Haywarduck

Where will Oregon rank on total defense and offense at the end of the season? I pick Oregon to be in the top 10 on offense, once again. With even more weapons, an O-line with experience, and a few early games to gel they should be around where they were last year. The defense was 71st last season. Georgia is the only team with both offense and defense in the top ten. I don't think this is realistic for us. I look for us to get in the top twenty if we are to compete for anything big this year. I also look for the Oregon defense to never be anywhere near 70th again under Lanning. What are the thoughts on how these two statistics will play out? Another favorite stat is turnover margin. Oregon did pretty well last year and it would be nice to continue to be in the upper third. One thing is for sure sc won't be the top turnover margin team again. That was the stat that allowed them to hold it all together last year.

My understanding that smorgasbord is being served here (see attached photo) now, although quite a few people are getting a little indigestion, and I think they are beginning to identify the cause.

I am excited that Lanning is getting the kind of student athlete he wants to run the offense and defense he envisions. I also don't think he is chasing stars like the previous coach, but sees both the transfers, and young recruits he wants. For me the joy of the recruiting numbers was always hollow after MariØ was done with his classes. It was like after going to an all you can eat smorgasborg and you just feel bloated, and many of the decisions made were poor. With Lanning it seem like we are waiting for our reservation at 2* restaurant that people are talking about maybe earning the elusive third star in the future. Everything on the menu piques your interest. There is potential with every player he recruits to be a unique experience. The next exciting step is to see Lanning and his assistants make that vision come alive. This is the most exciting step, although it is still interesting to contemplate all the ingredients, and the inevitable experience of tasting that first bite in September and hopefully the final bite early next year. Of course that will be followed by a very nice beverage!

He can do two things sadly lacking last year, close and wrap. Burch can close on a player, get to the qb, rb, ball extremely quick. He can also wrap up, guys don't get away from his grip, and he hits with full force. The only question I have is, can he go both ways? The guy would be a beast at TE. 6' 5", 275 lbs and he has wheels, can catch. If we get in a bind, there are guys who can at least block and be a distraction, Burch is on the list. I couldn't watch the whole thing, too much!

I think your right, Helfrich deserves most of the credit. I do think each coach gained a great deal from the previous coach up to Helfrich. Slick and MariØ took over a bit of a dumpster fire of a program, and did some good things on the recruiting and assistant coach front. We also lucked out on the last second recruiting of Justin. In hindsight it should have been Allioti's turn to run the program, but the OC stepping into that role was the Oregon way. Helfrich was the next boy wonder offensive coach.

I would add humility and modesty doesn't rule out competitiveness. I see a confidence and inner strength in Lanning that is complemented with a fire that feeds his intellect. Now can that all blend into with the Oregon magic, stay tuned, I know I will!

Agree, but I would add brilliance and arrogance aren't a pretty combination. The arrogance hurts with recruiting and managing assistants. It also hurts with play calling at times. If you were to try and picture arrogance and brilliance in one person Chip would be one of the poster boys. At Oregon he was in the perfect situation where arrogance was overshadowed, by the humility and modesty surrounding him. Fortunately Lanning, is once again, bringing back humility and modesty. This is one aspect so completely different than the previous two guys!

Agree on Chip, what has saved him at ucla was his brilliance as a coach. I think coaches don't fully appreciate the Oregon advantage and too often think they are miracle workers while not able to acknowledge the advantage Oregon has as a program. That is what happened to slick, and is now happening to MariØ. It seems Lanning loves Oregon, knows the advantage, and is leveraging it for all it's worth. Let's hope Lanning never gets so full of himself that he ventures off and fails too. I do agree Helfrich was an amazing coach, just that he was an amazing assistant coach. He failed at many things as a head coach. Too bad he hasn't been able to jump back into the game. Maybe he is just being a great Dad. I hope so, and is enjoying life, being a great Dad is the most important job anyway!

It was tough recruiting back in Brooks day, very tough. It wasn't easy when Bellotti took over. Here is Frost's quote just after he left, about recruiting at Oregon. "Every kid in the country wanted to come to Oregon. They saw how we played, they saw the facilities, they saw the uniforms, the winning. Everybody was interested in Oregon. I'm telling recruits down here they don't have to go 3,000 miles away to get that anymore, Oregon just came to them." Slick saw that, the previous coach not so much, and recruited with that knowledge. MariØ saw that too, but almost destroyed that allure. Lanning is renewing that fascination. He is also building a staff, and culture which has the ability to be something special. The young student athletes can sense this and are lining up again. I will agree to disagree about the era of Helfrich.

Great stuff, if DL can develop and utilize as well as Chip we have a Natty. Chip took a DB and made him lightening out of a bootle, in a dynamic offense that was worth more than the ticket price while giving us our first Heisman. He also allowed Alliotti to create a defense that was as good as the recruiting, at the time, would allow. That is an amazing analysis of the situation we await to see. The big if is, can Dan actually develop and utilize the talent he is bringing in. I am willing to watch no matter what NIL, conference stuff, and tv contracts come our way.

Interesting MariØ can't recruit at Miami, surrounded by talent, at his alma mater. He can recruit at Oregon, in the middle of nowhere, without any connection to the program. Makes you wonder just how hard it is to recruit too Eugene if you know the formula. Not saying Lanning isn't working his tail off, but the Oregon Program isn't what Scott Frost was saying. You can recruit to Oregon, and Scott Frost was completely wrong! I suppose this is one of the reasons head coaches who leave Oregon fail at a high rate?

Same guy who came up with roboduck. I still have PTSD over seeing Oregon wear blue and the orange. Those two uniforms in 2016 played a small part in Helfrich losing his job. I am sure of it!

We do need to set some boundaries on the throwback thing. Dan is wearing Adidas, simple black might be cool, but Nike all the way. The cheerleader is in a full plaid bib overalls, and the big collars, that isn't going to work, ever again! Those two style combos need to be put 8' deep. Maybe a uniform to give some respect to these three guys.

Would be epic to see the Ducks put on the old uni's and torch sc in their old jerseys, one last time!

Yet he hung 142 points on the dawgs, and never lost. His freshman year D Thomas smoked them too. Lesson, even when you pound the dawgs, you still don't like them.

Not a good light on Schiff. First big decision and he misses big time.

Dawg recruiting was almost cruising right along, looking good and then.......

Another guy ready to compete and try and become the best he can be. With the talent coming in there aren't any guarantees, other than you will have to work you tail feathers off to get on the field. Fear not Ducks, the tail feathers will grow back!

Great idea, not sure I can make it. I will definitely be there in spirit, and glued to the game!

Makes you wonder if players working out on Rick Brooks Practice Field will ever play a real game on Rich Brooks Field while being watched by Rich Brooks? I suppose this adds another team Oregon should put on their list of teams to play. Well done Rich Brooks, a man of integrity and immense talent.

Just not enough info to really have an informed opinion, other than a sad day for Northwestern, and college football.

I agree with Steven A, Oregon runs, no pun intended, a meritocracy at all positions. We saw that last year with early on grumblings about too many guys getting touches. As the season progressed it became evident Bucky was the guy, and his statistics indicate he will start out ahead of the returning guys. The one question is where will Dowdell fit in. He hasn't had a true opportunity to show what he can do in game time. Will he push James out, and into the portal? Will he push even more guys to leave. I do think we need at least 3 good backs ready to go. The punishment these guys take leads to needing capable back-ups. I do think Limar is a wildcard. I don't see where he fits in, but I haven't seen enough of what he can do. Maybe a couple will be ok with sitting around, training, getting ready. Does the Oregon RB room become like Alabama's. Derrick Henry came in and had 36 touches his freshman year. Shared the starting role his sophomore year, and then won the Heisman his junior year. Can we maintain a meritocracy where elite talent waits for the opportunity to shine? That is the question with so many talented guys wanting the rock.

Seems like another play where if you see tendencies you take advantage of them. What scenarios do you see this play as most effective in? It did seem like there was a missed read by the LB, or it would have been well defended? The TE didn't even act like he was blocking and the LB didn't even look at him. Great stuff to ponder and look for as the games get closer!

Two guys were brought in by Lanning to fix the defense in the short term. Burch and Jacobs have the ability to make the Oregon defense more Georgia like. They may not be underrated, but I think they underperformed at their previous stops. Much like Bo Nix these two guys will rise up at Oregon and realize their potential. Lanning is counting on it! At receiver it will be a battle through fall camp. I wouldn't count out Jurrion, and I have a feeling somebody is going to become an all-time best Oregon receiver out of the new guys coming in. The question is who can be as good or better than Franklin? If somebody is as good or better, Franklin will become a bigger weapon, and the offense will be lights out. I do like Charles statement about greatness emerging early, and sometimes players look like men playing with boys. I wonder if Jurrion will be that guy. If I remember correctly Royce came to Oregon and by the second game made a 1,000 yd rusher into a receiver. He then went on to rush for over 1,000 yds as a freshman. Will Jurrion be the same kind of talent? I doubt he effects Franklin's playing time, but he might impact others.

Surprised ND wasn't on the list. If you want exposure, playing ND gives you that. A team which is almost always a preseason top 10 pick, whether deserving or not.