Haywarduck

Wow, how lucky we are to have you bringing us your insights, thank you! I have to admit, you had me at 'The Oregon Ducks Offense.'

Some great insights, but just give me football, and my Ducks!

Thanks for sharing your insights, and the work you have done to bring it to light for us, bravo!

There is plenty of amazing talent which never makes it past AAU ball. Just like there are brilliant people living on the street. Aptitude doesn't convert into what someone is capable of without the right attitude. We need attitude, not just aptitude. Agree I do think Altman is over trying to convert attitudes and look for more scrappy talent going forward.

I remember this free throw discussion before, and it hasn't changed. To me free throw shooting is a direct indicator of both a players ability, discipline and willingness to struggle. This team lacks discipline and doesn't seem to understand how ability develops. If I was coach, go less than 70% from the charity line then you shoot underhanded. You don't average more than 33% from the 3 point line you don't shoot the 3. You also better have an extremely good rebound per minute stat if you weak in an area, or you will never see the court. Maybe I am too harsh, but there needs to be certain metrics you have to meet. Seems like basketball players are all about the moments where they slam the ball, or break somebodies ankles with one move. That now means they are the best players on the team. No longer is passing, moving, defending, rebounding, free throw shooting, and effort valued. I think Dana needs to bring back value to those statistics, attributes. I think Dana has lost his way, these kids are out there, but he has chased the wrong student athletes lately. Those attributes are what Duck basketball was and should be all about.

I'll just say I look forward to what he puts on the floor next season. At least one of the players playing last night seemed to be trying to earn a spot on the floor next season, a 7 footer from a small town in Oregon. I look forward to a couple more from Oregon seeing the floor next fall. That team needed the heart and soul Dana tries to instill every night. I actually wouldn't mind seeing some of the players transferring out.

Agree this is about as frustrating as it gets, but it also jumps into the political world, and doesn't really meet the standards of discussion, IMHO. I also applaud all posters for not taking this sideways!

Richardson was a very nice young man and a decent basketball player. You need ice in your veins and spice in your heart to excel in competition. He just didn't have it.

Whatever it is going to take, but I would say an upgrade at point guard, and better 3 point shooting is critical. When I saw our point guard left wide open at the three point line at the end of the first half against UCLA, and he decided to drive for two I knew it was over. We need players who are threats from the outside, and inside to be a well rounded team. I am excited about the Jackson Shelstad era we are about to see begin!

The best recent news is we signed a transfer who can shoot the long ball, over 40% at threes! Oregon basketball lands transfer commitment from JUCO ranks SATURDAYOUTWEST.COM Oregon basketball adds a JUCO transfer.

The article got me to think about the LA schools move to another conference like to the two coaches who left us. Slick and MariØ left our team for more short term money and for something they perceived as better. Both of them have failed miserably. Do we want to chase short term money and fail like the LA schools undoubtedly will? I would rather potentially suffer a little, and keep our integrity. A reputation is earned over decades, and often destroyed by one shortsighted move. Our program will be desirable if we build it like we are. Our program will lose the one thing it has fought for over the decades by the doing the easy thing, leaving the Pac. We need to stay in the Pac, and win big. The eyeballs, and money will come, and we can keep our probity, unlike the LA schools and the old coaches.

San Diego State wins the Mountain West to get into the tourney. They will have to win the Pac to get into the tourney if they get into our conference. They are tough at home, but winless against ranked teams, like most of their conference teams. The Pac did fairly well against ranked teams, except the dawgs, 0-5.

Guaranteed Lanning is calling Duce regularly until he signs in April. I would love to see him come to campus again. I would also imagine if a higher rated prospect goes all in on a verbal and a lower ranked verbal is on his 4th official visit after committing, the next call may be, we have moved on. <iframe src="https://giphy.com/embed/3o7btNRptqBgLSKR2w" width="480" height="480" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/latenightseth-whatever-shrug-3o7btNRptqBgLSKR2w">via GIPHY</a></p>

Purdue losing to a team seeded lower than them isn't a bad bed historically. I wonder what the betting line was for the game with their history? That dark cloud over Matt Painter's March resume just got darker as the Boilermakers fell 63-58 to FDU, becoming just the second No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed (UMBC beat Virginia in 2018). This is the fifth time a Painter-led Boilermakers team has lost to a double-digit seed: No. 11 VCU (2011), No. 12 Little Rock (2016), No. 13 North Texas (2021), No. 15 St. Peter's (2002), No. 16 (Friday). Purdue is the only team to lose to a 13-seed or higher in three straight NCAA tournaments. If your having a bad day, be grateful you're not a boilermaker, or a real boilermaker, I suppose.

But how do they pay for all those lights? Why I don't even spend a couple minutes trying to figure out who is going to win. Although I always think may Ducks are going to win. Gambling is like wrestling with a pig in mud. You may think you are going to win and it will be fun, but you are left looking like a fool and you're going to lose.

Congrats Marcus! Brilliant move by the Eagles. It will also be nice to see Marcus in green again.

I would like to nominate Pennsylvania Duck as 2022 Rookie of the Year! Comes on to FishDuck with grace, and a massive impact.

What Gonzo means to the program is a further confirmation speed is back in fashion at Oregon. Our two young Lanning LB's have speed, our newest DB is the fastest guy on the team. What Gonzo proved is speed can come to Oregon once again, and become elite football talent. I think what we will see going forward is the new Hayward is going to add fuel to this new focus on speed. You also raise a great point that he transferred into the program as under appreciated 4* and came out a top draft pick talent. Who is going to be the next Gonzo? Or should I say Gonzo's, as there is plenty of potential talent coming in, it is just about what they are willing to put in at their next stop. Great analysis, and projections Alex, well done, once again!

Agree completely this is a 3-4 year build. This is also why I mentioned the two second year LB's, as these guys need to develop if we are to see the vision Lanning has. We would also need to see transfer guys become who they haven't yet been, not a sure thing, to really upgrade this defense. I kept Rachel in the post because, well.....we all need a little sunshine in this springter season we are in.

The talent that has left and will be leaving may be more important and telling than the transfers in. The culture on defense just wasn't there, for whatever reason, and I look for Lanning's imprint to be on the defense this season. I also look for the young talent to be pushing for more playing time. Both Jackson and Taggart have the speed Lanning wants at LB, and should have the experience to begin to play more significant roles. I completely agree the loss to the beavs was on the defense. The special teams will also make a big leap this year, and that will be impactful too.

I can't imagine the plan for building the new Harward included a decline in the program. I think we will see changes, and developments. Great topic to keep our eyes on!

In my view we were hit by a sucker punch. Not sure how most would react to this, but if somebody hit me like that I would react. I would say Jon's direction is probably the most productive. I would agree just sitting on our tails complaining and taking a backseat doesn't sit well with me. I actually think Jon's idea is brilliant. In the past I have been in legal situations where it had to make financial sense to pursue. Jon makes a great case where the Pac-10 really doesn't have a lot to lose. There is a great deal to gain actually. I would also say it creates a lot of leverage. I'm with Jon, pissed!

We are now on Duce's radar, warm on the watch front, where we use to be off the chart. Anyone have any news on a visit, just saying, I wouldn't count the Lanning charm out. The position is WIDE open. His signing date April 1st, could Oregon be the joker in the deck? Two-sport standout, baseball and football. Baseball Offers: Oregon, Oregon State, Arizona, San Diego, Stanford, Cal, Georgia, Florida State, Georgia Tech,... 247SPORTS.COM summary

To me who are going to be 'the guys' are the best ponder points of the spring. To reach the programs potential guys are going to have to step up. Which of the players will become the biggest difference makers. Which guys will seize that opportunity? The other element is which freshman are going to begin to wedge themselves into Oregon legendary status? Maybe the most interesting thing to see which freshmen have the it factor. As Charles likes to say, greatness reveals itself early. Whether it is rumblings from the practice squad like we have heard from in the past, or maybe someones prodigiousness rears it amazing head in the spring game, I want to know. This is Lanning's first class that is full of guys he wanted. Who is going to provide the new culture leadership, and who can make the difference on the field right away? Probably most important, right away, is who is going to be the Nix, Gonzales type of transfer? On defense we don't just need the 1st round talent, but a leader. Last season Nix provided that leadership, Gonzo only brought crazy talent. Can we see someone take over the expectations on the field and drive us to an elite defense? The last group that needs to develop is the special teams. I look for an influx of speed, size and strength on special teams. Guys like Devon Jackson, sub 11second 100 guy, will inflict their will on this group now that their redshirt is over. A few guys will earn a starting role in the future by becoming special on special teams. Mostly it is just going to be exciting to see Lanning teams emerge in this transition year. We are transitioning from the previous coaches guys to a Lanning led team. What young guys, transfers, and already entrenched guys are going to become the face of the Lanning program. Nix will certainly be this years face of the program, but I look for guys to begin to cast some big shadows if not outright oversized impacts on the program this year.

It may not be easy, but the best life lesson is consequences. The more protections we put in for those who fail the more of a disservice we do for them in the end. One of the big problems is almost every student athlete believes they fall into the first category you described David, they're all superstars. If they don't make it the coach had it in for them. This is a big reason the portal is full, and superstars aren't getting a second chance. Maybe each full ride athletic scholarship should include tuition for 4 years, (130 credits) the rest is on them if they fail to live up to the athletic side of things. I do like the carrot approach where if you succeed you get even more. The benefit to a program is immense when a player has completed 4-5 years at a school.