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https://www.wsj.com/sports/football/oregon-dante-moore-secret-tell-769021a0?st=AFEsTD&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

How in the world did the Duck coaches NOT see this. Who is the QB coach? This is inexcusable.

Yws, who is the quarter back coach?

In the late 70's, when Dan Fouts was QB at San Diego and Charlie Joiner was his main target, Dan would lick his fingers on this passing hand every time it was a pass play. He was thus tipping off the defense as to what was coming.

The difference between Dan and Dante is that Dan was doing it on purpose. (It was usually a pass play anyway.) The Chargers offense put both Don Coryell and Dan Fouts in the hall of fame. It was potent even when the defense knew what was coming.

The reason DF licked his fingers before every pass play was to deceive defense. When they really needed a first down in a key game... Dan Fouts didn't lick his fingers (signaling run) and would then pass the ball to a receiver who got separation on a corner that was sleeping on him because it was "going to be a run".

Ducks did not lose because Dante was signaling pass or run to the defense.

They lost because, in spite of the fact that the defense knew what was coming, Dante simply misfired on some easy passes when the receiver was wide open on third down. They lost because often the execution was poor. They also lost because our defense (which has nothing to do with Dante) failed to stop their offense.

Imagine the difference in the game if the coaches and Dante knew that he was telegraphing the play... only to send a deceiving signal 3 or 4 times during the fourth quarter.

It didn't happen, sadly, because apparently they weren't aware.

1 hour ago, Akubra91 said:

How in the world did the Duck coaches NOT see this. Who is the QB coach? This is inexcusable.

This is my big question as well. Indiana knew this last year. Oklahoma State this year, perhaps Boise State as well. Why did our position coaches as well as Offensive Coordinator and Head Coach not know this?

Recipe for a Perfect Storm -

A one-threat QB without a TE to help him out in the mid-range passing game. The TE transfers and a 5-star TE recruit are not worthy. And in CFB, if you have mediocre O-line play, you'd best have a dual-threat QB.

To date, an unknown QB at Oregon State has outplayed Moore.

The OK State D threw a lot of different looks at Dante, and he looked like the guy who started as a freshman at UCLA and melted down in the Peach Bowl.

We laughed at how much SC reportedly paid to bring in TE Mark Bowman. To date, SC is getting a heck of a return on its investment, and Bowman is only one of the true frosh, on both sides of the ball, playing like veterans who want to win.

The Trojans are far from perfect. Against lower-level competition, SC has surrendered 10 big plays in three games. The same as Oregon in two games.

We'll see how SC matches up against better competition, but to date, Grey Beard DC Gary Patterson looks like an excellent hire.

Paying Perich to come to Oregon instead of retaining Kingston Lopa?

Perich does not have the athleticism to play safety in this scheme. He definitely will not be a 1st-round draft pick.

Three OL starters who transferred in and helped compete for the Joe Moore Award left for the NFL. Dan brings in one OL transfer from Yale? Both starting tackles are not coming close to what was believed to be their potential.

It doesn't help that the one young OL guy who was playing better than expected is out for the season. Or that Johnson was hurt. But bad things in every walk of life tend to snowball.

To date, no 'want to' from 'the best DL in CFB.' No sacks against the G6 guys playing for OK State? 500+ yards of O surrendered to an O shut down by Tulsa. Surrender is the appropriate word.

In football, lack of pride cometh before a fall. Motivated and coached-up 2- and 3-star recruits will beat disinterested 4- and 5-star recruits time after time.

Would OBD have been better off if all but TT had gone pro and the money was used to retain the young DL studs who transferred out? The starters aren't performing, and the backups are not good enough to push the starters.

Poncho said that after the Boise State no-show, he tried his best to get the team jacked up. It didn't work. There is no enthusiasm on the field and on the sideline.

Of course, I hope I am wrong. But in today's CFB, roster management means so much, and I think Dan flunked.

Please, Dan and friends, shut me the heck up!

32 minutes ago, Jon Joseph said:

But in today's CFB, roster management means so much, and I think Dan flunked.

Dan Lanning was quoted as saying this is the most "player-led" team he's ever coached. There has to be a tipping point where giving too much autonomy to a team starts to yield diminishing returns. Nick Saban, Kirby Smart, Ryan Day all seem to have a lock on exactly how much control they have over their teams.

This is reflected in the team culture. I am hoping these are growing pains and not a true look into the toughness of the team as a whole. Dan may have given a bunch of well-paid 18-22 year old's too long of leash!

No matter what it is, another loss in the reg season and oregon left out of the playoff. Losing to Okie State is too costly.

I know Ohio State lost to a very bad Mich team. But Mich was a defending champs. Okie State won one game last year.

Maybe a 2 loss with one loss coming in ccg gets them in. But 2 losses in the reg and its over.

Sucks for sure. And if Oregon misses the playoff, Uncle Phil gunna be pizzed. Talk about backing yourself into a corner. Nice job Dan.