Oregon's Rose Bowl Secret Weapon...

[Charles Fischer]

There is a video below I suggest to help pass the time, and learn a little.

 

They are referring to Jordan Burch, but there is some good stuff in this eight minute video.  I did not know that he has so many sacks in recent games, and listen for their thoughts about the Ohio State offense throughout.

 

I would add two elements to this:

 

1) Yes, he is a great pass rusher, but he is even BETTER at setting the edge for run support. Nobody on the team is as good at it, and it is a major factor in stopping the Buckeye Outside Zone.

 

2) Last time we saw Matayo get most of the minutes vs. Ohio State in Burch's place, and he had a monster game. Imagine if you are rotating BOTH in and when each comes in...is fresh?

 

This actually COULD make a major impact upon the game beyond what they are saying, and what I was originally thinking.

 

 

[1Ducker1]

Time to Crack the NUTS !!!!

[30Duck]

Just keeps getting better and better!

[Dave23]

This definitely helps with the anxiety.

 

I just rewatched the game from earlier this year and another notable person missing from action most the game was Bryce Boettcher. Bryce seemed to have gotten pulled after he missed a assignment on a TE and I don't recall him getting back in the game. 

 

Earlier in the year Bryce was a little too aggressive on the run stopping and blatantly missed passing assignments. He has greatly improved in this area and could prove to be pivotal in helping stop the run along with his greatly improved pass coverage skills he could stop tOSU TEs from picking up 3rd downs over the middle. 

 

What I really noticed from the game was how different the ducks look now from earlier in the year. The game was just sloppy and now the execution is much more precise especially on offense.

 

I'm sure the bucknuts have improved as well but I don't think they improved as much as the ducks have. Starting to feel more confident about this game as the days go on.

[1Ducker1]

Dont forget that we were without Fergie as well. He can make his block and still get out in the open because he is a pretty big guy and fast, catch the pass and still get a few yards. He will bring at least 80 to a 90 yards of offense this time out. Plus with all the crap Ive heard about our run D Im sure they will tighten that up a lot.

[Lono]

On 12/29/2024 at 6:18 PM, 1Ducker1 said:

Dont forget that we were without Fergie as well. He can make his block and still get out in the open because he is a pretty big guy and fast, catch the pass and still get a few yards. He will bring at least 80 to a 90 yards of offense this time out. Plus with all the crap Ive heard about our run D Im sure they will tighten that up a lot.

The box score for the game at Goducks.com show T Ferg as making 4 catches. 

[30Duck]

On 12/29/2024 at 6:18 PM, 1Ducker1 said:

Dont forget that we were without Fergie as well. He can make his block and still get out in the open because he is a pretty big guy and fast, catch the pass and still get a few yards. He will bring at least 80 to a 90 yards of offense this time out. Plus with all the crap Ive heard about our run D Im sure they will tighten that up a lot.

Turns out Ferg did play in that game, 4 catches, 62 yards. But Sadiq didn't get in the game at all, I expect him, and Holden, one catch for 32 yards, to both just add to the Air Raid OBD lets loose on osu2. 

[David Marsh]

On 12/29/2024 at 6:18 PM, 1Ducker1 said:

Dont forget that we were without Fergie as well. He can make his block and still get out in the open because he is a pretty big guy and fast, catch the pass and still get a few yards. He will bring at least 80 to a 90 yards of offense this time out. Plus with all the crap Ive heard about our run D Im sure they will tighten that up a lot.

None of our tightends were a big factor in the passing game... Or at least the scoring aspect of the passing game until recently. 

 

They have evolved as a team and are doing stuff now at the end of the season they weren't doing in the first half. 

 

Ohio State has reached their height a few times but they have also blundered greatly against Michigan. 

 

But Ohio States ceiling still feels lower than Oregon's and I feel that had more to do about coaching then players. 

[Charles Fischer]

 

[Santa Rosa Duck]

I expect to see our two top tight ends to have a big presence in this game. tOSU is going to try to bring pressure on Dillon Gabriel and that is going to create some opportunity for Ferg and Sadiq IMHO.

[EastBayDuckDad]

There are so many candidates for the top secret weapon, but one may be hiding in plain sight. 

 

Yes, getting Burch back is huge for the D-line against a less than 100% tOSU front five. We can't underestimate the potential of a spittle-less Holden to add a third WR weapon or a Swiss army knife Sadiq in the TE game.

 

Today's excellent updated tOSU film review by Hythloday1 at ATQ points out how Bucknut has changed some of their defensive scheme with varied success. It specifically focuses on a weakness of all B1G defenses: susceptibility to the outside zone read with a good fake on the crashing edge, the QB keep and no one in sight for 15 yards. 

 

" The most effective category of running play, as it is against almost all Big Ten defenses, is a designed QB keep on misdirection, either QB draw, power sucker, or zone read (excluding sneaks as a special category, those are even higher). I don’t know why this conference can’t master the scrape exchange but here it is for about the thousandth time I watched this year, the end and the backer fire right at the RB, the QB pulls it out of the mesh and runs around them for 15 yards."

 

Duck Tape: Film Analysis Update of Ohio State 2024

WWW.ADDICTEDTOQUACK.COM

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A preview of Oregon’s Rose Bowl opponent in Pasadena

 

 

So my vote is for the judgment and legs of DG. A similar play early in the 4th against them at Autzen gave him a wide open path to the end zone and tipped the game in OBD's favor. I wouldn't be at all surprised if WS calls up this wrinkle right when it is needed and Dillon romps for a critical first down, or more.

 

Go Ducks!

[Charles Fischer]

I covered the Scrape Exchange, and how to counter-that-counter in my analysis videos....thirteen years ago.  Not a new concept!  

 

Above is from the 2011 game with USC, when Trojan DC Monte Kiffin

tried the Scrape Exchange to slow us down.  (It didn't)

 

It is all about probabilities in my view; their concern is to stop the Outside Zone, thus they do not want to tie down a linebacker to help cover the backside of the play. He is needed to fill the cut-back lanes on the Outside Zone going the other direction, IMHO.

 

There is SO MUCH you can do of constraint plays off of Outside Zone, so many play-action passes, etc., so sure, this QB pull is an option.  But there are many...

 

[OregonDucks]

On 12/29/2024 at 10:38 PM, David Marsh said:

None of our tightends were a big factor in the passing game...

National analysts are saying the Ohio State has gone to a 2 high safety defense (cover 2?) and are stunting the defensive lineman more, after the Oregon game. They want to force teams to put together long drives against their defense.  
 

If so, I’d look for the tight ends to have a big game in the middle of that defense. Tez could also have a big game if he can split the safeties on slants and gets some space on crosses.  
 

If Oregon can establish a running game, Ohio State may have to move one of the safeties up, which will open up the deep ball. 
 

It’ll be fascinating to watch the chess match between Coach Stein and OSU’s d-coordinator.  

Edited December 31, 2024 by OregonDucks

[Charles Fischer]

Gosh....a QB pulling the ball on Outside Zone Read...Oregon's never done THAT before in the Rose Bowl!

 

I have it qued up to the play...."Quarterback in the Clear!"

 

[EastBayDuckDad]

On 12/31/2024 at 12:21 PM, Charles Fischer said:

Gosh....a QB pulling the ball on Outside Zone Read...Oregon's never done THAT before in the Rose Bowl!

 

I have it qued up to the play...."Quarterback in the Clear!"

 

Agreed, it is old hat and maybe is too obvious a play. Just an observation based on what Oregon did last time they faced tOSU and that since Steins offense hasn't emphasized it, it could catch them unaware.

 

A TE on a drag route or Tez behund the short zone would give an RPO option if the LB doesn't crash.

[David Marsh]

On 12/31/2024 at 12:19 PM, OregonDucks said:

National analysts are saying the Ohio State has gone to a 2 high safety defense (cover 2?) and are stunting the defensive lineman more, after the Oregon game. They want to force teams to put together long drives against their defense.  
 

If so, I’d look for the tight ends to have a big game in the middle of that defense. Tez could also have a big game if he can split the safeties on slants and gets some space on crosses.  
 

If Oregon can establish a running game, Ohio State may have to move one of the safeties up, which will open up the deep ball. 
 

It’ll be fascinating to watch the chess match between Coach Stein and OSU’s d-coordinator.  

Ohio State's defense has only played an offense of Oregon's caliber once. 

 

They have put up very good defensive stats against teams with meh offenses. L

 

We all know full well that Lanning and Stein are looking at how Ohio State has changed and are going to exploit it at every turn. Then they probably have a counter to the counter ready as well. 

 

Remember the first Ducks vs Them when Lanning said "your jabs are good enough but when we go for the haymaker rise to the moment" or something to that effectively.