Season One: Bumps, Bruises and the Case for Optimism

Justin Samples Editorials

Sitting here after the Civil War, I️ can’t but help to think, “what a difference a year makes.” Yes, there are some entitled myopic fans shouting “we could have been 10-2!” Or “we should have been X and X!!” Well, to be honest, if that’s your response to what you saw this season, I’d prefer you jump on that Husky …

Textbook Defense, Herbert’s Return Energize Duck Victory; Civil War Next

Coach Ken Woody Coach's Opinion

In one of the most complete games played by an Oregon defense in years, Jim Leavitt’s defensive unit put the kybosh on the most explosive player and team in the Pac-12, and Duck quarterback Justin Herbert returned to action prompting a surge of adrenaline that awoke a somnolent offense for a 48-28 Dad’s Day win over Arizona. The win gave …

Herbert Returns and Ducks Roll

Darren Perkins Editorials

With that very first play from scrimmage — a ten yard completion from Justin Herbert to Dillon Mitchell — you could feel Duck Nation let out a collective sigh of relief, as if to say: “Our long offensive nightmare is over.” Good times are here again as the flash n’ balls of the Oregon offensive showed up for the first …

Charles’s FishWrap: Taggart Tactics Topple ‘Cats

Charles Fischer, Mr. FishDuck Editorials

Takes you back to the old days doesn’t it? You know, Oregon scoring 45-50 points, the other team scoring 27 to 34 points and the fans screaming at Nick Aliotti for allowing that much? Boy, has our perspective changed! That was the biggest darn victory that I did not see coming, and yes … my perspective has changed, and I …

Ducks (Coaches and Players) Need to Focus Against Arizona

Coach Ken Woody Coach's Opinion

Last week, the Ducks came to Seattle to play tough, hard-nosed football and scored on their first possession for a 3-0 lead. After stopping the Huskies on their next possession, they marched down the field only to fumble on UW’s 16-yard line. This mistake was the first of many to follow that would undo the Ducks, mistakes they could not …

FRACTURED: How one Injury Undermined the 2017 Oregon Ducks Football Rebuild

David Miller Editorials

Momentum is the quantity of motion of a moving body, measured as a product of its mass and velocity. Momentum. Velocity. Mass. All factors that led to the Ducks losing four out of the last five games, and three straight losses. As Justin Herbert stretched across the goal line against California, a slightly late defender who’d already committed his energy …

Charles’s Washington FishWrap: “Questions to Ponder”

Charles Fischer, Mr. FishDuck Editorials

Isn’t this lovely? Writing and reviewing a game such as that one is truly like consuming the “Hair of the Dog” to offset the effects of it upon you. It is hard to not reach some conclusions, yet I am wary of over-reacting in either direction as I have in the past. It is difficult to be measured and reasonable …

First Growth Spurt: Burmeister Shows Progress

Coach Eric Boles Analysis

Against the Utah Utes, we didn’t have to wait very long to see where Braxton Burmeister’s game has improved. On the first drive of the game we saw a good amount of growth in the passing game from the young quarterback. In this analysis, we  take a look at four plays in the game’s opening drive that show how Braxton is …

Punchless Ducks Up Against the Ropes

Darren Perkins Editorials

It could have been worse. It could have been 2007, on the heels of Dennis Dixon’s knee injury against Arizona, when the Ducks stumbled into the Rose Bowl and couldn’t score a point, losing 16-0 to a hapless and free-falling UCLA. Though the Ducks had national championship aspirations that year, which had vanished in Tucson the week before, they still …

Growing Up Is Painful: Burmeister a Work in Progress

Coach Eric Boles Analysis

It hasn’t been pretty. It rarely is. Braxton Burmeister is a true freshman quarterback thrust into a starting role before he’s ready for the speed and complexity of the college game, and he has looked the part. This whole situation really started to take shape in the spring. Oregon had good depth at quarterback going into the 2017 season, and …

Making Excuses for Willie Taggart

Cody Lonning Editorials

In his first press conference as the Oregon Football head coach, Willie Taggart presented his organizing mantra: ”Make no excuses. Blame no one. Do something.” With few exceptions, Taggart has stuck to his commitment to make no excuses. But if Taggart won’t make excuses for the Ducks, somebody must because our expectations for this year should be tempered by the good …