Oregon vs Boise State official game thread!

[woundedknees]

I put down 20 on the line at the "M" tonight, in Vegas (Still -4.5 BSU), and another 20 on the Ducks to win the PAC10 (7-1)...

Be home Thursday in time to watch the game.

[DuxMan]

Code: Select all

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I don't know if that code worked but it would be a good banner for the website...

[NCDucks09]

I can't believe BSU is favored... Feels like a total slap in the face...don't the Odds Makers know how frig'n good we are this year?

P.S. Kirk Herbstreit can suck my you know what...

[DuxMan]

I can't believe BSU is favored... Feels like a total slap in the face...don't the Odds Makers know how frig'n good we are this year?

P.S. Kirk Herbstreit can suck my you know what...

I enjoy being the "underdog"... When we win it feels a lot better and the people who said we are not going to win can just bury themselves in shame.

[duckgrad99]

I cannot believe the start of the season is just about here. I'm excited, but nervous at the same time. I really don't know what to expect in this first game.

[karlhungis]

I can't believe BSU is favored... Feels like a total slap in the face...don't the Odds Makers know how frig'n good we are this year?

P.S. Kirk Herbstreit can suck my you know what...

Cowherd picked BSU this morning too. His reasoning is that we are BSU's biggest game by a mile and we have bigger games left on our schedule. While that may be true, I don't think he put enough value in the fact that Chip is going to be out to make a statement in his first game. The fact that he sounds very confident in where we are as a team and is ready for Thursday makes me think that BSU is going to get smoked. We'll see what happens, but I do not see us losing this game.

[wheaton4prez]

Just goes to show how bad the pundits reasoning can be. There is no way that Oregon is over-looking this game. So, relative importance compared to the rest of the schedule is not a factor. Whatever happens, it will involve a fully aware Oregon.

Did "the other guy" in that show pick Oregon to win? I'm pretty sure that they script that commentary at times to have one guy pick each team and just repeat the most available pro argument going around for that side.

[monster]

Nah, both commentators picked Boise.

I've said it before, but once more: teams always make mistakes in the first game and if there is one game where coaching is less important than talent, relative to other games during the season, it's game one. Ergo, the bigger, faster, stronger team wins. GO DUCKS!

[dthomas=ddixon]

42-17 Ducks

We are by far the better team. Only way it's close is if we choke it away & play terrible. I highly doubt thats gonna happen. If we just play how we're capable of, not even close to a perfect game, we will come away with an easy win. Our D will be improved & wreak havock on that small, slow BSu offense. Moore has no one to throw to & no one to hand off to. Our Offense will just do what it does but this year with a much improved passing game....Boise has no idea what they're about to face. It's gonna be great!

[OregonMAX]

Nah, both commentators picked Boise.

I've said it before, but once more: teams always make mistakes in the first game and if there is one game where coaching is less important than talent, relative to other games during the season, it's game one. Ergo, the bigger, faster, stronger team wins. GO DUCKS!

I would actually say that the 1st or 2nd game of the season is the most likely for a team to get upset by a team they should beat. I think in the first couple games of the year a worse team can sometimes take advantage of mistakes made by a better team, like in the Purdue game last year. That makes me a little nervous for this game, but I don't think Kelly will let mistakes happen and I think we win handily.

[karlhungis]

Nah, both commentators picked Boise.

I've said it before, but once more: teams always make mistakes in the first game and if there is one game where coaching is less important than talent, relative to other games during the season, it's game one. Ergo, the bigger, faster, stronger team wins. GO DUCKS!

I would actually say that the 1st or 2nd game of the season is the most likely for a team to get upset by a team they should beat. I think in the first couple games of the year a worse team can sometimes take advantage of mistakes made by a better team, like in the Purdue game last year. That makes me a little nervous for this game, but I don't think Kelly will let mistakes happen and I think we win handily.

It sure seems like there is a level of focus right now that is beyond what we normally see from our team before the first game. The practice reports sound like we are practicing at another level right now. I think this will be a statement game.

[NCDucks09]

Nah, both commentators picked Boise.

I've said it before, but once more: teams always make mistakes in the first game and if there is one game where coaching is less important than talent, relative to other games during the season, it's game one. Ergo, the bigger, faster, stronger team wins. GO DUCKS!

Doesn't this same reasoning apply to Boise as well? I mean, it's their first game too, they will make mistakes also. This would create a wash effect, like offsetting penalties. Really, the only advantage BSU has is Home Field, where their vaunted 61-2 record is only 2-2 against BCS teams. And, I don't even think they've played a ranked team at home.

Maybe the odds makers and national media are all hyping up a BSU win to make a lot of Duck fans some money...? Conspiracy Theory....lol

[VinnyKnuckles]

Our D will be improved & wreak havock on that small, slow BSu offense. Moore has no one to throw to & no one to hand off to.

There isn't really as big of a size and speed disparity as you are implying, if you believe the numbers at least.

At the risk of sounding like a Boise State apologist, let me give a few examples. Two of the three Boise State starting receivers are bigger than all three of Oregon's starting receivers. Their tight end is slightly bigger than Dickson. They have a very good 6'2", 240 pound fullback that certainly isn't small. Other than Asper, who is the only really jumbo sized starter on the offensive line for either team, the Boise State offensive line will look very similar size wise to the average Oregon offensive lineman. The only offensive position where the Ducks have a glaring size advantage is running back due to Blount. In keeping with this size theme on the defensive side of the ball, Boise State actually has a significantly bigger starting defensive line in terms of weight, outweighing the Oregon starting defensive linemen by an average of 20 pounds per player. Boise State's starting linebackers are bigger (although Paysinger actually weighs more than his listed weight, so it is closer to a push) and their safeties are bigger. If anything, in terms of starters at least, Boise State seems to have the bigger lineup.

Regarding speed, there is no reason to classify Boise State as being overly slow on offense. Jeremy Avery will probably the be the second fastest running back the Ducks face this season, behind Best. Titus Young will be right up there with the fastest receivers the Ducks face this season. They have a couple of backup running backs (Harper and Martin) that are also very fast and capable of going the distance any time they touch the ball, if the Ducks give them an opening. The Boise State offensive line wasn't very good last year and didn't give them many openings, due in large part to being so inexperienced. Hopefully the Ducks can similarly stuff their running game this year, without getting burnt doing it this time. The big difference in speed is I don't think Boise State can match the Ducks' depth of speed. They don't have tight ends that run as fast as wide receivers like Dickson and Dion Jordan and probably don't have any 3rd string receivers as fast as Tyrece Gaines. What they do have is a handful of players that would match up pretty well with Oregon's handful of fastest players. Since you can only play so many players at once, having a few really fast players is all they need to make the Ducks have to respect their speed.

Also, Moore does have some players to throw to. Austin Pettis is a very good receiver that would definitely be in the mix for a starting spot if he played for the Ducks. Trust me, if Rory Cavaille and Garrett Embry are in the mix for starting spots, Pettis would be favored to beat both of them out. The aforementioned Titus Young is a serious deep threat, but is one dimensional. He supposedly has worked on becoming a more complete receiver during camp. If he has succeeded in this (hopefully not), he could be a tough receiver to cover. Needless to say, Boise State's tight ends and big fullback are also very capable targets in the passing game (refer to Boise State vs. Oregon last season).

Don't get me wrong, just because I am pointing these things out doesn't mean I am picking Boise State to win this game. I actually am a little more optimistic about the Ducks winning than I thought I would be a few months ago, simply because I am wearing my green colored glasses and buying into the notion that this has been the best camp in Oregon history. I shudder to think about what kind of meltdown there will be on Oregon message boards if the Ducks don't get the 'W' though since most Duck fans I come across have convinced themselves that Boise State is so physically outmatched it shouldn't be a contest.

[autzenzoo]

Is LJ going to be returning kickoffs this year?

[VinnyKnuckles]

Yeah, WT3 and LaMichael are listed as the primary kick returners on the depth chart, with Kenjon Barner also expected to get some opportunities.