Oregon football is having a down year, one the likes of Duck fans have not seen since 2004. College football is cyclical, competitive and a zero-sum game. So ‘down’ years, although tough to go through in present time, are going to happen. It is what a program learns and adapts to that make those downturns minimal. One program that has been …
Oregon Ducks now have 15 committed players for the 2017 class. They are ranked back in the top 25 and starting to feel normal again. Most of the commitments are outspoken regarding how much they really want to be a part of the Oregon program. This is great news; unfortunately this year has a looming “what if?” that can change …
A week ago it was reported that former Oregon athletic director Pat Kilkenny offered his support for Mark Helfrich and yet added that the fans will have their vote, their say in the future of Oregon football coaching. It got me to thinking about all the articles written on this site, the comments and all the negatives and positives I have read …
This fall, we have often used examples of the poor technique by the Oregon defense to help learn more football. However, the Utah game showed us glimpses of how Jimmie Swain is emerging as a solid player for the future of the Duck defense. He’s becoming a legit Pac-12 starting linebacker (good enough to be a defensive strength, instead of …
A couple of weeks ago I wrote an article advocating for the hiring of Osia Lewis as the next Oregon defensive coordinator. Last night, I was dreaming – while awake – and had a “What if … ?” moment. Even in the reality of the next day, I have a better candidate and plan. Are you willing to come along on my …
There’s no questioning that Chip Kelly revolutionized not just the Oregon offense, but college football itself. While Mark Helfrich largely sustained that offensive success with quarterback Marcus Mariota, since he left for the NFL we have seen gradual changes to the Oregon offense. The question today, as Oregon struggles on all fronts, is, are we witnessing the demise of the …
When Dana Altman told reporters that, “Trouble is eight days from today. We have to go down to Baylor and play a game.” After a 35-point victory in the team’s final exhibition, it was as if he could see into the future. Sure enough, when his 4th-ranked Ducks traveled to Texas to take on an unranked and unheralded Baylor squad, the …
2016 has played out like an episode of The Twighlight Zone. The Chicago Cubs just won the World Series for the first time in more than 100 years, the Warriors blew a 3-1 lead in the NBA finals for the first time ever, and now the country is calling Donald Trump its president-elect. The year for Duck fans has been even …
As all good Ducks fans know, you can’t spell philanthropy without P-H-I-L. I don’t know Phil Knight, and aside from bumping into him, literally, in a Portland crowd after a Spring Game many years ago, I’m pretty sure I’ve never heard him speak. But he certainly spoke to me this past weekend, albeit through the media. By now you’ve all …
There is a massive misunderstanding by many Oregon fans concerning the demise of the Ducks’ defense, and the origins of that decline. While Oregon has well-documented misses in defensive recruiting, there are many who believe that the Ducks are largely deficient in talent on that side of the ball, thus the poor performance with little hope for reversal anytime soon. …
I continue to maintain that, as fans, the more we know about the game of football, the more we will enjoy the game - win or lose. This season has proven that principal to me, as I am learning why the Oregon defense is so bad, which stems the tide of frustration (somewhat). Previously, we have discussed the important “Fill-and-Spill” fundamental for …
At least the Huskies lost. That’s about all that went well for Oregon fans Saturday. The Ducks were humiliated yet again, this time at Autzen Stadium, against Pac-12 North Division rival Stanford, 52-27. The final score really doesn’t even come close to telling how poor this showing was for the home team. The story heading into this matchup between two fallen …