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Friday, July 30, 2021

Saturday Night Live offers a glimpse of Oregon football's future

 This Saturday night at 4:15 p.m., Mario Cristobal hosts the fifth annual Saturday Live Camp at Autzen Stadium.

50-75 high school prospects will be there from the 2022, 2023 and 2024 classes, working out and getting coaching from the Oregon staff.


The public is invited. Admission is free. The concession stands will be closed but fans can bring food and drink. For safety's sake, no glass bottles are allowed.

For the players, it's an opportunity to get some topflight instruction while touring Oregon's facilities and getting to meet Duck players and their coaches.

For fans, it's a first look at some of the standouts in the 2022 Oregon recruiting class including acrobatic Texas wide receiver Stephon "Boogie" Johnson and powerful defensive tackle Sir Mells  of Nevada.

Though not yet committed San Diego teammates Jalil Tucker and Jahlil Florence are two players to watch as well, agile Spidermen at cornerback. Both of them have run 10.7 in the 100 meters for Lincoln High School.

The quarterback group at SNL features 2022 commit Tanner Bailey from Gordo, Alabama and local product T.C. Manumaleuna of North Salem High, a 2024 prospect with advanced skills. He's from North Salem High. Though just a freshman, he's got a strong, accurate arm and tremendous promise.

With Kayvon Thibodeaux likely in his last season as a Duck, Oregon is shopping furiously for athletic pass rushers. The camp features two of the best in the West, San Diego standout Gracen Halton (already committed to UO) and Cyrus Moss of Bishop Gorman High in Las Vegas, Nevada (rumored to be announcing soon.)

The offensive line group is highlighted by 6-5, 330-pound guard David Iuli of Puyallap, Washington, who pledged to the Ducks earlier this month.

It's a great show with drills and a passing scrimmage. Sunshine, Autzen Stadium and a chance to picnic with fellow fans while enjoying a cold beverage.

Several of Oregon's current players will be on hand to watch the event. For the kids, they may be able to get a coveted autograph or three.

From Steve Mims, formerly of the Register-Guard, here's a glimpse of the 2019 event:



Posted by Dale Bliss at 5:23 PM 0 comments

The Decision

 Yesterday a leaked internal report from the CDC surfaced, reported in the New York Times and the Washington Post.

It stated that the Delta Variant of the Covid Virus is more contagious than the measles, chicken pox or common cold. 


The report recommends an immediate return to masking and social distancing strategies, and urges unvaccinated people to get vaccinated.

A separate document urged caution, because the strain is so contagious that it can be spread by vaccinated people. 

The Delta Variant causes infections that are more severe. Rates of illness are surging around the country and the world.

Mask up, the CDC says, and get the jab.

This is a football blog. My reasons for posting this are simple. I want to do everything I can to keep my family safe and be able to enjoy sports again. 

"The war has changed," the CDC said. 


 Viruses mutate. Human civilization is in a race between insanity and misinformation and responsible personal behavior.

Research at the University of Alabama Birmingham concluded that the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are safe and effective.

Mask up and get the shot. And go Ducks.

Posted by Dale Bliss at 6:07 AM 0 comments

Thursday, July 29, 2021

No one ever rises to low expectations: why the 2021 Ducks are a championship squad

 

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.



Posted by Dale Bliss at 4:05 PM 1 comments

The Ducks' greatest weapon

Something pops up over and over with the 2021 team, and it could prove to be a difference-maker:

A very high standard of work.


The video clip is Oregon nickleback Jamal Hill in his summer workouts with Grind Sports Training. Last year, you'll remember Hill capped off an impressive sophomore season with two interceptions in the PAC-12 Championship Game.



Hill earned the Defensive MVP award for his efforts. In all over the 7-game campaign the sophomore had 20 tackles and four pass breakups in his first season as a starter. 

The standard of work at Oregon is very consistent across position groups and classes. It's an attitude of excellence and maximizing your potential, an exceptionally driven group.

Players like these push each other in practice.


 At PAC-12 Media Day head coach Mario Cristobal said in his opening remarks:

Well, I think the most important thing in the off-season is to find out what your team is all about in the form of presenting them with challenges, with adversity, finding ways to groom leadership. After being apart from each other for an entire season, the brotherhood of our football team, the chemistry, the dynamic that has made us strong over the years has been investing time in each other, spending time with each other, investing time with each other, getting to know each other, working hard, then gaining respect for each other as people, as competitors and teammates has gone a long way.


We feel there's a very strong sense of urgency, detail and intensity in our players. They're ready to compete. They're ready for a very competitive, physical and intense camp.


It's beginning to feel like this is a team that will just bust out of the gate with enormous energy and a championship mindset. The internal leadership in the group is extraordinary.

Posted by Dale Bliss at 7:01 AM 0 comments

Kayvon Thibodeaux just might accomplish everything on his list

Thibodeaux came to Oregon with a mature attitude and a vision for himself, and he hasn't wavered in training and developing his gifts.

His stats from a truncated 2020 campaign don't show what a dominant player he's become: he's being held and/or double-teamed nearly on every play.

At the PAC-12 Championship Game last December he put the USC tackles on roller skates, and one of them was drafted in the first round this April.


 At PAC-12 Media Days it was immediately apparent how much work he's put into his body, while simultaneously growing in mind and purpose.

 Seeing how all this translates onto to the field in 2021 is one of the most fascinating stories in what should be a fascinating year.

Posted by Dale Bliss at 6:31 AM 1 comments

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

George Kliavkoff sounds like a real commissioner

 It's a welcome change for PAC-12 football and PAC-12 sports.

Yesterday at the conference football media day new commissioner George Kliavkoff showed refreshing candor and clarity in speaking about realignment, broadcast rights and the aims of the league. 

He talks like a guy who works for consensus and understands what's important. 

In one month on the job, he's already distinguished himself from former commissioner Larry Scott. Scott was elitist who constantly talked down to people and lacked vision.


Kliavkoff understands that football drives the bus."Every decision at the conference level will be made," he said, "to optimize the number of playoff invitations."

He says the conference is getting lots of interest from other schools about joining but feels they are in a position of strength being the only Power Five league in the Mountain and Pacific Time Zones.

He just comes off as a more genuine and business-like guy. Duck fans can expect great things from his leadership.



Posted by Dale Bliss at 8:37 AM 2 comments

Monday, July 26, 2021

It ain't what you say, it's what you do

 PAC-12 Media Day is tomorrow, and all of the coaches and many of the players will be asked about college football's tumultuous month, NIL, Texas and Oklahoma moving to the SEC, and expansion of the college football playoff to 12 teams.

The game is being shaken to its foundations. It's hard to be sure what it will look like in five years.


ESPN is the driving force behind the tectonic shifts, or at least some of them. Back in December the World  Wide leader signed a rights deal with the SEC that pays the conference $3 billion over 10 years, $300 million annually, to broadcast football and men's basketball.

The SEC poached two blue bloods from the Big 12, and now they're making overtures to Clemson, Florida State, Miami and even Ohio State. As it is, the Big 12 is gutted, and other teams and conferences are scrambling for a place at the table.

The trouble with all this is that college football has always been a regional sport, and if the SEC becomes the NFL of college football there won't be much interest to go around around the country.

Oregon has options. They're in good shape as a brand and during the Mario Cristobal tenure they've recruited well enough to compete with anyone going forward, though many fans feel it's a year too soon to expect a playoff run.

In terms of surviving in college football's new world order, it'd really be good to strike a blow on the field and upset Ohio State in September.

At conference Media Day Kayvon Thibodeaux will be asked about all this, and he'll be asked about his ambitious goals for the season, which include a national championship, 20 sacks and a Heisman.

If he got three against the Buckeyes, merging those goals with reality becomes a genuine possibility.


Update: according to the Dirt and Sprague radio show on 1080 The Fan, Johnny Johnson III has been switched out for center Alex Forsyth.

Posted by Dale Bliss at 6:23 AM 1 comments

Sunday, July 25, 2021

Ducks have to be the PAC-12's best road team to win in 2021

 


The 2021 Oregon Schedule is daunting, and it will take beady-eyed focus and incredible resilience to survive it.

The Ducks have high expectations this year (as they should) but the schedule makes competing for a conference title or a spot in the playoffs especially difficult.

It begins at home on September 4, a game against Fresno State where they are a three-touchdown favorite. That's a game that should make everyone feel good about the offense and chances for success.

Immediately following is that monumental road trip to Ohio State. The Buckeyes, ranked #2 in the AP Top 25, feature four Pro Football Focus Preseason All-Americans and an other-worldly collection of blue-chip players throughout the roster.  

Runner-ups to Alabama in last year's college football playoff, tOSU is 9-0 against Oregon over their history. Oregon is a 13-point underdog in  this game; ESPN's matchup calculator gives them a 15.4% chance to win. The game is a 9:00 a.m. kickoff for the visitors, a further advantage for OSU playing at home in the Horseshoe.

For the Ducks to pull off the upset in Columbus, they'll need a superlative game from Edge Rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, getting pressure on new quarterback C.J. Stroud. The Oregon offense has to challenge the Buckeye secondary, the most vulnerable unit on the defense.

The schedule continues with a soft landing, two home games against Stony Brook and Arizona where UO will be a big favorite. That will give them time to sort out the uncertain situation at quarterback.

From there it gets hard. The PAC-12's schedule rotation deals Oregon a bad hand in 2021. They have road games at Stanford, UCLA, Washington and Utah. 

While they are spaced out nicely (no back-to-back road games) they meet all their toughest opponents on the road. 

The late November trip to Utah figures to be a particular stumbling block--the Utes are physical and disciplined, loaded on both offense and defense after some judicious transfer portal moves. Graduate transfer quarterback Charlie Brewer threw for 9700 yards and 65 touchdowns in three seasons at Baylor. Running back T.J. Pledger is a four-star pickup from Oklahoma.

Oregon struggled with UCLA last year and this season the game is in Pasadena. Bruin quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson elected to return for his senior year. Chip Kelly will be gunning for an upset as he attempts to save his job after three losing seasons in Westwood.

 The Ducks do miss two of the favorites from the South Division. They won't play USC or Arizona State unless they reach the PAC-12 Championship.

Oregon will have to play some very sustained and focused football to get there. They'll have to be exceptional in hostile environments, displaying a high degree of unity and internal motivation, overcoming the leadership and depth issues that plagued them in the Covid year.

To achieve a 10-win season or a league championship, they'll need some of their talented freshmen and sophomores to mature quickly.

Posted by Dale Bliss at 6:31 AM 1 comments

Saturday, July 24, 2021

2021 Oregon football schedule

 

Posted by Dale Bliss at 5:13 PM 0 comments

Aaron Feld, national treasure

Oregon's Aaron Feld is the best strength coach in college football. 

Behind the bellow, the hype and the impressive Snidely Whiplash waxed mustache is a superb motivator and an expert on training for strength, explosion and flexibility.



It's important to remember that last season the players got sent home because Covid restrictions shut down PAC-12 football. Spring practice was cancelled after four sessions.

The Ducks lost their Fourth Quarter Program, precious months of development under the guidance of the strength and conditioning staff.

It's a key element of Mario Cristobal's master plan for Oregon football, an invaluable edge.

Instead, Covid protocols dumbed down everyone's training, leveling off preparation. It forced everyone back toward the mean, toward mediocrity, a big part of why the Ducks stumbled against Cal and Oregon State and struggled with UCLA. They weren't as conditioned. They hadn't made the gains that separate them from average teams and substandard cultures.

There were other reasons, of course, but this one is significant. This summer you have freshman cornerbacks at Oregon pushing up 500 pounds. Quarterback Anthony Brown squats 475, lineman Logan Sagapolu, 600. Here's guard Marcus Harper with a new maximum lift:

 


The Oregon team that takes the field in September won't be intimidated by anyone. They'll have a renewed push at the line of scrimmage. 

The Ducks have had a long undeserved reputation as a soft, finesse team. This year, the dominating, physical character Mario Cristobal has envisioned can be fully realized.

That will translate to push at the line of scrimmage. It will translate to wins.

In addition to his work with the Ducks, Feld tirelessly promotes fitness with his annual "Fill the Sleeves" campaign, a benefit for Special Olympics. 






Posted by Dale Bliss at 5:53 AM 0 comments

Friday, July 23, 2021

43 Days Until Duck football

 

Posted by Dale Bliss at 6:30 PM 0 comments

Realignment and it feels so good, or the eve of destruction?

It's a period of rapid, destabilizing change in college football, so cataclysmic and involving such big dollars that it threatens to destroy the game altogether.

First in a 9-0 decision the Supreme Court ruled that players had the right to earn money from Name, Image and Likeness.

In just a month a few players have already signed six-figure deals, and Nick Saban revealed his quarterback will be making close to a million dollars.

 


Over 1400 players have entered the transfer portal this season, an average of 12 per team. Tennessee lost 37.  Close to a thousand players are still in purgatory, yet to sign with a new team.

On Wednesday a report from the Houston Chronicle upended media days by revealing Texas and Oklahoma are negotiating to exit the Big 12 and become part of a 16-team SEC, leaving the Big 12 with just 8 members and no high-profile, media-draw team in football.

One of these changes alone would be hard to deal with,  but all of it taken together and happening so fast, it shakes the game to its foundations.

Dave Bartoo of the College Football Matrix said, "CFB's adhd is killing me. Can't sit still for a minute. Always chasing the next $. IMO what made CFB was traditions & rivalries.Those take time. Lots of it. But with constant change, we are not allowing for that time. We're gonna look back one day and go 'Shit, where'd it all go?' "

The SEC's power move sets off a chain reaction with other conferences scrambling to keep up. In December they announced a move from CBS to ESPN, a big TV deal that will pay them 3 billion dollars over 10 years, far more than any other league's existing contracts. The PAC-12's partnerships with Fox and ESPN expire in 2023.

At the same time, cable TV is dying in its hold over viewership. Streaming services dilute and diversify the market. It will be tough to garner a big enough deal to stay competitive and stay relevant.

Relevance and survival. Those are the big, long-term issues here. Ten of the biggest brands in college football will be concentrated in one market. What are Oregon and the PAC-12 going to do?

They have to move quickly, because every conference and many teams will be scrambling to preserve themselves and line up an alliance that works for an uncertain future.

The solution out here seems obvious. History and tradition, as Bartoo suggests, is the heart of college football. Without it you have the XFL or the Arena League.

What the PAC-12 should do is immediately move to join forces with the Big Ten, their historical partner and Rose Bowl opponent, an alliance with a rich history that goes back to 1947, when the Granddaddy first started featuring a Big Ten-PAC-12 matchup.

They should move to form a 32-team super conference that features Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon and USC. Call it the Big PAC.

The PAC-12 presidents need to get over themselves as far as academic snobbishness. In the West, they need to add the biggest available markets and most viable programs, BYU and Boise State, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. To the Big Ten, add ND, Iowa State, Cincinnati and Louisville.

New PAC-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff has a monumental challenge in front of him. But that is the right move. Go big or become irrelevant. Form The Big PACK.




Posted by Dale Bliss at 5:56 AM 2 comments

Thursday, July 22, 2021

The big miss

2022 5-star running back Branson Robinson committed to Georgia today, his favorite school from the beginning.

Back in January, the Ducks made his top 8, and they were recruiting him hard via Zoom and text. 

By the time official visits opened up in June, Robinson had already zeroed in on school's closer to home. He's from Madison, Mississippi.




The reason why this should be of note to Oregon fans is that Robinson was Mario Cristobal's dream running back, though he'd never say that out loud. If you asked him he'd just express ultimate confidence in the players he has, as he should. NCAA rules (are there still NCAA rules?) prevent him from publicly commenting on a recruit, especially one who has chosen another school.

As an ex-offensive lineman Cristobal loves the downhill running game and the idea of physically imposing his team's will on the opponent. Robinson is powerful, 5-10, 218 pounds, a school weight lifting champion and their best 100 meter sprinter. He squats 600 pounds, insanely strong for a 17-year-old running back.

On Social Media the college football world is blowing up over the news that Texas and Oklahoma are moving to the SEC. If Oregon wants to stay relevant in a rapidly-changing landscape, they have to start winning some big games against top opponents, and they have to win a few battles for players like Robinson. They got a start this June when they secured a commitment from Kelvin Banks, the nation's #2 left tackle. That's significant progress toward building CMC's dominating running game.

At RB, though, the Ducks have relied on a series of small, quick backs with above average talent. That's good, but to compete with the Ohio States, Clemsons and Alabamas of the world, they've got to identify and land their own premier ball carrier, the next LaMichael James, Jonathan Stewart or Royce Freeman. Oregon's old running back coach Gary Campbell always seemed to have one of those guys in the pipeline. He was a terrific mentor and scout.
Posted by Dale Bliss at 1:21 PM 0 comments

For the Ducks to be a contender, Kayvon Thibodeaux has to seize greatness

 A recent survey from 247 Sports named Kayvon Thibodeaux the best college football player in the country.

He's a certain early pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, and he's already signed a deal with Nike that pays him six figures.

Named to the Watch List for all the major defensive awards, Thibodeaux's sights are higher. He's said he wants to win the Heisman and rack up 20 sacks while winning a national championship.

A journalism major and media astute, the 6-5, 250 edge rusher/linebacker is just giving a hungry machine what it wants, but his devotion to his craft and high goals are 100% authentic. He's had this single-minded focus, plus the ability to articulate it, since high school.


Head coach Mario Cristobal told Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports, "We feel he's the most disruptive player in college football. He'll be used as such." 

For Oregon to exceed the modest projections for the 2021 season, Thibodeaux has to realize all his promise, to achieve production equal to the well-deserved hype.

Posted by Dale Bliss at 9:52 AM 0 comments

Improved offensive line the key to a more productive Quack Attack

 Beef. It's what's on the Oregon offensive line. This year, they're gonna sizzle.

Oregon's offensive line struggled last year. Covid interrupted their training and development.

It was a jury-rigged season, particularly after generational left tackle Penei Sewell elected to leave early to begin training for the NFL.

The collaboration of Mirabal and Cristobal will produce better results in 2021. Having to send the players home, interrupting practice and workouts, losing an Outland Trophy winner, it all worked to destroy a carefully-developed process.



That led to a series of shuffles and a patched-together front. The coaches rotated players on a strict schedule, partly to protect the team from a rash of unavailability.

This year there is better depth, and the unit has had a full year to develop cohesion.

 The position to watch in fall camp and versus Fresno State is left tackle. Five-star freshman Kingsley Suamataia will push holdovers George Moore and Steven Jones for that spot, and getting more consistent play at the line's most critical position makes the whole unit work better.

That keeps everyone in their natural spots, gives the unit an anchor. Coming out of high school, Suamataia is the highest-rated offensive lineman the Ducks have ever signed, even higher than Penei Sewell as a prep.

How quickly he develops sets the ceiling for the Oregon o-line.

Last year the Ducks finished 7th in the conference in sacks allowed, 10th in the conference in tackles for loss allowed--too many negative plays.

For the truncated 4-3 season the running game generated 167 yards per game, Oregon's lowest total in 16 years. By contrast, the 2008 team, with Chip Kelly as the offensive coordinator and Steve Greatwood tutoring the line, cranked 280 yards rushing a contest. Coming closer to that standard would translate into more wins.

Posted by Dale Bliss at 8:41 AM 1 comments

Wednesday, July 21, 2021

Duck fans: What can Brown do for you?

Anthony Brown will be Oregon's starting quarterback in 2021, and some fans are deeply skeptical.

They've expressed concerns about his accuracy, his stats at Boston college and his potential as a PAC-12 starter.

The doubts are unfounded.



Three things indicate Brown will be a success at Oregon, effective and productive in Joe Moorhead's offense:

1. His statistics at Boston College dramatically improved in every key category.

As a redshirt freshman Brown completed just 51.9% of his passes.  As a soph, 55.4%. In his junior year, 59.1%. 

In his 23 attempts at Oregon last season the grad transfer connected on 65.2% of his throws.

Similarly, Brown's passer rating and TD/INT ratio climbed at BC every season. His rating jumped from an inadequate 103.5 as a freshman to a robust 154.5 in his junior year. As a freshman Brown tossed 11 TD passes with 9 interceptions; as a junior, 9 TDs, 2 picks.

Last week at the Manning Passing Academy Tyler Shough indicated that he didn't have a good working relationship with Joe Moorhead, a renown tutor of quarterbacks who has cranked out highly productive offenses and great quarterback numbers at every stop.

Brown seems ready to listen and learn, and the growth in his numbers suggest he's extremely teachable.

2. He's experienced and mature.

Brown was 6-2, 196 as a freshman prospect in 2016. Today he's a sixth-year senior with 28 career starts, 6-3, 226.

His supporting cast at Oregon is much better.

At BC, AB had a really good running back in AJ Dillon, a 6-0, 247-pound running back who rushed for 4,382 yards in three seasons with 40 career touchdowns. 

Dillon, however, was the only 4-star in the Eagle's starting offense.  The offensive line included a pair of two-star players and three three-stars. The receivers were all 3-stars.

At Oregon, Brown is the point guard for an offense full of high-flying talent. All he has to do is be the distributor, and he has the savvy to do that.

Anthony Brown didn't have The Katle-Monster at Boston College. He didn't have Troy Franklin, Devon Williams, Jaylon Redd, Mycah Pittman, Spencer Webb, JJIII, or Travis Dye. 

He has a nice gliding running style and good vision. He should thrive in Moorhead's offense, and the numbers will be better than most expect.



Posted by Dale Bliss at 2:14 PM 4 comments

How you do anything is how you do everything

 In sports reporting it's a good idea to avoid religion and politics, but sometimes it's unavoidable.

Covid vaccinations and protocols are one of those times.



Infection rates are surging around the country, chiefly among unvaccinated people and in places with lower vaccination rates.

It applies directly to football because with the season approaching, how teams and coaches deal with Covid issues will directly impact their success in the 2021 season.

Teams that take precautions and pay attention to details will have more success on the field.

The NFL has already recognized this. Today Neil Stratton of Inside The League reported that an NFL scout told him,  "Position coaches are calling players and in a nice way threatening that if not vaccinated they could get cut."

Yesterday at SEC Media Days, league commissioner Greg Sankey warned that teams who can't play due to Covid will face forfeits rather than cancellations or postponements. "We have not built in time for disruption," he said.

Coaches have to prepare for realities and get sound medical advice. Keeping their players healthy is job one, and there are no excuses.

Posted by Dale Bliss at 9:53 AM 3 comments

Into the great wide open

 Name, Image and Likeness is going to transform college football, and we may not like all the changes.



Speaking to a convention of Texas High School football coaches earlier this week, Alabama coach Nick Saban said, 

“Our QB has already approached ungodly numbers, and he hasn’t even played yet. If I told you what it is … it’s almost seven figures.”


Bryce Young is a very talented quarterback, but he hasn't taken a snap in a college game.

At SEC Media Days, Saban elaborated. "Some positions, some players will have more opportunities than others. How that's going to impact the team...I really can't answer...

"It will be important for our team success to not have somebody looking over their shoulder."


Back in the '90s, two things occurred that changed college football dramatically, largely for the better.

The 1st was the expansion of TV exposure, going from a single game of the week to revenue and exposure opportunities for every school. The 2nd was the 85-man scholarship limit. 

Together, these changes made college football a more interesting game. They opened up more opportunities for more teams to hire good coaches, upgrade their facilities and recruit good talent.

There was an explosion of interest in the sport, and new teams started showing up in major bowl games and the Top 25.

Few teams had a more dramatic rise than the Oregon Ducks. Phil Knight was a powerful catalyst, but the increased exposure and rising talent level helped make Oregon a national brand.

Chances are the Ducks will be one of the winners in the brave new world of NIL, but a lot of teams and players are going to be left behind. It could ruin the sport.

"You don’t know how it will effect things. The question is because it won’t be equal - everything we’ve done in the past has been equal: equal scholarships - how that will impact your team, I can’t answer, because we don’t have any precedent." Saban said.
Posted by Dale Bliss at 9:25 AM 4 comments

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Mario Cristobal enters the prove-it year



Unless you're a Husky, a Trojan or an Aggie, it's nearly impossible to dislike Mario Cristobal.


He's one of the most authentic and passionate coaches in a passionate game.


In three years he's 25-10 as Oregon coach, with two conference championships and a Rose Bowl Trophy.


He's brought three historical recruiting classes to a school where some said it was hard to recruit.
His players graduate and stay out of trouble. He's represented the university well, hired great coaches, built a great culture and created a lot of enthusiasm for the program.

This fall, sixth-year super senior Anthony Brown takes over at quarterback. He got all the first-team reps in the spring.

This is Cristobal's prove-it year. After three recruiting classes and three cracks at the transfer portal, this is the roster he's built. Whatever strengths and weaknesses it has, wherever it's thin, whatever the question marks and uncertainties, this is his squad.

As of June there were nearly 50 quarterbacks available in the NCAA transfer portal. This is the depth chart he and Joe Moorhead chose. They let Tyler Shough walk.

--These may turn out to be great decisions. There are plenty of reasons to be confident in Brown, Ty Thompson, Jay Butterfield and Robby Ashford. Moorhead surrounds them with a lot of talent at receiver and running back, and the offensive line should be improved after a full year to train and install the offense.

The Oregon defense should be one of the best in school history.

Many fans say that next year or the year after look better for a playoff run, but at the end of 2021, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Mykael Wright and C.J. Verdell may all be gone to the NFL draft. A year later, Noah Sewell. In 2022 the Ducks will likely have a first-year starter at quarterback.

There's always a reason to postpone hope or accountability. It's always a mistake to postpone them too long.

The Ducks have the most talent in the PAC-12. If they don't win ten games and the conference title, they've underachieved. If that happens, it may be time to ask whether the Ducks have hired a rising star or just a good recruiter with a lot of sincerity but subpar coaching skills.


Mario Cristobal is a good person and a good recruiter, but is he a top-tier coach? 2021 is the prove-it year.
Posted by Dale Bliss at 5:34 PM 6 comments
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