I believed. I really thought this was going to be our year. I know I shouldn't feel this upset but I so badly wanted the Ducks to win the National Championship. I should stop drinking.
Well, at the end of the day, it's just a game. In a close football game, there are always many things to look at, but I just have to shake my head and those 3 turnovers in the redzone. Mariota seems to have gotten hurt before the game, he just was not nearly as explosive tonight and sorta ha a deer in the headlights look. There are several times when he appeared to have a running lane to pick up a first down and he didn't. The Mariota we've seen all year would have won this game. But hey, that's college football, you mess up once and you're done.
The ducks are not going to the title game..... [video=youtube;L29_lWrQIr4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L29_lWrQIr4[/video]
I knew that this game would be a loss. Stanford under Shaw has been built to stop us. Look on the bright side! We can still easily make a BCS bowl.
This is the payoff for being a true and avid fan. You ride the high of the wins and low of the defeats. Luckily, we haven't had many defeats so this ill feeling is somewhat foreign. My concerns: our team was not mentally prepared for this game. Penalties, WR's not knowing the play, collapse of the offensive-line. What we saw was not a NC caliber team and questionably a deserving BCS team. Mariota was rattled. The play calling sucked until we were desperate. All in all, a total F of a game. I can't believe UTAH, of all teams, beat Stanford. USC pounded UTAH. I'm the newest USC fan when Stanford plays them.... Bowl projections have use headed to Orange Bowl to face Clemmy. Who is up for a trip to Miami Beach?
Duck fans have unrealistic expectations. I'm curious what the reaction will be when they have a few years of not even making a BCS game because all programs hit those periods. The Ducks playing in all these straight BCS bowls is not normal but some fans expect that at the minimum.
Stanford came in with 26 seniors and an elite SEC level line on both sides of the ball. This was trench warfare and we got smushed plain and simple! Stanford doesn't have amazing skilled players, they have a "GREAT" O Line line that makes average skilled players look amazing! In order for us to beat them we need to get evil on the D line! Before we attack our D line let's remember they are coached to play the way they play. This then brings up a far more real question asked many times before, can a bend don't break defense win against an elite team with ball control and a huge line? To me Stanford was our best measuring stick to what Bama would do. Ball control, gap penetration, smash mouth, drag their feet second half with a 2 touchdown cushion. Stanford didn't even disguise their power plays, we just couldn't stop it. We have the size on the D line, just not the talent yet to handle a vastly well coached O line. Yesterday was the first time I really sensed how much we miss Clay, Dion and Kiko for gap penetration. I would say Nick Aliotti should take a good look in the mirror before he addresses his D line in meetings today. His defensive philosophy is great when we are ahead by 30 and teams have to take chances and he can capitalize. Last night Stanford didn't allow either and his defense was exposed, just like Stanford did last year. In my humble opinion we need a SEC caliber defensive coordinator and "bend don't break" needs to turn into "nasty and intimidating" This is a fixable problem, but Aliotti needs to change his defensive mindset or be replaced. Further our kick off return coverage has been rotten for years, giving teams the ball on the 35 or 40 routinely must stop, also very fixable or just kick the ball into the end zone! We learned a great deal yesterday, and our deficiencies are glaring yet fixable!
I'm astonished on just how much Oregon was dominated yesterday from not only the lines of scrimmage but all over the field. And just how big,strong and powerful everyone of Stanfords players seemed to be on every play. It was a struggle to not only win at the line but just take down the Stanford playmakers. They all looked bigger, stronger and more powerful than Oregon. Oregon's problem in the end is the same problem that's been there for years. The inability to recruit the combination player that has size, speed, and power. SEC teams can do this. Stanford can do this. USC and UCLA can do this. Why can't Oregon who has the most to offer over many other programs? Winning by finessing it, I think has proven to have limitations. It's time to take the next step.
If there is a silver lining to all this and I believe there is... I would put money on the idea that Marcus returns next year.
Really? I would think him getting hurt would scare the crap out of him. If he can be a top10 pick going pro is the smart choice. Matt Barkley came back to compete for a title and dropped to the 4th round.
I think Kelly and the Eagles would take him. He fits what Kelly and they are trying to do. It's just a hunch though.
How many of those guys does UCLA have? Not many. There are very few linemen in the country that have size and speed. I doubt Oregon will ever be able to win that recruiting game with SEC or USC. The Ducks have been an elite program the last few years but its unrealistic expectations to expect them to out recruit every other school in the nation.
Well maybe the National Championship idea is just a dream then. They some how have to upgrade themselves in this one area in my opinion. Or they won't grow any further.
I say size, speed,and power, but what I'm really saying is the 4 and 5 star recruit average needs to increase per recruiting class which shouldn't be difficult with their facilities. And if I'm Uncle Phil who maybe looking for a return on the investment. This shouldn't be too much to ask for.
That is totally unreasonable! Last year in 2013 the Ducks had 1 five star recruit and 8 four stars. Their average recruit was 3.5 stars which is great thats 17th in the nation. In 2012 they got 1 five star and 9 four stars. Unrealistic expectations. Being in a BCS game every year is already an OVERACHIVEMENT. My Beavs only got 1 four star recruit last year.
Maybe it is, but maybe so is the idea that this team is a national championship team as it is. It's not. And what has stopped them for many years is stopping them yet again. If Stanford hadn't done to them yesterday what they did to them yesterday, it would have happened to them in the National title game (assuming they won out) versus Alabama or FSU
