Today’s Cause For Hope:
The Oregon Defense
It’s quite possible the Oregon defense may be, uh, good this season (excuse me, I hesitated). Holding Boise State to 19 points on the road is an ideal result. When you dig deeper and realize the defense was on the field for nearly 75% of game time and 67% of all plays (89-44 total plays in favor of Boise), it becomes a hell of an accomplishment.
In last year’s home loss to the Broncos, the Ducks defended 15 fewer plays and were on the field for 10 minutes less. They were torched for 37 points and 386 yards passing.
On Thursday, in a hostile (I guess) environment, Oregon managed to hold Boise State to 4.05 yards per play. For perspective on that number, only ASU (against Idaho St.), USC (against San Jose St.) and Arizona (against Central Michigan) had a better defensive average last weekend. Teams like Portland State, San Diego St. Maryland and Washington State all managed to rack up more yards per play against Pac-10 defenses.
To top it off, the defense came up with three turnovers and spent the entire second half putting the offense in position to succeed.
I know the arguments against this defense and I’ve made them outside the blog (hey, it’s all positivity this week). Too many 3rd and 7s where the DBs play soft coverage and give up easy conversions. Boise State’s turnovers were more self-inflicted than anything Oregon was doing. The Broncos missed two field goals.
In the end, though, the result was 19 points, a number every single one of us would anticipate being good enough for a victory. Ultimately, I have to ask the question, did the defense put the team in position to win? In this case, they did. If they can just get the offense to record a first down in the opening half, the Ducks might be on to something.
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Outside of the blog, you know my thoughts on this defense.
Sticking with the positivity theme, all I’m going to say is “No Comment.”
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I am aware. Buy a domain name yet? Outside the blog this week, we might be having a very different discussion. But Oregon gets one week, then I get vicious (well, as vicious as a hopeless optimist can get).
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I stay away from that domain buying stuff…except for one….well…contact me outside the blog for more information.
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You bet the D put us in a position to win. 19 points? You kidding me? Yes that was everything we could expect of them. And if we were “soft” on some third down plays then what else is new. Better to give up a first down than get beat for a TD. If our offense wasn’t so totally inept and our play calling so uninspired we could have won that game. The loss is squarely on the offense and the coaching.
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When it comes down to it every team needs a defense to get the offense on the field to do their job. Having said that yes I would agree that Oregon has a defense to be held up to a better light than we all thought in the beginning of the season. GO DUCKS!!!!!!
GO DEFENSE. GO OFFENSE.
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Correction – the Duck’s defense allowed 17 points. The other 2 points are on the offense.
Good article in today’s RG about the inept offensive performance and Masoli’s poor play. I hope the ducks take it as a challenge.
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