Tag: Oregon Defense

Where Ducks’ defense ranks nationally in key stats following Week 1 victory

Where Ducks’ defense ranks nationally in key stats following Week 1 victory

For a minute in Saturday’s game against the Portland State Vikings, the Oregon Ducks defense looked like it may be too similar to last year’s unit for comfort. On the second drive of the game, Dan Lanning’s defense gave up an 8-play, 75-yard touchdown drive.

After that, though, the defense tightened up and went the final 52 minutes without allowing a single point. The Ducks gave up just eight completions for 50 yards, and 200 total yards for Portland State.

The competition may not have been elite, but the Ducks were only able to take care of the task at hand, and that was dominating their opponent. Mission accomplished.

Throughout the season, we will revisit some key defensive stats each week to see where the Ducks stand in the national rankings. Whether it is scoring defense, third down stops, or turnover rate, the numbers usually give us a pretty good idea of where Oregon stands in the grand scheme of college football during the season.

Here’s a look at where they stand after Week 1:

Dan Lanning highlights tackling and offensive execution as fall camp’s high notes

Dan Lanning highlights tackling and offensive execution as fall camp’s high notes

Fall camp is wrapping up, and we’re nine days out from Week 1 against Portland State, which means the Oregon Ducks’ season is almost upon us. On Wednesday, Dan Lanning spoke to the media about their preparation for Portland State and how the team is looking after fall camp.

Offensively, Lanning wanted to highlight how the team has improved its execution since the spring and last season. When asked about the way the team has improved, he had this to say about the strengths of the offense:

“Recognizing and being able to execute plays at a high level, everybody knowing their assignment, their job, and still, there’s room for improvement in both of those areas.”

That’s a pretty vague answer, but there are a few things that it could mean. Consistency along the offensive line is one possibility, especially because that is something that has been mentioned throughout camp and the offseason. In order for an offense to execute, they need a solid O-line, run or pass.

Another thing it could suggest is that Bo Nix is throwing the ball well. That is something we already know he does at a high level, but if offensive execution has been a strength, Bo Nix and his right arm have to fit under that umbrella.

When answering the same question about the defense Lanning had a much shorter response:

“I think overall, as a team, we’re tackling better.”

Another thing we’ve heard a lot this offseason is how this team — and specifically this defense — is a more physical one than we saw last year. The obvious advantage of that is improved tackling. Tackling ballcarriers was a struggle area for the Ducks last year and was a contributing factor to the late-season loss to Oregon State.

One interesting aspect of having a defense that has improved its tackling and is generally more physical is that it allows Lanning to showcase his expertise as a defensive-minded head coach from the SEC — a league that emphasizes consistency on defense, especially when it comes to tackling.

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No. 3 recruit, DL Williams Nwaneri names Oregon in top five and sets commitment date

No. 3 recruit, DL Williams Nwaneri names Oregon in top five and sets commitment date

The summer is nearing its end, and as it does, more of the top recruits across the country are naming their future schools. One of the few players yet to announce their decision is defensive lineman Williams Nwaneri. Rated by 247 Sports as the best DL in the 2024 class, and the No. 3 player overall, Nwaneri is one of the most sought-after prospects across the nation, which has made his commitment a highly-anticipated event.

At 6’5″ and 250 pounds, Nwaneri is a force on the D-line, but he maintains an ability to make quick cuts that can make blockers miss. This versatility is one of the things that has skyrocketed him up the recruiting rankings for his class.

Last Thursday, Nwaneri named his top five schools — which includes the Oregon Ducks — as well as his commitment date — which is August 14th. The Ducks have already had a successful recruiting season, but the addition of a diamond-like Nwaneri on the D-line would do wonders for the future of Ducks football. With the Ducks now joining the Big 10 and leaving the pass-happy Pac-12, stopping the run will become more of a defensive focus, so a bolstered D-line becomes paramount.

Even though he named Oregon as a top 5 school, it is unlikely Nwaneri will end up in Eugene. As a Missourian he may be inclined to stay closer to home at schools like Oklahoma or Missouri itself — both of which are schools included in Nwaneri’s top five. Furthermore, 247 Sports experts have aggregated a crystal ball prediction of 100 percent confidence that Nwaneri will commit to Oklahoma when the time comes less than two weeks from now.

If the unlikely occurs and Nwaneri chooses the Ducks, he will be a welcome addition that will likely make a quick impact, but I wouldn’t expect it to be the way things shake out on August 14th.

The most important safeties to know in the 2023 Pac-12 season

The most important safeties to know in the 2023 Pac-12 season

As we continue our preview of the 2023 college football season in the Pac-12 conference, we are going to shift our focus from individual teams to individual positions. The last several weeks have been spent picking apart each school out west, finding where they improved the most over the offseason, and identifying what realistic expectations should be for them going forward.

You can see them all here: Arizona Wildcats — Arizona State Sun Devils — California Golden Bears — Colorado Buffaloes — Oregon State Beavers — Stanford Cardinal — UCLA Bruins — USC Trojans — Utah Utes — Washington Huskies — Washington State Cougars

Now, we’re going to look at position groups as a whole in the conference. Whether it’s a quarterback or a linebacker, a punter or a safety, there are dozens of highly talented players out west. We want to go through them all, position group by position group, and highlight some of the most important names that fans should know at each spot.

Quarterbacks — Wide Receivers — Running Backs — Tight Ends — Offensive Line — Defensive Line — Linebacker — Cornerbacks

In a conference such as the Pac-12 which has always been heavily pass-first and pro-style in terms of offense, it is only natural that there be a focus on the defensive secondary in order to counter the opposing team’s prolific passers and receivers.

Today, I’ll take a look at who I think are the most important safeties for Pac-12 fans to know ahead of the 2023 season. Some of them are ball hawks, some negate the run, but many are strong hybrids of the two qualities and add a lot to their respective defensive units.

Below are the top safeties in the Pac-12 for 2023:

Top 10 2024 Player, DL David Stone puts Oregon in top six schools

Top 10 2024 Player, DL David Stone puts Oregon in top six schools

While college coaches are already starting to take a glance at players in the class of 2025, some of the best players in the class of 2024 are still undecided — or at least unannounced — on where they will play their college football. One of the best examples of this is defensive lineman David Stone.

Rated as a 5-star recruit by 247 Sports (as well as other outlets) Stone is one of the top 10 players in his class and will likely have an immediate impact wherever he goes. At 6′ 4″ and 270 lbs, Stone already has a frame that should startle opposing offensive linemen and quarterbacks. Stone has set his commitment date for August 26th, which is now less than a month away, and the anticipation is building across the college football world.

From Oregon’s perspective, the addition of Stone would be perfect. Obviously, any program would vivaciously welcome a top ten player to their program, but with one of the country’s best pass rushers in Brandon Dorlus likely moving on after the 2023 season, the addition of David Stone would immediately fill a hole in the Ducks’ defense.

From Stone’s perspective however, it doesn’t look like the Ducks are at the top of his list. Yes, he named them among his top six schools earlier this week, but according to 247 Sports experts, Steve Wilfong and Brandon Drumm, Stone will more than likely choose to be an Oklahoma Sooner. Wilfong and Drumm have logged crystal ball predictions of Stone to Oklahoma at a 78% certainty level, with Michigan State as seemingly the only alternative if he does pass on the Sooners.

Wherever Stone ends up in 2024, he is likely going to be a special player coming around the edge. If he does decide to go to Oklahoma, he could be an important piece in the rebuilding of a program that was setback hard after the departure of Lincoln Riley and many of its star players two years ago. If he chooses Oregon, hopefully, he and Matayo Uiagalelei can dominate off opposite edges and terrorize opposing QBS for years to come.

On a team full of stars, the Ducks have their underrated players too

Oregon football has its share of stars, but it also has some “glue guys” that keep it all together and that value can be underrated.

As we prepare for the upcoming college football season, much of our conversations as Ducks fans revolve around the stars: Bo Nix, Bucky Irving, Troy Franklin, and more. We also discuss coaches plenty, as they are heavy on the recruiting trail, searching for players in the class of 2024.

Today, I looked at 10 of the most important players on the 2023 Oregon Ducks that we at Ducks Wire don’t talk about as much. These are players you likely are aware of, and some you’ll know well. Regardless of their skill level, I believe that every player on this list has had one aspect of their game underestimated or undervalued.

For some players, they were underrated in the recruiting process. For some they are undervalued by Ducks fans and college football fans alike, and sometimes perhaps by their own coaches. Regardless of the reason, all of these players deserve a little bit more of each conversation about Ducks football devoted to them.

PFF release the top 10 returning safeties in the Pac-12

The Ducks used the transfer portal this offseason to land some of the top-graded safeties going into the 2023 season.

Arguably the most important part of a team’s defense is that team’s safeties. Their No. 1 job is protecting against and discouraging the deep ball, but they also have a responsibility in the run game. Since CBs typically have smaller frames, safeties are often the primary tacklers on outside zone runs, a running style becoming more and more popular.

Last season, the Oregon Ducks struggled defensively, but they especially struggled against the run. Sure, a lot of that responsibility goes to the front seven, but with the support of consistent tackling safeties, things may have gone smoother.

On Sunday, Pro Football Focus (PFF) released a list of the top 10 returning safeties in the Pac-12, ranked by PFF grade. While a Ducks safety doesn’t top the list, Oregon has more entries than any other school, which bodes well for a more consistent and physical defense than we saw in 2022.

Here’s where Oregon’s safeties rank among the top in the conference, per PFF.

4-star Safety, Jakob Gude puts Oregon in his top five

4-star Safety, Jakob Gude puts Oregon in his top five

Since the start of Dan Lanning’s tenure at Oregon, one of the Ducks’ biggest recruiting strengths has been at defensive back. It is likely that a lot of this success is due to the prowess of defensive backs coach, Demtrice Martin whose son Cole Martin will start his freshman year at Oregon next fall.

On Wednesday, another quality 2024 DB, Jakob Gude, showed interest in joining forces with the Ducks after high school when he named the Oregon Ducks one of his top five schools. Gude is ranked by 247Sports as a top 50 safety in next year’s class and the 53rd best player from his home state, Georgia.

Gude is nearly 6 feet tall and is 180 lbs. In pass defense, he uses his lean frame to cover ground more quickly than many bigger safeties could. While that lean frame can sometimes hurt Gude in the run game, his ability to position himself before and during the play can often make up for his lack of size.

Jakob Gude’s Recruiting Profile

Phil Steele names several Ducks in his All-America and All-Conference picks

Phil Steele names several Ducks in his All-America and All-Conference picks

In anticipation of the 2023 College Football season, independent sportswriter Phil Steele has made his predictions for All-Conference and All-America teams, both of which include several Oregon Ducks.

First, Steele believes that Oregon QB Bo Nix and edge rusher Brandon Dorlus will be the two Ducks to have All-American seasons, both of whom will earn fourth-team recognitions.

The fourth-team selection likely means  Steele sees Bo Nix as the fourth-best QB in 2023. While I would rank him slightly higher, four is much higher than much of the media has ranked him, such as his exclusion from On3’s top Heisman candidates.

Brandon Dorlus is an exciting inclusion. For the most part, Dorlus had a good 2022, though he struggle to sack the QB. With the addition of Jordan Burch and other pass rushers this offseason, Dorlus may see more opportunities to pressure the quarterback when passing, which could be why Steele expects big things from Dorlus in 2023.

As for All-Pac-12 teams, many more Ducks drew Steele’s eye. He predicts Bucky Irving, Dorlus, and Khyree Jackson to all earn first-team honors, as well as Troy Franklin and Camden Lewis to take spots on the second team. For the third team, Steele selected Nix, Terrance Ferguson, Evan Williams, and Kris Hutson. Finally, Steele sees Josh Conerly Jr., Popo Aumavae, Tez Johnson, and Jordan Burch filling out spots on the fourth team.

There are a few things that stand out from these picks. the first is Bo Nix on the third team, but with how loaded the presence of Caleb Williams and Michael Penix Jr. make the Pac-12’s QB carousel, it makes sense.

Another thing is the exclusion of Troy Franklin from the first team. Franklin played at such a high level in 2022 and it was only his sophomore season. Furthermore, while he and Nix quickly built chemistry last season, they should have an added sense of familiarity after playing side-by-side for a full season.

The last thing that stands out to me from these predictions, is the inclusion of Tez Johnson. This year’s spring game was the first time many Ducks fans got to see Tez Johnson in action, and what they saw was a speedster that couldn’t fit more perfectly into Will Stein’s offense. What makes this inclusion surprising is how low-profile Johnson’s transfer to Oregon was. He was only rated as a 3-star WR. Hopefully, Tez Johnson will do plenty of things this fall that he did in the 2023 spring game because he will shock a lot of people, though clearly Phil Steele won’t be one of those people.

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Oregon v. Texas Tech picked as one of key matchups in 2023 season

Oregon may not be playing the defending national champs this season, but their game against Texas Tech in Week 2 will be a great early litmus test.

This past week, many college football teams across the country received the date and time at which they are set to play their first few games of the season, which has garnered a lot of anticipation for some of the impending matchups. USA Today sportswriter, Paul Myerberg, highlighted what he believes to be the most key matchups of the first slate of games. One of those matchups will come on Sep. 9, between the Oregon Ducks and the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

One of the key points Myerberg made about the matchup is that Texas Tech is coming off of an eight-win season, which was head coach Joey Maguire’s first season with the Red Raiders. The situation is similar in Eugene, as head coach Dan Lanning enters his second season with the Ducks, hoping to build off of his ten-win debut season.

The game will be played in Lubbock, Texas, and it will be Oregon’s first road game of the 2023 season. Going into a hostile environment — especially one in Texas — to start the season is never easy, and while the Ducks will be the favorites to come out on top, Texas Tech should make it a tough game to win.

Of the Ducks’ first five games, Myerberg sees this matchup as Oregon’s toughest test, even though he still expects them to win the game, and begin the season 5-0.

In 2022, the Red Raiders’ offensive struggled, particularly on the O-line, and they didn’t seem to improve upon that weakness too much this offseason. This game should be a chance for the Oregon defense, which has been described as much more physical than they were in 2022, to exploit Texas Tech’s O-line and get to the quarterback.

After facing Portland State in week one, the Red Raiders could shellshock the Ducks early, as the level of competition will be noticeably elevated from week one to week two. Still, the Ducks have a strong combination of talent and experience returning in 2023 that should hopefully carry them to victory in this game to start the season 2-0.

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