Countdown to kickoff: 101 things I love about the Oregon Ducks

On September 3, the Oregon Ducks will begin their 2011 football season. To get through the dog days of summer, I’m listing 101 cool, random things I love about the Ducks, one per day until kickoff in Dallas. In no particular order.

#3: The Tao of Chip.

Chip Kelly: football coach or (sarcastic) zen master?

“Last time I checked, there is no ‘Hall of Average.’ “

“If your expectations aren’t to be the best, then… you know, nobody rises to low expectations.”

“You better show up. You don’t have to be the best team in the country. You just have to be the best team in the stadium on that day.”

“I’ll give any teller who gives me a lollipop four stars.” Comparing banks to recruiting websites.

“Pressure is what you feel when you don’t know what you’re doing. We know what we’re doing”

“Yeah we’re gonna have a party tonight. 9:30, meet us in the Cas. If the lights are off it’s just a surprise party.” On being ranked third by the AP.

“The sports reporters are very underpaid in this state. There should be a pension system for them & maybe some of them could retire early.”

“The best teams win on Saturdays. Not the best individuals.”

“It feels like the World Cup out here with the stadium and the injuries.” During halftime of the 2010 game at Arizona State.

“Play calling is driven by the players that you have. You can’t be a riverboat gambler if you are coaching the Little Giants.”

“Maybe your parents didn’t believe in you.” Said to John Canzano.

“I’ve worn the same practice visor since I got here in 2007 … I’m just trying to save the school money.”

“You don’t get a trophy after halftime. We don’t look at the scoreboard until the end of the game.”

“I pride myself on efficiency. I need about an hour & a half at the mall & I’m boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. And I’m out of there.” On why he does his Christmas shopping on December 24.

“Can you please show her [Erin Andrews] a little respect?” To people who were jostling EA during a postgame interview.

“We don’t have to talk about rankings with these guys. Whether we’re No. 1 in the country or 101 it won’t affect how we prepare.”

“Run from being good. Chase being great.”

“We don’t have bye weeks. We have improvement weeks.”

“I really hope we don’t throw our arms out of sockets patting ourselves on the back.”

Countdown to kickoff: 101 things I love about the Oregon Ducks

On September 3, the Oregon Ducks will begin their 2011 football season. To get through the dog days of summer, I’m listing 101 cool, random things I love about the Ducks, one per day until kickoff in Dallas. In no particular order.

#27: “There’s gonna be an explosion!”

Mainly posting this for the first five seconds of the video. Chip is just the best.

But Chris Connelly narrating a piece about Oregon football? Well, that’s just one more thing that made 2010 awesome.

Countdown to kickoff: 101 things I love about the Oregon Ducks

On September 3, the Oregon Ducks will begin their 2011 football season. To get through the dog days of summer, I’m listing 101 cool, random things I love about the Ducks, one per day until kickoff in Dallas. In no particular order.

#30: Chip Kelly, after the Natty.

Wonder why I love Chip Kelly? Watch the video, then read this quote.

“I’m just really proud of my players. I love these guys. They’ve competed. They’ve done everything we’ve ever asked them to do. It is a special group of young men. I said in my first game when I was the head coach one game doesn’t define you as a person or as a football player. And the same thing still holds true. These guys are champions. I love them. We’ll be back.”

Countdown to kickoff: 101 things I love about the Oregon Ducks

On September 3, the Oregon Ducks will begin their 2011 football season. To get through the next 3+ months, I’m listing 101 cool, random things I love about the Ducks, one per day until kickoff in Dallas. In no particular order.

#81: The fake “Statue of Liberty” against Michigan at the Big House.

I had two thoughts when I first saw this play four years ago: “Dang, Dennis Dixon might be good” and “I think I’m going to like Chip Kelly.”

Countdown to kickoff: 101 things I love about the Oregon Ducks

On September 3, the Oregon Ducks will begin their 2011 football season. To get through the next 3+ months, I’m listing 101 cool, random things I love about the Ducks, one per day until kickoff in Dallas. In no particular order.

#88: Chip Kelly, with the ball, on 4^th down.

Chip Kelly hates kickers. That would explain his disdain for punting and kicking field goals. He doesn’t want to see their mismatched shoes or their skinny facemasks or their strange rituals or their uncomfortable flexibility. He would rather give the ball to a second-string linebacker on 4^th down in his own territory than let the punter even touch the ball. Seriously. He did that in the 2010 Civil War. As you can see from the video above, it worked perfectly.

If you’ve watched even a little bit of football, you’ve heard the term “four down territory.” Generally, this applies to late game scenarios when one team needs a score, or situations in which you’re too far out for a field goal, but too close to punt. When Chip Kelly is involved, it’s almost always four down territory.

Fourth and inches, fourth and goal, fourth and long. Check, check and check. Heck, he’s even gone for it on his first possession inside his own territory.

In 2010, the Ducks were first in 4^th down conversions with 22 and second in attempts with 34. Their conversion percentage was second among teams with more than 20 attempts. Only 10 teams punted more than Oregon, but of those 10, only one had more first downs.

Basically, Chip Kelly is coaching big-time college football the way I play video game football. And he’s doing it without a reset button.