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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

Geez John, looking at those stats the one that dooms us is a 30 pff blocking grade for BOTH of our tackles INCLUDING the PSU game. Even if they miraculously double that it won't be good enough to run the table. One thing I saw on the tape of the OSU game is that the RBs were not trusting the rushing lanes would be there, and Dante Moore not trusting to have time to throw. It seemed so deeply ingrained that the OL must be sucking bad in practice too as these seemed to be learned habits. The hope is DL pulled the RBs and QB aside and said you have to trust the OL to do their job, there is no other way to play the game. Respond to the circumstances of the play, but you have to trust the OL to do their job. If the ceiling really is low for our OL and the USC DL shows up like they did at home the first two games, we get blown out. I'm talking 3 points in the 1st half kind of dominated. Then our defense looks bad statistically because our O keeps giving the ball back to USC to try again. USCs defensive scheme and players strengths are to defend well against what we try to do. The only thing that is sure to work is to throwing the ball to the middle 3rd over and over, which is a high risk high reward low efficiency thing to do, completely against the character of a Dan Lanning offense. I'm very curious to see what Mehringer dials up and tells Dante to take advantage of in this game.

This may be the hardest prediction ever, who knows if our OL can suddenly be able to block and our RBs and QB can actually trust them and excute? Oregon 31 USC 30 2 TOs 1 sack 390 yards for Dante is the only way we win.

The SEC Gets Its Way with the Playoff Poohbahs - I'm Shocked! 🤬 https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/college-football-playoff-metric-conference-strength-sec-schedule/?eid=c7d8647c6247db8d08c59fe44bc30380a147aa90b9e33099045cd46ddc6a485b&ftag=SNL-04-10aaa0b&ET_CI

6 out of 6 CBS Sports reporters like OBD to win. And Sports Illustrated had a B1G time article on Maiava that included a picture of his mug. 😁 Mug Maiava! https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/usc-oregon-prediction-picks-odds-spread-where-to-watch-live/?eid=c7d8647c6247db8d08c59fe44bc30380a147aa90b9e33099045cd46ddc6a485b&ftag=SNL-04-10aaa0b&ET_CID

Oregon 52-50 1 turn 2 sacks 365

Who Needs it Moore? Danno, or Linc? https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/dan-lanning-lincoln-riley-pressure-oregon-usc/?eid=c7d8647c6247db8d08c59fe44bc30380a147aa90b9e33099045cd46ddc6a485b&ftag=SNL-04-10aaa0b&ET_CID=585736&ET_RID

Scheme problem first and foremost. DL is a gap control scheme, not see ball get ball.tou can only attack the ball through the gap you are responsible for. So if disengaging from the blocker would take you out of your assigned gap, you don't do it. It's a bend don't break strategy for the DL.

Four Week 4 Games with a Playoff Punch include Iowa at Michigan and OBD at USC - https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/week-4-college-football-playoff-impact-games-ole-miss-florida-sec/?eid=c7d8647c6247db8d08c59fe44bc30380a147aa90b9e33099045cd46ddc6a485b&ftag=SNL-04-10aaa0b&ET

B1G Games Tonight. And two games on Saturday where Oregon fans should cheer on the visitors! Tonight - September 25th - 5 PM Pacific on Fox: 2-0 Northwestern (the Wildcats were off in Week 2) goes on the road to play 3-0 and No. 5-ranked Indiana. Under the tutelage of Chip Kelly and Jerry Neuheisel, NW QB Aiden Chiles is avoiding the inconsistent play and the turnovers that have plagued him for the prior three seasons. Under the tutelage of Mike Shanahan and Curt Cignetti, the previously turnover-prone Indiana QB Josh Hoover has not thrown an interception. (Next week, renovated Ryan Field opens with Northwestern hosting Penn State. Friday night, October 2nd, 5 Pacific on Fox.) --- 1-2 FCS Howard at winless Rutgers. If Greg Schiano does not win this game, he could be fired early in the season, as were James Franklin and Brian Kelly last season, and replaced by ... Brian Kelly. Scuttlebutt has it that Kelly has offered millions of dollars from his $54 million severance payment to help build the Rutgers roster. Big Ten Network - 4 Pacific --- HEADS UP - Two games on Saturday that could affect Oregon's PO chances and seeding. ESPN2 - 12:30 Pacific - 2-1 Boise State at 'Undefeated' Western Michigan - Who knew that when these two meet in Kalamazoo, it could be the G6 Game of the Year? Four years ago, these two Broncos agreed to play one another only after BYU canceled a four-game series with Boise State. (Pay attention, Rob! 🤬) --- 4 PM Pacific - FS1 1-2 Oklahoma State at 3-0 West Virginia - Two weeks ago Saturday, OK State upset a favored, top-25-ranked team. Or so I've heard.😒 Last week, Rich Rod's Mountaineers went on the road and upset No. 25 Virginia, behind the stellar play of former Sooners QB Michael Hawkins Jr. (I think Brett Venables would Sooner have Hawkins at QB, rather than Tracks of Ma Teers.) Which one of these two Dark Horse B12 champs will prevail? (Furniture salesman in Morgantown will be cheering for the home team. But not the Fire Department.) Hamstring Traveler!

Don’t know if anyone in the upper echelon of Nike’s administration has anywhere near the engrained connection to UO that Knight has, so I just hope his leadership has embedded in the company’s DNA the desire to continue what he and Penny have started. What an amazing pair.

Oregon!!! 38 - 34 2 3 315

Jeremiah Johnson is a game-time decision, so for this game, I'm going to Duck. 🤔 Best of luck to all who predicted the game. GO DUCKS!

It's a big blow if Johnson can't go. Game-time decision? I hope Dan is playing games, but B1G HQ has warned against anything less than full disclosure in the mandatory player availability reports. https://www.rotowire.com/cfootball/headlines/jamari-johnson-injury-projected-to-be-game-time-decision-231696

Flock Talk: Independence DayWhy the future of college sports media may depend on the places that choose not to become everything to everyoneFlock Talk: Independence DayWhy the future of college sports media may depend on the places that choose not to become everything to everyone

Kirk Herbstreit Issues Warning to Oregon Ducks Before USC GameKirk Herbstreit still believes in coach Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks, but says the Ducks' first two games "reeked of individuality and not respecting your opponent." What Kirk Herbstreit Said About Oregon Ducks, USC TrojansFor ESPN College GameDay analyst Kirk Herbstreit, Oregon’s talent is clear. His questions surround whether the Ducks will prepare for USC and play together. Herbstreit believes Oregon can win, but warns that talent alone won’t be enough. "I still believe in Oregon," Herbstreit said on the Pat McAfee Show ahead of Saturday's game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. "I'm still writing off that those first couple weeks, Dan (Lanning) needed maybe those games to get these guys to buy into how important it is to prepare, no matter who you're playing. I need to talk to him, but it reeked of individuality and not respecting your opponent. And they're too good to play that way. I'm hoping those two games were a wake-up call," Herbstreit continued. Herbstreit also acknowledged that he has not spoken with Lanning about what happened inside the program, basing his takeaways on what he saw from Oregon on the field. Oregon Ducks On SIKirk Herbstreit Issues Warning to Oregon Ducks Before USC...LOS ANGELES - The No. 20 Oregon Ducks have a chance to hand the No. 12 USC Trojans their first loss of the season and answer some of the looming questions surro

Oregon Ducks Football: USC 2026 Film Study AnalysisA preview of Oregon’s week 4 opponent in Los Angeles I’ve watched Coach Riley’s unique offense and his adapations to the Big-XII, Pac-12, and Big Ten with interest for quite some time. The most recent and surprising development in 2025 was abanding the power RPO plays which were the calling card of his offenses. This was shocking to me, since using these as the backbone of the playbook gave Riley’s offenses up through 2024 extraordinary flexibility to manipulate defenses, take advantage of mobile quarterbacks, and complement what’s always been explosive passing with a highly efficient chunk-yardage rushing game regardless of offensive line quality. It appears that the power RPO playbook continues to be shelved in 2026. The reasons why, whether it’ll return in the future, and the strategic up- and downsides to this have been a large part of the last few installments of the decade-spanning conversation between my friend Alicia and I. For the purposes of this article, it suffices to say that the current USC offense is essentially the nameless shotgun spread which took over college football in the mid-2000s without much to distinguish it beyond two things: first, an emphasis on pre-snap reads to give the QB a leg-up on which of his elite wide receivers will have the best leverage advantage; second, Riley’s outside run play design creativity to generate explosive rushing, which is the one deviation from an offense that’s otherwise fairly vanilla schematically and driven more by talent. Addicted To QuackOregon Ducks Football: USC 2026 Film Study AnalysisA preview of Oregon’s week 4 opponent in Los Angeles

OREGON 34-24 1 3 320