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I am commenting before I actually look at the comments which I am sure are great. I trust the observations here I just wanted to respond even before I look at the game. The offensive line has been a mess the entire season. So it is no surprise that we look so disjointed on offense. Everything revolves around dealing with the absolute fact that this offensive line is not going to be elite, it is bordering on subpar. I believe everybody knows what that means - we have to change the way we approach moving the ball down field, and scoring points. Simple, right? But what does that really look like? That isn't the answer the damn lighting must provide the way that he wants to get it done. Unfortunately for us we don't get to advise him like we're at a Knights round table. Very good article David. So I'm enjoying your series of very thoughtful analysis.

Didn't think there were any...did you? OREGON ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2026 FOOTBALL | @OregonFootball Ettridge Named Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week AUGUSTA, Ga. - Oregon punter Bailey Ettridge was announced on Tuesday morning as the Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week by the Augusta Sports Council and the Ray Guy Award. The Ray Guy Award is presented annually to the nation's most outstanding punter. Ettridge was terrific for the Ducks against UCLA, punting six times with an average of 48.17 yards per attempt and two punts pinned inside the 20-yard line. Two of his punts were returned for negative yardage. The Australia native matched his career long with a 67-yard boot in the first quarter that pinned the Bruins at their own 2-yard line. He also had a 67-yarder earlier this season at Oklahoma State. Ettridge became the first Oregon punter to record multiple 65-plus yard punts in the same season, and just the fifth to do so multiple times in a career. On the season, Ettridge has punted 17 times for a 48.2-yard average that ranks eighth nationally among punters with at least 15 attempts. He has six punts of 50-plus yards and seven punts pinned inside the 20-yard line, and only one of his 17 attempts has resulted in a touchback. Ettridge and the Ducks are back home this week to host Nebraska on Saturday night in Autzen Stadium (8:00 p.m., FOX). Not bad for a 28 year old former welder!

Notwithstanding the loss, CBS Sports gives credit to Oregon. https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/oregon-college-football-power-ratings-tom-fornelli/ As to Dan's going for 2, I respectfully disagree with those who are giving Dan a pass. It was a devastating mistake with tragic consequences. No way the reward justified the risk.

A bowl seems like a stretch after Saturday’s disaster. Still, extra practice, money for the conference, and perhaps a warm weather destination are appealing. As already mentioned, I recall the time when any bowl was an achievement ( i.e. .., the Poulan Weed Eater Bowl.)

Fr9m what I have heard, Lanning in making significant changes to the offense. What does that mean? I have no idea. So far this year its been Donte Sucks, Raiola sucks, the D, the O line, the LBs and the Safeties all are horrible. Every week its someone new. I am getting a little dizzy from it all.

Well, it's not like the O-coordinator job is a life-time appointment. Oregon has had 23 in 56 seasons: 1971 - John Robinson (Frei) 1972-73 - Jesse Branch (Enright) 1974 - Joe Wade (Read) 1975-76 - Gene Dahlquist 1977-79 - John Becker (Brooks) 1980-82 - Erik Widmark 1983-88 - Bob Toledo 1989-94 - Mike Bellotti 1995 - Al Borges (Bellotti) 1996-97 - Dirk Koetter 1998-01 - Jeff Tedford 2002-04 - Andy Ludwig 2005-06 - Gary Crowton 2007-08 - Chip Kelly 2009-12 - Mark Helfrich (Kelly) 2013-15 - Scott Frost (Helfrich) 2016 - Matt Lubick 2017 - Marcus Arroyo/Mario Cristobal (Taggart) 2018-19 - Marcus Arroyo (Cristobal) 2020-21 - Joe Moorhead 2022 – Kenny Dillingham (Lanning) 2023 – Will Stein 2026 –Drew Mehringer

I cant call it. Id say put in a few series for Thomas just to keep Nebraska guessing maybe. But start Raiola. surely he cant repeat what happened last week.

Someone in the national media pointed out that young head coaches used to be able to learn and grow at smaller programs before taking over at a national program. Nick Saban was the head coach at Toledo and Michigan State before LSU and Alabama. Urban Meyer started his head coaching career at Bowling Green and Utah before Florida and Ohio State. Coach Lanning did not have that luxury and whether we like it or not is learning on the job. Coach Bellotti was a very good CEO type head coach, who hired well, but even he occasionally hired the wrong person. Luckily he seemed to realize it and make the change quickly. We’ll have to wait and see what Coach Lanning does.

Do player stars really matter? IN won with veteran 3-4 star players and a dang good QB. JMHO but all this failure falls on the coaches. Poor player coaching and poor game coaching. I find it hard to believe that we have 4-5 players on the O line that are busts. It's all on Lanning. He's young and inexperienced as far as coaches go and I hope he can swallow some pride and ditch his ego and make some positive changes for this season and next season. I like the guy as a coach and it would be nice to see him succeed.

Behind the 9 Ball? Although SI's Pat Forde wonders why Oregon, considering the competition, isn't ranked in the Top-25. SIForde-Yard Dash: College Football’s Nine Biggest Busts at...From a preseason national title favorite to high-profile SEC programs, several teams have turned promising seasons into uphill battles.

SI's Pat Forde predicts that Indiana will defeat Ohio State but UCLA will lose to Wisconsin. SIForde-Yard Dash: Five College Football Week 7 Games With...Ohio State–Indiana and Notre Dame–BYU headline a consequential weekend that could reshape the landscape.

Thanks David; when you have the health of the program at heart, a gut-check, ‘tough love’ article is sometimes called for on individuals who make up that program. A person’s star can ascend faster than that person is ready to have it to do so, leaving them to chase after it in the mad rush to measure up to expectations. When one finds himself suddenly isolated in a high pressure role that normally takes years of experience to acquire, an unseen inadequacy and uncertainty can often be the outcome, especially if success is immediate. I think Dan kind of fits into that category. That’s why I wouldn’t call it complacency or getting comfortable, so much as just trying to catch-up to his star. Sometimes you just need that time to figure out who and where you are, how you got there and where you’re going. The problem for Dan is he doesn’t have that luxury. He’s going to have to do it on the run.

That's a good one. I keep looking back to 2015 and my first year teaching and just shaking my head because I was so bad compared to where I am today. Sorry 2015 students! Expirence counts for something.

8 P4 Teams are undefeated through Week 6. SI predicts that Indiana and UCLA, while noting that Nico is likely lost for the season, will not lose a game before the B1G Conference Championship game. Both the Bruins vs. Wisconsin, and Indiana vs. Ohio State could lose on Saturday. Indiana is +3.5, and UCLA is -3.5. SP+ has Ohio State ranked No. 1, UGA is second, Indiana 5th, Oregon 12th, Nebraska 14th, Northwestern 17th, UCLA 18th, USC 21st, Michigan 23rd, Iowa 24th, and Wisconsin is ranked 34th. No loss for UGA is predicted before the SEC Championship game. I agree. And a Happy NO L is predicted for 15-0 Notre Dame. I think undefeated Miami behind Baby J will defeat undefeated ND in front of TDJ. If Mario doesn't trip up and the team doesn't commit game-changing penalties, I think Miami has a chance of duplicating Indiana's record in 2025-26, finally winning an ACC title and finishing 16-0 this season with a champ game win over Georgia. With a road loss at Louisville, I have no idea why SMU is ranked 24th. And it took ranked No. 21 Wake Forest 2 OTs to defeat Purdue. Nebraska, instead of at least one of these two ACC teams, should be ranked. Wisconsin also has a case to be in the Top 25. In the AP Poll, Wisconsin is ranked 26th, Oregon 27th, and Nebraska 28th. Three B12 teams are undefeated because of weak schedules. Texas Tech does not have a ranked opponent left on the schedule. I agree that BYU will lose to Notre Dame, -11.5, on Saturday. SIPredicting When College Football’s Nine Undefeated Teams...From James Madison to Indiana, here’s when college football’s remaining undefeated teams could take a loss for the first time.

What does Lanning need to do to earn your trust back? Nothing. A) Going for 2 on the first TD, that is Thomas' call if he feels the play call had the advantage. B) The second attempt, Thomas scores except for a face mask pull. C) The second attempt 2.0, the play call from the 1/2 yard line probably works. From the 1 1/2, well it should have worked except the OC should have realized our OLine wasn't up to it. A nice fake and rollout would have been "hindsight" nice. D) A, B, C and our D did not lose the game.

When I started my first engineering job around the turn of the millennium, I was mentored by a very senior engineer. One of his favorite quotes was: "Old age and treachery beats youth and ambition EVERY TIME." It wasn't directed at me, but stated as something to be careful of.

This is excellent. Someone get this in front of DL pronto..(I wish). It is interest to see that the OC can resolve some OL issues. Obviously some of the improved outcomes is the element of surprise that the other team couldn't game plan for the changes, but still.

And yet Ludwig did super at Utah later.....

Lanning addressed Terry in the posted press conference above as I was afraid of. "He's had 3 Joe Moore award finalists offensive lines, he didn't suddenly get bad at his job." Actually what if he is only good at getting the line to gel, but the transfers received the proper fundamental coaching elsewhere. The folks that are truly Terry's from day one just suck relative to their ratings. Yet Terry must also have been blowing smoke to DL to not bother with strong Portal OL. Now the gig should be up. DL is no dummy, so I have to hope his statement above is him trying to save a little face too with the public, but deep down knowing Terry isn't the right guy unless he can work a miracle in the second half of the season.

Our assumption is there are unlimited funds for our roster and coaches. Maybe that isn't the case and maybe it's a shared bucket. Experience cost money. If we can afford a $50M player roster, maybe that is because DL is paying lower salaries to the coaching staff which as low experience is internal hires are happy to take the gig. Perhaps someone can dig up our assistant coach salaries to compare with other public universities using AI.

Has Dan The Man reached his ceiling? I don't know. Is the Oregon offense predictable? You be the judge. Might as well call Andy Ludwig back to call sideline passes for no gain...

Lengthy Monday media press conference, quotes: Oregon Ducks On SIDan Lanning Promises Oregon Changes During Tense ExchangeThe Oregon Ducks’ second loss in five games has raised a plethora of questions about the program’s preparation and the job security of members of the coaching s

I think we are seeing that the masterminds behind Oregon's success over the last 3 years were due to talent and the COs.

Damned by Faint Praise? Oregon Ducks On SIOregon Coach Dan Lanning Makes His Stance On Dylan Raiola...EUGENE - Oregon coach Dan Lanning used a simple metaphor to explain the Ducks’ quarterback competition. "Football is is like renting a house. It's not owning a

Not every player is ready to play coming out of high school. But in this case it makes you wonder if they weren't coached up enough. Jack Smith a new coach (at least very young) and tight end has regressed this season. Terry has a mounting record against him at this point that he has done well with transfers coming in and done well with special players who seem to figure things out themselves but he has a TON of players on the roster who aren't developed enough to play. I've been hesitant to call for heads in the past but now I have enough evidence from where I sit.