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Watch: OC Stein Burns Blitzes from Utah

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I was surprised at some parts of the Oregon offensive game-plan versus Utah, as I did not anticipate these areas of Utah weakness that Offensive Coordinator Will Stein would attack. Often, coaches will attack from a schematic approach, or in terms of tempo, but I liked how OC Will Stein looked at matchups in the Utah game. He also noted ...

 
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I was surprised at some parts of the Oregon offensive game-plan versus Utah, as I did not anticipate these areas of Utah weakness that...
 
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I could be wrong but I seem to remember one play where Nix changed the play twice at the line of scrimage. It has to be deflating for a defense to make adjustments, hide those adjustments and have a qb cerebraly shred everything you are trying to do in real time.

 

I would love to hear in depth what KW  thought of that single moment. He had to be impressed. Not only was KW out coached by DL and WS, but he was out coached by Nix as well. As good as Whit is, thats saying something.

 

I only watched the game in real time so maybe I saw it wrong. I haven't gotten a rewatch so maybe you guys can confirm what I think I saw.

 

I remember Lanning saying last week that prep for the game was elite at both the coaching and player level. This article shows exactly that imo.

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 It seemed to me that Bo changed plays several times in that game. Let’s face it having a coach on the field that plays QB is a huge advantage. Bo is doing a very good job of that at the line of scrimmage.

 

 

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Notice the same thing, the repetitive passes to start the game caught the Utes off guard, and led to a broken game plan.

 

The quick start was also critical to the momentum a Lanning run game needs, thrives on.

 

If Oregon gets off to a fast start I can't remember a team catching up and winning. Lanning knows how to win going away, and a game plan that scores early and often is a crusher for any team facing the Ducks.

 

Maybe the best plan for the Ducks is to take the kickoff, and attack like they did against the Utes. Then send the defense in and shut the opponent down, game over.

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Thank you Charles for the article and all the time you invested in the breakdown and analysis.

 

This article today is what makes OBDF special and over the top. Well done.

 

DL, Stein and Bo seemed to have a pipeline to the Utes D signals. Bo adjusted to what he saw, audibled and made the Utes pay.

 

Bo had wide open receivers for easy first downs. The Utes D was off balance and overwhelmed......

 

Whats most impressive, to me, was how KW made adjustments after it was 21-3. Those adjustments slowed the Duck O down. Those adjustments kept Utah in the game.

 

However Stein made halftime adjustments and Bo kept calling audibles. After the Ducks first drive of the 2nd half, because of adjustments, the Utes were no longer in the game.

 

Now thats impressive......

 

First  4 quarter, complete game of the season by the Ducks according to DL.

 

Let's see the Ducks make it 2 in a row against Cal.

 

Go Ducks.........

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On 10/30/2023 at 7:01 AM, HappyToBeADuck said:

Thank you Charles for the article and all the time you invested in the breakdown and analysis.

Today's article is a classic example of what I tell the FD writers what NOT to do.  You have a topic you are excited about covering, (beating the blitzes) but want to add so many other things, (four-pass opening drive, weak contain defense, Conerly vs. Ellis) that I ended up making too big an article.  I should have split it in half for easier reading of both.

 

But I was pumped about the subjects, and once I finished...."I'm leaving it!"

 

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Mr. FishDuck

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Mr. FishDuck, we'll have to start calling you Coach FishDuck.  Excellent film breakdown!  Your insight to football coupled with your arduous film study benefits all the FishDuck fans on OBD forum!

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Solid analysis.
 

Those were the type of plays that gave our defense fits last year when trying to get off the field. It is very satisfying to watch Nix exploit an aggressive defense.

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Charles, you may be a bad boy but this, Sir, is a great article.

 

Thank you.

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Great article and observations, Charles. And not a word or video too long.

 

I watched the first half of the game with several folks in a local bar. On that first drive when Bo hit Tez over the middle in the spot vacated by the linebacker, I announced to those within earshot that the absence of ILB Barton for the Utes was going to open up the short middle zone. And that Oregon would take advantage. 

 

When Bo changed the call on the drive in the red zone at the end of the first qtr, and had James wheel route to the same spot, he predicted the LB would bite to the outside. Dead solid perfect and even with the bobbled snap delivered that beauty to James for six. No one bought me a beer, but I got a "you called it" or two.

 

After Utah owning the Ducks the last time they played in SLC, then again in the 2021 championship game, this was a real joy to watch. The difference between the old Mari-no-O 'physicality-but-no-mentality' offense and the DL/Stein attack them where they are weakest/not expecting it was night and day.

 

Man, no let ups now. No one left on the schedule will be unprepared to face the Ducks or lacking motivation. Each opponent, even Sparky, will be gunning for Oregon with the hope to ruin their increasingly probable CFP run. The coaches will need to game plan with the same cold ruthlessness that we saw against the Utes and the players execute it in kind.

 

 

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Charles, thank you for perfectly diagramming what a novice (me) noticed in that opening drive! I was giddy with excitement for the rest of the game because of what transpired in the opening sequence. It seemed like Utah was waiting/hoping we’d transition from the pass weighted play calling (balanced!) towards the “win in the trenches” approach. We never did!

 

This coaching staff does indeed bring much more to the table than that. And with the playmakers they’ve assembled and a 5th year quarterback  completing almost 80% of his passes in total command of the offense, why would you go “phone booth”?

 

Thank you Mr Fishduck for bringing me back to that opening drive giddiness!

 

Go Ducks!

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I think we need a new term for what the Stein offense did to the Utes' offense, he put them "behind the goal posts" with the play calling and fast start.

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I watched the replay earlier today and came away impressed with how Oregon attacked the middle of Utah's defense.  With your excellent article, now I know why they were successful.  Dan Lanning mentioned that the Oregon coaching staff was making adjustments to the game plan, late in the week, based on some things they saw.  I wonder if this was one of those adjustments.

 

Bo Nix was especially sharp to start the Utah game.  I believe that Bo's only incompletion in the first half was a perfect pass that was uncharacteristically dropped by his wide receiver.

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Great read. 

 

This reminds me a bit of what I wrote last year modern physicality. 

 

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As Oregon fans, we heard all about physicality from former HC Mario Cristobal over the last four years...

 

 

It's. It all about beating an opponent with brute strength but also forcing them to do the worst thing they can do during a play... Think. Thinking slows them down especially when they are locked in a physical battle with one of Oregon's massive linemen.

 

 

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Charles spelled out the “x’s” and “o’s” with strategies used versus Utah. Failing to exploit the middle of the field had been a shortcoming of the Duck’s offense before this game. That tendency resulted in greater pressures in the rush and on the margins for the wideouts. The offense is functioning at a higher level now, and is a greater threat to defenders.


Bo Nix is a pro at reading the defenses and calmly dissects them. With the protection he gets from the OLine, he mostly has time to do his job, or,  he is improved at side-stepping and avoiding tacklers inside the box, and he is a capable runner when lanes open to him. Go Bo.

 

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Fantastic post Charles.  As I've said before on at least two occasions, these videos alone would be enough to make a subscription to the forum a must for anyone wanting to learn about the game.  

 

The OBD coaches are getting so good at reading tendencies and Bo Nix is so good at recognizing them and getting the right play called that I would;dn't be surprised if opponents begin to wonder if Oregon isn't stealing their signs on defense.  I think Lanning's a heck of a lot smarter than Harbaugh regarding the efficacy of that stunt.  This is purely football acumen at a high level.  

 

Lord, we're gonna miss Bo when he leaves!

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