Why so many “Fish Reports” lately? I like to write when most are not, or about conclusions that I haven’t seen elsewhere, so I frequently let some time pass before applying my own analysis. (or I’m waiting long enough for all of you to forget enough of the games to make you reluctant to disagree!) My game-plan is to write …
The Fish Report: Final Pieces?
It was like the Boise State game…behind by at least ten points, with the home crowd stunning our team with their energy and the defense of that team stopping our running game. Last year we had a QB who could not throw well in such an environment when we NEEDED to, and we didn’t even have a first down until …
The Fish Report: First Scrimmage
(Note: This is a time that the Oregon Athletic Dept. is concerned about too much disclosure in reports given to the public over the internet. Note that I do NOT speak of injuries in my report, (I leave that in the good hands of Rob Moseley of the R-G who gets it straight from Chip) nor do I talk about …
The Fish Report: Competition Day
I’ve been to a ton of these over the last twenty-some years, and this August 2010 practice did not stand out or provide much beyond what you have already read from the good updates we have been getting. For the first day of pads…I was disappointed as the players appeared lethargic to me at times, although we did get some …
Fish Report: Oregon’s New 3-4 Defense
(Please note that this white paper was written and distributed onto a number of Oregon forums in June of 2010, but this article of the White Paper was not published until the origin of FishDuck.com in June of 2011.) What are we doing on defense? I have struggled trying to discern how the defense is different from past years, as …
The Fish Report: The Wrong Perspective to 2010 NC Game?
I have taken the last couple of weeks to absorb the NC game, contemplate my reactions to it, and note what others have written. I must give my wife Lois, credit for once again coaxing me out from under the kitchen table while in a fetal position. She was very gentle in talking me out amid the sobs and my …
The Fish Report: Second Scrimmage
The weather report for today was for sunshine and some clouds with a warming temperature that promised to take the rigid chill of winter away. Yesterday gave us that warmth with blue skies in the background of some lovely pink flowering cherry trees. Today—all we got was the promise; it started and remained in the low-forties, and the frigid breeze …
The Fish Report: Saturday Practice
We have the sun out, the ground wet, and blossoms emerging in Eugene Oregon, as I walk into the Mo Center for this first contact practice with pads. The Sideline today was packed with High School coaches, fans, and some impressive HS players that were here for Junior Day. I also noted outside that the mother Osprey was back with …
The Fish Report: A New Bowl Strategy?
We all marveled during the season at how the No-Huddle strategy combined with the Spread Offense could be so potent. Teams such as USC that had double or triple the number of four and five star players on their rosters would take a lead on us—only to have it fade and lose by a substantial margin. Talent became less the …
The Fish Report: First Spring Scrimmage
We know its spring with new blossoms, new buds on trees, and our Osprey friends nesting as usual in the corner of Autzen. The footballs are flying, so it has to be April—right? Baloney. It felt like a December Civil War game as that was one of the coldest scrimmages that I’ve ever been to and ill prepared for! My …
FishDuck, Why Are You Giving Away Oregon’s Secrets?
We have not been learning from the Sportscasters on TV, radio, internet, or newspapers about the offense up to this point. They have mentioned the “Zone Read” because it is the catchword, but NONE yet (as of August of 2011) have identified or explained the two basic plays of Inside Zone Read, and Outside Zone Read that the offense revolves …
Fish Report: RB Zone Blitzes
Remember the joy of massive discovery? Going down the candy isle as a kid for the first time….seeing all the pretty girls at your first junior high dance…..or being thrilled to the thousands of apps available on your new cell phone? With Zone Blitzes….I’m there baby! Going back over Oregon’s Season revealed some wondrous new defensive strategies that I just …