Morning everyone and happy Monday,

I teased this in one of the other forum threads over the weekend and here it is.

Some Uncomfortable Decisions Are Coming at Season’s End

Oregon demolished Portland State 84-0 on Friday night.

It is too early to make this declaration, IMHO, as improvements can happen rapidly…like as soon as this weekend.

45 minutes ago, Charles Fischer said:

It is too early to make this declaration, IMHO, as improvements can happen rapidly…like as soon as this weekend.

Agreed…….this weekend will tell us a lot. Everything.

Our season hinges on it.

21 minutes ago, Charles Fischer said:

It is too early to make this declaration, IMHO, as improvements can happen rapidly…like as soon as this weekend.

That is my feeling too. There is a ton of talent on this team, including in the staff Lanning has put together.

So far it hasn't looked like we as fans expect it to look. But that can turn on a dime.

Just like the preseason hype, it's still to early to draw absolutes about this team and staff. Though I have some serious concerns.

Penn State was way more talented last year than the record shows.

Portland State, like it or hate it, might have been the blessing Oregon needed. There is a world that its Texas Tech and Penn State happens all over again in Eugene.

Hopping that loss followed by the Viks is exactly how it was supposed to be and Oregon puts it together all the way to a NC victory

Thank you, David.

Charles is wise to caution patience.

To summarize your insightful takes, can youngsters teach old dogs new tricks?

In Weeks 1 and 2, the effort on the field and the sidelines did not look like a Dan Lanning-coached football team.

I do not have enough Xs and Os knowledge to make judgments on player performance, but based on PFF grades to date, Dan missed the mark in player evaluations going into this season. And this overevaluation, at least considering performance to date, led to poor picks, and likely not enough picks, from the portal.

We like to think of the program as having a blank check for a budget. But is this the case? Some guys who would have helped the cause, like OT Seaton, found greener pastures elsewhere.

Players who decide to stay with the program instead of being certain NFL picks will command hefty revenue-share payments and NIL deals. How much money was there for the portal?

As Charles asked in a post, have these experienced and well-paid players been coasting?

Your article and many comments on the Forum have asked if the assistant coaches have the gravitas to get the attention of these experienced athletes.

As you so noted, Moore's play seems to have regressed. To date, returning in 2026 has hurt and not helped his NFL draft stock. 7 on 7 vs. Portland State will not be what scouts look at.

I'm disappointed that Riley's team on the road, once again, played down to the level of the competition.

Rutgers could have won the game and arguably should have. I was hoping the Oregon players would have a better performance to watch on TV Saturday and to watch on tape. This will be a re-run of OK State at Tulsa.

In five seasons to date, Lincoln Riley is 25-5 in the Coliseum. 10-0 in the last ten games. 4-0 versus the Big Ten in 2025, including impressive wins over Michigan and Iowa.

Under Gary Patterson, the SC defense is still shaky. But this offense will put up points, especially if Maiava has time to throw. And the SC run game has looked good behind an OL that returned four starters.

OBD will need every bit of the enthusiasm that we saw against Portland State. Will Oregon retain West Coast supremacy, or is SC ready to step up?

Thanks again, David, for another fine Monday morning read.

I don't think Lanning has ever fired a coach. Some have moved on, most of that initial coaching staff has moved on to greener pastures. Three are now head coaches! Which is great.

I don't feel like this young coaching staff is going to get the job done for the end goal. I hate to say it but this year has/had a bit of a Natty of bust feel to it, rightly or wrongly. I think all these young coaches will grow this year and they will be better than where they started. But at the end of the day a first or second year teacher is not going to be nearly as good as an average 10+ year vet.

I'm not calling for the firing of any coaches at this time but I feel Lanning needs to evaluate his staff at the end of this season. If we win a National Championship then he has done something incredible if we don't and there are questions that need addressing and at that point someone should probably be fired.

We have been out-coached too many times in big games. Which is unacceptable for a place like Oregon.

It's something to watch for and to think about. No one is getting fired this early in the season or even in the middle of the season.

58 minutes ago, Log Haulin said:

That is my feeling too. There is a ton of talent on this team, including in the staff Lanning has put together.

So far it hasn't looked like we as fans expect it to look. But that can turn on a dime.

Just like the preseason hype, it's still to early to draw absolutes about this team and staff. Though I have some serious concerns.

Penn State was way more talented last year than the record shows.

Portland State, like it or hate it, might have been the blessing Oregon needed. There is a world that its Texas Tech and Penn State happens all over again in Eugene.

Hopping that loss followed by the Viks is exactly how it was supposed to be and Oregon puts it together all the way to a NC victory

2025 Penn State went 7-6. Off the roster, 15 players were drafted or signed as Free Agents.

It wasn't a lack of talent. Many Nittany Lions veteran players did not step up.

But when it came to assistant coaches, Jim Knowles was a $3 million DC?