It's bye weekend and without an actual game to ponder, I've been thinking about how good the Ducks actually are. Statistically, the Oregon D is very good but lurking just below the stats is some info that may make them elite. In the category of points allowed per game in the BIG, OBD find themselves in fourth place behind tOSU, Indy and Iowa. Oregon has given up 85 points in the BIG and 108 over all. If you brake that down between qtrs 1-3 and the 4th separately, some interesting info emerges. Below, I've done just that.

Team Qtrs 1-3 4 Total

Mon St  6  7  13

Ok St  0  3  3

NW  0 14 14

OSU  7  0  7

PSU  3 14 17 excludes OT points

IU  20 10 30

Rut  3  7  10

Wis  0  7  7

 

Total  39 62 101

BIG Totals 26 52 78

Some conclusions.

OBD have given up only 26 points in 15 quarters (5 games quarters 1-3) against BIG competition. That's less than 2 points per quarter.

Two thirds of the total points given up against the BIG have been in the 4th quarter.

Of the 52 fourth quarter points given up, only 24 were with the game still in doubt (Indy and PSU).

I've never seen defensive numbers like these for the Ducks. If the offense can find more consistency and the D holds steady, this may be a championship caliber team.

It is pretty darn good but I would love more pressure on the QBs.

Our defense has come to this in my opinion: if you can't pass on them, you won't win. In fact, the only time a team ran on us effectively in the Lanning era was little brother.

Indiana did a very good job passing on OBD. I was pleased however because it wasn't the blitzkrieg we have faced from Ohio State and the Fuskies. If there is anything that will be an indicator of how elite our defense is, watch how we defend the pass this month.

Here's where OBD ranks nationally in defensive stats.

Points per game: 6th 13.5

Yards per game: 4th 239.4

Passing yards: 1st 124.6

Rushing yards: 30th 114.9

All the above is true. However, the run D has had issues. D-line play has largely been good to great, but the LBs have found themselves guessing the wrong gap, allowing some gash plays. D. Jackson may be a stellar athlete but he overruns himself right out of plays. Boettcher does occasionally as well.

When that happens and Alexander or Washington get jammed up in a double team, unless Theinemen has come up in the delta set, the opposing RBs get to the second level. It has happened multiple times on third and 3 to 7 yds with a resulting conversion. It seems that OCs have exploited that trend and I imagine Iowa will as well.

The DBs and safeties have been solid, except against Indiana where the edges rarely got pressure on Mendoza. When they did, he threw a pick-6 to Finney. You can only cover good WRs for so long. Matayo will need to get some mojo back against U$C and EweDub to re-establish a one-two punch with Tuioti.

Although the opponent's trips to the red zone have been scant, when they get there they tend to score.

This is not to denigrate the defense, which has the capacity to be one of the most elite units that OBD has ever fielded. They need help from the other side of the ball. If the offense can hold up their end, the defense will hold up their's.

Great stuff, and thanks for the research, Kamikaze. As the season progresses--our defensive backfield, in particular the newbie corners, are certainly improving. This can allow more one-on-one coverage, and crowd the box to stop the run. Most Big-10 QBs, (I put Iowa in this category) cannot outscore Oregon through the air, IMHO.

That being said, but Washington and USC have good passing games, but I won't worry about them for a few weeks. You are right Kamikaze, as this defense is good enough to win with, and if we can clear some items on offense...

It's a very good defense that will continue to need to develop.

I know our linebackers are kinda the weak link but they aren't as weak as I think their reputation is. They are asked to do a TON!

Part of me thinks that maybe to set up the linebackers better to more regularly succeed something in the base scheme should change. But I'm not sure what that would look like or if we even have the right players to do that.

Getting some redzone stops would be nice. However, a lot of the points scored on us in the redOne have also been either field goals or when we've had the backups on the field late in the game.

Most drives don't get close to the redzone.

8 hours ago, The Kamikaze Kid said:

It's bye weekend and without an actual game to ponder, I've been thinking about how good the Ducks actually are. Statistically, the Oregon D is very good but lurking just below the stats is some info they may make them elite. In the category of points allowed per game in the BIG, OBD find themselves in fourth place behind tOSU, Indy and Iowa. Oregon has given up 85 points in the BIG and 108 over all. If you brake that down between qtrs 1-3 and the 4th separately, some interesting info emerges. Below, I've done just that.

Team Qtrs 1-3 4 Total

Mon St  6  7  13

Ok St  0  3  3

NW  0 14 14

OSU  7  0  7

PSU  3 14 17 excludes OT points

IU  20 10 30

Rut  3  7  10

Wis  0  7  7

 

Total  39 62 101

BIG Totals 26 52 78

Some conclusions.

OBD have given up only 26 points in 15 quarters (5 games quarters 1-3) against BIG competition. That's less than 2 points per quarter.

Two thirds of the total points given up against the BIG have been in the 4th quarter.

Of the 52 fourth quarter points given up, only 24 were with the game still in doubt (Indy and PSU).

I've never seen defensive numbers like these for the Ducks. If the offense can find more consistency and the D holds steady, this may be a championship caliber team.

This is the D I wished for when Chip Kelly first came to Oregon...

37 minutes ago, David Marsh said:

It's a very good defense that will continue to need to develop.

I know our linebackers are kinda the weak link but they aren't as weak as I think their reputation is. They are asked to do a TON!

Part of me thinks that maybe to set up the linebackers better to more regularly succeed something in the base scheme should change. But I'm not sure what that would look like or if we even have the right players to do that.

Getting some redzone stops would be nice. However, a lot of the points scored on us in the redOne have also been either field goals or when we've had the backups on the field late in the game.

Most drives don't get close to the redzone.

The LBs are the key unit in the Mint Defense. The position requires a particular type of athlete. Jackson fits that archetype, but he runs himself out of plays as you adroitly mentioned. BB makes up for his lack of speed with instinct. The players don't fit the scheme, but Lupoi has managed to put the LBs in position to make plays more often this season.

The secondary performed fine against Indiana in my opinion. The corners were left in islands and didn't get beat deep- Indiana ran simple out routes, which is their staple when they can't get down field. Ohio State does the same with Smith, who simply throws guys off of him to get open. Not sure you can ask more from the secondary since there really hasn't been an effective pass rush this year.

I still like what I see. Not perfect, but not a mess. I do want to see less lethargy on both sides of the ball though. Not sure how close OBD can get to that August performance. Sure would like to see that, or at least what we did to Ohio State in Eugene.

35 minutes ago, Mike West said:

Not sure you can ask more from the secondary since there really hasn't been an effective pass rush this year.

I haven't figured out the numbers but how much of the pass rush not getting home is down to the speed of the release? Feels like there have been a lot of quick passes opposing offenses have tried to use because they wanted to get the ball away fast.

But I know that hasn't always been the case this year as well.

Feels like MU is not as effective this year but TT is having a great year.