Had this been another Boise State escape, then the immediacy of the situation may have remained hidden until it was too late. The Mulligan is gone.

If this is what keeps us out of the playoffs, then we didn’t deserve to be in it.

They say you have to hit rock bottom before you can start to climb up again. If last week wasn't rock bottom, then please keep all sharp objects away from me.

Two weeks from now we will know what type of team we have.

PS: Don’t bet the house on this week's game. Not because it won’t be a rout. But because we will probably see a running clock in the 4th quarter.

We were 48-8 after 4 full seasons with coach Lanning.

4 of those losses were to that seasons eventual national champion. 2 others were to that seasons runner up.

That's 6 of 8 losses to teams in the Natty.

Not bad for a first time new head coach.

I agree losing may end up being the best thing to happen because we as people seem to learn best from adversity.

We fans have clearly become spoiled. It's hard not to with as much winning as we have experienced with coach Lanning.

A saying I like, "don't doubt in the dark what has been proven to be true in the light".

Lanning has hired 3 previous coordinators, all 3 are now head coaches of D1 programs. Pretty good percentage. I gotta believe he knows a thing or two about hiring.

So I need to trust the process and give our new OC and DC some room to prove him right.

Last week's game was a valuable wake up. Let's hope the coaches learn, the players learn, and this seasons team will reach their real potential.

I've been a Duck for 50 years. I gotta believe that this is our year.

(Or maybe next year 😉)

It would take a miracle to fix the O line.

30 minutes ago, 1Ducker1 said:

It would take a miracle to fix the O line.

I don't know if it would be a miracle.... it is going to take settling on a solid 5.

And then making sure those 5 can communicate and work in sync. Most of these players have been with the program for multiple years which means they have the vocabulary and they have the physical gifts. They need to learn to put it all together and work as a unit which won't be easy. But if this is also truly a player led team... Moore and his offensive line should be out there on their own time repping and getting that chemistry.

They need to be ok against PSU.

Then they get a week.

Then they need to show out against USC.

It is completely possible. The 2024 line was just as bad (or maybe worse) in two games. It is going to take work to fix and most of it won't be on the coaches.

36 minutes ago, 1Ducker1 said:

It would take a miracle to fix the O line.

Like so much written on the forum these days....I think the take above is exaggerated, and quite incomplete of any analysis.

Our starting left guard who came in to replace the newby starter, and subsequently played well against Boise State, Trent Ferguson, from West Salem, started this last game, and I was looking forward to watching his big blocks. But he was out in the first quarter, and I did not know why?

Turns out he got hurt, a season ending injury at that. So on the left side....we have two talented O-Linemen in Addison and Utu, but their experience last year was scant-to-nothing. They are athletic, but learning on the job....so you HAVE your inexperienced, but talented players already in there.

On offense, the key element you have is one of surprise on every play, as the defense has to react and try to stop the play. But what IF the quarterback effectively tells the defense right up front if the play is a pass or run? How much MORE does that make it harder for offensive linemen? Especially inexperienced ones?

That element alone would drag offensive performance by a massive percentage as the defense can pack the box when they know a run play is coming.

It makes me wonder how many people here will eat their hyperbolic words later when things get better? (I already know the answer to that)

51 minutes ago, 1Ducker1 said:

It would take a miracle to fix the O line.

We were really concerned about the o-line two years ago after they looked bad against Idaho and Boise State, but once they did some sorting they ended up being a solid unit.

Hoping this year is similar. The talent should be there...

I hope they get good as much as anybody. Time will tell. As was stated earlier the PSU game really wont tell us much.

Edited 3 minutes ago3 min by 1Ducker1
left out a letter