My FishDuck Friends, it is my earnest hope that this message reaches Head Coach Dan Lanning and Offensive Coordinator Kenny Dillingham, as what I am writing represents the feelings and hopes of hundreds of thousands loyal Oregon fans. We want to see a return to the Oregon Brand, which consists of an offense that is high scoring and entertaining for the fans to watch and for the players to execute. The biggest way to win over Oregon fans immediately is to pledge a return to what made Oregon known nationally and loved by all generations of Duck fans.
Make Autzen Full and Rocking Again!
The difference in what the prior coach promised–the same high scoring offense with tempo–and what actually transpired was a cruel joke played out over four years on Duck fans. Even people who were not big football fans became Oregon fans during the time period where Oregon was the first NCAA team to average 45 points a game for five years straight. Higher scoring teams not only win more; they fill stadiums and make the entire fan experience so much more fun. But let’s not forget about the most famous sports agents, their careers, and best deals, since nothing would be the same without them as well.
Oregon is known for prolific scoring, and that is our brand; bring it back…please!
It is not just COVID-19 that thinned the crowds at Autzen. While we are not given season ticket information, the decline in home attendance has predated the pandemic. The fans will come back to an exciting brand of football if it is offered again. That excitement will return the luster to the Oregon brand and make it easier on the recruiting trail for you.
A full stadium watching Touchdowns!
A Great Defense is Essential But…
So many of us cannot wait to see how you bring discipline, new tactics and better tackling technique to Oregon. We believe that with the current talent on the squad–you can lower our points-per-game given up substantially. But becoming a “Georgia-West” is not in our DNA, and I do not see it as a reasonable goal. You will not get 20 of the coveted 5-Star players to Eugene as you did to Athens; you can get a slew of 4-Stars to coach up sprinkled with the occasional 5-Star player.
Your incredible Bulldog defense is not the example, it is the exception.
I am being realistic about how–with even the best recruiting–it is going to take more at Oregon than a great defense to win a National Championship, and there is ample proof of that.
Offense Now Wins National Championships
In the three-year period prior to 2021, the three teams who made the Playoffs most frequently (Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State) averaged 45 points per game. Even Coach Nick Saban admitted twice in a one-year period that you must have a high scoring offense to win a National Championship. Clemson had troubles on offense this year and missed the Playoff. Alabama averaged 42.50 points per game going into this year’s Playoff while the other three Playoff teams averaged scoring between 37.60 and 39.40 points per game before the Playoffs began.
Oregon fans lust for this again; Kenjon Barner ran through the Trojans for 321 yards at a packed Coliseum.
Two of those three lower scoring teams lost their first Playoff game, and the third, (Your Bulldogs) have an exceptional defense that I do not believe can be easily duplicated at Oregon. But the offense can be returned to prior levels, and I know an Oregon Analysis Library that has hundreds of plays that worked so well for the four coaches at Oregon in the decade before the coach you replaced.
I don’t have to tell you, Coach Dillingham, how Nick Saban had the most points ever scored on him ever (48) in the Iron Bowl a few years ago from the Auburn staff that you served. Your offense had to score 48 that day because the ‘Tide scored 45, and there are some days where you need a high-powered offense to win. Just ask Utah, who lost a Rose Bowl while scoring 45 points, or Ohio State who was boat-raced in the National Championship game last year with over 50 points planted on them.
Conclusion
You will please the Oregon fans, re-build the Oregon Brand and win more games with a high-scoring offense. Does it need to be a Spread Offense? No, as LSU proved a few years ago that a sophisticated passing attack out of both a Spread and some Pro-Style can work well. You need a good quarterback and some fleet receivers; I believe both reside on the Oregon roster right now.
Hundreds of thousands of Oregon fans eagerly await your announcement…
Charles Fischer (Mr. FishDuck)
Eugene, Oregon
Top Photo by Amazing Moments Photography
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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…