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…playing inspired football …playing with reckless abandon …playing with your hair on fire …playing as if there is no tomorrow Cliches? Yes. But, we need some of that sooner - not later.

It is not just USC, UCLA is really good. Look at their schedule, this is potentially a 9 win team. they are doing Cignetti 2.0, and it is going to work. They are a running team that can pass, receivers are not great, but they will be a very disciplined team. The Ducks need to get through the next two after Portland State. Discount the Bruins and you are done.

That was one of the most surprising and disappointing performances by our OBD. After the BSU game I expected them to bounce back with a competitive fire for redemption looking like a top 10 team. Instead, our OBD looked flat and not playing cohesively. Dan Lanning has recruited talented players. I just did not see much play calling that was built around our players skills to move the ball downfield or stall the opponent's offense. I have to think that our Offensive and Defensive Coordinators are in over their heads calling effective plays. I went with many that said "In Lanning I trust" when Lanning hired from within and he didn't look outside for experienced coordinators. I am beginning to think that the common denominator for the disappointing last two games is our OC and DC. Unless they can figure things out quickly, Lanning needs to think about making some coordinator changes.

On top of that he doesn't see open receivers on too many plays. If he doesn't get his act together he wont be going to the next level.

It was not hot and humid at Autzen Stadium again Boise State where we were disappointing so Im not buying the heat issue as the core issue. We have had issues on stopping teams in the red zone for quite awhile.. Our offensive line, as great as they were purported to be last yr, also crumbed against Indiana twice. Donte has been missing wide open receivers, nothing new. (ask Chip Kelly) Donte does not run except to leave pocket too soon.... What we see is what is real. If indeed these 4 and 5 stars are that good, then It seems logical to me that the issue is the coaching. scheme, ?, or something other than talent.. Now we know Dan is a great recruiter and so far has had great success and I am happy he is here. That being said, I never though the offense was as good as when Dillingham was here... We loved to criticize Tosh; from what I've seen we are already missing him.. Is the problem scheme, coaching, or entitled over paid kids or something else or all of the above? I am not there nor qualified to know. But I do know with all this perceived talent, something is wrong. If it is the coordinators, then hire NFL coordinators like many good teams, if it is the player, then don't play him. We have many supposedly highly talented on the the team.. I d like to see Akili play some.. I like to not see all the glam and hype around the NIL pay... Either play or go away.. Next man up regardless of his stars. This is arguably the worst performance (considering stars) I have seen in my 56 years as an avid Duck fan and first yr at school in Eugene. Now to put in plainly, I think our offensive play calling is poor and I don't think Donte has the "It" factor. The defense is obviously either poorly coached or scheme or both. I do not havtere the answers but someone making millions of dollars better. I hope we figure it out before we play in LA or we will not be happy Ducks. Just my opinions. Good teams don't play like bad teams on the way to the National Championship.

During Fall camp Lanning periodically mentioned this team is becoming more player led. I can see how this might tie into changing coordinators and continuity of x's & o's. Might the uninspired play be linked to lack of focused leadership and inspiration in the locker room, sideline and game? Go Ducks!!

A lot of good points here. I certainly hope the Ducks' playing and play calling improve. But I just read that University of Iowa marching band member Derek Phillips died on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, after suffering a heat stroke and sudden cardiac arrest during the Hawkeyes' season-opening football game against Northern Illinois. Kind of puts things in perspective for me.

On the part about Dante not going through his progressions and forcing the ball to a favorite receiver instead of taking the open guy, sometimes I wonder if the NFL gets into these guys’ heads a little. Especially when they know NFL reps are there watching. Maybe there’s some pressure to force big plays or get certain guys their numbers instead of just taking what the defense gives them. Probably a wild theory, but these are young guys and they all want to make it to the next level.

I have 3 different dvr recordings. But the good news? I don't want to rewatch that disaster.

I'm no football mastermind and I appreciate those of you who share your knowledge, but it's quite obvious to me that what we are facing now is a real coaching challenge. Portland State is a cupcake. But after that, like in two weeks, we will be able to better evaluate the calibre of our coaching staff. Do they have what it takes to get the team up off the mat for that USC game and then put them in a position to get into the playoffs? They owe it to every player they placed on their roster as well as to Duck fans.

I think there may be a “continuity illusion” going on with this team. Because Oregon promoted Drew and Hamp from within, it was easy to look at it as continuity instead of what it really was: replacing both coordinators at the same time. Knowing a system and actually running it on Saturday are two very different things. Play sequencing, recognizing what the other team has figured out, knowing when to abandon something, making adjustments on the fly, and anticipating the counter to your counter are skills that only really get tested when you’re the guy making the decisions. That might also explain why Boise looks a little more significant in hindsight. At the time, that game was easy to dismiss as Week 1 rust. Now we’ve seen two straight games where Oregon has looked strangely disjointed despite having more than enough talent. I also think Oklahoma State was almost the perfect opponent to expose it. Oregon wasn’t really playing the same Oklahoma State team they embarrassed last year. Eric Morris essentially brought a new offense with him, along with a huge roster overhaul and a bunch of his North Texas personnel. Morris had one of the best offenses in the country at North Texas. In other words, the helmet said Oklahoma State, but what Oregon was trying to diagnose and defend was something almost entirely different. And they never really figured it out. That’s the part that concerns me more than the loss itself. Oregon kept making enough individual plays to stay alive, and eventually even took the lead, but they never reached that point where it felt like the coaching staff had figured out what Oklahoma State was doing and taken control of the game. My theory is that the 2026 Ducks have the talent, confidence and expectations of an established national title contender, while underneath all of that they’re effectively a first year operation in two of the most important game management positions on the staff. That would explain why they look so weird right now. They’re talented enough to erase mistakes and deficits. They have enough playmakers to rescue possessions that aren’t working. But they don’t look synchronized enough yet to dictate games. Against Boise, the talent was enough to overcome it. Against Oklahoma State, it almost was again. The good news is that if this theory is right, it’s fixable. Mehringer and Hampton may simply be going through the learning curve that comes with actually running their respective sides of the ball, and Lanning has time to help get it sorted out. But that’s what I’m watching now. Not the rankings, not the loss itself, and not whether they blow out Portland State. I want to see whether Oregon starts looking like a team that is anticipating what opponents are doing instead of reacting to it. If that happens, yesterday might end up being the early season punch in the mouth they needed. If it doesn’t, then losing both coordinators in the same offseason may have been a much bigger deal than any of us realized.

Mike, Great post, great and astute observations. My youngest son was at the game and was texting me his thoughts in real time. Michael played college ball as a corner back. He watches the game from an analytical perspective. Here are some of his comments throughout the game: The team has no energy or pop. Not ready to plsy a full 60 minute game. Dante is not hanging in the pocket long enough to hit receivers as they come open. Bailing to soon.... Not always going thru his progressions. Forcing the ball to his favorite receiver. Gatin wide oprn for an easy first down and instead throws into double team coverage. OSU defense knows the plays before the O snaps the ball. The Duck D scheme is being exploited by OSU. Its very predictable. Some players are taking plays off. Not sure why? This game is hard to watch. In fairness, Dad, it is brutally hot and humid. Probably 125 to 135 degrees on the field. No way to prepare for it. I know this game was difficult to watch for us Duck fans. Something hss to change on defense. Let's hope DL and staff figure it out. Even great players cannot excel in a weak scheme. Let's go Ducks.

Routinely...Dante throws short when there were open receivers downfield. This alone keeps drives going, scores points, and wins games. Sigh.

What I can't figure out is; There's always going to be dropped passes. But how is it possible for everyone to drop passes, in the same game???

Many of you know, as I found out, how excruciating a game like this can be following it on ESPN Gamecast and play by play text. The play was painful enough with video telecast!

Starts at the top. The entire season rests on the USC game. On the top side they turn it around. On the downside a loss to USC for the reasons above they go 4-8. UCLA will boat race them. Sorry, time to take the good with the bad. I want to hear about accountability. Where was Dante in the post game presser? I want leadership.

The Dante hype and the Dante reality just don't match. "He could be the first player taken in the draft". But he also has a tunnel vision problem, and a lack of mobility problem and accuracy when pressured problem. OSU's QB was extending plays with his feet, connecting with targets on the run hurdling into the endzone like a Heisman favorite while taking a serious shot. For all the hype this guy gets, who would you have preferred QB the team yesterday? Forget about him vs Herbert, Mariota or Nix. What about him vs Dennis Dixon, Akili Smith. Joey Harrington, Darren Thomas, Vernon Adams, Dillion Gabriel, Bill Musgrave, Chris Miller even Kellen Clemens or AJ Feeley? I think the Ducks pull out a win with any of them at QB. How can you both be a future top pick and yet not crack a recent top 15 at your school's position?

Im very afraid you are right.

To recap, here's how the game started. OBD three and out OSU 75 yard QB keeper to the 3 first play. FG 0-3 OBD three and out OSU 70 yards drive to the UO 10 pick six 7-3 OSU Punt 5 plays 28 yards OBD Turn over on downs at the UO 47 OSU Touchdown 47 yads 5 plays 7-10 OBD Three and out OSU Touchdown 7 plays 67 yards 7-17 OBD Punt 6 plays 14 yards OSU Interception OBD returns it to the 1 OBD Touchdown 14-17 OSU Touchdown 4 plays 75 yards 14-24 If not for two super human plays by Devon Jackson and Matayo's pick to the one, the route would have been on from the opening bell. Whatever the coaches game plans were for this game they were grotesquely inadequate. The last time the Ducks looked this lifeless and uninspired was the first half of the bowl game when Mario left getting down 3-28 against (also coachless) Oklahoma. Something is extremely wrong from the top down. four star linemen can't be this bad even if they are young. If they're having trouble sustaining blocks, roll your QB out and buy some time. Just look at the offensive ineptitude above, Three and out, three and out, turnover on downs at midfield, three and out, 6 plays 14 yards punt. Pathetic. On defense as mentioned above, three key plays masked a total mauling as OSU went up and down the field at will. The D gave up a 75 yard quarterback keeper on play one that should have been a touchdown. After the game, I watched the freaking Beavers fight, scrap and claw their way to a near upset of 13th ranked Texas Tech. Their line could give their QB time to find open receivers. Their D could pressure the QB and create problems. They would have destroyed the Ducks yesterday. This wasn't just a shocking upset which can always happen. This was a sign that something is very wrong with the program and it was glaringly apparent from play one.

Herbert, Nix and Gabrial ran for TDs and 1st downs. Dante is limited to passing and handing off - not a threat to scramble for TD or 1st downs.

I have been calling out the coordinators since the middle of the Boise game. I know the players don’t look ready, but why is that? There are 8 returning starters on defense that was in the Top 10 last year. Either the players don’t believe in the scheme and/or the coaches are not motivating them properly. I’ll go with both. I don’t even know what to say about the offense. Going 0-6 on 4th down against a G6 school and a school on a 12 game losing streak is indefensible. The OC’s solution was to throw it short of the line to gain last week TWICE and hope the players can break some tackles? Then on 4th and 8 in this game, with one of the best pocket passers in the country, you roll him out to the right immediately and take away half the field? Just gross. 🤮 That said, I will always continue to pull for my school. Go Ducks!

And, Coach Morris on his team's prep and play. Oklahoma State's Eric Morris Doesn't Hold Back After Beating Oregon Ducks

Drew Mestemaker on the game. Oklahoma State Quarterback Makes Surprising Admission After Beating Oregon Ducks

Questions galore: Coaching, Dante, D-Line, rushing game, the rest of the season. Oregon Football: 5 takeaways from historic loss to Oklahoma State