Doug: A loud silence

I'm sitting in the press box at Autzen Stadium. It's a wonderful scene with the multi-colored trees surrounding campus and the mountains in the background.

After spending five years experiencing SEC games during my career, I feel like I'm an expert on loud. From the time I moved West, I was always told, "Just wait until you 'hear' a game in Eugene." There are no fans in the stands as I pre-pare for the pre-game show--3 hours before kick- off.

I can here a loud silence. It's the anticipation from what I've been told many times before regarding this stadium. Some sports cars look fast while parked. Autzen sounds loud while empty.

I would imagine there's a rule in the PAC-10 Guide to Coaching that says never start a freshman QB for his first game in this building. I think it's safe to also assume if you're the only coach in conference history that has won Coach of the Year with three different programs, you're allowed to skip chapters of the guide.

I think Danny Sullivan would have started if he wasn't injured. I just think there would have been a very short leash. Dennis Erickson could have kept the nerves of the week away from Osweiler. With family in Montana, I'm sure there's going to be extra pressure on Osweiler to impress those travellers, his coaches, teammates, and you. Starting Danny could have alleveiated that pressure.

There's one flaw with that thinking. If Brock has earned the right to get most of the snaps, why make the first series less important than those that follow?

Brock Osweiler has done nothing in practice from July through November that would justify him starting. Danny has done little in games this season to justify keeping others from opportunities. Playing Brock today only makes the QB battle for 2010 better. Although my money's on Stephen Threet, the next three games could go along way in affecting the players' minds, which could have an affect on next year.

The key to beating Oregon is easy. START FAST. Oregon is #1 in pass defense and #1 in rushing offense in the PAC- 10. You just don't come from behind against Oregon and you certainly can't do it here in Autzen. However, Oregon has the last place passing offense. They have to be able to run for Masoli to have any success in the passing game. If Oregon trails, running the football keeps the clock moving. Oregon is also in the bottom half of rush defense. When anyone gets a lead (Stanford) offenses can pound the rock, eat clock, and pummel Oregon.

The formula for beating Oregon is simple. The freshman QB has to come into Autzen stadium with no sign of nerves, not make the mistakes that have plagued him in practice this year, pick apart the Oregon defense with time consuming drives, and throw the ball away when he has too. If you think he can do all that...GO DEVILS!