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I have no problem with the disagreement. And I actually agree with your thought process. I just don't have a problem with a 6-3 result against a team I didn't (and still don't believe ) would defeat us no matter the result. It took 7 turnovers, an abysmal performance by every key position on offense that matters (OL and QB), no sign of adjustments until it was too late for that very outcome to emerge. Do you know the statistical impossibility of those very things happening in order for that 2 point miss to even be a remote possibility much even a possibility of a loss? The decision was immaterial in my estimation. UNLESS I thought UCLA was actually going to score points. Not one person on this entire planet took into consideration the game could have been a 6-3 result. Or 9-3 since we scored another 3 points. After all, the defense pretty much pitched a shutout. UCLA only scored because of OBD offense. Think about it. UCLA won this game by 2 points despite forcing 7 turnovers. Did you really think OBD were going to score 6 points all game going into the 4th quarter? If you did, then I believe every one on the planet would expect the Ducks to lose because teams just don't win games scoring 6 points. Even with the best of of defenses. It's why Michigan looks so lousy. 7 points wasn't going to change the outcome given the myriad of concerns you mentioned. And 7 points was how it was looking no matter what UCLA did. In other words, 2 points or 1 point wasn't really the issue in this game or for the season. There are a multitude of issues far greater than a 2 point conversion (that wasn't a guarantee we win the game anyway. It only assured a tie at best). We are criticizing the very characteristics that not only defines Dan Lanning, it resulted in his success. How many games has he lost versus won making decisions like that? He beat one of the best teams ever to grace a college football field making multiple decisions like that. So much so I happen to believe Ryan Day tanked the Michigan game so he wouldn't have to face OBD 3 times in one season. I can't prove it because Day would never admit it like Lanning did after another gamble of his that game: taking the penalty. And that's the gist of it. Lanning will probably never field a team with 2022/2023 Georgia or 2024 Ohio State caliber talent. He's 2-3 against elite teams. All of whom had better talent than OBD - potential and performance wise. Lanning's challenge is to overcome an apparent flaw he didn't see ( and neither did we): a coaching staff beneath the level of the very elite he has to face. His decision making is fine. His talent base is not. He is calibrating his risk taking. He needs a full contingent of talent before we can honestly say he makes poor decisions. Outside of his decision making to field such a team.

Oregon 27-23 2 turnovers 3 sacks 270 yards passing ***If rayola starts Nebraska 52-10

If all else fails........

You also have the BIG replay booth to ask. It is amazing to me how the referrees dont seek some help to get it right...

I don't know if it has been discussed here in detail? I think in the end the refs got the call right, the umpire spotting the ball just simply never corrects the original mistake. I just rewatched the whole sequence. The ref announces it is half the distance to the goal. Ball is placed at the 1.5. The end of the run appears to be at about the one. Ducks start to line up. Refs stop the game and correct the call saying it was from the end of the run. UCLA coach starts to argue. Ball is picked up. After hearing the correction, umpire comes back and spots the ball where it was originally incorrectly spotted. Oregon tries to line up fast for a second time but Lanning comes out and starts arguing. He eventually seems happy. The rules guy on tv comes on and agrees it is half the distance from the end of the run, not the 1.5. Ball has still not been moved from the 1.5 yard line. Oregon finally lines up and snaps it. No one on Oregon seems to notice. My guess is Lanning thought he was getting the correct spot and assumed it was being moved, but is never is, and the Ducks just snap it. GoDucks.com lists the officials for the game in their summary, and the umpire spotting the ball is listed (according to RefMetrics.com) as having refereed just 17 career college games in 3 and 1/2 seasons (and in the funny little coincidences department for those enjoy such things, the umpire is from the state of Ohio). It could be fairly questioned how after all the arguing, delay, and clear announcement of how to assess the penalty, that the umpire kept putting the ball back in the incorrect spot. I mean, if you are confused, you have 7 other refs out there to check with.

Dante returns in 2026 for his 5th year?

Nebraska 35-10 0 turnovers 1 sack 200 yards passing.

Draft board? Flashback: I was hoping Mel got drafted and wouldn't be around to whine in April. 😁

Reading Charles' post on Bailey Ettridge winning the weekly Ray Guy Award, how about punting on first down and hoping for a Pick 6 or a fumble return for a TD?

Only 189? Wow! Perhaps Dan should hire her as an analyst! Great stuff and I hope you are feeling better. At my age, I think I'm feeling better but I can't remeber how I felt the day before. 🤪

DUCKS WIN! (I sure hope so) 24-17 1 1 245 yards

DUCK 24-17 2 2 268

***Ducks win ***24-23 ***1 forced turnover ***2 sacks ***179 yards passing Akili Smith Jr. starts and leads the Ducks to a W

Urban digs a little into Gap and Zone Breaking Down Run Blocking Schemes | Urban Analysis

Welcome back D&C. Makes happy, well hsppier..... I appreciate your breakdown and analysis. It is a proven scheme. If DL has the O line horsepower then this could work. However, I agree with Charles that some of these lineman may not be able to execute the scheme. Even my wife, who hates anything football, agrees with Charles......WTH Suzie knows football schemes, strategy and execution very well. Her Father was a successful high school coach for 30 plus years in the Bay Area. For almost 20 years, Suzie was at every practice and game. Not because she wanted to but because she was forced to! Her 189 IQ level absorbed a massive amount of coach level knowledge. This woman knows the X's and O's of the game that she hates with a passion. It was a shear fluke that she watched the game with me. First time in near 30 years. (She's being extra nice as I deal with a years worth of health issues) Here are a few of her comments: Didn't Oregon used to rush for a couple hundred yards a game and score 40 points a game? What happened? Who taught these lineman how to block? They aren't firing off the ball quickly. Their pad levels are too high. They have lost their leverage. Why doesnt the OC call some misdirection plays to offset the D Line slants? Why doesnt the QB audible into misdirection plays. The Defense is ripe for it. Why no screen passes or pulling guards? Wait for it: Never mind, the guards aren't good enough to pull it off......... If the guards were playing for Dad, they would be riding the pine! 6 games into the,season and they look lost. Doesnt the OC have any imagination? Terrible play calling. Let's keep running plays that don't work..... The receivers block better than the lineman. WOW! Here are my 4 favorites: On the 2 failed 2-point conversions. #1.... What kind of idiot goes for a 2 point conversion on the first early score of the game? What the hec is the difference between 7-0 and 8-0? #2 If the coach had kicked the early extra point then the 2nd extra point would have tied the game. Lame move. #3 On the failed 2nd 2-point sttempt. What are the refs thinking A personal foul is added to the end of the play. The play ended just short of the goal line, the ball should be placed at the 6 inch line. #4 Why did the Ducks run the play into the teeth of the bruin defense. That play has not worked all day. I thought the Ducks were supposed to be good? So I asked her what would she do with the offense moving forward? Anything that keeps the D off balance. Find lineman who can block and execute their assignments. But these players may not be able to do that! Either replace the OC or bring him some proven help. Her comments echo and mirror many on this forum. Just thought i would share them with the forum. Go Ducks.....

No football or basketball player who signed with a pro team is eligible to participate in the Big Ten. Ditto, the SEC. This is a portal transfer well after the portal has closed and gives Michigan a roster upgrade that other B1G teams are not allowed. These two guys, on their own, decided to transfer to Michigan after the semester started and brought suit so they would be eligible? This wasn't orchestrated by Michigan? BTW, what about the 2 guys who will have to be kicked off the roster and the two guys on the roster who will no longer be traveling with the team? This is simply slimy.

Couldn't agree more. We can't suddenly make our O Line play tougher, smarter, and drastically different than what we've seen before. Quick decisions by the QB, Tight Ends involved with the passing game, getting the ball to the playmakers even for short yardage begins to wear on a defense. We aren't a Cristobal team, we don't use jumbo packages effectively. We need to utilize the one on one matchups to our advantage.

20-10 Ducks! 1 Husker TO 3 Duck sacks 225 Duck passing yds

That you must be in a double with Rip Van Winkle if this surprises you.

Terrific article, thank you. I'm with Charles. What happens when you unleash players who don't need a leash to begin with? Are there dogs on the roster ready to be slipped? Crucial helmet-on-helmet run straight at 'em plays were stuffed by UCLA last Saturday. And have been repeatedly stuffed by every opponent except Portland State. The two tackles on the 2025 team and a starting guard are on NFL Rosters. Poncho's play will lead to him being drafted. With their PFF grades to date, other O-line starters, if draft-eligible, would be fortunate to sign free agent deals. Out of the portal, Dan signed one O-lineman, a young man who played FCS football. Perhaps the money wasn't available, but if available, Dan and the other coaches overvalued returning players. Oregon can't run the ball. I'm not convinced that a change to a smash-mouth system with the same personnel will improve OL play. Based on what I have seen to date, Oregon must find ways to get the ball to its explosive playmakers in space. Move players around to get them in space. This worked at SC with short passes to Hill that led to big gains and opened up passing lanes downfield. And Jeremiah Johnson has to be targeted more than twice in a game. Thanks for the post and welcome back.

With what we spend on NIL it's hard for me to get worked up about this type of thing. It's not like we are a have not. This is college football now where even guys come back from the Pros to play

This is not installing a new offense. The Ducks playbook already has Gap Scheme plays; this is more about changing the plays we are calling for our primary scheme. The slide step lateral outside zone block while staying connected with a DL who is slanting a gap and reading where/timing on a double is harder for our young OL. These kids started youth football in Gap Scheme - power, dives and counter. A drive block with a quick double team is the foundation OL kids build off. We are struggling to do anything very well on the OL, especially Pass Pro and the Outside Zone. Sometimes the system needs to fit your personal and you adapt it to what they can do.

Ducks 31-27 2 TO 2 Sacks 215 Passing Yards (more than one QB will account for this)