It is no secret that Oregon fans are gnashing their teeth over the 2018 offense this offseason. Many critics blame Marcus Arroyo for one of the most bland attacks in recent Duck history. The offense looked so simple that, at times, it seemed like even a caveman could predict the plays. Fear not fans, I have faith that we will …
Ponder-Point: Looking Ahead to the NFL Draft
Haloti Ngata, Patrick Chung, LeGarrette Blount, Marcus Mariota — the list of Ducks making a splash at the next level goes on, and on, and on … There’s no better feeling than watching an NFL game, seeing a nice play, and subsequently bragging to your friends when you recognize a former Duck. With the draft quickly approaching, and the combine …
The Transfer Portal: A Blessing, Curse or Something In-Between?
We know that Albert Einstein’s theory regarding black holes’ existence in the universe was indeed correct. The Great One’s theory regarding wormholes in the universe being able to beam from here to there instantaneously over unimaginable distances, on the other hand, has yet to be proven. However, this theory, at least on a much more modified college football (CFB) scale, …
Cristobal Is Steadying the Ship at Oregon
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 …
Scott’s SCAM: Where EVERYONE LOSES
Sometimes, bad publicity is better than none. Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott should hope that’s the case, as the maligned mogul has been picked apart and criticized by media outlets across the country this offseason. The conference is in turmoil, and every damning article that’s published continues to serve as a reminder that the Pac-12 is digging itself further and further …
The Oregon Offense: Adding Firepower to the Playbook
Throughout a long off-season, I often find myself thinking of different plays I’d like to see added to a team’s playbook. Today I want to follow up on my last article with three new plays that I would love to see included in the Oregon Duck offense in 2019. Do I expect these exact plays to be added in the …
Making the Playoff: How Can the Ducks Get Back?
Go undefeated. Alright, maybe it isn’t quite that simple. But it also is that simple, isn’t it? There are two routes that lead to the College Football Playoff for the Ducks, and one of them is definitely to arrive at selection day with 13 wins and zero losses — leaving no doubt in the mind of the committee about the worthiness …
Recruiting Update: Finding the Quarterback of the Future
By now, Duck fans are well aware that Mario Cristobal is an ace recruiter. At Alabama, Cristobal was named the 2015 “Recruiter of the Year” by both Rivals.com and 247Sports. Four years later, he’s still going strong, securing the Ducks’ best-ever recruiting class this offseason. But he won’t spend the next six months resting on his laurels. Recruiting is a year-round …
Upon Further Review: Re-Branding the Pac-12
From the Pac-12’s “Taj Mahal Palace” in San Francisco, large-living Larry “Spendthrift” Scott has reached out to me to seek my advice on how to re-brand the conference. No surprise, as this is completely consistent with Scott’s other cogent business decisions. He just sent a big check to my consulting firm, better known as “JJ’s Crystal Ball Enterprises” (JJCBE). Apparently, he forgot …
Oregon’s Quick-Strike Run-Pass Option: Three Plays in 2.2 Seconds
Anyone who has ever laced up or called plays knows that feeling – when a defense aligns itself as if it knows exactly what play is coming. Sometimes, opposing players and coaches even call out the play as if they were in the offensive huddle. And then there are times when everything is aligned just right, and it seems like the …
Chip Kelly’s Success at Oregon Was a Flash in the Pan
In 2013, Chip Kelly walked away from Oregon football, but as it turns out, he probably should have walked away from football altogether. Of course, hindsight is always 20/20, but if posterity was of the utmost importance to Kelly, had he just walked away from it all, he could have become the Jim Morrison of college football — a few …
Oregon in the Pac-12: Time to FLEE FOR OUR LIVES?
“The time has come,” the Walrus said, “to talk of many things. Of shoes, and ships, and sealing wax, of cabbages … and Kings.” Alice In Wonderland Apparently, Arizona State (ASU) President, Michael M. Crow heard the call of the Walrus. (The Walrus, by the way, was the symbol of death for many Norse cultures and also for the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” …