The Kamikaze Kid

I think to understand what happened, it is important to understand the situation the Ducks found themselves in. The one point win at home against the Buckeyes and an undefeated season along with the tosu2 collapse against UM made this game feel more even going in than it really should have. Lanning has been recruiting at a level nearly even with the Buckeyes for the last couple years but those guys were still freshman, redshirts and sophomore back ups heading into the game. the starters were mostly three and four star guys who portaled in while the Buckeyes were mostly 4-5 star seniors that rose up to starters after being in the program their entire careers. Big difference. Ohio State's talent level is so far ahead of everybody's this year I would compare it to going up against a prime Mike Tyson. If Mike shows up unmotivated, distracted and disengaged then you may have a chance of coming out with a victory and that's only if you're a top level fighter bringing your A game. If Mike's locked in and focused, you have no chance even if you yourself are an undefeated reigning champion. I think the what happened can be summed up by the Ducks met an over confident Buckeye team that thought their B game was enough the first time then brought their A game for the rematch. If Mike shows up feeling his mojo, then you'll soon be feeling the canvass even if you are the second best in the world. I think it's just that simple.

Moore is a five star guy that has many snaps under his belt. He also spent the last year learning Stein's system and Lanning's culture while backing up a Heisman finalist. I highly doubt there is anybody in the portal that would be able to pass him on the depth chart. Tez thinks he'll be a Heisman candidate as well. I think Moore and many other four and five star guys that have been waiting their turn will take over the starting spots and grow into a solid tough team by season's end. I think a shaky start with closer than expected games the first half of the season is to be expected. I also think the team gels and looking as dangerous as this year's team by the end is a probable outcome. Ohio St is having "that" year much like the fuskies last year. They will come somewhat down to earth next year even if they have a similar record. I think next year Lanning finally coaching mostly his guys may be the most entertaining season yet. Can't wait!

Maybe I should clarify my statement a bit. I meant that it's impressive that members of rival fan bases can stay civil with each other while interacting on this board. I have no idea how I'd behave on an UGA board interacting with a fuskie fan!

That zero star unrecruiting isn't for everyone.

Great work Charles I enjoy reading the perspectives of other fan bases without the usual bile spewed back and forth. Even the Florida and UGA fans have been civil and I know that must not be easy!

I think the future of 5 star recruits will end up being... Step1. Find early playing time anywhere you can. Step 2. Go to the highest bidder for a year or two. Step 3. Finish up on a playoff level team. I can't see 4 1/2 -5 star guys waiting 2-3 years for their turn on top ten teams anymore. I think raising your NIL value ASAP will become the ultimate deciding factor and that means immediate playing time. Highschool recruiting will still be important but that may also be for becoming that step 3 landing spot when they're really ready to contribute on a winning team.

We were a little late tuning in as we were fixated on the thrilling over time game that ASU lost. By the time we tuned in, OBD were already down 0-7 with less than two minutes gone. I was like oh man, it's already over and it was. I never expected a Lanning team come out and look like that in any bowl. Disappointing is an understatement.

I'd lean somewhere between B and C. I'd like to see the guys we've recruited take over most spots but wouldn't mind some Tez and Bo level players coming in and dominating their positions even if a few players left. I hope the portal becomes more of a patchwork tool than a roster builder in the future. Part of what I love about college sports is development of the kids over the years as they grow into adults. I remember freshman Freddie Jones missing two free throws at the end of a game that cost the Ducks a rare chance to beat Arizona. Flash forward three years and Senior Freddie Jones leads the Ducks to a thirty point beat down of Arizona on the way towards a PAC 10 title, an elite eight appearance and first round number ten draft selection.

If the future path of Oregon Duck football was in your hands, which path would you choose? A. All in next year (12-0) at the expense of the future. Go full bore portal. Toss around bags of cash like monopoly money and bring in the biggest names at all positions. Instantly be a final four level team. Have that one special season but watch all of the young studs that have been waiting their turn bolt in a mass exodus. B. .Portal in some starters. You make the playoffs next year (10-2) but as a lower seed around 6-10. Maybe you make a final four run but maybe you don't. Some 4-5 star guys leave but some stay. The future looks similar down the road. Always in the playoffs but never a favorite. C. Let the kids develop. Portal in positions that don't have future high level guys waiting in the wings. Let the currant guys take over starting spots and gain playing experience and grow through out the season. We take a step back (8-4), don't make the playoffs but the next wave of 4-5 star recruits flood in and the future looks very bright. D. You tell me your own idea that you'd like to see happen.

1. Never understood why he flipped to the Ducks. 2. Expected him to leave at some point anyway. 3. Absolutely not surprised by this announcement.

After seeing 3 1/2 quarter final games, it’s looking to me like a Penn St vs Ohio St championship.

Actually it gets even better. Assuming Ohio St makes it to the championship, then 4 out of all six Lanning losses will have been to teams that played in that year's championship. That would include all three loses from years two and three. Pretty impressive really.

Yes. Another sport to dominate the BIG in year one. Team looks complete and ready, willing and able.

Losing epic battles with top level competition like UW last year happen and no real shame in that. I honestly thought the days of not looking like we even belonged on the field were behind us. To me, that is the most disappointing thing about yesterday. That game was over by the halfway point of the first quarter. So far Lanning has been a one step back, several steps forward type of guy so I'm not too concerned moving forward. This is the first time since game one that he looked behind the curve and not ready for the moment. Ironically, I think one of the main problems was that this team was just too far ahead of schedule this year. They so easily stormed through the BIG in year one they stopped looking like an up and coming team and appeared to be a team that had already arrived. This was probably a legit 4-5 seed team that could have made the final four if properly seeded and this year could have ended feeling more successful. I'm looking forward to seeing the young 4-5 star guys move up to starting positions next year. I hope we start weening ourselves off of the portal for the majority of the starters. I think the O line may need some portal help but other than that, I'd like to see the young guys given a shot. I wouldn't even mind a step back 9-3 type year if it meant developing the future core group.

Sorry. I didn't realize that. I'll just post this quote from Stewart from the article. "First practice back, after Big Ten, I got a lower-body injury, my back. I had been fighting it for a minute," said Stewart. "Today was the day I was going to test it out and it just wasn't good enough... I've been practicing the last week, two weeks, not full go but going as much as I can. Today was basically test day. I went through the full warmup, warmed up and stuff and it just wasn't good enough. Ultimately decided it wasn't it." Like i said earlier, it seems like his status has been up in the air since the Big Ten Championship.

It would appear so according to this report. I thought he just got hurt in warmups but it looks like it was a lingering injury since the Championship game. Oregon WR Evan Stewart was unable to play against Ohio State due to lower back injury

Their top receiver is out and their run game has been working but just up to the five yard line.

ASU is the scrappier dog but Texas is the bigger dog.

Penn St, the team that just can't quite pull away against Boise, the team that just won't go away is playing out just like you'd think it would.

Boise better tap in to their creative side on offense because powering it up the middle just ain't gonna happen.

5-3 in the SEC ain't what it used to be.

I think the best thing that could have happened was osu2's Tennessee game. Getting to beat up an overrated SEC team at home gave them a mega boost of self esteem. With the national media practically crowning them champs already, they have returned to their arrogant condescending selves. Instead of feeling like a cornered animal needing to fight for it's life, they are bragging to the media how "back" they are. If they want to believe that this D is soft go right ahead. If their D thinks this will be just like playing the Vols, be my guest. After that win, Day, the team and the fans are all full of themselves and are convinced that beating an undefeated number one team is a forgone conclusion. I'm as nervous as anybody about this game but it does seem to be setting up for that "shocking" OBD victory that only we Duck fans can see coming.

If only Chip had run the DT to the Mailman two point conversion play instead of four runs up the gut to nowhere on the goal line.......

UO 38-31 2 TOs 3 Sacks 345 Passing yards

If the game is close into the fourth quarter, Day's collar will start feeling tighter and Lanning's eyes will start getting wilder. With that said, I like our chances.