I don't.

But I have had reservations about the scheme on defense since before Ohio State embarrassed OBD. But I think the offense isn't really that bad. I'll keep it short.

It looks like Lanning is concerned about pass coverage. The scheme is built to defend passing offenses. Here's the problem. A Four man front against six in the box neutralizes all that front 4 talent. In fact, sliding your ends inside as a strategy completely opens the edges up. That scheme is a major flaw. Also, I don't subscribe to 2 linebackers and two safeties as my solution to stopping running plays. And believe me, if I see this, you bet every elite coach wants to play Oregon right now.

On offense-Dante Moore plays favorites. He is not reading the field. Gaitlin Bair was open on a Mesh Rout concept and Moore threw to McClellan short (dropped pass that wouldn't have converted on third down anyway). Dante Moore has to be comfortable. He is not going to throw receivers open-he just doesn't want to. Of course I would diagram this and show tape-but nobody wants to look at OBD when we lose.

Once the season settles in I will show EXACTLY what I see. It is disturbing. The strategy Lanning wants to employ is simple to solve. Coaches are adjusting to some real sophisticated and evolutionary stuff in real time. College coaches are using NFL strategy. And they are killing it. I believe Kirby Smart may be heading the same way. He doesn't have a talent issue like Lanning has (sloppy DB coverage, ineffective OL play-which just might be coaching though).

Football is becoming very interesting. I see moves and counter moves Lanning is either ignoring, or he doesn't believe it effects his ability to win. That isn't the case at the elite level for sure. And believe me, there are plenty of coaches at the G6 level that grasp the evolution of the game. I will show you guys lots of things I've learned this summer.

The last thing I will say is this: the players don't seem to believe they are good enough. They are wilting in the face of teams that are hungry. The coaches are assuming things will evolve to the degree they don't have to adjust to the conditions on the ground. That is a HUGE mistake. They can't throw out all they schemed for this season, but they don't seem to realize teams know just about everything they will do. OBD are simply talented enough to win plays anyway most of the time.

Now remember-I'm just a hack. I have coached semi pro ball, and it was difficult to say the least. Especially since the players completely believed they could just show up and play totally unprepared. In my studies this summer, I found out why coaches approach the game as they do. That was interesting as well, It takes an extreme amount of dedication and flexibility to excel at this game.

Mike, I always enjoy your analysis as I only have 10% of your coaching knowledge if that. I will throw out another thought that might be sacrilege to some. I have read that our DUCKS are among the three best paid teams in college football. Is it possible that our players are not hungry? Have they already retired from the college game and are resting on their laurels and waiting for the draft? Best defense in college football? Not a chance.

1 hour ago, Mike West said:

On offense-Dante Moore plays favorites. He is not reading the field. Gaitlin Bair was open on a Mesh Rout concept and Moore threw to McClellan short (dropped pass that wouldn't have converted on third down anyway). Dante Moore has to be comfortable. He is not going to throw receivers open-he just doesn't want to. Of course I would diagram this and show tape-but nobody wants to look at OBD when we lose.

I think we have seen the extent of what Moore is capable of I hate to say. He doesn't read the field in real time.

He was rushing throws when the offensive line was giving him plenty of time and he was fleeing the pocket when he still had time.

He also held onto the ball too long and got sacked. Which I would say wasn't entirely his fault because the offensive line isn't great but most of those sacks looked like coverage sacks if I recall correctly... Which I might not as I watched the game on multiple devices and had to work pretty hard to keep watching the game.

This just looked like Moore at his worse last year and even last game. I haven't seen the growth I was expecting from him.

Nix and Gabriel were amazing at improv and reading the field in real time. Moore does not seem to do that.

Plenty of times over the last year we have all seen open receivers that have been missed by DM.

2 hours ago, Santa Rosa Duck said:

Mike, I always enjoy your analysis as I only have 10% of your coaching knowledge if that. I will throw out another thought that might be sacrilege to some. I have read that our DUCKS are among the three best paid teams in college football. Is it possible that our players are not hungry? Have they already retired from the college game and are resting on their laurels and waiting for the draft? Best defense in college football? Not a chance.

Didn't consider it. If that is the case, the coaches are in trouble. And why is that the case when the other two are killing it?

If I ran the team... edge players and offensive tackles would be my highest priority, in that order.

The 2019 team had Thibadeaux and Sewell, probably the two best at their positions in all of college football that year.

What we have this season at those positions - don't seem to be winning one on one battles very often.

Of course, scheme could be part of it. But I will let you break that one down as you are far better at it than me.

Why did Matayo go from dominating two seasons ago to mostly just locking up with O linemen this year?

I don't know but my best guess is that Oregon has gotten 'predictable' and opposing teams are exploiting the weaknesses in the schemes.