Love it!

Nice to have 4 in the composite top 25. In the past we frequently had 6 pre-season with more getting votes.

And, yes, it is also nice to be on top of the PAC. Voters recognize that 2020 was not a good indication... and that next year Oregon will not have the youngest team in football.

Edited January 17, 20214 yr by Jon Sousa

Hmmmmm, I'm thinking that USC should be on top of Oregon, as much as 3 to 5 slots. 

 

 

I've learned over the years not to drink the green Kool Aid over recruiting and preseason rankings.  This team has some real issues and hopefully this year was exactly what we thought, a free year of practice and time for our younger guys to get experience.  Next year we're supposed to have some really gifted athletes on our team but they will be young and competing against people who are just as good as they are for the first time. 

We're also going to have a new D coordinator and probably a new O coordinator and some people leaving, as well so there will be a lot of adjustments for everyone.  My best guess is that next years team will start slow (until a QB talented enough to be on a top ten team emerges) with all the newness, but I'm hoping that they will come together and play up to their (dare I say it?) Potential.  I'm hoping for a full season not ravaged by the Covid issues.  IF that happens I can see this team going 8-4 to 10-2 during the regular season and winning a bowl game. 

I have a friend who was very close to the USC program when they were recruiting all those 4 & 5*'s and he said that was the problem.  A bunch of pampered prima donna"s who couldn't play together, were not very coachable and didn't really have the heart of a motivated 3* with a chip on his shoulder trying to prove to the world that he could play too.

I saw some of that on last years team, with all the preening and celebrating on run-of-the mill plays and a bit of a me-me-me attitude.  Hope I'm wrong and the coaches can fix that because 

IT AIN'T THE X'S AND O'S ITS THE JIMMY'S AND JOE'S.

Edited January 17, 20214 yr by NogerO

I'm waiting for the Ducks to earn and deserve a Top 5 ranking, not the third five.

I will love the Ducks in the meantime and wait.

Anyone remember when it was big news if the Ducks cracked the top 25 during a season, only to lose a game the following week and never get back in?

Ducks have sure come a long way.

3 hours ago, NogerO said:

I have a friend who was very close to the USC program when they were recruiting all those 4 & 5*'s and he said that was the problem.  A bunch of pampered prima donna"s who couldn't play together, were not very coachable and didn't really have the heart of a motivated 3* with a chip on his shoulder trying to prove to the world that he could play too.

I saw some of that on last years team, with all the preening and celebrating on run-of-the mill plays and a bit of a me-me-me attitude.

This is a BIG fear of mine, one that I could not have imagined; recruit well and you win...right?  Nope that is only part of it, and you have find guys with heart...  We went to two Nattys with those kind of guys, so a primarily three-star team with a few 4-5 stars sprinkled in with heart can go a long ways....

GREAT observation-thanks.

1 hour ago, GODUCKS15 said:

Anyone remember when it was big news if the Ducks cracked the top 25 during a season, only to lose a game the following week and never get back in?

Ducks have sure come a long way.

Yes and Yes.

I remember the first bowl game the Ducks went to under Rich Brooks - the Independence Bowl in 1989. After watching the game with my father in law (a BIG Ducks fan), I said, "Well, now all the fans are going to want to go to another bowl game." He responded pensively, "Yes. Yes they will." I miss that guy.