Threw together a quick little article on some of my initial thoughts on the game... couldn't help myself. A win is a win but that was ugly.

Quick Quacks - Oregon v Boise State

Oregon beat Boise State 34-27 and here are a few quick take aways on the game.

Never, Ever, Never, schedule Boise State!

2 minutes ago, Jon Joseph said:

Never, Ever, Never, schedule Boise State!

Oregon is theoretically allowed to give a competitive effort every game.

3 minutes ago, Jon Joseph said:

Never, Ever, Never, schedule Boise State!

Keep scheduling them, I have a defribrillator patent.

Actually, I think this is better than opening with Portland St and not knowing what we haven't got.

I think the coaches will coach as if this is a loss.

This challenging game against BSU will pay dividends in future games, especially on the road.

The Ducks showed that they could make in game adjustments.

The Oline gave Dante time to read his progressions and Dante delivered big time. That wasnt always the case last year.

The Broncos came ready to play and smacked the Ducks in the mouth. The Ducks did not panic. They dominated the 2nd half and beat the best G6 team in the country.

This game tested the Ducks metal. It will pay dividends against the Trojans.

Go Ducks......

I have serious reservations on Drew Meringer's play calling abilities. Both those 4th down plays were absolutely atrocious.

17 minutes ago, kirklandduck said:

I have serious reservations on Drew Meringer's play calling abilities. Both those 4th down plays were absolutely atrocious.

I think the play calls in the second half were MUCH better.

The fourth down play calls were awful. But so much of the bad play calling came when the Ducks got cute rather than good ol straight up football. When the Ducks played straight up it tended to go well... Vertical passes and running the ball with Davison.

Play calling must improve.

I am so tired of players making mistakes and there are no consequences, they stay in the game, and they don't get pulled. Evan Stewart shouldn't be the punt returner, 3 terrible plays, almost cost the team the game. 10 penalties, absolutely unacceptable, but players just stay in the game, pull them!

You line up offside, you're out of the game, be smarter, it's a standard, and it starts from the first game, Cignetti wouldn't accept this sort of effort in terms of fundamentals.

Why you have Stewart receiving punt returns is beyond me? Id think since at least three teams form the BIG will make the playoffs get through the season without injuries to key players. Certainly someone else can return punts?

Man, I hate this crew of Big Ten refs!

Fair catch interference turns into a fumble and a TD on the next play. Boise was holding receivers the entire game. No calls.

OK, Oregon was flat, sloppy on O, missed tackles, and lacked focus. But this crew of refs, which has hosed OBD before, is simply terrible.

1-0 is what counts, and if Oregon slides in the AP Poll at this point in the season, who gives a whip?

But I hope Oregon is better prepared and ready to play, starting with a 9 AM body-clock kickoff next week in a raucous stadium.

However, Tulsa defeated OK State today 24 to 10.

Broncos Barely Busted. Beat the Cowboys!

Play calling seemed to be an issue for sure-especially with the emphasis on the pass in the first half. May be related to a comment Lanning made about the offensive line not getting enough push at times. I hate the feeling that we have guys who are great of girth, and can impress in the weight room, but when it comes to moving smaller defensive linemen off the ball, it just ain't happening. Doesn't bode well for the bigger bodies we'll face down the road.

1 hour ago, Steven A said:

Keep scheduling them, I have a defribrillator patent.

Actually, I think this is better than opening with Portland St and not knowing what we haven't got.

I think the coaches will coach as if this is a loss.

Fortunately, while watching the Ducks struggle against Boise and the refs, I was accompanied by a friendly Grey Goose.🤪

With roster turnover and no preseason games, and the rules and a possible 16- or 17-game season meaning less contact in Fall camp, open with Portland State every season. Give Portland State, not Boise, the money.

And without the requirement to play a P4 opponent, which I think is coming, play 3 cupcakes and 8 games at home when you don't have to go on the road for five Big Ten Games; 7 home games when you do travel for 5 conference games.

Fortunately, Rob canceled the Baylor H+H. Now get smart and never schedule Boise, and consume a huge cupcake at home in the opening game.

14 minutes ago, Jon Joseph said:

No calls.

Includes the non-call on Wyatt and a hit to the head that would have kept a key drive going.

After the first quarter our offense was fairly efficient. Close to 500 yards and 34 points. The defense was disappointing though. Our vaunted DL was not good today.

From GatOrlando:

Stop playing these teams from Idaho..... Just kidding. I know most predicted a blow out victory, but I think Boise State is going to be a very good victory to hang your hats on by the end of the year.

Four turnovers would doom most teams, but you guys clearly were just getting some rust off your wings imo. 388 yards passing, and should've been more with Moore. But you'll clean up those things.Breaking in two new coordinators is tough, but you guys did what you needed to do. Just like two years ago when you started out shaky , but then beat Ohio State and won the B1G.

Congrats on the win. Now hopefully I can see some Owls get plucked in the swamp.

1 hour ago, Jon Joseph said:

Never, Ever, Never, schedule Boise State!

Or, taking the reverse tack, “when you schedule and play BSU, better prepare and show up.”

The Ducks were painful to watch in the first half. To see the Broncos execute and play hard enthusiastic football against the sleepwalking Ducks was painful.

UO starts 1-0, W-L.

8 minutes ago, John Charles said:

Play calling seemed to be an issue for sure-especially with the emphasis on the pass in the first half. May be related to a comment Lanning made about the offensive line not getting enough push at times. I hate the feeling that we have guys who are great of girth, and can impress in the weight room, but when it comes to moving smaller defensive linemen off the ball, it just ain't happening. Doesn't bode well for the bigger bodies we'll face down the road.

I feel the bigger problem was them working together as a unit.

Compare this to 2024 and that offensive line and this one was much much better. Gabriel waa getting demolished against BSU.

I have faith because that offensive line was worked out. There are two games to sort out this line before it gets tested for real again.

I think OBD need some situational play calling improvement, more negative plays created by the D, and less penalties. There were a few times when we out schemed ourselves, particularly with going 0/3 on 4th down. We don’t need to act like we have Mike Leach level of talent and need to compensate. Line it up!

IMO - the stats are actually pretty good for a first game with two new coordinators against a team we always struggle against. Held them under 300 total yards and 2.6 ypc, almost doubled them up on total yards.

There seems to be collective amnesia that we have never beat BSU by more than 7 😆

Edited 17 hours ago17 hr by JabbaNoBargain

In 2024, we played an unranked BSU team at home and beat them by what looked like, at the time, an embarrassing 3 points.

By the end of the season, BSU finished ranked #8 in the nation.

While we played less than stellar today, that BSU team we saw out there is the real deal.

I'm guessing BSU might already actually be a Top-10 team, but once again, we just don't know it yet.

39 minutes ago, JabbaNoBargain said:

There seems to be collective amnesia that we have never beat BSU by more than 7 😆

Well... should have been 14.

But apparently the refs can't notice something obvious.

I walked in the room and saw the replay and was like... "oh kick-catch interference... no big deal for the Ducks, we still have the ball."

"wait... whhhaaaaaaaaa???? How is that not kick-catch interference?"

In short... it was kick-catch interference. The refs just had a flare for the dramatic.

I’d take it a step further, we were about to fully grab the momentum there, instead they scored 6 on the next play.

Which is my point, that’s the stuff that happens when we play them. Make it stop.

Edited 16 hours ago16 hr by JabbaNoBargain

1 hour ago, Badmotherduck said:

After the first quarter our offense was fairly efficient. Close to 500 yards and 34 points. The defense was disappointing though. Our vaunted DL was not good today.

It seemed very inconsistent to me, at times it was great other times very poor.

2 hours ago, JabbaNoBargain said:

I’d take it a step further, we were about to fully grab the momentum there, instead they scored 6 on the next play.

Which is my point, that’s the stuff that happens when we play them. Make it stop.

We were so close to grabbing all the momentum and shutting this game down at multiple points throughout the game. We just couldn't manage to do it on both sides of the ball until the fourth quarter.

As coach says, "it's never as bad or as good as it seems".

Another favorite, "most improvement comes between week 1 and 2".

I'll say this, a win is a win is a win.

We played with more mistakes than I have seen in a long time.

And yet had almost 500 yards of offense. We were 0-fer on 4th down, had many terribly timed needless penalties, but held on for a gutsy win against a well coached team that could win the Pac (8)nt and be ranked.

I'm taking the dub, licking my chops for the Okie Cowboys and glad Duck football is finally here.

This is gonna be a great year!

Go Ducks! 🦆❤️🦆

Defense held Boise to under 3 yards per carry that's pretty good. BSU didn't rush for 100 yards (but some sacks in there influenced these numbers as well).

It just wasn't consistent and Boise scored on drives we helped with penalties.

15 hours ago, Jon Joseph said:

Man, I hate this crew of Big Ten refs!

Fair catch interference turns into a fumble and a TD on the next play. Boise was holding receivers the entire game. No calls.

OK, Oregon was flat, sloppy on O, missed tackles, and lacked focus. But this crew of refs, which has hosed OBD before, is simply terrible.

1-0 is what counts, and if Oregon slides in the AP Poll at this point in the season, who gives a whip?

But I hope Oregon is better prepared and ready to play, starting with a 9 AM body-clock kickoff next week in a raucous stadium.

However, Tulsa defeated OK State today 24 to 10.

Broncos Barely Busted. Beat the Cowboys!

I can't blame Stewart too much on that muffed fair catch. The refs clearly missed the call of interference as the defender violated the 'unimpeded opportunity' rule when he did the equivalent of a Blue Angel fly by. Otherwise any defender could get away with rushing at the returner waving their arms to block his view without touching him. The 2 yard halo rule was discontinued in 2003 by the NCAA and it is now a ref judgement call. The CBS rules analyst, Gene Steratore I think, thought it was interference. It sure looked like it to me.

17 hours ago, John Charles said:

Play calling seemed to be an issue for sure-especially with the emphasis on the pass in the first half. May be related to a comment Lanning made about the offensive line not getting enough push at times. I hate the feeling that we have guys who are great of girth, and can impress in the weight room, but when it comes to moving smaller defensive linemen off the ball, it just ain't happening. Doesn't bode well for the bigger bodies we'll face

15 hours ago, Desert Duck said:

In 2024, we played an unranked BSU team at home and beat them by what looked like, at the time, an embarrassing 3 points.

By the end of the season, BSU finished ranked #8 in the nation.

While we played less than stellar today, that BSU team we saw out there is the real deal.

I'm guessing BSU might already actually be a Top-10 team, but once again, we just don't know it yet.

They hit pay dirt in the portal, turned around their tackling issues and Madsen has made a step up in his play. They should win the Pac easy and likely will be ranked in the top 15 by playoff time, which should be enough to be the G6 champ.

15 hours ago, Desert Duck said:

In 2024, we played an unranked BSU team at home and beat them by what looked like, at the time, an embarrassing 3 points.

By the end of the season, BSU finished ranked #8 in the nation.

While we played less than stellar today, that BSU team we saw out there is the real deal.

I'm guessing BSU might already actually be a Top-10 team, but once again, we just don't know it yet.

They hit pay dirt in the portal, turned around their tackling issues, and Madsen has made a step up in his play. They should win the Pac easy and likely will be ranked in the top 15 by playoff time, which should be enough to be the G6 playoff representative.