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Ktmguy2018

What Mario Did Right: Alex Forsythe

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I have a firm belief in recognizing what people do well and while I am not a MC fan, he did something very well at Oregon:  The Offensive Line.

 

I am not talking about scheme or play calling, I am talking about the guys he brought in and coached up.  I have to give credit to MC for one player who has been HELLA impressive:  Alex Forsythe.  This guy has developed into one of the best centers I've watched come out of Oregon.  He has been a tremendous asset to the O-Line for the last couple years but this year is different.  With Dilly's offense, his skill set is on full display and I predict it will benefit him greatly in the eyes of some GMs at the next level.

 

Nowhere was this more evident than Bo's longer TD run.  And I credit Yogi Roth for calling this out and giving props to Forsythe because I may not even have noticed it.  

 

On this screenshot, the play has started and right in the center, you can see #78 getting out of his stance so quick that the bottom WR hasn't even taken his first step yet.

 

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As the play begins to develop, 'ol #78 is beating the WR's down the field and the Arizona DB is about to have a very forgettable series (that's called foreshadowing in literary terms).

 

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Bo is beginning his run to the outside and Forsythe's athleticism is on clear display

 

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That poor Arizona DB is about to know what it feels like to be road-graded.  Contact is made at the Arizona 22.

 

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In a matter of five yards, Forsythe has destroyed the DB's opportunity to even be a factor in the play.

 

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We know the outcome.  And look who is the second person to congratulate Bo on the play....

 

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So, thank you Mario for your development of guys like Forsythe.  I give full credit to Dilly for allowing the abilities of our offensive lineman to be on display, but Mario recruited a bunch of these guys and so I respectfully give him the credit for that.  But, y'all know that a pulling center would NEVER have been part of the Mario's offense!!!  I mean, that's just NASTY!!!

 

I have watched this clip multiple times and every time it brings a smile to my face thinking of how much fun Forsythe must have had getting out and taking on a DB instead of just battling the big uglies down in the trenches!!

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I find myself watching line play deeper into the play than I have in the past. They are so fun to watch. A lot of times I watch the skill players from the replay. 

 

The o line is something special. 

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I completely agree that Mario deserves a ton of credit for recruiting and developing the O-line. It’s one of his strengths. 
 

Hopefully our current staff can keep up the recruiting on both lines, as that is how championship teams are built. 

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On 10/9/2022 at 12:57 PM, OregonDucks said:

Mario deserves a ton of credit for recruiting and developing the O-line.

Yes, but not coaching them to maximize their talent with schemes.

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I give Mario a lot of credit, and feel bad about being right up to this point. 

 

I am grateful for how he set up the program for the success we see now. I just know we wouldn't be seeing what we see now, and am grateful for that too!

 

I am ready to move on from predictions of his demise. I am full of passion for the Ducks we have now. I suppose I was just pissed, and missed our Ducks of old and now we have them again. I am complete, once more!

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On 10/9/2022 at 1:08 PM, Haywarduck said:

I am ready to move on from predictions of his demise. I am full of passion for the Ducks we have now. I suppose I was just pissed, and missed our Ducks of old and now we have them again. I am complete, once more!

It would be real easy (too easy) to pine for what might have been if Mario had been merely the Offensive line coach and someone like Lanning the HC when Justin Herbert was here.  I have to block that from my mind and just say "It wasn't meant to be."  But that's easier said than done.

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The DB is keeping an eye on our backfield, he knows that there could be a run, or pass, coming his way. The fact that Forsythe then “road grades” him out of the play will certainly be replayed a few times in the film room. 
 

Fun play to watch, solid execution, great result. 

Edited by Drake
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On 10/9/2022 at 1:21 PM, Drake said:

The DB is keeping an eye on our backfield, he knows that there could be a run, or pass, coming his way. The fact that Forsythe then “road grades” him out of the play will certainly be replayed a few times in the film room. 
 

Fun play to watch, solid execution, great result. 

It would be an interesting conversation with the DB to see what went through his mind when he realized the lights were being blocked out by an offensive lineman eclipse!!

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On 10/9/2022 at 1:38 PM, Ktmguy2018 said:

It would be an interesting conversation with the DB to see what went through his mind when he realized the lights were being blocked out by an offensive lineman eclipse!!

Let me guess:  "Oh-Oh" ?

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I am not sure if it is Dilly's scheme or Klemm's development (likely both by degrees) that is more responsible for the significant improvement in the running game so far?

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On 10/9/2022 at 1:45 PM, idontrollonshobbas said:

I am not sure if it is Dilly's scheme or Klemm's development (likely both by degrees) that is more responsible for the significant improvement in the running game so far?

I would venture to say it is both for this reason.  Dilly's scheme causes defenses to constantly assess their fronts.  This was something that I found myself watching a lot in the Arizona game.  I again give credit to Yogi Roth because he actually pointed this out several times on the broadcast. 

 

When Oregon has success running the ball, Arizona's defense adjusted to put more guys in the box.  Dilly would then have a screen or slant sent up and defeat the defense.  Defense goes back to 6 or 7 in the box, Oregon runs the ball.  The major exception to this was Whittington's run.  All Arizona defenders were within 7 yards of the LOS, Whittington just had the speed and acceleration to defeat it.

 

Dilly's scheme is why Bo is having such a great season.   He was at ease in the pocket because he could see what the Arizona defense was doing and knew exactly how to beat it.   Klemm's development is allowing the O-Line (and TE's) to be more than in-the-box blockers.  They are getting out into space on pulls and the TE's are working sometimes almost as FB's.  The athleticism for that is reminiscent of Chip Kelly O-Line's but with more attitude and beef.

 

 

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On 10/9/2022 at 2:04 PM, Ktmguy2018 said:

I would venture to say it is both for this reason.  Dilly's scheme causes defenses to constantly assess their fronts.  This was something that I found myself watching a lot in the Arizona game.  I again give credit to Yogi Roth because he actually pointed this out several times on the broadcast. 

 

When Oregon has success running the ball, Arizona's defense adjusted to put more guys in the box.  Dilly would then have a screen or slant sent up and defeat the defense.  Defense goes back to 6 or 7 in the box, Oregon runs the ball.  The major exception to this was Whittington's run.  All Arizona defenders were within 7 yards of the LOS, Whittington just had the speed and acceleration to defeat it.

 

Dilly's scheme is why Bo is having such a great season.   He was at ease in the pocket because he could see what the Arizona defense was doing and knew exactly how to beat it.   Klemm's development is allowing the O-Line (and TE's) to be more than in-the-box blockers.  They are getting out into space on pulls and the TE's are working sometimes almost as FB's.  The athleticism for that is reminiscent of Chip Kelly O-Line's but with more attitude and beef.

 

 

Thanks Ktmguy for taking the time to fill me in.....sounds like an upgrade in scheme and technique is sparking the improvement.  This staff has elevated the quality of play dramatically so far.

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I think the O line is a prime example of why so many of us were frustrated with Marioball. It wasn't that he likes to run the ball, he never developed his players. Hats off to him for recruiting them but that was it. In the half season they have played under the current coaches look how dominant they are starting to become. That never happened under Mario in my opinion despite all the promises.

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On 10/9/2022 at 1:18 PM, Mic said:

It would be real easy (too easy) to pine for what might have been if Mario had been merely the Offensive line coach and someone like Lanning the HC when Justin Herbert was here.  I have to block that from my mind and just say "It wasn't meant to be."  But that's easier said than done.

We had that.  The coach was Willie Taggert.  The offense was the Gulf Coast Offense.  And it was unstoppable.

 

In fact Justin Herbert (on bad days) was the only the person that did stop that offense ( injury and a very bad day of throwing to defenders he was looking directly at). 

 

And if you doubt that, look at the highlights from 2017.  It was the only time Herbert played at Oregon like he does today.  

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On 10/9/2022 at 9:58 PM, Mike West said:

We had that.  The coach was Willie Taggert.  The offense was the Gulf Coast Offense.  And it was unstoppable.   

Not to argue because I respect your point, but Taggert's record at Oregon was 7-5.  His coaching career record (over 13 years) is 68-77 or .469%.  That's not exactly 'unstoppable'.

 

Couple this with the fact he had Justin Herbert at his fingertips, albeit early in his career at Oregon.

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