Pac-12 Football: Does QB Cameron Ward make Washington State a threat?

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Washington State’s new QB Cameron Ward will be thrilling to watch. Will he be enough to threaten Oregon’s supremacy in the...

 

And to get these Cougars on the road right after playing the BYU Cougars? 

These guys rarely are not a problem.

Yeah, going up there is always a problem.

 

On the other hand, we will have to see how Ward makes the adjustment to bigger, faster, stronger defenders, coming up from FCS. It may take him a few games.

 

Oregon has linebackers faster than most of the defensive backs he has faced. Of course he will have faced Wisconsin by then, so he will have one big time game under his belt. 

 

He has all the tools, but that doesn't always work out. 

 

And BTW, I think Oregon got a better transfer QB than WSU did. 

This is a very interesting situation.  For both teams, assuming Ward starts for WSU and Nix for Oregon...offenses will be headed by transfer QBs and new OCs who are already familiar with their respective signal callers.

With a Lanning defense and a talent gap, I feel Oregon can use those advantages to keep Washington State down. 

On 3/7/2022 at 1:54 PM, OhioDuck said:

Yeah, going up there is always a problem.

 

On the other hand, we will have to see how Ward makes the adjustment to bigger, faster, stronger defenders, coming up from FCS. It may take him a few games.

 

Oregon has linebackers faster than most of the defensive backs he has faced. Of course he will have faced Wisconsin by then, so he will have one big time game under his belt. 

 

He has all the tools, but that doesn't always work out. 

 

And BTW, I think Oregon got a better transfer QB than WSU did. 

Maybe? But Ward did win the 'little Heisman Award,' the Walter Peyton Award for being the best player in FCS in 2021. 

 

Different competition as you so correctly note, but throwing for close to 5000 yards in a given season at any level is darn impressive.

 

And kirklandduck, spot on in noting that Ward's HC at Immaculate Word is also coming to WAZZU as the OC. The system will not be new for Ward. HC Diekert is a D guy who is not likely to insert himself into the O.

 

Wisconsin does not have a prolific O. The returning Badgers QB is mediocre at best. WSU gets the Badgers in a shoot out and ?

 

I am impressed that WSU was able to schedule a H+H series with Wisconsin.

On 3/7/2022 at 2:19 PM, David Marsh said:

With a Lanning defense and a talent gap, I feel Oregon can use those advantages to keep Washington State down. 

But will the Ducks be up? Like UGA, BYU will be a physical game. I hope the team does not overlook WAZZU that will be 2-1 and with an outside chance at 3-0 when the Ducks visit the Palouse.

 

One thing for certain, the Cougars fans will be geeked and the Ducks DBs and LBs are going to get a work out. Likely to be a 7:30 KO so in addition to being geeked the fans are likely to be well lubricated.

On 3/7/2022 at 11:31 AM, Jon Joseph said:

But will the Ducks be up? Like UGA, BYU will be a physical game. I hope the team does not overlook WAZZU that will be 2-1 and with an outside chance at 3-0 when the Ducks visit the Palouse.

If this was Cristobal's staff it would be a more than valid question as to whether or not Oregon will show up and play up to their potential. 

 

Now, we haven't seen Lanning coach a game yet but I am hoping that he will have the Ducks ready to go and playing with energy. This whole coaching staff seems to have that level of energy that can be transmitted to players. Sometimes coaches need to bring the energy first. 

 

Additionally... playing at WSU in September or October is WAY better than Novemeber. So that is a help for Oregon. 

Injuries from the first three games, especially to starters, will be or could be problematic going into conference play.

 

It normally requires all hands on deck for the Ducks when battling the Cougars in Pullman. 2022 will be no different.

 

Team confidence will be critical depending on a 2-1 or 1-2 start. The character of the team will be taking shape and all the 2021 experience will be on display. Good or bad.......

On 3/7/2022 at 2:27 PM, Jon Joseph said:

 

 

Wisconsin does not have a prolific O. The returning Badgers QB is mediocre at best. WSU gets the Badgers in a shoot out and ?

 

 

As far as Oregon playing WSU goes, I was thinking that Wisconsin might be the first example of a P5 level defense Ward has seen. It will give him a little experience anyway.

 

I really don't see a shoot out with Wisconsin. The offense may not scare you, but defensively they make it tough on you.