Spring practices have reached the halfway point for the Oregon football team and there are still many pressing issues that new head coach Mark Helfrich and his staff must address this month leading up to the Oregon Spring Game on April 27.
The linebackers, quarterback Marcus Mariota and the running back position are among the topics that Anthony Piganelli and Andrew Murray discuss in this analysis segment.
Before Oregon’s 35-17 victory in Thursday’s Fiesta Bowl, the DuckTV Sports staff made some predictions on the final outcome.
Oregon was explosive from the opening kickoff when De’Anthony Thomas kicked things off with a 94 kick return touchdown. Oregon was up from that point on and clinched things with a game clinching field goal by much maligned kicked Alejandro Maldonado.
Senior running back Kenjon Barner paced the Ducks with 143 rushing yards on 30 carries. Barner also caught a 24 yard pass from RS freshman quarterback Marcus Mariota. Mariota finished his debut season with flying colors in the form of three total touchdowns, two in the air.
The domineering storyline in this contest though was the impending future of Oregon coach Chip Kelly. Kelly is reportedly close to a deal with the NFL’s Cleveland Browns, according to Fox Sports report. Kelly will be interviewing with Buffalo and Philadelphia soon.
If Kelly were to leave, offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich will be the leading candidate to take over, according to USA Today’s George Schroeder.
McLean Cannon, DuckTV Sports Producer
Oregon 35, Kansas State 20
Kansas St. hangs tough with Oregon for the majority of the game to keep it close, but Ducks distance themselves in the fourth quarter. Mariota tosses two scores and runs for another and DAT has a long touchdown run. Barner adds a TD run of his own but is otherwise a non factor. On the other side, Klein throws an ill-timed interception and struggles to find a rhythm throughout the game.
Shannon Hartley, DuckTV Sports Reporter
Oregon 36, Kansas State 27
The Oregon Ducks will be able to run their offense effectively against the Wildcats. The Wildcats have a great offense and defense, but won’t be able to keep up with the pace at which Oregon scores. I have the score as 36 instead of 35 because Chip Kelly will undoubtedly go for two to throw the Wildcats off.
Preston Hiefield, DuckTV Sports Producer
Oregon 34, Kansas State 28
While many think Oregon will run roughshod all over this Wildcats defense, people forget how talented and well-coached this team is on that side of the ball, led by All-American linebacker Arthur Brown. Klein keeps K-State in it with his legs, but eventually Oregon’s defense stifles the Wildcats’ ground game and forces Klein into a late interception.
By Andrew Murray
For being in drastically different geographically location, Kansas State and Oregon are identical teams statistically. The Ducks are second in the nation in scoring while the Wildcats are tenth in that category. The Wildcats are 24th in scoring defense and the Ducks are 26th in scoring defense.
The Ducks utilize senior running back Kenjon Barner, who has 21 rushing touchdowns on the season, while Wildcats running back John Hubert has scored 15 touchdowns. Both teams possess dual-threat quarterbacks with Marcus Mariota for the Ducks and Collin Klein for Kansas State.
Many factors of both teams seem to match evenly. For either teams offense to operate effectively, their playmakers will have to take advantage of the edges of the field. In both team’s losses, neither of them could develop a running game on the outside. Against Stanford, the Ducks rushed for 196 yards, 127 yards below their season average. Against Baylor, the Wildcats rushed for 76 yards, 123 yards below their season average.
Both team’s offenses pride themselves in dominating the outside perimeters of the field with expert running from the running back and quarterback positions. Both defenses have experienced similar challenges in trying to defend against these types of high octane offenses in practice.
The key for both offenses to be effective will be for the quarterbacks to dictate the edge of the defense through option reads. This is will be especially important for Collin Klein, who has 22 rushing touchdowns on the season. While Mariota has only has four rushing touchdowns, he has shown an ability to sprint out of the pocket and buy time to pass or run. Securing the perimeter will be crucial in supplanting an efficient offense for either team.
Beyond the offensive game plans, turnovers will also be a primary factor in the game. The Ducks have been tenacious in taking the ball away from their opponent, setting a school record 38 forced turnovers. The Wildcats have been no slouches either, collecting 18 interceptions and 18 fumble recoveries.
In recent years, both defenses have been cited as liabilities for not keeping up with their offenses. This year they have stepped up to supply short fields for their offenses constantly. Mariota and Klein will have to be judicious with their ball handling, as the two quarterbacks have thrown a combined 13 interceptions.
Whichever team controls the edges of the field and commits the least amount of turnovers will end up being crowned the Fiesta Bowl winner.
The biggest home game of the year is fast approaching for the Ducks and even College Gameday is here. The DuckTV Sports staff answers the burning questions going into the Stanford game.
Oregon was gashed by injuries last week, how big of a concern is this for the Ducks?
McLean Cannon, DuckTV Sports Producer: Some of them certainly appear more serious than others, especially on the defensive side. Marcus Mariota and Kenjon Barner were able to bounce back from scares and appear to be just fine, but Avery Patterson’s knee injury looks much more serious. Patterson is just the latest casualty on Oregon’s defense that has taken quite a hit. Dion Jordan (shoulder), Issac Remington (foot), and Ricky Heimuli (knee) all didn’t play against Cal. The Ducks Defensive line is depleted and Stanford is a physical team that can take advantage. It’s definitely a cause for concern, though Oregon’s depth and talent should still be enough.
Anthony Piganelli, DuckTV Sports reporter: While it is definitely encouraging to see that Marcus Mariota and Kenjon Barner came back without any problems from there minor injuries, the Ducks couldn’t get as lucky on the third. Junior safety Avery Patterson, who was having a spectacular season thus far, suffered a serious knee injury early in the game against Cal last saturday. As for the game against Stanford this weekend, I believe the Patterson injury is a pretty big concern because it takes away from an already depleted secondary that has been without its standout veteran safety John Boyett for most of the season. However the offensive firepower should take care of any defensive struggles in this matchup.
Zach Goldstein, DuckTV Sports reporter: The biggest concern, as stated previously, comes in terms of the secondary. With Avery Patterson’s season ending ACL tear, the Ducks will more than likely start Brian Jackson and Erik Dargan at the safety positions. The Ducks aren’t exactly facing USC quality in the wide-out position this week either, Stepfan Taylor should be the biggest threat on the Cardinal side and stopping him comes down to a healthy and hungry Defensive line. With Isaac Remington and Dion Jordan likely to return, look for the Ducks to compensate in the secondary with a nearly complete starting d-line and linebacker rotation. If the Kenjon injury persists, Marshall, Ford, or Lyerla are all more than competent fill-ins. I expect to see Colt Lyerla’s role continue to grow, he’s a beast, but so is Stanford’s pro style defense, the Hillsborough native could be key this weekend.
There has been speculation De’Anthony Thomas will play cornerback this weekend due to injuries in the secondary. What would be your reaction to De’Anthony playing corner?
Cannon: He’s an elite athlete with elite speed, which leads me to believe he’d make a pretty good corner. I would just hate to see him get hurt. Thomas been held in check offensively since Pac-12 play started, and with the injuries to the secondary, it makes sense that the coaching staff wants to utilize his skills any way they can. I’m intrigued to see him play defensive back, as he was initially recruited as a corner out of H.S.. I just hope the Ducks aren’t getting greedy here.
Piganelli: It would be very exciting to say the least to have Thomas in the secondary running around showcasing his athleticism on both sides of the ball. More importantly the move wouldn’t exactly be bizarre because the Black Mamba was ranked the number 1 cornerback in the nation during his recruiting process in high school. With all of the injuries that have plagued the Oregon secondary this year, I wouldn’t at all be surprised to see DAT inserted into some coverage packages this weekend against Stanford. However as most of us are probably thinking, I’ll believe it when I see it.
Goldstein: Go ahead young man, do your thing. Thomas is a freak, plain and simple. If he played solely cornerback he would be the best on the team, hands down, no questions asked. I’ve never seen Thomas seem tired, he’s got the energy of a kid hopped up on a family sized package of Skittles, play him on offense, defense, and special teams. A talent like his is once in a blue moon, Coach Kelly will look to get his Swiss Army knife of a weapon involved as much as he can.
What will be the keys to winning for Stanford?
Cannon: Establishing a consistent running game early with Stefan Taylor, capitalizing on red zone trips, and shutting down Oregon’s run game like Cal did. Mariota has shown he can win games when the ground game’s not working, but Stanford will still take their chances with a freshman quarterback playing in one of the biggest games of his career.
Piganelli: In order for Stanford to even compete in this game, let alone win, they must control the tempo right from the opening kickoff. On offense, they must pound the ball early with senior standout running back Stepfan Taylor. However once Oregon starts to commit to the run, redshirt freshman quarterback Kevin Hogan must step up and make plays with his arm. While this may be tough to do against a tough defense in just his second start, he has to play like a veteran in order for the cardinal to walk away with the upset. On defense, it is essential that they force a couple of three and outs so that momentum shifts evenly.
Goldstein: Stopping the Cardinal ground game, and Mariota effectively running the offense. When I had the unfortunate pleasure of witnessing the loss at The Farm two years ago I realized something, a great running back can change a game. Stepfan Taylor makes the Cardinals go and if the Ducks keep him in check, things should be fine. If his numbers are anything like the 38 carry, 273 yard, 3 score performance Toby Gerhart had, the Ducks could be in hot water. On the other side of the ball the Ducks need to be consistent offensively for four quarters. The Cardinal give up just over seventeen points a game and are the best defense the Ducks have seen all year. Mariota will need another solid performance to keep Oregon undefeated.
What will be the final score?
Cannon: 57-20 Oregon. The Ducks score 8 touchdowns, three through the air, four on the ground, and one defensively, and adds a two-point conversion as well, rolling easily past an over-matched Stanford squad. Stanford struggles to move the ball offensively, as quarterback Kevin Hogan looks rattled, and as usual, the defense is no match against the Ducks prolific offense.
Piganelli: 38-24 Oregon. The Ducks will be tested in the this game, but will ultimately come away with another win in conference play. They will score off 2 passing touchdowns, 3 rushing, and a field goal. As for Stanford, 2 Stefan Taylor touchdowns as well as a Hogan throwing touchdown and a field goal should just about wrap up the scoring for the Cardinal. The game will be close early on, but the Ducks will pull away in the fourth quarter and remain undefeated.
Goldstein: 48-24 Oregon. I see Stepfan Taylor taking in a score or two, but Kevin Hogan won’t have much luck against a team that’s two weeks off playing USC’s pro-ready quarterback Matt Barkley. The Ducks will have a more even point distribution this week, I see a fifty-fifty touchdown ratio through the air and on the ground. The defense could also get a score as the Cardinal fight to come back in the game late. It should be close for a half or so but look for the high powered Ducks to soar past the heavy footed Stanford defense.
This is also a big weekend for Mens basketball, as they are playing Vanderbilt this Friday at home. What should duck fans expect from this game?
Cannon: Even with the departures of John Jenkins, Jeffrey Taylor, and Festus Ezeili, not to mention Brad Tinsley, Vanderbilt will still prove the superior team. Kedren Johnson scores 18 and Kyle Fuller and Kevin Bright chip in double figures, as the Commodores’ experience and athleticism proves too much, and Oregon’s youth and lack of chemistry is exposed. Vanderbilt cruises 75-63.
Piganelli: Although Oregon has added some key pieces this year with freshman guard Dominic Artis as well as a few transfers, they have also lost a significant amount of talent. Losing guards Garrett Sim as well as Devoe Joseph will prove to be costly as the lack of experience will show against a top team like Vanderbilt. The combination of the three skilled guards for the Commodores, Kendren Johnson, Kyle Fuller, and Kevin Bright, will ultimately prove to be too much for the Ducks. As a result, Vanderbilt walks away with an easy 77-59 win.
Goldstein: Fans should expect a pretty exciting Duck squad this year. With the recent news of Arsalan Kazemi’s clearance for the season the Ducks have a formidable inside presence with the Rice transfer teaming up with Tony Woods down low. Woods comes off a year in which he set a school record in blocks (51), and hopes to improve his inside scoring. Freshmen Dominic Artis is an exciting young player who can create, and score, in bunches. Senior E.J. Singler will be the key player amongst all of this as he seeks to improve his already lofty status amongst Oregon Basketball alumnus.
After their 62-51 win in Los Angeles last week, the Ducks will travel to Berkeley to take on the golden bears. The DuckTV Sports staff has the answers to all the burning questions going into the game.
1. Oregon has had tough games the last two times they’ve played Cal (Down 15-14 at halftime last season and a close win 15-13 two seasons ago). Will things be different against Cal this season?
Zach Goldstein, DuckTV Sports reporter: I believe so. Having just put 62 points against the Trojans I see the Ducks to continue racking up the points. The Bears are coming off three straight losses, one to Utah 49-27. The Ducks should look to emulate the Utes domination come Saturday. The seat appears to be hot for Bears coach Jeff Tedford as well. The Ducks coming to Berkeley could only make his job security even more of an issue, I see Oregon putting on an offensive show in order to make up for the banged up Defensive line.
Andrew Murray, Duck TV Sports reporter: In the past two seasons, Darron Thomas led a formidable, yet slow starting offense for the Ducks. This season, the Ducks have been anything but slow in any of their matchups. Scoring under 20 points in the first quarter is almost unheard of, occurring only twice this season. Marcus Mariota has insured that the Ducks not only lead at the half, but lead by at least double digits. The Bears are a measly 3-7 with a 2-5 conference record and head coach Jeff Tedford is on the hot seat.
Jessica Waite, DuckTV Sports reporter: Definitely. Those were different teams with different players. Cal had a better and more experienced defensive line than they have now, and Oregon’s offensive line is playing as good as anyone after moving Kyle Long to left guard in the USC game. One thing that Oregon did take advantage of last year that helped them pull away in the second half was the fact that they used man coverage on De’Anthony Thomas.
Preston Hiefield, DuckTV Sports Producer: Things should be different when these two teams square off in the newly renovated Memorial Stadium on Saturday night. Cal will be without their starting quarterback Zach Maynard and their best player Keenan Allen. More importantly, however, is the fact that they lack the personnel on defense to contain Oregon for four quarters. Key cogs such as Mychal Kendricks (now with the Philadelphia Eagles) that fit the Bears’ 3-4 scheme so well in the past, are gone. Oh, and Cal is 3-7 this year. They’re just not a very good football team.
2. Ducks wide receiver Josh Huff had 5 catches for 125 yards last week against USC, his first 100 yard receiving game in his career. Can Huff keep up that success through the season?
Goldstein: I’ve always thought Huff was able to have a game like last Saturdays, it just finally came to fruition. A few WR bubble screens here, a few slants there, and Huff could be plus 100 yards again. Huff could be seeing the end zone at least once against a Bear defense that isn’t anywhere near as good as the one that held the Ducks to 15 two years ago.
Murray: Josh Huff finally had the breakout game that many fans have been expecting since he walked onto the campus. Various injuries and utilization of other weapons has limited his production throughout his career. With every team keying in on De’Anthony Thomas, players like Colty Lyerla, Bralon Addison and Daryle Hawkins have been getting more touches than usual. Huff may have another solid game against the Bears, but the rotation of playmakers may favor another player this weak and leave Huff to blocking duties primarily.
Waite: Yes. He is the most experienced wide receiver that Oregon has and he is finally completely healthy again—bouncing back from a knee sprain. After recovering from his injury and with experience under his belt, Huff can ride the momentum into the rest of the season and become the “go-to” receiver for the Ducks.
Hiefield: Statistically? No. Unlike pro style offenses where teams may have a “go-to target,” Chip Kelly’s offense is predicated on spreading the ball around to different weapons. You could make an argument that Jeff Maehl was a true no. 1 receiver in 2010, but that should be attributed to Maehl being simply head and shoulders better than every receiver on the roster that year. I’m not ready to label Huff as Mariota’s number one target just yet. He’s certainly the best athlete of the group, but he needs to show more consistency. Saturday was very encouraging however.
3. The Ducks gave up 51 points to USC, is the Ducks defense vulnerable?
Goldstein: Unfortunately, yes. This’ll be an interesting game for a few reasons, most importantly for me it comes down to Oregon’s D-Line play. Issac Remington, Ricky Heimuli, and Dion Jordan all figure to be out. That means veterans Tony Washington and Taylor Hart will have to step up and Alex Balducci will be making his first start for the Ducks. Hopefully he can make a more significant impact than Armstead thus far.
Murray: USC was essentially the best the Pac-12 conference could offer as an offensive threat to the Ducks. Matt Barkley, Robert Woods, Marquise Lee and Silas Redd all gave their best shots and came out with 51 points. It looks like a lot on paper, but the Trojans were playing catch up the entire game and the defense managed to get stops when they needed to. Corrections are sure to be made this week and the Ducks will have little problems against the Bears offense.
Waite: No, because USC is the best offense Oregon will face all year with future first-round draft picks in Matt Barkley, Marquise Lee, and Robert Woods. Oregon is now able to watch game film to learn from and become a better defense. Additionally, Oregon’s defense has been solid all year, and I believe that last week was an anomaly more so than a sign of what’s to come.
Hiefield: Yes. But let’s be clear: Marqise Lee, Robert Woods and Matt Barkley can make a lot of defenses look “vulnerable.” I thought Oregon corners Ifo Ekpre-Olomu and Terrence Mitchell held up very well. The explosion plays in the vertical passing game made by USC were mostly the fault of safeties Brian Jackson and Avery Patterson. Good news for the Ducks: they won’t face a more talented offense all year long than the one they squared off with last week in LA.
4. Cal starting quarterback Zach Maynard will be out against Oregon with a knee injury. How will this affect Cal’s offensive gameplan?
Goldstein: One week after facing the best pure quarterback in the nation the Ducks will be matched up against Allan Bridgford. While Barkley comes into Saturdays action against the Sun Devils with 30 touchdowns, Oregon faces a junior with a 25% completion percentage. I think Cal’s gameplan has to be affected. Look for Tedford to feed both Anderson and Sofele early and often as he tries to ease Bridgford into action.
Murray: Zach Maynard was having an average season at best before he went out with a sprained left knee, with a mere 12-10 touchdown to interception ratio. Still, the Bears showed an ability to break the 30 plateau, which they’ve done three times this season. Backup Allan Bridgford has thrown a total of 48 collegiate passes and now has to face the top scoring team in the nation. Don’t expect much from an inexperienced quarterback who has an average running game to lean on.
Waite: Although generally the starting quarterback is revered as the team leader and one the team has practiced with and grown accustomed to, Zach Maynard is not an elite quarterback. Cal has been missing their best player on their team, Keenan Allen, which is a bigger loss than Maynard. Maynard’s injury could be a minor setback for Cal, but should not affect the production of the offense too much.
Hiefield: It won’t. At this point in the season, you can’t really afford to change what you’re doing offensively. Allan Bridgford, Maynard’s backup, has completed just 4 of 16 passes this year. You’d think Tedford will keep things simple for the inexperienced signal caller. Maynard has the athletic ability to take off and make plays with his feet. Bridgford does not. Look for the Ducks defense to pin their ears back and bring the kitchen sink.
5. What will be the final score of the game?
Goldstein: 53-24, the Ducks won’t have any trouble racking up yards on Cal and the Bears will surely turn the ball over a few times which will result in points for Oregon. The D-Line will struggle at times and will likely give up some good yardage on the ground. Look for Cal to score as much as possible once garbage times comes around. I also don’t expect the Ducks starters to play all four quarters.
Murray: 56-10. The Ducks will rebound defensively and make a mockery of Bridgford. Expect Mariota and Kenjon Barner to lead the charge once again as Barner looks to amasses more scores to aid his Heisman campaign. Depending on how much the Bears defense keys in on Thomas, he may be subject to being a decoy once again. Look for a huge halftime lead to be built and the starters to be out by the third quarter.
Waite: Oregon: 55, Cal:17. Oregon’s explosive offense should easily stun Cal’s defense with the help of the “Black Mamba,” Josh Huff, Kenjon Barner, and Marcus Mariota. Defensively, Oregon shouldn’t have too much trouble stopping the Bears sputtering offense, especially with the absence of Keenan Allen, a future first round choice for the NFL Draft, and the recent loss of Zach Maynard.
Hiefield: 45-17 Oregon. Look for the Ducks to jump out to an early lead and then play relatively conservative football in the second half. Cal will make a couple of plays against Oregon reserves to put some points on the board.
