OD always said that Helfrich was the next step in the Oregon evolution.

[outofyourmind]

Pretty much every Oregon fan was in agreement.
I'm not sold on that.

 

[Red_Alert]

Good coordinators don't automatically translate to good head coaches.

 

[eaterfan]

I'm not sure how much of this is Helfrich's fault and how much is just the natural rise and fall of programs. But IMO both he and Shaw are not as good of coaches as their predecessors. The mark of the decline of a program isn't that they stop winning the big games. It's when they start losing to teams who aren't elite. Oregon is certainly coming back to the Pac. They are still a formidable opponent and the best team in the Pac but they aren't invincible anymore. Now watch them go out and take apart my Bruins in a week.

 

[fordman84]

Good coordinators don't automatically translate to good head coaches.

GatorChip likes this

and so do all UF fans.

 

[Ironbreaker]

They are still the best team in the Pac .

Based on what? Not winning the pac the last 2 years when they were heavily favored to do so? This year will be strike 3...


It's so funny watching people ignore Stanford and believe the espin hype every year.

 

[michaeljordan_fan]

There were plenty of Duck fans who werent sold on Helfrich. Of course they aren't well represented on message boards because that demographic tends to be the super-hardcore fans who want to talk Oregon all day, every day.

 

[Ironbreaker]

There were plenty of Duck fans who werent sold on Helfrich. Of course they aren't well represented on message boards because that demographic tends to be the super-hardcore fans who want to talk Oregon all day, every day.

Saw a few at Quack Attack this AM saying as much.

They are calling it a lazy hire.


I see a few things that would concern me with Helfrich, too many penalties and poor tackling. Stuff like that is on the coaching. Doesn't mean it can't be fixed.


Not sure 1 loss in the pac is a reason to throw him under the bus though. Everyone is dropping a game in pac play this season, maybe even two.

 

[ericd7633]

I think they are going to slowly decline under Helfrich. I think they are a 2/3 loss team this year and a 3/4 loss team next year. Their recruiting has declined under him as well. Larry Coker 2.0.

 

[theboardref]

Oregon has continued to hire in house for some time if I am not mistaken, so I think it was done with the right intentions. It was just the wrong hire. I liked to mess with Duck fans about Chip Kelly never being able to win the big one, but it will never happen with Helfrich. He couldn't keep control over Thomas' mouth last year, proves to me big personalities will trump his. Never thought this was a good hire, but Oregon is still good. Arizona is a solid ball club, credit where credit is due.

 

[WizardHawk]

I've said ever since that hire that this was the course the team was going to take. Said they'd lose 2 last year and they did. Predicted at least 2 this year and was told I was nuts by the hard core ducks, but I stand by it, and I've said after this year their run is officially over and that too I stand by.

I don't see Helf as Chip 2.0. And that's what this team needs to keep it going.

The question is, how quickly will Oregon make a change at HC if the decline continues? Will it take them a year or two and make it that much harder to get back up? Or will they have the balls to dump him before this year is over and make a bold pickup for a new coach so they can keep on impacting the recruiting the way they have in recent years? That's what it's going to take to not end this run and I don't see them doing it.

 

[theboardref]

Not really a decline though. Oregon was pulling this when Kelly was HC. He only had 1 undefeated season till post season.

 

[theSabanator20]

Not really a decline though. Oregon was pulling this when Kelly was HC. He only had 1 undefeated season till post season.

The difference is Kelly didnt lose to unranked teams at home. And Arizona deserved to be ranked before this game, but still. The fact is they lost to a double digit underdog at home. And this wasn't after a huge game, this was after an off week.

Helfrich is not a HC, he is an OC. Much like Kiffin. Except Kiffin is better at OC.

If Oregon wants to start winning big again, they need to add some wrinkles to the offense. Use 2 TEs. Use 3 RBs. Run double wing, get under center even. They aren't what they were under Kelly anymore. They aren't a bad team, they're just not as good as 2008-2012. Every single one of thise teams are better than this one is, even at its healthiest.

I'd probably say

1. 2012
2a. 2010
2b. 2011
4. 2009
5. 2008

 

[occupant]

If they don't stop that read-option once in a while...they're going to find trouble when they run up against any other team that can move the ball.

They're soft/young in the trenches...we used to be like that recently. Doesn't seem to be the case since we got Montgomery and Bedenbaugh.