Are we being too hard on Coach C?

[The Kamikaze Kid]

I've read many comments on how bad and predictable the Ducks offense can be at times and I myself have screamed out loud "what the (expletive deleted) was that?" as much as anyone. But maybe we should let cooler heads prevail as we consider a few very real things that Coach is having to deal with.

 

First, I have read that the Ducks have the youngest team in the country and yet they were firmly in the playoff picture right up till a couple weeks ago. Second, Coach Moorhead's debut with the Ducks in 2020 could not have been worse with covid canceling spring camp delaying the installation of the offense and the Pac 12 canceling the season then abruptly bringing it back on with just a few weeks to prepare. Then this year they are stuck with a QB with leadership skills but very sporadic passing accuracy. This alone forced them to design the simplest passing plays that were very easy to defend yet they still ended up in a near statistical tie for highest scoring offense in the conference.

 

Even with all that, the Ducks are preparing to threepeat as conference champs. Next year, we may have a 5 star QB doing 5 star things, passing to elite receivers and handing off to elite running backs being protected by an elite line. That 40 points a game team might just be right around the corner but with an SEC level of toughness.

 

Coach C may very well be setting up his own Miami U machine right here before our very eyes as we continue to whine about the few steps back we take while continuing the march forward.

 

[Charles Fischer]

Yes, but I having some cheese with my whine.

 

What a great first post, to a FANTASTIC posting name!  Thanks for joining and for including paragraph/reading spaces every couple of sentences (get the hint everyone?) so it is easier to read.  Do post often and WELCOME!

 

        Greg Ballard!

[30Duck]

On 11/29/2021 at 4:56 PM, The Kamikaze Kid said:

 

Even with all that, the Ducks are preparing to threepeat as conference champs. Next year, we may have a 5 star QB doing 5 star things, passing to elite receivers and handing off to elite running backs being protected by an elite line. That 40 points a game team might just be right around the corner but with an SEC level of toughness.

 

Good stuff. A look at where the Ducks are now, and optimistic about next year.

[Duck 1972]

I agree. I just got off a site on Google about Texas A&M 247 sports and tried to foreword it here but was unable to.

 

Anyway, it was talking about the derailment of Texas A&M season due to injuries. It seems they were talking about games not season missed. 

 

I think that's the key thing everybody's is missing when we think of this team.

 

I believe young, untested teams struggle on the road. We were 6/0 at home. Lost 2 on the road. Beat tOSU when we were still relatively healthy and seasoned.Compare that with the loss at Stanford and the debacle at Utah.

 

We are 9 starters down. 10/2. And playing for our 3rd Pac championship. To me it is simply amazing what they are doing this year. The players and yes even the coaches should be proud of what they are doing. And so should the fans IMHO.

Edited November 30, 2021 by Duck 1972
Missing info

[Pocketchange]

Not at all, because we all want him, his athletes, and the program to be elite. I look at the duck players and see special individual athletes.  I fully do not believe that our players are reaching their full potential.  And I believe that the problems come from issues revolving around culture, strategy, and practices.  These are head coach issues.  
 

the good news is all of these issues can be measured, analyzed, and corrected.  The intangibles that makes a coach special and can’t be developed, MC has down pat.

[Mike West]

On 11/29/2021 at 11:18 PM, Pocketchange said:

Not at all, because we all want him, his athletes, and the program to be elite. I look at the duck players and see special individual athletes.  I fully do not believe that our players are reaching their full potential.  And I believe that the problems come from issues revolving around culture, strategy, and practices.  These are head coach issues.  
 

the good news is all of these issues can be measured, analyzed, and corrected.  The intangibles that makes a coach special and can’t be developed, MC has down pat.

 

Just about everyone thinks the players should perform better. 

 

The most important position on the filled is QB.  Do you think Ohio State would be 10-2 with Brown?  I don't.  And they sure wouldn't have dropped 16 Giga Ton bombs on half the Big Ten either.

 

If Brown were as good as even Georgia's QB, we'd be undefeated.  It's that simple.  Now if I had my hands on Brown I'd be experimenting with petri dishes if necessary...lol.  But the guy is inconsistent, and this year my grandma  (dead btw) could get wide open. Every game.

 

My only complaint is unforced errors... Way to many.  Right when it was time to put an anchor on on our victims' legs and dump them in the Willamette.  

 

Yep. The gorilla in the room is lack of killer instinct.  And that my friend is coaching.  But last week, Brown took care of that didn't he?

 

I saw improvement this year from Cristobal.  And I'm quite sure most didn't see 10-2 with a title on the line... Even with the talent.

 

MC is Rich Brooks redux. If he keeps recurring well, he's going to deliver a title.

[Jon Joseph]

On 11/30/2021 at 1:32 PM, Mike West said:

 

Just about everyone thinks the players should perform better. 

 

The most important position on the filled is QB.  Do you think Ohio State would be 10-2 with Brown?  I don't.  And they sure wouldn't have dropped 16 Giga Ton bombs on half the Big Ten either.

 

If Brown were as good as even Georgia's QB, we'd be undefeated.  It's that simple.  Now if I had my hands on Brown I'd be experimenting with petri dishes if necessary...lol.  But the guy is inconsistent, and this year my grandma  (dead btw) could get wide open. Every game.

 

My only complaint is unforced errors... Way to many.  Right when it was time to put an anchor on on our victims' legs and dump them in the Willamette.  

 

Yep. The gorilla in the room is lack of killer instinct.  And that my friend is coaching.  But last week, Brown took care of that didn't he?

 

I saw improvement this year from Cristobal.  And I'm quite sure most didn't see 10-2 with a title on the line... Even with the talent.

 

MC is Rich Brooks redux. If he keeps recurring well, he's going to deliver a title.

 

Great take? Too harsh? Maybe, somewhat?

 

But is there any excuse at all for the team no showing at Stanford and Utah? I'll take Ws over excuses. 

 

As to Brown, I get it. But Brown starting means the QB recruiting was muffed; or, the QB coaching is being muffed? 

 

10-2 is based on the roster and based on how bad the conference is (6 teams going bowling? 1 out of 4 CA teams going bowling?) is between the 9 to 12 wins many of us predicted in the preseason.

 

As bad as the conference is, I think a legit case can be made for the team to be 12-0 or at least 11-1, and on the doorstep of the Playoff?

 

 

[The Kamikaze Kid]

Does this team come out of the shoe with a win with a Freshman QB making his second start? For that matter, do they even beat Fresno State with a Freshman QB making their first start? If the Ducks start 0-2, we would be screaming for coach to bench the freshman and put in the experienced senior.

 

At Stanford, every one of the questionable penalties near the end had to happen to even take it to overtime. That end zone pass interference on 4th down with time expired was over the top. At Utah, the Ducks killed their own drives early with bad passes to open receivers on 3rd downs. Once in a 21-0 hole, trying to score before half was the only way to try to salvage a win and we all saw what happened next.

 

I'm pretty sure Coach brought in Brown to be a veteran back up to Shough allowing his young QBs to develop but was forced to start Brown when Shough transferred. I'd say 10-2 playing for a third straight Pac 12 Championship is pretty good for a team with a less than optimal QB.

[Drake]

Thank goodness my work output was not scrutinized by thousands on a regular basis. It would be annoying to be second guessed by people that have never done your job, but seem to know just what you should be doing at all times.

 

I don’t think I would demonstrate the patience that some of these coaches show after the loss of a game. 
 

So many variables go into winning a National Championship. I am pretty sure that the teams winning it lately are recruiting within the top 5 on a regular basis. Pretty sure that variable is one of the most important.

What’s our highest ranked recruiting class? Wasn’t our best recruiting class ranked #6?
 

Cristobal is coaching the youngest team in college football and is currently ranked in the top 10 at the end of the regular season.  He has my respect. 

 

[30Duck]

On 11/30/2021 at 10:44 AM, Jon Joseph said:

As bad as the conference is, I think a legit case can be made for the team to be 12-0 or at least 11-1, and on the doorstep of the Playoff?

 

 Following the idea of doing more with less, compared to the "Regulars" in the Playoffs, Oregon is doing really well. As great as Mario has done with recruiting, the roster is not up to that of Alabama, Oh. St, Georgia. Besides whatever we may think of the Invitational, Oregon is not yet at the level of Alabama, Georgia, OH. ST. to expect a CFP at the end of the season.. 

[Mike West]

On 11/30/2021 at 10:44 AM, Jon Joseph said:

 

Great take? Too harsh? Maybe, somewhat?

 

But is there any excuse at all for the team no showing at Stanford and Utah? I'll take Ws over excuses. 

 

As to Brown, I get it. But Brown starting means the QB recruiting was muffed; or, the QB coaching is being muffed? 

 

10-2 is based on the roster and based on how bad the conference is (6 teams going bowling? 1 out of 4 CA teams going bowling?) is between the 9 to 12 wins many of us predicted in the preseason.

 

As bad as the conference is, I think a legit case can be made for the team to be 12-0 or at least 11-1, and on the doorstep of the Playoff?

 

 

 

I'm sure it appears I'm making excuses for MC.  I'm still miffed.  But DeRuyter has his hand in both losses as much as Brown.  And Brown truly missed some beautiful opportunities. 

 

 

I'm a history buff.  Hence I saw the THIRTEEN package Utah ran so effectively.  It was a tribute to Oregon's talent on defense.  And yes, Iowa State did the same thing (again, so did David Shaw in 2012 on Buckner and Armstead and crew). 

 

Three on two? On the edge  Yep.  And it worked. Few teams, if any, are going to win one on one matchups against our front seven.  

 

In addition, DeRuyter blitzed nearly every play of Stanford's last drive of regulation, and Shaw made him pay for it.  DeRuyter got stuck in first gear both of those games.

 

Nonetheless, DeRuyter got maximum performance from a depleted corps on defense. And they aren't nearly as elite as Georgia's defense.  But those guys ( our defensive line) dominated running teams this year- including Ohio State.  That WAS coaching (until the Utah game that is- then they mailed the Beavers...a strong running team). 

 

On offense, I think Brown was a strange version of Russian roulette.  You never could tell when the bullet (his accuracy and confidence) was in the chamber. 

 

My train of thought:  You have to walk on the field and throw passes for Brown to all those wide open receivers (all year) to prove he could complete them.

 

I could go into detail, but that would take about ten analysis articles.  I don't have that kind of time this year. 

 

Now I'm going to "vent".  I want to see the talent on this team play as mean as the 1970s Oakland Raiders.  The only game they would have struggled in would have been the Utah game, but I'm my opinion that nasty attitude would have worn down the Utes.  

 

Chip got that out of all four of his teams.  Mental toughness.  Focus and fierceness unrivaled at Oregon.  

 

For all of MC's talk about physicality, brutal fierceness is missing from the equation. Along with lack of urgency.  Put em out of their misery early would be my motto.  Force them to raise the white flag.

 

When MC instills that in his players... Hello Natty.  

[Jon Joseph]

On 11/29/2021 at 8:06 PM, 30Duck said:

 

Good stuff. A look at where the Ducks are now, and optimistic about next year.

 

I agree, terrific post. But 2022? The season starts 'at' UGA with the Ducks QB starting his 1st game. 3rd game on the schedule? BYU.

[Charles Fischer]

On 11/30/2021 at 12:24 PM, Mike West said:

I want to see the talent on this team play as mean as the 1970s Oakland Raiders.  The only game they would have struggled in would have been the Utah game, but I'm my opinion that nasty attitude would have worn down the Utes.  

 

You got me mumbling-rumbling under my breath--you are the man!  THAT is what we want to see--great post!

[Duck in HuskyLand]

Are people being too hard on Cristobal?

 

Short answer — YES!