Mike West

Yes, My thoughts as well. It was the correct call given the circumstances. He's going to continue going for the throat. That's what I love about him.

USC... Wasted talent. They finally get an infusion of talent, and Riley can't get out his own way. I think they brought in Paterson to replace him. Let's see if Patterson gets more out of that defense. They are hitting harder, but that team still would when the chips are down. It's more than morally bankrupt. This team has no soul. Congrats on your boys Gat. They look really, really good. You guys have a real shot at the playoffs.

Party City. LOL...we just need to stop. And play. And win. A Natty. Then we can annoy the whole world for the rest of our lives. Ha ha ha

I saw rumblings of being able to hold USC to 10 or 17. And I mean that earnestly. Lanning was more aggressive on defense yesterday. That is the first step. It is a matter of scheme now. And that what is going to separate teams at this point. Strategy and immediate adjustment. Not next year. NOW. Lanning and company forced USC to pull out everything they have. That is a very good sign. Forcing teams to do things because they have to. Teams will have to spread OBD out to control the ball. I saw inklings of solving that problem. But I am not sure Lanning will go full tilt and shut down efforts to set up a Grand Canyon of room on the football field. Finally, I don't think any team can run on OBD when they put five guys on the Line of Scrimmage. Hope Lanning took full note.

I'm sorry Steven, I completely disagree. If there EVER was a defining moment-it was those very decisions he made. And I recall very intently how much the entire football world jumped on Lanning after that game. Duck Nation had a virtual meltdown. This forum literally had a post questioning Dan Lanning as a Head Coach (not to criticize or put anyone down-but that is a concrete fact-we as a group went literally nuclear because of those decisions). Let me explain again why I felt Lanning's decisions were not only spot on, but demonstrated some coaching chops people ignored at the time. The first thing Lanning said after the game when questioned was this "we were very prepared to call those plays in that situation". I will explain in as few words as I can why that was extremely significant. People discount the fact the Kalen DeBoer has ten years experience on Dan Lanning as a Head Coach. Two of the three plays were WIDE OPEN. Let me say that again- on one of the plays, a lessor elite player raised his hands just before running into the end zone with nobody near him for almost ten yards. Bo Nix threw his pass to a guy he knew and favored as a target. He locked in on the guy he wanted instead of reading the play. On the second play TWO WRs were open. This one was to seal the victory. Again, Nix looked exclusively to his left and neglected both receivers that were open at two separate times on the play. That is called POOR EXECUTION. It goes further than that. Though Will Stein said he got out coached, he did not. Nobody on God's Green Earth contemplated that the more experienced Kalen DeBoer also planned for those very situations. Both coaches absolutely knew the game in Seattle was going to come down to plays that had to be converted in order to win. I have not seen one expert, coach, fan or even the angels mention that fact. But it is a substantial fact. The implications of that fact demonstrated Dan Lanning and Will Stein called plays that countered exactly what they believed DeBoer and his staff were going to throw at them in defense of those plays. Lanning and Stein won both of those battles. In fact, they went 2-1 in those key situations despite having ten years less experience. So while everyone lost their minds and experts, pundits and former coaches loudly questioned Lanning's decision making, I was sitting there thinking "this guy is miles ahead as a coach". He just outcoached a guy that has ten years on him. His players failed to execute. And if they had, Lanning would have been called a genius, well ahead of his time (another fact nobody can seriously refute). Furthermore, Lanning also pointed out the decisions didn't effect the game in the manner people believed it did. He is correct. Because quite frankly, had he converted any of those first two, the complexion of the game would have changed. Losing by 3 points didn't happen because Dan Lanning chose two 4th down calls instead of earning 6 points. Both DeBoer and Lanning would have called every single play after both of those Non-decisions completely differently had he even kicked one of those field goals. Again, not one soul mentioned or acknowledged that-and that is another fact people overlooked. Dan Lanning CLEARLY has proven that those decisions that day was a pretty damn good indication of the type of coach he is. I know Millions will disagree. But I not only believed that, I said it at the time. In that very thread that questioned Lanning's decision making ability and his future as a coach. Given how successful Lanning has been, I have even been surprised. The guy finds ways to win. He gets the most out of a group that does outlandish things to lose, and often enough is not as "talented" as we consider them (in my eyes performance is a key indication of talent-execution is a demonstration of talent as much as the capacity of the players playing the game). That sounds like an oxymoron, but let me tell you, Lanning hasn't had one linebacker half as "talented" at Oregon that he had at Georgia. NOT ONE. And he still wins. I could go on, but let me conclude with this-Lanning takes risks. Not in ways we prefer, but he is aggressive. He is unapologetic about it. And he has delivered. And he delivered again-and trust me-I had my doubts yesterday. Dan Lanning proved in that loss he was a very elite coach. And just about EVERYBODY MISSED IT.

Well one thing I can tell you. In my opinion you will NOT be defending your title. You don't have enough offense. And losing both your prime RBs doesn't matter. The offense isn't as potent as last year. Which again highlights how much luck really comes into play. You were five yards from losing a heartbreaker. No IFs ANDs or BUTs. But I will say this. The B1G is going to have a very tough time winning the Natty period. OBD do NOT look like a playoff team. IU and tOSU2 don't have enough firepower to withstand the pool of talent this year. Michigan should be 2-1 and unless Bryce Underwood miraculously starts throwing like a QB, they are toast. USUC has no defense. Aaaaand that's about it.

Isn't it funny how programs hold on to opinion based titles than earning them on the field? USC is lucky-they got a semblance of earning against ONE team. Though I'll admit, nobody was going to beat Pete Carroll's Condoms. They were nuclear fortified!!!!

Happy, You said it better than I did, using far less words LOL!

Yep. Constraint plays on both sides of the ball would be very nice. Even Marcus Arroyo did it. And guess what? Mario Cristobal finally got there. The packages on offense and defense are completely installed. The philosophy doesn't have to change when the plays change. Just like you said-give a look they KNOW will happen, then pull their pants down because they bought the look.

David, You brought up the issue before I had it completely in my mind. It is either bring in a talent infusion, or counsel with the best in the business-college and pro. What must change is the mindset that believes the players will execute if "we tweak it enough". Sometimes football is simply doing things people never thought you would do-leave your strategy behind.

Waddler, Teams are throwing so quick, that only stunts and exotic blitzes are going to get to a QB fast enough. Teams KNOW they can't hold onto the ball. I think Simulated Pressure would make a difference (the Buddy Ryan Zone Blitz packages. You're on point though-OBD needs to bring pressure to exploit the press man coverage the corners are so good at.

Jon, Jon, Jon, Where would this forum be without you? I always learn more when you post. Thanks pal.

Nail on the Head Kamikazi. I've said too much. This one is a doozie. Let's hope we see at least a 2025 Bama replay instead of a 25" PSU meltdown.

Glad you're here Solar. Great points as usual... I think the OL will be fine. They just need help until they are. I agree that the skill players may not trust the OL yet. Which begs the question: What are the coaches doing to get the team in a rhythm? Another point brought up is third and long. I believe 2nd and ten should be a quick package route scheme. I have said "go downfield-now!" in the past. That is not realistic at present. So we shall see if it is apparent early that the offense struggles, what Mehringer does. I am not talking about bubble and tunnel screens either (though traditional screens and deep routes supported by 5 yard check downs IS what I'm talking about). I have watched enough USC. San Jose State exposed them. They are ripe for downfield nuclear detonations. All Moore needs is enough time. They should be able to run the ball if they use the packages I discussed to start this thread: 21 and 13 packages. The OL needs time to gain chemistry, and Mehringer should run simple one-on-one schemes. That is the unit's strength. They are powerful downfield blockers. They are not fleet footed, nor quick to the second level. In my mind, these are fundamental issues that must be addressed until that unit gets its feet under them. I think the most important issue in this game is does this team want to fight? This is an MMA, Ali-Frazier, Mike Tyson and the Middleweight boxers of the 80s issue. This week, I hope Lanning was showing some Hearns vs Hagler stuff. Two dudes just going off on each other. That is the mentality this team needs. Mean, and Nasty. I will probably repeat that several times this year. This team has got to want to punch people in the mouth. Facemask on or off. Now, will Dan Lanning pay attention to lil ol me? NO But he is a smart guy. He absolutely knows he is on the clock. If you watched his expressions all game last week, he was all business and no smiles. He completely grasps this game -and his reputation- are on the line. Everybody is jumping on the Lanning is over rated bandwagon. It isn't true. But perception matters-especially to recruits. Dominating USC validates him and buys him time to attack the much larger issue: making elite talent dominant talent against elite and dominant teams. Intensity is where it starts. Chip Kelly proved toughness can match talent. He got robbed because the SEC refused to allow a just and fair game. They stole a title. But mean and nasty still matches that set of corn fed bubbas that move like gazelles. That is where we are-just a notch below that NFL caliber, but talented enough to do some serious damage anyway. I am curious to see what happens. I won't see the game until Saturday Night after work. But I sure hope I see the kind of effort I haven't seen in 15 years. Fast Hard Finish. We need more from you Solar. You see the field in slow motion.

Here are a couple of additional nuggets. Blown Coverages in C2.mp4The pass coverage in both of these explosive plays is Cover 2. You know- Cover 2 High. The first play is a flea-flicker. Well designed and the Free Safety bites...HARD. The Safety on the Field side is unfortunate enough to have to bail on the guy that ended up catching the ball because his High 2 counterpart left his position to stormtroop the running play (the Strong Safety's responsibility). loo First rule as a deep Safety. LOOK AT RECEIVERS. Not the ball. Why? Exactly this reason. Believe me, I made this mistake and it cost my team our very first game. So I know why Flowers should be a Strong Safety-his instinct is to kill. Anyway, if Flowers stays back, the Field Safety shuts down this play. The guy the Field Safety had to pick up was Flower's responsibility (he was too late getting to that guy, and Matayo prevented a TD pass on this play because he forced Mestemaker to throw a perfect pass to the crossing route-which he can because he has a very strong arm). Second Rule as a Safety- stay in your deep quarter of the field. The second play is exactly why. The Field Safety got scorched. The Boundary Safety picked up a semi fade route on his side when the Corner should have taken it-unless this was a Cover 6 (where it is Man Coverage on the Boundary Side and Zone Coverage on the Field Side). Had the Field Safety stayed in his quarter of the deep field, that WR would have run right to him. Now I consider these issues very basic. BUT, the players were talking about complex coverage rules that were confusing them. Unfortunately, that didn't help matters in the Portland State game-as I showed but did not explain (on purpose). I have to say this, although it pains me greatly to: The Elite Programs are making coverages very simple. In fact, Oklahoma State used one of these simple coverages on OBD. I called it a Cover 9. It was not. It was a Cover 3. And it works because OBD want to piggyback Dante Moore's incredibly strong arm. I'll show that coverage later. But not against OBD. It is a staple in the NFL, along with a very effective Cover 2 look that is locking down some very explosive passing attacks. In any event-looking at the QB (not just an OBD thing mind you-Georgia lost the 2018 Natty for that very reason) is an extinction event for OBD. I am hyperbolic for a reason. It is killing their ability to cover people. Only Jet Washington has shown any semblance of taking away open receivers. That is a massive issue folks. It is the difference between 30-20 versus Indiana in Eugene and 55-22 in Atlanta and 41-20 in Pasadena. It is that serious. I don't know a single Elite OC that can't dismantle this Defense at this point. The question becomes, when will Dan Lanning admit it? This team is talented enough to handle the physical and explosive group of elite teams. Coaching will be the difference. I am not sure it happens this year. First and foremost OBD absolutely must defeat USC-handily. As in another 14 point win. Otherwise, some elite players are going to question if Lanning's time has come and gone. I personally believe Lanning gets it. But he isn't sure how to attack it (probably without bruising some players' egos because frankly, some of them are seriously underperforming). We will have to wait and see because this team has enough talent to half butt it against most of this schedule. Their mission should be to obliterate the mediocre teams and dominate USC, Ohio State and Michigan. And they have the talent to do just that. One thing I saw that I really liked: Dante Moore was chewing out the team in Stillwater-despite having a bad game himself. That is actually huge. Now he needs to "go Pro" and throw receivers open. He started to in Stillwater. NOW he needs to be consistent. This weekend is huge friends. I want to see the effort. I'll take that first. The team can develop into a killer from there.

So, I promised some screenshots. Here is my first. Everyone knows my massive pet peeve is players staring down the QB instead of taking his options away (by actually covering receivers). Here is my second pet peeve (and it isn't exclusive to OBD-we just do this way, way too much). Notice the box: Five guys trying to master six. When Lanning talks about execution, this is one of the situations he is talking about. Lineman not holding their ground. My issue? How? How are you going to dominate a situation with a numbers disadvantage? Lanning expects his lineman to win these battles. News Flash: Oregon isn't winning the Line of Scrimmage because they are being outnumbered. This is a three year thing. Now notice the open space between the wide receivers. This is that wilderness I explained the Pioneers want to revisit. OBD try to cover everything and end up covering nothing. This ended up being a 10 plus yard run. I did see a non call on holding (I think the RG tackled DL Washington on the play), which would have killed this run, for about 4-5 yards. Still a loss on the stat sheet. When the PAC12 title game was played in Vegas, I was at the game. EVERY TIME I saw numbers like this, or a formation I didn't like that resembled this, I shuddered. I knew the result before the play started. I actually moaned out loud a couple of times (not too much because that gets annoying). We have a dominant Front Four. They are getting worn down fighting double teams every game. That in my opinion is not how to use a talent advantage. Here's the other thing. If you want to gash the Oregon Defense, spread them out. Lanning prefers to prevent explosive plays, so he reverts to 2 high (2 very deep safeties) and he puts his slowest guy on the fastest receiver (that is usually Aaron Flowers-who should be playing Strong Safety because he is a natural at it. Koi Perich should be playing Free Safety because he is far more effective than Flowers is. But if OBD really want to win battles in space, Jet Washington should play Free Safety because he actually does take options away from the QB-and when he doesn't he is in position to knock the ball our of a receiver's hands. In fact one of Washington's interceptions was because he was closing to do just that-strip the receiver from the ball. The QB was off the mark and Washington was in position to catch the ball instead of bailing out 15 yards from the play. In this photo, you can see why there is a Grand Canyon of space for receivers and runners to run wild through-the safeties run back 5 to 15 yards from their current position in this photo. So, either Lanning doesn't trust his safeties, or the safeties have the worst instinct for the ball. I am trying to figure that one out. But it was clear last week Jet Washington should be allowed to make mistakes (they already let another freshman get burned against Oklahoma State). He has far better instinct and is a ball hawk because he actually covers receivers instead of occupying space. My friends, massive changes must occur. We might as well have the safeties 25 yards off the ball. It is virtually the same thing. And as far as the DL goes. Let them cook one-on-one. And load the box appropriately. No more protecting small LBs. It isn't working. Well enough of my rant. I'm just a hack. But even a grade schooler is decent at simple math. And solid 7th graders are pretty good at Geometry.

Will The Real Oregon Ducks Please Stand Up For the last 8 months I've wondered whether or not my beloved Ducks are really capable of winning a National Championship. For a brief moment, after we beat Texas Tech, I thought they really had a chance. Alas, gold plated performances are far different than the real McCoy. I'm not sure Oregon is a Phantom Menace or not, but I do know this-everything Dan Lanning assumed about his vaunted team has dissolved like Alka Seltzer pills falling in your glass. And believe me, we need some relief from the stress. Echoes of a dreadful demise haunted my mind as we all witnessed Our boys resemble a live version of the Walking Dead. The slow-motion train wreck in Stillwater wasn't the nuclear detonation Chris Peterson's Fuskies dropped on Eugene in 2016. But the feeling was the same in my mind. Our Beloved Ducks were in slow motion, and Oklahoma State and those Damn Fuskies were in high gear. I promised you some diagrams to show you what I have observed the past few months. Instead, I am going to drop a couple of videos. One of the Defense this past week, and one of the Offense-from the Peach Bowl (you’ll understand why later). I do so with two main motivations: 1) I really don’t want the general public to get a full grasp of what I see-knowing the experts have already figured it out. Secondly, I just don’t have the time to go into massive detail-I am not on Oregon’s payroll, or anyone else’s-but I recognize quite a few things that must have Coordinators salivating all over the country. I have said this before-if this Hack can figure it out, the professionals are all over this. Some say Oklahoma State let the cat out of the bag last week. I don’t think so. The concerns I have seen have been on my mind since OBD took Ohio State down in Eugene. Our coaching staff truly plays to their tendencies-to the degree I believe confirmation bias set hold this summer. Boise State, Oklahoma State AND Portland State knew exactly what to attack. Because I believe the Defense is the weak link, I am starting with that unit. And trust me, I am going to be very brief because some very intelligent people already know the tip of the iceberg I am going to reveal. Before I try to remain brief on the group, I want to explain something very important. Dan Lanning knows his team very, very well. He has been masterful at masking some key fundamental weaknesses. Let’s get into it… Lanning is married to the Mint Defense. It is his second love behind his wife and kids. So much so, that he is willing to alter the makeup of its fundamentals in order to suit his talent deficient personnel (in contrast to the over abundant wave of talent he led at Georgia). The Linebackers have been the most vulnerable of the group within the unit. That still applies today, but this unit resembles the 2024 version of the unit-light LBs bracketed by a talented set of lineman and defensive backs. Now the problem this year is the defensive backs have been tasked to cover so much field, they can’t cover ANY of the field. I am not going to break down why, and it won’t look obvious in the video. I will explain that in the comments as we discuss this. Now I hope to have enough screen shots for you by Friday-so we all will get an idea of the nightmare Lanning has on his hands. But I will simply post the video below for your entertainment. It is a three and out series, but boy, Portland State knew exactly what to attack. They simply don’t have the horses to execute like the elite teams have, unless some real changes are implemented the rest of the season. I will summarize it like this: Boise State and Oklahoma State recognized Oregon is running a tight Mint look to protect their smaller LBs. They keep the safeties deep to foil explosive passing plays. The result is there is so much room left open, the Pioneers from the 1700s and 1800s want to explore that territory. Again, I’ll drum up some screenshots from previous games OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS to support my theory. I will end this section by saying all is not lost, but I have to show you the standard for Defenses over the course of the season because there is much to discuss. There is so much to cover-but it must take this full season for me to show you-I simply don’t have enough time to drum up an ESPN/FOX and elite YouTube show for you-as much as I would like to. Here is the video for now. https://youtu.be/3pu8TLzTQl0?si=Nez1zsj03oXVEPX7 Now the Offense. I want you all to take a close look at this video. I cut the sound so you can simply watch a masterpiece in action. THIS is what I am talking about when I mention throwing teams off the scent. Indiana was completely unprepared for the formations, plays, and sequencing in this drive. https://youtu.be/EDIeYDTroKo If OBD are going to make a run at the Natty, these are the kinds of things that must happen. Some plays under center. Twelve and Thirteen personnel often. Bunch formations, and Jet Motions. Screens (there were two of them on this drive). Proper checkdown routes and scripted “Mesh, Smash and Smesh route combos that are more constraint type plays that look like the traditional routes Coordinators run using those concepts (I will introduce these concepts to you over the season). Stein ran plays under center, with a regular run and play action/boot looks. Stein ran exactly one play that resembled Oregon’s typical tendencies on that Series. It was a TD pass. It was also the most wide-open route in Eugene-against the Hoosiers-four different times. QB Moore didn’t throw that pass once in that game. He nailed it on a 3rd down with 12 to go just outside the Red Zone. Everything Oregon usually runs must be buried in sets of plays as demonstrated in this series. Lanning has decided to exploit Dante Moore’s natural ability to stun everyone with his downfield throwing capabilities. It has been all or nothing. I don’t expect that to continue. Now I don’t expect to see much variation from Lanning’s current strategy this weekend. And frankly, if the Offensive Line can block, they won’t need to. IF… And that is what it boils down to in Los Angeles this weekend: Will the lineman on both sides of the ball bring an excellent performance to the table? So Again I ask the question: who are the Oregon Ducks? If Dan Lanning has learned anything, it must be that business as usual is done. What we see in Los Angeles this weekend is nothing compared to what will happen if Our Beloved Ducks face the elite group of teams-the Contenders. Lanning and his staff have all season to pretty much dial up a playbook specifically for that group. To be unveiled slowly but surely. That is what I hope Lanning will be spending sleepless hours the next 16 weeks developing. Then maybe we will see the Real Oregon Ducks-the ones we expected the past 3 seasons. So enjoy the videos, and even if you are not religious-pray. That the set of plays an Offense above become a staple of plays unleashed when teams are expecting business as usual. Unfortunately, the Defense will take longer to develop. Nonetheless, that is what I hope Our Ducks will become. The explosive Offense Lanning wanted so, his Bend but Don’t Break Defense could maintain a winning edge.

Well, 3 out of the last 4 games looked exactly the same. Listless execution...you know the drill. I believe putting a whuppin on USC and Ohio State (going through the same reputational assault) are the only remedies in the regular season. Then we have to win a Natty. It's time to tone down the marketing and kick some serious a$$. The hype worked for two decades. People are beginning to smell a rat 🐁 🐀 🐁 🐀.

I'm thinking like this: Less reps makes them hungry. They can go off each other in practice without killing each other. Plus, we're showing what we can do. I definitely don't like that. Mehringer-in my mind-showed his chops. He can call plays - very well. t On the formation penalty to start the second quarter-TE Olesh showed the agility the lineman need (and again showed they don't have). Now I don't necessarily believe teams haven't figured out our OL don't move well (quickly) laterally-but I don't want to show that right now. And we are. That is why I shut things down. Let the scrubs get experience and exposure. As well-they get shown on film who they actually are at present. I realize that exposes depth, but next year they will be playing and getting paid more. If the guys are truly hungry, they will show it next week because they didn't get tonight. I am very unconventional about these things. I don't want to be pigeonholed. You can't catch me if you can't find me. You can't find me if you don't see what I do. Shut it down. Nobody needs more evidence right now. We have shown a career's worth of tells and tendencies the past 12 months.

28-0. Bring in the scrubs. The players made their point. Take away scouting advantages and play vanilla ball PLEASE

I found out this week that Georgia pays its players based on performance. They get paid more when they start, reach designed goals, reach accolades like all SEC teams etc. I wish all teams, in all leagues structured their contracts like that. Market Value is subjective. So is categorized position values. For instance, the Giants refused to pay an obvious upper level performer at RB in Saquon Barkley, then the Eagles paid him. Minnesota rewards a high performing WR (don't even know his name-that's how anonymous his performance was to me) with a ridiculous 180M guaranteed contract. Stupid. I love the Steelers. They paid him by position grade. The dude didn't do anything to make the Vikings a contender. I HATE THAT. If you are marginally making my team better, you go get paid by somebody else. I'll find and develop the guys that will get me my title. All I need is about 14 super dudes. I'll find the guys that crack pads, fill space properly, and take away QB options instead of STARING AT HIM ON PASSING PLAYS (we all know how much I can't stand guys looking at the QB-you're benched on my team doing that). Enough of my soliloquy. I pay for daily performance is what I should have said.

If there ever was a time to tell an agent I found somebody that's a half a million ( 1 million to 2 million) less- and then make that happen - this is the time. I don't necessarily agree with trying to a budget like Money Ball the movie. But there's a reason the Steelers make the playoffs without having to fork up a $300M budget. Same with the Patriots. Now is the time to scout with extreme effectiveness, and develop these kids so they play in Sundays - regardless of Natty's. $30-35M is sufficient to put together some Joes good enough to get on an NFL roster by any means necessary. That's my philosophy. I'm not paying for potential, I'm paying for performance. I would include incentives just like the NFL does. You reach a certain stat and you get a bonus, you don't you get that flat base salary. Hardball the hell out of the agents. That would be my thing. But once again, I'm just a super hat that is blowing smoke from parts that most people don't like. And I'm not advocating the Cignetti method. I'm plainly saying there are some hungry dudes out there that will bust their butt, crack some pads, like one walk on we know that's playing for the Indianapolis Colts right now. Another is on the Kansas City Chiefs roster at the linebacker, despite his inability to cover with a lot of speed sideline to sideline. To hell with these kids with a lot of talent that want a lot of money. Coach up guys like D'Angelo Ponds who have the fight in them to take down a guy that's going to be one of the best NFL receivers, and is already one of the best college receivers ever. I mentioned this earlier this week, Chip Kelly's 2010 team was not the most talented, but they were badass. They were mean, they hit hard, and teams had trouble with them no matter what. I'll take that kind of team over the most talented team ever. Because they can play with those kind of teams. Think of Notre Dame's St Mary of the most beautiful heavenly personality versus the Grand theft Auto Miami Hurricanes. Walking into Touchdown Gosh' stadium in fatigues is epic. Most people won't agree with this, but I want the kind of fierce battles like Ray Lewis versus Eddie George. Those two couldn't stand each other while they played. They beat each other up. They took it personally. They played with an edge most people dream of playing with. That's what I want my ducks to be. And I'm not going to pay him $45 million dollars to do it. But that's just me. I want a scouting department that finds guys that play hard all the time. They say Wide Receivers were scared of Pat Tillman because Tillman wasn't afraid to knock himself out when he hit you. Those are my kind of dudes. If any of you played football, you know that I'm saying. There have been weeks I was sore for four or five days. Because I went full tilt against guys that were bigger that went full tilt. I haven't seen that from our OBD since Chip Kelly arrived as a coordinator. Give me three on the OL and DL like the 2003 team, 2 jet speed WRs, a Ferguson type TE, a Jevon Holland, a Cliff Harris, Troy Dye and Kiko Alonso. Surround them with players with grit, and you have a 2010 kind of team. If you're not familiar with those guys, play some highlights. Those dudes were the real deal. I don't see enough players in any of Lanning's teams with that kind of fire. That's why I keep saying that Lanning is a hell of a coach. He is getting performance above his players' capacity. Teams are neutralizing that advantage. Can't wait to show you how.

If there ever was a time to have an ugly uniform for the week, this would be the one. I love that uniform combo, and it's wasted on a bum!!! Also, I think the uniform reveals should be on Saturday mornings.

Ok, I am going to bounce around a bit (what's new?). First and foremost: OBD are going to have a difficult time winning games 45-44. That is not a formula for winning. Ask Mario about his 2024 team-great offense poor defense. Believe me-giving up more than 20 points a game will not lead to enough victories in the playoffs. And right now, we are looking at two quotes...1) Playoffs!!! Playoffs!!! and 2) They are who we thought they were...and we let em off the hook!!! Secondly-this is way more complicated than coaching. Though I believe strategy is a massive indicator at this point. Again, I am cooking up a thesis to help me diagnose what the problem truly is. But I don't think it is one thing. There are shades of Penn State last year; 2015, 2015 and 2016; football is evolving rapidly and coaches at ALL levels are adapting faster than people realize; and it is very possible that players are more focused on the bag-and the things that their respective bag is buying (and all the status that comes with that) than playing football (not my original thought, but enough have mentioned it that it could be reality). Josh Pate put it well: are we looking at a Penn State (and Clemson) collapse or an Alabama refocus (though Bama had a ceiling-and we resemble that in so many ways)? I believe there are some solutions-to all of it. But I am a bonafide, certified hack that is truly throwing mud on the wall hoping something will stick. I find it amusing that Duck Nation is having as much as a meltdown as Ohio State fans. Losing when you think you're Gods really creates emotional damage LOL. Didn't help that DL was chippy yesterday. I hope that is just his edge and that the players are beyond angry to the point they want to crack some pads and put their fingers in some face masks. It truly is time to see a Duck team play really, really nasty ball. Mean, borderline dirty, like Dennis Rodman and cutthroat like Michael Jordan and Kobe. Somebody here said it well: when we look at last year's Miami team, Indiana, Ohio State and Georgia-those teams play differently than OBD do. There is a level of intensity -not flashy hype-full blown intensity- that OBD have only shown once-in 2010 when Chip fully shocked the world. That is still the standard in my eyes. That 2010 team was confident, but very determined. They had the right amount of talent and grit. I haven't seen that kind of team at Oregon since.

It very well could be. At least this year. At times I have thought, over the last two years, that the team played well over their abilities. I still can't believe the defense played so well the last two years with Linebackers that can't cover, are expected to cover the field sideline to sideline when they don't have the speed necessary, and an offense that couldn't out muscle physical teams. So it just might be everyone has figured out the team is not the beast the media led everyone to believe. Superman is back on Krypton; Toto pulled back the cape, and King Kong does have something on Denzel. A lot of people in the program will need to prove we're not a paper tiger.