1 of 1- DucksReign
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Conceding I was wrong on just about everything!
After the last year's football season ended and before Lanning was hired, I was thinking the offensive side of the ball looked pretty solid in terms of who would be returning...Three QB's short on experience but talented; RB position looked good with Cardwell, Dollars and McGee; WR position was loaded; TE position had talent(RIP Spencer Webb...you would be loving this season) and depth and of course the OL had massive experience.
Even after players headed to the Transfer Portal including Oregon's top runner and receiver in Travis Dye...I was thinking we were still good.
Then Oregon hires a defensive oriented head coach and an OC whose offense was in the bottom third of an already weak conference, the ACC. That head coach brings in an experienced QB who finished the season injured; was splitting time as a starter and never improved significantly in his previous three seasons.
Then comes transfer freshmen RB's from Western Kentucky and Minnesota. You gotta be kidding me?! Uh...Mr. Lanning, what about the talent already on the team? The talent Mario Cristobal hyped?
Well, we all know what has happened and is happening. What lessons I have learned in no order of importance except #1...
#1 I don't have a clue how to coach a football team.
#2 As Lanning obviously surmised, perhaps all that returning talent wasn't so "solid" as I assumed. Yet I rest somewhat comfortably in knowing that NOBODY was predicting Oregon's entire starting offensive backfield for this season would be all transfers.
#3 In defense of those players I assumed would be starting...what has happened and it's not just with those players...is Mario Cristobal's MASSIVE blind spot in not being able to coach and develop players has been exposed big time.
#4 The transformation on offense has been the key difference maker. I went and checked...the defense is essentially holding its own compared to last year...
Scoring Defense: 2021 - 27 points allowed per game; 2022 - 26.3 points
Scoring Offense: 2021 - 31.4 points per game; 2022 - 43.1 points...almost 2 touchdowns more per game.
Last season we won games by an average of 4 points. This season by 17 points!
Last year Oregon finished with 57 TD's in 14 games; this year? So far 52 TD's in 9 games!
As well, we have not, unlike last year, played to the level of the opponent and instead buried them.
It doesn't take any experience in analytics to see the differences. Which of course doesn't measure intangibles like confidence.
I am not going to pretend...I never believed at this point in the season we would be in our current position. No chance. I underestimated essentially everyone on the coaching staff and the players who transferred in. But see point #1 above!
Go Ducks!
- Duckball
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Re: Conceding I was wrong on just about everything!
It takes a man to admit you were wrong. 
You and I were at odds about the hire from the get-go. But I'm certainly no coach either. I based my opinion ONLY on faith. Faith in what I saw of the young man, faith in what he said, faith in what I saw at Georgia and faith in hearing interviews with all his new coaches. I was just blown away at the unbridled passion an optimism with the whole staff. He's incredibly smart and well-spoken for such a young coach. I was instantly sold. And I just loved the idea of a young coach who could relate to today's athletes, especially in our new NIL/transfer portal world.
But.....I could've been dead wrong and been the one writing the mea-culpa. Sometimes just going on faith is risky. But I'm so happy Oregon gambled and got it right. Now let's just hope we can keep the guy for a while huh?!!
DUCKS BABY!!
- Duckball
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Re: Conceding I was wrong on just about everything!
Oh, and I'll admit I was dead wrong about the defense this year. I thought it would be a strength. I know you disagree, but it is the weakness of this team. I bought into the "talent" we had and a new D oriented head coach and an experienced D coordinator in Lupoi. Thinking back to even the Georgia game, at the beginning of the game they were saying Sewell and Flowe were the best linebacking dou in the country! LOL.
I believed we'd be good on offense with the O line and receivers. Depth at RB. But never figured Nix would be as damn good as he is.
Last edited by Duckball (11/06/2022 6:40 pm)
- DurangoDuck
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Re: Conceding I was wrong on just about everything!
Right, wrong or anywhere in between ——- let’s revel in the success of where we are. I for one, other than hope and patience would not have rationally predetermined any form of the year we are having. There seems to be a chemistry within the team meetings, film room, locker room and the field. The “magic sauce” above and beyond recruiting, player rankings and coaching hype. We have it, let’s protect it like the holy grail!!
- Phil
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Re: Conceding I was wrong on just about everything!
It's good to be wrong sometimes.
I was real skeptical of KD and was completely wrong about bringing in Bo this year. After clamoring for Ty to play at the start of the season I'm worried about running Bo and risking injuries.
Sports can be real unpredictable and be wrong can be a good thing!
- oldretiredguy
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Re: Conceding I was wrong on just about everything!
I don't think any of us predicted the season we're having, but it seems we got a good one all around in Lanning. Here's hoping we demolish the huskies...Go Ducks!!!
- DucksReign
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Re: Conceding I was wrong on just about everything!
Duckball wrote:
Oh, and I'll admit I was dead wrong about the defense this year. I thought it would be a strength. I know you disagree, but it is the weakness of this team. I bought into the "talent" we had and a new D oriented head coach and an experienced D coordinator in Lupoi. Thinking back to even the Georgia game, at the beginning of the game they were saying Sewell and Flowe were the best linebacking dou in the country! LOL.
I believed we'd be good on offense with the O line and receivers. Depth at RB. But never figured Nix would be as damn good as he is.
To be holding even after the talent we lost to graduation, NFL Draft and transfers...Thibodeaux, McKinley, Wright, etc....is actually pretty amazing. Because I don't feel the talent and experience that came in matches the talent and experience lost.
I consider any minute Flowe plays to be a "bonus"...he is not a consistently healthy starter.
Plus Aumuvae is lost for the season...depending on what source you look at...he is either All-Pac-12 first team or honorable mention.
Oregon has the #1 Rushing Defense in the Pac-12...#5 last year.
In Oregon's last 5 games the opponents are averaging 14 points a game through 3 quarters of play. Where are the problems?
All I know is other than the Georgia game and first 3 quarters of the WSU game, Oregon's defense has essentially shut down the opposition.
BYU was ranked #12 in the nation when they played Oregon and they scored 7 points in the first 3 quarters.
Whatever defensive woes there are, they have yet to translate to the most important statistic...the scoreboard.
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Thread Starter- Duckball
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Re: Conceding I was wrong on just about everything!
Oh, and I'll admit I was dead wrong about the defense this year. I thought it would be a strength. I know you disagree, but it is the weakness of this team. I bought into the "talent" we had and a new D oriented head coach and an experienced D coordinator in Lupoi. Thinking back to even the Georgia game, at the beginning of the game they were saying Sewell and Flowe were the best linebacking dou in the country! LOL.
I believed we'd be good on offense with the O line and receivers. Depth at RB. But never figured Nix would be as damn good as he is.To be holding even after the talent we lost to graduation, NFL Draft and transfers...Thibodeaux, McKinley, Wright, etc....is actually pretty amazing. Because I don't feel the talent and experience that came in matches the talent and experience lost.
I consider any minute Flowe plays to be a "bonus"...he is not a consistently healthy starter.
Plus Aumuvae is lost for the season...depending on what source you look at...he is either All-Pac-12 first team or honorable mention.
Oregon has the #1 Rushing Defense in the Pac-12...#5 last year.
In Oregon's last 5 games the opponents are averaging 14 points a game through 3 quarters of play. Where are the problems?
All I know is other than the Georgia game and first 3 quarters of the WSU game, Oregon's defense has essentially shut down the opposition.
BYU was ranked #12 in the nation when they played Oregon and they scored 7 points in the first 3 quarters.
Whatever defensive woes there are, they have yet to translate to the most important statistic...the scoreboard.
Agree with what you are saying. I LOVE the optimism and glass half-full view of the Oregon defense.
But there is a disconnect somewhere.
Perhaps most Duck fans are too emotional, emotionally invested and over-dramatic, but I've yet to speak to a single Duck fan or read any opinion pieces/blogs that don't have concerns about our defense. Not trying to start an argument. It's just a curious position....... but I like that you are sticking to your guns! 
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