Morning everyone,

Not a happy article and also I didn't post anything after the game. After a loss, especially one that bad, it takes time to process.

Also I don't have cable or a streaming service that has ALL the ESPN variants needed to watch the game. But I saw enough for this. Let's hope we start to see some life out of this team.

Where’s the Team?

Seriously, where are the Oregon Ducks?

Thank you, David.

Oregon should have this weekend to get right before a program-defining game in LA. Is Oregon still the King of the Coast?

SC is at Rutgers on Saturday, and I imagine the SC coaching staff is focusing on the Oregon game while not overlooking a road trip where SC, under Riley, has underperformed.

Laugh at the competition, but the SC schedule with three home games against inferior opposition was the perfect way to have a young team integrate with the most returning starters in CFB and be prepared for conference play.

The same can be said for the Indiana schedule, which has given QB Josh Hoover the chance to settle in. Meanwhile, and it isn't fair, Ohio State has burned a PO mulligan. Based on what happened to Texas last season, the Buckeyes and the Ducks now have to go 8-1. Especially Oregon, with what could be a "Bad Loss" in December. Come on Cowboys!

There is no preseason in CFB. With NIL, every year every team will have to integrate transfers with returning but inexperienced players and returning starters. Roster management is crazy-making, but it's the name of today's CFB game.

The 2026 OOC scheduling by Rob Mullens was far from artful; however, and you nailed the question: Where in Hades is the team? Where is the on-field leadership? Does Lanning have control over this group of athletes?

I'm not surprised the outside world is asking if Oregon is this season's Penn State. In 2025, Penn State didn't play well against inferior competition in the preseason, and after the Oregon loss, if not before.

With a road loss at UCLA and a home loss to Northwestern, there was no question that the veteran team had quit on James Franklin.

Get right Friday night. Then comes a crucial game in LA.

Thanks again, David, and Go Ducks!

Where's the defense?

The defense may still be at one of those retreats here in Central Oregon that we see on the hype videos.

Maybe the jet lag from the Japan trip?

Maybe the weight of all the NIL money?

Shoes too tight?

Just trying to think of idea here.

I think the departure of Tosh Lupoi is being felt here more than anything else to be honest. Lupoi was an incredible motivator from what I read and was able to get his guys focused and revved up for the game. I don't think anyone is filling that role. Lupoi was a huge piece of the Lanning culture and he's gone now and I don't think that's a void that anyone has stepped up to fill.

Beyond that... I think Mehringer's play calling has been ok. I think most of the problem is on player execution and mindset. Dante Moore threw high on a fourth down to Dakorian Moore. He forced to rush his throw as the pass protection was there for him but he rushed the pass. Instead of putting that ball on Dakorian's number where Dak would have potentially taken it for a touchdown at that point in all honesty... he threw it high and just out of reach. Could Dakorian have caught that pass? Potentially yes... but he wouldn't have gotten any yards have catch (but it would have been a first down).

And speaking of the receivers... they have been AWFUL at blocking. I know we all hate those bubble screen lateral passes but the reality is they exist and they usually pick up a chunk of yards because of other blocking to spring the runner free. That hasn't been happening as receivers blocking on the perimeter have been beaten in their blocks.

I feel the bigger problem right now is on player preparation and positional coaching. There were more examples of Moore just throwing off target on Saturday to receivers who couldn't make a play on the ball because it was off target. There were also plenty of instances where receivers also dropped the ball too.

The offensive line is a mess. As individuals they often look ok but as a unit they are coming undone. Pass protection is better than the run game, I think that is in part because the line can usually identify and pick up rushers and they are good enough athletes to take on their guy. But run blocking requires more team effort and coordination. Pulling linemen and getting into the second level is what pops big runs.

There is no team right now... there are 11 guys on the field running around and doing things. This goes for both sides of the ball.

I think the defense needs a change in scheme to be honest... only ever rushing four puts a lot of pressure on the back end to hold up long enough to create pressure. But this is Lanning's base defense we have been since he got here and though I think it needs to change, we've seen it so far better than this in previous years.

Just some additional thoughts.

This kid posted a 40 minute video doing nothing but reviewing a slew of offensive plays from the game. It allows you to see a lot of what's happening in detail: bad play calls, poor execution, head scratching decisions, etc. I found it pretty enlightening.

Still scratching my head on this one, even with reshuffling the O-line the defense should be able to keep us in the game long enough for the offense to get on track. Granted the turnovers were huge, but we still can't get off the field on third (or fourth) down and our red zone defense is still atrocious. We really have no idea how good Okie St. is, but even with the turnovers and giving up a pick-6 they found a way to win.

DL has real problem on his hands, this team has regressed in every phase except the kicking game which has been outstanding (the return game not so much). Hopefully this will light a fire, but it shouldn't take a loss to an overmatched team to motivate a team with national title aspirations.

1 hour ago, David Marsh said:

I feel the bigger problem right now is on player preparation and positional coaching. There were more examples of Moore just throwing off target on Saturday to receivers who couldn't make a play on the ball because it was off target. There were also plenty of instances where receivers also dropped the ball too.

One thing that occurred to me yesterday about Dante: we keep expecting him to play like Bo Nix or Dillon Gabriel when it comes to reading the field and making decisions.

I think we need to stop that. Bo and Dillon were 5th and 6th year QBs when they came to Oregon with multiple years of starting experience in other offensive systems. Plenty of coaching there that taught them to read defenses and look for open receivers down field. Then in Eugene they combined that with the high efficiency offense that Dilly and Will Stein ran, getting the best of both worlds. It's what made both these guys dangerous to defend.

Dante does not have that background. He had a single year at UCLA where he learned very little because that team was terrible and Chip Kelly had one foot out the door. Afterward he came to Oregon where he sat for a year soaking up primarily high efficiency concepts and then started a year with basically just that background. Given that the "bird bomb" aspect of the offense has been minimal to non-existent since Gabriel's time, it makes me think that the offense is actually hampering his development. That might help explain why he keeps rushing his decisions to make a quick play and routinely miss open receivers 30-40 yards out.

These are the thoughts of a fan and not a coach obviously but it feels like it makes sense.

That above video shows that 2 of the 3 4th down calls were open.

I didn't realize how bad Dante's downfield vision, or lack thereof, was.

But that O-Line . . . OH MY!!

Just now, Steven A said:

That above video shows that 2 of the 3 4th down calls were open.

This is why I'm giving Mehringer a bit of a bye at the moment. The play calls could be better but frankly there are players open.

How long until we are calling for Riola at this rate?