Avoiding Duck Dismay in the Desert

Cameron Johansson Editorials

The Oregon Ducks struggled on the road in the 2018-2019 season. Their only two wins away from home came against a sluggish Cal team, ranked 24th in the AP Poll at the time, and in-state rival Oregon State — hardly wins to get excited about. This year, the Ducks have notable road games in difficult environments such as Jerry’s World, …

Rich Rodriguez talks about the Ducks “They’re very, very athletic….”

Joey Holland FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Joey Holland reporting for FishDuck.com from the Arizona Press Conference at Levi Stadium following the Pac-12 Championship Game. “Wasn’t a good night. Next?” A succinct opening statement from Rich Rodriguez after his Arizona Wildcats fell 51-13 to Oregon in Friday night’s Pac-12 Championship Game. Arizona defensive end Dan Pettinato shared his coach’s curtness. “They just played better than us tonight,” said the senior …

Mariota Leads Ducks to Pac-12 Championship

McKalie Bellew FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Is it not an amazing time to be a Ducks fan or what?! Especially for those long-term fans like my father who sent me a picture from back home of our golden doodle giving him a high-five after the game in celebration. There is so much to discuss when it comes to last night’s major accomplishment not only for the …

Ducks Destroy Wildcats, 51-13, Take Home Pac-12 Championship

Randy Morse FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

After a shaky first quarter, the Oregon Ducks, led by an outstanding defensive performance and a Heisman-clinching game from Marcus Mariota, absolutely destroyed the 7th-ranked Arizona Wildcats, 51-13 in this evening’s Pac-12 title game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. After leading 23-0 at the half, the Ducks wasted no time asserting themselves in the third quarter. They moved …

An Analysis of Those Pesky Wildcats

Rory Davidson FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

OK, we are down to this last Pac-12 game. Win this and we’re in. It’s simple. Then again it’s not simple; there is a huge roadblock … some team named Arizona is in our way. I don’t think I need to recap the recent history with Arizona — it is a painful memory for the Ducks. The good thing about …

Gary Campbell Praises Freeman, Looks Forward to Pac-12 Championship Game

Omar Garibay FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Ashley Young of FishDuck.com interviewed Oregon’s running back coach Gary Campbell at the University of Oregon’s Hatfield-Dowlin Complex on Tuesday. Much of Oregon’s success this season has been attributed the play of their outstanding quarterback, Marcus Mariota. There is really no argument there. However, Mariota has led the Ducks all season, and his Heisman Trophy-like play has come with a …

Coaching Profile: Rich Rodriguez

Michael Bigham FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Rich Rodriguez bears an uncanny resemblance to the man who sold me my first car. “Creampuff,” the man said. It was a ’62 Buick Electra, purple with zebra stripe seat covers and sawdust in the transmission. Many detractors think Rodriguez has a car salesman mentality — shifty, not-to-be trusted. RichRod started his coaching career at his alma mater, West Virginia, …

College Football Nation: #HailState and a Shootout in Waco

Jeff Hostetler FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Everytime you think the season could not get any crazier, another week of games is played and proves us wrong! After this season started the defenses  have become non-existence, new teams are stepping up as contenders each week, and the drama with Jameis Winston never ends. With that in mind, lets get into some thoughts this past week of college …

How to Properly Complain About and Fix an Officiating Problem

Nathan Roholt FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

There are a few rules to complaining about officiating: Do So Sparingly. There are varying timelines regarding how long people want to discuss a game’s officiating and its effect on the outcome, from those with zero tolerance on its discussion to those who will talk until they’re hoarse, but the one constant is that some point everyone will fatigue on …

Opponent Analysis: Preventing the Wildcats’ Big Play

Rory Davidson FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Thursday is known as “upset day” in the Pac-12. Be wary of Thursdays! Oregon State shocking No. 1 USC comes to mind. So does Washington surprising No. 8 Stanford in 2012. And, of course, there was Stanford’s takedown of the Ducks last year (sorry for reopening that wound). But these are just a few of the upsets that have occurred on …

Ruining the Season: An Arizona Specialty

Nathan Roholt FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

“Bear Down.” It is the official motto of the University of Arizona, a slogan based on a Gipper-ish legend of a former player’s message to his team. Lying in his hospital bed in 1926, starting quarterback John “Button” Salmon told coach Pop McKale (yes, that McKale) on his final hospital visit to Salmon, “…Tell the team to bear down.” The motto …