Official Unofficial Oregon Ducks Predictions/Discussion

CalStateTempe · Post by **CalStateTempe** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 10:55 pm

CalStateTempe wrote:Cats win...

End of story. Book it.

I'll take CATS on Thursday Nights ESPN (or FS1) against Oregon every day and twice and sundays.

Called it.

OSUCat · Post by **OSUCat** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 10:56 pm

I'm Wrong and I couldn't be any happier.

CalStateTempe · Post by **CalStateTempe** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 10:56 pm

azgreg wrote:he Oregon boards are absolutely imploding. It's like they are getting beat by 30.

link?

I'm wired and I have work in 5 hours.

wyo-cat · Post by **wyo-cat** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 10:57 pm

wyo-cat wrote:As a charter member of the Kool-Aid drinkers club, I gotta go with....

Cats!!

Bump!!!!

AZCatGirl · Post by **AZCatGirl** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 10:57 pm

Yes, post the Oregon tears!

PieceOfMeat · Post by **PieceOfMeat** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 10:57 pm

PieceOfMeat wrote:I have no freakin clue

Like I said, I had no freakin clue.

I wouldn't have ever believed it would be 7-3 at halftime for example.

wyo-cat · Post by **wyo-cat** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 10:58 pm

someone needs to tell Greg Hansen to eat it.

azpenguin · Post by **azpenguin** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 11:05 pm

Why. Not. Arizona.

catgrad97 · Post by **catgrad97** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 11:16 pm

wyo-cat wrote:someone needs to tell Greg Hansen to eat it.

Seriously. The days of hometown guys picking against their home program are done.

You gotta believe.

ANGCatFan · Post by **ANGCatFan** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 11:18 pm

ANGCatFan wrote:Here is Finley and some guy he pulled out of the early bird special line at Golden Corral talking about the Oregon game. Let me sum it up for you: We have no chance of winning, our defense isn't good enough, and we are only playing to not embarrass ourselves on national TV. There is no meaningful insight in the video, just 2 guys who are paid to be experts on the local team saying there is not even a chance they can win because, you know, Arizona's defense sucks and Mariota is great and we don't have time for anything else 'cause print media is dying and we need to update our resumes.

I don't mind a harsh assessment, after all we are 23 point underdogs, but we deserve better football experts than these two flakes. How about some actual analysis? What are Oregon's weaknesses and why was Mariota sacked 7 times last game? Who should we worry about on Oregon besides Mariota? What Arizona players need to step up to keep us in the game?

This is the most difficult game on our schedule, but I like our chances better then I did last year when we were also 20 point underdogs and the crotchety guy from the Golden Corral line also thought we had no chance of winning. What we have to do this year is the same thing we had to do last year;

be able to run the ball,

get some stops against Oregon,

execute our offense,

win the turnover battle,

and play to win the game not just to avoid embarrassment.

Now I realize our 2 intrepid Daily Star reporters may have missed last year's game while they were busy in the press box discussing which southern Arizona golf courses would give the 1965 Utah St football players the best chance to beat the 1972 Padres in a best ball golf tournament, but we won last year with a mostly one-dimensional offense and the same defensive scheme. We may be heavy underdogs, but we have a chance and the team is heading to Oregon to try and win.

The team is going to Bear Down and try to win, Arizona fans should Bear Down and cheer for a victory, and the Star football experts, well, they can go duck themselves.

So who do I call so I can replace Hansen and Finley? I may have been a little bit more accurate in game analysis than either of them.

Seriously, it is time for Hansen to retire and Gimino to have his job.

azpenguin · Post by **azpenguin** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 11:31 pm

ANG, you've been all over this game this week throwing a lot of good words in for Arizona. Enjoy this, and yes, Gimino should be front and center covering U of A sports at the Star.

NYCat · Post by **NYCat** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 11:42 pm

PieceOfMeat · Post by **PieceOfMeat** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 11:43 pm

hahahah nice.

wyo-cat · Post by **wyo-cat** » Thu Oct 02, 2014 11:44 pm

Money!!!!!

NYCat · Post by **NYCat** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 12:05 am

Don't know where to put this so I'll just put it here

V

cats101 · Post by **cats101** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 12:12 am

I'm so drunk and I was wrong about overrated Oregon but good win

AZCatGirl · Post by **AZCatGirl** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 12:14 am

NYCat wrote:

That is the best quote. Our play shut them up a number of times.

wyo-cat · Post by **wyo-cat** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 12:16 am

Matty D just won the day!

TheBlackLodge · Post by **TheBlackLodge** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 12:17 am

ANGCatFan wrote:Seriously, it is time for Hansen to retire and Gimino to have his job.

+1

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 12:19 am

ANGCatFan wrote:
Seriously, it is time for Hansen to retire and Gimino to have his job.

Somehow he'll manage to have a column tomorrow on how RR is the right man for the job, how he has this train rolling, and
he saw it coming...

azgreg · Post by **azgreg** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 7:03 am

Sure he was.

OSUCat · Post by **OSUCat** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 7:07 am

Wasn't it the same excuse last year?

ANGCatFan · Post by **ANGCatFan** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 7:07 am

Coach Helfrich after the loss

Former Heisman frontrunner Marcus Mariota after the loss

Chicat · Post by **Chicat** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 7:08 am

azgreg wrote:
Sure he was.

Must be why Helfrich sent him out on that halfback pass. I know if I was a coach and my star QB, Heisman contender, and kid who is going to lead us to a national championship was hurt, I'd definitely send him out on a pass play to get decked by a safety in the open field.

PieceOfMeat · Post by **PieceOfMeat** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 7:08 am

azgreg wrote:
Sure he was.

Hey, you know who wasn't 100% tonight? Anu, after he got his helmet ripped off his head, or after got hit in the helmet with another guy's helmet, or after.....

Oh wait, we don't need an excuse.

PieceOfMeat · Post by **PieceOfMeat** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 7:08 am

Chicat wrote:
azgreg wrote:
Sure he was.
Must be why Helfrich sent him out on that halfback pass. I know if I was a coach and my star QB, Heisman Contender, and kid who is going to lead us to a national championship was hurt, I'd definitely send him out on a pass play to get decked by a safety in the open field.

hah no shit

Carcassdragger · Post by **Carcassdragger** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 7:21 am

carcassdragger wrote:Anu and the offense will need to play like they did in the 4th quarter against Cal. Defense will have to play better than they have all season. I don't see it happening. Oregon is going to beat us soundly. Hope I'm wrong.

I do believe we have a chance and the best asset we have is the heart these guys show.

Regardless, I will be watching, pacing, and yelling. My wife will be amused. The neighbors will not.

Well, at least I was right about the heart this team has!!! Shame on me for doubting RR or our guys!! They played their asses off and our coaches coached their asses off!! Damn I'm happy today!!!

SOOOOOO PROUD OF THIS TEAM!!!!!

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 7:23 am

PieceOfMeat wrote:
azgreg wrote:
Sure he was.
Hey, you know who wasn't 100% tonight? Anu, after he got his helmet ripped off his head, or after got hit in the helmet with another guy's helmet, or after.....

Oh wait, we don't need an excuse.

And Nick Wilson, Cayman Bundage, Jeff Worthy......

Sour grapes Ducks. Own it.

PieceOfMeat · Post by **PieceOfMeat** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 7:26 am

UAEebs86 wrote:
PieceOfMeat wrote:
azgreg wrote:
Sure he was.
Hey, you know who wasn't 100% tonight? Anu, after he got his helmet ripped off his head, or after got hit in the helmet with another guy's helmet, or after.....

Oh wait, we don't need an excuse.
And Nick Wilson, Cayman Bundage, Jeff Worthy......

Sour grapes Ducks. Own it.

ex-fucking-actly

Chicat · Post by **Chicat** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 7:37 am

UAEebs86 wrote:
ANGCatFan wrote:
Seriously, it is time for Hansen to retire and Gimino to have his job.
Somehow he'll manage to have a column tomorrow on how RR is the right man for the job, how he has this train rolling, and
he saw it coming...

Here is his column: http://tucson.com/sports/columnists/han ... 7f61e.html

EUGENE, Ore. — In a timeout with 38 seconds remaining, Autzen Stadium PA announcer Don Essig broke the silence and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for the Remarkable Play of the Game.”

It’s time?

It was way too late.

The giant video board then displayed a first-half touchdown pass from halfback Royce Freeman to Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota.

Everything that happened Thursday night at Autzen seemed reversed from what the know-it-alls expected.

The Remarkable Play of the Game actually took place with 2:11 remaining when Arizona sophomore linebacker Scooby Wright pushed past Oregon tackle Matt Pierson, hit Mariota, sacked him, knocked the ball from his hands, and, in a final piece of Superman-saves-the-Wildcats, recovered the football.

Arizona won 31-24. The Wildcats outplayed the No. 2 Ducks so thoroughly, knocked them around and beat them physically, that the true margin between the teams was more like 41-24. And that’s conservative.

But, c’mon, UA was playing at Autzen Stadium, where the Ducks had gone 46-5 in recent years, against a 23-point favorite that had all but started breaking ground for a Heisman Trophy display case — until Wright and his teammates sprung the most unlikely upset at Arizona since beating No. 1 USC at the Los Angeles Coliseum 33 years ago.

Arizona had 20 first downs in the second half, with a freshman quarterback, Anu Solomon, who had the moxie and skill to generate first downs on seven of nine attempts in the final half.

Arizona had no chance to win Thursday’s game. Isn’t that what the analysts said? Isn’t that what I said?

Yes and yes. Sometimes it’s good to be so wrong.

It was the chance of a lifetime in a lifetime of chance. Arizona was nothing but Duck bait. Instead, the Wildcats played with poise, intelligence, toughness and a killer touch at what is renowned as one of the most difficult pits in college football.

You can’t call Scooby’s game-saving, game-winning, franchise-turning fumble recovery anything tidy.

Nothing fits. It can’t be The Hill Mary, the Leap By The Lake or the Max Factor, because Wright incorporated too many variables in his hit-sack-strip-fumble recovery.

What would you call it, The Strip? Will the censors approve it?

Besides, Arizona had too many heroes to limit it to Scooby. Defensive linemen Dan Pettinato and Reggie Gilbert took up residence in Oregon’s backfield, taking advantage of new offensive line starters Pierson and Tyrell Crosby so often that it was humbling.

“We weren’t strong enough,” Oregon coach Mark Helfrich said in his post-game interview.

UA defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel, who dodges attention at every turn, won’t be able to escape the praise this time. His X’s trumped Oregon’s O’s.

“Their plan was pretty simple, rush straight and make us kind of shake and bake and dunk, and we didn’t sustain drives,” said Helfrich. “Give them credit. I don’t know what (Solomon’s) second half numbers were, but he was really good.”

UA coach Rich Rodriguez designed an offense straight out of the Ka’Deem Carey days. RichRod ate up the clock by running the ball 55 times, more than in any game this season.

The plan wasn’t to outscore the Ducks, as is the general theory of football in 2014, it was just to beat them fundamentally.

It worked because tailbacks Nick Wilson and Terris Jones-Grigsby beat the Ducks to the corner, all night, sometimes with ridiculous ease, the path cleared by offensive linemen Mickey Baucus, Fabbians Ebbele, Cayman Bundage, Steven Gurrola and Jacob Alsadek.

“We believe we have a ton of firepower in every phase, and we’re clicking on every cylinder it’s a lot of fun,” said Helfrich. “But it’s a different mind-set when you’re setting up inside your own 10. We didn’t necessarily play smart enough or cleanly enough.”

It was a serve-and-volley game. Arizona limited Oregon’s explosiveness. In the last two minutes you could’ve played Simon and Garfunkel’s “Sounds of Silence” over the PA system.

It would’ve told the story as well as anything else.

The crowd was late arriving, especially the students. It was announced as the 100th consecutive sellout, but there were empty seats in the corners, and 3,400 fewer fans than at the victory over Michigan State, and the noise never did shake down the expected thunder.

The Ducks will stomp around and look for answers. No, they weren’t at their best. Neither was Arizona, though. The Ducks were planning on showing up at the Rose Bowl to play UCLA next week with a division championship at stake.

But now it’s Arizona, undefeated and unbelievable, 5-0, that will play USC in Arizona Stadium, with first place at stake, in what will surely be the first sellout in Tucson years.

The Ducks will worry that losing coach Chip Kelly and defensive coordinator Nick Alotti are too great to sustain their march toward, someday, a national championship.

Arizona will move on, believing that RichRod knows the route better than Helfrich.

RichRod has now beaten Ducks teams ranked No. 2 and No.5 in Arizona’s last eight games. A sweep. There is nothing to match the sweep over the Ducks in UA football history, no two-game set at any time in 100 years that carries the same magnitude.

If Scooby Wright wasn’t the best player on the field Thursday, it was either of Arizona’s tailbacks, Wilson or Jones-Grigsby, who combined for Ka’Deem-like 40 carries and 207 yards.

They were hell on wheels. To the Ducks, it was just hell.

They would whirl, shift, spin off and wiggle out of tackles all night. Little by little, like ice melting off a glacier, the Ducks were soon left in a puddle.

“The season can’t be decided by just one game, or you’ll go all downhill from there,’’ Oregon’s tailback Freeman said.

Downhill?

The Wildcats flew home, in more ways than one.

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 8:51 am

azcat49 wrote:Will nnot be a blow out. Cats defense plays its best game of The year and we run for 200+ yards.

Game comes down to the last possesion and the team that has it wins

That seems about right

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 8:52 am

The Remarkable Play of the Game actually took place with 2:11 remaining when Arizona sophomore linebacker Scooby Wright pushed past Oregon tackle Matt Pierson, hit Mariota, sacked him, knocked the ball from his hands, and, in a final piece of Superman-saves-the-Wildcats, recovered the football.

Didn't Scooby just take the ball from him?

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 8:53 am

azcat49 wrote:O R E G O N can't stop the run. We will not get blown out. Perfect time for a bye and in the RR years, he has always played then well.

We will be in the game into the fourth

And so does that

Coop Cat · Post by **Coop Cat** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 9:11 am

azgreg · Post by **azgreg** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 9:50 am

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=128&f=1423&t=13212545

Lines more effective than ours:

The Maginot Line.

The U.S.-Mexico border.

Those found in children's coloring books. . . .

defenses more effective than ours;

The French (any war)
Belgian's
Czechs
the Iraqi's
Santa Anna's after the alamo
Brit's (Cornwallis at Yorktown)
the Brit garrison at fort Ticonderoga

Salty · Post by **Salty** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 9:53 am

I will be writing a game summary, complete with pictures, later today.

What a game. Glad I made the trip. Almost got murdered while leaving though.

azpenguin · Post by **azpenguin** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 9:56 am

Think RichRod's starting to have a little bit of fun here?

ANGCatFan · Post by **ANGCatFan** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 10:05 am

Chicat wrote: Here is his column: http://tucson.com/sports/columnists/han ... 7f61e.html

I think Hansen is fine with a write-up after of an event. Good, inventive writer with a great grasp of Arizona history which helps him put things in perspective.

IMNSHO he is horrendous at pre game analysis and making assessments of the team he is supposed to be covering. I suspect he semi-retired sometime during the Stoop's years and is now just showing up to watch the team when it is required or convenient. I have been to every open practice to the media and boosters in the Coach Rod era and I don't remember seeing Hansen at even half of the events. He should be an expert at Arizona football and if he doesn't want to be he should fully retire and let Gimino take his gig and he should certainly drop the "Mr Football" persona.

Now I understand part of his schtick is to be the anti-homer to try and generate controversy to give his columns at least notoriety, but what I want from the only sports columnist for a major paper in Tucson is actual insight and background information about the team instead of contrarian snark.

Now, I am writing this because I am still mad about Hansen's statement that Arizona has no chance to win the game last night. He likely came to this conclusion because he was unaware of what has been going on with Arizona, blind to the problems at Oregon, lazy in his analysis, and not talking to anyone else outside of his comfort bubble about the game.

Why did some of us think Arizona could pull off the upset? First, Arizona's offense has gotten better every game and has been learning to win with a very young and inexperienced offensive backfield. Also, our defense has struggled this year, but their best performance last year was against a better Oregon team which means the players and coaches know they can at least slow down Oregon. Finally, Coach Rod mentioned after practice earlier in the week what a great practice we had. He rarely says that and when he does you know the Wildcats are ready to play that week.

It wasn't just Arizona, Oregon was primed for an upset. Patchwork offensive line and a defense that has given up yards all year to offenses not as talented as Arizona's. Mariota may still be the best player in the country, but his supporting cast is not as strong as last year and Chip Kelly is no longer running the team.

If your job is to cover this football team, I am offended if you don't do some actual preparation in making your prediction for our toughest opponent of the year. I suspect that Hansen (and Finley) fell into the trap of too many fans; what's Vegas saying and what are the national football experts saying. News flash - most of the regulars on this board read, watch, and know more about Arizona football than the odds makers and national pundits. They know enough about most teams, but they don't devour Arizona information like we do. If you make your prediction based on the Vegas line you will be right the majority of the time, but if you actually follow Arizona football you knew that this was going to be closer than Vegas 23 point spread.

Finally, make sure your opinion stands up to scrutiny. Hansen is the only guy I read or listened to locally that thought there was no chance of a victory. Shoot, Woodman and pre-game guys on 1290 were all but predicting a victory and guaranteeing a close game. If your opinion is different from practically every local pundit either you know something they don't know or they know something you don't know. I hope I am making the case that for "Mr Football" it is the latter.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 10:26 am

Tedy on Mike and Mike:

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=11633767

ANGCatFan · Post by **ANGCatFan** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 10:57 am

Merkin wrote:Tedy on Mike and Mike:

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=11633767

Love Tedy's pure joy talking about last night's win.

BearDown89 · Post by **BearDown89** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 12:55 pm

My Arizona gear is getting a little stale. Need more stuff. Treated myself to a new hat today for starters in honor of last night's victory.

BearDown89 · Post by **BearDown89** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 1:13 pm

Man, the Oregon coaching staffs' heads are a rollin' over on their 247 site. Enjoy if you're so inclined.

http://oregon.247sports.com/Board/Orego ... etball--45

BearDown89 · Post by **BearDown89** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 1:24 pm

Arizona NFLers punking Oregon NFLers:

http://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2 ... eelers-bet

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 1:27 pm

Even the local press a little upset with the coaching:

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregon ... er_at.html

AZCatGirl · Post by **AZCatGirl** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 1:45 pm

BearDown89 wrote:Arizona NFLers punking Oregon NFLers:

http://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2 ... eelers-bet

Love how even Arizona NBAers are getting in on it too. Arizona athletics is one big family.

Chicat · Post by **Chicat** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 2:07 pm

BearDown89 wrote:Man, the Oregon coaching staffs' heads are a rollin' over on their 247 site. Enjoy if you're so inclined.

http://oregon.247sports.com/Board/Orego ... etball--45

The guy who asked, "What DC stays on the sideline? No perspective there!"

Got an answer for you my Duck fan friend....

Jeff Casteel

Gladiator Cat · Post by **Gladiator Cat** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 2:09 pm

Guys,

Boy was I wrong and I'm here to officially eat my plate of “Burnt Crow”.

Our guys were ready to play last-night and the coaches had them well prepared. I did not think we could hang with the Ducks in Eugene in a loud ruckus stadium with our freshman QB.

I am thoroughly impressed and if we can get by USC, this team could have a magic special year.

It has been my opinion that 2015 would be our year to break out and make a statement, but it appears that the development of Anu is ahead of schedule and this kid is playing really well. Hes controlling the game and not making mistakes.

We do have a lot of football left to play, but a win over USC will be huge in the South division.

The Cats really made a statement with this win. Now we must follow it up with more big wins. After this huge win in Eugene the UCLA game doesn't quite pose the daunting challenge that it once did. It won't be easly but its a winnable game.

We can clearly play with anyone and congrates to those fans who said we would win. Big Kudos!!!

NYCat · Post by **NYCat** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 5:35 pm

http://noonkick.se/2014-arizona-at-oregon

Replay.....

Zona_Soccer10 · Post by **Zona_Soccer10** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 7:41 pm

BearDown89 wrote:Arizona NFLers punking Oregon NFLers:

http://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2 ... eelers-bet

Gold! No pun intended.

qwertyus · Post by **qwertyus** » Fri Oct 03, 2014 8:19 pm

"Oregon vs Louisiana tech in the PapaJohns.com bowl will be intense."

- Some guy on the ESPN conversation page.

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