Jiffy Jeff wrote:

…between Genius and Mad Scientist. I think we can maybe agree that DL falls into the latter camp. He has the resources and the tools and the knack to find the ingredients to execute his plans, and they seem to either succeed splendidly or fail spectacularly.

When he passed over the FG attempt after being gifted a turnover, I told my buddy to buckle up because this was only the first of many questionable calls to come today and DL did not disappoint.

All that said, I adjusted my expectations accordingly from that halftime gamble and just watched as this team went out and worked their tails off to make DL right and win the game. Like the TTU game, the players simply kept their motors running high and ran the plays called until the clock hit all zeroes, but this time the magic wasn’t there. And while understandably disappointed, I had a much easier time letting this go than in the past.

The season is far from over. The Ducks run the table from here and they are in Vegas with a playoff spot on the line. The talent is there. I hope that DL can learn a bit more about situational playcalling from this point on, but I won’t be surprised if he continues to gamble as he is who he is.

Go Ducks!

Yeah, there were 4 of us, and we all agreed Dan wasn't gonna kick the FG at the end of the half; that one makes no sense, and he should have kicked. What would Chip have done?  The second time, we pinned them deep, the D held, we got the ball back and scored a TD, so that didn't hurt us there. 
I went into this game not really sure who we are: we hadn't really played anybody tough. I came away feeling very good about this team and the bond Lanning has with his players. A lot of pundits were saying the Huskies might be the best team in the country: we stayed right with them on their field. 
I too feel all our goals except an undefeated season are still in front of us; we shall see.
 

Good evening Duck diehards. While I didn’t “watch” the game (except vis ESPN game cast for a half (what a frustrating pile of *#^# that is) I thought I would weigh in on our first loss.

First, waking up to see the final score was a bitch, yet I found a small solace in losing to a top ranked team at home; partially thinking when I turned the game off at halftime Penix would have found his magic and we could have been blown out in the second.  Without seeing stats I think we held the UW offensive juggernaut to a season low yards and points. Yes, the loss still hurts and yes, we were the best team they have faced, and yes I’ve said ‘bitch’ already.

Second, I think we easily forget UW was stopped on 4th and goal and yet made their fourth and 1 at mid field.  On that comparison (I think it was 2/3 and 0/3 total) they were one for two. We were oh and two. I bet UW fans think DeBoer is a strategic genius yet Lanning not so?  The result from players on the field executing, not coaching decisions. Results matter.

Third. While I might have kicked the FG at the end of the half, that would have had a cascading effect on future play calls. The game would have changed. No single play outcome stands alone without effect on future play calls. With 2:11 left going for it at mid field?  Yikes, I don’t get paid for that call. If we had made it, Lanning is the gutsy genius. We didn’t, and every couch coach is brilliant with a different call.

I’m pissed we didn’t win, but from 5,000 miles away it sounds like no player left anything on the field, and I’m happy with that. Yes, we could have / should have won that game, but we have another game next week to focus on. And win.

Let’s get back to it Ducks!

1) Bill Oram sets aside all the reasons, justifications, excuses and writes to the repeat of last year...which is what bothers me as much as anything.

https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2023/10/bill-oram-dan-lanning-loves-taking-risks-but-it-keeps-costing-the-ducks-in-their-biggest-moments.html

2) Oregon was 0-3 on fourth down efforts...the 12 plays that accompanied each of those 4 down failures resulted in no points or first downs.

I am confident in writing Chip Kelly would have done much better than 0-12 in those situations. He would have gotten more than just some yards.

3) The Oregon defense rose to the occasion in the second-half and held UW scoreless after the 10:31 mark of the third quarter until 1:38 left in the game. One couldn't ask for more.

It is unfortunate they were not given the opportunity to try to stop the UW(with no timeouts) much deeper in their own territory than midfield. Especially because the Oregon offense was already 0-11 in the game in that situation in terms of getting SOMETHING positive. The 4th down play should have been a punt...just like last year.

4) Sadly the lessons of last year's game were not learned for this year and regardless of the thousand ways it can be spun...Oregon lost a game they should have won.

Last edited by DucksReign (10/15/2023 1:24 pm)

Oram is a provincial and parochial huckleberry w a stick up his rectum for UO ('I guess it's just the Tillamook in me'). after firing Canned-Zano, The O swung the pendulum back the other way, too far. he was probably all they could afford.
like an open-air raw sewage spill, he'll seep to the low point and cast aspersions on Lanning. it appeases the demographic that still reads The O, I'm sure.

I don't grasp the purpose of the incessant whining and second-guessing. it has no affect on outcomes. just futile gibberish to fill space. is UO going to fire or discipline Lanning somehow? based on accumulated griping by lower-tier media or on anonymous message boards? in what world?

Dan Lanning is Oregon's HC. season-tic sales are booming. attendance is well above expectations. recruits are signing and impact players are transferring in. he's got a virtual lifetime contract at elite compensation as we head to the Promi$ed Land of the B1G. the admin and the AD are behind him, as are the donors and real fans who are the pillars of the program.

there are, as Paul Krugman often writes, signal and noise. in a world filled with so many frustrated and grievance-ridden people, noise will always find an audience. but it's still just noise.