HappyToBeADuck

JJ, thank you for your weekly match ups. I know this must take some time to gather and present. Hoping that Michigan beats Indiana. Tacking a 2nd BIG loss on the Hoosiers is one of the dominoes that must fall to help keep the Ducks CFP long shot odds, alive. An Iowa loss would be helpful too! Go Ducks......

Ducks win 27-13 2 -TO 4- Sacks 189 passing yards It will be another ugly game but if the offense has 2 good quarters, should ne enough. Go Ducks.

Good point, Charles! Our information is just conjecture blended into existence by what we see. Then crafted to fit our personal conclusions. Those conclusions are part of the foundation for this great Forum. We all can see the very same game and have hundreds of view points and opinions. It makes for great threads! Case in point...... I was unable to watch the game live. I followed the Forum game thread and it was clear to me that the sky had fallen and the imminent collapse of the Duck football program was upon us. GEEEZ..... I then read the post game comments and the majority of comments, AFTER A BIG WIN, were negative. Which, to me is understandable because of the heat of the moment for this great fan base. So this morning at 4 am I watched the game. My view point and take away was that there was way more positive than negative. So I watched the game again. Sure love fast forward and rewind. Again, you could see positive improvements in many areas for our Ducks. I could create pages of positives but do not have the energy or stamina to do that. So here are a few. O Line play in the first half and thru out the game was improved. More room for improvement, though! The play calls were solid and diverse, with a few new plays. The only reason the Ducks didn't march down the field and score was because BT missed too many wide open receivers. Repeatedly! DL and the OC created plays that BT could execute. It was a good game plan. For the most part, BT had time to throw, he was just off and didnt settle down. He had time because the line blocked. IMHO, Brock is not terrible, nor does he suck. He had a bad game. He is a walkon! The run blocking was improved but there were too many missed assignments by the Ducks. If that improves each week then more points will show up on the scoreboard. Also as,I mentioned , BT is a walk on QB! He is not 5☆ BN with 60 plus starts. Or 5☆DG with 60 plus starts. Nor is he 5☆DM who will mostvlikely be a first round draft pick.All 3 could read the D and audible out. The Ducks O Line played well enough to be up by 17 at the half. BT did not execute and JD supposedly fumbled inside the 10. That is what kept points off the board. Also, consider all the receivers and RB's were true freshmen or sophmores. DS and JM were not out there to help BT. The Cornhuskers could double DM and the Ducks TE. But again, the plays were there, BT just couldnt execute. It happens! Just ask Texas, Georgia, Bama, ND and Mizzou. The Ducks should have scored 14 points, not 6 in the 3rd quarter. The D was was exceptional. Nebraska had 2, that's right, 2 sustained drives the entire game. One ending with a very generous, officiated assisted TD. This team gave IU everything they could handle. They could do nothing against the Duck D. The D has improved every game since the OSU embarrassment. What more are we expecting from them. In the last 4 games the Ducks have given up 58 points. Like 14.5 points per game. And Bear had his best game as a Duck.... Thankfully, DL pulled BT and brought in DR. For the 2nd time this season, DR came off the bench to lead the Ducks to victory. The same plays that BT could not execute thru 3 quarters were there for DR. He executed them and pulled out the win. It was a team win. For the 3rd game in a row the Ducks, as a team, dominated the 4th quarter. They won 2 out of 3 of those games. There are certainly things to criticize about this team. But they are improving, a little each week. I think it's fair, as fans to criticize everything. Negative is easy to find and point out. And i agree that the Ducks have alot to improve on. But this Duck fan feels it is fair to point out the improvement this week. Remember, the Bruins, a top 10 team needed 7 turnovers and a bad coaching decision to beat the Ducks by 2 points. Looking foward to more improvement this week and a close, hard fought win against Illinois. Go Ducks.....

JJ, thank you for your weekly reports of the college football match ups. This Forum member wants to let you know that it is greatly appreciated. Who would have thought that by week #7 that OBD's would not be relevant in the CFP landscape. Very hard to digest the possibilty that all the hopes and dreams of the 2026 season may be crash landing tomorrow night. Sigh! I am still optimistic that the Ducks can turn this around and we will see the NEW Ducks and exciting Duck offense this Saturday night. I have supported and loved OBD's since I moved to Oregon in 1984. There were some very pitiful and lean years until KW pic sixed the Ducks past the dreaded dogs 30 years ago. That play was the beginning of the arrival and rise of OBD's. And on a brighter note the beginning of the fusky decline...... This Saturday the Ducks need a KW type hero to ignite a turn around for OBD's. I wonder who that will be? GO DUCKS.........

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...

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.....

This is against my better judgement...... Oregon wins 24-20 1 - TO 2 - Sacks 188 yards passing 24 points is a big ask for a stagnant office, a 2nd or 3rd string QB and a lackluster offensive O Line. Go Ducks.

IMHO, the lackluster play by the entire Duck Offense carries the blame, not just DR. What did the offensive coaches do dur9ng the bye week? The Duck D came ready to play. Why didnt the Duck offense?

This Duck fan is not ready to throw away or give up on DR. One bad game is not enough for me to make that harsh of a decision. As painful as it was to rewatch the game, it was obvious that the entire offense played poorly. The O line was standing up when the ball was snapped. If it was going to be a pass play they immediately lost their leverage. The Bruin D line was 2 yards deep into the protection pocket on their initial rush. DR or any QB needs time to step into their throws. The receivers had little time to get separation. I feel uncomfortable laying all the blame on just DR. I ask mys3lf, why did Thomas have a better pocket to thow out of than DR? Also, DR or any QB has nothing to do with the lack of rushing production. Who's responsible to create running lanes? The O line is! This game was a poor performance by the entire offensive unit, not just DR. Their was no balance between rushing and passing to keep the Bruin D off balance. I wonder what the coaches were seeing in practice? I ask myself how could a unit be so lackluster and unprepared? Coming out of a bye week...... The Duck Defense came prepared and played a great game. What happened? Something is not right with the 2026 squad and I hope DL and staff can figure it out. Go Ducks......

Coach Lanning cost his team this game when he went for the first FAILED 2-point conversion. What was he thinking? If he kicks the extra point then they dont have to go for 2 after the last TD. They could have kicked the extra point and the game is tied. That is on DL.......

Great stuff, Mike....thank you! I was rewatching the BSU, OSU and USC games, again, throughout the night. Being old has its privilrges! Within the DL version of the Mint Defense, it sure looks like the safeties are 15 yards deep. If the safeties cannot execute man to man covererage then everything has to be kept in front of them. It presents a prevent defense for the opponent to attack. They are taking what the OBD's defense gives them. OSU beat that defense to a pulp. Yikes..... I will be looking even more closely today. Go Ducks........

David, thank you for your thoughts in your article. And to all those who post. Good stuff........ I agree that OBD's must shut down the Bruins run game. Make them beat you thru the air! It sounds easy, right? But it is not easy. Loading the box will work as long as the Ducks hold the Edge. Force the Bruin runners inside into the middle of the meat of the Ducks D line. Don't let them bounce outside. Do not let them bounce outside. Force the Bruins into passing situations. Move their QB off his mark, disrupt his timing. Look out for screem passes early. And contain their QB....... Execute your assignment. Trust your team mates to handle their assignments This should be the Duck Defenses coming out party. 6 or more starters on the Duck D will play on Sunday. It is time to show up, show out, and make a statement. You want to be an NFL player then play like one! Go Ducks.......

Ducks win 45-31 2 - TO 3 - Sacks 279 passing yards Go Ducks. This is the first game that the Ducks must win to move up in polls and be in the CFP conversation

This game should be easy for OBD's......... Chances are it won't be easy. Why? Because you don't know which Duck defense will show up. Chesney has plenty of film on the Duck Defense tendencies and glaring weaknesses. The Bruins will game plan to take advantage of those weaknesses. The Bruins opponents so far are 8 and 12 for the season. They have not been challenged. OBD's opponents are 12 and 7 and the 3 ranked opponents gave the Ducks all they could handle. I expect the Ducks to win and it should be a high scoring game. All of the Duck's Offensive skilled position starters have the talent to play on Sundays! Have the Bruins faced a team with that much talent? Not even close. The problem is that the Ducks are working to play up tp their potential. If they do, then this will be a 59-27 Duck win...... If not the Ducks will be in a rock fight. More like 38-35. Go Ducks.....

OBD's will take away the Bruins running game and force UCLA into 2nd or 3rd and long. That's when the butterflies in my tummy start barfing. However, OBD's held the classless men of troy to 3 out of 11 on 3rd down. That is solid improvement! The defense was superb in the last 10 minutes of the game and got the O the ball back. It allowed scoreboard separation. The Ducks controlled the ball the last 5 minutes of the first half and the first 2 minutes of the 2nd half. Putting up 10 points! That needs to continue against the Bruins. The Ducks have played 3 top 25 teams who are darn good football teams. Who has UCLA played? The Bruins have not faced a top opponent on the Ducks level. Nor a home field advantage like Autzen and the crowd. I don't expect any changes from OBD's this game. Just executing better what they do well. And eliminating more penalties. DR will attack downfield, the line will continue to improve and i expect 6 or 7 scoring drives. The defense will make a few more key stops and the Ducks will win this game by 3 scores. Go Ducks......