Tag: dillon Gabriel

3 Keys to Victory for Oregon’s Friday matchup against Michigan State

The three most importants things for the Oregon Ducks to do against the Michigan State Spartans.

The Oregon Ducks play their first game against a legacy Big Ten team, the Michigan State Spartans, this week in Autzen Stadium. It’s the Ducks’ first home game in almost three weeks, and it comes eight days before Oregon will host Ohio State for one of the most anticipated games of the year.

Excluding Boise State, the Michigan State Spartans will be the toughest opponent Oregon has faced so far this season. Coming into the season, I expected the Spartans to be one of the worst teams in the conference, but they’ve had a great start to their season.

Coaching for Michigan State is Jonathan Smith, the head coach of the Oregon State Beavers until this season. Smith has never coached a team to a win in Autzen Stadium, and Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks will be looking to continue that trend on Friday night. My three keys to Oregon securing their fifth victory of the season are listed below.

Plenty of explosive plays

Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

For much of the Oregon Ducks’ existence, an explosive offense has defined Oregon football, but that hasn’t been exactly what we’ve seen this season. Besides the long Tez Johnson touchdown, Oregon didn’t have many explosive plays against UCLA. A slow, methodical offense isn’t a bad thing, but with Oregon’s offensive personnel, particularly at quarterback and wide receiver, I want to see the Ducks getting in over the top.

Develop a strong run game early

Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Running the ball well is key in any game, but for Oregon, a team whose offense leans on the run game, it is paramount to their success. Michigan State has had a decent run defense to start the season, allowing just over 100 ground yards per game. If the Ducks can figure out a way to be more productive running the football than the average Michigan State opponent, it will open up a lot for their offense.

Generate some extra possessions

The Ducks defense is matched up with quarterback Aidan Chiles this week, and although Chiles has had a strong start to his sophomore year, he hasn’t done a good job protecting the football. Through five weeks, Chiles leads the Big Ten in interceptions with eight, so this week, I want to see the Ducks creating plenty of turnovers, just like they did last week against UCLA.

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3 keys to victory for Oregon Ducks against UCLA Bruins

The three most important things for the Oregon Ducks to do to beat the UCLA Bruins

The Oregon Ducks’ hiatus is almost over. After their bye in Week 4, the Ducks take on the UCLA Bruins this Saturday. They’ll seek to carry the momentum they generated two weeks ago against Oregon State into this week’s game.

The Bruins are 1-2 and one of the bottom teams in the Big Ten. Still, they were talented enough to walk into halftime against LSU tied on the road last week, so they’re talented enough to run with Oregon if the Ducks don’t execute.

Oregon has nine games to go in the regular season, and while this week’s likely will not be their toughest, it’s still an important chapter in the Ducks’ season. To be at their best against Ohio State, Michigan, Illinois and whoever else poses a threat, Oregon needs to execute well this weekend.

Below are my three keys to victory for the Ducks. This week, they’re all execution based. If Oregon can do these three things against UCLA, they’ll, hopefully, walk out a better team.

Activate the Passing Game

The improvement of Oregon’s run game was one of the big stories coming out of the Ducks’ win in Corvallis. However, Oregon’s passing game looked the best it has all year in Week 3. Now, Dillon Gabriel and the rest of the Oregon offense should be focused on recreating and building on the passing success they’ve had. UCLA is last in the Big Ten in pass defense, allowing 295.3 passing yards per game, so an air raid should be no problem for Oregon.

A dominant front seven

Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Every facet of the Ducks’ play against Oregon State looked improved from Oregon’s first two games, but the area I still felt was lacking was the Ducks’ run defense. The Beavers have solid running backs, and the week before, the Ducks’ defense was tasked with stopping Ashton Jeanty (perhaps the best RB in college football), so allowing a higher clip per carry is understandable. Still, this week, I want to see the Ducks front seven take a jump. UCLA hasn’t had a strong run game to start the year, averaging 60.3 ground yards per game, so stopping their run game shouldn’t be too hard.

No big mistakes

Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

A football team is bound to make a million mistakes throughout any football game. The key is avoiding the big ones. This is something Oregon has done a decent job of this year, staying relatively clear of turnovers and preventing the opposing team from creating big momentum-swinging plays. This week, I want to see that trend continue, with the Ducks protecting the ball and not turning it over, as well as allowing no plays of 30 yards or more on defense.

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Brent Venables shared more of what led to Dillon Gabriel’s departure

At Tuesday’s press conference, Brent Venables discussed what led to Dillon Gabriel’s departure.

In late November of 2021, the unexpected departure of then-head coach [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag] sent shockwaves through the Oklahoma Sooners football program. Riley had been in charge for five seasons, inheriting the job from the legendary [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag] in the summer of 2017 when Stoops retired.

Riley’s decision to become the next head coach at USC is one of the biggest and most surprising decisions in recent college football history. But, the Sooners bounced back, hiring [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] one week later. Venables, a defensive savant, hired [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag] to be his first offensive coordinator, but the duo needed a quarterback to run the offense.

The cupboard was pretty empty in that regard. [autotag]Spencer Rattler[/autotag], who had been OU’s starter entering the 2021 season, was benched halfway through the year. He entered the transfer portal the day after the regular season ended, the same day Riley’s defection to Southern Cal took place. [autotag]Caleb Williams[/autotag], who replaced Rattler under center, would enter the transfer portal later that winter and decided to follow Riley and become a Trojan. Suddenly, OU, the home of some of the best quarterbacks in the sport’s history, needed one desperately.

They found one in UCF transfer [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag], who was convinced by Lebby to forgo transferring to UCLA and instead come to Norman. The pair had worked together at UCF back in 2019 when Gabriel was a true freshman, and still had a very good relationship.

Gabriel arrived at OU and was immediately handed the starting gig as the only QB on the roster who had substantial college experience. Oklahoma struggled in 2022, going 6-7 in Venables’ first season at the helm. Gabriel and the offense showed some bright spots, but not enough to win more than six games.

In January of 2022, Lebby earned a commitment from [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], a quarterback out of Denton, Texas. Lebby had offered him in December, and locked in the five-star phenom to be the quarterback of the future in Norman. A plan began to form, one that would be locked in when Arnold signed with the Sooners in December of 2022, and Gabriel elected to come back to Norman for the 2023 season.

The plan was simple and has been done plenty of times all over the country. Gabriel would start one more season in 2023, with Arnold sitting behind him and learning from the veteran mentor. Gabriel would go pro after the season, and Arnold would step into the role and lead the Sooners into the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] in 2024 and beyond. His talent, upside, and potential seemed limitless, and Oklahoma looked to have their next guy.

But despite an excellent year where he improved as a player and OU improved as a team, Gabriel didn’t earn the kind of NFL grade he expected. He decided to use his final year of eligibility and stay at the college level. It’s a decision that happens a lot in college football, and Gabriel shouldn’t be blamed in any way. He made the best choice for his career. In addition, his offensive coordinator wouldn’t be returning to OU in 2024, as Lebby took the head coaching position at Mississippi State in November of 2023.

That’s where an article by ESPN staff writer Eil Lederman comes into play, featuring quotes from Venables’ media availability earlier this week about the circumstances surrounding Gabriel’s transfer to Oregon this offseason.

According to the article, “Gabriel asked for a meeting in the days following Oklahoma’s 2023 regular-season finale against TCU. During the meeting, Venables said, Gabriel outlined his plans to enter the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] and to opt out of the Sooners’ Alamo Bowl matchup with Arizona, citing the departure of offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby and a desire to play closer to home among his reasons.”

Venables went on to say that it was Gabriel’s decision to transfer away from Oklahoma after not receiving the NFL grade he was looking for and that everyone was under the impression that Gabriel was going pro. The Hawaii native was also very far from home for two years in Oklahoma and is much closer now in Oregon. His close relationship with Lebby was instrumental in getting him to OU and their success together, and now Lebby had moved up in his career and wouldn’t be back.

“I did not know at that time that he wasn’t going to go to the NFL. … I didn’t even know I had to fight this fight,” Venables said. “I didn’t even realize that you were even considering coming back. And he says, ‘Yeah, but I just want to get closer to home.’ We hugged and shook hands. He was a little emotional and I was. It was all really good and positive … You can’t make a guy stay. The guy is trying to find the next thing; the next chapter for him. I’m sure there was probably some disappointment that (Gabriel) wasn’t more highly thought of in the NFL. He had an amazing year. He was a fantastic quarterback. But we didn’t run anybody off or things like that.”

Clearly, the two didn’t leave things on bad terms at all. Gabriel was asked about Venables’ comments this week and said, “Honestly, it’s so far gone; I just know God’s got me right where I need to be,” Gabriel said via OregonLive. “I got a smile on my face every day because I’m in Eugene, Oregon, around a bunch of great guys. Of course, those are guys (at Oklahoma) that are my brothers for life and guys I played with. It’s people I still talk to on the team — players-wise. You focus on what you can control and that’s right where I’m at. I’m happy. I know God put me right where I need to be, and I think that’s all that needs to be said.”

In an offseason story by The Athletic’s Christopher Kamrani (subscription required), Gabriel’s mom said that Arnold was another one of the motivating factors behind Gabriel’s departure. She said the former Sooners quarterback was concerned “Jackson might leave (if Gabriel stayed), and he didn’t want that for the program.”

So, saying that Gabriel was “cast off” by OU isn’t accurate. All parties involved (Gabriel and OU) felt they needed to do right by Arnold and own up to the promise that had been made and the plan that had been set up well in advance. Gabriel was actually helping the future of the program by not standing in the way of Arnold’s ascension to the starting role, which might have caused frustration in the younger player.

This discourse had reached a head this week because of OU’s poor start to the 2024 season, which culminated in Arnold being benched in the week four loss to Tennessee after three costly first-half turnovers. [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag], who took Arnold’s place under center, has gotten the starting nod from Venables for week five against Auburn.

“Maybe this will give us a better chance moving forward,” Venables said. “I believe in Mike. I made that announcement for a lot of reasons. Certainly didn’t want a decision like that to hang over anyone’s head. We got to get better.”

Certainly, the Sooners have to get way better on offense. [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag], who replaced Lebby, have got to do a much better job of putting the quarterbacks in a position to succeed. But from Venables’ comments this week, it’s clear that everyone was just following the plan and keeping their promises to Arnold. Gabriel made the call to leave for a number of reasons, all of which are perfectly valid.

There was no choice made between Gabriel and Arnold. There isn’t much of a world where Gabriel was going to be coming back to OU in 2024, especially without Lebby. Arnold was always going to be the starter this season, and the topic has only come up because he’s had an unexpectedly rough start to the year and has (at least for the time being) been replaced in the lineup.

“I expressed to Jackson that this is a moment,” Venables said Tuesday. “Jackson’s going to have an amazing future and career. He’s going to play this game (for) a long time. All of that will work itself out in due time.”

Arnold still has a very bright future. He’s got all of the tools you look for but has struggled in some areas through four games. The turnovers against the Vols are what made the decision for Venables, and maybe Hawkins can perform better in the role.

Whether it’s at Oklahoma or not, Arnold can turn things around and have a very strong career. For right now, the focus shifts to Hawkins, as the true freshman now has an incredible opportunity in front of him. If he can take hold of the starting role, he could be the guy under center for a long time in Norman.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @AaronGelvin.

Breaking: Brent Venables names starting quarterback for Week 5 vs. Auburn

It didn’t take long for Oklahoma to decide on a starter for this week. Brent Venables announced who the starter would be this week vs. Auburn.

Four games into the 2024 season, the Oklahoma Sooners have made a change at the quarterback position.

[autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] became the full-time starter with the transfer of [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] this offseason. However, Arnold was benched late in the second quarter of OU’s 25-15 loss to Tennessee following three first-half turnovers. In the wake of that game, the coaching staff has decided, at least for the time being, it’s time for a change.

Instead, third-year head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] has named true freshman [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag] the starter for Saturday’s game in Auburn. Venables confirmed the move on his coach’s show on Monday night. OUInsider broke the news on social media.

Hawkins was inserted into the game on the final possession before halftime, and Venables stuck with him the rest of the night. Taking his first meaningful snaps at this level, Hawkins took a while to settle in, but when he did, he moved the ball and produced a couple of touchdown drives for the Sooners. Those drives were a stark contrast to the ineptitude Oklahoma had shown on offense the rest of the evening.

Hawkins finished 11-for-18 for 132 yards and a touchdown. He was also OU’s leading rusher, showing a knack for scrambling and gaining yards with his legs. He nearly ran for two touchdowns, coming up less than a yard short twice.

In contrast, Arnold struggled mightily, completing seven of his 16 passes for 54 yards and committing those three back-breaking turnovers. Quarterback hasn’t even been the biggest problem for the offense this year, as that unit has not produced up to the standard in Norman. However, after the turnovers that plagued the offense against the Vols, the head coach decided it was time to make a change.

Venables didn’t name Hawkins the starter for the rest of the season, and that distinction will come down to play on the field. Hawkins earned a shot to be the starter against the Tigers, and if he plays well, it’s likely Venables and his staff will stick with the youngster.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @AaronGelvin.

Has Michael Hawkins done enough to earn the start vs. Auburn?

The Oklahoma Sooners have a decision to make at quarterback ahead of their week five matchup with the Auburn Tigers. Is it Michael Hawkins job at this point?

After Oklahoma moved on from [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] to chart their course with [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] at the helm, the Sooners have a quarterback conundrum just four games into the 2024 season.

Though Arnold has had promising moments, his three first-half turnovers on Saturday left the coaches with no choice. On the final drive before halftime, the Sooners went to Michael Hawkins and let him finish the game.

It took a minute for Hawkins to settle in. The Sooners punted on all three of their possessions in the third quarter, but Hawkins found his footing in the fourth quarter, helping the Oklahoma Sooners score touchdowns on two of their final three drives.

It wasn’t a perfect outing, but Hawkins showed greater comfort, even when under pressure, than Arnold had been during the game. In his two-plus quarters of work, Hawkins was 11 of 18 for 132 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 22 yards on 12 carries, leading the Sooners in rushing.

“He’s a tremendous athlete. There were several times there where we had edge pressure that we didn’t block and he got outside of,” Venables said of Hawkins after the game. “So, he has some playmaking ability. He can hurt you with his legs, but also, that can’t be your game. We did have some drives where we got into a nice rhythm, and he showed that he could make some plays.”

The Sooners haven’t decided who will start Saturday against Auburn, but you have to imagine Hawkins has earned a long look and some first-team reps this week.

“Figure out who the best guy is to help us get to No. 4, find our fourth win,” Venables said.

With the offensive line still playing inconsistently and not creating much in the running game, going with the faster and more athletic Michael Hawkins may be more of what this team needs moving forward. With the way he played in relief of Arnold on Saturday evening, Hawkins has earned an opportunity to start for the Sooners. We’ll see if the coaching staff comes to the same conclusion this week in practice.

For now, we have a quarterback controversy on our hands.

More: SEC power rankings after Week 4

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Oregon Ducks offensive line earns Ducks Wire Player of the Game Award

After an immaculate performance in Saturday’s game against the Oregon State Beavers, the Oregon Ducks’ O-line is the Player of the Game.

After two weeks of stalled drives, missed passes, and defensive breakdowns, the Oregon Ducks played a complete game this weekend against Oregon State, and the result was a dismantling of the Beavers.

One of the Ducks’ biggest issues so far this season has been poor offensive line play. It’s prevented Oregon from developing a run game, and Dillon Gabriel hasn’t had much time in the pocket. But this weekend against the Beavers, the Ducks’ O-line played fantastic, allowing Oregon to run and pass the ball with ease.

When the clock hit zeros, the Oregon O-line had allowed zero sacks, after allowing seven in the Ducks’ first two games. Oregon’s rushers also combined for 306 yards on the ground, which is due in large part to the offensive line’s superb blocking.

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The Ducks’ strong run game this week was also a large improvement from Oregon’s first two games. Against Idaho and Boise State, the Ducks averaged 3.19 yards per carry, and on Saturday, they averaged 7.5 yards per carry.

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This week’s game was also quarterback Dillon Gabriel’s best. The Heisman hopeful finished Saturday’s game with 20/24 passes completed for 291 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also rushed for 64 yards and a TD on four carries.

Looking forward, the play of Oregon’s offensive line against the Beavers is encouraging and relieving. To achieve the goals expected of them this year, the Ducks need consistent blocking, and if the O-line plays like it did this weekend, the sky is Oregon’s limit.

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Joel Klatt makes bold score prediction for Ducks vs. Beavers in 2024 Civil War

In his podcast show, college football analyst Joel Klatt makes a bold score prediction for the 2024 Civil War.

On his podcast this week, college football analyst Joel Klatt talked about the upcoming Civil War game between the Ducks and the Beavers before giving a prediction.

Klatt said what most around the country are thinking: Oregon hasn’t played up to its potential even though the Ducks came out victorious in both games. They avoided the upset that Notre Dame or Florida State couldn’t do.

But he said the Ducks played awfully, which might be a bit of a stretch when you consider the Boise State game. Oregon didn’t play great, but then he said Boise State could be a playoff team and Ashton Jeanty is one of the best running backs in the country.

Yet the Ducks still won, so, go figure.

Then he talks about the Beavers and how this game usually takes place in November after the teams had time to establish themselves. Since this game is so early and Oregon State may lack depth, playing this game now and in Corvallis is a huge advantage.

All of that may be true, but talent is talent and the team with the better quarterback wins most of the time, no matter where the game is played. He said Dillon Gabriel could be the difference here before giving his prediction.

Here is the full segment of the Joel Klatt podcast show as he breaks down the Ducks and the Civil War.

https://twitter.com/joelklattshow/status/1834336183351976177?s=46

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3 Keys to Victory for the Ducks against the Oregon State Beavers

Our biggest keys to victory for the Ducks in this year’s Civil War.

Although it feels like the Oregon Ducks season just began, we’re almost through the non-conference portion of the year and onto Big Ten play. The Ducks are 2-0 through their first two games, and although there are many concerns about the way they’ve played, things could be much worse.

This week, the Ducks are taking on the Oregon State Beavers — a matchup that traditionally took place in November during rivalry week of every season, before Oregon left the Pac-12 for the Big Ten.

The Beavers are 2-0 on the season as well, with wins over Idaho State and San Diego State. The Ducks are heavy favorites in this game, but as we’ve seen in Oregon’s first two matchups, a wide spread in Oregon’s favor means very little.

Below, I’ve listed the three major keys for Oregon on Saturday, so they can take home the win in their first road game of 2024.

Strike first

One of the biggest issues facing the Ducks on offense to start the year has been inconsistency. Last week against Boise State, Oregon didn’t get on the scoreboard until their third drive. This week, in order to jump-start Oregon’s offense, I want to see the Ducks get down the field and into the endzone quickly on their first drive. A quick score like that would set the tone, for the rest of the game, and potentially for the rest of the season, removing the fog that has been shrouding what we know Oregon’s offense can be.

Own the line of scrimmage

One of the biggest storylines to start the Ducks’ season has been offensive line woes, but last weekend against Boise State, the Ducks D-line looked shaky as well, allowing Broncos’ RB Ashton Jeanty to rush for 192 yards and 3 TDs on 7.7 yards per carry. This week, the Ducks need to own the line of scrimmage on both ends of the ball, establishing their own run game early and shutting the Beavers’ run game down. I also want to see Oregon’s edge rushers get to the quarterback early and often.

Decisiveness from Dillon Gabriel

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There have been several problems plaguing the Ducks through two games, but a major one has been the play of QB Dillon Gabriel, who has been underwhelming at best. His stats are good and he’s completing passes well, but against Boise State and Idaho, Gabriel has dealt with pressure poorly and struggled to bring depth into the passing game. This week, Gabriel needs to play with more confidence and decisiveness, getting the ball out of his hand on time, and slinging it down the field.

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Oregon Ducks QB Dillon Gabriel announces major life update

Major announcement alert for Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel is putting a ring on it.

On Wednesday evening, the Oklahoma transfer quarterback announced via Instagram that he was engaged to longtime girlfriend Zoe Caswell.

According to photos of the engagement, Gabriel popped the question in Eugene as the Ducks prepare for their upcoming rivalry game against the Oregon State Beavers.

So far, Gabriel’s time in Eugene has been up and down. While the Heisman Trophy contender is putting up great numbers on paper, the Ducks have struggled more than expected in the early going. Issues with the offensive line and quarterback protection are responsible more than anything.

The Ducks will have a chance to inspire some confidence this weekend with a big-time rivalry game against the Beavers, which is being played in September for the first time in the long series history.

If Gabriel and his team can put together a convincing win, it should be quite the celebratory weekend for he and his family.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_zFY5jys6d/?hl=en&img_index=8

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Oregon’s championship dreams get a reality check, but promise remains

The Ducks may be getting an early reality check after a confusing 2-0 start to the year.

I’ll admit, I wasn’t fully there for the Oregon Ducks’ 37-34 win over the Boise State Broncos on Saturday night.

Not at Autzen Stadium. Not mentally.

About 30 hours before kickoff between the No. 7 Ducks and the Broncos, my wife gave birth to our second child. Since paternity leave isn’t exactly a thing for a college football reporter adding to his family in September, I didn’t have the opportunity to completely check out of Oregon’s Week 2 game. However, I opted to watch the game from the comfort of my couch rather than in the middle of 59,000 anxious and agonized fans about two miles down the road.

It’s probably a good thing, too, because I’m not sure I had the brain power or energy to process all that happened.

Oregon’s first punt returned for a touchdown since 2018? The Ducks’ first kickoff return touchdown since 2019? An Oregon offensive line that trotted out 11 personnel combinations before finally figuring out which one protected Dillon Gabriel? The Ducks kicker nailing a game-winning field goal as time expired?

None of that even mentions Noah Whittington committing the most horrific of sins, dropping the ball short of the goal line on his TD return and being saved only by the grace of Jayden Limar.

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There were times while watching this game that I thought I had finally drifted off and entered Sweet Dreamland for the first time in a couple of days. I could feel myself slipping far away from the world of umbilical cords, swaddling blankets and nighttime feedings.

But then Ashton Jeanty would shake me back to reality. A reality in which I’m being forced to come to grips with the fact the Oregon Ducks might not be a very good team.

Yet.

Once again, Oregon earned a win on Saturday. Once again, there likely isn’t a coach or player exiting the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex feeling good about what they accomplished.

Boise State outgained the Ducks on offense, 369-352. Oregon lost the rushing yards battle, 221-109, committed 9 penalties for 74 yards, went 4 for 12 on third downs, punted 7 times, lost 2 fumbles and gave up 4 sacks.

This is not a team fit to compete for a national championship at the end of the year. It’s not even a team that can make it to the Big Ten Championship game at the beginning of December.

Fortunately for Dan Lanning, though, teams can change and morph throughout the season.

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We saw it take place with the Ducks last year. After barely beating Texas Tech on the road, the Ducks went on to have one of the better seasons in recent Oregon history. Down in Lubbock, I reached out to Lanning to thank him for accommodating media members who were delayed for his press conference due to a postgame snafu. His text back?

“We’re gonna get better, I promise.”

I didn’t doubt it then, and I don’t doubt it now.

On paper, the Ducks should be better. They have a leading Heisman Trophy candidate under center, a Rimington Trophy candidate spearheading the offensive line, multiple preseason All-Americans across the roster and a staff stocked with future head coaches.

Oregon is simply too talented to be this bad. However, I think everything is too fresh right now to be as good as many expect.

When you bring in nine transfers who are occupying spots in the starting lineup, it’s going to take a second for things to jell. It may not be fair to ask them to click like national champions in the first month of the season. That’s not making excuses for why Oregon has been as bad, sloppy or mistake-prone as they have so far this season, but just an understanding of why things might be playing out this way so far.

The good thing for Duck fans is there is a lot of time for these mistakes to be corrected, and so far they haven’t been deadly yet. Oregon is 2-0 with a pair of incredibly uninspiring and ugly wins under its belt. The Ducks fell from No. 3 to No. 7 in the AP Poll after Week 1, and could fall a couple of spots again after Week 2.

In the end, rankings in September don’t mean a damn, though.

Duck fans can still dream of a world where their team is competing for a Big Ten championship in their first season as members of the conference. A world where Oregon hosts a first-round College Football Playoff still exists, and a national championship is not yet out of the question.

If you want to, you can still dream of those things with realistic expectations that they may come true in a few months.

I myself am just going to try and skip past the REM cycle and get some good, deep sleep.

When my son’s cries shake me back to reality a couple of months down the road, I have a feeling the Ducks are going to be enjoying that dream season we all envisioned going into 2024.

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