Re: CFP QF: #5 Oregon v #4 Texas Tech (Jan. 1, Thu, 9 AM ESPN)
Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2026 8:16 pm
by GrantDuck
When was the last time we ran a legit halfback screen?
Any misdirection? Like we played one of those most aggressive defenses in CFB and we refuse to run a counter or reverse?
Something to counter the constant slanting Tech's front was doing into our runs?
Really pathetic answers from Will today.
Re: CFP QF: #5 Oregon v #4 Texas Tech (Jan. 1, Thu, 9 AM ESPN)
Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2026 8:17 pm
by buckmarkduck
GrantDuck wrote: Thu Jan 01, 2026 8:08 pm
I give Will Stein full credit for his QB development and general offensive gameplans, but his playcalling this year has been the worst it's been at Oregon. Especially in the red zone.
If we run one more sprint out right on a 4th and fucking short or screen pass on 1st down in the redzone, I will be in the mental hospital by February.
The 2nd and 3rd down play calls at the 2 yard line, were terrible. Then the 4 and goal call was as bad as I’ve seen. Why run right into the teeth of their D, when all we needed was 2 yards? Give it to hill going outside or throw a quick screen to Moore. Don’t keep running it into a brick wall, and then call a slow developing play on 4 down.
Re: CFP QF: #5 Oregon v #4 Texas Tech (Jan. 1, Thu, 9 AM ESPN)
Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2026 8:56 pm
by Phalanx
Finney had a game tonight that will be the stuff of Oregon legend. He was reminding me of Cliff Harris. Finney had 2 picks tonight, and Harris had two picks vs Auburn (one was taken away by a bad ref call). Add one fumble recovery and that performance has to be up there with the all-time games by a Duck.
Re: CFP QF: #5 Oregon v #4 Texas Tech (Jan. 1, Thu, 9 AM ESPN)
GrantDuck wrote: Thu Jan 01, 2026 8:08 pm
I give Will Stein full credit for his QB development and general offensive gameplans, but his playcalling this year has been the worst it's been at Oregon. Especially in the red zone.
If we run one more sprint out right on a 4th and fucking short or screen pass on 1st down in the redzone, I will be in the mental hospital by February.
The 2nd and 3rd down play calls at the 2 yard line, were terrible. Then the 4 and goal call was as bad as I’ve seen. Why run right into the teeth of their D, when all we needed was 2 yards? Give it to hill going outside or throw a quick screen to Moore. Don’t keep running it into a brick wall, and then call a slow developing play on 4 down.
This is one of the few things I will agree with. The short yardage play calling was predictable, and the red zone offense had been pretty bad all season
CFP QF: #5 Oregon v #4 Texas Tech (Jan. 1, Thu, 9 AM ESPN)
pezsez1 wrote: Thu Jan 01, 2026 2:42 pm
Is there any chance the offensive play calling was so blah/predictable/not optimal because Lanning knew our D would win this and we were trying to not put more on film for Indiana/Alabama?
Is there a chance that the tech defense was a good as advertised? The Ducks offense kept hurting themselves when they had long drives. You sound like OF4L. The Ducks have gone 25-2 over the last 2 seasons, with top 10 offenses both seasons. Bad games happen, but for some reason certain people in here want to blame the OC.
If our offense plays like that against Indiana we do not win. I understand The 25-2 record and this team has been great but it’d be delusional to not recognize our offense has struggled and shot themselves in the foot quite a bit in big games. Credit absolutely goes to Tech, that was the best front seven we’ve seen all season, but I guarantee you Dan/Stein and Dante are not happy with how the offense performed. Both of our TD’s came off of very short fields courtesy of the defense.
Against a much better offense in Indiana they’ll put up points and won’t give up such short fields.
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I'm just gonna say it. Anyone who is blaming Stein's play calling against a team with multiple all Americans and first round picks for the mental errors that took place is delusional
That’s such a bad take, look how many unforced errors Oregon made today, look at the receivers that were missed, the blown up screens, the lack of vertical passing game today even though it was working. I’m not the type of fan to nitpick stats or PFF grades, I saw with my own eyes an offense that underperformed and made multiple self inflicted wounds, similar to many other games this season. If Dante and Stein are happy with that offensive performance I would be very disappointed as a fan.
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It actually seems to be a take you kind of agree with. The unforced errors like the bad snaps and handoffs aren't things that Oregon has struggled with, that's not coaching, that's the players making mental mistakes. It seems that going downfield was an option, just that once again, Moore missed those opportunities. He missed Sadiq at least twice downfield, one of which would've been an easy touchdown. That's bad vision, that's been an issue all season long. Sometimes you just can't coach that into a kid. That's why we've all been saying that he isn't ready for the nfl. Moore saw the ball late on one that was slightly behind him and missed. The drop in the endzone was just a good defensive play. The plays were there, they just weren't executed.
All that being said, screens are a part of this offense, and yes, I actually do agree that they're used to much, but they help open up downfield passing as well as any run play.
I don’t disagree about Moore and the players messing up, but at a certain point the adults in the room need to take blame as this has been a recurring theme all season long. Indiana has a smaller playbook with very little formation changes yet they do what they do extremely well, they are literally a well oiled machine. Meanwhile Stein acts like he’s playing Madden drawing up cool gadgets plays that if executed properly would be amazing, but he’s coaching 18-22 year old kids with an offense that returns 1 starter, they are going to make mistakes and it seems like Will hasn’t figured that out yet.
Maybe instead of drawing up gadgets our players should be learning to execute one system that utilizes their talent to a near flawless level, not going out there running shotgun, then pistol, then under center, then wildcat, and on and on. And he needs to stop thinking the team relies on his pre snap eye candy to fool opposing defenses, it doesn’t work against a well coached and disciplined defense, instead focus on utilizing the talent he’s blessed to have with Moore and these receivers and the rest of the offense and take it to any opposing defense/secondary that thinks they can stop them.
Another thing I noticed about Stein is he overreact to bad plays which I think literally affects Dante’s head. One bad sack or interception and suddenly everything is short for a while, he’s not attacking the secondary. This further proves Will’s inability to embrace the mistake factor of college kids.
I’ve said this before but I truly believe Will’s true calling is to be an NFL OC, where he has professionals with continuity that can execute his gadget offense at a near perfect level. I know Will is really smart, but I think that’s his biggest weakness as a playcaller and it’s frustrating to see. Quit overthinking the offense and let Dante and the receivers challenge opposing secondaries.
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Re: CFP QF: #5 Oregon v #4 Texas Tech (Jan. 1, Thu, 9 AM ESPN)
Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2026 11:45 pm
by pezsez1
I'm clinging to the belief that Lanning determined early on that Texas Tech wasn't a threat against our defense and chose to go ultra vanilla on offense. I've thought about it all day and there's no other justification for Stein's playcalling. We were almost perfect when executing the short/immediate passing game, and yet Stein seemed to dial up everything but that. So he must be trying to hold back film from out next opponent to get a competitive edge.
Re: CFP QF: #5 Oregon v #4 Texas Tech (Jan. 1, Thu, 9 AM ESPN)
Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2026 12:40 am
by greenyellow
Re: CFP QF: #5 Oregon v #4 Texas Tech (Jan. 1, Thu, 9 AM ESPN)
Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2026 9:21 am
by duckpoint
So a friend (K-State fan) messaged me post game with this;
the last TD???
Vengeance, clout, statement or bad sportsmanship?
Does it lead to a Karma beat down against the hottest team next round?
My reply;
While Dan has been known to twist the knife out of vengence, I don't think that was the case. I think it was simply that they struggled running the ball in general and particularly in short yardage & red zone situations. I think it was just to practice that in a live game.
What do you guys think?
Re: CFP QF: #5 Oregon v #4 Texas Tech (Jan. 1, Thu, 9 AM ESPN)
Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2026 9:35 am
by QuackininBama
duckpoint wrote: Fri Jan 02, 2026 9:21 am
So a friend (K-State fan) messaged me post game with this;
the last TD???
Vengeance, clout, statement or bad sportsmanship?
Does it lead to a Karma beat down against the hottest team next round?
My reply;
While Dan has been known to twist the knife out of vengence, I don't think that was the case. I think it was simply that they struggled running the ball in general and particularly in short yardage & red zone situations. I think it was just to practice that in a live game.
What do you guys think?
That last touchdown was all about LAST week, had nothing to do with TT. While I am just a fan sitting here on my couch, I am guessing Lanning preached finishing all week long, finish the game. Could he have just sat on it? Sure, but how you going to preach finishing all week, then not finish as a coaching staff and call the scoring play? Had everything to do with that miserable, embarrassing second half against JMU, giving up 500 yards of offense. Oregon did not finish that game.
Just my humble opinion.
Re: CFP QF: #5 Oregon v #4 Texas Tech (Jan. 1, Thu, 9 AM ESPN)
duckpoint wrote: Fri Jan 02, 2026 9:21 am
So a friend (K-State fan) messaged me post game with this;
That last touchdown was all about LAST week, had nothing to do with TT. While I am just a fan sitting here on my couch, I am guessing Lanning preached finishing all week long, finish the game. Could he have just sat on it? Sure, but how you going to preach finishing all week, then not finish as a coaching staff and call the scoring play? Had everything to do with that miserable, embarrassing second half against JMU, giving up 500 yards of offense. Oregon did not finish that game.
Just my humble opinion.
Good point?
Re: CFP QF: #5 Oregon v #4 Texas Tech (Jan. 1, Thu, 9 AM ESPN)
Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2026 10:18 am
by Alan
duckpoint wrote: Fri Jan 02, 2026 9:21 am
So a friend (K-State fan) messaged me post game with this;
the last TD???
Vengeance, clout, statement or bad sportsmanship?
Does it lead to a Karma beat down against the hottest team next round?
My reply;
While Dan has been known to twist the knife out of vengence, I don't think that was the case. I think it was simply that they struggled running the ball in general and particularly in short yardage & red zone situations. I think it was just to practice that in a live game.
What do you guys think?
I think the mindset of coaching has changed a few years ago, has nothing to do with the portal or NIL, it is simply finish and perform. I heard this many years ago, “if you don’t want us to score…. Stop us.”
Re: CFP QF: #5 Oregon v #4 Texas Tech (Jan. 1, Thu, 9 AM ESPN)
Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2026 10:20 am
by Phalanx
My recollection is that the opposing coach was still calling timeouts and prevented Lanning from just running out the clock. It was 4th down and he either had to turn it over on downs, kick a field goal, or go for the 1-yd TD. His decision was the right one, IMO. I seem to remember Coach K getting mad at Dillon Brooks for the same thing in the NCAA tourney. I don't think the Tech coach was mad though. He could have conceded and he didn't, so it seems like Lanning's decision were more or less dictated by the situation.
Re: CFP QF: #5 Oregon v #4 Texas Tech (Jan. 1, Thu, 9 AM ESPN)
duckpoint wrote: Fri Jan 02, 2026 9:21 am
So a friend (K-State fan) messaged me post game with this;
the last TD???
Vengeance, clout, statement or bad sportsmanship?
Does it lead to a Karma beat down against the hottest team next round?
My reply;
While Dan has been known to twist the knife out of vengence, I don't think that was the case. I think it was simply that they struggled running the ball in general and particularly in short yardage & red zone situations. I think it was just to practice that in a live game.
What do you guys think?
I think the mindset of coaching has changed a few years ago, has nothing to do with the portal or NIL, it is simply finish and perform. I heard this many years ago, “if you don’t want us to score…. Stop us.”
Sure, maybe... I associate that mentality more with blow out games where 2nd & 3rd stringers continue to score and I'm all for it. This scenario had the appearance of having no purpose other than to run up the score to pad stats when taking 1 knee ends the game, particularly to outsiders.
Re: CFP QF: #5 Oregon v #4 Texas Tech (Jan. 1, Thu, 9 AM ESPN)
Sure, maybe... I associate that mentality more with blow out games where 2nd & 3rd stringers continue to score and I'm all for it. This scenario had the appearance of having no purpose other than to run up the score to pad stats when taking 1 knee ends the game, particularly to outsiders.
I don't know why people keep saying he should have taken a knee and let time expire. It was 4th down; that wasn't one of the options.
P.S. I guess I was wrong about Texas Tech calling timeout; it was Lanning, but he did it as the clock was expiring I think.
Re: CFP QF: #5 Oregon v #4 Texas Tech (Jan. 1, Thu, 9 AM ESPN)
Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2026 12:40 pm
by Phalanx
pezsez1 wrote: Thu Jan 01, 2026 11:45 pm
I'm clinging to the belief that Lanning determined early on that Texas Tech wasn't a threat against our defense and chose to go ultra vanilla on offense. I've thought about it all day and there's no other justification for Stein's playcalling. We were almost perfect when executing the short/immediate passing game, and yet Stein seemed to dial up everything but that. So he must be trying to hold back film from out next opponent to get a competitive edge.
Maybe, but if you can watch the game and make that determination, would not the Indiana coaches also get wise to the strategy? I mean, if Lanning was willing to pull out fake punts and going on 4th down, it seems like he wasn't doing a lot of hiding.
I do really want you to be right. I feel like Sadiq and Dak Moore are underutilized weapons the past few games and it would be cool if Coach Lanning was holding them in reserve until the moment they are needed. Or maybe they have just been dealing with injuries and not playing at full strength.