The Joe Moorhead Offense: The Shovel Option RPO

Coach Eric Boles Analysis

When Coach Joe Moorhead was hired as the new offensive coordinator for the Oregon Ducks, folks started to wonder how often the quarterback would run in the new system. Some believed that the coaching staff would continue to curb the number of QB carries, while others believed that the end-of-season success with zone reads signaled a change. We would later …

How Einstein Avalos Saved Roller Coaster Arroyo in the Rose Bowl

Mike West Analysis

There was much dismay among Ducks fans when Andy Avalos’s Boise State defense overwhelmed Marcus Arroyo’s offense in the 2017 Las Vegas Bowl. FishDuck fans across the nation fretted over Arroyo’s up-and-down, “roller coaster” tendencies. Little did we know it would be Avalos’s defensive brilliance that would redeem Arroyo’s roller-coaster offense just two years later. Even when Coach Eric Boles …

Oregon Basketball: Breaking Down The Pick And Roll

Alex Nordstrand Analysis

The pick-and-roll is one of the most frequently utilized offensive plays in all of basketball. In order to generate good shots out of the pick-and-roll, a team needs to execute three elements–adequate floor spacing, good screens, and adept ball-handling–and it needs to do so aggressively. While the men’s basketball team consistently struggles with their pick-and-rolls, often not even leading to …

“Roller Coaster” Arroyo Saves His Best For Last

Mike West Analysis

Oregon’s now-former offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo took us on a bit of roller coaster ride this year.  While his offensive play-calling was at times boring and predictable, at others it looped and zoomed with the excitement of a Disneyland thrill ride. Extending his tenure to coach the Rose Bowl game, Arroyo came California Screamin’ out of the chute, engineering a …

Cristobal’s Biggest Lesson? The END GAME

Charles Fischer, Mr. FishDuck Analysis

We know that Mario Cristobal is still relatively new as a head coach in a Power-Five conference, and many of us have sputtered about his learning curve. Strategies and tactics that many of us “Greybeards” have watched over the years with other coaches seemed to be either unknown or ignored by this coaching staff. Now granted, going from 7-6 to …

How Oregon’s Offense Evolved Under Marcus Arroyo

Mike West Analysis

As we look back on the roller coaster ride recently departed offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo and Mario Cristobal have taken us on this season, I want to share some thoughts you might not have considered. Many an Oregon fan — especially on this website — have criticized Arroyo for “dishonoring” the blur offense we so adored. One major gripe fans …

Big Touchdown: “Ignoring Throck on the Combo-Block Is a CROCK”

Charles Fischer, Mr. FishDuck Analysis

Analyzing all the tiny details that led to a Pac-12 Championship will be great fun for the analysts of FishDuck.com over the next six months, and certainly … you can assume that yours-truly has an abundance of commentary to offer. There were so many big plays versus Utah, but whenever the sportscasters make an egregious mistake or omission concerning one …

Kayvon Thibodeaux Is Heating Up at the Right Time

Joshua Whitted Analysis

It’s a beautiful thing when elite talent meets proper technique. That’s what’s happening with Oregon’s all-world freshman pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux as the season nears its end. After a relatively quiet start to the season, Thibodeaux has emerged as Oregon’s best pass rusher, leading the team in tackles for loss and sacks. Thibodeaux’s physical attributes (size, length, athleticism, etc.) have …