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Gotta pay to play. That's the state we are in!

Have not mentioned it to try to remain positive; but, anyone else catching similar vibes to the end of the Helfrich Era? • Two bad DC hires that led to the complete collapse on one side of the ball, this time on offense rather than defense. • QB injuries and now off the field troubles, all which get magnified once losses pile up. Helfrich could not land a top high school QB recruit (that could play), VA saved the day one season; but, as we saw, the product collapsed as he turned to Prokop and then a freshman (who was good but the offense was no longer to cover for the imploding D). • Helfrich certainly had his share of bad apples. Arguably more than his share; but, as long as the team kept winning, they mostly were tolerated. Once the losses came, they weren't. Lanning has not had that; but, the recent incident landing right after the team overcelebrates a home win over what is probably just an ok team during a season already teetering, doesn't look great. I expect the "culture" to hold together; but, if the season turns into a battle to get to 0.500 after expectations, we have seen things head South before. I try to generally not get into all the firing coaches stuff; but, it has taken Oregon 33 years (and the perhaps once-in-a-program's-lifetime Nike benefit) to get here. Staying in this college football tier might not survive allowing a 2-3 year coaching death spiral (which was a major reasoning behind not giving Helfrich one more year). Helfich had been to the NC and then possibly an Eastern Washington player cheap shot away from following it up with 11-1 (I would say with a healthy VA 2/3 of Michigan State, Utah, and WSU were very winnable). The internal OC/DC promotions are the kinds that are ok as long as they work. There were plenty of question about their wisdom though. Just like Helfrich those hires are all on DL. As is having a bunch of 30-somethings being your staff. What did coach Terry have before Oregon? No years of being an assistant OL coach (beyond a GA); and, one year as an OL head coach at Hawaii (even the one year with the Minnesota Vikings was with the DL). That's on DL. No way to really be sure how Terry would be at developing an OL room with 15 young guys if he has never done it. As discussed elsewhere, lots of questions about how the estimated $7-$8 million in NIL money was spent. After 4 years of A or A- grades in the portal, at this point I'm not sure if the 2026 group even gets a C-? No significant help to what was a very inexperienced OL room with questions (including Luli and Wilson recovering from significant injuries). A slot WR who was behind two true FR, a DL who while not a whiff exactly, has been behind a couple guys already in the program. The Perich move made sense because, Theineman worked; but, that's making a lot of assumptions. Purdue fans were much more upset losing their guy than Minnesota fans (they were excited with his first year but not as much his second and felt for the most part guys already in their program could play at a similar level for a fraction of the NIL Minnesota attempted to hang onto him with). Finally, wasn't that familiar with Raiola but after watching him, am not getting it. Was this, much like Koi, "Well, Moore worked out so let's just do it again"? The estimated $1.5 to $2.0 million he got for this season could have brought in a starting portal OT like Lance Heard or OG like Tegra Tshabola who had a combined 53 P2 conference starts. Really now comes across as a lot of young coaching hubris. The deal with having such a young staff, and guys like Terry, Wadood, Araghi, Ka'ai (and even Samples and Douglas, who I like a bit more based on a limited sample) must probably at least in part to be young, relatable, and fun to recruits. With NIL and the portal, that just may be less valuable than ever. 7-5 or 6-6 this year and any kind of slow start in 2027 (behind losing like 11 starters and possibly Dante plus whatever else happens in the portal), could end up looking pretty Helfich-esque. I could be talked down off the ledge though 🤷‍♂️

Yes. Other than that he took the money, Id hope he not return. Too much career risk vs lost season, line that cant guard him and a coordinator who does not know how.

Autzen Zoo chimes in. The 5 biggest losers from Oregon's embarrassing season ending loss to Illinois And five players that should see more playing time. Smith Jr., the Jett, McNutt, Brandon Smith and Inheanacho. Akili Smith Jr. and the 4 Oregon Ducks have to play moving forward amid lost season

Per Autzen Zoo, we now know what needs to be done that Dante may have hidden. Dante Moore's injury has done Oregon one massive favor for the future

As far as I know.. we have one on the roster who could not possibly have been any more damaging worst case scenario that the present mess!!!

We have a big strong qb who can run on the roster... From the little we've seen he has an arm too. I ve said now for 3 games... how could Akili Smith possibly cause anymore damage that what we have been witnessing... Let Him play... at least we can see what he has got.. (remember Daron Thomas). Hiring our OC was a terrible business decision... The three out, plus Stewart, I am aware of the rumors... We just watched a freshman qb in his first game beat us.... C'mon.. gimme a break. Our 4 stars and 5 stars and our multi million back up qb should have been enough. Even had all our receivers been there.... would they have received a pass at all, much less on that could be caught? Brutal.

communication behind closed doors will certainly be different than what we hear.

I can’t imagine what’s going through PK’s head but it can’t be good. Talk about a terrible return on your investment.

The question is he capable of overhauling the program. There has been no improvement since the Indiana game.

I will be praying that he can just stay healthy the rest of the season.

Post. Of. The. Year. I don’t think that Lanning should be fired but he needs to overhaul his program.

Jon Gruden

Or go get Underwood and Kelly in the offseason and return to the read-option offense. Certainly can’t be worse than what we’re seeing.

Get worse lol. Firing him is the only option. Start the OC search now and be ready for a replacement as soon as the season ends.

Not sure it's knee jerk reaction at this point. Meh' has had plenty of chances to show he can do the job and hasn't. The swinging gate in the 3rd put a stamp on the eviction notice imo

😭

This is an offense that I can attribute to Dick Read. Maybe worse.

Absolutely will lose equity if he doesn't make a change now, even if interim.

The only college coaches I’d take over Lanning would be Nick Saban (who isn’t coming out of retirement to coach in the cold, rainy PNE), Urban Meyer and Chris Peterson. I believe any of those coaches would be an upgrade, at least in the short term, in terms of coaching chops and would be able to assemble a top of the line coaching staff. Not saying this will happen but if Phil Knight had a commitment from one of them…

He should have brought in a "consultant" after the first game.

How many Nike shoes is that??? But seriously, he knows how to use the portal with a checkbook. He doesn't recruit his whole team.

Would firing Mehringer now make any difference for the rest of the season? Probably not, the OL is awful and Raiola is sadly a bust. In fact, the results could get worse without an OC. But. The symbolism of an immediate firing would show fans, boosters, staff, and players that Lanning is serious about accountability. That if you can't measure up to the performance standards Lanning has ostensibly set for the program, you're out. Discipline and dismissals in any organization are more a message to those who are staying on than to those who are let go. I'm generally not a believer in the knee-jerk, after-game-anger move, but in this case I think there's nothing left to lose, and even symbolism would be better than standing pat and waiting. Just do it.

Cignetti? Chuckle. His current salary is $13.2 million and a contract thru 2033. He is a top 3 salary with Smart and Kiffin.

By coaching change, I meant it could be any of them in the program, including DL. Most likely, we will see a new OC by this winter. And there could be several other new assistants as well. But if I had to give you a short list right now, it would start with Cignetti. I thought he would fold by now, but he keeps it going.