The Oregon Ducks

Much has been said and written about the demise of the Oregon Ducks. Let me be clear: It's all a bunch of crap. 

Oregon is in fine shape, regardless of the whining and bluster that has crept into so many message boards and chat rooms. The team lost a generational talent in Marcus Mariota, and a number of quarterbacks transferred out of the program in the last few years as they grew impatient with the lack of playing time. 

Jeff Lockie, Mariota's understudy, stuck it out and has tried his hand at running Oregon's high-octane blur offense, but he just doesn't have a very strong arm and he's a little phlegmatic as a runner. He's been a fine, sedulous Oregon Duck (already has his degree) and I'm glad to have him on the team, but he's just not a very good quarterback at this level. 

Royce Freeman and Taj Griffin are stud tailbacks, but when the QB can't keep secondaries honest, it's awfully hard to make yards in the run game. Things will improve for the offense as Vernon Adams, Jr. (pictured), returns to action. He might suit up as the Ducks go for their eleventh win in a row in the series with Washington on Saturday night.

The secondary is young and needs seasoning. Teams like WSU and Cal are tossing the potato around the yard on the Ducks, and we need to elevate the play there.

But, as I said, the sky isn't falling. Look, Oregon has been ranked in the AP top 25 for six years! Six years! We just fell out of it for the first time since 2009 when Utah blew our doors off two weeks ago.

I am a lifelong Duck, and it's funny watching all of these bandwagon fans piss and moan about the team. Honestly, some of these weirdos were five years old when Joey Harrington was taking the Ducks to the #1 spot in the polls. 

Since 2010, Oregon has the country's highest winning percentage. We're recruiting with the best of them, and our facilities are among the finest in the country. I support Coach Helfrich and, while I think Don Pellum needs to make some schematic changes (and blitz more), I'm happy with the team.

Suffering through the lean times makes success just that much sweeter. The Ducks will be fine, and when Travis Jonsen takes the reins next year, you'll see a different outcome on the gridiron.

Picking up the Pieces...

John Day River, Oregon

Ouch. That loss to Ohio State in the national championship hurt. I spent yesterday in a funk, and that's rare for me. I'm an optimist and, even when things are going badly, my glass is way more than half full.

But this one stings, and it's because I was just so invested in how resilient and talented this group of Oregon football players is. I'm proud of them. 13-2 is a great season, and there's much to be thankful for with this team.

They showed some true grit in overcoming injuries. They rallied together on a march toward greatness and, even though the result in the final game wasn't what we were expecting, they made the state of Oregon proud. 

I woke up today feeling great, and I'm heading out for a run. Got to win every day, and keep pushing that rock up the hill.

When I was a kid, I was obsessed with fishing. I spent most of every summer day knee-deep in the John Day River, attempting to catch every trout between John Day and Mt. Vernon. I learned a lot about myself in that river, and they're important lessons that I cherish to this day.

Be strong. Be smart. Keep working. 

I think this Oregon team understands those same lessons, and I'm excited to see what the future holds for the program. Follow the Oregon way, fellas. We'll be watching, every step of the journey!

Go Ducks! Kings in the North!

From Troy to Bend and clear down to Horse Hill. From the beaches of Brookings to the bluffs of Astoria and across the foggy gorge to Hood River. Across all of the meadows, valleys, mountains, and towns in between...let there be a full and concerted marshaling of human positivity toward the young athletes of the mighty University of Oregon.

Men are coming. 

Brutal, savage, smart men with devious plans. Men with bad intentions and high IQs. They come on airships to Eugene, intent on taking what's rightfully ours. 

They converge on Autzen Stadium, the true and just kingdom of American collegiate football. They want what we have: supremacy in the North. 

But our team is ready. We're sharp. We're dedicated, focused, and prepared.

We are Ducks.

Destiny is yours, fellas. We knew when we looked at the schedule that men were coming. We knew all along that the road to achievement would be filled with pitfalls, and that Stanford represented the greatest challenge of all.

Destiny is yours. Take it!

The Ducks Prepare to Win the Day!

ESPN Gameday will be in Eugene tomorrow for the day's best game. Michigan State and Oregon will mix it up tomorrow night at 6:30 eastern in a game that will go a long way toward deciding how the inaugural playoff will go in a few months.

Oregon is 10-1-1 against major, non-conference foes in the last two decades. This game is at home, in the magical confines of Autzen, where it never, ever rains. 

The Ducks have built an empire on offense. Speed and depth at every position, in addition to a superior offensive line, will help the Ducks put up points quickly. But it's the defense that has to step up in a run-stopping scheme (play cover 2 and bring a safety up, Coach Pellum) to keep this game winnable.

I hope for the same things tomorrow that I hope for in every Oregon football matchup:

• I want to see great effort and enthusiasm. This is our season, right here...right now.
• I want to see a good, competitive game. 
• I want us to make it through without major injuries.

Troy Hill and Ife-Ekpre Olomu can certainly lock up the MSU wideouts. So let's focus on that line of scrimmage (looking at you, Buckner and Armstead), stay in our assignments, and bring help from the safeties. Once we get some stops (and I really don't care at all about yards; just stops and minimizing scoring), we can unleash Freeman, Tyner, Marshall, Carrington, Stanford, and the rest of the crew...

Go Ducks! Win the day!