Ducks #23 in Athlon Way-Too-Early Top 25 (& #24 in Mandel's)

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Greenblood
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Ducks #23 in Athlon Way-Too-Early Top 25 (& #24 in Mandel's)

Post by Greenblood »

https://athlonsports.com/college-footba ... op-25-2018

23. Oregon
The Mario Cristobal era officially begins in Eugene in 2018. While Cristobal worked as the Oregon head coach for the Las Vegas Bowl, this offseason is his first opportunity to put his stamp on the program. Cristobal isn’t taking over a major rebuilding project either, as this team has enough talent to push for eight or nine wins next fall. Running back Royce Freeman expired his eligibility after the 2017 season, but the offense should continue to thrive behind quarterback Justin Herbert. With Freeman moving on, Tony Brooks-James and Darrian Felix are the top options at running back, while the receiving corps is set to lose Charles Nelson (32 catches in 2017). The Ducks are set to return four starters up front, with left tackle Tyrell Crosby the lone departure from the starting group in the Las Vegas Bowl. Coordinator Jim Leavitt helped Oregon cut its scoring defense average from 41.4 points per game in 2016 to 29 in 2017. Keeping Leavitt in Eugene was a priority, and the former USF head coach is back for 2018. Leavitt’s work with the defense should continue next fall, as the Ducks return standouts in linebacker Troy Dye and linebacker Jalen Jelks, along with cornerback Thomas Graham after a promising freshman campaign. A key scheduling note for Oregon in 2018: Stanford and Washington both visit Eugene.

Here's Mandel's: https://theathletic.com/206571/2018/01/ ... -for-2018/
Last edited by Greenblood on Tue Jan 09, 2018 11:45 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Hoagduck
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Re: Ducks @ #23 in Athlon Way-Too-Early Top 25

Post by Hoagduck »

There's no question that injuries caused this team to massively underperform, and an easy schedule paves the way to at least 8-9 wins next year, but this is still real flattering.
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Re: Ducks @ #23 in Athlon Way-Too-Early Top 25

Post by GrantDuck »

Injuries were not bad this year outside of Herbert.

I think it's entirely reasonable to expect 9-10 wins next season. Our schedule is soft as butter.
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Re: Ducks #23 in Athlon Way-Too-Early Top 25

Post by Juice »

Healthy herbert = 10 wins or bust
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Re: Ducks #23 in Athlon Way-Too-Early Top 25

Post by Greenblood »

Interesting Moseley response tweet from a few minutes ago, only because I never think of him as making such public statements about the Ducks:

"Agreed. I’m far from an objective observer but the ceiling for this team *potentially* is really high. My office mates can vouch for how long I’ve been eyeing 2018 as the year the Ducks get back into the national elite."
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Re: Ducks @ #23 in Athlon Way-Too-Early Top 25

Post by wlduck »

GrantDuck wrote:Injuries were not bad this year outside of Herbert.

I think it's entirely reasonable to expect 9-10 wins next season. Our schedule is soft as butter.
This. 9 wins should be the bare minimum.

Also, 2019's schedule will be as tough as 2018's is easy. Open with Auburn in Dallas, Stanford and WA on the road, and add SC back in. We could have Herbert back as a senior and still have a harder time winning 10 than 2018.
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Re: Ducks #23 in Athlon Way-Too-Early Top 25

Post by karlhungis »

Honestly with all of the turnover and how we finished the season, we don't deserve a top 25 rating. I wouldn't be surprised if we end up with another 7 win season. We will have no depth at QB, still no real WR corps, an unproven head coach, an unproven OC, and for the first time in a long time we don't look great at RB.

Sure, we are bringing in a good class but they will be to young to expect anything from. I just don't have a lot of optimism for next year
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Re: Ducks #23 in Athlon Way-Too-Early Top 25

Post by Duck07 »

karlhungis wrote:Honestly with all of the turnover and how we finished the season, we don't deserve a top 25 rating. I wouldn't be surprised if we end up with another 7 win season. We will have no depth at QB, still no real WR corps, an unproven head coach, an unproven OC, and for the first time in a long time we don't look great at RB.

Sure, we are bringing in a good class but they will be to young to expect anything from. I just don't have a lot of optimism for next year
Well you didn't bring up the defense at all and I've got a feeling we're going to be pretty darn good on that side of the ball next season.
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Re: Ducks #23 in Athlon Way-Too-Early Top 25

Post by Phenom »

We will be challenging for a Pac-12 title as long as Herbert is healthy and Cristobal doesn't suck.
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OregonFan4Life
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Re: Ducks #23 in Athlon Way-Too-Early Top 25

Post by OregonFan4Life »

Kinda surprised to see this after the Vegas Bowl. That was a really bad showing by Oregon.
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Re: Ducks #23 in Athlon Way-Too-Early Top 25

Post by UOducksTK1 »

OregonFan4Life wrote:Kinda surprised to see this after the Vegas Bowl. That was a really bad showing by Oregon.
Same.

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Re: Ducks #23 in Athlon Way-Too-Early Top 25

Post by Phenom »

OregonFan4Life wrote:Kinda surprised to see this after the Vegas Bowl. That was a really bad showing by Oregon.
Doubt too many people saw it. At the end of the day we lost by 10 to a 10 win team that has a recent history of being good while going through a top of transitions.
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Re: Ducks #23 in Athlon Way-Too-Early Top 25

Post by Bud Lee »

Sept. 1 Bowling Green WIN
Sept. 8 Portland State WIN
Sept. 15 San Jose State WIN
Sept. 22 Stanford LOSE
Sept. 29 at California WIN
Oct. 6 OPEN
Oct. 13 Washington WIN
Oct. 20 at Washington State LOSE
Oct. 27 at Arizona WIN
Nov. 3 UCLA WIN
Nov. 10 at Utah WIN
Nov. 17 Arizona State WIN
Nov. 23 (Fri.) at Oregon State WIN
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OregonFan4Life
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Re: Ducks #23 in Athlon Way-Too-Early Top 25

Post by OregonFan4Life »

Bud Lee wrote:Sept. 1 Bowling Green WIN
Sept. 8 Portland State WIN
Sept. 15 San Jose State WIN
Sept. 22 Stanford LOSE
Sept. 29 at California WIN
Oct. 6 OPEN
Oct. 13 Washington WIN
Oct. 20 at Washington State LOSE
Oct. 27 at Arizona WIN
Nov. 3 UCLA WIN
Nov. 10 at Utah WIN
Nov. 17 Arizona State WIN
Nov. 23 (Fri.) at Oregon State WIN
Seeing that lousy schedule, Oregon could go undefeated and still not make the playoffs. If they go undefeated (which I highly doubt they do), they’ll need USC to also be highly ranked in the conference championship game. What a bad schedule.
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Re: Ducks #23 in Athlon Way-Too-Early Top 25

Post by Juice »

OregonFan4Life wrote:
Bud Lee wrote:Sept. 1 Bowling Green WIN
Sept. 8 Portland State WIN
Sept. 15 San Jose State WIN
Sept. 22 Stanford LOSE
Sept. 29 at California WIN
Oct. 6 OPEN
Oct. 13 Washington WIN
Oct. 20 at Washington State LOSE
Oct. 27 at Arizona WIN
Nov. 3 UCLA WIN
Nov. 10 at Utah WIN
Nov. 17 Arizona State WIN
Nov. 23 (Fri.) at Oregon State WIN
Seeing that lousy schedule, Oregon could go undefeated and still not make the playoffs. If they go undefeated (which I highly doubt they do), they’ll need USC to also be highly ranked in the conference championship game. What a bad schedule.
lol that's a bit of an overreaction. It's a bad schedule no doubt, but we will finish top 4 if we go undefeated.
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