Haywarduck

I would say the first question is the college game is quicker and the outcome of a hit is much greater if you can't avoid or juke a defender. If you want your qb to run, he better be pretty good at it at the college level. The difference between a Noah Sewell and a Haywarduck tackling you is huge! The second question is one we may need an answer to, if we see more pro style qb's transferring. That question is much like who is calling for the 3rd down runs up the gut? Both may be happening at a rate that it is a legitimate question.

They know Dana Altman, but do the players respect, and listen to the coaches as much as they do the pundits. If the players next game might be against a higher ranked team, they often think about that rather than what the coach says. I agree Dana's peers know what he has done and will do, but they can't get their players to do the same!

Another point is Michael Jordon was cut from his high school basketball team, didn't make the varsity. Those disappointments are what makes a man and a team player. Does a guy make excuses, quit, or does he double down on the effort and proactively listen to the criticism? That is what we need in our starter and our back-up. If a player chooses the transfer portal, good riddance. I actually wonder what is going on with our qb recruiting. It has been said Butterfield isn't the right guy for Moorhead's offense, we then recruit another qb in Butterfield's mold, a pro style qb? A guy who is limited in his ability to make defenses pay for not respecting his ability to run. Cristobal says he wants to do what Oregon has always done, but in a power mode. He then just does the power game without the innovative, dynamic play calling, with limited scoring. Cristobal then hires an RPO OC who wants a running qb and recruits another pro style qb. What is happening, and why is there a disconnect between what we hear, and what we see on the field, and in recruiting? I am not bashing this kid, Bailey or Butterfield. They both seem like great student athletes, and Ducks. I just wonder why we continue to recruit players who don't fit the offense we seem to want to build? Is Cristobal an undisciplined recruiter, proned to go after the shiny object rather than the object one needs? The question has already been raised, repeatedly, is he just a stubborn play caller? Maybe this will be a problem going forward? I mean we have already had two pro style recruits transfer out this season. We now recruit another, with only one pro style qb left on the roster, and that one may be the next to transfer. I don't know the answer, but worth asking, right?

Unranked with little respect, just like the good old days. That is except the Ducks have one of the best coaches and a program with a recent history of doing damage in the tourney. It could be an interesting post season if a few teams look past the Ducks.

Altman understands odds, and also understands compounding interest. He would rather let the interest on his capital grow then gamble. The interest he is earning at Oregon should get him beyond the final four and a national title. Altman is like many savvy investors who have enough capital that they can just let it grown and never dent the principal. Too many programs are like investors who go after momentum stocks, bit coin and other investments which look good in the short term but often end up busts. I would also say Altman is more like Buffet as an investor, gambler. He looks towards companies, players who can sustain their growth and don't need constant management. Buffet, like Altman, buys companies and then lets them produce in a win, win situation. We are fortunate to have much the same situation with the Oregon Basketball Program. There is no gambling, just growth towards what I would bet is an inevitable national title.

No, he should ask them if they want to buy one. Send them a signed written quote of their assessment so they can frame them for their offices. Maybe send the guys who supported him free jerseys!

He did it again, well done! Not sure we solved how he does it, but he just keeps it up.

I would say this especially true when you haven't developed an in person relationship with students, players. There is nothing like looking somebody straight in the eye from 3' away to know if something is getting through, what creates meaning. Are the players leaning in, hopefully, or somewhere else, hard to know when you are a zoom away. I feel for teachers, students, coaches and athletes, and look forward to a new day. I have extreme empathy for parents too, as I experienced this first hand. I suppose the role of parent is like the one of fan, where you just wonder what is going on, why, why, why! I also, like you, look forward to the spring game, and beyond!

I think there are questions, but the answer we want is still possible. Moorhead did amazing things at Fordham, at the FCS level. He also killed it at Penn State, but he had Saquon and a very serviceable qb. At Oregon he doesn't have a generational RB, good qb combination. The question is can he develop the offense he wants with the talent he has walked into at Oregon? I think he can, but he needs to have better production at the qb and rb positions. We will see if he develops the qb this season, and gets better production at rb. Maybe he gets rid of the predictable run up the gut? This is really the big question. This season we will see if he can develop a qb. I don't think the verdict will be definitive with a bunch of new qb's, but he needs to show he can lead a qb towards progressive development and adequate production. Seeing Shough struggle raises questions, but, to me, most of those questions were on Shough. If we see another highly rated qb struggle then maybe my observations were wrong. The other question is about the level of football he has been successful at. Is he the next Chip Kelly at Oregon, or just another OC who struggles. Chip came from a lower division and killed it, can Moorhead. I think he can, and showed good enough innovation to convince me he can continue to have success. I look forward to seeing my questions better answered by a full season of practice and installation of Moorhead's offense. I think he can make something out of the qb talent he has at his disposal. He can also get better production out of the RB, with a qb who sees a wide open RB coming out of the backfield. I also think he can out scheme the teams we will be facing. Those issues are still questions, and it will be fun to see the answers develop over the season ahead.

So much is unknown that to predict is just to do what the root dict means, say. All you are doing is saying something, without much behind it. Oregon has talent, but little is proven beyond you need to plan for Thibs. How the rest of the defense will play out, or will the offense start to click, who knows? I know I could predict, but that would be redundant, as my green and yellow glasses see the same thing, always.

"The Pit" will never be duplicated, because it was actually scary. When the scoreboard was swaying and the whole building shaking these seats were epic. I do wonder if a structural engineer would allow a full house in 'The Pit' now?

That can definitely be interpreted that way. What I was saying is he will be serviceable, useful to a team. The question is how does he leverage that usefulness and then how does the team do the same. What I was saying is he is at least at the level of Kellen Clemens who had an 11 year career. I do think he has a huge upside, but that can be limited by the team that has him and the choices they make. I have faith that Marcus will make good choices, just not too sure if the teams will do the same.

As far as impact on recruiting a qb in the future, the guy who wins the job for this season will have largest impact. Mariota and Herbert have already had their impact on recruiting. Kids think about being the next Mariota when he was at Oregon, that is what Tua wanted. If we can't put an effective qb on the field, with all the talent on the sideline, then this will make a larger negative impact on recruiting. Kids want to see people who seem like themselves living their dream. That is what Mariota and Herbert did and we need another doing the same. What we don't want is another Shough muddling through a season and then transferring. Moorhead needs to show he can manage this qb competition and bring aboard a starter and two back-ups. The disfunction in our qb recruiting and management needs to come to an end. The good news is the recruiting seems to have gotten better, now we just need to see the development of some players, small task ahead. As far as Mariota, I think he will land on his feet and become a very serviceable qb. What we saw in the past and last season is only the start of a great career if he gets a good opportunity.

Agree, but I think he is a grandmaster of the game and the players. His ability to bring out the best in each player is uncanny. His ability to see the game is also under appreciated but what he does with the players it is almost like he is a puppet master and a grand master of the game. I also agree with Drake, he deserves to win the NCAA title and so far has been a few injuries away from it. One magical season it will happen, maybe even with some or all of these players we see on the court now.

At first I thought it read pulling a DT from SEC central, another time. I can dream can't I!

Don't forget the RB's of the past. A qb is also helped by the weapon out of the backfield. What we are also seeing is a completely new group of coaches. For four decades we had, arguably, the greatest RB coach in all of college football. Beyond that we had coaching continuity. Right now we are trying to figure out the assistant coaches and what Cristobal is trying to create. What Cristobal has said isn't what we are seeing. I would say what we are seeing isn't what he wants to create. This is Cristobal's offense, and team, it will take a while to see what that actually means.

Interesting takes on what Altman does. I do wonder if he consistently has timeouts left at the end of the game. He doesn't seem like he want to micromanage the players like some coaches. It wouldn't surprise me if the players wanted to go man to man and were able to have that control. Reminds of one aspect I really enjoyed about John Wooden. He let the players play and said the time to coach them was before the game and after. Too many coaches call all the timeouts and are constantly yelling at the players to do exactly what they want. Altman seems to create a group of players bound together as a team. They look to Altman for guidance, but to themselves to win the game. I do think this is different in this day and age. Definitely one thing I didn't like about one of my sons coach's. The micromanagement took away much of the creativity and individuality within the team. The love for the game waned and it killed some of the passion for a few of the players. Altman seems to keep the whole team excited and engaged.

The NCAA only keeps 4% on the $1 + billion of revenue, fair? I suppose they are doing a better job than lavish Larry was doing for the Pac-12, but with the new rules going into effect the revenue is no longer going to be the boondoggle of money it was in the past. The endorsement deals some athletes are going to make in the near future is going to start effecting the bottomline of this bottomless pit of revenue for the NCAA and some universities. Will this be an advantage to the University of Oregon which knows how to take advantage of marketing opportunities, or the bigger institutions? The Covid-19 hit is a short term loss, the athletes hit to revenue has just begun. Pretty soon the '7 for 7' t-shirt money is going to go straight to Seven Mcgee and not to the university. Things are beginning to change beyond the transfer portal Bill Walton equated to Tinder portal. The games are just beginning.

First off this is the perfect topic to discuss because I don't think anyone can definitively say they know how Dana Altman wins like he does. All we can do is offer ideas, which is what we all do best. The question is how does he win every year like he does? You can't say he brings in his guys and he knows how to pick them. His first year at Oregon he won with Kents guys and won the CBI tournament against his Creighton team! If that wasn't astounding enough he has continued to do it no matter who leaves, or who gets injured. His teams peak at the end of the season and his student athletes do what every coach dreams about, every year. His teams become teams and get better, no matter what. Is it because he is unflappable, that just might be part of it. I don't think I have ever seen Altman lose his cool, or blame a player. He has a plan and meticulously puts it in place. Any deviation from the plan is expected and he adjusts. There are too few coaches as coolheaded as Altman, and it is almost like he is insouciant, but he just has a plan, it seems. The other question, is he just that much smarter than the rest of the coaches? His strategic plays in a game are legendary, to me. It is almost like he sees things nobody else does. I tend to lean towards this scenario most. Altman is a genius, almost a Clark Kent type of a coach. He looks like the simple guy, but when basketball is concerned watch out for what is underneath that simple outfit he has on the outside. He could also be accused of being a Svengali, but that would be deemed a negative. I do think he has amazing influence on his players and how the games turn out. He knows how to shut down players and instill a belief in his players like few can. They believe the guy, follow the guy and benefit from it. All I know is if he knew football I would want him on the sideline helping out Cristobal.

The NBA has crossed the threshold for me on being able to look beyond the ugly scene of owner, player entitlement. The owners hold cities hostage with arena demands, and players think they are all to do, because they dunked a basketball, while too many can't make a free throw. I can't watch professional basketball, but used to be an avid fan. I don't know if it is just a sign of me getting older, I am getting older, but not old, by the way. I will say if Dr. J, or the Big O was playing in Portland tonight, I would be there in a heart beat. As for the owners, since when did they become bigger than the game. I suppose no sport is worse than the NFL with Jerry Jones, but at least they have the Packers. Basically I try to focus on the competition on the field and never listen to the radio shows Charles mentioned. I suppose the uniforms, pads and helmets of football help me get past the look at me attitude of most pro athletes. What is a franchise player anyway? Actually don't tell me, it will just make me sick!

I am not sure which one makes me more ill, the billionaires who need a salary cap to make sure they don't spend too much money, or the players who feel disrespected because they weren't offered $20 million a year. I am with you, just serve me the sausage, that was made in a USDA inspected plant. Don't tell me about, or show me how the sausage was made.

I also want to be clear I don't think Oregon should promote just anyone for the Heisman. If a recruit is a 5* recruit, not enough to be promoted by the Oregon Football Program. If a kid has a good game, or great season not enough. If a player comes to Oregon with lofty goals, works towards those goals, even if he is a 2* recruit, and achieves them we should be all in in promoting the kid for whatever awards warranted. Student athletes should know if they come to Oregon and excel, we have your back, and will put you front and center. Some may remember the billboard the next year the Ducks put up in New York. It is time for Oregon to get into the promotion game again. Not that Cristobal seems to need the help, but why not!

Walton also saw that the press wasn't handled by UCLA. 'Why wasn't UCLA ready for the press.' The Ducks have the talent and the skill players to a ways in the tourney. Should be fun to watch! What I saw was an intensity few teams have. I will start a thread soon, but what Altman creates is unique and hard to quantify. His teams just get it done as the season progresses.

Like the article states, maybe him not playing this year will allow the doubt to drop him in the draft. It would be amazing to see him on a good to great team and protecting, creating holes for an offense that is a threat. I do agree the comparison thing isn't helpful, but is expected out of a pundit. We all like to make comparisons, but everyone needs to become their own unique person with flaws and exceptional abilities! Penei is definitely one of those guys who seems to have found one of his unique abilities early in life. The guy is a monster of an offensive lineman, with much more talent left to tap. It is an amazing fact that he isn't that old. and has much untapped potential to come.

I don't think it is a question of whether Thibs can win the Heisman, it is a question of whether Oregon should promote Thibs as a Heisman candidate? The answer to the second question is yes, that is the Oregon way. Thibs may not win the Heisman, but he deserves to be promoted as a Heisman candidate. When Joey Harrington was at Oregon that is what we did. The promotion of Joey as a Heisman candidate may have hurt Joey professional career, because he ended up getting more press and was a higher draft pick. This pick went to the Detroit Lions, a career killing team at the time. The promotion of Joey did bring an amazing amount of good press to the Oregon Football Program. This is what we need to do again, and the positive press will, again, help the program. Our defense will excite the next Thibs to come to Oregon. I only wish we had done the same for Ngata, a truly generational talent at the time. Maybe even start the promotion now to help influence JTT to sign on as the next great DE? Let JTT see what kind of support he can expect if he puts in the effort at Oregon?