"I told the team: Welcome to Oregon football; we win 66-3 and there is a little bit of or some element of disappointment, or improvement or desire to get better. And that's a good thing." -- Coach Mark Helfrich
After the game I was wondering which would be worse -- Oregon playing an imperfect game, winning 66-3 and having lots of game film to review mistakes, or playing perfect and pounding a small school 80-0 with no miscues to review?
The answer is obvious. It's better to expose and work out mistakes now than later in the season when the opponents are better and the stakes are higher.
Marcus Mariota admitted to opening game jitters as he overthrew a few wide open receivers in the first half. Nicholls State had their best production either throwing or running in the area occupied by Oregon's young and lesser experienced linebackers.
Blocking is a never ending practice. And the defensive linemen probably wish they could have gotten to the Colonels quarterback more often.
You use last week's game to prepare you for next week's game. Oregon can spend the next few days figuring out how they can get better. This is crucial because while those who are supposed to be smarter than me are taking Virginia lightly in their posts and tweets, I see a hungry Cavalier team with a potentially sound game plan and a desire to do nothing less than knock off Mighty Oregon. More on them later.
A FEW OBSERVATIONS OF THE GAME: Photos from Oregonian and Daily Emerald.
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| It was both exhilarating and scary to see 175-pound DeAnthony Thomas rush for a career high 18 carries. After the game all the coaches commented that he would carry 20 times if he needed to, but he probably won't need to. |
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| Huff. Endzone. Touchdown. Receiver Josh Huff is due to have an amazing season. |
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| #11 Bralon Addison is setting himself up to be Mariota's other hot target besides Huff. |
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| And of course just when the defense believe they have everything covered, Mariota does this. |
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| This is Targeting, unless something else is. Terrance Mitchell lowered his head to tackle the QB low when the QB slid low himself. They collided helmets and Mitchell was automatically ejected. Later that evening, I watched a Northwestern player blitz in to sack the Cal QB. He came in standing and his head was straight up, as was the QB's head. Their cages collide. The Northwestern player is automatically ejected. Neither head hit looked intentional. Yes we have to do something about head trauma. But is this current Targeting rule doing it? |
OTHER GAMES
MOST IMPRESSIVE LOOKING PAC-12 TEAM THIS WEEK: HUSKIES
Just typing that made me throw up in my mouth. Why did they look so good as they clobbered Boise State 38-6 in their new improved stadium? One reason really.
Washington appears to have completed an overhaul of their playing style. Now they are attempting to play just like Oregon. Rapid no huddle. Spread. Dual threat QB.
But could you get a Dawg fan to admit it? Don't even bother asking.
LOOK AT THE COUGARS!!!
Washinton State hung tough and had about 450 yards of offense with two chances to tie Auburn in the fourth quarter before losing.
If "Coug'in It" means losing by a touchdown at Auburn, raise a beverage to WSU fans as they chant "We don't suck so bad. We don't suck so bad. . . . "
AND THEN THERE IS OREGON STATE:
With a defensive performance so amazingly, astonishingly, inconceivably dysfunctional . . . inept . . . impotent . . . confused . . . befuddled . . . detached . . ., they did something no other self respecting Pac-12 team had ever done against the Eastern Washington Eagles.
They LOST!!!!
Beaver fans, for your punishment I hereby sentence you to listen to the entire video of former W. Bush Attorney General John Ashcroft singing this BEAUTIFUL song he wrote himself: Let the Mighty Eagle Soar.
Duck fans, hog tie any nearby Beaver fans and force them to watch this.
NOW LET'S GO BACK TO THE STUDIO
Saturday at the Pac-12 studio, normally agile and coordinated USC alum Ronnie Lott fell off the set and flipped over the back of his chair onto the floor. Did any of the other guys jump up to help him and see if he was alright?
Heck no. But Bruin alum Rick Neuheisel was there to flip Lott TONS of crap.
This is so good, they show it twice.
Next: Virginia
--KB
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