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Good point. Still Dixon and Ollesh left, and it would be fun to see Tommi Tophi running down the seam once or twice. We'll see what happens.

- Dan Lanning has coached in the Coliseum as an assistant coach but never as a head coach. - Arch Manning has never won a road game in regulation time. - Week 4 Quarterback Rankings - 29 Faizon Brandon - Tennessee/ 40 Arch Manning - Texas 1 Michael Hawkins - West Virginia/ 33. Drew Mestemaker - Oklahoma State (49 John Mateer - Oklahoma 🤪) 48 Hank Brown - Iowa/ 69 Bryce Underwood - Michigan 9 Jayden Maiava USC/ 47 Dante Moore - Oregon - Kirk Ferentz - 9 seasons at Iowa as an assistant coach - 28 head coach Kyle Whittingham - 11 seasons at Utah as an assistant coach - 21 head coach Saturday- 1st meeting of these two venerable coaches, with the game being played in the venerable Big House? Perfect. - Tennessee - 0-6 in the last six home games vs. Top 25 opponents, and 0-0 with a President of the United States in attendance. Texas - 1-0 at Tennessee - and 1-0 with a President in attendance. 1969 - Texas 15 - Arkansas 14 in the 'Game of the Century' with President Richard Nixon on hand. Down 14-0, Texas came back to win the game 15-14. _ Week 4 games with a higher-ranked team as the underdog. No. 4 Ole Miss at No. 21 Florida/ No. 17 Iowa at No. 18 Michigan/ No. 19 Missouri at No. 24 Mississippi State, and No. 20 Oregon at No. 12 USC. - Rutgers coach Greg Schiano is paid $6.75 million a season, with a 500K salary bump coming in 2027. To date, that's $562,500 for each of the three losses. But, easy money 🤑. Rutgers -14.5 is hosing Howard. - G6 Game of the Season? Week 4 sees the 2-1 Boise State Broncos traveling to Kalamazoo to play the 'undefeated' Western Michigan Broncos. - Versus Top 25 opponents: Dan Lanning 15-8/ At USC, Linc is missing vs. the top 25 with a record of 5-14 - On Saturday, Minnesota is visiting Seattle for the first time since 1976. UW 38 - Gophers 7 - One team has started 2-2 and won a CFB championship - 1970 Nebraska - Game-time weather in LA: 85 degrees, 10% chance of rain, 32 % humidity, wind 11 mph. GO DUCKS!

Switching my pick. Originally had USC, but switched to Oregon because I couldn’t get the taste of throw up out of my mouth. Oregon 28-27 0 turnovers 0 sacks 284 yards passing. There are so many issues with this team right now. The OL is an absolute mess with both starting tackles PFF grades under 30, which includes the PSU game. I didn’t see anything against PSU to indicate it was any better. PSU was in the backfield, but just wasn’t athletic enough to make plays. Penalties are still an issue. Both coordinators are new. On defense, LBs are frequently out of position and the DL can’t get pressure. That’s a lot to clean up in one week. However, in Dan I trust.

In my era of playing football the rule of thumb was smash mouth football. Hit them hard, fast and often and play as one unit.. When i coached from 1976 to 2001. It was still the same. We weren't trying to hurt anyone, just be physical and dominate, both sides of the ball, every down and every play. I remember my Dad coming up to me after a game against the top team in our league and he said, "Your boys took the starch out of them from the get go. Nice win for the team!" Have any of you seen this Duck team take the starch out of anybody, this year?(PSU don't count). USC normally, even in a down year has a swagger to them! The Ducks need to knock that swagger back out into the parking lot. Mike, I love these breakdowns and all the great comments from the awesome posters. And DL needs to tweak somethings, now. Or fall on his sword of stubborness. But if I was coaching this team of great talent and potential, I would interject my one coaching philosophy that all my teams heard the first day of practice. "One or two players cannot beat 11 players who play as one. 11 players who carry out their assignment and play as ONE will not be beat". Smash mouth, assignment driven football and our Ducks will leave lalaland with a victory I believe in our Ducks, i wonder if they believe in themselves? Go Ducks

I'm glad to see a few people taking sc, so I don't have to just to win the contest as I did a couplde of years ago being the only one to take ewe dub. So, onward and upward. Ducks 48 - 35 2 TO's 2 Sacks 333 p yds

Yeah, they're both listed as "questionable" for tomorrow. Hopefully it just means DL is hiding them and unleashing one or both at game time. https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2026/09/oregon-football-reveals-first-availability-report-of-season-ahead-of-usc-matchup.html

Good take, but Johnson and Harrison may not be able to play.

Thanks Mike, I think we will see a lot of 2 TE sets Saturday for 2 reasons, #1 McClellan is out so pressure to keep three WRs on the field is gone, and #2 that was when things looked right running the ball against PSU (Low bar, I know). and the seam throws to releasing TEs will be effective enough to keep the USC LBs honest to not dagger every gap when we've got 2 TEs in the game.

Isn't it funny how programs hold on to opinion based titles than earning them on the field? USC is lucky-they got a semblance of earning against ONE team. Though I'll admit, nobody was going to beat Pete Carroll's Condoms. They were nuclear fortified!!!!

Happy, You said it better than I did, using far less words LOL!

Yep. Constraint plays on both sides of the ball would be very nice. Even Marcus Arroyo did it. And guess what? Mario Cristobal finally got there. The packages on offense and defense are completely installed. The philosophy doesn't have to change when the plays change. Just like you said-give a look they KNOW will happen, then pull their pants down because they bought the look.

Not knowing a thing.....I'd bet he has a very large endowment trust written into his will for the University after he and his spouse pass.

David, You brought up the issue before I had it completely in my mind. It is either bring in a talent infusion, or counsel with the best in the business-college and pro. What must change is the mindset that believes the players will execute if "we tweak it enough". Sometimes football is simply doing things people never thought you would do-leave your strategy behind.

Waddler, Teams are throwing so quick, that only stunts and exotic blitzes are going to get to a QB fast enough. Teams KNOW they can't hold onto the ball. I think Simulated Pressure would make a difference (the Buddy Ryan Zone Blitz packages. You're on point though-OBD needs to bring pressure to exploit the press man coverage the corners are so good at.

Jon, Jon, Jon, Where would this forum be without you? I always learn more when you post. Thanks pal.

Nail on the Head Kamikazi. I've said too much. This one is a doozie. Let's hope we see at least a 2025 Bama replay instead of a 25" PSU meltdown.

Glad you're here Solar. Great points as usual... I think the OL will be fine. They just need help until they are. I agree that the skill players may not trust the OL yet. Which begs the question: What are the coaches doing to get the team in a rhythm? Another point brought up is third and long. I believe 2nd and ten should be a quick package route scheme. I have said "go downfield-now!" in the past. That is not realistic at present. So we shall see if it is apparent early that the offense struggles, what Mehringer does. I am not talking about bubble and tunnel screens either (though traditional screens and deep routes supported by 5 yard check downs IS what I'm talking about). I have watched enough USC. San Jose State exposed them. They are ripe for downfield nuclear detonations. All Moore needs is enough time. They should be able to run the ball if they use the packages I discussed to start this thread: 21 and 13 packages. The OL needs time to gain chemistry, and Mehringer should run simple one-on-one schemes. That is the unit's strength. They are powerful downfield blockers. They are not fleet footed, nor quick to the second level. In my mind, these are fundamental issues that must be addressed until that unit gets its feet under them. I think the most important issue in this game is does this team want to fight? This is an MMA, Ali-Frazier, Mike Tyson and the Middleweight boxers of the 80s issue. This week, I hope Lanning was showing some Hearns vs Hagler stuff. Two dudes just going off on each other. That is the mentality this team needs. Mean, and Nasty. I will probably repeat that several times this year. This team has got to want to punch people in the mouth. Facemask on or off. Now, will Dan Lanning pay attention to lil ol me? NO But he is a smart guy. He absolutely knows he is on the clock. If you watched his expressions all game last week, he was all business and no smiles. He completely grasps this game -and his reputation- are on the line. Everybody is jumping on the Lanning is over rated bandwagon. It isn't true. But perception matters-especially to recruits. Dominating USC validates him and buys him time to attack the much larger issue: making elite talent dominant talent against elite and dominant teams. Intensity is where it starts. Chip Kelly proved toughness can match talent. He got robbed because the SEC refused to allow a just and fair game. They stole a title. But mean and nasty still matches that set of corn fed bubbas that move like gazelles. That is where we are-just a notch below that NFL caliber, but talented enough to do some serious damage anyway. I am curious to see what happens. I won't see the game until Saturday Night after work. But I sure hope I see the kind of effort I haven't seen in 15 years. Fast Hard Finish. We need more from you Solar. You see the field in slow motion.

Here are a couple of additional nuggets. Blown Coverages in C2.mp4The pass coverage in both of these explosive plays is Cover 2. You know- Cover 2 High. The first play is a flea-flicker. Well designed and the Free Safety bites...HARD. The Safety on the Field side is unfortunate enough to have to bail on the guy that ended up catching the ball because his High 2 counterpart left his position to stormtroop the running play (the Strong Safety's responsibility). loo First rule as a deep Safety. LOOK AT RECEIVERS. Not the ball. Why? Exactly this reason. Believe me, I made this mistake and it cost my team our very first game. So I know why Flowers should be a Strong Safety-his instinct is to kill. Anyway, if Flowers stays back, the Field Safety shuts down this play. The guy the Field Safety had to pick up was Flower's responsibility (he was too late getting to that guy, and Matayo prevented a TD pass on this play because he forced Mestemaker to throw a perfect pass to the crossing route-which he can because he has a very strong arm). Second Rule as a Safety- stay in your deep quarter of the field. The second play is exactly why. The Field Safety got scorched. The Boundary Safety picked up a semi fade route on his side when the Corner should have taken it-unless this was a Cover 6 (where it is Man Coverage on the Boundary Side and Zone Coverage on the Field Side). Had the Field Safety stayed in his quarter of the deep field, that WR would have run right to him. Now I consider these issues very basic. BUT, the players were talking about complex coverage rules that were confusing them. Unfortunately, that didn't help matters in the Portland State game-as I showed but did not explain (on purpose). I have to say this, although it pains me greatly to: The Elite Programs are making coverages very simple. In fact, Oklahoma State used one of these simple coverages on OBD. I called it a Cover 9. It was not. It was a Cover 3. And it works because OBD want to piggyback Dante Moore's incredibly strong arm. I'll show that coverage later. But not against OBD. It is a staple in the NFL, along with a very effective Cover 2 look that is locking down some very explosive passing attacks. In any event-looking at the QB (not just an OBD thing mind you-Georgia lost the 2018 Natty for that very reason) is an extinction event for OBD. I am hyperbolic for a reason. It is killing their ability to cover people. Only Jet Washington has shown any semblance of taking away open receivers. That is a massive issue folks. It is the difference between 30-20 versus Indiana in Eugene and 55-22 in Atlanta and 41-20 in Pasadena. It is that serious. I don't know a single Elite OC that can't dismantle this Defense at this point. The question becomes, when will Dan Lanning admit it? This team is talented enough to handle the physical and explosive group of elite teams. Coaching will be the difference. I am not sure it happens this year. First and foremost OBD absolutely must defeat USC-handily. As in another 14 point win. Otherwise, some elite players are going to question if Lanning's time has come and gone. I personally believe Lanning gets it. But he isn't sure how to attack it (probably without bruising some players' egos because frankly, some of them are seriously underperforming). We will have to wait and see because this team has enough talent to half butt it against most of this schedule. Their mission should be to obliterate the mediocre teams and dominate USC, Ohio State and Michigan. And they have the talent to do just that. One thing I saw that I really liked: Dante Moore was chewing out the team in Stillwater-despite having a bad game himself. That is actually huge. Now he needs to "go Pro" and throw receivers open. He started to in Stillwater. NOW he needs to be consistent. This weekend is huge friends. I want to see the effort. I'll take that first. The team can develop into a killer from there.

Oregon 42-33, 2T/O 2 Sacks 302 yards...

Outstanding, and informative....thank you Mike!

Five keys to the game: No. 20 Oregon at No. 12 USCHere are five keys to ensure No. 20 Oregon exits the Coliseum with a 3-1 record on Saturday night. https://247sports.com/college/oregon/longformarticle/oregon-ducks-football-five-keys-usc-cowboys-los-angeles-memorial-coliseum-290395095/

So, I promised some screenshots. Here is my first. Everyone knows my massive pet peeve is players staring down the QB instead of taking his options away (by actually covering receivers). Here is my second pet peeve (and it isn't exclusive to OBD-we just do this way, way too much). Notice the box: Five guys trying to master six. When Lanning talks about execution, this is one of the situations he is talking about. Lineman not holding their ground. My issue? How? How are you going to dominate a situation with a numbers disadvantage? Lanning expects his lineman to win these battles. News Flash: Oregon isn't winning the Line of Scrimmage because they are being outnumbered. This is a three year thing. Now notice the open space between the wide receivers. This is that wilderness I explained the Pioneers want to revisit. OBD try to cover everything and end up covering nothing. This ended up being a 10 plus yard run. I did see a non call on holding (I think the RG tackled DL Washington on the play), which would have killed this run, for about 4-5 yards. Still a loss on the stat sheet. When the PAC12 title game was played in Vegas, I was at the game. EVERY TIME I saw numbers like this, or a formation I didn't like that resembled this, I shuddered. I knew the result before the play started. I actually moaned out loud a couple of times (not too much because that gets annoying). We have a dominant Front Four. They are getting worn down fighting double teams every game. That in my opinion is not how to use a talent advantage. Here's the other thing. If you want to gash the Oregon Defense, spread them out. Lanning prefers to prevent explosive plays, so he reverts to 2 high (2 very deep safeties) and he puts his slowest guy on the fastest receiver (that is usually Aaron Flowers-who should be playing Strong Safety because he is a natural at it. Koi Perich should be playing Free Safety because he is far more effective than Flowers is. But if OBD really want to win battles in space, Jet Washington should play Free Safety because he actually does take options away from the QB-and when he doesn't he is in position to knock the ball our of a receiver's hands. In fact one of Washington's interceptions was because he was closing to do just that-strip the receiver from the ball. The QB was off the mark and Washington was in position to catch the ball instead of bailing out 15 yards from the play. In this photo, you can see why there is a Grand Canyon of space for receivers and runners to run wild through-the safeties run back 5 to 15 yards from their current position in this photo. So, either Lanning doesn't trust his safeties, or the safeties have the worst instinct for the ball. I am trying to figure that one out. But it was clear last week Jet Washington should be allowed to make mistakes (they already let another freshman get burned against Oklahoma State). He has far better instinct and is a ball hawk because he actually covers receivers instead of occupying space. My friends, massive changes must occur. We might as well have the safeties 25 yards off the ball. It is virtually the same thing. And as far as the DL goes. Let them cook one-on-one. And load the box appropriately. No more protecting small LBs. It isn't working. Well enough of my rant. I'm just a hack. But even a grade schooler is decent at simple math. And solid 7th graders are pretty good at Geometry.

Today (Friday) Indiana vs Northwestern at 5:00 Pacific

IF we don't get things turned around on execution and motivation our closest comp will be A&M under Jimbo Fisher after Mike Elko left. I can't take credit for that, some non-Duck fan/hater posted that on twitter, but it's the situation that we are closest aligned to at this moment in time.

Ducks 38 - 24 3 TOs 3 sacks 340