So many of the “Greybeard” Oregon fans on the Our Beloved Forum recall the days in the 1970s, when both Oregon and Oregon State were equally bad. I was chatting with Mr. FishDuck and pulled him from his fun at sports betting online to ask him who, among our many coaches, changed his opinion most about the direction of the …
Loyalty for aspiring top-tier programs is dead in College Football. The desire for loyalty is commendable and brings stability to both a program and a fan base, but if the goal of a program is to win a National Championship, then loyalty shouldn’t be a factor. This doesn’t mean a school shouldn’t try to lock down its coach for as …
Is Mr. FishDuck out of his mind? Wasn’t it he who stated that Mark Helfrich deserved be fired two days before he was? Why would anyone want to bring back a proven non-performer? Because he might just be one of the best offensive minds in college football. Let’s clear the air; I am delighted with the hiring of Joe Moorhead …
In January 2013, following Chip Kelly‘s departure to the NFL, Oregon elected to do what they had done for decades by hiring offensive coordinator, Mark Helfrich as head coach. Nevertheless, an interesting question lingers: What if the Ducks had instead selected defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti as the lead man? I think most are happy with the Ducks’ current state, but would …
Mario Cristobal is a program builder. He took over as head coach at FIU under serious penalties from the NCAA and had few, if any, good facilities for his players. The Panthers had never blown the world away in the win column prior to his arrival, and he had no head coaching experience at the time. With the cards stacked …
Oregon fans owe Mark Helfrich an apology. I can still remember the rumblings of frustrated Oregon Football fans on Twitter after the 2016 campaign ended with a dismal 4-8 record (2-7 in Pac-12) to finish dead last in the North Division. For many, the answer was simple: #FireHelfrich. Admittedly, I was frustrated as well. In four years as head coach, …
Today, we are going to compare two Oregon teams of the past with different offensive schemes against the same opponent and style of defense: the Michigan State Spartans (MSU). The 2015 Oregon Ducks (9-4) played MSU in the second game of the season, and the 2018 Oregon Ducks (9-4) faced MSU in the RedBox Bowl, our most recent game. After …
On the afternoon of February 6th, Oregon held its traditional Signing Day press conference during which coach Mario Cristobal commented on the Ducks’ 2019 signing class and offered a glimpse into the overall status and health of the football program. Cristobal didn’t unveil anything new or revolutionary at the presser, but one thing did stand out. There was a marked …
Remember the Chicago Bears? They’re that team that’s been to the playoffs once in the last decade, right? You know, the guys who haven’t had a Pro Bowl quarterback since Jim McMahon in 1985? Well, this year you can also call the Chicago Bears one of the most improved teams in the NFL. In particular, you may notice a host …
What does “It’s better to be lucky than good” mean? And how does this statement apply to Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens? In 2016 Mullens parted ways with Mark Helfrich after two disappointing seasons, and embarked on Oregon’s first true head football coaching search in decades. He eventually found Willie Taggart, and whether Taggart sank or swam Mullens (and his …
The things I overhear while chewing on a new toy from Mr. FishDuck! I shared with you the blustering in our household in another article, and recently I had to pause from licking to consider that someone was called the Godfather of Oregon football. I had to listen closer, as football “tall tales” are legendary at the Fischer residence, and …
In the aftermath of signing day, as we try to make sense of it all, I compiled a chart (see below) covering the past twelve years of Oregon recruiting to help put things in perspective—from the end of the Mike Bellotti era to the beginning of the Mario Cristobal regime. At first glance, it’s clear that things took a dip …