Fine, Oregon is 2-3 on the season and 0-2 in conference play. And yes, a bounce here, a catch here, a play here and Oregon is possibly 4-1. That's seriously how close it is.
Usually I try and wait a couple of days to write this article. It's usually a Monday piece.
Why?
I like to let cooler heads prevail and try not to be overly reactionary. Perhaps some of my message board posts and tweets are. But I've always tried to take a somewhat level-headed approach when I write this piece.
It's ugly out there right now. Wazzu laid down a drubbing of Oregon Saturday night. And really it's not anything that probably surprised many of us. You still hope for a win, but deep down you could see that was a dangerous game for Oregon.
Oregon's bad defense against their high-powered offense. Mike Leach versus Mark Helfrich.
The one element in Oregon's favor was an 'expected' high-powered offense versus a pretty porous Washington State defense. I mean Eastern Washington rolled up 45 points on them in week 1. Oregon struggled to get 33.
Wazzu out-rushed Oregon 280 to 214. That's crazy.
But really, it's also just good coaching.
You don't have to be a scout to see Oregon is soft in the middle. And I mean all the way in the middle. From defensive line to linebacker there isn't much presence. And Washington State mauled the point of attack on both sides of the ball.
Oregon clearly expected the 'air raid' offense. What they got was a heavy dose of running to make easy 2nd and 3rd downs, followed by simple crossing routes further exploiting the middle of the defense.
Every fan in the building could see what was coming after the 2nd quarter. It didn't matter.
On the other side of the ball, Oregon and Wazzu both knew getting Royce Freeman going was the key to Oregon's offense. Leach forced Oregon, more so Prukop, to beat them with his arm.
He didn't.
Oregon threw for 202 yards and not one passing touchdown. Prukop only put up 132 passing yards on the night.
Mike Leach knew exactly what would beat Oregon and he executed. Oregon had no answer.
Fine, Oregon is 2-3 on the season and 0-2 in conference play. And yes, a bounce here, a catch here, a play here and Oregon is possibly 4-1. That's seriously how close it is.
It's easy to forget that because they aren't. It's easy to pile on because of the way Oregon has lost.
And that's Helfrich's No. 1 problem. It's not that he loses games, it's HOW he loses them. Oregon will always lose games. Chip Kelly lost games. Even Nick Saban, occasionally loses games.
The last two losses to Washington State have been brutal. The loss to Colorado, using a freshman backup quarterback, was brutal. The way Arizona and Utah thrashed Oregon in the past years. (Both in Autzen stadium) And yes, the Alamo bowl and national championship game loss to Ohio State are the icing on the cake.
Heck even the Civil War victory last season was relatively brutal.
So I go back to last week's Inside Read where I tell all of you to buckle up, Helf ain't going anywhere. And even with this loss to the Cougs, I'm sticking by that.
For now.
Sure his seat's warm and he's got all of the eyeballs on him. And ultimately we are all just guessing on what Phil Knight will eventually want. Will he pony up? Will Mullens make the move?
But now Washington comes to Oregon. And Oregon can do something they haven't been able to do in a long time.
They can play the spoiler.
Through 5 games, Oregon is completely out-matched. The Huskies pounded Stanford, whom I felt was over rated. That said, they are still a better team than Oregon is right now.
Washington hasn't beat Oregon in a decade but now it looks like that's where the streak ends.
If this Oregon team can't get up for a game with Washington, they shouldn't pad up again in three weeks.
I'm not advocating Oregon will win, because I'm not. But show some fire. Show some pride. Show some effort. I don't even care if Oregon wins or loses, I just want to see them try. I just want to see them play better.
I know a lot of folks felt the Wazzu game was a 'turning point' game for Helfrich. But I believe it's this game.
If Oregon gets boat-raced at home, I'm afraid we will fully see a team that quits. I don't think they have yet. I think they can play better than they have, but they haven't quit.
John Neal offered some incredible insight after the Wazzu loss. And he's one of the more embattled coaches on this roster. But he's right. Oregon needs to be really careful about 'blowing this thing up' even with a 2-3 record. Because as bad as it's been, this team is still just a few plays away from 4-1.
You guys think Les Miles is coming to Oregon? Why would Oregon want him even if he did? Tom Herman is a pipe dream. It really is.
Yeah, I don't see Oregon favored in another game on its remaining schedule today. Maybe Oregon State but is that ever a gimme? Not for Oregon this year.
So Oregon loses its next seven games. Then what? Maybe they only lose five. Maybe four. It seems like catching a unicorn to even think Oregon ends up at 500 right now.
I guess we'll see what happens. Every week will be a long week with us hearing 'best week of practice' or 'best Friday' yet or whatever.
Just show me on the field. That's all I care about. Show me you can coach. Show me you still have pride putting on an Oregon uniform. Show me you can make an adjustment.
Grow a set and yell at somebody Helfrich. Yell at a ball boy, I don't care. Stage a tirade with a player before hand and tell him you apologize for yelling at him in advance. Light up some member of media at a press conference if you have to.
Show this team you have some fire in your belly.
I'm not telling you guys to accept mediocrity. Because we all know that isn't how excellence is achieved. That isn't how Oregon got to where it is. Or at least where it was 2 years ago.
I know there is a huge part of the team that hasn't quit. Maybe a few have, but there's a lot of guys still hoping to scratch out some wins and turn this thing around.
Mullens isn't going to send Helfrich packing on the tarmac. I believe he's committed to seeing this season play out. I doubt he has any backup plan right now to even sell PK on even if he wanted to.
It's up to the coaches in that locker room to turn this thing around. There's enough talent there to win some games.
wildcat33 352 posts 14 minutes ago via Mobile We will beat the Huskies this year. I remember the last time they won at Oregon they came out to the 49 ish and urinated on the O we sit on the 42 Yard Line behind the opposing bench. Coach New Weasel was there to. So let's knock them off there high horse HUCK THE FUSKIES Flag Quote ReplyQuote
wildcat33 352 posts 14 minutes ago via Mobile We will beat the Huskies this year. I remember the last time they won at Oregon they came out to the 49 ish and urinated on the O we sit on the 42 Yard Line behind the opposing bench. Coach New Weasel was there to. So let's knock them off there high horse HUCK THE FUSKIES Flag Quote ReplyQuote
IMO, this week is the biggest test of the season so far for the Huskies. Oregon sucks, their program is clearly on a downward trajectory while UW's looks like it's pointed skyward, but this is literally the duck's season. There are plenty of people associated with that program who remember what a real UW football team looks like and what it means to the conference. The hate from them is palpable. Wheaton will be playing closed loop on every screen in Eugene and former players will be in their collective ears. They are not going down without a serious fight.
Peterman said this team is very business like. We'll soon see. IMO, the current betting line is nowhere close to reflecting how far apart these teams really are. Bettors are considering recent history and mental factors. If the Huskies stay focused, don't let the hype around them go to their heads, prepare hard for the change in styles, and execute at a high level, they will win going away. If they show up as unprepared as they were for Arizona, let the hype get to them, or cinch up from the pressure, they're going to get embarrassed. Again, another LIPO #Proveit scenario.
First time ever that I quite on the team Yesterday at 9:33 AM (3 votes)
Since I attended Oregon in the 80's last night was the first time EVER I have turned the tv off and went to bed. When Helfrich punted the ball on like a 4th and 7 early in the fourth quarter while our defense couldn't stop a pop warner team I quit watching. First time I have ever done that, I don't care anymore. There is no way our defense was gonna stop anyone so why not go for it? Awful coaching, you should of just given them seven points. You got nothing to lose at that point so he should of rolled the dice and gone.,either way our defense wasn't stoping them so,field position was irrelevant
I'm done I don't care, if Helfrich is the coach I'm not involved in the game like I was. I saw this coming years ago, it wasn't hard and people let me have it especially the sunshine pumpers and now we have this dumpster of $hi! that is on fire all thanks to Helfrich and his "million little things" to work on. I could list how bad he messed it up and when I saw this coming. He had a lot of good players that covered his his ineptness and now that he has to coach we are doomed.
How can WSU and Colorado two schools that have never gotten within 20 spots of us in recruiting rankings FOR YEARS just utterly dominate us on the field on both sides of the field is the question you need to ask yourself today. That's coaching and that is development and we have neither. You can't fix those Helfrich because the issue has never been the kids it is you and the bad assistant coahces you got.
So im done investing my time into this product as I am sure many are. Nothing against the kids, I just feel bad they are stuck with this
wildcat33 352 posts 14 minutes ago via Mobile We will beat the Huskies this year. I remember the last time they won at Oregon they came out to the 49 ish and urinated on the O we sit on the 42 Yard Line behind the opposing bench. Coach New Weasel was there to. So let's knock them off there high horse HUCK THE FUSKIES Flag Quote ReplyQuote
Shit, I was there. Don't remember urinating on the O. If I would have known that was an option, I definitely would have.
Comments
Gaines is going to injure yet another player.
As old coach Baer of J-High would say back in the 80s, "Football is about the body count. You win the body count, you win the game."
(I think he was coach Baer's dad or uncle)
Hi Sark!
This season would become amazing if we beat UW. No sweeter victory in 13 years, IMO.
wildcat33 352 posts 14 minutes ago via Mobile
We will beat the Huskies this year. I remember the last time they won at Oregon they came out to the 49 ish and urinated on the O we sit on the 42 Yard Line behind the opposing bench. Coach New Weasel was there to. So let's knock them off there high horse HUCK THE FUSKIES
Flag Quote
ReplyQuote
IMO, this week is the biggest test of the season so far for the Huskies. Oregon sucks, their program is clearly on a downward trajectory while UW's looks like it's pointed skyward, but this is literally the duck's season. There are plenty of people associated with that program who remember what a real UW football team looks like and what it means to the conference. The hate from them is palpable. Wheaton will be playing closed loop on every screen in Eugene and former players will be in their collective ears. They are not going down without a serious fight.
Peterman said this team is very business like. We'll soon see. IMO, the current betting line is nowhere close to reflecting how far apart these teams really are. Bettors are considering recent history and mental factors. If the Huskies stay focused, don't let the hype around them go to their heads, prepare hard for the change in styles, and execute at a high level, they will win going away. If they show up as unprepared as they were for Arizona, let the hype get to them, or cinch up from the pressure, they're going to get embarrassed. Again, another LIPO #Proveit scenario.
Yesterday at 9:33 AM
(3 votes)
Since I attended Oregon in the 80's last night was the first time EVER I have turned the tv off and went to bed. When Helfrich punted the ball on like a 4th and 7 early in the fourth quarter while our defense couldn't stop a pop warner team I quit watching. First time I have ever done that, I don't care anymore. There is no way our defense was gonna stop anyone so why not go for it? Awful coaching, you should of just given them seven points. You got nothing to lose at that point so he should of rolled the dice and gone.,either way our defense wasn't stoping them so,field position was irrelevant
I'm done I don't care, if Helfrich is the coach I'm not involved in the game like I was. I saw this coming years ago, it wasn't hard and people let me have it especially the sunshine pumpers and now we have this dumpster of $hi! that is on fire all thanks to Helfrich and his "million little things" to work on. I could list how bad he messed it up and when I saw this coming. He had a lot of good players that covered his his ineptness and now that he has to coach we are doomed.
How can WSU and Colorado two schools that have never gotten within 20 spots of us in recruiting rankings FOR YEARS just utterly dominate us on the field on both sides of the field is the question you need to ask yourself today. That's coaching and that is development and we have neither. You can't fix those Helfrich because the issue has never been the kids it is you and the bad assistant coahces you got.
So im done investing my time into this product as I am sure many are. Nothing against the kids, I just feel bad they are stuck with this
Pete: "No. I don't know why I would do that."