re: Oregon now vs. years past - what is the difference?

quote:

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Matiota is more of an efficient playmaker


This.

Nothing against Darron Thomas or Dennis Dixon, but Mariota is a cut above.

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huge difference between dixon and thomas. dixon was almost as good as mariota, and was on his way to a heisman trophy(and ducks to a national title game) but he tore his acl against arizona. if dixon was the qb of that 2010 oregon team they beat auburn as well. the other qb you are thinking of is masoli, who wasn't as good as dixon, but probably better than thomas. 2010 oregon was their best team, just happened to have their worst qb.

regarding the running backs and inside running game, i think lamichael james was built similar to the guys they have now, and probably better. difference is that james was the only inside running threat, barner and DAT were much better running wide. now oregon has a couple of guys that are big enough to pound it up the middle. Honestly, I think they have had better wr's and skill players in general in previous seasons, it's just that the wideouts are better utilized with Mariota as qb than Thomas.

oregon is still the same team they have been the past 5 seasons or so, this is mariota's 3rd year as a starter and he has been balling since day 1, its not like he has come out of nowhere this season. as i said before, the stars really aligned for them with stanford sucking and nobody else challenging them in the pac12, as well as facing an FSU team that was nowhere near as good as the teams that beat them in the past(2010 auburn, 2011 lsu)