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College Football 2016 Week Ten: Game of the Century #7: This Time We Mean It

this seems pretty good

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COME BACK CHIP

There isn't anyone on the market that is worth that much. Unless he's gonna use some of it for assistants who have actually been coordinators before.

I don't know why you would want Chip Kelly back, the NFL has completely broken him, his offense is one of the most boring and predictable offenses in the NFL.
 
Chip Kelly
Les Miles
Bill Belichick

So your top 3 are:

1. A guy whose offensive play calling ability seems to have completely disappeared since his second year in the NFL and has zero regard for recruiting or developing defensive players, something Oregon lacks.

2. A guy whose offensive philosophy is to run his running back into the back of his offensive line 30 yards a game, was a barely over .500 coach at Oklahoma State, and didn't finish in the top 10 his last 4 years at LSU, and didn't win double digit games his last 2 full years.

3. A guy who is 64 and has never coached or recruited at the college level in any capacity and currently gets to coach in the second worst division in the NFL pretty much guaranteeing him a first round bye every season and also has the most secretive contract of any head coach in the NFL.

Miles *might* be the best option of those 3 simply because he's been a college coach more recently and if you could somehow pair him with a decent coordinator (heck even keeping your current offensive coaching staff might work).

The thing is though, when someone drops 70 on you, that isn't about who your head coach is, its about a disparity in talent level. Oregon's current recruiting class has only 3 defensive players in it (and 5 athletes so some of those guys might be on defense).

Looking at the last 3 years they've recruited:

8 LBers
5 DT
9 DE
10 DB

So 32 guys whose primary position was on defense in HS, plus whatever ATHs they converted. Right now they have only 4 Juniors and 1 Senior on defense. Most of the backups appear to be Freshmen and Sophomores as well.

I think it is easy to panic, and maybe there's evidence behind the scenes that the Brady Hoke experiment isn't working, but it almost feels like this is an aberration that if the Ducks panic they could make worse. Shrug.

During the Kelly era the Ducks were ranked 22nd, 5th, 9th and 4th in FEI defensively. They were 16th, 3rd, 12th, and second in S&P+ during the same time span. This year they are 116/115 in both. Since Kelly left actually they've gone 25, 28, 85, 115 in S&P+. So I guess the question is what happened between 2014 and 2015?

As best as I can tell the big things are a lot of departures either due to graduation or the NFL on defense and also the fact that they switched from running a 3-4 to a 4-3 as well as the retirement of Aliotti back in 2013 all kind of caught up to the Ducks this year, couple that with the injuries and that would explain their sharp decline.
 

Lonestar

I joined for Erin Brockovich discussion
Thing with Miles, he's a proven recruiter.

Now, maybe it's just LSU recruiting for itself, but they generally were bringing in top 10 recruiting classes
 

mre

Golden Domers are chickenshit!!
well, tell us in Chinese to "Run the Damn Ball"
No shit, man. This was the perfect example of that mantra at work.

Also need to translate: "Motherfucker, go ahead and false start. I fucking dare you to false start just one more time."
 

jstevenson

Sailor Stevenson
Until last night I thought this season premiere of the Walking Dead was the most savage and brutal thing I had ever seen on TV
 

BTM

Member
Until last night I thought this season premiere of the Walking Dead was the most savage and brutal thing I had ever seen on TV

I'm just doing my best to just forget what happened last night. Can't dwell on it when we still have a chance at a decent season.
 

jstevenson

Sailor Stevenson
Yeah tOSU brought their A game, and everything went their way. Kinda snowballed. It was bad before Tommy went out and probably wasn't going to change that much, but Ryker coming in made the snowball worse.

Nebraska is the same team that went to OT vs Wisconsin in Madison at night last week (well, of Armstrong is ok)

Ohio State is the same team that lost to PSU and struggled with NW last week.

But one played their A game and the other played their D game and then lost its QB and has no serviceable backup. Bad combo. Ohio State is also the first team Nebraska has faced with ultra talented lines AND skill players. Nebraska's skill players are good but it's lines are only serviceable.

Pelini left a real shit show at OL, QB, and DL (and to a lesser extent, LB).

The upside is nobody left on the schedule has the skill players to match up, so if Tommy plays Nebraska can still finish 9-3 or 10-2 and go to a nice bowl. 10-2 with one loss in OT in Madison and I could almost forgive the shit show I saw last night
 

Lunar15

Member
Being stuck on a plane for 4 hours with the most babies ever put on a plane while watching Gator football is some kind of crazy torture that I don't wish upon my worst enemies.

Also, I don't think anyone is surprised about yesterday's outcome. It's November, which means any semblance of offense we might have had earlier in the season has now gone into hibernation for the duration of winter.

Now I prepare for the unthinkable: A Muschamp-esque low offense team vs an actual Muschamp coached team. If there was ever a more excruciating game scenario, I haven't seen it.
 
Won't be mad if OSU is ranked above us, that score's too funny and deserve it just because of that (not to mention it made the UMich-OSU game much more important since it essentially eliminated B1G West from playoff talks).
 

chaosblade

Unconfirmed Member
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

ALABAMA DEFENSE

The Alabama defensive unit held LSU to just six first downs and 125 yards of total offense in a 10-0 victory. The top-ranked Crimson Tide (9-0) recorded five quarterback sacks and held the 15th-ranked Tigers to just 33 rushing yards (on 27 attempts).



Notes: This is the second time since 2004 that a “team” has earned Walter Camp National Players of the Week honors. On Sept. 25, 2005, the Virginia Tech defensive unit earned Defensive Player of the Week honors.

I laughed.
 

Vanillalite

Ask me about the GAF Notebook
I'm not saying Oregon couldn't be great or ever win a Championship, but throwing money at the situation won't really fix it.

They need a top flight coach sure.

Oregon previous dominance was a string of things coalescing at just the right time. Chip sorta being ahead of the curve on running spread and up tempo. Knight providing those next level uniforms. Also all that cash providing crazy new facilities.

Problem is everyone has crazy next level unis from Nike or UA. Tons of teams run the spread, run up tempo, or have an up tempo package. Plus facility upgrades have become a thing across the country.

Credit to Oregon being in the forefront in a lot of this. I don't see how they recapture that msgic just by hiring a coach with Knight's cash.

They have to get the players and in the current college landscape I don't see how they suddenly get players better than Bama, OSU, Mich ect..., and instead Oregon would have to hope to get lucky on getting a random transcendent player like Jackson at Louisville.

Keep in mind even in the Oregon heydey they never got over the hump.
 

ag-my001

Member
On topic: The stats in that Navy/ND game are insane. One I haven't seen: real-time length of game. The clock never stopped running. Was it under 2.5 hours?

Aggie topic: My trust in pessimism has paid off! Didn't even watch the game, so I'm in a good mindset and totally prepared for our now inevitable unranked 8-4 finish, followed by a discounting bowl showing! Whoop!
 

tebunker

Banned
Watching a Washington game for the first time this season and wow... these guys would go like 5 - 7 if they played in the SEC. Is it illegal to play defense in the Pac 12? Honestly, for Washington's sake I hope they don't make the playoffs because they are going to get just absolutely embarrassed. MSU's 38 - 0 loss will look competitive in comparison.


I mean, I am no Pac-12 fan but I am not crazy enough to drink that much Kool-aid or push that hard to ruffle feathers.

However, there is only one defense in CFB that plays a magnitude higher than all of the other teams. That team just happens to be in the SEC. The other SEC teams are pretty down this year too.

Right now, nothing would make me more happy than to face the fighting Harbs in the NCG. I am not sure I want a Clemson like team that can scheme like Lsu and has actual talent on Offense.

I am looking forward to the IB this year. The wheels will be blown out on the gus bus again.
 

Kevtones

Member
During the Kelly era the Ducks were ranked 22nd, 5th, 9th and 4th in FEI defensively. They were 16th, 3rd, 12th, and second in S&P+ during the same time span. This year they are 116/115 in both. Since Kelly left actually they've gone 25, 28, 85, 115 in S&P+. So I guess the question is what happened between 2014 and 2015?

As best as I can tell the big things are a lot of departures either due to graduation or the NFL on defense and also the fact that they switched from running a 3-4 to a 4-3 as well as the retirement of Aliotti back in 2013 all kind of caught up to the Ducks this year, couple that with the injuries and that would explain their sharp decline.


I mean those top 3 were just kind of joke but I wouldn't mind seeing Miles or Chip. I think what's happened since 14/15 is recruiting. The switch to 4-3 this year hasn't helped and losing your OC/DC in the same year isn't easy. Also, Oregon really isn't THAT shitty overall, they've just lost the close games to amplify their record. Three last minute losses by a combined 9 points.

Part of that is coaching but also that the players just aren't there. Sure it's been an insane year for injuries but the talent has shrunk though Oregon does has a ton of freshman on the field. Seems part of the issue is that the team has been centered around a QB since Helfrich got there and once Mariota left, things were dicey. When Adams was QB last year, Oregon was top flight but as soon as he got injured they were trash (see the 31-0 lost lead against TCU). It's not crazy to say Oregon would've been in the playoff last year with a healthy Adams (despite their shit defense).

Chip adores Eugene and I think if he came back he might actually restore some glory. His knack for getting college kids to buy in was really quite incredible and his tenure was nuts.


Kelly was 46-7
His worst loss was by 9 points (to OSU in the 2010 Rose Bowl and to Boise State in his 1st game).
10-4
12-1 (lost to Auburn)
12-2
12-1 (his best team)

Had he stayed he would've had two more years with Mariota. Wouldn't have been surprised to see a title. Actually I think Helf could've got it two years ago if not for a shit ton of injuries (Ifo, Allen, Carrington, Brown). Oregon was playing with only backup WRs when it lost to OSU. Oh well.


Anyway, your analysis is interesting and I'm actually not really advocating a coaching change… Yet. Oregon just doesn't fire people (it's weird), and the coaching staff outside of the DC/OC is the longest tenured in the country. I doubt they'll blow it up but after the success Oregon's had it seems like something is just not right.

Helfrich definitely rubs a lot of people the wrong way. He's defensive and snarky in the wrong ways. I think they give him one more year, but if it goes south harshly this season like a blowout loss to someone again… BOOM.
 

impirius

Member
SC beats UF
LSU beats UF
Tenn beats UK
Tenn splits (or loses both of) Mizz and Vandy

South Carolina (5-4, 3-4) can still win the SEC East, for whatever that's worth
 

Kevtones

Member
Chip Kelly not returning to Oregon


Even billionaire Oregon booster Phil Knight attended last Sunday's 49ers game as Kelly's guest. But asked about the Oregon opening last week, Kelly said: "No. I'm the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. So, not looking at anything else. I'm here."

Those who know and have spoken with Kelly backed up his words and say he is not going anywhere.


Damn, this story already calls it 'the Oregon opening'. Daaaaamn. Also, Chip is extremely fickle and given his similar stance before bolting to the Eagles… Yeah, I wouldn't write it off.
 

Lonestar

I joined for Erin Brockovich discussion
His update better be him just snoring for 5 minutes, because that game was boring as shit.

Picture a blank canvas.

For 3 hours, you occasionally throw poop at it.

The last half hour, you slam a perfect 22oz ribeye on the canvas.

The College football media buys your piece of art for millions.
 

jstevenson

Sailor Stevenson
On topic: The stats in that Navy/ND game are insane. One I haven't seen: real-time length of game. The clock never stopped running. Was it under 2.5 hours?

Aggie topic: My trust in pessimism has paid off! Didn't even watch the game, so I'm in a good mindset and totally prepared for our now inevitable unranked 8-4 finish, followed by a discounting bowl showing! Whoop!

Nope 3 hours, five minutes.

TV always finds a way
 
I'm not saying Oregon couldn't be great or ever win a Championship, but throwing money at the situation won't really fix it.

They need a top flight coach sure.

Oregon previous dominance was a string of things coalescing at just the right time. Chip sorta being ahead of the curve on running spread and up tempo. Knight providing those next level uniforms. Also all that cash providing crazy new facilities.

Problem is everyone has crazy next level unis from Nike or UA. Tons of teams run the spread, run up tempo, or have an up tempo package. Plus facility upgrades have become a thing across the country.

Credit to Oregon being in the forefront in a lot of this. I don't see how they recapture that msgic just by hiring a coach with Knight's cash.

They have to get the players and in the current college landscape I don't see how they suddenly get players better than Bama, OSU, Mich ect..., and instead Oregon would have to hope to get lucky on getting a random transcendent player like Jackson at Louisville.

Keep in mind even in the Oregon heydey they never got over the hump.

Right, all the things that gave Oregon an advantage during their zenith are gone and not coming back. They needed to use that time to establish a culture and recruiting strategy that was sustainable long term and through a coaching change, sort of like a similar small school with no history in Boise State managed.

Their recruiting rankings haven't fallen too drastically, so right now it feels more like this season is a result of the panic move after last year of demoting Pellum and switching to Hoke and a 4-3, combined with attrition and injuries.

Getting back to being a perennial top 15 defense might not happen, but they'd be competitive with an even average defense.

The problem is now we know Knight isn't willing to be patient and that's where things can get bad for the Ducks.

You know who is about to be available that the Ducks might consider as a coordinator at least, Gus Bradley.
 
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