Tyler Stearns |
Oregon came into this season with insanely high expectations. The Ducks went and got three big players from the transfer portal Dillon Gabriel, Evan Stewart, and Jabbar Muhammad. They had one of the best high school recruiting classes in the country, filled with players who have had an immediate impact on the team.
But they didn't address the things that mattered most: the offensive line and defense. Jackson Powers-Johnson was one of the best interior offensive linemen in the country last year for the Ducks, helping them establish a physical offense. But he left for the draft this year and they haven't been able to fill that hole. The defense has also been very poor. They gave up more than 200 rushing yards to Boise State last Saturday and 34 points. They could not stop the Broncos' runningback Ashton Jeanty as he toyed with the Ducks' defenders the entire game. They were also unable to dominate defensively against Idaho, which allowed the Vandals to stay in the game. There is a plethora of skill, talent, and size on the team, but they haven't been able to put it together on either side of the ball/
A team that should remind college football fans of this Oregon team is USC's team of last season. They both entered the year with Playoff, possibly National Championship aspirations. But they crumbled, largely due to the poor defense and lack of physicality on the offensive line. They are both teams who had or have great quarterbacks and skill talent who were let down by their supporting cast.
It is going to be tough for this Oregon team to recover this season. They are going to the B1G, where the average team is much better and stronger than the average PAC-12 team. They play Ohio State, Michigan, Washington, and Wisconsin, all teams that at the moment should be massively favored against the Ducks. The only way this team can be fixed is if the defensive line can create more constant amounts of pressure, and if the offensive line can pass-block more efficiently and effectively.
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