A November To Remember
The Ducks try to stay golden as the stakes get bigger, and I vigorously defend Joey Harrington (again).
Last Saturday, Oregon entered into a historically hostile Rice-Eccles Stadium in front yet another national audience. Their offense was stepping into a game where they’d face the best defense in the conference—and the best defense they’d play until January.
And they made that Utah D look like USC’s.
The 35-6 pummeling that the Ducks put on in SLC drew some pretty notable quotes:
“That's as thoroughly as we've been beaten in a long time.” - Kyle Whittingham
“I wouldn’t want to play Oregon right now. If you’re asking me who I think the best team is.” - Kirk Herbstreit
“They’re in such a good position. They control their own destiny.” - Joel Klatt
That’s a lot of praise (read: rat poison) for these high-flyin’ Ducks to consume this week, but they better focus up.
Because if you thought the Husky game was the Game of The Century—I don’t know what idiot might have given you that idea—you would be dead wrong.
Cal is the literal Game of The Century.
I’ve been following Oregon’s all-time series record with the California Golden Bears for the last six years or so. I’ve known that this was the closest matchup where we could actually overtake a “historically-more-dominant” conference rival.
And what better season for the rubber match than our last one together?
In general, California is one of those teams (like Princeton or Minnesota) that got a tremendous head start on their record books. The G-Bears won/claimed all their National Championships pre-WWII, in 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, and 1937.*
*What a run between 1920-23, honestly.
And like everyone else in the conference, Cal really ran up the score in the series over the Ducks in the mid-to-late 20th Century. They won 13 of 15 between 1961-82, including a streak of eight-in-a-row.
But in the modern era, Cal has generally been bad and we have been really good, leading us to where we are today: deadlocked at 42-42-2.
If we’re just going by the numbers, they’re our actual biggest rivals, right?
Apologies to the Beavs, the Huskies, and to this guy, CFBudge, who enjoys lying on the internet almost as much as I do.
Anyway, let’s talk ball.
The Fighting Wilcox’s are 3-5, and in the middle of a three game skid.
Unlike Cal teams of year’s past, their offense actually seems to be their strength this season.
They should have beat Auburn. They should have beat USC. They did score 40 on Oregon State (and still lost because they gave up 52 to DJU).
But their star runningback, Jaydn Ott (#1), might be the most athletic/unique skill player we’ll face all year—that is, until we see seven of him next week on the Trojan sideline.
Ott rushed for 153 yards and three scores, including a 61-yard touchdown run against SC and brought his team within one-point of a really hilarious upset.
He’s a human highlight reel, he runs remarkably upright, and he’ll be an incredible challenge for our second level and the tackling ability of our corners out in space.
Luckily, we are coming fresh off of a tackling-in-space clinic in Utah.
Stopping—or at least putting a lid on—Ott is going to be the primary challenge for our defense, but even though they’ve lost three straight, I don’t think we should sleep on Cal’s newly-minted QB1.
Last week, redshirt freshman Fernando Mendoza (#15) threw for 292 and two touchdowns, and also rushed for 48 and two more scores with his feet.
Those stats just SCREAM mini-Cam Rising to me. He may not run a lot, but when he does, it can kill ya.
However, the young Mendoza hasn’t been too precious with the football; throwing a pick in every game he has started and also fumbling last week.
And that’s another stat that has the Ducks salivating.
After Tysheem Johnson’s two-pick game against the Utes, I’m sure they want keep the interception party going and feast on a young gunslinger who might press too much if/when he gets down early.
Also, I know it never rains at Autzen Stadium, and nothing will ever be 2013-Cal-Monsoon-level, but…
All that to say, the Cal offense has been spunky. I think that’s the right word for it. And they’re definitely an interesting challenge for the red-hot Ducks’ D in an otherwise “non-marquee” game.
The Cal defense, however, has been a great deal less than spunky.
They are a dreadful 101st in the country in yards per game allowed, giving up an average of 405.
They do have two bright spots on defense, both at linebacker:
First, is Jackson Sirmon (#8)—the son of former Oregon linebacker, Peter Simon—is a sixth-year senior and their second-leading tackler. Sirmon is someone who, while he has been beat up this season, always finds a way to make himself known against Oregon.
Also, he left Washington, so we know he has a brain in between his ears.
The second man to watch out for is Kaleb Elarms-Orr (#53). The former 4-star recruit right from the Bay Area that stayed home and has become the leading tackler in this Wilcox defense. His 72 total tackles to Sirmon’s 50 means that we will have to know where both these big linebackers are at all times.
I think Bo will probably just decide to throw over their heads.
Or dare them to get around JPJ.
Whatever they do, I’m pretty sure Oregon will make quick work of this spunk-less defense.
But there’s at least one category where the Golden Bears are better than the Ducks: penalties.
And if there is any one specific, immediately fixable thing the Ducks must fix heading into one of the most pivotal Novembers in program history, it’s reducing the unnecessary, drive-killing pre-snap penalties.
Right now, we average 28 penalties per month.
We will all check back in after the Beaver game, but if that number doesn’t drop to 20 or below this month (a completely arbitrary number that I just made up) than we are dooming ourselves to make crucial mistakes in whatever form of a postseason we might have ahead.
In short, Cal’s defense will get picked apart by our offense, and their young QB and electric RB won’t be nearly enough to keep up with the demands of one of the most efficient football teams in the nation.
That’s tough nuts for them I guess, but I actually think they’ll be poised for success in the ACC—as long as the perks of their Delta Sky Miles don’t get to their heads.
But that leads me to my last, more genuine point.
I’m sure you all remember the Lanning/Mullens/Letter debacle of 2021.
Since that day, every time Cal Week pops up, I see tons of negativity online spewed in the direction of Cal’s coach Justin Wilcox—and more often towards the supposed architect of The Letter, Joey Harrington.
This is a business, Oregon was always going to hire who they were going to hire. It turns out it was Dan Lanning, and that has turned out to be a fantastic choice (and it keeps getting better).
And before that hire was made, Joey—Captain fucking Comeback himself—crafted a letter to Rob Mullens that ultimately said, “please consider Justin Wilcox. He’s a Duck, just like us.”
That’s it!
Sure, maybe the letter was a bit too defeatist.
It was written immediately after suffering the emotional wounds of being scorned by another Florida man, and prior to any realization that we aren’t Oregon State and we don’t have to settle for our comfortable ex-lovers.
But Joey has never said a bad word about Dan Lanning himself. All he’s ever been is genuine and true to his school.
And for anyone to think that they’re dunking on Joey Harrington just because Dan turned out to be a damn good hire—while Wilcox is “stuck” getting raises in Berkeley every time we have a job opening—is just kicking a horse that isn’t there, and never was.
You want to come after someone? Come after after me. I’m a blogger. I deserve it!
But this newsletter is affectionately named for an era before we could land big coaches who signed BIG recruits, and as such, the good folks here at Ditch Rich want so much success for former Ducks like Justin Wilcox.
Just not this week.
Oregon 52, Cal 23.
Go Ducks.