Former Ducks defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti retired after last season, and has been a breath of fresh air in talking freely about what he sees in the conference. He joined me on Monday on the radio show (12-3p 750-AM), and said his retirement had nothing to do with Mark Helfrich getting the job, but that he'd still be at Oregon if he'd been offered the head coaching job after Chip Kelly's departure.

"Yes... had I gotten the head job, I would have still been doing this thing."

Aliotti said "no sour grapes." But it makes you think, given the obvious loss of imagination, tempo, innovation and passion at Oregon. So while we wait for UCLA vs. Oregon let's imagine Aliotti as the head coach, and Helfrich and Scott Frost running the Ducks offense.

Helfrich and Frost specializing in what they know best. Aliotti left to make in-game adjustments alongside Don Pellum on the defensive side. It's possible Oregon promoted the wrong guy, and also... possible that Helfrich redeems himself by salvaging this season in the way great head coaches do. But it's also possible the Ducks are headed to a four-loss season that never should have happened with three NFL first-round draft picks among the starters.

Would the overall product be better? Would Oregon still have its edge with the emotional Aliotti in charge and Helfrich relegated to coordinator status?

Discuss.

While we wait, Aliotti on other topics...

On expectations at Oregon:

"Sometimes the expectations are so great out there that it's hard to achieve them. It almost seems like in the last two or three years it's been national championship, then we're happy, Rose Bowl, not so happy but we're OK, anything less than that, you guys are a bunch of failures. That's a little bit harsh and too tough on any coaching staff."

Aliotti on what he saw in Oregon's 31-24 loss to Arizona:

"Based on what I saw Thursday night, it could be tough. I do have trust in these coaches, I do have trust in these players, but if I was judging off what I saw Thursday it was not very good and it could be a tough season."

Aliotti on the Ducks problems:

"Best I can tell right now, I don't think they're playing very well on either side of the line. The offensive line I know is beat up, but that's college football. All over the place people are beat up and have a few guys out. I know Oregon has a lot of guys out there, I just don't think the defensive front is playing that well."

On injuries in college football:

"You can't make excuses... it's the nature of the beast, it's college football. There's no waiver wire or whatever they call it in the NFL, you can't sign any free agents, you have what you recruited. That's everybody throughout the country. You have to play with what you're left with."

On how much criticism from media and outsiders the Ducks coaching staff hears:

"You hear it. Unfortunately, you do. You might not hear it on game night, but with social media... blogs, all that kind of stuff, yeah, you hear it. It hurts, but you definitely hear it."

On parity in the conference:

"You'd better be ready to play every weekend because I'm not seeing that right now."

--- @JohnCanzanoBFT