2025 is priming up to be a coaching carousel, the likes of which we have never seen. Many of Oregon’s opponents might make a change, which, of course, could affect the Ducks moving forward.
UW’s Jed Fisch has ties to UCLA. If he bolts to the Bruins, will the Huskies replace him with a winner or a loser?
Lincoln Riley is wearing out in Troy. Could he make a “lateral” move to another school and get a fresh start?
Does Jonathan Smith return to the Beavers? Then, who will Michigan State hire? You can win at Michigan State, it just takes the right guy.
Wisconsin is almost certainly going to make a change, while Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck could get hired away.
And, of course, the big opening that started it all: Penn State — which, if they hire Matt Rhule (he says he is not leaving, we’ll see) would affect Nebraska.
Not to mention, it is practically a certainty that Oregon OC Will Stein is a goner.
The Ducks slipped past the Badgers. (Photo by Max Unkrich)
At the moment, the B1G has three top-notch programs in Ohio State, Indiana and Oregon. Other programs have the ability to be top-notch such as USC, UW and Penn State. Michigan State, UCLA, Wisconsin and Nebraska could become “solid” again. And, of course, we know the Beavers can always be a little more punchy.
I guess what I am trying to say is that if most of these new hires pan out, Oregon’s future could get a lot more difficult. Which, I am not against. As has been mentioned here on FishDuck.com, too many B1G programs are sub-par. Which makes for lots and lots of uninteresting matchups.
Then again, maybe I should be careful what I wish for.
Getting Ahead of Ourselves
Because we love to do it. It is starting to look like Oregon at Washington to end the season could be for all the (playoff) marbles. The Ducks have the tougher road ahead with a remaining schedule of Iowa, Minnesota, USC and UW. The Huskies have Wisconsin, Purdue, UCLA and the Ducks.
Could the Ducks get in if they lose to the Huskies? With Oregon’s poor strength of schedule, let us not roll the dice on that one.
Hope I did not jinx anything by talking about it.
Oops.
Darren Perkins
Spokane, WA
Top photo credit: Max Unkrich
Natalie Liebhaber, the FishDuck.com Volunteer Editor for this article, works in financial technology in SLC, Utah.
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Darren Perkins is a sales professional and 1997 Oregon graduate. After finishing school, he escaped the rain and moved to sunny Southern California where he studied screenwriting for two years at UCLA. Darren grew up in Eugene and in 1980, at the tender age of five, he attended his first Oregon football game. His lasting memory from that experience was an enthusiastic Don Essig announcing to the crowd: “Reggie Ogburn, completes a pass to… Reggie Ogburn.” Captivated by such a thrilling play, Darren’s been hooked on Oregon football ever since. Currently living in Spokane, Darren enjoys flaunting his yellow and green superiority complex over friends and family in Cougar country.