“We want nothing but the absolute biggest & greatest accomplishments on the biggest stage under the brightest lights. We're honestly going to work at it till we get there.”
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) July 28, 2021
🗣 @coach_cristobal on @oregonfootball winning #CFBPlayoff title#Pac12FB | @76 pic.twitter.com/WLMLlVfg5K
Mario Cristobal's approach is brilliant.
There's no reason to couch ambitions in false humility. It's refreshing to hear a coach say very directly, we're talented, we've worked hard and we know what our goals are.
I believe him, but I'm an old-school fan. Not surprising, because I'm old.
To me what matters is winning the conference, beating Washington and Oregon State and going to the Rose Bowl. The playoffs involve politicking and perception--that's beyond anyone's control, and if the last two weeks have taught us anything it's that ESPN and SEC are in bed together. After all, they colluded to destroy a league.
One hundred years of tradition was no match for their desire to create a football monopoly.
Teams that belong to the power structure go to the trough first and it's hard to root them out of there. Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Notre Dame start the season on second base.
Choose your metaphor, but the 4-team playoff and the national rankings are a rigged game with built-in biases.
Should the Ducks fall to Ohio State in Columbus, it will just confirm all the biases.
That's why I've always focused on what could be decided purely on the field, the conference championship and the right to earn a trip to Pasadena.
If Cristobal stays and continues to develop as a head coach, if he trusts the great coordinators he's hired to call plays and run their units, if Oregon continues to recruit at a high level, they'll win a national championship in the next five years.
Everything would have to break perfect for this to be the year. Anthony Brown will have to be solid and reliable as the starting quarterback. The offensive line has to prove deep and cohesive with stronger play at left tackle. The young secondary has to hold together. Tim DeRuyter's organizational magic has to transform the defense.
If Kayvon Thibodeaux takes his place as the dominant defensive player in college football, I'm saying there's a chance.
They could beat the 16% odds to upend the Buckeyes in the Horseshoe.
Even if they don't, the PAC-12 media says they are favorites to win their third straight conference title.
I don't know how any Duck fan could be unhappy with that.
I totally agree. I like what MC is doing. He just needs to develop more in game play calling and learn to keep the pedal to the metal, as it were.
ReplyDeleteI've said before, tOSU game does not make or break our season. Those 9 Pac12 games are what it's all about.
We must take care of business at home, in our own league first.
The "national championship" has always been rigged in the SEC favor. Until every division plays the same number of conference games,it will be.
Let's start by dominating our own conference.