The Oregon Ducks are in unfamiliar territory heading into their Saturday evening bout with the Utah Utes.
For starters, they are the lower-ranked team for the first time since Week 1 of the season when they faced the Georgia Bulldogs. Factor in the uncertainty about the status of star quarterback Bo Nix, and you have a team with its backs against the wall, set to face a team that took care of this team twice last season.
Dan Lanning and his staff will have their work cut out for them in this one, regardless of Nix’s health status. Still, there is plenty they can do to secure a victory in this one, including:
Elite Linebacker Play
Utah does a lot of its damage on offense by utilizing tight end Dalton Kincaid, one of the best in all of college football. It is also getting an excellent performance from running back Tavion Thomas, two players who will almost certainly cause problems for Oregon’s defense on Saturday.
That puts a lot of pressure on Oregon’s men in the middle, namely linebackers Noah Sewell and Justin Flowe. Considered one of the strongest position groups in the country during the offseason, Sewell and Flowe haven’t lived up to expectations.
A big game on Saturday, where they neutralize the offensive threat of Kincaid and Thomas, will go a long long way toward helping the Ducks avoid another loss and will help these two guys put more promising tape out there for NFL scouts.