Few things have impacted the game of football like the spread offense. The revolutionary concept of spreading the field to dictate the box count and to get athletes in space wasn’t widely accepted by the football community at first. But now, it’s the base offensive system for nearly every team at every level. With offenses rarely employing multiple running backs …
A recent report by sportsbettingdime.com shows that, with the COVID-19 pandemic, college football attendance could drop by an average of 74 percent. At Oregon, a 74-percent decline means an average attendance of 13,933. Yikes. Imagine a rip-roaring, louder than hell Autzen Stadium only playing at 25 percent of its capacity. That is like taking a sold-out Matthew Knight Arena and …
The Oregon Ducks’ 2020 receiving corps has inspired legendary broadcaster Keith Jackson to use his favorite catchphrase “Whoa, Nellie!” Mario Cristobal has his work cut out putting a depth chart together for these guys. That said, deciding which play-making wide receivers are going to start over others is a good problem to have. The lack of depth and experience in …
The Ducks need a star to emerge at wide-out in 2020. The 2019 Oregon Ducks had a versatile and effective ground game complemented by a receiver-by-committee air attack. However, despite the passing attack being orchestrated by veteran signal caller Justin Herbert, no single receiver was able to eclipse 1000 yards or catch double-digit touchdowns. Although those receiving metrics aren’t necessarily …
From the angst-filled opener in Dallas, to the dramatic finish in Pasadena, Duck fans marveled over Andy Avalos‘ 2019 Oregon defense. No amount of glowing anticipation could match the outstanding improvement Avalos’ troops demonstrated in just one year. With only two key additions, Oregon’s defense garnered 97 tackles for loss, 41 sacks, 20 interceptions, 42 quarterback hurries and yielded only …
What if the Ducks’ success boiled down to a single play? Let me take you back to a moment that changed the trajectory of Oregon football. It was the fourth quarter. No. 6 Oregon trailed No. 8 Wisconsin 27-21 in the Rose Bowl game. Quarterback Justin Herbert already had two first-half rushing touchdowns but struggled to find his passing rhythm. …
My friends, I felt the same as the majority of those on the Oregon message boards last Friday concerning the announcement of the change of name of our rivalry game with Oregon State. I thought at that time that it was a knee-jerk reaction to the trendy topic of the day, and I was not happy, as a 34-year season …
In 2018, the NCAA proposed that redshirted players could participate in up to four games in a season without burning up a year of collegiate athletic eligibility. This was a fantastic rule change in the eyes of many coaches, as it allowed for more flexibility on rosters, as well as for players, who could test playing at another level of …
“All we are saying, is give us a chance.” In 2025, the current agreement that governs the College Football Playoff (CFP) comes to a close. The final CFP National Championship under the existing format will be played in January 2026. Concurrent with the end of the Playoff, the lucrative ESPN Playoff media rights agreement also expires. Thereafter, the majority of …
If you didn’t know Oregon routinely goes 1-11 in Pac-12 Network replays, you aren’t watching the same Pac-12 Network and its drive to preserve revisionist history that I’m seeing. I haven’t bothered to talk to anyone at “everybody’s” sports network, but it appears that they are rotating prime time by school; that is, Monday might be ASU night, followed by …
Something we have heard throughout the offseason is that the biggest changes Joe Moorhead will bring to the Oregon offense are in the passing game. Coach Moorhead hasn’t been shy about pushing the ball down the field at any of his previous stops, and that looks to continue with the Oregon Ducks. One concept that highlights the new offensive coordinator’s propensity …
Of all the great Oregon Ducks football teams of the early 2010s, the 2012 team might have been the greatest. In Chip Kelly’s final season as head coach, the Ducks’ hyperspeed, spread-option offense was at the peak of its powers. For all but one game, Oregon was arguably the best team in college football. But a slip up against Stanford …