Blowouts are often boring for fans, yet this one provided some interesting new wrinkles to study. We also had some questions answered about the direction of countering defensive measures against the Zone Read, which some may find surprising. Finally, we began to see the opportunities created by opponents who commit the majority of their resources to stopping the Oregon running …
Why are National Pundits/Sportscasters so myopic? We are hearing their SEC version of events again to explain the obvious to the rest of us, as it happened last January. You recall how we heard of how the Auburn running game destroyed us, yet with two minutes left in the game the score and YARDAGE was tied. Bottom line is– Auburn …
This next season promises to be exciting, with new plays and changes on offense, and I am going to enjoy breaking it down. Why do I think we will have major changes? Most have not noticed that inside of the last two games and the Spring Game of last year—we had FOUR new formations introduced with a slew of different …
In Oregon we have our natural cycle of summer transformations, of the warmth with the lush green vegetation everywhere that will begin to change. We see the geese begin going south, and we now see Duck fans flocking to Eugene to live the beginning of our football season. For many of us—we cannot help ourselves, as it has become part …
I have been asked often for an archive, a place for Fish Reports, and now that I’m going forward with tutorial videos along with diagrammed pictures…it made sense for “FishDuck.com” to be a reality. Like any new project — it grows much bigger as we explore all that we can do, thus it will be much more than just an …
If I told you that Chip ran a new formation last year that nobody wrote about or even noticed and it put THREE Tailbacks on the field at the same time—would you believe it? Hard to think of something that bizarre, yet he wants to put the best talent, especially the speed guys in space as much as possible. Right? …
How well does a Zone Read work when the opponent has six DL and two or three LBs stacked up close on short yardage situations? We have all complained about using a shotgun formation in the Red Zone, especially inside our own and the opponent’s five yard line. Imagine my surprise when I see us run an “ACE” formation for …
The new SLASH formation and plays at the game in Glendale received universal derision from Oregon fans that were unaccustomed to the new look and at the subpar results. Yet Chip is not one to jettison a strategy after the first time and it aroused enough curiosity in me to study the different attack strategy behind these formations that could …
What is the biggest reason as to why Oregon has lead the Pac-10 and been one of the nation’s leaders in rushing since the Spread Offense was introduced at Oregon? You may recall that a crucial component to the success of the Zone Read is when a Defensive End is left unblocked and “Read,” on the backside of the play. …
For over a dozen years now, I have been writing reports about Spring Football describing the blossoms coming out with the warmth of the sun thawing the slight chill in the air. In so many ways….this is NOT the usual spring; this last week we had darkness and rainstorms in Eugene during the day that looked like late November, and …
(This is the last of the Summer Series of Fish Reports with Fall Camp starting next week. It was an eventful summer as the Fish Report was the first from the web or any media source in the state to identify, describe, and announce the New 3-4 Defense that Oregon transitioned into this last year. On offense, the Fish Report …
What do I write about our offense this last spring that hasn’t already been written or commented upon? I believe…quite a bit! I got so focused upon the research project of the New Oregon Defense, and it took so much of my spare time, that I didn’t get to my usual wrap-up after the Spring Football game. The last two …