Finally, the football season is here. The roster is talented but after some dismal moments in 2020, exactly how the Ducks will perform in 2021 is a mystery. Last weekend, UCLA was the only Pac-12 team in action as they rolled 44-10 over a sub-par-to-average Mountain West team in Hawaii. This got me thinking about how the Ducks should fare …
Tempo-Tempo-Tempo: Will We See it at Oregon in 2021?
A question I see often in the comments concerns whether Oregon will be running fast tempo this season. I am curious as to whether you think we will, or if we even need to run fast tempo and how often. We all know the story of how a former coach pulled that tactic out of the distant past and made …
Offense/Defense: What are Your Number Goals for 2021 Ducks?
We throw around a ton of stats and make our predictions, yet some fundamental ones are often bypassed. I am curious as to what your goals for the Oregon Football team in 2021 in terms of points scored and points allowed. You are also invited to give your numbers as to what you think they should be, and you think …
Blast-From-the-Past! Fresno State and Tim DeRuyter
It is hard to believe that it has been nine years since Tim DeRuyter came to Autzen Stadium as a head coach (before he joined Cal), when he brought his Fresno State Bulldogs to Eugene to play Chip, Marcus and Oregon’s Spread Offense in 2012. Oregon raced to a 35-3 lead with 1:40 left in the second quarter, and this …
Is College Football’s Grand Alliance Doomed to Fail?
When the SEC poached Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12, it sent a shock wave through the college football world and challenged the status quo of the Power-Five Conferences. Speculation and conference realignment talk became the hot topic among college football fans, and rightfully so. Overnight, the Power-Five became the Power-Four. The Big 12, without Texas and Oklahoma, is …
Oregon QB Number Madness: Where Does it End?
The trend of receivers wanting quarterback numbers began years ago, and now has drifted to running backs. But to see Fat-Mac above with Joey Harrington‘s number–a Nose Tackle wearing a quarterback number? That is so wrong. So where did the No. 3 move to? On offense we saw Johnny Johnson III snag it, and now on defense we see that …
If It’s Good Enough for Saban, It’s Good Enough for Cristobal
And I’m talking about offense. Yes, Charles Fischer isn’t the only one at FishDuck.com who has problems with Mario Cristobal’s handling of the Oregon offense. I wrote a few articles during the 2019 season, hammering Cristobal for the lack of explosiveness and his underutilization of Justin Herbert. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I love everything Cristobal …
Has Cristobal’s “Physical” Offense Worked? Will It?
I’ve never heard as much about “a tough culture” or “being physical” from any coach at Oregon as I have from Coach Mario Cristobal. There was a feeling of toughness from Coach Rich Brooks and his Gang Green defense, but he did not preach it like we’ve heard over the last three years. Nationally known writer Steward Mandel provided some …
Oregon Wins: Pac-12 is Becoming Top-Heavy with Talent
A phenomenon that has never included Oregon is occurring before our eyes due to recruiting skills of Coach Mario Cristobal and his staff, and I was stunned at the recent numbers illustrating this trend. It has a profound impact on the future of the conference and begins to beg the question of “whether the Pac-12 is becoming the ACC of …
Huskies Will Go Undefeated in 2021: Do You Agree?
Oh brother, Ryan Leaf, the former great WSU quarterback has predicted the Huskies to go 12-0? I do not which I did not see coming more … a Cougar writing that, or it concerning “the-mistake-by-the-Lake?” I will let you read his reasons why in the link above, but I thought this would be a ponder-point to howl about on a …
After Taggart: Would You Have Wanted Chip Kelly?
It wasn’t going to happen, but if Chip Kelly could have returned to Oregon again–would you have wanted him back? This is an interesting question because a ton of people have declared that “FishDuck wants Chip Kelly back, and would have passed on Mario Cristobal.” I’ll give you my answer on that if you give me yours, and we can …
Cam McCormick has Three More Years Left?
Sounds wild doesn’t it? A sixth year senior can still have three years left of college football eligibility? Yet it is true for Cam McCormick, the 6’4″ 259 lb. tight end from Bend, although he has not made up his mind how long he will continue his career at Oregon. For now–he is simply grateful to be on the field. …