Badger Bits: Oregon defense "not concerned" with Wisconsin offensive line
by Sam Zastrow on Dec 14, 2011 9:03 AM CST
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I'm a firm believer that confidence will take you closer to where you want to be than most any other factor in life. That said, there is such a thing as too much confidence. It's a fine line, and you need to be able to walk it to reach your potential. Conversely, some members of Oregon's defense decided Tuesday to dance all over that line, and gave the Badgers' offensive line plenty of bulletin board material in doing so. Let's take a look at some of their comments.
"It's no concern," Oregon defensive end Terrell Turner said. "They are strong. We're going to be just as strong as them. Everyone always looks down on our D-line and we go in there and play as hard as we can."
This isn't a terrible start, but it might still raise some eyebrows. The boast about strength is understandable; you wouldn't expect him to say, "Yeah, they're stronger than us." But to express "no concern" whatsoever? Hmm.
"I'm not concerned at all," Oregon safety Eddie Pleasant said regarding defending Wisconsin's running game. "It's college football. We've played against big lines, big running backs the whole year."
Well, this one is a bit more troubling. Once again, the defensive player says he's "not concerned at all" with the Badgers' hulking offensive line and goes on to say the Badgers' power running game isn't anything special. I'll revisit and asses this claim a bit later.
"They're good," Remington said. "They finish blocks. But there are some pass protection issues."
Okay, I don't have a problem with this one because it's more or less true. The Badgers have struggled to protect Russell Wilson against top pass rush units all year. And to be fair, Isaac Remington (whom the previous quote was from), was very respectful in all of his quotes. The rest of the quoted Ducks, on the other hand ...
"We always play against big guys so I'm not really worried about it," he said. "I'm just going to play the same game I've played all year."
Once again, a not-so-subtle suggestion that Wisconsin's line isn't a concern for the Oregon defense (from Terrell Turner, this time). Let's take a look at some facts.
First of all, Oregon hasn't played against running game as decorated as Wisconsin's all season. Montee Ball, Peter Konz and Kevin Zeitler are all-Americans. Josh Oglesby was a first-team all-Big Ten honoree, and Ricky Wagner and Allen Frederick are no slouches, either.
Furthermore, Pleasant cited the claim that the Ducks had played against big lines all year as reasoning for his not being concerned with the Badgers offensive line. Though I don't have all the numbers in front of me, the biggest line Oregon faced all year was probably LSU's, which averages 315.2 pounds across. The Badgers' offensive line averages 322 pounds across, more than all but two college teams and all but two NFL teams. So no, Eddie, you haven't "played against big lines" all year. Not as big as Wisconsin's, at least. Oh, and Oregon lost to LSU, by the way.
I'm not saying the Badgers will win (Oregon's offense is pretty good too, it turns out), but I don't really think the Ducks will be able to stop Wisconsin's power running game. Only Ohio State held the Badgers under 100 rushing yards all season, and the Badgers had a season-low 29 attempts in that game. Additionally, the other three top-25 rushing attacks the Ducks have faced this season (LSU, Nevada and Stanford) averaged a whopping 195.7 rushing yards per game against them. The Badgers' run game averages 237.4 yards per game and ranks 11th in the nation.
It's tough to see why Turner and Pleasant are so confident in their ability to stop Wisconsin's running game in the face of such overwhelming evidence that suggests otherwise.
Links
Tom Oates thinks UW needs to throw fans a bone to keep attendance numbers high.
Fox Sports' Pete Schrager has Peter Konz going 20th overall in his very early mock draft.
The Badger basketball team held on to beat UW-Milwaukee last night despite a late shooting lapse.
In other hoops news, former Wisconsin forward Marcus Landry signed with the Phoenix Suns yesterday.
Bruce Feldman thinks the Rose Bowl is the second-most intriguing bowl matchup.
His colleague Dennis Dodd ranks it third.
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Comments like that amaze me
Moreso because you almost never hear stuff like that coming from the Badgers. Just seems like something more coaches would want to lock down on.
And for the record, the Ducks played 5 of the top 60 rushing offenses in the country this year, and gave up 177 YPG. Their worst game statistically was Nevada, where they 283 yards to the country’s 8th best rushing offense.
Bucky's 5th Quarter The best site for Badger news on the web!
If it made sense, it wouldn't be the BCS.
They've struggled against good rushing attacks all season
so why act like this now?
I’m with you, John. I just don’t get it.
We have not struggled all year long...
Oregon held each of those opponents to less than their averages in each case and almost alway by a full 1 yard per carry. See Stanford, USC, UCLA, and LSU. The only time we didn’t was against Nevada. So, saying we gave up 177 in those games is meaningless. Especially, since Oregon’s one outlier was against Nevada when we had scrubs in after the first half in a blow out.
The comments were innocuous. You haven’t heard a peep from our players all year long. This guys says we aren’t scared because we are strong too and it’s bulletin material?
"I love Oregon's obsolete recruiting report on an unhealthy level. Just more proof how balla Chip Kelly really is." Dr. Saturday
by BisonDucks on Dec 14, 2011 4:46 PM CST up reply actions 6 recs
Just make sure this understood,
LSU: 48 carries, 175 yards, 3.65 ypc vs Oregon
the average nearly 5 yards per carry on the season
Stanford: 35 carries, 129 yards, 3.69 ypc vs Oregon
over 5 yards per carry.
UCS: 38 carries, 139 yards, 3.66 ypc vs Oregon
Again, over 5 yards per carry on the season.
Our defense plays more plays than practically any other defense. So comments like they haven’t been strong, so why are they saying this makes sense from our perspective. We lost to USC because Barkley probably played the best game of his career. LSU was 4 turnovers with three coming on a short field. One was a fumble six.
"I love Oregon's obsolete recruiting report on an unhealthy level. Just more proof how balla Chip Kelly really is." Dr. Saturday
by BisonDucks on Dec 14, 2011 5:00 PM CST up reply actions 4 recs
I think I get it.
Look at the difference in coaches. I think that says it all.
by JimmytheRed on Dec 14, 2011 10:28 AM CST up reply actions
I'm not sure where this is coming from.
Nothing about Chip Kelly has demonstrated a cocky team attitude or a lack of respect for other opponents. I’d like to know what makes you say this. I don’t think what the players said is all that egregious, but it was them by themselves, not because the coach allows it. Both coaches, IMO, are stand up men and great leaders.
"It's not about style. It's about winning the game. That's it." - Chip Kelly
by Duckfanatic10 on Dec 14, 2011 2:19 PM CST up reply actions 5 recs
If anything, Chip Kelly is almost always effusive in his praise and respect for other teams & players
And would pull the ear off any player who wasn’t, although not publicly. You can be sure if someone said something stupid that player would be hearing about it.
Oregon loves you, Chip Kelly!
by gamedaytribe on Dec 17, 2011 11:24 AM CST up reply actions 2 recs
Great comparison Nevada ranked 8th in rushing with RB named M. Ball
UW is ranked 10th in rushing with RB named M.Ball
unfortunately Nevada lost 69-20 and starters were pulled to start 4th qtr.
You guys gave up 190 yards to Michigan St. a team that averages only 143 yards on the ground
and your rushing total was 126 yards.
What these guys see is a team that is good in the 1st qtr. then they tire out
Ducks play 25 guys on defense and will be unrelenting in the 2nd half.
Then theres the offense
by Hey4Ducks on Dec 14, 2011 4:50 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs
“Nameless, faceless opponents”.
It’s a common theme from our coaching staff and players. It’s how they prepare every week. As a Duck fan, I can tell you I’m sure there was no disrespect intended.
Life is about growth. People are not perfect when they're 21 years old. - Bill Walton
by NEP on Dec 14, 2011 10:05 AM CST via iPhone app reply actions 5 recs
I'm with this guy.
From the outside looking in, and with no dog in this fight whatsoever, I don’t see this as being something to get worked up about. Now if they came right out and said, “Montee Ball isn’t very good and we will stop him without trying, in fact, probably only using 9 guys on defense for this game, I mean, we played Oregon State and they were much better, Russell Wilson is terrible and nobody likes cheese therefore Wisconsin is a stupid state and really who listens to House of Pain anyway?” then I’d understand the Badgers taking issue…
…but keeping an even-keeled approach regardless of the opponent? Not even remotely offensive. Dude never said, “We’ve played bigGER lines all season,” he simply said they’ve played big ones — because everyone outside of the service academies and 1AA has a relatively ‘big’ O-line. “No concern” means not being totally worked up into a fear-driven frenzy — but rather being focused solely on the task at hand (read: execution execution execution).
That being said...
…some Duck player will undoubtedly drop a quote later today that mirrors what I put in that first paragraph, and … well… yeah, then I’m with you guys.
some Duck player will undoubtedly drop a quote later today
We don’t deal in hypotheticals, in fact, we’re almost famous for not dealing in hypotheticals.
.
"What you are entrusted to do as a coach is to create an environment where your players have a chance to be successful." CHIP KELLY
by Famous Duck on Dec 14, 2011 4:10 PM CST up reply actions 5 recs
Where’s Kash when we need him? maybe we could sneak him down to Pasedena in The Duck costume.
Life is about growth. People are not perfect when they're 21 years old. - Bill Walton
by NEP on Dec 14, 2011 4:47 PM CST up reply actions 5 recs
Awwww...
¡Me gustan las tortugas!
And Cliff Harris was like, "VRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
by DuckUntilDeath on Dec 14, 2011 4:50 PM CST up reply actions 5 recs
The was rec'tastic.
"I love Oregon's obsolete recruiting report on an unhealthy level. Just more proof how balla Chip Kelly really is." Dr. Saturday
by BisonDucks on Dec 14, 2011 4:48 PM CST up reply actions 4 recs
Not that pregame banter has ever been truly make-or-break for any team ...
but it still doesn’t make much sense to me from an Oregon standpoint. I agree that the comments are pretty mild, but you have to know that anything other than “they’ve been great all season, we’re excited for the challenge” is going to be played out as a sign of disrespect.
In any case, it isn’t going to affect how either team is going to play on the field. This is the Rose Bowl after all. It does add an extra layer of intrigue for fans, which is good enough for me.
It’s the same questions they hear before every Stanford game. Eventually anyone is gonna be like ‘I don’t care. Whatever. We’re good too.’
Life is about growth. People are not perfect when they're 21 years old. - Bill Walton
by NEP on Dec 14, 2011 11:14 AM CST via iPhone app up reply actions 5 recs
Stanford, LSU, Auburn, Ohio State, ad nauseum
I think you have to take into context the fact that Oregon’s line keeps getting told this over and over and over. Especially the big games like the Natty and the Rose Bowl, where there’s a lot of time to fill, a hell of a lot of media focus and a lot of uninformed journalists. I can imagine just how aggravated I’d be over 24 months of this constantly being rubbed in my face, especially when it’s portrayed as the factor that cost the Ducks the RB, the Natty, …
Oregon loves you, Chip Kelly!
by gamedaytribe on Dec 17, 2011 11:27 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Respect for one's opponents is inherent in the "Nameless, faceless opponents" doctrine, which is preached heavily at the UofO. I echo NEP's sentiment that no disrespect was meant.
The media is looking for a soundbite. The game won’t be played until January 2nd. There’s a lot of column space and air time to fill in between now and then. After watching countless pre/post practice and game interviews, my guess is this was a quote taken out of context. Likely, the question that was asked (300 times of each player and probably not once by the apprentice beat writer who wrote the article), “Wisconsin’s big O-line has to concern you. What are you doing to prepare for them?” I bet that was the initial phrasing rather than , “Are you intimidated by the size of Wisconsin’s O-line?”, which is what the phrasing of the article implies. The beat writer also points out their answers may have something to do with being asked the same question over and over again.
There is no question Wiscy’s O-line is the biggest (or one of the biggest) Oregon will face. Two questions pop into my head. One, are they bigger to a statistically significant amount? My guess would be no. Two, are the fundamentals and special techniques players can use when outmatched in size, etc. going to be rendered useless? Again, my guess would be no.
¡Me gustan las tortugas!
And Cliff Harris was like, "VRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
by DuckUntilDeath on Dec 14, 2011 4:06 PM CST up reply actions 5 recs
I dont intend to pile on,
But I understand how some not familiar with the UO program could see the “nameless…” motto as disrespectful. There is no disrespect intended, it is just the way the team prepares. Many of the players stated in interviews throughout the season that they didnt even know which opponent they were playing after the current team they were preparing for.
Winners of the Platypus trophy!
by CaDuck on Dec 15, 2011 4:41 PM CST up reply actions 4 recs
not worried? you better start!
are you kidding me! you have not and i say this with great emphasis you have not seen a offense like this! this is the type of offense tht will ware you down and beat you up. we run extremly well and the play action is devestating to a defense! when this team gets going there will be alot of gasping on the defense. and if you think tht oregons coaches are going to let you run tht fast ofense the whole game then your just plain blind! 1 or 2 stops on oregons offense and the ducks are going to be in serious trouble. defense back on the field again, and what will you see, here comes the run pounding right down your throat, so if your going to hang with the badgers tell your coaches dont run tht high octain offense,it will, and i say this again, it will kill you defense.
by Raymond Tippett on Dec 14, 2011 10:17 AM CST reply actions
You are aware....
The Ducks practice against the Oregon ofense everyday in pratice, trust me the speed of the Badgers ofense will be a nice walk in the park. Sorry as fast as you think you ofense moves the Ducks move faster. Because of the pace the Ducks move on ofense the defense rotate 25 guys through the course of the game. When you want to see a winded team look to your Badgers in the 3rd quarter, your defense as all others have will suck wind.
by Autzen on Dec 15, 2011 11:19 AM CST up reply actions 4 recs
Ok, I thought the original post was a reach at best
And I can understand Oregon fans responding. But this is silly.
Plus, you should really make friends with the comma. And no offense, but offense has two f’s.
Step Two: Develop an organizational plan
by Shanghai Badger on Dec 15, 2011 3:53 PM CST up reply actions
What’s your take on the use of coordinating conjunctions at the start of sentences?
Ivon Padilla-Rodriguez's #1 fan
by Bill Musgrave on Dec 15, 2011 6:58 PM CST up reply actions 7 recs
and I didn't think you were a grammer nazi.
But I was wrong!
scrappy
by Honka Playboy on Dec 15, 2011 11:46 PM CST up reply actions 4 recs
"The defense's case does NOT hold water. The defense is WRONG."
/mycousinvinnie’d
"What you are entrusted to do as a coach is to create an environment where your players have a chance to be successful." CHIP KELLY
by Famous Duck on Dec 16, 2011 12:14 AM CST up reply actions 3 recs
Well, aaraaawarwwrgggg, you at least have to capitalize that shit.
We’re gonna get tossed out of here for hideous grammar, man, let’s get our shit together.
Ivon Padilla-Rodriguez's #1 fan
by Bill Musgrave on Dec 16, 2011 2:19 AM CST up reply actions 3 recs
Way to miss the point, all of you
I’ve more or less said twice before now that even posting the Oregon quotes was making something out of nothing.
It seems that the original poster got the overreaction that he was looking for – from a handful of Oregon fans riding to the “deffense” of their team.
Step Two: Develop an organizational plan
by Shanghai Badger on Dec 16, 2011 8:17 AM CST up reply actions
HOW DARE YOU SIR
I defy you to point out a single instance where I have posted anything remotely coherent, let alone defended my team. Are you accusing me of attempting rational thought?
Anyway… leaving the sarcasm steam room for a minute, wearing a towel of course now that I recognize this is a different culture here… We’re kidding around man, we get your point, and appreciate your comment on the relatively benign nature of the “bulletin board” material. In case its not clear, most of us think this is a pretty even matchup, are concerned about your offense, recognize your offensive line, and don’t think our pace is the end all be all… particularly those who have watched enough to realize Chip has purposefully slowed it down this year, for whatever reason is in his diabolical mind. We do tend to defend our defense, as the ESPN level opinion is that it is “terrible” when statistically it is actually “above average” or “purty good”.
Please take both our postings and our greening of the site with a grain of salt, we are trying to engage some banter and failing miserably.
And now I would appreciate a thorough review of my grammar.
Ivon Padilla-Rodriguez's #1 fan
by Bill Musgrave on Dec 16, 2011 1:21 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs
Tsk, tsk.
a handful of Oregon fans riding to the "deffense" of their team.
As you will probably note by my spelling, the word ‘defense’, when spelled correctly has only one (1) ‘f.’
"What you are entrusted to do as a coach is to create an environment where your players have a chance to be successful." CHIP KELLY
by Famous Duck on Dec 16, 2011 5:39 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs
The ironnny, the ironnnny...
Or should that be ironinny?
Oregon loves you, Chip Kelly!
by gamedaytribe on Dec 17, 2011 11:33 AM CST up reply actions 2 recs
Ironinny?
¡Me gustan las tortugas!
And Cliff Harris was like, "VRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
by DuckUntilDeath on Dec 19, 2011 2:02 PM CST up reply actions
It's a long slow boring month before the RB. I suspect things will deteriorate further
before the month is out. Oh, hey, look! Wait! A bowl game coming up! RUUUUSSSHHHHHEESSS TO TV.
Oregon loves you, Chip Kelly!
by gamedaytribe on Dec 17, 2011 11:34 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Give him an 'F.' Give him a 'U.' Ooops, wait. Wrong meme....just give him the 'f.'
"What you are entrusted to do as a coach is to create an environment where your players have a chance to be successful." CHIP KELLY
by Famous Duck on Dec 15, 2011 7:29 PM CST up reply actions 4 recs
Those comments could be construed as a little whistling in the dark,
but I think fans make more of that stuff than players do. What do you expect them to say? Aw shucks, we better get our roller skates ready . . ..
I don’t think the Ducks will “shut down” Wisconsin’s run game, but the UO game plan is predicated on creating pressure on the other team by scoring points in bunches and getting you out of the running game. Once that happens, teams can run the ball all they want, but they usually can’t score enough points doing that to get back in the game.
If Oregon allows Wisconsin to run and pass, ala the USC game, Wisconsin wins.
by AtticusDuck on Dec 14, 2011 10:26 AM CST reply actions 5 recs
nope!
im not whistling , look it will be a great game but i also see the full view of things oregon relys on fast pace game i have watched enough of them to know tht. but if there is 1or 2 3 and out it will be bad news for the ducks, wis is built for long hard pounding drives eat the clock ware out the defense there playing and leave the offense off the field. oregon is a fast base team, if they get stoped then here comes your defense back on the field again long hard drives with tht said what does tht equal?
by Raymond Tippett on Dec 14, 2011 10:33 AM CST up reply actions
I was referring to the Duck players comments
Ducks are last in the nation in TOP so I don’t think wearing them out is really going to happen, unless the Ducks don’t score points. In the 2009 RB, tOSU had a massive TOP advantage, but it was the Ducks inability to put points on the board, not necessarily tOSU playing keep away, that decided the game. From the Ducks perspective it is not so much how long you have the ball, but what you do with it when you do.
by AtticusDuck on Dec 14, 2011 11:00 AM CST up reply actions 5 recs
To answer your point re: "long, hard drives"
We are near or at the top of the nation in scoring drives under 1 minute and under 2 minutes. It goes without saying that this causes our defense to be on the field disproportionately. To combat this, Oregon uses a combination of conditioning and rotation to keep the defense fresh.
¡Me gustan las tortugas!
And Cliff Harris was like, "VRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
by DuckUntilDeath on Dec 14, 2011 4:15 PM CST up reply actions 4 recs
If you want 'long, hard, drives' you should really try HoodRiverDucks 'BonerPillz.'
Come and check out his ads. The Mastercardz and the Vistas are aksepted and the Playpalz too. Come to AtQ.
"What you are entrusted to do as a coach is to create an environment where your players have a chance to be successful." CHIP KELLY
by Famous Duck on Dec 16, 2011 5:32 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
I don't think that any of these are a big deal.
Step Two: Develop an organizational plan
by Shanghai Badger on Dec 14, 2011 10:28 AM CST reply actions
You damn right we're concerned about the Offensive Line of Wisconsin! That's why the media keeps asking the question.
We’re concerned about the whole offense, And don’t forget the defense. And those guys on special teams. They’re going to kick Duck ass all over the field. That’s what these defensive players have been constantly getting asked by the media. Like, “Hey, Dude, you better stay home if you don’t want a good ass-kickin’.” We’ve been hearing this type of questioning for the last several years and we still pretty much keep on winning 9 out of every 10 games we play, no brag, just fact. The real fact is, we CAN’T CHANGE the size of your O Line. We just have to do what we do and it has nothing to do with lack of respect. We wouldn’t mind winning the Rose Bowl but we don’t want the win if we have to give up our integrity to do it. The win has to come from the inside. If we worry about ‘size’ or in fact anything that we cannot change, then we are already losing on the inside, right. OK, then, let’s have a good game.
"What you are entrusted to do as a coach is to create an environment where your players have a chance to be successful." CHIP KELLY
by Famous Duck on Dec 14, 2011 10:45 AM CST reply actions 5 recs
Just mention they're slow white guys...that's what they hear
year in and year out. I mentioned that the OLBs (not the team, not the skill players but the OLBs) looked slow to the edge on another forum and they just freaked out. I was like, “wait, wait a minute I am not saying your slow – you have a 245 pound OLB is all and that might not be good in space is all.”
"I love Oregon's obsolete recruiting report on an unhealthy level. Just more proof how balla Chip Kelly really is." Dr. Saturday
by BisonDucks on Dec 14, 2011 4:51 PM CST up reply actions 5 recs
This is the worst thread in the history of this site
Wow. Just ridiculously bad posts. Somebody tell me this is some kind of weird hoax.
I'm not concerned with the quality of the posts.
Ivon Padilla-Rodriguez's #1 fan
by Bill Musgrave on Dec 14, 2011 8:27 PM CST up reply actions 4 recs
Perhaps someone astute could provide a 'history of this site' that we could concur? Or not.
"What you are entrusted to do as a coach is to create an environment where your players have a chance to be successful." CHIP KELLY
by Famous Duck on Dec 15, 2011 7:31 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs
Perhaps we should just concede before the game even starts and admit that the Badgers are the greatest team in the history of pig-skin football.
"I don't do well with pain medicine."
by TennesseeQuackAttack8 on Dec 14, 2011 9:40 PM CST reply actions 5 recs
Can I just rec every post
so the whole screen is lime green? I’m getting hungry for some key lime pie
by AtticusDuck on Dec 15, 2011 12:38 AM CST reply actions 4 recs
if badger fans are looking for a nice theme song with some bounce and raw...
check out BABU (from Dialted People) “Big Duck Hunt” on Duck Season Vol 2
Line the Ducks Up, Line the Ducks Up…. I call this the Big Duck Hunt…
they got a full scale war with that one duck.
Good luck Badgers, it’s open season!
Everyone hates Texas, even though every college team has a player from Texas.
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