DSA Tailgate Wrap Up

Yesterday saw the first tailgate of the season with a couple of surprises waiting for me at the tailgate lot.

The first was a good surprise. This season the off-site lots will open up FIVE hours before game time. The open container rules are still the same; you cannot drink any alcohol until four hours prior to kick off. But, this change allows us to get in earlier and set up leaving the FULL four hours to tailgate. That is exceptional news as often the last few years, the first hour was spent setting up, leaving just a couple of hours before I had to head up to the press box.

The second surprise? Not as pleasant. We have the end space in the lot and had been able to use the tree and grassy area next to the spot for a full set up... this year there was a fence blocking that area off.

What I heard was that a particular group (not us) was very rude and disrespectful last season and abused their privileges... creating the need for this fence.

After speaking very quickly with one of the ladies from Boy Scouts, she said she will see if anything can be done. Ever using my own Boy Scout "resourcefulness" I found a way to make it work, but it sure would be nice if those panels were gone!

Anotehr pleasant surprise is that two spaces right next to us were rented by a couple of guys who work for different breweries... that means possible free beer!

Speaking of beer, I was surprised yesterday... I had purchased two cases. Normally, over the course of the last two years, the opening game with a subpar opponent has led to a smaller tailgate turnout; not so this year.

I think in part, with the cloud of sanctions that had been hovering the past two years, people were more hesitant. The change of location did not help. But we had a BIG turnout for this game... so big that the two cases were gone by NOON... that was crazy!

We had a lot of regulars and some new people show up and it was great! There were a LOT of people so I am not going to try and mention everyone. I will say a BIG thank you to Ron (MiniTank42) for the HDMI cable.

My main hiccup for this game was forgetting the cable which connects the computer to the new tv... Ron came through making it a much better viewing experience!

Having a 32" television for watching games looks to have been a VERY good decision.

For those that did not make today... the Tennessee game will feature Bacon Wrapped BBQ Shrimp... DEEP FRIED! This is something you do not want to miss!

Quick Take: Nicholls State Defense

DEFENSE OVERVIEW:

Returning Starters: 6

Key returners: Chris Bermond, LB, 6-1, 245, Sr.; Toren Joseph, DB, 6-2, 191, Jr.; Byron Cobb, DB, 5-10, 176, Jr.; Lorenza Young, DT, 6-2, 275 Sr.

Key Losses: Jordan Piper, LB; Kerry Guidry, LB; Rashar Knight, LB/DE

Key Arrivals: Geoffrey Hebert, LB, 6-3, 220

ANALYSIS:
When you give up as many points as the Colonels and lose 10 games in resounding fashion, it is typically easy to find weaknesses. In the case of the Colonels, though, there are a couple of significant losses to this otherwise porous defense.  



"LB Jordan Piper is the biggest loss on defense. While the defense was extremely poor, this guy played like an All-American and was an all-conference performer," Renois said. "He tied a school record with 23 tackles in a single game last season and finished with 107 total tackles last season."

The Colonels also lost their top pass rusher with the graduation of Rashar Knight (10 tackles for loss and 4 sacks) and a starting nose tackle.

There are some glimmers of hope with the return of Bermond, the second leading tackler from a year ago. The Colonels also return their top two pass defenders with Cobb and Joseph.

Early Defense Prediction: This is a defense that struggled against every non-NAIA team they played last season and that trend will continue with Oregon. The Colonels play a 3-3-5 defense but just do not have the size or speed to contend with a top-5 caliber team.

Expect a lot of risk taking on defense as the Colonels attempt to make some big plays at the line of scrimmage and try to swarm the running game early. Unfortunately for Nicholls, they just do not have the horses on the line to make this strategy work.

Mariota will have plenty of time to throw if needed and the running game should flourish against this undermanned defense.

The defense for the Colonels recorded just 11 sacks and 11 interceptions last season, don't expect them to generate much pressure on the Oregon offense.

Quick Take: Nicholls State Offense

KEY STORYLINE:

"Can the defense improve dramatically from its dreadful showing in 2012. On third downs, opposing offenses had a success rate of 50 percent and on fourth downs it was 70 percent, Renois said.

"There was little to no pressure from the front seven which left an inexperience secondary exposed. The hope is a transfer or two up front and overall experience will lead to better defensive play, at least in conference games."

OFFENSE OVERVIEW:

Returning Starters: 8

Key returners: Marcus Washington, RB, 5-11, 214, Senior; Nick Scelfo, TE, 6-4, 235, Jr.; Eric Alt, C, 6-6, 335, Sr.;, Josh Hanberry, WR, 5-7, 157, Jr.

Key Losses: Landry Klann, QB; Gerald Gruenig C, Jesse Turner, RB

Key Arrivals: Hunter Alleman, OL, 6-4, 280

ANALYSIS:
"Incumbent starting quarterback Landry Klann is being redshirted with shoulder surgery and Beaux Hebert, son of former NFL quarterback Bobby Hebert, is listed as starter," Renois told Duck Sports Authority. "But there may be a transfer coming soon. Hebert has also dealt with injury and has limited experience in four years in the program," Renois continued.

The offensive line loses just one player from last season, but clearly when a team goes 1-10 without a conference win in two consecutive seasons, just about every area is one that could stand improvement.

Early Offense Prediction: This is a team that struggled to score points in just about every game. Against Oregon State, a team who defeated the Colonels by a 77-3 score, the Colonels attempted to throw the ball almost exclusively lining up in a four wide receiver set for most of the game.

Largely due to the Beavers size and athletic advantage, Nicholls State looked to make short quick passes to their leading receiver, running back Jesse Turner. The Colonels had some success completing nearly 61 percent of their pass attempts for 174 yards. Nonetheless, they were unable to sustain any momentum and struggled with the Beaver defense most of the day.

Expect Nicholls State to make a similar strategy move against the Ducks. With three new linebackers starting for the Ducks, this is the only offensive game plan that makes sense. Nonetheless, the Duck defense is even faster and will have few problems stopping the Colonels.

Beyond Flock Talk: Manziel Suspension

My opinion will not be very popular amongst Duck fans, but such is life.

The NCAA got the Manziel situation right. Frr a change, the NCAA acted swiftly and in a manner that was as strong a they could possibly act given the circumstances.

Before delving deeper into those thoughts, though, first I am continually amazed at how much Duck fans seem to care about Manziel and his exploits. More directly, I am surprised at the animosity so many Duck fans have towards this young man.

Maybe their vitriol is simply about reaffirming their admiration of Oregon's own quarterback. But it still makes little sense. Has Manziel been perfect? Absolutely not; he has made his share of mistakes. None of them, however, have been egregious enough to think that this is not just a young kid working his way through life the best he knows how and making some mistakes along the way.

We have all made them. The only difference is that most of us did not have the glare of the Heisman spotlight following our every move and every word. I dare most to respond any better than Manziel has responded.

Most would fail.

Oregon fans need to also be a little more cautious when insulting the NCAA for this action being too "light" in their eyes. While Duck fans have insulated themselves well against most of the criticism levied by national analysts over the past two plus years, the reality is that most people outside of Oregon believe the Ducks got off easy.

Being too close to the situation tends to distort your vision.

But before anyone gets high and mighty about how badly the NCAA screwed up look at the facts:

1) The memorabilia dealers refused to talk to the NCAA investigators.
2) The accusations are that Manziel accepted cash payments.
3) Bank records showed no abnormal deposits around the time of the autograph sessions.

As Duck fans reminisce on the Cam Newton situation where the father admitted shopping Newton's signature around, yet no punishment was handed down, this is a win for the NCAA. Despite having no evidence that Manziel accepted payments for his signatures, they were able to get Manziel's attorney to agree to a half game suspension.

This sets a tone. Athletes should know better than to sign autographs for collectors; it will put them square in the cross hairs of the NCAA enforcement team.

As for Manziel's attornet alleging that nothing inappropriate happened, well, that is a lot of "legalese" on their part. It's one thing for players to sign autographs outside a game; or at team sponsored "fan fest" days. When a player takes matter into his own hands and signs thousands of autographs for a known broker, he has crossed a line.

Should this line even exist? That is a different matter. One I will not take on at the moment.

By accepting the punishment, the Manziel family and Texas A&M football team get to move on with the 2013 season. The NCAA? They get to point to a quick resolution that sets a precedent. Signing autographs for a broker, regardless of receipt of money for the signatures is now a violation.

Precedents re how changes are made. The NCAA is changing and we will all have to work through their growing pains.

I just don't get why so many Oregon fans care so much.

Looking ahead to Saturday

A while back, I took a First Look at Nicholls State... with that game fast approaching, here is a refresher course.

The Colonels of Nicholls State, a squad that hails from Thibodaux, Louisiana, come off of their second consecutive 1-10 season. The only win for the Colonels last season was against NAIA foe Evangel.

There were few real positives from the season as most games were not even competitive. In their 10 losses, the Colonels managed just 122 total points while surrendering nearly 41 points per game.

At the time I reached out to Teddy Renois, from the Daily Comet and Houma Courier for some insight into the Colonels football team. As the new beat writer for Nicholls Athletics, Renois had extensive coverage of the team during Spring camp.
Renois was kind enough to answer a few questions about the his take on a few topics related to this game.

Q: What is your take on the excitement level of the fans for this game considering their last game of 2012 was a 77-3 loss to Oregon State?

A: The fans are not excited for this game. They understand it is a money game and needed for the budget, but they are not excited about the prospects of another 70-point loss. I covered the final two conference games on last year's schedule and the little fan base this program has, dwindled considerably towards the end of last season.

Q: What are the expectations for Nicholls State in 2013?

A: Again, 2-20 over the last two years doesn't inspire much especially with several blowout losses in the mix. My hope is this team can win four games. They have two scheduled wins, but the program needs to win a couple of conference games to show improvement. Just being competitive would be good, but a win over a quality opponent would stir the interests of the fans again. Coach Stubbs may be off the hook for this season as the president is retiring on Aug. 1 and a new one is slated to be hired in October. That change in presidents may give him another year if his team can only beat the Division II and NAIA schools on his schedule.


Q: What do you see as the biggest losses for Nicholls State entering 2013?

A: Well, Klann had the most experience at quarterback so he is the biggest loss on offense. He threw for over 2,000 yards and gave them some consistency on that side of the ball while being under a heavy rush constantly. Also QB/RB/WR LaQuintin Caston missed most of last season with a collarbone injury, but he was their only true offensive weapon, and ended his career with 2,800 yards passing and 1,700 yards rushing. He started out as a triple option QB before Stubbs was hired, but Stubbs used him as the Wildcat QB the last two years.

Eyes on the prize

Without the ability to be at practices, it is difficult for many of us to form opinions or even tell good stories.

Two years ago, prior to practices closing, as I sat at a summer afternoon practice, I watched Tony Washington toiling away by himself as he worked his way around an injury. I wrote an article about that day and posted it right here. Toiling in Obscurity was just one of what could be hundreds of similar stories.

This week the 2013 football season begins. While the outcome of the game is not very likely in question in week one, what is in question is just which players will burst into the attention of the average fan and which ones will contiunue to toil in obscurity.

One of the projected offensive line starters, Mana Greig, was a lightly recruited player out of high school. He lacked the ideal height of a college offense lineman and his lack of offers was plenty of proof. Over the years, Greig, like so many other young men, worked and struggled to become a better player. Saturday, he walks onto the field as a starting offensive lineman for one of the premier offenses in all of college football.

Remember, though, that Greig is just one of dozens of players on the Oregon roster who has worked very hard to become what he is today.

Remember that because on the other side of the field Saturday, Nicholls State will enter Autzen with its own cast of players who toil in obscurity for the sake of an education and, for some, their outside dreams of someday making it into the NFL.

Oftentimes fans, in their zeal to cheer for their home team, forget that both teams have some very unique characters who work just as hard. Nicholls State stands little chance of putting up much fight against the Ducks. At Duck Sports Authority, we covered the topic in a two part series called DSA Inside Edge which takes a look at the match-ups.

Despite the talent gap, though, one thing seems too frequently missed; the effort gap is considerably smaller. The Nicholls State administration sees it as an important piece of their athletic department puzzle to schedule on field demolitions to fund the rest of the department. Nicholls State, and dozens of similar schools do not have the luxury of a Phil Knight or an Al Reser. They exist to provide an opportunity to young men and women who otherwise would not receive an education precisely that opportunity.

Nicholls State plays their home games at Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium; a stadium with a 12,800 seat capacity. That is a far cry from the 60,000 people that can squeeze into Autzen.

These young men will come to Autzen with their heads held high looking to compete and play to the best of their ability. And, as they head out of the Stadium Saturday, likely a team suffering a very large loss to open the season, will they retain their dignity?

That is a difficult question to answer. Having been on their end of slaughters when I played at Eastern Oregon, I can tell you that there is nothing fun about these games for either team. Yes, Duck fans will get a chance to cheer for guys like Dustin Haines and Lane Roseberry. But are those fleeting cheers worth the cost associated with this kind of game? Only a few people can answer that on Saturday,.

I doubt that they will answer honestly, however.

In the end, it is a chance for these young men to compete in a stadium that is unlike many on the West coast. Hopefully they can cherish some memories of the entire Autzen complex and dream of what might have been or could someday be in their own lives.