All right….you know I cannot stay away from a keyboard too long, as Mr. FishDuck has to share what is rattling around in his head. This break I’ve been taking has been wonderful due to the absence of frustration that comes with managing a website. Yet I never figured when I started FishDuck.com at age 55 — that I would …
Although Oregon has now been a winning program for more than 25 years (dating to the 1989 Independence Bowl season), and much of that success has been due to the continuity of its coaching staff — with assistants like Don Pellum, Steve Greatwood and John Neal‘s tenures stretching across multiple head coaching regimes — there have always been necessary course …
Mike Merrell’s Three-and-Out With the changes at FishDuck.com, the Three-and-Out hasn’t gone away. It’s just been laid up with Christmas, a hernia and bowl games. And that’s the subject of this week’s Three-and-Out. 1. Christmas. On my last trip to the bank, the teller innocently asked me how things were going. I told her, “Nothing fatal.” She laughed until the …
After having written more than 300 articles over the last four years — none were as hard for me as this one. FishDuck.com … after having many false stops and starts in the past is finally downsizing – as we have attempted many times. The more than 50 writers and editors are now gone (at one time we had more than 100 volunteers in six departments), and it will …
Last week I investigated the Oregon defense by comparing key metrics over the past 10 years. In doing so, I was able to discover how the Ducks have evolved on the defensive side of the ball. By establishing a baseline comparison to past performance I can now confidently compare the 2015 defense to other Oregon teams. Because team offense has an …
So why hasn’t Mark Helfrich already named Matt Lubick the offensive coordinator? Why is Helfrich making Lubick essentially “audition” for the job? BECAUSE HE CAN. I’ve always admired patience. Decisions are more often made correctly if all the necessary information has been accumulated. Rushes to judgment usually don’t work out so well. Mark Helfrich is showing admirable restraint in naming …
Mike Merrell’s Three-and-Out If you had to pick three sore spots from 2015 Oregon football, quarterbacks, defense and the lack of a championship run would have to dominate the list. Those sore spots and what they mean moving ahead are the subjects of this week’s Three-and-Out. 1. Quarterbacks. The Oregon program has been criticized for bringing Vernon Adams in from …
Duck Family Day is a new feature article where Oregon fans share their stories of … being Oregon fans! Email charles@fishduck.com to share your experiences, your family stories and what it means to be a Duck fan. Craig Harmon is in the military and a reader of FishDuck.com and is extremely passionate about our beloved Ducks, the same as you and me. Contact …
Just looking at their current win-loss records, one would think the No. 24-ranked Oregon Ducks (7-1) should not have too big a problem taking on the unranked Boise State Broncos (6-4) Saturday in Boise (5 p.m. on CBS Sports Network). Taking a closer look, one sees that three of the Broncos’ losses came at the hands of No. 1 Michigan State and …
If you have ever worked in wet, cold weather with drenched gloves that merely protect soggy fingers from the gusty winds, you’ll know what I mean when I say it is uncomfortable. You know that feeling that your hands are stuck in a bowl of ice water, and it seems like nothing will cure the biting sting of cold. It …
… or is it? After weeks of despair and dissension, the 4-7 Philadelphia Eagles rallied to stun the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, 35-28. Chip Kelly outsmarted coaching legend Bill Belichick in their first head-to-head battle. Sam Bradford returned from injury and outdueled uber-QB Tom Brady, playing efficient, error-free football. Best of all, on Monday night the discarded DeSean …
First, the news that everyone already seems to know: Matt Lubick will be the next Oregon offensive coordinator. He wants the opportunity and, as Mark Helfrich well knows, he definitely deserves it. Matt’s first game might be very interesting. The Ducks offensive play caller must match wits with arguably the best defensive coordinator in college football — Gary Patterson of TCU. …