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......

A 10-2 Duck team should make the CFP. However, it is not a sure thing. If OBD loses to tOSU it cannot be an inept looking Duck team getting blown out in the Shoe. CFP committe members will be watching that game and OBD's must look like a top ten team that deserves an invite! Consider that a Duck team ranked #9 or #10 when facing tOSU could drop out of the top 12. Remember its really about staying in the Top 11 spots. Number 12 will get bumped by the G6 qualifier. And after watching the tOSU/Iowa game I am uncomfortable wrapping my head around as how OBD's D scheme can keep Jeremiah Smith out of the end zone. That young man is exceptional........ The Ducks will need to score on most of their drives to keep pace. In the meantime, in the other 7 games, OBD's must continue to improve and play like a top ten team. As for the rankings the Ducks need to keep winning and it would help to make the big title game. ND and Miami have no one on their schedule who can beat them. A cakewalk to the CFP. That is BS.... The loser of the Georgia/Bama game will not fall below tOSU in the rankings. Unless one team gets blown out. The loser would not fall below OBD. BYU and TT should not be ranked above OBD. Just shows how much credibilty OBD's lost playing poorly in the Ok State game. How many voters back east or midwest were awake watching the last 10 minutes of the Duck/USC gsme? It was after 10 0m back east. That was the best 4th quarter for OBD this year. I wouldn't leave it up to the weekly voters or the committee to get the Ducks into the CFP. Win out and beat them all. Get into the BIG Title game. Leave nothing to chance. Go Ducks........ thrash the upstart Bruins!

Great comments from the forum. On a side note i would be remiss if i didn't give Mike West a shout out for his screen shots of the gaps and wide open spaces that our defensive scheme allows. I really feel the offense will improve and add 7 to 10 points per game. But the defense needs some more change ups and variations, soon. In the Texas vs Tennessee game, Texas had 8 sacks. In one game! Do the Ducks have 8 all year? Go Ducks....

Charles, thank you for your observations and resulting thoughts. So much of your assessments were spot on. (IMHO) The preseason or off season hype about the 2026 Duck team was way over the top. It created a very high and perhaps unrealistic expectation for the fans. I was one of those fans. Granted, I was excited that Dante and the big front 4 on defense were all coming back. This Duck fan was certain this would be the year the Ducks captured the elusive national championship. Afterall, I am a fan so i ignored the fact the oline would have new pieces that needed to have time to jell. The best QB's and RB's go nowhere without the big boys up front. And the D would be without Boettcher at LB and many #2 players on D transferred out. Warning signs, big red flags. And the BSU and OSU games validated that. Players need game film to view to work and improve. Charles astutely pointed out the D line can not get home when the linebackers and DB's leave gaps in coverage. Those gaps allow all those 3rd and long conversions. Short QB drops and quick releases can capitalize on those gaps. Moving the chains has been easy for our opponents. The D is giving up 30 points a game. That does not reflect the PSU game/scrimmage. Our QB's and running backs cannot excel without run blocking and pass protection. All be it, things have improved with the O line the PSU scrimmage game and against USC. I have rewatched the USC game 3 times and against the classless trojans the RB's had some holes for positive gains. I lineman were downfield blocking. Thats improvement. DR had pressure but he slid or side-stepped that pressure. DR kept his eyes downfield and found his open receiver. In the last 2 games their were big chunk plays. That does not happen without improvement.. However, take out the 84 points scored in the scrimmage game and the Ducks are averaging about 35 points per game. That is not top 5 production. Won't cut it against tOSU, IU, Texas, Georgia and others. This Duck does not see our team winning against the big boys 35-30. More improvement is needed on both sides of the ball. As the coaches help the players improve we should see the offense score more points. As for the defense, the back seven players cannot close those gaps or wide open spaces in this scheme. The defense should take advantage of the players skill sets. Maybe? I believe in DL, his staff and his players. This current team can finish 10-2. This current team will be destroyed in The Shoe by tOSU....... This leaves no room for a bad game against the other 7 teams they play. Go Ducks. Keep improving and beat the Bruins.

Charles, that is a fair question to pose to the Forum. A few thoughts on this: I think parents are swayed by what they see and the adjoining perception. Kids are swayed by what is shiny and new. The immediate threat of that is Chesney with the Bruins. If a socal kid can make the cfp as a Bruin that tbreatens recruiting for both LR and our DL. NIL money is the biggest threat. It appears that top money drives some athletes. Winning at a high level and head to head influences recruits. The Ducks need to put UCLA down next weekend. Don't let the,Cignetti coaching tree take solid root out west. 3 seasons ago would anyone of us thought Indiana would be 30-3, riding a 20 game winning streak and playing for a 3rd straight CFP appearance? Who was Chesney's mentor? UCLA does not have IU or tOSU on their schedule. Just the Ducks. Go Ducks.....socal recruits will be watching. The Autzen game day experience is a great recruiting tool, too.

Mike, thanks for posting that video. It was eye opening and worth the view. My takes from the video. Those dig and crossing routes take time to develope. The Duck O line blocked as a unit and gave DR the time he needed for the routes to come open. Good job O Line...... The Duck QB cannot get happy feet and bail. DR did not bail. He bounced on his toes, ran thru his progressions and let the routes develope. He thru to where the receivers were going to come open. Nice work DR...... The relentless dig, crossing and out routes had the usuck defenders confused and out of place. It also wore them out, resulting in the Ducks 4 quarter dominance The usuck defensive confusion set up the 60 yard screen play for Hill. Get NFL talent in space and great things happen. As you mentioned, the Duck D has the same problem. The difference maker was the 2 early sacks. The usuck QB was trying to go thru his progressions and Duck pressure nailed him. After that he was comitted to a specific receiver for his targets. His top level talent made that work. Until the 4th quarter. He had no running game and no time. Ducks tightened coverage and usuck could not score late in the 4th. Kudos to the Duck defense. They stopped usuck on 4th and 7 in usuck territory. Thats progress....... Go Ducks......

It takes no effort for someone or anyone to reach out and show compassion and understanding. Good on him. Charles, this is truly a one of a kind forum and thank you for all your efforts. I understand why you don't want to add any extra monitoring to your schedule. Who needs that? This Duck gray beard supports you 110% just as Riley is oblivious and supports bad behaviour. I have friends and business associates in Texas, New York, Indiana Utah and Idaho that expressed their disgust at the bad sideline antics. Even my moronic, lifetime friends who are die hard huskies did not condone those actions. Go Ducks......

Love the topic and the astute comments. Love this forum. As a former old school coach i always focus on what happens in the trenches, both sides of the ball. And how the line play affects the ebb and flow of the game. Who is under center matters very little if the line, TE and receivers execute their blocking assignments on the positive side of the line of scrimmage. In rewatching the PSU and USC games, the line was taking it to the defense. The running backs had running lanes and were up field a few yards before they were touched. In both games all the QB's had time to go thru their progressions and move the chains. Dylan certainly did that well. Dante has shown us all that he is not disciplined in working thru his progressions. Dante has other intangibles that compensate for that. The receivers and TE hit their blocking assignments and the Ducks had big downfield gains. I know some on this forum don't like those short outs or check downs but remember the playmakers on this team will play on Sundays. I would keep giving them the ball, just like DL is doing. That is what it takes to win games on the offensive side. Thats why the Ducks scored 17 TD's and 2 FG's in the last 2 games. It all starts in the trenches. Don't you feel the line play and down field blocking has improved? The stars can't shine unless the big boys get dirty. The big boys upfront are getting dirtier and dirtier each game. I expect the Bruins and Cornhuskers front sevens will have their handsfull with Duck offense in the next few weeks.. As for the Duck Defense. They played better and with intensity against usuck. I had my concerns heading into the 4th quarter but they came up big and made the stops needed so the Duck O could gain scoreboard separation. Also the Trojans only got in the Ducks red zone 4 times and scored on 3. That is improvement. As long as the Ducks keep improving it won't matter who is at the helm. What matters is to go undefeated thru October to be ready for the meat of the schedule, November. Go Ducks! Dante heal up and the rest of the team, keep improving. An undefeated October will hace the Ducks ranked back inside the top 10.

Astute observations, JJ... It is in abc/espn's best interest to promote and showcase the SEC teams. Their ratings depend on it. In the end, performance on the field, along with scoreboard are all that matters. With truly only 8 spots available(ND and 1-G6 are really gimmes and ACC and BIG12 get a spot) that leaves the SEC and BIG in play to split those spots. This year, i can see the SEC getting at least 1, maybe 2 teams with 9-3 records. Losses are not losses when an SEC team loses to another SEC team. It follows the narrative. The BIG will have 10-2 teams that may not make the CFP. A 10-2 Duck team may not climb high enough to make the CFP. There may not be enough time to overcome a November loss to tOSU. I am not saying that the Ducks will lose that game. But why risk it. Why put it in the hands of others. Experience tells me only tOSU and maybe IU can make the CFP if they miss the BIG Title game. Lots of football left to play but the voters are truly rewarding the SEC and no others. Go Ducks....a few unbeaten teams lie ahead on the schedule......

Yes, too little, too late. But at least it is some form of punishment. The player and coach should issue a public apolgy, along with all the players who high fived, hand slapped and celebrated an injury to an opposing player. It smells all up and down the I-5 Corridor. The Trojan AD and administation should step up and add more suspension for the celebration antics. Riley should be suspended 1 game, too. They won't because they are too busy talking to donors/boosters trying to raise the money to buy Riley out of his contract. They are more concerned about losing the game than an injured player Usuck Trojans continue to prove they are classless.

In my era of playing football the rule of thumb was smash mouth football. Hit them hard, fast and often and play as one unit.. When i coached from 1976 to 2001. It was still the same. We weren't trying to hurt anyone, just be physical and dominate, both sides of the ball, every down and every play. I remember my Dad coming up to me after a game against the top team in our league and he said, "Your boys took the starch out of them from the get go. Nice win for the team!" Have any of you seen this Duck team take the starch out of anybody, this year?(PSU don't count). USC normally, even in a down year has a swagger to them! The Ducks need to knock that swagger back out into the parking lot. Mike, I love these breakdowns and all the great comments from the awesome posters. And DL needs to tweak somethings, now. Or fall on his sword of stubborness. But if I was coaching this team of great talent and potential, I would interject my one coaching philosophy that all my teams heard the first day of practice. "One or two players cannot beat 11 players who play as one. 11 players who carry out their assignment and play as ONE will not be beat". Smash mouth, assignment driven football and our Ducks will leave lalaland with a victory I believe in our Ducks, i wonder if they believe in themselves? Go Ducks