Don’t Forget That Oregon’s Identity Is the Run Game

[FishDuck Article]

Since the firing of Mark Helfrich after the 2016 season, and through the Willie Taggart and Mario Cristobal eras, we’ve heard a lot of talk about Oregon’s identity as a program. We have seen teams range from high-scoring offenses like those under Chip Kelly, Helfrich and Taggart to low-scoring nail biters from the Cristobal era. 

 

Don't Forget that Oregon's Identity is the Run Game

FISHDUCK.COM

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Since the firing of Mark Helfrich after the 2016 season, and through the Willie Taggart and Mario Cristobal eras, we've heard a lot of talk about...

 

[Haywarduck]

Oregon's running game has been full of success because of Gary Campbell, and now Mr. Locklyn. Locklyn carries on the success quite admirably.

 

Agree that we have great RB's, and the run game has always set up the passing game.

 

I would add Junior Adams is building a wide receiver group like we have never seen before. I look for the future to have a two headed monster where defenses can't stop the pass or the run. That will be the new Oregon offense.

 

We have seen receivers dominate us, anyone remember Kupp at EWU, it is time Oregon had an elite receiver(s) other programs have nightmares over.

[Smith72]

Thank you David!  Another great FishDuck article.  I agree, Oregon's identity is the run game.  A great football team is balanced running and passing.

 

My favorite players are LaMichael James and Kenyon Barner.  Bucky Irving and Noah Whittington remind me so much of those prior greats.

 

Thank you for reminding us.

 

 

[Charles Fischer]

Fun read, and great documentation David.  Thanks!

 

[David Marsh]

This is probably my biggest complaint from the Dillingham offensive play calls. He would settle into a pass heavy routine and just seemingly forget about the run game for possessions at a time. I love some explosive pass plays as much as anyone else but when first and second down are both passes that are either incomplete or don't go for many yards that leads to a predictable third and long situation. 

 

Running the ball leads to third and manageable which means it leaves the whole playbook open. Especially when our duo are picking up large chunks of yardage.

 

This is a big reason why I feel Lanning needs to hire someone with some more extensive play calling experience on offense where they won't get tunnel visioned the same way. 

[EastBayDuckDad]

Position Outlook: How future of Oregon’s RB room looks after recent transfers, recruiting news

WWW.YAHOO.COM

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A look at how Oregon's RB room stacks up in the coming years after recent transfers, recruiting...

 

 

Thanks to David for the insights on Oregon's running game identity and how veering away from it hurt the Ducks at crucial times at the end of the season.

 

This article takes a good look at the RB room and offers a candid assessment of whether Dollars stays or transfers. I think he will enter the portal.

 

A stable of Bucky, Noah, James and now Dowdell gives Oregon (and the new OC) a ton of options. Two complimentary hard running shifty backs and two bruisers will make Oregon one of the premier rushing offenses in the country.

 

Adding a DAT type speedy burner hybrid RB/WR to the mix who could also return punts and KOs (prefer not to see Hutson in that role again) would make the backfield just that much better.

 

[David Marsh]

On 12/1/2022 at 8:37 AM, EastBayDuckDad said:

whether Dollars stays or transfers. I think he will enter the portal.

I would be surprised if he doesn't enter the portal. He announced he was going into the portal last year after Lanning's hiring and then withdrew. I don't see his snap count improving next year if he stays. 

[Just Ducky]

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 My wife will attest that I would go into a tizzy every tome Dilly put his QB in a naked set. It worked on occasion but it was a liability for pass blocking and wheel routes which were productive early in the season.

 

 Another thing that drove me crazy was the lack of passes targeted to our tight ends. We had a great tight end room but seemed unwilling to use them at the end of the season. The last 3 games our tight ends caught 5 balls. I certainly hope the TE room stays in tact.

 

 As far as running backs Bucky and Whit were exceptional but I can’t compare them to James and Barner, those two backs had great break away speed and when they got into the secondary they were gone. Bucky and Whit excelled at breaking tackles without breakaway speed and are quite good at it by the way 

[David Marsh]

On 12/1/2022 at 9:47 AM, Just Ducky said:

 My wife will attest that I would go into a tizzy every tome Dilly put his QB in a naked set. It worked on occasion but it was a liability for pass blocking and wheel routes which were productive early in the season.

 

My family would say the exact same thing during the past few games as well. 

 

An empty set is one thing in a must-pass situation. 

 

But if you have a runningback back there then there are three options to the play... handoff to run, pass, or QB run (and all the variations that come with all those). 

 

But with an empty set... you have pass or QB run. The defense doesn't have to work as hard. 

[DUCati855]

Great read David.

 

I too believe we have a great RB room and coach in Locklyn. I also think the next OC will use them more than Dilly did towards the end of this season.

 

I loved Dilly through the first eight games this season. But, I firmly believe that both Dillingham and Nix got caught up in the Heisman talk. Once Bo and the Heisman were mentioned in the same sentence the offense (to me) became Bo centric. I feel they both desperately wanted that trophy on their resume and this ultimately lead to the horrible end to the season.

 

My personally hope is to see another young brilliant mind behind the wheel of the Oregon offense. A mind that is better at putting on blinders to the outside world and solely focus on his current job and his entire offense.  

[JDuck]

Putting the true freshman Jordan James #20 in the back field spelled power run up the middle.  It worked most of the season, but by the OSU game every defense knew what his presence meant, same as the Cristbal pistol plunge.  Every defense knew what was coming.  With a 1st and goal at the beaver 5, to run that 3 straight times was idiotic, going for the game win with a pass only on 4th down (failed).  Try it once, then use play action to James the next couple downs and have a run to the field side with an RPO or pitch man option, or look for a TE leaking out the back.  Something. 

 

Dilly's offense in general got more predictable as the season went on.  The last few trick plays we tried late in the season all failed.  The explosion pass plays, Nix wasn't too bad really.  We succeeded a lot due to a great O-line.  But yeah I agree the run needs to set it all up.  That's a good identity.  If this 5 star QB gets here, I hope his passing game is great and we use it...like the fuskies this year, but with much better run-first set-up than the mutts had. 

[OregonDucks]

Mike Bellotti wanted to run a balanced offensive attack, when he was at Oregon. This is probably one of his criteria’s for potential offensive coordinators and Chip Kelly obviously fit the bill.

 

Dillingham did run a balanced attack but, as you called out, there were times that he want away from run game. I can’t blame him for going to the pass against Georgia given the hole we were in.