You needn’t have been clad from head-to-toe in Duck gear, hoisting locally-brewed libations, and screaming at a wide-screen (or the field) to have noticed a pond-change in the 2018 Duck football team’s persona. Actually, it shouldn’t take any deductive or visual attention at all— the new head coach, Mario Cristobal, was very clear: the Ducks needed to get bigger, stronger, …
Oregon’s offense underachieved in 2018. The offensive unit had a variety of issues throughout the season, and those issues were alarmingly prevalent in the Redbox Bowl against a feisty Michigan State defense. Although the Ducks earned a hard-fought victory, it wasn’t because of their offense, which struggled to establish any sort of rhythm throughout the game. Oregon finished with a …
It’s a wonderful time to be an Oregon Ducks fan. Justin Herbert and nine other starters are set to return on offense, so 2019 could be a special season. But what will it take for the Ducks’ talented trigger-man to take the Ducks to the next level? Let’s explore the qualities and attributes that make a great quarterback, and see if Oregon’s …
The Inside Zone has been a play utilized by the Oregon Ducks’ offense for quite some time. Chip Kelly predominantly ran the play from the Shotgun, while Coach Mario Cristobal leaned a little more in the direction of the Pistol. Today we’re going to take a look at how the play works and how it is run differently from both formations. …
Oregon will be in the 2019 playoffs, as some of us here have been talking about 2019 since early in the 2017 season. We discussed how after a steady rebuild, and if Justin Herbert came back for his senior season, we’d have a chance to play for championship. Given the performance of 2018, and the level of player and coaching …
I forgive you for thinking that the Ducks would return to glory in 2018. I forgive you for thinking that they would be Crist-o-ballin’ back to the Rose Bowl or maybe even the playoffs. And I forgive your twitter hyperbole and article comments of anticipatory grandeur, despite the fact that it was delusional to expect such a drastic turnaround in …
It was billed as the biggest National Championship Game since the legendary meeting between USC and Texas in 2006. The unheard of fourth straight postseason matchup between Alabama and Clemson had all the makings of an instant classic. The field was littered with future NFL draft picks. The opposing quarterbacks were among the best in the sport. And head coaches …
A flurry of controversy began as soon as the announcement broke that Justin Herbert would return to the Oregon Ducks for his senior season. Many fans seemed to support the return and viewed it as an opportunity for him to further his development and play alongside his younger brother. However, there exists a subset of folks who believe turning down the …
Let’s continue to take a look at the state of the Pac-12 Conference, as there have been some recent developments over the past couple of weeks. (Related articles: “Has Larry Scott Sunk Pac-12 Football?” and “Larry Scott and the Pac-12’s Problems.”) Pac-12 Officiating Strikes Again We all know about the bashing that Pac-12 officiating has received over the years. All of it, well-deserved. It …
There’s no question that Oregon’s offensive performance in 2018 fell short of the standard set in recent glory years. As fans, we’re left with one question: What should we do about it? The internet’s popular theory is that if we don’t fire the offensive coordinator, we should at least have the decency to get our skivvies in a knot and …
If one thing is true in college football, it’s that programs aren’t created equally. A handful of teams rule the landscape, and, as evidenced by the fourth straight year of Alabama versus Clemson in the college football playoff, championships are generally won by the same exclusive group of perennial, blue-blood programs. To this point in their history, the Oregon Ducks …
The Oregon Ducks won nine football games in 2018. The overwhelming majority of pre-season predictions had the team at either eight or nine wins. A few fan sites (I’m looking at you, FishDuck.com comments section) were certain the team was destined for ten wins, but the majority of people thought eight or nine would be progress considering a third head …