The Trenches

[Better Duck]

Am I the only one that realizes that we have been getting killed in the Trenches ? We are totally being pushed around on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Now I know many would like to say perhaps it's the coaching or the quarterback however take a good look at this and you will see we are man to man in the trenches just being handled. What do you think?

[Jon Joseph]

The Ducks outgained Stanford on Saturday; had success running the ball. Ran for over 200 yards. 

 

If anything the pinch-hitting OC did not call enough runs.

 

Stanford's last drive? The DL put great pressure on McKee and were rewarded with a ticky tack targeting call and a ticky tack roughing the passer call. 1 of these suspect calls goes the other way and the Ducks win.

 

And the targeting call on Stanford that was reversed should have stood as an unnecessary roughness penalty.  Oregon should have had the ball well within scoring territory.

 

Stanford is the Ducks nemesis. It often defeats Oregon when it shouldn't and it always seems to get the benefit of questionable calls.

 

It is extremely rare for any P5 team to go 13-0. The Ducks have to get up off the deck and make a playoff run.

 

I certainly agree with you that the line play on both LOS could be sharper, no doubt. Yet, with the line play you described Oregon is 4-1 and easily could be 5-0.

 

This is an observation and not an excuse. Many key D guys are dinged. The most important OL guy, starting center Forsyth, did not play on Saturday.

 

Hopefully, the idle week with help the Ducks get healthy?

 

 

[nw777b]

On 10/5/2021 at 6:50 AM, Better Duck said:

Am I the only one that realizes that we have been getting killed in the Trenches ?

Seems that the D line doesn't do well the first half, but does better the 2nd half. What I noticed more than once was while linemen are engaged standung up, the runner will run past them.

 

AB had a LOT of time in the pocket several times. 

[Smith72]

I've been wondering if all the injuries are because Oregon practices are too physical! 

 

I also thought the strength and conditioning coach would lead to less injury. Many of the injuries are non contact.

 

Does anyone have information on why so many?

[Haywarduck]

All I can see is the outcomes aren't what I would guess they should be. Is it the coaching, not attacking, blocking correctly, or just a lack of that extra effort needed to dominate. 

 

The line play does seem to predict the outcome of the game. The line play against tosu was applauded, but against our other wins and the loss the play was spotty. This seems to indicate an effort issue. Are these guys, like the rest of the team, just playing up to and down to the competition?

[David Marsh]

One observation I recently saw was a large part for the offensive line not looking as good is if Brown has the wrong read. 

 

The RPO system is designed to be flexible. Whatever the defense gives the offense takes. 

 

This is an article going over Browns shortcomings from last Saturday and is worth a read. It wasn't stated in the article but if you look at the pictures provided you really do start to get a sense the offense is doing their job but Brown isn't doing his correctly with what is happening. 

 

The 4th and 1 at the goal line at the end of the 1st half is such an incredible example when you see if in still frame. The offensive line has pulling linemen to do something COMPLETELY different than what Brown actually does. It wasn't a play even designed to go up the gut, the linemen were pulling to attack the edges more. 

 

I now really want to see what this line does when a QB is doing the right thing. 

 

As for the defensive line... Ughh the injuries on defense make it really tough to gage how well the whole defense is doing. They have shown some growth but they aren't there yet by any means. The defense could use some big bodied guys to plug some holes though. 

[oregon112]

KILLED in the TRENCHES:

 

Here is when that happened to Oregon:  2010 natty - Auburn running the ball down the defense's throat last drive of the game.

2011 LSU - blowing out the defense.  2014 natty - Zeke Elliot.   AND the 2nd half - Oregon killing Stanford in the trenches. 

 

Last season - the beavs killed Oregon in the trenches.  This season - Oregon beat Ohio St in the trenches. 

 

That is just the way I have seen it. 

[Charles Fischer]

On 10/6/2021 at 1:21 AM, oregon112 said:

That is just the way I have seen it. 

 

In nearly every example....there were other big reasons for the loss as well.  For example, when Zeke went crazy in the 'Natty--we had so many injuries at ILB, that we had a redshirt freshman playing who was terrible and never played again.  That was not on the defensive line.

 

I could spend time on the other examples, but do not wish to write it all out.  We can settle on disagreeing, and that is fine with me.  As for this year?  I stated up front that our D-Line was undersized, and then add injuries to it and you have freshmen-replacing-freshmen.  Not a winning scenario, IMHO.

 

At times the offensive line has been good, but could have been better.  But they are not the reasons for the loss, again IMHO.

 

                           Look them up....they are all very young...

[oregon112]

On 10/6/2021 at 7:29 AM, Charles Fischer said:

 

In nearly every example....there were other big reasons for the loss as well.  For example, when Zeke went crazy in the 'Natty--we had so many injuries at ILB, that we had a redshirt freshman playing who was terrible and never played again.  That was not on the defensive line.

 

I could spend time on the other examples, but do not wish to write it all out.  We can settle on disagreeing, and that is fine with me.  As for this year?  I stated up front that our D-Line was undersized, and then add injuries to it and you have freshmen-replacing-freshmen.  Not a winning scenario, IMHO.

 

At times the offensive line has been good, but could have been better.  But they are not the reasons for the loss, again IMHO.

 

                           Look them up....they are all very young...

I consider the linebackers to be part of the trenches, tight ends blocking too.  Overall, I think the O line and D line are OK for this team -some parts could be better, and some parts are very good.  Don't want to nit pick on that stuff either. 

 

Totally agree that the linemen are not the reason for the loss or not so good play in the other games.  If they were really bad, then Ohio St would have rolled all over them at the line of scrimmage. 

 

D line undersized:  yeah some of them.  Some of that is scheme.  The standup ends are smaller than 3-4 ends like Armstead and Buckner.  Some of the backups are really small at that position.  A. Jackson would be more of an inside or outside LB than a standup defensive end at his height and weight.  I think they should move him to weakside LB, considering all the problems they have been having there. He is very similar to Flowe.  

 

In some ways, I think some of the current players in the defensive front 6 are not what DeRuyter needs for his defensive scheme.  I do think that KT is perfect for his scheme.  Team needs about four more guys just like him. 

 

The defense has changed schemes from the 3-4 (Allioti's), to Hoke's, to Leavitt's, to Avalos and now to DeRuyter. 

 

How the heck are you supposed to recruit for your scheme when it keeps changing like that?  5 schemes in 7 years. 

 

Justin Hollins and Bryson Young might have worked out well at the stand up end positions - not too large, but quick pass rushers and fast enough to chase RBs out in the flats. Gus Cumberlander too.  And Dion Jordan would have been a terror at that spot. 

 

Right now, its just KT doing really well at that spot, and he is gone after this season. 

[DuckIt]

On 10/5/2021 at 4:59 AM, nw777b said:

Seems that the D line doesn't do well the first half, but does better the 2nd half. What I noticed more than once was while linemen are engaged standung up, the runner will run past them.

 

AB had a LOT of time in the pocket several times. 

I think its correlated to the offense playing better and sustaining longer drives in the second half.  The defense has more time to catch their breath. 

[Just Ducky]

Let’s be honest here. If not for some timely interceptions this team could easily be 0 and 5.

[UtahDuck]

On 10/8/2021 at 9:39 AM, Just Ducky said:

If not for some timely interceptions this team could easily be 0 and 5.

 

That's not really accurate. against fresno state we didn't have a single int. three fumbles recoveries but some of those were by the effort of sewell et al standing up the ball carrier and stripping it. Also in the final three Fresno drive the defense allowed a total of 25 yds, one 3-and-out and one turnover on downs. 

 

against Ohio state oregon defense had 2 turnover on downs in the first half OSU only had one TD. They had another downs in the second half and while they did get the late int that doesn't discredit the fact that oregon could have easily gotten another downs turnover. Not to mention it was the sack by our all arounder that sealed the game. 

 

against stoneybrook oregon did have two major int's but even if SB scored the final still ends up 21-48 with oregon winning.

 

lastly against AZ. First the qb threw 5 INT's so to claim that it is a timely int is not likely. Also of the last 4 drive for AZ they through two int's including a pick 6 and one 3-and-out and a missed FG. Did oregon look good in that game, no! especially offensively in the second half. but it's not like you get to take away 5 int's because the were all "timely".

[Charles Fischer]

On 10/8/2021 at 2:06 PM, UtahDuck said:

That's not really accurate

 

You are always so reasonable or factual, UtahDuck.  Love it.