(From the movie Stripes.) Cruiser: Maybe I should fold. Ox: Let me see, Cruise. Let me look first. (Looks at Cruiser’s hand.) Fold? Not with a hand like that! Come on, dare me. Bluff me! Cruiser: How much should I bet? Ox: If it was me, I’d bet everything. But I’m Mr. Las Vegas. Come on, go for it. (Cruise …
Predicting The PAC: South Edition
The Pac-12 South is an interesting case. While the North has been dominated by perennial contenders Oregon, Stanford and Washington, the South has been more of a mixed bag, with some programs on the rise, some on the decline and others in between. As I did a few weeks ago with our fellow Pac-12 North opponents, let’s take a look …
Can Oregon Avoid a Friday Night Letdown in 2019?
For at least one Friday night in the fast-approaching 2019 season, the Ducks are going to steal the show from high school football when they host Colorado. Autzen Stadium hasn’t played host to a collegiate football game on a Friday night in quite some time. The Ducks are used to postponing their Black Friday shopping in order to play their …
Is Oregon REALLY a Top-10 Team?
The Oregon hype train is picking up steam. The Ducks are the popular pick to win the Pac-12, and many pundits have them pegged as a playoff dark horse. ESPN is the latest to jump on the train, placing Oregon at No. 10 on its 2019 Football Power Index, far ahead of several Pac-12 rivals and one spot behind their …
Does Oregon Have a Quarterback Problem?
In football, the quarterback is far and away the most important position on the team. His performance is pivotal to success. Oregon has a quarterback who should hear his name called early on the first day of the 2020 NFL Draft. So, what’s the problem? As much potential as Justin Herbert has, he hasn’t necessarily lived up to the mounting …
Is Oregon Ready for a Lone Star Rumble?
(To the tune of ‘The Yellow Rose of Texas”) She’s the sweetest little rose (bowl) bud that Texas ever knew, From Eugene to Dallas, few Ducks have ever flew. You can talk about your Clemsontine and sing of Coach Swinney, But that Duck named Puddles is the only one for me. Gus, he was the OC when Tigers ate Duck …
How Oregon Can Fix Its Underwhelming Rushing Offense
During the 2018 football season, the Ducks had clear-cut leaders at running back with CJ Verdell and Travis Dye. The two accounted for 1,757 of Oregon’s 2,392 rushing yards — over 73 percent of the team’s total. While an impressive statistic, it was considered a down year in rushing. In 2017, the Ducks had 3,284 rushing yards, and the top three …
The 2019 Oregon Football Offense: Is It All About PRIDE With Cristobal?
The question I’ve posed aloud numerous times on this site for the current coaching staff at Oregon that has never been answered is a big one … “When the Oregon Spread Offense under Chip Kelly/Mark Helfrich from 2008 through 2016 averaged nearly 43 points a game, (42.8) and it became the brand of Oregon football and what we were known …
Ponder-Point: Was the 2001 Football Team SUPERIOR to 2010 and 2014?
I wonder about the best Oregon football team ever, as we have three great teams as candidates. Everyone would assume that the 2014 team with so many stars highlighted by Heisman winner, Marcus Mariota, would be the natural selection, but I keep looking at that 2001 team as one that was loaded with Oregon stars and future NFL players. That …
Predicting the PAC: North Edition
Those of you who frequent this site are well-versed in the happenings of the Ducks’ offseason, from Justin Herbert staying, to Jim Leavitt leaving, to Kayvon Thibodeaux and Andy Avalos arriving. It’s clear Oregon has improved this offseason. But the Ducks aren’t the only ones who’ve had a successful spring and summer. Here’s what our fellow Pac-12 North members have …
Oregon Has a Leach Problem
Washington State head coach Mike Leach has graced the Pac-12 with his presence and entertaining press conferences since 2012. Before arriving in Pullman, Leach coached the Texas Tech Red Raiders in a then-competitive Big 12 Conference where he was quite successful. Overall, at Tech, Leach went 84-43 from 2000 until 2009, when he was relieved of his duties. Over the …
Garth Brooks Was Right About Oregon Football
“Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers …” Garth Brooks recently played at a packed Autzen Stadium, and while I’m no country music fan (rock n’ roll is my game), I respect what the man has accomplished in the world of entertainment and can recognize most of his hit songs. The song “Unanswered Prayers” — a song about the …












