FishDuck Article Administrator No. 1 Share Posted October 11, 2023 Our Oregon Ducks football program is entering the most important weekend of their season thus far. The Ducks will travel up to Seattle, WA to take on their cross-state rival in the Washington Huskies, currently sitting one slot ahead of them at #7 in the AP Top-25 rankings. While Washington boasts as complete a roster as you’ll find in college ... Oregon Ducks Football: 3 Keys to Beating the Huskies FISHDUCK.COM Our Oregon Ducks football program is entering the most important weekend of their season thus far. The Ducks will travel up to Seattle, WA to... 2 2 1 Two Sites: FishDuck and the Our Beloved Ducks forum, The only "Forum with Decorum!" And All-Volunteer? What a wonderful community of Duck fans! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haywarduck No. 2 Share Posted October 11, 2023 Agree on the pressure and sacks. I would love to see Taki on top of Penix at least once. As a senior returning to dawgland as a Duck it would be an awesome touch. The real difference maker will be Even Williams. We haven’t had a closer on the pass rush like Williams in a while. His impact will be seeing Penix’s head on a swivel. The pass rush and the tight coverage needs to be in tandem to stop Penix. An interception, a few sacks and the dawg offense will crumble like a cheap dog biscuit. I’m not too worried about our offense as long as we execute. The dawg defense won’t be able to neutralize all the weapons. In the end the dawgs will be the ones neutered. 2 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smith72 Moderator No. 3 Share Posted October 11, 2023 Good points Alex. I agree with all of them. Thanks for writing today's article. Defense wins championships! However, I need to add that Bo Nix has to be BOdacious. Leave no doubt he is the best! Bo will deliver his career best game. The whole Duck team needs to dominate. This year, all that is possible! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 4 Share Posted October 11, 2023 Thanks Alex....this is one of those games where you can't pull your eyes away because it will be so entertaining/frustrating, but the suspense is going to be awful. Love your thoughts about Penix... 1 2 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mic No. 5 Share Posted October 11, 2023 Clearly Alex Heining knows his football and offers rock solid analysis of three keys for the Ducks to beat UW. No argument here. However, I offer my three keys for an Oregon victory (from a much less analytical point of view): 1) Score more points than the Huskies, 2) Hold the Huskies to fewer points than themselves, and 3) Have more points in the O column at the end of regulation, O.T. or after the last whistle blows. I believe if O can do any one of the three above, they'll be fine. GO OREGON! BEAT THOSE HUSKIES! 1 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 6 Share Posted October 11, 2023 Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix add luster to Washington vs. Oregon with rivalry set for its greatest showcase yet - CBSSports.com WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM The two star quarterbacks -- and Heisman Trophy favorites -- will be front and center as an oft-overlooked rivalry gets its deserved spotlight Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Sousa No. 7 Share Posted October 11, 2023 My three are: 1. Both offense and defense need to come out of the gate running. The defense getting a couple stops early while the offense scores early will take the fizz out of the fans. 2. Rotate all the great bodies through on defense so that effort stays strong through the end of the 4th quarter. UW does not have as many quality bodies and their 1s will wear down over the course of the game. Strong fresh bodies will beat tired bodies almost every play. Like Dan says, he wants to play and finish the 4th quarter well. This is the way to do it. 3. Continue tight man-to-man on their receivers while putting exotic pressures on the QB. Hope to get panic forced throw aways and tiny windows as the pocket collapses or defenders are closing in on the scrambling QB. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven A Moderator No. 8 Share Posted October 11, 2023 Thanks Alex. I too am "hoping this weekend can virtually end the Huskies’ hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff". However, I'm not hoping the Ducks escape Seattle narrowly in a nailbiting shootout. I want an Oregon boat race. Take the crowd out early and step on the throat. We'll need to make third and long a fourth and non-manageable. Hopefully, in the second half a large enough lead to make them go for it on fourth and have some take-aways on downs. I will hopefully be drinking this Kool aid all day Saturday. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven A Moderator No. 9 Share Posted October 11, 2023 On 10/11/2023 at 10:01 AM, Mic said: I offer my three keys for an Oregon victory (from a much less analytical point of view) My fourth to yours would be never have less than a two score lead throughout the game. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mic No. 10 Share Posted October 11, 2023 On 10/11/2023 at 10:25 AM, Jon Sousa said: 3. Continue tight man-to-man on their receivers while putting exotic pressures on the QB. Hope to get panic forced throw aways and tiny windows as the pocket collapses or defenders are closing in on the scrambling QB. Regarding #3 above it will, in large measure (imo) depend on how closely the Pac-12 refs call this game for pass interference. The style of throws and the passing game differ between the two teams and I think UW will air the ball out more than the Ducks who rely more on the short stuff underneath with reliance on yards after the catch. Obviously, UW's style of throwing (if I'm right - big IF) offers a greater potential for the Refs to interject themselves in the game. How tight will they allow the Duck secondary to cover the three good receivers of Washington? Are we going to see a lot of yellow flags on the field? Let's hope not. A fair game is all we want. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mic No. 11 Share Posted October 11, 2023 On 10/11/2023 at 10:55 AM, Steven A said: My fourth to yours would be never have less than a two score lead throughout the game. That would certainly help reduce the stress factor a lot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 12 Share Posted October 11, 2023 (edited) Thank you, Alex. As to the roster point: The Ducks have a Blue Chip roster, and the Huskies do not have a Blue Chip roster. As to Dennis Dodd's comments that I posted above, who are the OL Washington ready-made NFL guys Dodd is referring to? Oregon comes into this game with the superior units on both LOS. And with Lanning and friends having a good look at the U of A plan to slow down the UW passing game. The UW OL has surrendered, like the Ducks, only a handful of sacks this season. But this is the best DL Penix will have seen. Pressure Penix and he cannot scramble. The ability ala Caleb Williams to extend plays and make something out of nothing is not a part of Penix's game. To date, Penix has 9 net rush yards on the season. UW's leading rusher, Johnson, has rushed for only 240 yards to date. Oregon D against the run is ranked #20. UW against the run is ranked #44. Running the ball, Oregon is ranked #8, and UW is not ranked in the top 50. Penix did put up 323 yards of passing in Tucson but he did not throw for a TD. If the Ducks 'hold' Penix to this kind of yardage on Saturday, the Ducks win. UW's D has been fairly solid against the run but Oregon brings a run game to Seattle that UW has yet to face. The best way to hold down Penix and the prolific UW O is to keep them off of the field. It will be imperative in this game for the Oregon O to stay on schedule. To make decent yardage on 1st down. Run the ball and set up 'Bird Bombs' to Troy Franklin and other receivers. To me, the Ducks win in Lubbock was superior to any win UW has this season. That was a gut-check win on the road and the Husky crowd will be no less intense than the crowd in Lubbock, a place where the Ducks made a tremendous comeback. And Oregon will not be facing a QB who can run like a healthy Tyler Shough. Let's Get It On! Edited October 11, 2023 by Jon Joseph 1 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solar No. 13 Share Posted October 11, 2023 We were the better team last year when we played. We lost because Bo got injured and frankly, UW appeared more motivated to win. I think we have improved this year more than UW has improved. Being an away game I think it will come down to these three things: 1. Bo settling down quickly and playing with confidence despite the road environment and tight coverage. 2. Don't beat ourselves with penalties and turnovers. 3. Our team playing with urgency and confidence, wanting to win more than the Huskies. Do these three things and the details won't matter. We are the better team. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kamikaze Kid Moderator No. 14 Share Posted October 11, 2023 Great stuff. My keys 1. New nightmare blitz packages springing from the depths of Lanning's playbook. Personally, I'd be terrified to think of what Lanning could install given two weeks to prepare for an epic battle. Just ask Nick Saban. 2. The ground game just doing what it does. If 1st and 10 regularly becomes 2nd and 2 after handing off to Bucky and Jordan, the steady slow roll drives will dominate the clock and they won't outscore us. 3. Win the turn over battle. At WSU last year, a pick six right before half negated the work UO had done climbing out of an early whole and robbed them of halftime momentum. Anything like that Saturday may prove catastrophic. Go Ducks! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyToBeADuck No. 15 Share Posted October 11, 2023 Great article Alex and great posts by everyone. You all covered the game plan beeded for victory. Love this Forum and the Duck koolaid it drinks. Nothing like being a Duck. IMHO, this is the kind of opponent, on the road a CFP worthy team WINS...... Win or lose, neither team is out of the CFP hunt. But i will hold my breath everytime Penix has the ball in his hand until he throws it away or is sacked...... Just execute at the level your talent dictates in all 3 phases of the game. Then fly home with a win and those........leg lifting, tail pipe sniffing mutts and their fans in tears. GO DUCKS! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DUCKED No. 16 Share Posted October 11, 2023 My key….get on the Husky receivers early in their routes, forcing Penix to hold onto the ball a little longer than he likes. He’s not noted for his mobility and likes to get rid of the ball in a hurry. Even forcing him to wait just a second could pay huge dividends, leading possibly to sacks and more errant passes. If Oregon can do that….Ducks win. 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikethehiker No. 17 Share Posted October 11, 2023 Excellent keys to the game Alex! Ball control will be so important and it will be an interesting chess match as I'm sure the leg lifters will load up to make Oregon as one dimensional as they are. I'm also worried about the opponent going for it on 4th down in a possession battle. The best way to discourage this is not just sacks, but especially 3rd down sacks! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log Haulin No. 18 Share Posted October 12, 2023 IMO if possible, send the defense out first and smash Fusky in the mouth. Ornery and mean. Continue it till the last play of the game. Leave them battered and bruised and make a statement to the Pac that this will be different than what they have been used to. Leave no doubt that if you choose to challenge the Ducks you will pay a heavy price. Offensively, just go do your thing. Your really good and well coached. You have some of the best skill players in college football and an O line that might be better than last year. I am feeling more aggressive the closer we get to this game. Compleatly jacked for this deal to go down. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
