Are you not entertained?
Our Oregon football program hung a healthy 51 points on JMU in their first College Football Playoff game of the postseason, advancing the Ducks to the Orange Bowl against Texas Tech on New Year’s Day (Jan 1st, 12:00 pm EST). This is Oregon’s first postseason win since beating Jameis Winston’s Florida State Seminoles in 2014, creating massive implications for what Dan Lanning and his staff are capable of long-term.
Yet that wasn’t enough for most of us Duck fans. The second-half defense is all anyone with a microphone is talking about this week, and how Lanning didn’t have this team firing on all cylinders against a G5 program. Tosh Lupoi is “distracted” by his new Cal job. Dante Moore threw two interceptions and let JMU spark a “comeback.”
Is that really where our heads are at? After winning our first College Football Playoff game in 10 years, scoring 34 points in the first half wasn’t enough to outshine a lesser performance by a rotation of backup players?
Two blocked kicks. 21 offensive plays to score 34 points. Blazing, vintage Oregon speed on full display all over the field. It’s only getting easier and easier for some of us to see Oregon getting back to the National Championship this year.
Yet some Duck fans are still panicking, and my question is: should they?
Davison and co. absolutely dominated on the ground— Photo via Max Unkrich
Panic Meter: 3/10
We need to pump the brakes a bit, Oregon faithful.
Yes, the defense decidedly did not come to play in the second half. Wayne Knight had a great day on the ground, and the edge play of the defensive line is really going to need to be cleaned up before they play the Red Raiders. I also wasn’t impressed by the secondary, and despite a massive talent gap, we can’t have a quarterback laying out the best cornerback Oregon’s had since Christian Gonzalez.
Overall, being outscored by a G5 team in a whole half of football is unacceptable for any blueblood, especially in the postseason. We absolutely have to focus on getting off the field faster against Tech. The red zone defense improved, which was a plus, but adding a 99-yard offensive drive in the last three minutes is what I’m sure Lanning and Lupoi will be harping on the rest of this week. Bettors certainly didn’t like it either (Oregon entered as a -21.5 point favorite), though I really couldn’t care less about covering spreads when it comes to winning playoff games.
The only reason I even have a three on the scale is because of how it’d look if any of those rotational defensive players got more meaningful snaps on this College Football Playoff run. If they were thrust into a starting role after someone went down, would they be able to keep stride with Texas Tech or Indiana? The depth on offense has been tested with overwhelming success; can the defense answer the call with a similarly elite level of play?
I have one answer for you: Psycho Dan.
Lanning is the coaching glue of all coaching glues—Photo via Max Unkrich
Dan Lanning Leaves No Reason to Panic
If there’s anything this team needs to hear after scoring 51 points this weekend, it’s the hoarse voice of the most energizing player’s coach in the nation. He will get everyone on the same page, and luckily, it’s really only one phase of the game.
Will Stein coached an absolutely perfect game to open this matchup, and with two blocked kicks (one leading to a scoop and score) from special teams, I look more to Lupoi and Dan’s leadership to step up defensive intensity in practice. Cooking up some new schemes to get free rushers is going to be an absolute necessity against Texas Tech, since the Ducks will have to match some of the best trench play they’ve seen all year. If Teitum Tuioti or Matayo Uiagalelei can put their stamp on the Orange Bowl, it’d be a fantastic signature game for the defensive line to push to the semifinals.
Someone just needs to be that guy for the Ducks to be able to buzzsaw Tech’s season. I don’t know if it’s Bryce Boettcher, Bear Alexander, or another upperclassman leader; I just know they need to reveal themselves in the Orange Bowl.
Fortunately, iron sharpens iron, and Texas Tech should want NOTHING to do with this Oregon offense. Five straight touchdown drives to start the game. Different scorers on every touchdown. This is an offense that is clearly structured to dominate between the tackles, on the edge, and deep downfield.
A photo of this catch surely needs to be hung somewhere – Photo via Max Unkrich
The wildest development for me is that the backup of every skill position on offense can just as easily outshine the starter. Jamari Johnson had the catch of the day, while Kenyon Sadiq had some of his best blocks of the season. Jordon Davison & Dierre Hill Jr. have an outside shot of being Oregon’s best running back tandem in school history. Not to mention, is Malik Benson a day-two pick at this point? What a HUGE win that would be for Lanning and co. as the leaders of a program that has thrived on developing underutilized talent over the past few seasons.
As for injuries, Oregon was left mostly unscathed in this game. It looks like Davison sustained a fairly significant injury in the fourth quarter, though Lanning has since addressed it and said that he should be “good to go” for next week against Texas Tech.
Regardless of who ends up with the hot hand in the backfield, the omni-headed monster will dominate the Red Raiders, and that’s thanks to elite quarterback play. Even if Texas Tech deploys an exceptional offensive game plan, and Oregon’s defense makes the necessary adjustments to have a much better day in Miami, neither will have as much of an impact on the game as Dante Moore. Oregon’s offense proved this weekend that it’s just too potent. There’s too much firepower clicking right now to have a letdown game against Tech. We’ve seen Oregon win close and win big, either way; I see them elevating from this first playoff game and sealing yet another convincing win on their road to a title fight.
Anyway, maybe I’m getting ahead of myself. What do you think? Should we be more worried about how the defense finished against JMU? Do you think Lanning can right the ship against Tech and even hit another gear with Stein in this offense? How would you grade Dante’s game with all his weapons coming up huge in the first half? Let us know in the FishDuck Forum with decorum.
Happy holidays, and on to the next one. GO DUCKS!
Alex Heining
Los Angeles, California
Top Photo By: Max Unkrich
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Alex Heining is an Oregon alumni from the graduate class of 2021. After studying sports business and media studies, he has moved into the field of digital marketing as a copywriter and content manager in the Los Angeles area. Still, he loves his Ducks and goes to local high school games all over the Los Angeles and Orange County area to check out new recruits of the future (and a SoFi game or two with the pros). On any given Saturday, expect to find him doing martial arts, playing the guitar, or screaming at the tv over a missed holding penalty.