Oregon fans have been blessed over the last few seasons with Heisman-like performances by quarterbacks inside Autzen Stadium, but the difference was it wasn’t by one of its own this time.
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When was the last time we berated an Oregon pass attack for being wholly ineffective? They’re a young defense that needs more time and more rest. Jack, an All-American, suffered a meniscus injury in practice last Wednesday.
For a team that Marcus Mariota led to the national championship game just nine months ago, that’s a steep drop. “Oregon is a quality program and they have a lot of good players and I couldn’t be more proud of our guys and how they responded”.
Two familiar names reappeared in the Top 25 this week. You have to earn every single thing in this game, as a team. But the Ducks also failed on their lone two-point conversion attempt. Then we go get a sandwich and a cup of chowder, overlooking the fact those minutely interpreted ripples are already gone and the pond is again still, awaiting next week’s stone throw.
There is a balance between efficiency and explosiveness, and when that balance is off, you have to choose between unpalatable options.
That would be bad enough, but a revamped secondary can’t stop anyone, giving up five touchdown passes to the Utes.
The stretch featured two touchdown passes from Travis Wilson to Caleb Repp; a 25-yard scoring strike from Devontae Booker to Britain Covey; a 2-yard TD run by Wilson; 69-yard punt return for a score by Boobie Hobbs (off a nifty play); and a 6-yard run to the end zone by Kendal Thompson. After ranking a meager 75th in Adj. Sack Rate last season, they have fallen to 116th.
The choices don’t get any easier. “For some reason we had more assignment mistakes, and they were big plays”. Utah’s point total was the highest for a visiting Ducks opponent, surpassing Washington State’s 55-16 romp in 2003.
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This has been a weak-point for the Ducks for awhile but luckily, due to players such as Byron Marshall and Bralon Addison, the Ducks have, so far, been able to break-even by making big plays and exciting returns. While there is hope that the quarterback position will get healthier and the offense can find a semblance of its typical production, the fixes aren’t as clear on defense. The Ducks rank 21st in Off. S&P+ and possess an elite (or close to it) level of efficiency. Adams began the game 2-of-7 for 26 yards and a short touchdown pass to Freeman before being pulled in the second quarter for Jeff Lockie. “We came out to prove we can play with the best teams in the country”.
“When we play like we played, it’s on me”, Helfrich said after the Ducks lost 62-20 to Utah. Hogan finished with 163 yards passing and two touchdowns.
The Utes went an open road and helped internet marketing business against Oregon, pressure the Ducks 62overvallen20. Kyle Allen and the explosive Christian Kirk of Texas A&M look to change last years outcome and come away with a win.
It was a feel-good moment for Lockie, the junior who lost out on the starting job to Adams before the season, but it was just one possession. The Ducks are not elite on offense, and with this D, that’s a bad combination.
The Wildcats had ascended into the top 20 after a modest nonconference schedule, but UCLA exposed them in a big weekend for the program with ESPN’s College GameDay on campus. Now’s the chance to strike Oregon down.
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The Ducks (2-2), though, were grounded by the Utes. And if you didn’t turn the game off before then, well, you certainly weren’t going to after, because what else could this game possibly have in store? At least media voters moved the Utes into the top 10.
