A win is a win, no matter how ugly
by jtlight on Nov 8, 2008 10:06 PM PST
in Oregon Ducks Football
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PrintIf you are a fan that was booing at the game, please never attend a game again. There is absolutely no reason to boo, and you need to freaking grow up.
That may have been one of the worst played games I've ever seen. Oregon fumbled the ball four times and hiked another ball out of the end zone. Because of this, Stanford ran eight more plays, and had almost double the time of possession during the game. Oregon moved the almost at willl, and punted the ball only once. Yet, going into the final two minutes, Oregon was down by one point.
On top of this, the passing game showed few signs of progressing, though the weather may have had a part to play with this. Play calling did as well, as Oregon only ran one pass play in the second half up until the final drive. But two things are encouraging. First, Masoli had a great play where he stood in the pocket, was flushed out but did not scramble, and directed Drew Davis. Now, Davis did not catch the ball, but this play showed the type of promise that Masoli has. Also, on the final drive, on Masoli's big run, he stood in the pocket for a good amount of time, and only ran when it was wide open. Both of these plays were incredibly important, as they showed a maturity that Masoli has rarely shown, someone who it able to look down the field, and stand in, and make a play with his arms rather than his legs.
But though these signs were good, Masoli had his low spots as well. He had trouble hitting the simplest of passes through most of the game. He missed short passes consistently, and if not for the early screen to Drew Davis (who looked a lot like J-Will), he would have had pathetic stats again.
But the running game was stellar today. Johnson saw the field impeccably throughout the game, and Blount did in the 2nd half as well (minus the almost safety). This led to another 300+ yard game, on 41 carries, with both Blount and Johnson averaging 9.0 yards per carry.
On the other side of the ball, the grade is merely so-so. Stanford was 5/15 on 3rd down and the Oregon secondary held Stanford to only 138 yards passing, but they gave up 187 yards rushing, and 28 points. However, they were put in many bad positions all day long. In the first half, every scoring drive started at least past the UO 40 yard line, and in the second half, it was all past the UO 30. On top of this the TOP and play discrepancy meant that our defense played about 2/3 of the game on the field.
One bright spot on the defense was the play of the line and secondary in terms of penetration. There was constant pressure on the RBs and QB, which is a good sign. However, there were also missed tackles on Kimble throughout the game, which does not bode well for when we must face the Rodgers brothers in a few weeks.
But overall, it was a game of mistakes. Turnovers and penalties put Oregon in bad positions all day, and they still gutted out the win. The final drive is indicative of the Oregon offense throughout the day. They moved the ball at will and didn't have to use a TO in the two minute drive for the winning touchdown. I never doubted that we would win this game, even after the Stanford score.
There are worries for sure, but a win is a win. This Oregon team is talented, and could put together a great game. But they have not done so this season, and we may be waiting until next to see it.
Leave your game thoughts in the comments.
GO DUCKS!
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Blah blah blah we ran the ball a lot, blah blah blah i still have no idea how the last two games will go, blah blah blah start Mike Dunigan.
Oh, and it rained.
Maybe that’s the Tricerahops and the 7 and 7’s talking, but that’s how I feel about today.
I support Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.
That was a great recap.
Oh, and Morgan Flint did a good job.
--www.AddictedToQuack.com, SBNation's Oregon Ducks blog
If you are a fan that was booing at the game, please never attend a game again.
+1,000,000,000,000,000,000
I like the yellow helmets!
by MarineCorpsDuck on Nov 8, 2008 10:14 PM PST reply actions
Recruiting
People don’t even realize what this crap can do to recruiting. We had several big recruits there that may have been lost. Something seriously needs to be done about this so idiot fans stop.
I like the yellow helmets!
by MarineCorpsDuck on Nov 8, 2008 10:16 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I don’t think the average fan considers this, though it would be nice if they did.
My concern in addition to this is I would rather not emulate the much-hyped-and-praised “Philly fans” who boo “because they care so much.” Bull. You boo because you’re an ass and think you know how to play the sport better than the guys on the field. You don’t.
The brawling doesn’t help either. Is it too much to ask fans to just have a good time and support their team these days? Apparently.
They've gone to plaid!
agreed
and please learn the rules of football. anyone that booed that jarius byrd PI call, you’re an idiot. He got there early, he had a hand in the reciever’s back. It was good D, just bad timing. Stop freakin’ booing!
I support Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.
by Takimoto on Nov 8, 2008 10:16 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
For sure on the Byrd play.
I didn’t see the flag at first, and was shocked.
Still, I’m not sure that it’s in anywhere near as bad taste to boo a call (right or wrong), as it is to boo the home team. All the cards are on the table, its not like any BCS hopes are being dashed. Why would someone boo? its a weird phenomenon.
Sometimes it seems like fans are booing a bizarre coaching decision (I am thinking of running on 3rd and a million against BSU), but it still not in good taste.
Mac Court
This problem is the worst in Mac. People boo the most obvious call and it is terrible. The ducks are going to foul the other team multiple times a game, no matter what. Not every call is a bad call just cause its against the ducks.
Ducks Go!
I agree
mainly because these players are AMATEURS. I have no problem with booing the home team at a professional sporting event, because making untold millions leaves a player open to that. But booing a team in a game that they held a lead in for pretty much the whole game?
I know it wasn’t the prettiest win but show some class.
I know that you're thinking about making a Woodburn joke. Know that I will pummel you if you do.
I miss you, ATQ.
was just about to do a fanpost...
and found this first. I’d like to add to the chorus regarding the booing. and I would just like to question the people who booed Masoli especially, do you think Roper would have done better?
The Ducks would have had better passing statistics, sure, but we would have lost the game. Our running game doesn’t work AT ALL if the QB isn’t a threat in addition to the RBs and select WRs (Scott).
Bellotti knows more about football than all of us put together (and if you don’t agree with me, I bet you would agree that Chip Kelly does), and he sees something in the kid. I still like Darron Thomas more, but I’m really looking forward to Masoli’s senior year right now, if he keeps progressing as he has.
Have some faith, and try to remember that the team is 7-3, with losses to the #7, #10, and #21 teams in the nation. Just get over it people. we have no experience at quarterback, and that is the one thing it takes to win in college football.
They've gone to plaid!
i dont get it
why does that one guy say it never rains at autzen when it was raining today … some sort of sick joke????
+1
It means we don’t care how much it rains we are still going to stay and cheer, well 60% of us.
Big thanks to those of you who stayed through the rain, it makes being wet as hell in band a lot more bearable. Oh yeah and helps us win.
Ducks Go!
I stayed until the 3rd quarter
Parents wanted to leave. The first time I’ve ever left a Duck game early. Ever. In 8 years.
Your friendly neighborhood placekicker.
O
BUT IT ACUALLY DOESNT RAIN VERY OFTEN ON GAME DAYS
I can't count the times on both hands...
That I have been wet down to my socks and skivvies at Oregon games.
For sure the most memorable would be Cal in ’03 where we came back from some disgusting amount to win late in the fourth.
Um, alright
I like my lineman with good footwork, good upper body strength, a nice wide base, compsure, and preferably not hungry.
It only rains Scotch in Don Essig's booth
I support Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.
by Takimoto on Nov 9, 2008 6:16 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Encouraged
The Good
I was actually fairly encouraged by a lot of what I saw out there today. Stanford is a running team and has one of the better running offenses in the Pac-10. We did pretty well at taking that away and especially on third downs. We had a number of third and shorts that we stuffed, in some cases turning TDs into FGs. I commented in the game thread that I thought the improvement that Masoli showed in this game couldn’t be overlooked. He obviously did a lot of work during the week and it is starting to show in the games. He made some good decisions and some bad ones but that just the way it goes sometimes. No one is perfect. Our receivers were doing a great job of getting open and catching balls. Terrance Scott had a huge catch on a third down to keep the final drive alive. Our running game was great as always
The Bad
We did enough of the passing game to win but no questions were answered, at least at the QB position. Roper didn’t play at all like I assumed he would so we really have no comparison. Masoli still needs to work on his touch throws and getting in a rhythm. Several short, open passes were badly thrown. We have to minimize mistakes. We had a serious case of the fumbles today, most appeared on effort plays. Sometimes you just need to suck it up and no when to go down.
The Confusing
Why didn’t TJ Ward notice the fake FG before the Stanford guy made it through the line?
Is Chip Kelly winning the QB decision wars with Mike Bellotti?
What changed at halftime for Blount to start running better?
Is the Matt Evenson Era over at FG kicker?
--Dominic
Autzen Stadium is where great teams go to die." - J. Brady McCullough, The Michigan Daily.
Why didn’t TJ Ward notice the fake FG before the Stanford guy made it through the line?
Is Chip Kelly winning the QB decision wars with Mike Bellotti?
What changed at halftime for Blount to start running better?
Is the Matt Evenson Era over at FG kicker?
1. Good question. That fake was embarrassing.
2. I think Chip Kelly actually gets to say who plays, and who doesn’t. He’s not just the OC, he’s also the QB coach.
3. I think Stanford D got softened up.
4. I don’t think Flint has the leg that Evenson has. So any long attempt will be Evenson for sure, but I would like to see a more accurate kicker in the 35 or less range.
It's spelled "S-h-u-w-e-n-t-t-o-o-f-a-r".
A win is a win
Take it as it is, learn from it, move on
We barely beat ASU, who was a 2-5 team
We were tied with UCLA at halftime 3-3…. and then dominated the 2nd half
Be happy that the Ducks overcame adversity and put together a nice drive to win the game. A win is a win
Oregon State: where play action defense and healthy QBs thrive
Tell me more about the booing
I was watching at a bar and could not hear the game all that well. When did the fans boo? The only instance I noticed was at the end of the half, when Oregon took a knee instead of taking a shot down the field.
I completely agree that booing is BAD for the program, BAD for recruiting, BAD impression on the TV audience, etc. Yes you paid for your ticket and made your donation and thus you “have the right”. Hooray for America, everyone has the right to be a d-bag but that doesn’t make it a good idea.
Booing
Ryan White discusses a little of the booing in a blog post. It seems like a lot of it was directed at Masoli:
In no particular order, according to my notes, they were booing quarterback Jeremiah Masoli (less than a minute into the game), a first-down measurement (really?), Jeremiah Masoli (in the second quarter), and kneeling on the ball to end the first half.
Also booed: various penalties, replays, Jeremiah Masoli, Jeremiah Masoli and Jeremiah Masoli. Except when Masoli did something they liked. Then they loved him.
I was at the game...
…came home and read the game thread, and see today the booing is still a sore spot. Understandably so. I specifically recall four instances of booing. Two were very mild, following two instances of Masoli throwing 10-yard passes about five yards short. What I heard was more moaning and groaning than booing, though there were a few boo birds.
The other two instances probably qualified as a “chorus of boos”. The first was at the end of the second quarter, when the Ducks wisely took a knee after Stanford punted 60 yards out of trouble. Given the conditions and Oregon’s new fumbling habit, I say good call. Some people didn’t think so, and I thought I was going to witness a fight between two guys behind me: one guy booed, the other guy called him out, harsh words ensued, etc. The second instance was the PI call. I was sitting on the side of the stadium closest to the play. It was obvious PI and I didn’t understand the booing. I assume a lot of it was leftover venom from the UCLA PI call and the fact we were all drenched to the bone.
For the record, I’m not a boo’er of the team. I just don’t do it. I did once boo the Portland Trailblazers in about 1993 or 1994. I got millionaire floor seats for the only time in my life and watched the Blazers sleepwalk through a loss to Dallas, who was in the process of setting a new record for the most losses in a season. I will boo the refs. I don’t boo the Ducks.
Thoughts on Masoli:
1. I was impressed that Duck coaches stuck with him. I want to see them dedicated to one starter.
2. The guy has tremendous heart. jtlight’s comments were right on. He’s showing signs of improvement. He’s still in a rush to get the ball away. When his brain catches up with the speed of the Pac-10 game, he’s going to do better.
Great game to watch. Last drive was a beautiful thing. Really crappy weather.
- Jeremy
agreed on all points
except the amount of booing. I was there also, and heard at least a few every time there was a dropped or poorly thrown pass, which -let’s be honest- was most of the passing attempts. I thought it was pretty discouraging. You just don’t do that to 18-22 year-olds who are just on their way to becoming men.
Especially with the knee at the end of the half, there was no reason to boo. Oregon took a timeout to force a Stanford punt on 4th down before time ran out, hoping to either set up a return or block the kick. It looked to me like they were going for the return. When the punter got off an excellent directional kick, they realized they didn’t have a great shot at going 60 yards in one play and took a knee. I really don’t get the boos.
They've gone to plaid!
I didn't notice the booing
except in the 2d half, when Masoli bounced a 6-yard pass off the turf without much pressure. I’ll admit, I groaned.
But yeah, booing doesn’t do anything except hurt the program. Not exactly the best face to put on Autzen with pretty desirable recruits visiting.
Booing is part of the game.
Rotten tomatoes are a part of show business.
Have fun storming the castle!
you can boo when there’s a bad call, or when Lute Olsen won’t shut the fuck up about something so we can keep beating Arizona in basketball, but i don’t think it’s ever appropriate to boo your own team, whether it’s a couple bad passes or kneeling with twenty seconds left in the half from our own 30. just be thankful masoli isn’t easily rattled, or we’d be 6-4 right now.
I support Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.
I’ve never been to a show when a rotten tomato was thrown. Know why? Because that’s stupid and rude.
It's spelled "S-h-u-d-e-f-e-n-d-y-o-b-u-s-t-e-d-a-s-s".
And it's an archaic cliché above all...
I like my lineman with good footwork, good upper body strength, a nice wide base, compsure, and preferably not hungry.
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