DUCK BREATH FROM HURRICANE TO PAC12 SIGH

Duck breath is the same as Husky breath.

If the Huskies had lost.

Duck breath is a long exhale of joyful expectations and maybe a little spit.

That’s what happens when a big one gets away, and the final PAC12, PAC10, PAC8 game was a big one.

Before digging into what’s next, a little background.

I found the PAC8 back when Dan Fouts was playing pitch and catch with Bobby Moore on Saturdays.

Two Washington schools, two Oregon schools, and four California schools set the roster.

Every state represented had some Pacific Ocean coastline.

The two Arizona schools came in, followed by Colorado an Utah, minus the coastline.

What I enjoyed most with the conferences expansions across the country is the PAC12 kept count, unlike the Big10 and Big12.

The Big18 and Big14 don’t have the right ring to them.

The Pac8 had an authentic feel to it and don’t get me started on the ACC.

Now the new reality sets in with next year’s PAC12 football teams flying all over the place for games instead of up and down the west coast in one time zone.

One explanation for expansion, besides network money? The travel schedule for football teams will get them ready for playing in the NFL.

 

Bo Nix Stuck Around Breathing Duck Breath

Of all the places Bo Nix could have gone, he came to Oregon.

He could have been a One And Done like transfers before him, but he stuck it out an extra year.

At times he made everything seem possible.

Just not the last time in Las Vegas.

No one is saying he made ‘business decisions’ during the game, but couldn’t he at least do something high risk to himself?

Stepping out of bounds was the correct move after his longest run if it had been a regular season game; cutting back inside for an extra yard and getting drilled by five guys chasing him would have been a championship move.

Next up is the sort of bowl game other schools would give their left grandstand to play in.

For those with a shortness of duck breath, Bo Nix will have a real business decision to make.

Will he play it out, or train for the NFL draft?

That he came back for his last year of eligibility was asking a lot.

He’d be risking injury to play with his guys one last time.

The Oregon State coach made his own business decision when he left the day after their season ended, leaving a big bowl game on the horizon.

If you’re like me, then you wonder where the NIL money comes in.

 

According to On3, Bo Nix’s annual NIL value is $1.4 million. He is the fifth highest-earning college football player via NIL. He is ranked number eight overall highest-earning college athlete through NIL.

 

What would it take to encourage Bo to play one more game?

 

Grasping, Gasping, Letting Go

Life can be funny, not ha ha funny, but still funny.

One moment everything is set, the next the table gets tipped over.

The gas tank is full and you’re cruising down the highway of hopes and dreams one moment, the next you’re rolled over in a ditch.

More than a few saviors have come to Eugene to make football magic, none bigger than offensive coordinator Chip Kelly who pushed the head coach into retirement and changed college football, or Marcus Mariota who pushed the starting quarterback who had just played in the national championship into the Arena Football League.

Bo Nix showed up after playing three years at Auburn and could have left like Anthony Brown, Tyler Slough, or Vernon Adams.

One and done. But he played it out.

The next game to start huffing Duck breath is little more than an old bone thrown to the first loser on Championship Weekend.

It’s either an exhibition game, or an audition for Bo Nix to show the NFL that he has the emotional stability to stand up after letting Oregon Duck Football fans across the nation down.

Last question to rub it in:

Would he play if it was Auburn?