It’s a fickle business trying to predict college football games. Last season, I predicted the Ducks would got 10-2 then win the Alamo Bowl. Many bashed me and called me a hopelessly optimistic Duck fan, which I found humorous, considering those close to me know I’m much more of a Negative Nellie when it comes to my Ducks. Many saw …
As soon as last April’s NFL draft ended, the draft prognosticators began whipping up their mock drafts for 2019, with Oregon’s own Justin Herbert being projected by many experts as a sure-fire first round pick, and even going as high as the number two pick overall. Hmmm … an Oregon quarterback getting drafted number two overall. Sounds familiar. In fact, it’s the same spot …
It wasn’t too long ago — the Mark Helfrich era — that when Oregon lost a couple of highly coveted 3-star recruits, a symbolic ”Fall of Rome” would occur in Eugene. In the words of the great Bob Dylan: “the times, they are a changin’.” That’s right folks, have no fear over the recent decommitments of 3-star recruits Marques Caldwell and Cameron Williams. Not only that, celebrate these decommits as a monumental …
There really wasn’t anything about Willie Taggart that I was going to miss when he decided to head back to Florida. His game planning was pedestrian, his in-game coaching was sub-par, his media persona was “car salesman-esque,” and his running of Justin Herbert up the gut as if he were Jerome Bettis was utterly mind-boggling. These things ultimately cost the Ducks a very successful 2017 season, not to mention destroying the 10-win prediction …
As the debate rages on about the size and scope of the new Hayward Field, it got me thinking about what was going through the mind of the man who matters the most in all of this—Phil Knight. Could it be that building the world’s premier track-and-field-only stadium brings Oregon one step closer to hosting The Summer Olympic Games? Track …
The NFL Draft is April 26-28 and the Ducks have three players expecting to hear their name called. Painfully, that is three more than last year. Here’s a look (per NFL.com): 1) Tyrell Crosby: The fifth-ranked OT is expected to go in rounds 2-3, and is rated has having a chance to become an NFL starter. 2) Royce Freeman: The …
The 2018 Oregon Ducks basketball season ended with a big thud last weekend. And while it would have been nice to see the Ducks make a run in the NIT, I get the feeling that Duck fans didn’t lose sleep over losing in the second round. With five straight NCAA Tournament appearances, Oregon fans have become accustomed to getting more out of …
After losing so many key players from last year’s Final Four team, I entered this season with tempered expectations. And after a couple games into the PK80 (Phil Knight Invitational), it was apparent that this team didn’t have ”it.” So, I kicked back and resigned myself to the idea that this was a rebuilding year. That the goal of this season was to develop talent—develop role players—who would complement the …
In the aftermath of signing day, as we try to make sense of it all, I compiled a chart (see below) covering the past twelve years of Oregon recruiting to help put things in perspective—from the end of the Mike Bellotti era to the beginning of the Mario Cristobal regime. At first glance, it’s clear that things took a dip …
We’ve entered that post-championship time of year when we turn our attention towards ways we can make the game better. In other words: Which would be the best playoff model for college football to adopt? I’ve taken it upon myself to end this childish debate. A Six-Team Playoff is the Ultimate Solution First, playoffs were never designed as a full-proof …
Before the season began I predicted that the Ducks would go 10-2 and win the Alamo Bowl (click here). And I must say — I nailed it! That is, if about a hundred “woulda, coulda, shoulda” type things had actually happened. And we’ll get to a couple of those in a minute, but let’s first review the premise of my …
As I prepared to watch the Las Vegas Bowl on Saturday and saw a fired-up Royce Freeman addressing “his” team, I couldn’t help but think to myself, “What the … ???” As most know, Freeman–arguably the greatest running back in Oregon history–chose to sit out the game. And even if some fans disagree with his decision, most people understand the …