2017 Oregon Football: Unlike any Season EVER

Charles Fischer, Mr. FishDuck Editorials

My friends, the title above is true. I am still blown away just thinking about it. As a 30-year season ticket holder and lifelong observer of Oregon football, I have never gone into a Spring or Fall Football Season like 2017, and it will be that way for all of us; we have never had a season in our lifetime that …

Oregon Football Inspires and Teaches Coaches Worldwide

Charles Fischer, Mr. FishDuck Special Fish Report

So … a routine email from Europe, and scaling down FishDuck.com to take a break may have changed everything? I and many of the writers might come back and produce five articles a week like before? It is an interesting story that involves all of you, and I am certainly open to your thoughts and feedback. As with the last …

Recruiting Analysis: Taking on George Moore

Mike Kelly Talent Evaluation

My background is the NFL Draft, so I will be looking at college recruits from that perspective: not only on their immediately impact at the collegiate level, but what their long term prospects may be.  The NFL is about three things when assessing talent: height, weight, speed, potential and motivation. I’ve based the following on new Ducks recruit, George Moore, …

Coach’s Comments: the Unsung Preseason Victories of Willie Taggart

Coach Morris Coach's Opinion, What Coaches say about Oregon Football

He hasn’t coached any games – or even conducted a practice session — yet, but I’m thinking most of us already have a positive opinion on the hiring of Head Coach Willie Taggart. As he, his staff, and players now prepare for spring practice in April, there seems to be a lot of rational enthusiasm being felt by almost all …

Recruiting Update: A Good Start to Willie Taggart’s Recruiting Era

August Howell Recruiting

Willie Taggart has settled into his new role at Oregon quite well. Despite the “hospitalized players” drama, hiring a new coaching staff and the pressure to bring Oregon back to compete for a PAC-12 championship, Taggart has delivered a solid 2017 recruiting class. His ability to bond and forge relationships with players has really shown during this offseason. The biggest takeaway I got …

The ONE Negative about Willie Taggart that we’ll Overlook…

Charles Fischer, Mr. FishDuck Editorials

Many Oregon fans are so pleased with the recruiting results of Head Coach Willie Taggart that an argument could be made that he was almost heaven-sent perfect for our beloved Ducks. But look, nobody is perfect. My title is true, and this is not meant to be the beginning of a “Canzano-type” hit article, but simply my observations–with which many might …

Oregon’s Recruiting SHOT Heard ‘Round the Pac-12

Charles Fischer, Mr. FishDuck Editorials

The title of this article isn’t meant to be phony; it really is true. 10 other conference members heard the “swoosh” sound of Duck feathers flying by them in recruiting … and they are whipping their heads around, looking towards Eugene and saying, “WTF?” Oregon is ahead of all of them but USC in Willie Taggart’s first recruiting season! Sure, …

FishDuck’s “State of the RECRUITING Union” Analysis

Charles Fischer, Mr. FishDuck Analysis

I have been around recruiting as long as Oregon football has been on the web, and frankly, I am stunned at what I am seeing with Oregon football recruiting currently. This is not meant to be a “feel-good” article/analysis, because, as in the past, I am calling it as I see it, whether good or bad (and I cannot believe …

Recruiting Update: Big Prospects on the way as Signing Day Approaches

August Howell Recruiting

Just as surely as Oregon Men’s Basketball has established a winning culture around Matthew Knight Arena, the football program is set to bring its recruiting game to a whole new level. Head coach Willie Taggart has brought in some incredible talent at the coaching positions, along with elite defensive recruits. National Signing Day is Feb. 1, and there is still a …

Taggart’s Solution to his Coaching Puzzle?

Coach Morris Coach's Opinion

It’s now Friday morning, Jan. 27.  With letters of intent due in a week, and Ducks fans then having their first opportunity to view, and evaluate the work of, Willie Taggart’s [possibly] entire new staff of assistants, it’s a good time to talk about how things are going for this coaching staff as we head into a very important final …

Surprise Visitors in January Keep Oregon Football Recruiting Exciting

Jason Fowler Recruiting

Coach Willie Taggart and his staff will sign 24-28 prospects for the the 2017 class. Oregon has 16 current commitments now and need at least eight more with less than one week left to do it. The three open weekends in January have been and will be peppered with potential future Ducks using one of five official visits (OV) to see …

Taggart’s Accountability and Fear: MUSTS For a Great Coach

Coach Morris Advice for the Coaches, Coach's Opinion

This article will be mainly conceptual – not anecdotal.  I wrote a book with dozens of  stories to illustrate the concepts I’m going to talk about here.  But this isn’t the place to cite a lot of those anecdotes.  Mike Morris (Grizzled Ol’ Coach) My concept is stated in my title.  It’s based on 30 years of being a high …