It is halftime and we can’t hardly believe our eyes being down 27-0, with the combination of great play by Washington State and the terrible play of Oregon at times. I invite you to join into this discussion now and after the game as so many of the concerns I had materialized worse than I could have imagined.
Yep….you got our number today.
The tackling has not been this poor since, … last year? Oregon’s receivers are not getting open, and when they do–they drop the ball? The concept that I did not take to heart presented by other Oregon fans this last week about how Oregon will be keeping the ball from the Cougars has gone precisely the opposite.
And those precise patterns punctuated by a quick release before the pressure is very, very difficult to stop. It seems that WSU is sky-high for the game, but we have not matched the intensity at all. It feels very much like 2003 all over again, and it has been a major concern of mine as I wrote about yesterday…
This, to me, is again part of the learning curve of these players and coaching staff growing into where they want to take the Oregon program. Coach Mario Cristobal is learning that you must score points in this conference, and perhaps his offense may undergo some adjustments/enhancements in the near future?
As for the defense? Recruiting is the answer my friends…
As for the Second Half…
I will admit that I was surprised at how well Oregon came out and brushed off the first half and played hard in the third quarter, while Washington State was giving signs of potentially “Cougin-it,” as they have so many times before. But the darn Cougars won the fourth quarter and made key defensive stops when it mattered and we did not.
This type of thing happened WAY too much on Saturday…
Clearly, this team was not ready (mentally) for this game, and the inexperience I feared-came to pass. You cannot become a championship team in so many ways overnight; it takes many games and lessons for the players and coaching staff.
As mature grizzled Greybeards? We’ve been through this process many times and frankly are more accustomed to it than anyone on the current team, IMHO.
Sunday Articles Now?
For the rest of the season–I will punch out a short article after the game on Saturdays to start the discussion for the rest of the day on Saturday and have that continue into Sunday. On Mondays–I will have my bigger Opinion-Editorial article as always, and this next one will be a dandy, as I’ve been saving some things…
Give me your thoughts about this game, the impact and the issues.
Charles Fischer (FishDuck)
Eugene, Oregon
Top Photo by Gary Breedlove
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Charles Fischer has been an intense fan of the Ducks, a season ticket holder at Autzen Stadium for 38 years and has written reports on football boards for over 26 years. Known as “FishDuck” on those boards, he is acknowledged for providing intense detail in his scrimmage reports, and in his Xs and Os play analyses. He is single, has a daughter Christine, and resides in Eugene Oregon where he was a Financial Advisor for 36 years.
He now focuses full-time on Charitable Planned Giving Workshops for churches and non-profit organizations in addition to managing his two Oregon Football Websites, of FishDuck.com and the Our Beloved Ducks forum. He is a busy man!
He does not profess to be a coach or analyst, but simply a “hack” that enjoys sharing what he has learned and invites others to correct or add to this body of Oregon Football! See More…