The Great Debate...Or Not
The Oregon Ducks rolled over the #6 ranked Cal Bears 42-3 at Autzen, returning the Ducks to the #16 ranking in the AP Poll for this week.
Before the game, we were tailgating and one of my friends brought two buddies who are Cal fans. As we parted to head into Autzen, I said, "I just hope we pay you back for the game I endured in 2006 down in Strawberry Canyon when Dennis Dixon threw a pick on the first play from scrimmage". After that, it was downhill for the Ducks who lost the game 45-14 and ended the season going 3-6 after starting at 4-0. For months, I awoke from the nightmare that replayed in my head with the Cal announcer and fans yelling, "And that's another Bear's first down". Arriving at our hotel close to midnight, it didn't help matters they had lost our reservation and we had to drive to the outskirts of Sacramento to find a room. Bad vibes all round the Bay Area that dark day.
Well, sometimes you get the Bear and sometimes the Bear gets you and this was Oregon's turn for sure. Overcoming an inauspicious start with Walter Thurmond III not only fumbling and losing the opening kickoff at the 22 but suffering a season ending knee injury as well, the Duck's defense drives Cal back 8 yards forcing the Bears to settle for a field goal.
Who would have known this was Cal's first and last drive that deep into Oregon territory. The Bears never penetrated the Oregon 20 thereafter even though their next 5 starting positions were at their own 40 at worst, and at Oregon's 40 at best.
After Oregon scored on the 26 yard pass from Jeremiah Masoli to Ed Dickson for an 11-3 lead, no one in the stadium knew this game was all but over.
With Oregon stopping Heisman candidate Jahvid Beast at every turn, the defense pinned their ears back and came after Bear's QB Kevin Riley, rolling to a 25-3 halftime lead. When Oregon added another 7 with 8:27 remaining in the 3rd to go up 32-3, it was time to roll out the chilled margarita glasses and sit back and enjoy this one.
But what of the headline about the debate? In last week's PAT, we addressed the issues that were on the table, namely moving Jeremiah Masoli out of the starter's role and letting Nate Costa take the helm to bring the passing game back in the Duck's repertoire. It appears that Masoli's 21-25 performance for 258 yards was enough to allay the fears of the doubters. That success reinforced the perception that Chip Kelly had faced some difficult choices early on this year but stuck with his style and premise of coaching: find a skilled player who is worthy of your confidence and do everything in your power to build that confidence in them.
It should be very apparent by now, after taking a confidence-deficient Dennis Dixon in one season from doubter to a Heisman finalist, then last year taking Masoli from a 5th string QB who never played Division 1 football at the start of the season to a player who captained the ship to 162 points and 1,763 yards against Arizona, Oregon State, and Oklahoma State down the stretch that perhaps Chip Kelly knows what he's doing.
So all the debate was just ...Or Not. Because it was never a debatable point in Chip Kelly's mind, especially if you add in the factors we mentioned last week: a young, developing offensive line; new, unproven receivers; and two freshman running backs placed into starting positions when LaGarrette Blount was suspended for the season. Coach Kelly wanted to keep the ship steady after barely surviving the storm in Boise for the season opener.
Now that the ship is righted and the sails have been unfurled, it's Washington State's turn to experience the Ducks at Autzen. The Men of Oregon are sailing to 4-1 with their elected Captain still at the helm and their confidence restored. What better place to regain their sea legs than a 4th game in the comfortable confines and charted waters of Autzen? | 
