Tip of the cap to the Ducks! Such a great season for football at Oregon's universities - Beavers and Ducks gave us some fun, exciting games and we end the year with two high-profile bowl victories. Lots to celebrate!
Thank you Teri. It means a lot to me. I work hard and have a ton of support. The readership has been really inspiring and I'm having a blast. Never had more fun in this business than I am right now. I hope that comes through.
You will never convince me that with a healthy Nix the Ducks don’t beat both Washington and OSU this year. Keeping him whole for the season next year is job one for new OC.
In the middle of the season, as Nix was making a Heisman push, I wondered if Dillingham was running him too frequently. I wonder if they'll change how often they use him next season.
Oh, for sure. To Alex's credit -- assuming he's not super plugged into current CFB, him highlighting Maye as a top-5 pick after seeing him in what was a (relatively) pedestrian performance shows he has a good eye for talent.
I thought the same thing about the choice of stadium. Looks like the Holiday Bowl has a five-year agreement with Petco; hoping they can move it to SDSU's stadium after that contract is over.
Petco is right downtown in close proximity to all of the associated events, so my guess is the game remains there. They've had unusually heavy rain this year, so I think the field will normally be much better.
Holiday Bowl has always been my second fave, after the Granddaddy. Site of so many memorable games. Would love to see the Bowl grow in stature. Gaslamp District is hard to beat. When you see the incredible amounts of $$$$ being spent on Padres to win a championship, I wish that same sense of sports business enthusiasm could have gotten a football stadium done in that warehouse area south of Petco. Imagine Padres, Chargers and Holiday Bowl with PAC #2 and high ranking Power 5 in the December 28-31 timeframe.
Right, the Holiday Bowl is a great bowl game played in a fine part of a fun city. Terrible turf management though. They had three months to grow grass there.
I think the venue was great. I live in San Diego, and we did a one night "staycation" with the family, down in the Gaslamp. Would never have done that for Mission Valley. Lots of Duck fans filling hotels, bars etc. They could do a better job with the grass on the dirt portion of the baseball field, but that is fixable. As a Padres season ticket holder, I thought Petco held its own as a venue (although beer prices were even higher than for Pads games....something I didn't think possible!)
Who certifies/legitimizes Bowl games? Might it be part of the certification criteria moving forward that bowl games must be played n a “proper” football stadium?
John, you did not mention Nix tackling the db during the runback of the "immaculate interception". Took a lot of grit for someone with a bum ankle. If the ankle hasn't healed by now.....surgery in the off season?
Gotta give credit to UNC. Those guys played hard and very well. Nix clearly wasn't right - until he was. Another gutsy performence. And the pitch was appalling. Hopefully this game gets moved to Snapdragon in the future. Petco is a beautiful park - for baseball.
Chase’s father was not just a defensive back while at Oregon, he was one of the Ducks’ team leaders back in the 80-90s when the program was starting to flourish and had a significant NFL career. Chase is a great extension of Chad. The Cotas are certainly great Oregon alums/former players.
"But very interesting, wildly entertaining, and mostly successful." Good description of your columns! I am always impressed by your ability to get to the heart of things. Looking forward to another year.
In 2nd half, Bucky Irving only had one carry as Ducks chose to go with Whittington and James. Not sure of the logic there. Was he injured? I thought Drake Maye was the MVP of the game.
Great column John, you summed up the game and the season accurately. Personally, I like Coach Lanning a lot and I'm taking his comments about being there long term at face value. I really hope he proves me right. To be honest, I thought this was going to be very tough season for the Ducks even before the Georgia fiasco. It looked like a rebuilding year with the coaching change and so many players taking the portal so looking at the 10-3 record they accomplished I'm proud to be a Duck.
Maybe Coach Lanning will reflect back on this season and temper his enthusiasm for going for it on fourth down. If I had one ding on his performance evaluation it would be that he should be a tad more conservative on 4th downs. It makes for great excitement and being aggressive is good but sometimes the risk/reward ratio says no.
There were a couple game-time management foibles but he knows that he will learn. Your grade of B+ is pretty fair and I'd second that. And, so much credit to Bo Nix. He has proved himself far above my expectations.
As a WSU Coug fan my second favorite team every fall week-end was whoever played Oregon. However, after reading your column for a while I have now come to the realization that it raises the profile of all PAC 12 teams if they win non-conference and bowl games. Consequently for the first time ever I found myself pulling for the Ducks during the Holiday Bowl. Thanks for expanding my horizons and giving me a new perspective.
Perfect summation of the 2022 Duck season. Glad Lanning appeared to have settled down and took what the game, and Nix, gave him. That said, I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only one who saw the similarities between Maye and Justin Herbert? That kid is special. It will be fun to watch him grow.
Tip of the cap to the Ducks! Such a great season for football at Oregon's universities - Beavers and Ducks gave us some fun, exciting games and we end the year with two high-profile bowl victories. Lots to celebrate!
I absolutely love reading your Bald Faced Truth. Always great, fair, informative, and inspiring. Thanks for that.
Thank you Teri. It means a lot to me. I work hard and have a ton of support. The readership has been really inspiring and I'm having a blast. Never had more fun in this business than I am right now. I hope that comes through.
You will never convince me that with a healthy Nix the Ducks don’t beat both Washington and OSU this year. Keeping him whole for the season next year is job one for new OC.
In the middle of the season, as Nix was making a Heisman push, I wondered if Dillingham was running him too frequently. I wonder if they'll change how often they use him next season.
The talented bodies are there but 4 new starters on the OL could alter much of the 2022 game plan?
Hopefully next year will settle that question.
It's like when you yank your drive way left and it hits that tree and ends up right in the middle of the fairway. Just another fairway in regulation.
Right... down... the middle... in the scorebook.
Mine always hit the tree and go OB!
Loved this comment. Thanks Paul.
same
Heh, I don't think Alex Molden watches much college football.
“Drake Maye is a bonafide stud! He will be a top-five pick in the 2024 draft! You heard it here first.”
Heard it here first? Literally everybody has been saying that since September.
I think he meant well.
Oh, for sure. To Alex's credit -- assuming he's not super plugged into current CFB, him highlighting Maye as a top-5 pick after seeing him in what was a (relatively) pedestrian performance shows he has a good eye for talent.
As a true freshman, Maye can't be selected until the 2025 draft, right? Players have to be out of high school for three years.
He was a RS freshman this year.
OK, my bad, thought he was a true freshman. He will be an early pick next year, for sure.
103 for 1 point comeback win!
Hats off to Bo and Chad and the entire Ducks squad for gutting one out.
Doesn't San Diego State have a new FOOTBALL stadium where this game could been played instead of on the skating rink that was Petco?
BTW - 7 decades of watching CFB and the UNC 2nd Q interception was the most insane I've ever seen.
The field was embarrassing. The new SDSU stadium seats only 32,000 so may be too small for the Holiday Bowl. It is a great game.
I thought the same thing about the choice of stadium. Looks like the Holiday Bowl has a five-year agreement with Petco; hoping they can move it to SDSU's stadium after that contract is over.
Need to get to SnapDragon asap.
Petco is right downtown in close proximity to all of the associated events, so my guess is the game remains there. They've had unusually heavy rain this year, so I think the field will normally be much better.
Revenue for the empty stadium. That is all.
36, 424 in attendance. Would have fit in the SDS stadium.
Holiday Bowl has always been my second fave, after the Granddaddy. Site of so many memorable games. Would love to see the Bowl grow in stature. Gaslamp District is hard to beat. When you see the incredible amounts of $$$$ being spent on Padres to win a championship, I wish that same sense of sports business enthusiasm could have gotten a football stadium done in that warehouse area south of Petco. Imagine Padres, Chargers and Holiday Bowl with PAC #2 and high ranking Power 5 in the December 28-31 timeframe.
Right, the Holiday Bowl is a great bowl game played in a fine part of a fun city. Terrible turf management though. They had three months to grow grass there.
I think the venue was great. I live in San Diego, and we did a one night "staycation" with the family, down in the Gaslamp. Would never have done that for Mission Valley. Lots of Duck fans filling hotels, bars etc. They could do a better job with the grass on the dirt portion of the baseball field, but that is fixable. As a Padres season ticket holder, I thought Petco held its own as a venue (although beer prices were even higher than for Pads games....something I didn't think possible!)
Nah, use a different stadium for the Holiday Bowl. That turf was awful and nearly cost Oregon the game.
Who certifies/legitimizes Bowl games? Might it be part of the certification criteria moving forward that bowl games must be played n a “proper” football stadium?
ESPN owns the NCAA as well as the bowl season. What they want they get.
Let's not overlook Bucky Erving's block on blitzing LB on winning TD throw by Nix.
John, you did not mention Nix tackling the db during the runback of the "immaculate interception". Took a lot of grit for someone with a bum ankle. If the ankle hasn't healed by now.....surgery in the off season?
Gotta give credit to UNC. Those guys played hard and very well. Nix clearly wasn't right - until he was. Another gutsy performence. And the pitch was appalling. Hopefully this game gets moved to Snapdragon in the future. Petco is a beautiful park - for baseball.
Chase’s father was not just a defensive back while at Oregon, he was one of the Ducks’ team leaders back in the 80-90s when the program was starting to flourish and had a significant NFL career. Chase is a great extension of Chad. The Cotas are certainly great Oregon alums/former players.
The Ducks looked pretty average for a team loaded with four and five star recruits. Just sayin’.
Nix and Manning are only 5 stars left. A lot of 2 deep are 3 stars.
That's the reason not to believe the recruiting hype.
Recruits <4
Lanning<2
"But very interesting, wildly entertaining, and mostly successful." Good description of your columns! I am always impressed by your ability to get to the heart of things. Looking forward to another year.
thank you John. going to be a fun year. I have some big plans.
In 2nd half, Bucky Irving only had one carry as Ducks chose to go with Whittington and James. Not sure of the logic there. Was he injured? I thought Drake Maye was the MVP of the game.
Maye had a great first half. No TDs in the second half.
Holding UNC to just two FGs in the second half was an incredible defensive feat.
Great column John, you summed up the game and the season accurately. Personally, I like Coach Lanning a lot and I'm taking his comments about being there long term at face value. I really hope he proves me right. To be honest, I thought this was going to be very tough season for the Ducks even before the Georgia fiasco. It looked like a rebuilding year with the coaching change and so many players taking the portal so looking at the 10-3 record they accomplished I'm proud to be a Duck.
Maybe Coach Lanning will reflect back on this season and temper his enthusiasm for going for it on fourth down. If I had one ding on his performance evaluation it would be that he should be a tad more conservative on 4th downs. It makes for great excitement and being aggressive is good but sometimes the risk/reward ratio says no.
There were a couple game-time management foibles but he knows that he will learn. Your grade of B+ is pretty fair and I'd second that. And, so much credit to Bo Nix. He has proved himself far above my expectations.
Go Ducks! Eager to see what happens in '23.
Cristobal: “Too conservative!”
Lanning: “Too reckless!”
Duck fans hoping for a happy medium in ‘23.
As a WSU Coug fan my second favorite team every fall week-end was whoever played Oregon. However, after reading your column for a while I have now come to the realization that it raises the profile of all PAC 12 teams if they win non-conference and bowl games. Consequently for the first time ever I found myself pulling for the Ducks during the Holiday Bowl. Thanks for expanding my horizons and giving me a new perspective.
Perfect summation of the 2022 Duck season. Glad Lanning appeared to have settled down and took what the game, and Nix, gave him. That said, I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only one who saw the similarities between Maye and Justin Herbert? That kid is special. It will be fun to watch him grow.