AB and the Road to the Natty

[Vandownbytheriverduck]

I liked it when the Ducks picked up AB. He’s certainly not been perfect, been criticized fully, booed at home but consistently come through in the clutch. 
 

If the Ducks win out it’s likely two games against a talented Utah team and possibly Bama and Georgia to follow. 
 

Could the Ducks best Utah twice and pull off beating Alabama and then Georgia in the playoffs?

 

If they do the AB story will be the stuff of legends movies and Hollywood. 
 

AB has come a long time way. Does he have it in him?

Edited November 9, 2021 by Vandownbytheriverduck

[Charles Fischer]

To beat the next three teams...we need to have a longer passing game to get the box unclogged.  The defensive game-plan against Oregon is simple...

 

I just don't know that he can do that.

 

[Annie]

On 11/9/2021 at 9:58 AM, Vandownbytheriverduck said:

...

 

AB has come a long time way. Does he have it in him?

I'm crossing my fingers and keeping good thoughts that he does!

[30Duck]

As the Beatles told us, it can be, A Long and Winding Road

 

The Ducks didn't get it done with Darren or Marcus, maybe AB will take these Ducks to the Natty!

[Jon Joseph]

Maybe UGA. But Bama? I think this Bama team especially if the starting center does not get healthy will be pushed by Arkansas, at Auburn and if it wins the SEC W, I do not see Bama beating UGA in the SEC champ game. Bama rushed for 6 yards against LSU Saturday. Against an LSU D that due to injury is nowhere as talented as the group UCLA ran roughshod over.

 

My guess? 1. UGA 2 Ohio State 3 Oregon 4 Cincinnati? If I am correct which is very doubtful, that would mean a rematch vs OH ST in the Cotton Bowl

 

Edited November 9, 2021 by Jon Joseph

[toketeeman]

I still do not believe AB was booed at home. I believe MC was booed at home and he has kept on deflecting it back onto the team. IMHO.

Edited November 9, 2021 by toketeeman

[kirklandduck]

Stranger things have happened.  I'd be shocked and pleasantly surprised if AB gets Oregon to the championship game.  Right now I'd be more than happy if the Ducks just make it to the CFP...even if they lose that 1st CFP game it's the next logical step in progression as a program under MC.  

[Vandownbytheriverduck]

On 11/9/2021 at 10:11 AM, Jon Joseph said:

If I am correct which is very doubtful, that would mean a rematch vs OH ST in the Cotton Bowl

Winning Double Utah Double OSU with all of them either road or neutral and then Georgia would be an unambiguous statement about the program especially considering the injuries.
 

When you look at that path it’s not hard to see the 3% prediction on espn. 

[Haywarduck]

If we win it all Moorhead can write his own ticket anywhere. The question I have is, does Moorhead have the ability to turn AB into a title winning QB?

 

So far Moorhead seems to be figuring out how to best use AB. I look forward to seeing how far Moorhead can get AB to carry the Oregon Football Program, and figure out how to keep winning. 

 

I do agree, with most, Dye is the most amazing athlete on offense, but we have to respect what AB has done, so far. It would be a story seldom if ever told, where a guy with so many limitation leads a team to a title, but can he be our Tim Tebow? 

 

Actually his stats aren't even up to Tim's level, but can a guy without NFL level talent lead our team to a title, fun to think about.

[ChicoDuck1]

On 11/9/2021 at 10:08 AM, Charles Fischer said:

To beat the next three teams...we need to have a longer passing game to get the box unclogged.  The defensive game-plan against Oregon is simple...

 

I just don't know that he can do that.

 

I'm not concerned with Utah, or Alabama for that matter. But Georgia is an animal of a different stripe. No one is going to beat them playing East-West football. It is going to be a North-South fistfight.

Oregon will have to go toe-to-toe with them in trenches in an ugly low scoring football game. 

If there's anybody in college football that can challenge Georgia...it's Oregon. Any of these teams that play basketball on grass or want to get cute going sideline to sideline are going to get a bus ticket. The only way to beat the Bulldogs is to line up against them and out physical the. A tall order, but it can be done. You just have to punch them in the mouth and see how they react.

[Jon Joseph]

Jimmy Lake is suspect as a HC, but not as a DC.

 

Play a 3-1-7 D, Jimmy's D vs WSU,  against the Cougars with the 1, Noah Sewell, spying the RB. As Charles noted in a call today, the WSU O is predicated in part, on the QB quickly releasing the ball. So, 'pressuring' by clogging the field with DBs seems to work better vs WSU than going all out to rush the passer.

[Haywarduck]

On 11/9/2021 at 12:23 PM, Jon Joseph said:

Jimmy Lake is suspect as a HC, but not as a DC.

 

Play a 3-1-7 D, Jimmy's D vs WSU,  against the Cougars with the 1, Noah Sewell, spying the RB. As Charles noted in a call today, the WSU O is predicated in part, on the QB quickly releasing the ball. So, 'pressuring' by clogging the field with DBs seems to work better vs WSU than going all out to rush the passer.

Agree completely, Lake knew how to beat the cougs. The question is can the defense figure out how to crack this open code. I think DeRuyter is up to the task.

 

Fortunately the cougs know how to beat themselves. So far the Ducks haven't been on the end of this help too often. We will need to win this game.

[DuckFan93]

On 11/9/2021 at 10:12 AM, toketeeman said:

I still do not believe AB was booed at home. I believe MC was booed at home and he has kept on deflecting it back onto the team. IMHO.

If I remember correctly, the boos came when AB missed a short 3-yard pass when the receiver was wide open...   But yeah, the fans were just frustrated about his misfires and MC's refusal to change things up.   

 

What's wrong with playing 2 or more QBs?  I think this year's Oregon team is perfect for that.   I know most Dux fans don't watch Notre Dame, but I do because my daughter goes there.  They play 3 QBs very effectively, led by a super-senior transfer from Wisconsin, followed by a freshman and a sophomore.   Couldn't that be our setup exactly?   Start AB, but pepper in TT and Butter... I bet that will get the offense going when it's stuck, not to mention making the team more resilient in case AB goes down after one of those short runs to nowhere?

Edited November 9, 2021 by DuckFan93

[Jon Joseph]

On 11/9/2021 at 5:01 PM, DuckFan93 said:

If I remember correctly, the boos came when AB missed a short 3-yard pass when the receiver was wide open...   But yeah, the fans were just frustrated about his misfires and MC's refusal to change things up.   

 

What's wrong with playing 2 or more QBs?  I think this year's Oregon team is perfect for that.   I know most Dux fans don't watch Notre Dame, but I do because my daughter goes there.  They play 3 QBs very effectively, led by a super-senior transfer from Wisconsin, followed by a freshman and a sophomore.   Couldn't that be our setup exactly?   Start AB, but pepper in TT and Butter... I bet that will get the offense going when it's stuck, not to mention making the team more resilient in case AB goes down after one of those short runs to nowhere?

 

Great take. But this is what Brian Kelly was 'forced' to do this season. Kelly is normally a 1 QB guy. And the schedule for ND has turned out not to be that rigorous which allows for experimentation. Jack Coan coming over from Wisconsin came with the same game manager skills as did AB at Oregon. The ND O was bad before the new OL guys started to get it and the ND run game really picked up.

 

If you haven't done so, make to South Bend for a game. Great place to watch CFB.

[DuckFan93]

On 11/9/2021 at 2:31 PM, Jon Joseph said:

If you haven't done so, make to South Bend for a game. Great place to watch CFB.

Thanks.  It's definitely on my list.  My daughter has season student ticket and always shared vids and pics about the atmosphere.  I was planning to go last year to see the Michigan game until Covid happened.   Will have to go next year before she graduates.

[Just Ducky]

On 11/9/2021 at 10:12 AM, toketeeman said:

I still do not believe AB was booed at home. I believe MC was booed at home and he has kept on deflecting it back onto the team. IMHO.

 

On 11/9/2021 at 10:12 AM, toketeeman said:

I still do not believe AB was booed at home. I believe MC was booed at home and he has kept on deflecting it back onto the team. IMHO.

I was at the game and the boos seemed to be mostly about the play call but the execution was very bad by AB most of the game to that point. Fans lost their cool for sure. Did wake the team up however.

[DrJacksPlaidPants]

I don’t think AB is the reason why this team won’t win a national championship. They stand a good chance of not winning a Pac 12 championship as well. Here’s why (and I’m not going to say anything that everyone doesn’t already know). They cannot play a complete game.

 

From Fresno all the way down to last Saturday, they have not played one great football game. In fact, in every game except the Ohio State game they have been downright infuriating. They made Cal, Arizona and Colorado look like all-stars at points during those games and would’ve gone to OT vs. Cal if their OC had been smart enough to call a run play inside the 5. Of course, Stanford was an embarrassment. However, the worst performances were UCLA and last weekend in Seattle. Why do I say this? Because they had both games wrapped up and tried their best to give them back.  Luckily, UCLA and Washington weren’t accepting returns.
 

The 2 interceptions that AB threw against UCLA were bad, but the 2 personal fouls penalties against Washington were horrific. To go from the 1 yard line to the 37 in two plays is what I would expect from an undisciplined doormat team. Not a top 4 team. A decent team would’ve taken that 2nd chance and tied the game. Luckily, Jimmy Lake was on the opposite sideline, but there are no more Jimmy Lake’s on the schedule. 

Edited November 10, 2021 by DrJacksPlaidPants