Agony & Ecstasy in Cornhusker Land Full disclosure: I moved to Nebraska in 2016 to marry my wife Debra. My mom was born and raised in Nebraska and was a Big Red fan; but I never lived here and had only an occasional interest in the Huskers. The “Agony“? The Mike Riley Years, Of Course. By the end of the …
Sure, the Ducks should be better in 2017. But 10 wins? No way. Yes, Willie Taggart has brought the enthusiasm, the recruiting magic, the superb coaching staff and the Harbaugh moxie (Jim took Michigan from 5-7 to 10-3 in his first season). He may well be the next “it” coach. But it sounds as if the overly optimistic author of …
The Ducks of Mike Bellotti, Chip Kelly and Mark Helfrich won the Civil War game over Mike Riley 8 straight years, including twice (2008 and 2009) denying the Beavers their first Rose Bowl invitation since 1957. As soon as Riley took the Nebraska job and the home and home with Oregon was scheduled, I am sure the date was circled on Riley’s calendar. …
I’m still flummoxed that the Cornhuskers ever hired Mike Riley. He seems likeable enough but, even as the winningest coach in Oregon State’s storied football history, one struggles to call him a “successful coach” by any meaningful measure. When the Cornhuskers needed an institutional change from Bo Pelini, whose worst season was 9-4, Mike Riley did not jump to mind; at …
May rabies ravage the Dawgs and anthrax annihilate the Aggies! It’s not as if Oregon‘s Athletic Directors haven’t made a valiant effort. The Ducks once had home engagements scheduled with the Georgia Bull Dogs and the Texas A&M Aggies, only to be left at the altar by that castrated, chicken whip, canine University of Georgia, as well as being dumped …
The Arizona State Sun Devils host the Ducks tomorrow with little on the line for ASU. They have already secured a record which may remain unbroken forever. The Sun Devils have lost at least three games every year since at least 1998. The record probably goes back further than ’98. FishDuck.com/psychologistsinoursparetime asked me to examine the persistent mediocrity extant in Tempe. …
This week, long time Oregon State head coach Mike Riley left the farms of Corvallis for — wait for it — the farms of Lincoln, Nebraska, in a somewhat surprising decision earlier this week. It seems that Nebraska wanted former head coach Bo Pelini out of Lincoln ASAP, nullifying his $3 million a year contract, and to bring in Riley, the lowest paid …
There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that the Pac-12 is one of the best conferences in the country. The conference has changed vastly since its conception, but one thing has always stayed the same: winning. With the addition of Utah and Colorado three years ago (how time flies), the Pac-12 was split into two divisions: North and South. Though the North …
Kevin Cline Is Mark Helfrich’s team taking on a new identity? Did anyone see that ending coming? What about Oregon’s other senior receiver? Following the closest Civil War in more than 30 years that was part of the craziest weekend in college football in recent memory, some thoughts: Mark Helfrich is Beginning to Establish His Own Identity as Head Coach Remember …
Kevin Cline After beginning the season ranked in the Top 25 and coming off a 2012 season where they won nine games, expectations were high for the Oregon State Beavers this season, or least the hope was for more than six wins. Book-ended around those six wins were an embarrassing season-opening loss to FCS school Eastern Washington and a regular …
Next man up. That mantra doesn’t apply only to the roster, it applies to Oregon’s coaching staff as well. 1977 was the last time the Ducks didn’t hire their previous offensive coordinator to fill their head coaching vacancy. On Sunday, Mark Helfrich became the latest one to follow that path, and in doing so allowed a staff that had previously …