips into the central or eastern time zone. For further perspective ucla travel 22,000 miles plus. They had a 6k round trip to Hawaii...... osu2 looked to have more energy than OBD's.......they contolled the LOS and every aspect the the RB. The BIG needs to not worry about making sure everybody plays each other every few years. This should be addressed now. The 4 west coast additions should play each other annually to reduce travel and subsequent fatique. Does that have a bearing on performance? I have traveled extensively to central and eastern time zones in any given quarter. It is grueling and is a drain on your energy. My job is mental work not physical bit i am exhausted. As for the virus. It was noticed that OBD's defense did in fact have the virus during the PSU game. Rewatching the game, after the Ducks got up 28-10, the defense seemed to slow down their pursuit. They got beat deep for touchdowns and let PSU run all over them. Almost let the game get away. They may have run out of gas. Now some would say that was in early December. Well this virus can be transmitted back to someone who has already had it. On a personal note, i see between 300 and 400 hundred people within the 50 plus businesses i call on, weekly. This virus has been brutal and keeps recirculating. Some of my customers could not staff fully since before Thanksgiving. The ones who were working were struggling with fatigue weeks after recovery. Maybe this was a factor, maybe not. Fact is OBD's got beat by a better team who traveled almost a third less miles and no mention of the flu virus. Will the BIG look at this? On the flip side, the Ducks had 24 days off to recover from that travel schedule and then had the shorter flight to Pasadena. How long do 18-24 year old, semi-professional athletes need to recover? Part of me can buy the rustiness from too much time off since all 4 teams with first round byes lost (although Ohio State had the same amount of time off before they faced Tennessee and looked far from rusty). Edited January 5 by OregonDucks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbmichaels No. 14 Share Posted January 5 "For online trolls and Buckeye bros, it is perfect fodder for endless potshots, low blows, smarmy digs and backhanded snipes to a reeling Oregon fanbase. Buckle up, folks. It’s going to be a long offseason." If you're one to actually read such troll posts and feel stung by them, I would recommend washing each one down by going to 11warriors and perusing the forum for posts following their loss to Michigan, where you will find an endless stream of defeated souls calling for their coach to be fired, certain that all is lost. And keep in mind that it's those same irrational idiots who are most likely to be out trolling after a big win. (No offense to our new Buckeye members, as I definitely realize the trolls/idiots aren't reflective of the larger OSU fanbase.) 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OregonDucks No. 15 Share Posted January 5 (edited) On 1/5/2025 at 2:17 PM, bbmichaels said: If you're one to actually read such troll posts and feel stung by them, I would recommend washing each one down by going to 11warriors and perusing the forum for posts following their loss to Michigan, where you will find an endless stream of defeated souls calling for their coach to be fired, certain that all is lost. LOL. Makes you wonder what those same fans will say if Ohio State wins the national championship… Time to change their usernames? Edited January 5 by OregonDucks 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDuck No. 16 Share Posted January 5 As I posted elsewhere in this forum, the Ohio State at Oregon game was an aberration for the OSU defense. The statistics of that game in terms of yds allowed by the OSU defense was wholly uncharacteristic. OSU leads the nation in total yds allowed per game at 244 per game. On January 1 they allowed 276 after allowing 496 at Autzen. The most passing yds allowed in a game in 2024 by OSU were to Oregon. Both Oregon games rank No. 1 and No. 2 in yds allowed passing. The most points allowed by OSU in a game were 32 and 21. Both of the Oregon games. Obviously OSU made adjustments between October and January 1, and the one-off defensive effort in October, led to a team underestimated by the Oregon coaching staff in my opinion. The OSU we saw on January 1 was the OSU that hit the field in 13 of their 14 games. It was a major mistake to believe that the OSU we saw on one October Saturday was the one who would also show up on January 1. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Washington Waddler Moderator No. 17 Share Posted January 5 It’s no secret that one of the hardest things for coaching staffs (let alone fans) to detect is the emotional, psychological readiness of 80+ college athletes just before they step onto the field for real. But, once it starts, nothing determines the outcome of a game more than that team will and determination generated by those mind/body forces. There are just too many past bowl game examples where huge underdogs were victorious to question that. The mental focus prep tool box of coaching is bottomless: self-focus; grow each day; a painful loss; disrespect; backs against the wall; legacy; the faceless enemy of you against you - whatever it takes to motivate, and keep from sliding into whatever state of unreadiness is out there waiting. But, try as they may, there are no guarantees that preparation will lead to outcome. Oregon-Ohio State #2? Ohio State-Michigan? It’s what drives people crazy. But, also makes college ball one of the best things out there. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDuck No. 18 Share Posted January 5 Relative to the 11 seasons of the CFP: Oregon was the seventh No. 1 seed to lose but just the third to lose before the championship game, along with Alabama in 2014 and Clemson in 2017. (Obviously, both lost in the semifinals in the 4-team invitational.) The six previous losses by No. 1 seeds were by an average of 12.8 points. The Ducks lost by 20. Only one No. 1 seed has lost by a larger margin than Oregon: In the championship game for the 2018 season, undefeated Alabama lost 44-16 to Clemson. And, some pre-Playoff history: 2013 BCS Championship: Alabama beat No. 1 Notre Dame 42-14 2012 BCS Championship: Alabama beat No. 1 LSU 21-0 2008 BCS Championship: Florida beat No. 1 Ohio St 41-14 - yes, the same Buckeyes program that beat Oregon 41-21. Though when it quickly became 17-0 and sitting in a very subdued Oregon crowd, I was thinking it could end much worse than it did. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckhart2 No. 19 Share Posted January 5 Biggest difference imo is OSU/Tenn a week before and Oregon not playing in 3 1/2 weeks. OSU win over Teen got them in synch. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triphibius No. 20 Share Posted January 5 I get that many just want to forget, but I want to understand. I am sure DL and Tosh think the same. OSU has some fine athletes. But they were the same athletes the UO defeated in October. Why was the result so much worse this time? I just watched the game clips at ATQ. On both of Jeremiah Smith's TDs, he was wide open, not because he beat an overmatched defender, but because there was no one in the vicinity who was unblocked. These two TDs look like failures of scheme or execution. I believe that in both cases, #4 was positioned inside not outside. On another of those clips, Dontae Manning runs stride for stride with Smith for thirty yards. Smith gains separation at the end by pushing Manning. Howard does make a good throw. I am not making excuses, I am just reporting what I see on the tape. On the run play clips on ATQ, the UO often has a DB facing Smith on the line of scrimmage, but also has a safety behind. I am not sure this is a bad strategy. Yes, #4 is big, but if our smaller DB disrupts his route a bit, it might give our pass rushers time to get to Howard. They would get some completions regardless what we tried, given the quality of their players. Sorry for the unintended font size. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 21 Share Posted January 5 On 1/5/2025 at 11:17 AM, bbmichaels said: For online trolls and Buckeye bros, it is perfect fodder for endless potshots, low blows, smarmy digs and backhanded snipes to a reeling Oregon fanbase. The good news? At this forum... No Trolls Allowed! (You will never have to read their crap) They get zapped in the Registration process before they can post! (And I'm a sicko who likes zapping them....like the two today) 1 1 2 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanLduck No. 22 Share Posted January 5 Here are my observations as to why we got beat so badly in the 1st half. 1. We were out-schemed. Our D came out expecting more run plays. They used motion and fakes to pass, pass, pass. Our db's misread almost every play. (Their 2nd td went off our db's hands and was actually pretty good coverage) 2. Our O-line for some reason could do nothing for the run game. We looked totally out matched at the line of scrimmage. Did they have a better game plan? 3. Our offense started flat. I think the time off cooled timing and maybe their D shut our game plan down too quickly. Those first 3 times all ending in punts (which were all terrible for some reason) put us deep in a hole. If the offense had been able to get going it may have helped the defense recover. 4. We weren't able to get a big play to spark us. A big hit, a turnover, a long run or pass...nothing. Until that late drive down by 34. We made a game of it in the 2nd half, but even then we had no run game. No RPO's. Their defense kept us from getting hot and rolling. On that day they were the better team, but for 14 weeks, we were. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OregonDucks No. 23 Share Posted January 5 On 1/5/2025 at 4:42 PM, DanLduck said: Our D came out expecting more run plays. They used motion and fakes to pass, pass, pass. Our db's misread almost every play. I guess that the coaches did not watch the Tennessee game or believe that Ohio State would be aggressive 2 games in a row. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 24 Share Posted January 5 Thanks, Jordan. It's simple, with this format OBD should have lost to PSU in the champ game. Instead, OBD was handed the worst possible matchup. Hats off to Ohio State but OBD should not have seen tOSU before the semifinals. Had OBD played SMU at home and Boise in the Fiesta Bowl, Dan would be preparing the team for a game vs. Notre Dame in Miami. What sense does it make to be better off as a conference champ game loser than the champion? Wait Till Next Year! Or until 2026 when this absurd format goes away. If 2025 sees the same format and the preferred seeding for conference champs I'd wager today that the 3rd and 4th-seeded teams lose their opening game. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intravenus de Milo No. 25 Share Posted January 5 (edited) Quote I just watched the game clips at ATQ. On both of Jeremiah Smith's TDs, he was wide open, not because he beat an overmatched defender, but because there was no one in the vicinity who was unblocked. These two TDs look like failures of scheme or execution. I believe that in both cases, #4 was positioned inside not outside. I played WR for 4 yrs in college and coached a little after, I can speak to a couple of points here. Failure of scheme/execution-in total agreement here. OSU put Oregon “in conflict” on both Smith TDs. The easier one to discuss and see is the second one where he was wide open. Smith started the play in a close alignment/split as the #1 WR to that side. Pre snap coverage from YBD (your beloved Ducks) appeared to be cover 3 or a double team on Smith. OSU then motioned Egbuka to Smith’s side and forced a matchup of Smith vs the safety. Smith released vertical and was on the safety very quickly. The safety opened his hips to the direction the ball was thrown but after he did, Smith gave a move to the opposite side ever so briefly. It was enough to force the safety to turn his back to the line of scrimmage and try to cover what he thought was a flag route. Just as the safety turned, Smith made his final break to the offensive deep right. As a fan of offensive creativity it was a well schemed play. In terms of execution, JJ Smith ran a route that was a thing of beauty. The safety #0 had no chance in a 1 on 1 scenario. If I’m an Oregon fan, my complaint would be pretty simple. Why in the world would we not check out of a coverage that exposed #0 to Smith 1 on 1? I have a beautiful overhead angle behind the OSU offense I can link if that’s within the rules. I’m still learning here and don’t want to link to something I shouldn’t. Edited January 5 by Intravenus de Milo 1 1 4 2 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intravenus de Milo No. 26 Share Posted January 5 Here’s the breakdown from Emmanuel Acho. I think this is OK to post. 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triphibius No. 27 Share Posted January 6 Thanks to Intravenous for his explanation. Also, credit to Kelly (not just blame to Lupoi and the UO secondary) for good play design. Regarding run defense, I reviewed some of the tape at ATQ. On the plays available there, the UO had four men at the line of scrimmage and 2 LBs, for a box count of 6, against the standard formation of 1 RB and 1 Tight end. They brough a safety up only when OSU added a RB or an H-back. I thought the right strategy before the game was to play with a six-man box and live with whatever success they had running the ball. I did not see much evidence that Oregon over-committed to the run, but ATQ does not provide the entire game, just plays to illustrate the points their analyst is making. Hint to Fishduck: It would be good to read more analysis of this, if anyone can tolerate studying a decisive defeat. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 28 Share Posted January 6 "Hint to Fishduck: It would be good to read more analysis of this, if anyone can tolerate studying a decisive defeat." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I Need More Healing Time... 1 2 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triphibius No. 29 Share Posted January 6 I beg readers' patience for yet another submission. I would like to turn to the offense. I have read ATQ's analysis, but this is not a verbatim restatement of their conclusions. The UO caught a bad break. Evan Stewart was not available, and Will Stein chose test OSU with a deep pass only once. Possible consequences: 1. Their fine safeties could commit more to run defense, which stymied our rushing attack. 2. Tez had less room to operate underneath, and was less effective than expected. Ferguson did have some opportunities, but mostly after the game was out of hand. 3. The inability to run allowed their pass rushers to anticipate the pass---perhaps contributing to the woeful pass protection. The most striking thing to me was how ineffective the UO offensive line was in pass protection, especially in contrast to their excellent performance in the previous game. It looked like Sawyer manhandled his blocker most of the game. I believe OSU got pressure from other points as well, but that looked like the worst matchup. Why was this? 1. ATQ stated that OSU's DC simplified their system, abandoning blitzes and telling their ends to rely on their athleticism to defeat tackles one on one. The sight of Sawyer pushing our 300 pound tackle back into DG was impressive yet alarming. Is Sawyer that much better? If so, why did this not happen in October? 2. Possibly the layoff or the view expressed by one UO player that the Rose Bowl was a "business trip" contributed to this. Or perhaps some of our guys were sick, as reported. OSU seemed to play with more emotion, but I cannot say whether this was a cause or consequence of their performance. The failure of the UO offense is a bigger puzzle than the struggles of the defense. 1 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kamikaze Kid Moderator No. 30 Share Posted January 6 Intravenous De Milo is one hell of an album. Even better than Shark Sandwich. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OregonDucks No. 31 Share Posted January 6 On 1/5/2025 at 6:05 PM, Intravenus de Milo said: I played WR for 4 yrs in college and coached a little after, I can speak to a couple of points here. Failure of scheme/execution-in total agreement here. OSU put Oregon “in conflict” on both Smith TDs. The easier one to discuss and see is the second one where he was wide open. Smith started the play in a close alignment/split as the #1 WR to that side. Pre snap coverage from YBD (your beloved Ducks) appeared to be cover 3 or a double team on Smith. OSU then motioned Egbuka to Smith’s side and forced a matchup of Smith vs the safety. Smith released vertical and was on the safety very quickly. The safety opened his hips to the direction the ball was thrown but after he did, Smith gave a move to the opposite side ever so briefly. It was enough to force the safety to turn his back to the line of scrimmage and try to cover what he thought was a flag route. Just as the safety turned, Smith made his final break to the offensive deep right. As a fan of offensive creativity it was a well schemed play. In terms of execution, JJ Smith ran a route that was a thing of beauty. The safety #0 had no chance in a 1 on 1 scenario. If I’m an Oregon fan, my complaint would be pretty simple. Why in the world would we not check out of a coverage that exposed #0 to Smith 1 on 1? I have a beautiful overhead angle behind the OSU offense I can link if that’s within the rules. I’m still learning here and don’t want to link to something I shouldn’t. Thank you for posting your observations. Obviously, Ohio State is well coached and has tremendous athletes across the board. My only question is - why wouldn’t Oregon have had its best cover corner - Jabbar Muhammad - shadow Smith and play a safety over the top, if necessary? I would say that someone else is going to have to beat us. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cartm25 No. 32 Share Posted January 6 The words "frothing at the mouth" to describe how the Ducks should have approached this game stood out to me. I'm not sure I saw the Ducks "froth at the mouth" in any game . . . at least not that was visible/palpable to me from the TV broadcast. When ohio st lost to Michigan, they took that opportunity to turn into rabid dogs (i.e., froth at the mouth). Their energy in the Tenn. and Oregon games has been palpable!! Not long ago, I asked the OBD if they'd rather have a team that was like a machine/robot or one that was always emotionally hyped. In hindsight, probably not the best way to frame those options as binary/mutually exclusive. Most responses - including mine - voted in favor of the Ducks being an emotionless machine. I now revise my take on that. I want the Ducks to be a "machine that's always frothing at the mouth." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
30Duck Moderator No. 33 Share Posted January 6 On 1/6/2025 at 9:31 AM, cartm25 said: I now revise my take on that. I want the Ducks to be a "machine that's always frothing at the mouth." I can't go that far. I agree that Ohio State was frothing for the Tennessee & Oregon games. These were their biggest games, and their attitude looked like it really had a positive impact on their performance. I expect they'll be frothing for Texas. But I don't think they'll be frothing every week, and I don't want Oregon too either. Emotion can also take away from performance. We've learned and seen that along with the Buckeyes fervor, they carried out Chip's game plan to the letter and defensively took Oregon completely out of its game. "Leave it all on the field" is what I want. Oregon absolutely didn't do that in the Rose Bowl. But rabid doesn't have to go with intensity. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 34 Share Posted January 6 Does THIS Make You Feel Better? No. Five reasons Texas HC Steve Sarkisian's bold statement about Ohio State is spot-on WWW.YARDBARKER.COM Ahead of their showdown with the eighth-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes in the CFP semifinal at the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10, Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian offered some high... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Ducky No. 35 Share Posted January 6 8 sacks 13 tackles for loss, not sure anything else mattered. Oh and minus yards rushing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Grateful Duck No. 36 Share Posted January 6 No matter the reason(s), that sucked. I'm still marginally butthurt. And to make matters personal, a nephew who happens to be a Beaver believer made some nasty comments about the outcome and the Ducks after the game. Let's say I went "nuclear" in response. I really wasn't too upset about the game, since it was clear the Ducks were outmatched at the Rose bowl, but I have no patience for bad "winners" in any context. I let him have it in no uncertain terms, even after he said he was joking. Joking? Really, dude? You're not gonna man up? Haters are gonna hate and that was low, imo. Don't have the patience for such b.s. And, tbh, I don't think I'm gonna find the "christian" in me to forgive. Maybe sometime? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
30Duck Moderator No. 37 Share Posted January 6 On 1/6/2025 at 12:14 PM, The Grateful Duck said: a nephew who happens to be a Beaver believer Of course, the Beavs are Conference Champion, have a banner & everything. Got to give Beaver Nation credit. Whatever happens They're there, leaf blower standing in for a chainsaw, they're there. Just give your nephew a pat on his back. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 38 Share Posted January 6 On 1/6/2025 at 12:14 PM, The Grateful Duck said: I'm still marginally butthurt. Me too. I will be for quite a while... On 1/6/2025 at 12:14 PM, The Grateful Duck said: a Beaver believer made some nasty comments about the outcome and the Ducks after the game. It is all they got; hatred for us, because when Beavis thinks about his own team? 1 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intravenus de Milo No. 39 Share Posted January 6 Quote Thank you for posting your observations. Obviously, Ohio State is well coached and has tremendous athletes across the board. My only question is - why wouldn’t Oregon have had its best cover corner - Jabbar Muhammad - shadow Smith and play a safety over the top, if necessary? I would say that someone else is going to have to beat us. I’m in agreement with you and don’t have any suggestions as to why Smith wasn’t the focus of the Oregon defensive gameplan. If I’m DC, there’s no way I allow Smith to be 1/1 vs. a safety….EVER 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intravenus de Milo No. 40 Share Posted January 7 On 1/5/2025 at 8:55 PM, The Kamikaze Kid said: Intravenous De Milo is one hell of an album. Even better than Shark Sandwich. Can’t believe I missed this! SMELL THE GLOVE is easily their best! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OregonDucks No. 41 Share Posted January 7 On 1/6/2025 at 6:12 PM, Intravenus de Milo said: I’m in agreement with you and don’t have any suggestions as to why Smith wasn’t the focus of the Oregon defensive gameplan. If I’m DC, there’s no way I allow Smith to be 1/1 vs. a safety….EVER Thank you for your posts. I hope that you become a regular contributor over here. Good luck the rest of the way. Ohio State certainly looks like the best team (I have no idea how the heck you lost to Michigan and it’s probably the worst thing that could have happened to the Ducks and other playoff teams). Just wish OBD could have waited until the final to play the Buckeyes, so we’d have a few more weeks of football. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intravenus de Milo No. 42 Share Posted January 8 Quote On 1/7/2025 at 10:19 AM, OregonDucks said: Thank you for your posts. I hope that you become a regular contributor over here. Good luck the rest of the way. Ohio State certainly looks like the best team (I have no idea how the heck you lost to Michigan and it’s probably the worst thing that could have happened to the Ducks and other playoff teams). Just wish OBD could have waited until the final to play the Buckeyes, so we’d have a few more weeks of football. I appreciate it. This is a great community and I’ll do my best to be a positive addition to it. On a separate note, I may miss part/most of the first quarter Friday. My wife’s birthday is Friday and we have reservations at a great steakhouse. She hasn’t suggested changing the time or date so I know enough not to suggest it either. Fingers crossed that 7:30 isn’t actually kickoff!! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 43 Share Posted January 8 On 1/7/2025 at 4:41 PM, Intravenus de Milo said: On a separate note, I may miss part/most of the first quarter Friday. My wife’s birthday is Friday and we have reservations at a great steakhouse. She hasn’t suggested changing the time or date so I know enough not to suggest it either. Fingers crossed that 7:30 isn’t actually kickoff!! Wives often don't like men to have hobbies, and will discourage them from taking part or at the minimum--frown on the "wasted time." If my "ex" had her way, FishDuck.com would have been shut down years ago, and the Our Beloved Ducks forum would have never been begun. Did I listen to her? 1 3 1 2 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie No. 44 Share Posted January 8 On 1/7/2025 at 4:49 PM, Charles Fischer said: Wives often don't like men to have hobbies, and will discourage them from taking part or at the minimum--frown on the "wasted time." Hey! Overgeneralization here! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 45 Share Posted January 8 On 1/7/2025 at 7:06 PM, Annie said: Hey! Overgeneralization here! Online...quite a few men have reported this, and had to give up their hobbies or sharply curtail them to keep the wife happy. And it matches with my own experience! But anyone can disagree, no sweat. 1 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jemangi No. 46 Share Posted January 8 Wow, I'm sure blessed not to have gotten one of those wives lol I know it's best to do what I'm told, and I do as long as I want to. I really enjoy wasting my time......... Go Ducks! Hey De Milo, Enjoy your wife and your steak!! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie No. 47 Share Posted January 8 On 1/7/2025 at 7:12 PM, Charles Fischer said: Online...quite a few men have reported this, and had to give up their hobbies or sharply curtail them to keep the wife happy. And it matches with my own experience! But anyone can disagree, no sweat. Wow, can't imagine ever asking my DH to give up his hobbies. Piano playing, tennis, and golf were fine. But now that I think about it, I did insist he give up bike riding after he had his second accident and was knocked unconscious. (He actually was okay with giving up the bike.) 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 48 Share Posted January 8 Annie, I should have made certain to state that taking away a husband‘s hobbies is not something that ALL women do. But in the Manosphere, where many divorced men write about their experiences, it is a very common phenomenon. And it was more than sports, because if the wife did not like the man’s dog or cat,… They would sometimes disappear, or the fellow would have to take it to a shelter. Again, not ALL women, but many do not approve of time spent on hobbies such as a forum like this. It is not a surprise that your husband was very lucky with you, as we have seen what a nice and reasonable person you are in this Message Board. Moving on! 1 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intravenus de Milo No. 49 Share Posted Thursday at 11:05 PM UPDATE: My wife has informed me that we’re having desert tomorrow. I sure hope the FM radio is working in her car! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
