Quack Fix: Baseball falls 1-0 to #1 ASU, "new" Aliotti continues to scheme with defensive versatility
by jtlight on Apr 2, 2010 7:26 AM PDT
in Morning Quack Fix
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PrintAnother day, another large round of quack. Make sure to check out all the quack, including after the jump.
- Oregon baseball had a tough loss last night against the top ranked ASU Sun Devils. Tyler Anderson, Oregon's starter, pitched a gem, giving up only 4 hits, striking out 10, and walking none while pitching the complete game. Unfortunately, one of those hits was a solo home run given up to ASU shortstop Drew Maggi. The Ducks offense could only muster 5 hits and a walk, and were not able to score the few times they got men into scoring position. If my team was guilty of anything, it was trying too hard with runners in scoring position," Horton said. The Ducks have two more games against the Sun Devils today and tomorrow, and it won't be getting any easier.
- In spring practice, though all eyes are on the very close QB battle, the defense should be getting some attention. DC Nick Aliotti has already tried out 10 new schemes over two days as the Ducks try to continue the versatility and speed that created the top defense in the Pac-10 last year. The Ducks are experimenting with players in new positions, like Eddie Pleasant at Rover (interestingly, Pleasant admitting to feeling undersized at OLB). But with most of the defense back, Aliotti sounds like he's having some fun, and is giving his guys a steep learning curve. With probably the deepest and most talented linebacking corp, the defense can afford to be pushed like this, and I'm looking forward to the dividends it will pay this fall.
- While Aliotti has taken a lot of flak from Duck fans, he seemed to convert many last year, benefiting from the fast and versatile group of linebackers. This helped the defense weather significant secondary issues as a number of young players were forced to play earlier than would have been expected. Well, those young guys (Boyett, Gildon, Lewis, Harris) are now experienced veterans, and the Ducks secondary is looking very good heading into 2010. John Neal says that this is the most talent he's had at the corner positions since he's been at Oregon, high praise for someone that coached Jairus Byrd and Walter Thurmond. Talmadge Jackson III is all but guaranteed a starting spot, while Anthony Gildon and Cliff Harris fight for the other. And in reserve will be Scott Grady, who was just starting to blossom at the end of last season. While Duck fans have been burned in the past by promises of great defense, I'm really excited to see what the talented group can do.
- On the other side of the ball, we saw the first of Brandon Williams, a tight end who just transferred from Junior College, and he had a strong impression. Williams will be competing with David Paulson, who is ready to compete for Ed Dickson's old spot. It also sounds like Maehl and Costa are getting into a bit of rhythm, connecting on some deep balls yesterday.
- The 21st ranked Oregon softball team won it's 12th straight game, beating the Beavers 8-3 in Corvallis. With the easy part of their schedule behind them, the Ducks now look forward to competing in the Pac-10, where 7 of the 8 teams in conference are ranked.
- Meanwhile, Ashton Eaton continued his excellence, beating the Oregon decathalon record at the Texas Relays. Unfortunately, due to wind, the record will not be added to the record books. This is the second time Eaton has surpassed the Oregon record, but had it discounted due to high winds. But Eaton still PR'd the discuss, and almost PR'd the javelin in his domination of the event. Brianne Theisen won the heptathlon, continuing Oregon's hold on the combined events.
- Meanwhile, everyone is getting up in arms about the Eugene Emeralds April Fools joke. Ron Bellamy calls into question the Emeralds' credibility. While the Ems could have done something that was in better taste, the reaction from the Eugene media was simply laughable (and them getting upset about the situation merely ads insult to injury). Has no one there heard of corroboration? Did they stop teaching that in journalism 101? Chip Kelly, as always, wins the day.
Got any other quack to share? Let it below. GO DUCKS!
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I sure hope that we see tons of creative defensive formations this year.
We now have the speed to do it. I want to see blitzes flying in from everywhere.
Self-anointed President of the Kenjon Barner fan club.
Moving him to Safety is really not fair. If he can cover well back there, I truly fear for an WR that decides it’s a good idea to come across the middle.
Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.
Addicted to Quack
I loved this recap from educk. Especially the parts about the defense and LaMichael James
James seems quicker entering this season.
I think one of the reasons the corners looked so much better last year, was we had good coverage safeties behind them. Lewis is a really good coverage safety, Boyett is a phenom behind those guys, I think when you add Pleasant to that mix we’re looking at the best and deepest secondary we’ve had ever. Oh and only TJ3 is a senior……hehehe
Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.
Addicted to Quack
NCAA Tournament Expansion
So it seams the NCAA is all but set to change the tourny from 64 to 96 teams either next year or 2014 (according to SC last night.) The plan is to keep a three week format with games Tues, Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat, Sun of the first week, with the top 8 seeds in each bracket getting bye.
I for one am very upset and wanted to know what AtQ thinks. The field will be watered down too much, there are always 4 of 5 teams with a case they should be in, not 30. Does anyone have the time, or a nice enough boss, to watch basketball all day long for 6 days in a row? How am I ever going to fill out a bracket? What happens to coaches if they can’t make a field of 96? There will be a lot of firings, and not everybody has Phil Knight to help them not find a coach (I kid.) I just think this is a extremely see through money grab that wont work basketball wise and might not work business wise either. It also spits in the face of anyone wanting a football playoff. Just a bad move IMO.
I Don't Yell O I SCREAM!
There are two schools of thought that I’m kind of torn between:
1. This is absolutely ludicrous. 64 teams is already too many and renders individual regular season games virtually meaningless. This would make it even more so.
2. The field is ALREADY watered down, so who cares? Why not see more Cinderella teams? Why not see more exciting tourney basketball? I don’t watch the college basketball regular season anyway, so why not expand the part of college b-ball that I enjoy?
I think I’m leaning toward #2, but I could be swayed in either direction.
Defending maligned chants since 2009
I really don’t like this move. Just a grab for more money when it doesn’t seem to help the game at all.
--AddictedToQuack, SBNation's Oregon Ducks blog
plus the brackets would be too big for one sheet of paper
Stackin' wins like legos; toastin' Pac-10 like de eggos
Fuck Stanford.
I fucking hate you Mariners
by kentroyals5 on Apr 2, 2010 10:54 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
My thoughts
First the premise. This is being driven by the coaches and the schools as a way to increase job security and revenue. Coaches want to be able to have on their resume how many post season appearances they have, and schools want more TV money and the tourney is the largest producer of basketball revenue for the schools.
If you agree with #1 in Gorby’s comment, you’re going to see right through this and realize it’s a money grab for the schools and a way for average coaches to keep their jobs. Personally, I think coaches are cutting off their nose to spite their face. While they won’t lose their jobs as often, the elite coaches will get watered down and pulled into mediocrity with the rest. Who cares that Lute made 20+ tourney’s, that record will be gone in a heart beat. Salaries will not increase at the rates they are now and pulling up the rest of the coaches with it. It will stay stagnant.
If you agree with #2 in Gorby’s comment, you’re going to make the regular season that much more meaningless. Why care about the regular season when over half the major conference teams will be getting into the tourney. Plus, if you thought the Staples Center was empty now at the Pac 10 tourney, just wait and see how many show up in those years when 8 Pac 10 teams go to the tourney (obviously, WSU and OSU will be the ones out). I think the schools will be in for a rude awakening when they get less TV revenue to show their regular season and conference tourney’s because they’re already investing so much in the big dance.
Personally, I don’t like what it does to the regular season and the conference tourney. More importantly I don’t like the long term ramifications or separating the wheat from the chaff of coaches and schools. It waters down college basketball too much. Plus, why rush now, we can always move to 96 teams, what’s the rush now? Where’s the outcry?
Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.
Addicted to Quack
I really do hate what this further does to the regular season.
As much as I hate the lack of a playoff in college football, I love that the regular season is so important. And even a college football playoff (as now proposed) would only take into account less than 10% of D1-A teams.
This move means that about 30% of D1-A teams in college basketball will make the playoffs. But there are over 300 D-1A basketball teams. How many of those are serious? Oregon was 138th last year in RPI. So let’s say that there are 200 teams in college basketball that are serious competition. Now roughly half of those teams are making the tournament?
I felt like 65 teams was pushing it a bit. 96 teams is a joke.
--AddictedToQuack, SBNation's Oregon Ducks blog
You answered your own questions earlier in your post. There is no outcry from fans, who enjoy the tournament just as it is (and might actually enjoy it more if there were fewer teams). The outcry and the rush is all internally generated – from schools who want more cash.
While the motives aren’t pure, the money thing doesn’t really bother me because hey, it’s not MY money (at least not directly). And the only team I watch (sometimes) in the regular season right now is the Ducks.
For people who see this as a slippery slope or people who enjoy the college basketball regular season, I totally understand why this would be an awful move. I don’t find myself firmly in that camp, so I could go either way. But I’ll support you guys if you want me to. My vote can be bought.
Defending maligned chants since 2009
this is rediculous
this is called “money driven greedy bastards who want another yacht.”
It’s fucking rediculous because this field was full of shitty teams in the beginning anyway, and to add another 32? I’ve heard the 32 will be added primarily by awarding an auto bid to the conference winners as well as to the tourney champs.
The bowl system is fucked up because of money, the BCS is Bullshit Central Shitsville, and this was the last holy faction of the NCAA post-season. Now they’ve fucked it up too. Thanks you jackasses. I look forward to needed glasses at age 20 from filling out your giant brackets of doom.
I can haz footbawl?
They have to make the conference regular season champs get auto bids
This is stupid to begin with, but what I don’t want to see is for the 8th place team in the Pac-10 or the 10th place team in the ACC start getting tourney bids out of this. Give it to the team from the Big Sky or Colonial that went 15-1 in their conference regular season but lost in OT in the conference tourney to a school that went 14-18 but gets to dance.
Its all a money grab, and it waters down the regular season more than it already is. I’m tired of big conference teams being rewarded for mediocrity
--Dave
Addicted to Quack, SBN's Oregon Ducks blog
This
Would be the only potential upside to an expansion that I can see. Do we really need to get more teams in from the big conferences? Although I think that most of the benefit will be to the big conferences and not the potential Cinderellas out there that had a great season but geeked it in their conference tourney.
Say what you mean, and say it mean. - Clint Ruin
Colonial that went 15-1 in their conference regular season but lost in OT in the conference tourney to a school that went 14-18 but gets to dance.
What I don’t want to see, which is why I am against this expansion is the great number of 18-18 “big conference” schools getting into the tourney, just because they’re in a big conference. Isn’t the tourney supposed to reward teams for their regular season, not just barely squeaking by in their regular season?
Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.
Addicted to Quack
Agreed 100%. All this “mid-major” schools put up a good fight most of the time. If you don’t finish in the top half of your conference, you shouldn’t get into the tourney.
--AddictedToQuack, SBNation's Oregon Ducks blog
Too late ESPN...CFMS got to her first
@CBBRumorCentral California woman is getting calls meant for #Oregon AD. Perhaps Rumor Central should hire her?
I can haz footbawl?
KEZI
You are officially on Kelly’s shit list, idiots!
I can get you a toe by three o'clock this afternoon.
Maehl and Costa are getting into a bit of rhythm, connecting on some deep balls yesterday.
This is something I look forward to seeing on a regular basis. I have missed you deep pass, nothing breaks the spirit of an opposing defense like a deep touchdown pass, except maybe a long run from scrimmage a la LMJ.
Say what you mean, and say it mean. - Clint Ruin
I would take this with a grain of salt, though. These guys each get umpteen reps in workouts. Even Masoli connected on deep balls in practice (we talkin’ bout practice?!?).
I do hope that we improve the mid-range to deep passing game this season, but I’m not going to hold my breath. Costa isn’t renowned for his arm strength or deep ball accuracy, and Thomas is still pretty raw.
Defending maligned chants since 2009
Costa isn’t renowned for his arm strength or deep ball accuracy, and Thomas is still pretty raw.
Please, let’s not start this again.
As for number of reps. I was reading yesterday that they run between 120-140 plays per practice. That’s ridiculous. That’s basically running 2 entire games per practice. Or during the season 6-8 games per week. Plus, then you have the game on Saturday which must feel like a welcome break for the guys when they only have to run 30-60 plays per side of the ball.
Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.
Addicted to Quack
I’m not sure what I’m starting. All I’m saying is that neither of our QBs is known for their downfield passing at this point in their careers. It stands to reason that they would complete some deep balls in practice just because of the extreme number of reps, but that might not translate into an improved deep passing game when they start playing for real in September.
Defending maligned chants since 2009
I think that both Thomas and (from what I’ve seen) have better potential for the downfield passing game than Masoli did.
While Costa doesn’t have a Matthew Stafford level arm, we have seem him go downfield exactly once during his time at Oregon, mostly cause he came in during mop-up situations. That throw was a bit short (it was against UCLA), but I thought showed some good promise if he was ever given more shots down the field, and was able to get any sort of rhythm.
--AddictedToQuack, SBNation's Oregon Ducks blog
Rhythm and reps. Also, he wasn’t making those throws consistently with the first team. Part of me wants Kelly to settle early on who will be starting just so that QB will the most amount of time throwing to the first team guys and working on timing (which we know is so important to this offense) with the first team.
I think the longer this “competition” plays out the slower the start to the beginning of the season the Ducks might have.
Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.
Addicted to Quack
I’m really not trying to get into a sample size thing here, and mostly going off of what we’ve heard from football people who have watched the team, and, specifically, Costa and Thomas. No one has come out and said, “Getting Costa or Thomas in there will almost certainly open up downfield passing.”
I think there’s potential there for improvement, but I’m not expecting leaps and bounds, just because neither of these guys has been touted as that kind of QB. Thomas seems like he may be able to be more of that guy in the future, but is too inconsistent at this point. Things can change, and when/if they do, I’ll change my outlook.
Defending maligned chants since 2009
It’s not like I said we should shit can the rest of the offensive scheme, simply that I would like to see more than one or two deep home run passes per season. I grew up watching the ducks live or die by the passing game, old habits die hard. I love the deep ball, especially when it catches the defense totally off guard. Not to mention the deep threat keeps the backfield honest, and helps to open up the running game a little more.
Say what you mean, and say it mean. - Clint Ruin
Oh I do too, and sorry for being a wet blanket. I would love to see more downfield passing in the playbook. Based on what we know (which, granted, isn’t much), it doesn’t look like either of our projected starting QBs are great candidates to get that done, a la Joey Harrington, Kellen Clemens, or Dennis Dixon.
Although Dixon didn’t look like a candidate either, until Kelly got a hold of him. I’ll call myself cautiously optimistic.
Defending maligned chants since 2009
After Clownzano's latest column
I agree with him, I intend to INCREASE my tiny donation to the Oregon Athletic department to honor all MB did for us.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
That article pissed me off, because while yeah, Bellotti got a big hand out from the athletic department, the department on a whole is still either breaking even or close to it. While just a short distance away, another large university in the state of Oregon is running consistently in the red and getting a pass for it.
Nobody brought that up.
Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.
Addicted to Quack
My bottom line is that we don't make the Rose Bowl last year
Nor are a national program if Belotti doesn’t do an amazing job. Sure its a lot of $ but he’s earned it.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
RIP Gus Johnson Soundboard. I’ll miss you forever.
Jason Heyward's Swing is Equivalent to an Eddie Pleasant Hit.
by TennesseeQuackAttack8 on Apr 2, 2010 5:28 PM PDT reply actions
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.
Addicted to Quack
Just back from PK Park
That. Game. Was. Epic.
Tracy Porter's gonna score! TRACY PORTER'S GONNA SCORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (HT Takimoto)
How late did it go?
But damn, we beat undefeated ASU. Not bad, not bad at all.
--Dave
Addicted to Quack, SBN's Oregon Ducks blog
12:45am
Tracy Porter's gonna score! TRACY PORTER'S GONNA SCORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (HT Takimoto)
by AllSaintsDay on Apr 3, 2010 10:29 AM PDT up reply actions
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![My apologies for spamming the ATQ with comments where I included this link. Here it is, in the proper location on the blog, the 2010 Oregon Ducks Football Year In Review Highlights with soundtrack. Highlights from throughout the year, some telling stats in the credits. Getting good feedback on YouTube. Cheers.
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