USC Leads League in Talking

I've stitched together some musings between here and L.A.  A lot of big talk is choking up the air in LaLa Land. 
   Starting with the most obtuse . . . . 

That Trojan's Got a Lot of Cock!
Speaking about Oregon, Trojans sophomore defensive lineman Jurrell Casey told ESPNLosAngeles.com "They have a good running back and a good quarterback. Other than that, they're really not that good."
[Oh yes. Word was given. The Ducks are aware.
  Casey is one of their best players. Ironically, his best game last year with 11 tackles was against Oregon. That's right, he totally dominated that 47-20, worst loss in USC history. In fact in that game I would say with him, USC had a good D. lineman. Other than that . . . . .] 


Regional Expert
[But hey, he's just an emotional player. What you really need is an expert to break down the reasons why USC will beat the Ducks. Kenny Legan of 'The Daily Trojan' claims to be such an expert in his article: "Victory Lies With Trojan Offense".

He's fairly even keeled, pointing out that if USC gets a few turnovers early to give their offense a chance, that would be good. But then he goes on to say that it really falls on the offense. Here's an excerpt:

The point remains that even if the Trojans do get a few stops, it’s inevitable the Oregon offense will get its points much like Scooby-Doo eventually gets his Scooby snacks. For an offense that leads the nation with an average of 55.1 points through seven games, it’s apparent that nobody is going to stop them.

Thus if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Even though Stanford went up big on Oregon, and Arizona State made the Ducks punt 11 times, both offenses eventually stalled . . . .which allowed the Ducks to stay calm, get back in the game and eventually take it over. [Good analogy if it wasn't slightly backwards. The Ducks stayed calm first, THEN THEY FORCED the opposing offenses to stall, which allowed them to get back. BTW. Don't leave out WSU or Tennessee. They were all fired up in the first half having Oregon on their home turf.]

This can’t happen against USC. [Why not? "Because I said so." ]I’m not saying that Barkley, senior running back Allen Bradford or the explosive wide receiving/kick returning duo of senior Ronald Johnson and freshman Robert Woods need to score every time; the Trojans could probably get away with punting once. [To Cliff Harris?]

The more USC can score and continue scoring throughout the game, the more it will put pressure on the Ducks and put them in a situation they have not been in yet this year — trailing in the fourth quarter. As we’ve seen in the last three weeks, when a No. 1 team finds itself in a tight contest late in the game, it has choked and faltered. [Now now, don't sell your team short.  USC has proven they don't have to be anywhere near #1 to choke and falter late in a tight game.]  

It’s not like this is an unreasonable request from the offense. . . . .[OK, that's enough. Bless his heart. He's darling.]

Leon, have you been scheming again?
ESPN's Ted Miller offers insight to what's going on inside Coach Lane Kiffin's head these past few weeks. Here's an excerpt from his article with the tantalizing headline: "Does USC Have a Secret Scheme for Ducks?":
But rest wasn't what the Trojans focused on during the bye week. In fact, there was extra running, live tackling -- something Kiffin has avoided due to injury worries for a team that lacks depth -- and fast-paced practices that attempted to match the pace with which Oregon plays.
   "We worked harder during the bye week," cornerback Shareece Wright said. "We actually didn't take a break."
    So it's hard to blame Kiffin for trying match that speed, even if ratcheting up for Oregon is akin to cramming for a final. [So what's the problem?  You're talking about my entire college career.]

    "I just think if you try to do it all of a sudden in the week you're playing Oregon, it's not going to help a whole lot,'' Kiffin said. "We've been doing this now for a few weeks, taking a different approach to the bye week than if we were playing someone else - the speed that we practiced at and the way we approached it.''

[Allow me to interject Nick Aliotti's reaction to Kiffin's preparation of their defense. Below is from The Oregonian:]
   Oregon defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti was flattered, but he was also skeptical that a team can adequately prepare for the Ducks' tempo, regardless of when they start and how high the quality of their athletes.

   "I think it will help them, I don't think it will hurt,'' Aliotti said. "But we play at hyper-speed, we play at a speed that is just incredible. Sometimes as a defensive coach, I can barely get a call in before the next play is played. Until you really see it live and in color ... when you see it live, it's something to see.'' [Seriously, from what I witnessed last week in Autzen against UCLA, TV doesn't do it justice. Watching them all jump up and prepare for the next play is like watching water run uphill.]

[On hearing of USC's preparation, linebacker Spencer Paysinger adds:
"Anybody that does a "Fuji'' (a hurry-up drill) out here with us in the first period will be blowing wind. Hopefully we'll be doing Fuji with them the whole game.''
[Nasty. Of course it would be all cap NASTY if I knew what the heck a Fuji was. But I don't. So it's just Nasty. But it sounds scary enough, like it's all . . . . . .mountainous and color film . . . . . Japanese like, Ninja Nasty and . . . . . . . OK I got nothing.]
[Back to the Scheme article:]
The fundamental issue is fairly simple: What the heck are the Trojans going to do against the nation's best offense? Apparently something different. Monte Kiffin has been widely hailed as one of the originators of the Tampa-2 defensive scheme, which it appears the Trojans are finally getting the hang of. But that's not the right defense to defend a spread-option, Lane Kiffin said.

"That defense really does not fit playing against Oregon at all," he said. "That defense is more about stopping the pass." [I beg your pardon? It was good enough for Cal's Kevin Riley; but Oregon's passing game isn't good enough for your Tampax-2 or whatever?]

The Ducks pass pretty well [Ya, no s**t!], but they do rank third in the nation in rushing with 322 yards per game.
[Well that's true. OK Leon, good plan.  In between running extra windsprints, overhaul the defense your team finally learned. ]

Of course, it's possible there's a bit of gamesmanship going on here, with Kiffin intimating an entirely new defensive scheme for Chip Kelly's Ducks to try to figure out.
[THAT'S the scheme. Kiffin is going to make Kelly THINK he's going to stop the run. But once the ball is snapped to Darron Thomas, it'll take him an entire "one-Mississippi second" to realize, "Oh, I guess they're defending the pass." And he'll be FORCED to hand it off to the Heisman Trophy guy if he doesn't keep it himself. 
Absolutely diabolical. Leon Kiffin is Chip Kelly's Lex Luther!
Kelly didn't seem too concerned, however, noting that it's typical for the Ducks to see new schemes.
"Usually, what we see on Saturday isn't what we saw on film, because we play a different offense than most everybody else in our league," he said. "We have to make adjustments within the game."
   You mean those adjustments that almost completely shut down the other team in the second half?
   Wait! Leon Luther isn't done yet. At the start of half time, he's going to have half his team fake injuries in the tunnel so Allioti can't get back to the locker room and do his magic with a squeaky marker on the drawing board.

And the Ducks seem to do that well, see 54.3 points and 569 yards per game, with both totals ranking No. 1 in the nation.

Don't make me angry. You wouldn't
see me if I was angry!

This is on the Trojans' "RedOut" page. They want everyone to wear red and fill the stadium.
   But if Duck fans still want to see the game, go for it. Because as of late last night, the game is NOT a sellout. Blame it on a bad economy or a bad feeling, but SoCal-ers are about as excited for this game as they are for their choice of governor.
  USC should enlarge the size of their plywood shirts in the endzones to make the Coliseum look fuller.

USC Game time 5pm Pacific on ABC. If you're not finding it, look on ESPN2 or 3.



Your Banter Grows Tiresome.
Now is the Time We Dance!
There's someone out there living my dream. http://www.youtube.com/user/AllDuckedOut is a youtube channel with Oregon videos and highlights. http://www.oregongridiron.com/ also features their videos, although they play better on my computer at All Ducked Out.

They create a new motivational video every week. Below is my favorite. It has the best song. It was made for the ASU game several weeks ago. So enjoy it, but to remain relavant, you'll need to close your eyes for the very last second -- especially you, Mr. Decker.

CRANK IT!  STAND ON YOUR OFFICE CHAIR, AND LET IT ROLLLLLLL!

BCS #1 rank would've done more for USC than Oregon

I was actually relieved when I saw Auburn leapfrog Oregon and take over the number one spot in the BCS. Great, let the voodoo target be on their backs this week.

What good what it do for Oregon to be a consensus #1 in the final week of October? Besides maybe increasing the number of duck costumes worn for Halloween, it helps them like, NOT AT ALL.

It would only serve as sauce for the goose (or duck?) the Trojans are licking their chops for this week. USC is on probation and bowl ineligible. This game against Oregon IS their bowl game. And they're hyping it to the hilt:
http://www.uscredout.com/  (Why is the Hulk wearing green and yellow tie-dyed jeans?)

On the other hand, Oregon has reason to get excited over the rankings as well. This week, USC moved up to #24.  Hooray! The Ducks are playing a ranked team! The more of those, the better.

Now that would be ironic.
BTW  Did you see who would be hosting the BCS #1 Auburn Tigers this coming Saturday?  Ol' Miss.  Yes, Jeremiah Masoli's Ol' Miss!   If Mississippi should knock off Auburn, and Oregon survives at USC, the headlines Sunday morning could read: "Jeremiah Masoli helps Ducks reach BCS #1"

The following is from the L.A. Times:
Trojans will get a taste of postseason play against Oregon
The Trojans, who are ineligible for a bowl game because of sanctions, will host the top-ranked Ducks at the Coliseum on Saturday. It will be USC's first home game against a No.1 team since 1988.
October 24, 2010

By Gary Klein

USC won't play in a bowl game this season, but Saturday's matchup against top-ranked Oregon will boast most of the trappings.

With ESPN's College GameDay setting up shop at the Coliseum and a social network movement urging fans to "Red Out the Coli" by donning cardinal-colored clothing, the game shapes up as one of the most intriguing of the college football season.

USC dropped out of the Associated Press media poll after it suffered the first of consecutive last-second losses against Washington and Stanford. Despite having an open date last week, the Trojans returned to the rankings Sunday at No. 24.

Meantime, Oregon is ranked No. 1 in the AP, coaches' and Harris Interactive polls. The Ducks are No. 2 behind Auburn in the Bowl Championship Series standings.

In the aftermath of his team's rout of California on Oct. 16, USC Coach Lane Kiffin said preparing to play a top-ranked team was no different from readying for any other opponent.

Then Kiffin went out and conducted a series of off-week practices unlike any at USC in the last decade.

With several assistants absent because they were recruiting, the usually low-key Kiffin transformed. He became a vocal taskmaster, sprinting from station to station and constantly exhorting his players to maintain the breakneck pace that was adopted to emulate Oregon's.

The Trojans also ran end-of-practice sprints to improve their conditioning before facing a team that has scored a national-best 55 points a game.

"When I'm running those sprints, I'm going hard because I know I won't have that feeling of being tired in the fourth quarter," safety T.J. McDonald said. "That's when the biggest plays are made because of the fatigue level."

Oregon, however, demonstrated again Thursday that it was capable of deciding an outcome long before the final period. The Ducks routed UCLA, 60-13, behind quarterback Darron Thomas, running back LaMichael James and a defense that has helped the Ducks lead the nation in turnover margin.

James, whose darting runs helped Oregon to a 47-20 victory over USC last season, averages a nation-leading 162 yards rushing a game for a team that must keep winning to remain in the hunt to play for its first BCS title.

Kiffin is in only his second season as a college head coach but has plenty of experience preparing for top-ranked opponents.

Last season at Tennessee, Kiffin's Volunteers played then-No. 1 Florida tough before losing, 23-13.

The next month, top-ranked and eventual national champion Alabama barely overcame the Volunteers, 12-10.

Now, Kiffin must prepare USC for its first game against a top-ranked team since 1992, when the No. 20 Trojans lost to Washington, 17-10, at Seattle.

It's the Trojans' first home game against a No. 1 team since 1988, when Notre Dame beat No. 2 USC, 27-10, in the regular-season finale on its way to a national championship.

That USC team, behind quarterback Rodney Peete, still went on to play in the Rose Bowl.
For these sanctioned Trojans, their postseason style showcase comes Saturday.
Quick hits
After having the weekend off, the Trojans return to practice Monday. … Defensive end Wes Horton (back), linebacker Malcolm Smith (knee) and running back Dillon Baxter (toe) are among the players expected to return this week.

gary.klein@latimes.com
twitter.com/latimesklein

--kb

SCOREBOARD, BABY!!!

Darron Thomas and Josh Huff display the number after they connect for a TD.

Fifteen seconds. That was about the length of time from the referees whistle to end a play to the moment the center's hands were on the ball to run Oregon's next play. By comparison, UCLA was averaging a typical 25 to 30 seconds to trash talk, huddle, take a few deep breaths, break and then line up.
   Sometimes QB Darron Thomas was able to rush it as fast as 10 or 11 seconds. Once when it was about 22 seconds, you could see Coach Kelly on the sidelines yelling to hurry up. But he smiled after that play when Thomas threw a touchdown pass.
   Oregon isn't putting on a clinic. They're starting a revolution. Their game against UCLA Thursday night symbolized 21st vs. 20th century football. The Ducks made one of the greatest teams of last century look like a slow, sad, decaying relic.


Richard Brehaut's numbers:
16-23, 159 yards. 1 interception, 3 sacks.
It could've been worse.



Terrell Turner demonstrates a safe sack on Brehaut.
Don't helmet-butt his head. Just squeeze it hard til it pops off.

UCLA RB Derrick Coleman probably wasn't surprised
that Alliotti's defensive plan was to stop the run.

   The word is Oregon practices even faster than they play. Once they've finished practicing all week at a turbocharged pace, the football game seems a little slower to them. Many times you saw the offense standing in position waiting for the referees to place the ball and blow their whistle. Oregon didn't score 60 points in the game, they scored 60 points in only 21 and-a-half minutes of possession.
   Oregon's defense too, after going against their offense at a frenetic pace all week, gets what must feel like vacation time waiting for slower teams to regroup between plays. This is the new advantage in football. Viewers, announcers and the media are marveling over this change to the game, and that's just when the clock is stopped.

   Oregon's offense has traditionally been labeled a spread option. Lately I've watched several teams claiming to run the so called spread, and they look very different. Some pass more. Some hardly spread at all (hence I think they're fooling themselves). Some just don't work. Coach Kelly recently said in comparing the spread to UCLA's pistol offense that you can run any system successfully as long as you have good athletes to make it work.  He demonstrated that Thursday night.
   The Bruins had not yet figured out how to stop Oregon's traditional set-up, when suddenly the Ducks emptied the backfield, and for a quarter they started executing what looked like a classic run-and-shoot offense. Then after scoring a couple of TD's off of that, LaMichael James walked off the field and behind Thomas comes TWO running backs to run the triple option!
   Kelly and his heroes refused to say more than two words about being and defending their #1 status through the week. But when the lights turned on, ESPN's 3D cameras started rolling and the Ducks took the field, they didn't just talk.
   They showed off.

Game-by-game, QB Darron Thomas' passing is improving.
He was phenomenal Thursday with 22-31, 308 yards, 3 TD's, no sacks. 

UCLA "held" LaMJ to 123 yards on 20 carries
 and two TD's in three quarters.

The offensive line opens a lane as wide
as an airport runway for Remene Alston Jr.
to leap through for a score.

Neuhoser with his back
to the scoreboard.

   The title to the Oregonian story said it best: "Compute this, BCS". And what better witness could they present their case before than ol' Mr. "Scoreboard, Baby" himself, Rick Neuheisel?
    Oregon's favorite villain, humbled and wowed, was left no choice but to say things like, "Well they were terrific tonight," and "That was impressive," and "Overwhelming," and "Dominant."
   The rest of the nation took notice as well. George Schroeder, in his postgame story in the R-G, said:

Right now, and helped along by what happened Thursday night, the common perception is that Oregon is very, very good. Here, a couple of tweets from college football writers, watching (on TV) and riffing:

“If UCLA has a pistol offense, then Oregon’s is some kind of flesh melting ion bomb.”

Or, with 137 characters to spare: “Wow.”

That's it!  Let all the rest of the teams have their spread option, pistol, run-and-shoot, triple option, or whatever offenses. Only Oregon has the FLESH MELTING ION BOMB offense.   


Watching the game in 3D was great.
It was like we were actually there!



Bruins to feel Prince's Pain

It may not matter much, but I managed to find one source out of L.A. who said UCLA QB Kevin Prince sat out practice for a second day this week to "rest" his knee.  This was an injured knee from two weeks ago. He's experienced swelling and pain in it all this time.

   He flew back to his hometown in Texas last week to get a second MRI from the doctor who originally operated on his knee when he was in high school. Neuhoser and Co. said they would not comment on Prince's knee until they heard from the doctor. Lately Neuhoser said Prince's involvement against Oregon would be a "game time decision".

Kevin Prince

  Duck fans, I think it's safe to say that we have all become sort of experts ourselves about knee injuries and how they relate to who is and is not practicing, and what coaches are and are not saying. This ain't our first rodeo, Neuhoser; and you don't fool us anymore. So just come out and say it. Oh never mind. I will.

  SOPHOMORE RICHARD BREHAUT WILL BE TAKING THE SNAPS FOR UCLA THURSDAY EVENING AGAINST OREGON.

  If I'm proven wrong and Prince is in there, we'll all know that somewhere between Eugene and Pittsburgh, Dennis Dixon will be watching and cringing until Prince inevitably goes down. And then Brehaut will come in to try to save the day.

  That's not going to be very easy. Prince is the better passer. Brehaut is not known for his running even with two healthy knees. Although Brehaut had a half decent (50% completion) second half against WSU two weeks ago when Prince went down, he hasn't had much playing time outside of mop-up duty. Plus he has never been to Autzen.

  The following story just makes UCLA's situation sound all the worse.  Greg Beacham, AP writer contributing to NBC Sports submitted this sad story:

UCLA'S AWFUL PASSING GAME TO BE TESTED AT OREGON
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Rick Neuheisel and Norm Chow were willing to do almost anything to get UCLA's running game going this fall, even risking their considerable coaching reputations on the NCAA's latest trendy offense.

   That ground game has been fixed by the Pistol - but an even more confounding problem has popped up in its place.
   The Bruins (3-3, 1-2 Pac-10) head to Autzen Stadium to face No. 1 Oregon on Thursday night with perhaps the worst passing offense in the nation.
   "We have invested heavily in a running game because we felt it was the key to taking the next step in the conference," Neuheisel said. "In no way did we anticipate that in doing that, we would lose our throwing game."

   A year after UCLA struggled mightily to run the ball, the Bruins' ground game is purring in the new Pistol offense, racking up 223 yards per game. [That's good for second place in the Pac-10.  First place is Oregon at nearly a hundred more yards per game.]

   Yet their passing game has been reduced to nearly nothing, managing just 95.5 yards amid a weekly slew of overthrown passes, unimpressive route-running and poor pocket protection. If the Bruins fall behind the Ducks, they know it'll be almost impossible to catch up.
   It's an embarrassment to Neuheisel and offensive coordinator Chow, who built their reputations on prolific, balanced offenses during their lengthy coaching careers.
   UCLA hit the midway point of its season ranked 118th out of 120 FBS teams in passing offense, with only Army and Georgia Tech managing less production through the air this season. The Bruins also are ranked dead last in the FBS in passing efficiency, a statistic that takes into account completion percentage, yards and interceptions.
   "It's been tough to throw the ball the way we want to," said Kevin Prince, the oft-injured sophomore quarterback who has started five of the Bruins' six games. "It's tough to swallow sometimes, because you don't want to be that team."
   The Bruins haven't passed for more than 128 yards in any game this season, finishing under 100 yards three times - including just 27 in their upset victory at Texas last month. Their quarterbacks are a combined 61 for 132 with six interceptions and just three touchdowns, and none of the Bruins' passes has gone for more than 35 yards.
   The Bruins didn't need a prolific passing game to beat the Longhorns, with even Prince chipping in on their impressive 264-yard ground attack. But then the running game crashed to a halt two weeks ago against California, managing just 26 yards in the Golden Bears' 35-7 rout.
   "We've got to get proficient, and certainly Norm and I have been around proficient offenses in the past," Neuheisel said. "We know what it looks like. We know how to teach, and we're going to get there. But we can't forget what our calling card is, and that's being physical at the line of scrimmage and running the ball."

   Still, it's a constant source of frustration for Neuheisel, the former UCLA quarterback who developed prolific offenses at Washington and Colorado before running the Baltimore Ravens' offense three years ago.
   It's also a downright stunner for Chow, one of the most respected offensive assistant coaches in recent college football history. After 27 seasons working alongside LaVell Edwards in the innovative BYU passing offense that spawned Steve Young and Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer, Chow tutored Heisman winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC on the way to two national titles.
   Chow sees two main reasons for the Bruins' utter ineptitude through the air: UCLA has been determined to run the ball after managing just 114.6 yards per game on the ground last season, and the passing game was neglected - particularly when Prince missed most of training camp with injuries.
   "You dedicate yourself so much to that phase of the game, and in the NCAA, you only get 20 hours to practice every week," Chow said. "We've got young guys who are learning this from the ground up. We don't have a lot of experience, so we have to get that on the job. But we're disappointed. We should be throwing the ball better."


For all of Prince's struggles with accuracy and backup Richard Brehaut's problems with composure and in-game concentration, [How's that again?  Problems with composure and concentration, and he's coming to Autzen for the first time?  Ya, you and I can chalkboard Oregon's game plan for this one.]the Bruins' receivers haven't distinguished themselves, either. Although Neuheisel has landed three highly ranked recruiting classes at his alma mater, the Bruins haven't developed a game-breaking receiver.
   Nelson Rosario, who could miss his second straight game with a high ankle sprain, leads the Bruins with just 14 catches for 137 yards. Less-than-speedy starter Taylor Embree has only eight catches for 99 yards, while Josh Smith - the Colorado transfer expected to provide speed - has just three receptions and is suspended for Thursday's game for an undisclosed violation of team rules.
   "We don't work at our best unless both phases of the offense are contributing," tailback Johnathan Franklin said. "It's a big change, for sure. You don't expect to startstop passing like that, but we're working on it every week."[Well, good luck with that.]
[OK, here's the plan. Oregon Defense: You load the box and stop the run.  Autzen crowd: You scream in Brehaut's earhole 'til it bleeds. If Prince plays, just wait until he goes down and grabs his knee. Then stick to the original game plan. ]
 
Something to print out and put on your refrigerator.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/football/ncaa/10/20/midseason-all-americas/index.html?xid=si_topstories
 
The above link is the Sports Illustrated list of Midseason All Americans. Three Ducks -- LmJ, center Jordan Holmes, and cornerback Cliff "Kash" Harris are first team. Second team lists defensive tackle Brandon Bair, and Harris again for punt returns.
   Pardon me if my naive geekiness is showing, but we Oregon fans have never seen anything like this. To see four Ducks together on anyone's list other than a police blotter. This makes last February seem like a long long time ago.
 
["It's a beautiful day . . . . . Don't let it get away.  It's a beautiful day . . . . . TOUCH ME . ."  --OK, I'll stop now.]
 
3-Deep in Epicness.
Remember Pong, the first video game?  Remember the first VCRs?  Remember when your favorite radio station switched to playing "All CD's".  And then came the first plasma TV's. Technology is changing so fast, the next big thing is right upon us.
   ESPN announced that Thursday night's game at Autzen will be the first game on the West coast broadcast in 3D. What does this mean for you, the viewer?
  Right now, you need to look in your closet, junk drawer, garage, basement, glove compartment and wherever else to find those dang 3D glasses they gave you at the theater when you saw Avatar.  Then just tune in to ESPN HD when the game starts, put on your glasses . . . . .
   Oh it won't work. It'll probably just give you a headache. You need to call your cable or satellite company and order ESPN3D, right after you buy a booquoo-thousand dollar 3DTV!  But for now at least, you'll still feel like you're a part of the history-making epic event. Just take some aspirin first.
Here's a link for techno geeks: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/07/espn-3d-review-college-football-kickoff/
 
Gametime: Thursday, October 21st. 6pm Pacific on ESPN. 
I will be at the game. Thank you, Matt.  When I get home around midnight, I expect to be hoarse, and the Bruins will be toast.
--KB

Humans #1, BCS #2

Let me be clear. I would call the BCS a big stinkin' #2 regardless of where they ranked the Ducks.
   In case you've been in a Chilean mine for the past 48 hours, Oregon reached the #1 ranking in the human polls -- AP, USA Today, and Harris -- after Wisconsin beat previously #1 Ohio State on Saturday.  (See latest R-G article.)
  The BCS however, plugged Oregon in at #2 behind Oklahoma because the computers ranked the Ducks in 8th place!
   What's the problem? Both teams are 6-0. But if we dissect those records, we see the situation. 
   Of Oklahoma's six wins, four are impressive over Florida State (currently 6-1), Air Force (5-2) Texas (4-2) and Cincinnati (3-3).
   Oregon's top four wins feature Stanford, a solid trophy at (5-1), then ASU, mediocre at (3-3), Tennessee is looking worse every week (2-4). And for a fourth quality win, take your pick from Washington State, New Mexico, or the PSU that is NOT Penn State.

   Computers are brainless, but they can crunch numbers better than humans can. And Oregon's first half of their schedule simply wasn't as tough as Oklahoma's. In fact looking back,  the Ducks schedule to this point looks almost dangerously (Dare I say it.) Boise State-ish.
   Humans on the other hand are far better nuanced to see style, understand trends, interpret gut feelings, analyze intangibles, and such. And they are the ones who are saying that despite what the numbers say, Oregon is just playing better football than anyone else right now, including Oklahoma. 
  More to the point, Oklahoma (Yes, they're still mad about that whole replay thing in Eugene.) had to struggle to get those wins.  They beat Utah State by a touchdown, beat Air Force by three, and Cincinnati by only two.  Meanwhile the Ducks are clobbering teams to the point where they were disappointed to have beaten Washington State by only 20.

   So why do humans like Oregon better? Let me recall back to my days on a farm in Eastern Oregon to explain this to Sooner fans.  Say you've got two farmers faced with the task of keeping wolves away from their respective barnyard areas; and they each have their own way to use electricity to do it.
   One farmer strings up an electric fence. Simple, efficient, it gets the job done. Not one single wolf has gotten past it.
   The other farmer is a little more creative and inventive. He can throw lightning bolts. And anytime a wolf gets too close to the border, he summons a fiery bolt from the heavens down to BBQ the wolf, every other critter within 10 yards of it, and sets the surrounding grass on fire.
   Now perhaps the computer is programmed to also look at the quality of wolves. And it sees that Farmer #1 has bigger and stronger wolves, and he's prevented every one from intruding so far.  And Farmer #2, while he has met that same zero intrusion objective, has faced smaller, skinnier wolves. The computer credits Farmer #1 on perfectly sensible criteria.  But if you want to see a good show, all eyes are on the lightning.

   Oklahoma, humans do not see you playing in the championship game because . . . . well, they just don't want to see you playing in the championship game. --not when there's a hot sizzling lightning storm raging out west.

Oregon calls their yellow color "Lightning" for a reason.

   Boise State is in the equation too, of course. They're #2 in human polls, but in the BCS, they're just outside looking in at the National Championship.
   This is only the first BCS poll. There is a lot of football still to play. Who knows where any of these teams will be in six weeks.
   But right now, the message is clear. Human beings, the ones who watch and enjoy good football games, would love to see Oregon and Boise State light it up.
--KB 

Miners see their shadows. Six more weeks of football.

The following are a few items to ponder while the Ducks take a little extra time to prepare for UCLA Thursday October 21st. . . .

_________________

Onside Kicks: A Comparison

In the two short videos below, one shows a near perfect onside kick. The other shows what some are already calling the worst onside kick in the history of college football. Can you guess which is which?

Stanford at Oregon October 2nd, 2010

Baylor at Texas Tech October 9th, 2010



Texas Tech Coach Tommy Tuberville



________________

[Meanwhile in La La Land, Coach Rick Neuheisel works ever diligently to keep control of his team.]

UCLA's Smith, Presley suspended

[Oh darn.]
Updated Oct 13, 2010 1:27 AM ET

LOS ANGELES (AP)

UCLA has suspended receiver Josh Smith and F-back Morrell Presley for the Bruins' Oct. 21 game at Oregon for violating team rules.
  
UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel announced the suspensions Tuesday before the start of the Bruins' bye week practices. He didn't specify the exact reason for the suspensions, citing student privacy laws, and refused to comment on reports claiming more players could be suspended after appeals.

''I'm disappointed in both kids and for both kids,'' Neuheisel said after practice on the Westwood campus. ''Hopefully they'll learn the valuable lesson that can be learned from this type of discipline.''
Smith and Presley participated in practice with their teammates Tuesday night. Both players said they agreed with the punishment, but wouldn't divulge specifics of their transgression.

Smith is the Bruins' top kick returner, averaging 27.4 yards on 14 kickoff returns. The junior transfer student from Colorado also caught three passes and rushed for 74 yards in UCLA's first six games.

''I apologized to the guys, let them know I was extremely apologetic,'' Smith said. ''Sometimes you make decisions you're not proud of. I'm always going to remember how the salt tasted in my mouth, and I'm going to try to help other people not to make the mistakes I did.'' [He was suspended for doing tequila shots?]

Presley, whose position is a combination of fullback and tight end, was suspended for a game last season for another undisclosed violation of team rules. He also has caught three passes this season while starting all six games.

''I made a mistake, violated a rule on the team, and I'm paying the price right now,'' Presley said. ''My teammates all understood. We know we have to pick up from here.''
Christian Ramirez or Anthony Barr is likely to replace Presley in the starting lineup.

UCLA lost 35-7 at California last weekend to drop to 3-3 in Neuheisel's third season. The Bruins can scarcely afford to lose any players on an offense ranked 98th in the Football Bowl Subdivision heading into a game at Autzen Stadium against the powerful Ducks, currently ranked No. 2. [Definitely problematic.]

''It's going to be rough without those two guys, but we've got to close ranks and go out there and compete,'' receiver Taylor Embree said.

The suspensions are the latest setbacks in a series of disciplinary problems for the Bruins over the past two years.

Safety E.J. Woods left the UCLA program in June 2009 while facing multiple charges of battery and sexual battery resulting from a series of incidents in an off-campus apartment.

Presley was suspended for one game last season along with receiver Randall Carroll, cornerback Courtney Viney and tailback Milton Knox, who later transferred to Fresno State.

Offensive lineman Stanley Hasiak later was dismissed from the team for personal reasons, but has since been reinstated.

Three freshmen - linebacker Josh Shirley, defensive back Shaquille Richardson and receiver Paul Richardson - were arrested last June on suspicion of theft from a dorm. All three were dismissed from the team, transferring to other schools.

Offensive tackle Mike Harris was suspended for the Bruins' season opener this fall, also for violating team rules. The suspension ended his streak of 18 consecutive starts.
[Why didn't we hear about this stuff over the summer? It would have made us feel so much better about Masoli, LmJ, and the other Duck boneheads. ]

Neuheisel said cornerback Sheldon Price's MRI exam on his right knee revealed only a sprain, and the sophomore is likely to play at Oregon. Freshman cornerback Anthony Jefferson is out for the year with a broken left foot.

The Bruins also don't know who their starting quarterback will be in Eugene. Neuheisel wants to see competition in practice for at least the next week between Kevin Prince, who went 13 for 31 for just 99 yards against Cal, and backup Richard Brehaut.

''I would say it would go into at least early next week,'' Neuheisel said of the competition. [Oregon had better be careful. We've seen many times when the 2nd string QB comes in and goes gangbusters, making everyone wonder why he didn't start in the first place.]

_______________
[Meanwhile, back in quiet little Eugene where nobody likes to make waves,
HE SAID IT . . .
In this Tuesday, Oct. 12th article from the Fresno Bee titled,


Ex-Edison star Harris shines bright at Oregon
Oregon sophomore sensation Cliff Harris talks big, but he plays even bigger
(Click title for link.)
Cliff Harris made the following two comments that have quickly gone viral across Facebook, Twitter and blogs:]
"This is a great team I get to be a part of, with a lot of great players. It's just,
I'm the cheese on top of the nachos."

And . . .
It also has made Harris one of the more popular players in the Oregon locker room, with teammates nicknaming him "Kash."
"Somebody started it and everybody ran with it," Harris said. "It's just one of those things. Maybe cause I'm money?"

[I made this comparison earlier in the week, but do you remember Deion Sanders? It ain't braggin' if you can back it up. The full story in the Bee reminds us of all that "Kash" Harris has done this season.]
_________________
[Now don't tell Coach Kelly we were looking at the following.  You know how much he hates us looking ahead or caring about things the Ducks can't control like the polls.  But a scenario is setting up next Saturday that could make Oregon number . . . . I can't even say it . . . ]
Wednesday October 13, 2010

Wisconsin picked to upset No. 1 Ohio State
[Badgers favored by four. Excerpts from AP reports . . .]

If the Buckeyes were to slip against the Badgers on Saturday night, No. 2 Oregon would be the most likely team to replace Ohio State. But the Ducks are off this week and at times out of sight can lead to out of mind for poll voters.


No. 3 Boise State plays at lowly San Jose State and No. 4 TCU is home against struggling BYU. It seems unlikely that either of those teams would jump the Ducks this week.

Oregon was closer in points in the latest AP poll to Ohio State than Boise State.

__________________
[So what do we do with this information?  With this bye week --Oops, sorry Coach Kelly.-- I meant with this "Working on fundamentals" week, there is only one thing to do. We need to catch up on some unfinished business. If you're like me, the past few games have been so dramatic and hair-raising you haven't had a chance to

WEAR YOUR YOUR MOST OBNOXIOUS GREEN AND YELLOW,
PUT ON YOUR DANCING SHOES, and 
CRANK UP THE VOLUME,

You've heard about it; but you haven't yet had the chance to do anything about it. Well it is here, and the time is now! 

"I LOVE MY DUCKS, PART DEUX:
RETURN OF THE QUACK"

--KB

Blow to the Head Gives Ducks and Fans Wisdom



When Ducks cry: Reaction to Kenjon Barner's blow to the head.

   I can't recall the last time Duck fans were shaken sober after a 20 point win.  Yes, Oregon was favored by 35 and we were (OK, I was) fully expecting such a blowout. WSU was pretty terrible to this point while the Ducks had just knocked off 9th ranked Stanford.   
   But let's face it. The Cougs brought it. They were trying to drag the Ducks to their woodshed, paddles ready and waiting. It showed in Oregon's first scoring drive when Washington State's defensive personnel were fired up. They were woofin' and hollerin' and flying to the ball.  It was clear that Oregon wasn't going to score quickly on that drive. And it looked like they wouldn't score at all. 
   WSU had stopped Oregon on two consecutive third downs. But the Ducks went for fourth both times. And after the Ducks finally scored, they faked the extra point for a two point conversion.
   Here's how the Spokesman Review tells it . . .
Washington State (1-5, 0-3) showed from the first Oregon possession its game plan was predicated on whacking the Ducks in the mouth.


Linebacker Alex Hoffman-Ellis set the tone with a crunching sack of Thomas on the game’s second play.

“We practiced all week getting off blocks, being physical and beating our guy,” linebacker Myron Beck said. “At times we did that. We’re improving.”

But Oregon coach Chip Kelly showed his disdain for the WSU defense on the same possession, going for it twice on fourth down – including one from the WSU 43 that was successful by inches – as the Ducks covered 80 yards in 13 plays, taking an 8-0 lead on LaMichael James’ 1-yard run and a quick-hit two-point conversion.

The Cougars answered 6 minutes later with James Montgomery’s 26-yard sprint . . .

   Oregon took everything WSU gave them and pushed it back with insult to take an 8-0 lead. That should have set the tone and deflated the Cougs right there. Oregon's #3 ranking was for real and no one could do thing one about it.
   "Now Cougs, if you'll just lie still, we can make this as painless as possible." The Ducks should've been so lucky. But Washington State was not going to give up. They truly wanted the win and played out of their skulls for it.
   Coach Kelly and others had paid some sincere lip service to the notion that the Ducks had targets on their backs. They were the Pac-10 champs and favored by many to repeat. Everyone wants a shot at them and would love to knock them off. Every team will bring their 'A' game.
   ASU and Stanford may say they gave their best effort against Oregon. But WSU left no doubt late in the first quarter when Kenjon Barner, upon returning a kickoff, was knocked into last Tuesday with a brutal head-to-head collision. 
   Was it legal or goonish?  Did the Coug do it on his own or was he pushed?  I was bothered that several Coug players on the sidelines were still smiling and high-fiving while Barner lay motionless. I also wish the refs had flown the flag as a matter of principle.  A blow to the head should be treated like a face mask.  It doesn't matter if it looked 'clean' or unintentional. Do they tolerate head-to-head blows or don't they?
   In any event, message sent. Message received. There would be blood. And it didn't stop there. QB Darron Thomas walked to the sidelines with his throwing arm hanging weird off his shoulder. Moments later, LaMichael James got up slowly from a run and limped off. Next it was Nate Costa limping, then Casey Matthews, then someone else.
   Not only was Washington State taking the hurt to Oregon,  they took the lead in the game.  Up 14 to 8,  25,000 Coug fans were suddenly making Martin Stadium very Autzenesque.  

Plain and simple: Nate Costa's a stud.

  The end of the story is that thanks to the superb play of Nate Costa along with excellent efforts of LmJ, Jeff Maehl, Casey Matthews, Brandon Bair, Cliff Harris and all the others, Oregon stormed back and won. What's more is that it looks like all the injuries will heal over time; and that Oregon has extra time given a bye week and their next game scheduled for Thursday after next.

Immediately after Barner hit, Cliff Harris, who is emotional
by nature, was seen seething on the sidelines. Fortunately
he channeled his anger into his play as he made tacklers
look silly while returning this punt untouched for a TD.
Watching this, one name came to my mind: Deion Sanders. 

   That is the result. But what was the lesson? It's that Coach Kelly ain't lyin' when he talks about that whole target on the back (or helmet) thing.

   This was cellar dweller Washington State who punched Oregon in the mouth and gave the Ducks a taste of their own blood. It couldn't have come at a better time, because better teams are still lining up for their turn.

   So who is the player of the game? Nate Costa is the top choice for seamlessly stepping in and securing the win.

  But for long term benefit, I'm going to select Anthony Carpenter. He was the Cougar freshman who flew in with the horizontal helmet blow to Kenjon Barner. We have yet to hear from Mr. Carpenter about his own reaction to the hit. But as long as Barner will be OK, we can look at the positives. Carpenter may have done Oregon a favor by making the following painfully clear. . .



Stay classy, Carpenter.



  Oregon hopefully learned that this bid to repeat as Pac-10 champs will not be easy. "Extra curricular efforts" such as jacked up emotions, out of control hits, goonery, fake injuries, etc. should be expected and considered the norm from now through December 4th.

  Be careful, Oregon. Be vigilant, stay cool.
And uhh . . . don't lose your heads.

D.T. walks off field looking like
a stroke victim.

Link to Ken Goe's latest article of what's next:

Oregon Ducks rundown: Bye week? What bye week? Second-ranked Ducks go back to work

Latest from R-G.

Oregon football: Ducks high-step into No. 2 in polls at 6-0.   Oregon trails only Ohio State in all three polls, and Kenjon Barner’s back in Eugene after night in hospital


John Canzano story on Linebacker Casey Matthews showing class through injuries to Barner, James Rodgers.

Game Highlights

Stanford, show some pride. Cougs, show some smarts.

Standford's First Mistake
What was it? Underestimating Oregon's defense?  Abandoning their game plan?
No, it happened before their team even took the field at Autzen.

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Sad Stanford tree at Autzen.

A ficus. A FICUS?!?!?! They made their famed tree to look like a ficus!!  I know the Stanford band and cheer squad like to joke around; but to make their own mascot look pathetic in the biggest nationally televised game of their lives?!?!
   Oh the shame. It was bad enough to show that their team was nowhere near worthy of their top 10 rating. But to point at themselves and say "Hey, we're not the lone tall pine tree in the midst of the forest -- the Palo Alto. We're just a disposable office waiting room tree. And if you don't believe us, watch how our team blows an 18 point lead.

Pathetic, man. No pride.

   Now take the Cougars this Saturday. They're going to get their butts kicked and they know it. But you think they're going to trot out some mangy old alley cat onto the field?
   Hell no.  Butch T. Cougar will be out there getting whacked, stuffed and mounted with his head held high!

Message to Cougars
[Hey Coug fans, in this the third season of the Paul Wulff era -- where you've won four games to date (one Pac-10 win) -- I have a question. Are you by chance pulling your hair out and screaming at no one in particular when you read stories like this?
Excerpts from the Spokesman-Review this week . . .
Cougars making moves to help speed defense (Click title for link)
Vince Grippi The Spokesman-Review
 
PULLMAN – Change is coming to the Washington State University defense. And it’s coming fast.

[Mike Price is landing in Spokane at this very moment? No. Coach Wulff talks about how he needs to add speed to his defense . . . ]

“We’ll probably have to make a few moves with some personnel,” WSU coach Paul Wulff said Sunday night, talking about a defense that’s been gashed for 285 and 437 yards on the ground the past two weeks.

“We’re still mulling over the way we’re going to go with the personnel moves to help out our defensive unit a little bit,” he continued.

Though Wulff qualified his remarks with “we don’t have anything for sure set in stone” and “we haven’t come to a final conclusion,” he did add “we’re trying to move a few guys around to help us with some speed and obviously tackling.”

The goal, Wulff said, was to improve the defense’s ability to get to the ball.

“We’ve improved our speed,” he said, “but we’re still aren’t at the level we need to be. We’re making strides, but we need to continue to improve our speed.”

Speed is crucial this week because third-ranked Oregon, possessor of possibly the fastest offensive unit in the country, comes to Pullman this Saturday for a 2 p.m. Homecoming contest.

That will mean the Cougars will have faced, in order, the 15th-best rushing team in America (USC, 234 yards per game), the 10th (UCLA, 262.4), and the No. 2 team (the Ducks, 331).

[In the face of disaster, it bothers me when those in charge say things like, "probably have to", "a few moves", "mulling over", "a little bit", "haven't come to a final conclusion", "we're trying", "a few guys", "still aren't at the level we need to be" . . .
   Imagine if you're a part of the crew of the Titanic in full panic mode, and the captain says, "I think if we adjust the ballast a little bit, maybe add a few more bailing buckets, things should hopefully get to the level we need to be."
   A few years back, there was a notorious nickname earned for a guy who was "tweaking" this and "looking at" that in the face of a hurricane disaster: Brownie. 
To say the least, those sort of comments suggest a lack of leadership.

My favorite line is the next one . . . .]
“Everybody has to be involved in stopping Oregon and their running game because they spread you out,” Wulff said, “so your safeties and linebackers have to be good tacklers.”
["your safeties and linebackers have to be good tacklers.”  Well, he ain't lyin'. Give him that.]

Paul Wulff mulls it over.

The moves WSU can make are limited, [by the speedy players he could NOT recruit?] though some possibilities include freshman Deone Bucannon playing more at strong safety, which would give Sekope Kaufusi, a former linebacker playing defensive end, a shot at his old position; possibly shifting outside linebacker Alex Hoffman-Ellis back inside, where he played last season; or using Jamal Atofau, a converted safety, more often.

“The thing about is we can still be better and those are the things we keep driving (home). We’re not good enough but we know we can get better and better.” [Wulffy, you're doin' a heckuva job.]

[I'm sorry, am I being too hard on him? Unfair? Only his third season and things should maybe hopefully turn around once he mulls over a little bit of tweaking after he comes to a final conclusion maybe a little bit possibly?

   Listen Cougs, I know he's an alum and all. Oregon had this alum who was our basketball coach. He was a part of a legendary team. As a coach he led the Ducks to the elite eight. He won two Pac-10 tournaments.
   He will always bleed green. He loves Oregon. He will always be a Duck. That's what he said when Oregon FIRED HIM! They had to. In the end, it just wasn't working.
   You've won only one Pac-10 game in two years. It doesn't look like you're going to win any more this year. And in the next two years, the way you're going, you will have two more conference losses added to your schedule in the new Pac-12. 

   Hey Cougs, I'm trying to do you a favor here. I think of you as Oregon's Northwest country cousins.  Family, sort of.  Missing two front teeth, thin hair, sitting in a tree, playing a banjo like in the movie "Deliverance". . . . . but family nevertheless.
   And I'm telling you, I don't care how pretty Wulffy squeals like a pig, you need to cut him loose and send him down the river. Your only question should be how soon. 

   This Saturday, your football team will get completely humiliated. You had the chance to move your game up to 12:30 and earn some TV cash, but you decided you wanted as few people seeing this grease fire as possible.  So you kept your kickoff time at 2 pm. with the excuse that it was homecoming and you promised the alums they could have plenty of time to enjoy their homecoming festivities before the game -- Activities like beer drinking contest, beer tasting contest, beer chugging contest, beer belching contest,  "Shootin' thangs" (Bring your own firearm.), and the classic "Pin the tail on the roadkill".

   I completely get that, and respect your decision not to televise your embarrassment. But you can't keep hiding it forever. The sooner you face up to the fact that this was a bonehead hire, the sooner you can be done with it and move on. You did a smart thing by hiring AD Bill Moos. Now support him to "make the change".
   You would be wise to fire Wulffy at halftime when you're down 35-0 and you see Coach Kelly suiting up the cheerleaders and waterboys out of mercy.]

Gametime Saturday, 2 pm.
BULLETIN This just in:
Limited Live Television Broadcast Announced

Comcast will show the game live in Oregon ONLY. Still no live internet TV feed.  
The University of Oregon athletics department, IMG College and Comcast SportsNet have announced that a limited live television broadcast of Saturday's game between third-ranked Oregon and Washington State will air beginning at 2 p.m. PT.


The Oregon Sports Network football production will only be available within the state of Oregon on Comcast SportsNet, channels 37 and 737, and includes a pregame show starting at 1:30 p.m.

The Pacific-10 Conference office worked diligently with the league's television partners to secure the limited broadcast waiver. Provisions in the conference's television contracts with ABC/ESPN and Fox Sports Net protect exclusive television windows, making this broadcast difficult to secure.

The game will be replayed Saturday evening at 11 p.m. and will include a 10:30 p.m. pre-game show.

Oregon's premium online video service, the O-Zone, will feature a live audio-only broadcast starting at 1:30 p.m. and will feature a condensed game for on-demand replay at 6:30 p.m. For more information about our online broadcasts, view the list of live events or sign up for O-Zone.