I'm pleasantly surprised that the Register Guard, as the main newspaper in Eugene, the home of the University of Oregon, would be so bold as to put in its headline describing yesterday's football game as an "...uninspiring victory..." Yes, I agree, because it's 100 percent accurate. I listened to the post-game commentary on radio and television and was disappointed with the amount of "rosy sunshine" spin I heard, which is reminiscent of what most politicians engage in -- not a serious fact-based discussion. 

The on-field success of the Ducks football program in the Kelly and Mariota era has fed an unwieldy "hype machine" that's largely responsible for why so many fans can't manage expectations. Fact is, this year's team is not as talented as in the recent past, and there are concrete indications that Helfrich is not a top-tier head coach. Several national college football analysts have expressed legitimate concerns about his coaching and the direction that he is taking the program in.