Utah finished the the season ranked No. 2 nationally in total defense by allowing only 269.2 yards per game. Many had Utah as a lock to take the Pac-12 title and slide into the No. 4 seed in the College Football Playoff. The NFL also took notice as six Ute defensive players were selected in the 2020 NFL Draft. These …
No, the title to this article is not a typo, and no, the sky is not falling. Chip Kelly’s Blur Offense was once the pinnacle of innovation, but that was so 15 years ago. There’s a limit to how fast an offense can be run, and offenses across the country have reached that limit. It is now the dawn of …
One good thing about an extended off-season is we get to learn more about the new offense Coach Joe Moorhead has brought to Oregon before seeing it in action. Okay, not exactly a great consolation prize: we want to see it now! Hey, I’m just trying to make lemonade here. Today’s flavor: coach Moorhead’s ISO play. The ISO–or as some …
CJ Verdell took his share of criticism for a solid but unspectacular 2018 season. As a freshman, Verdell was a capable ball carrier, rushing for over 1,000 yards and averaging just over 5 yards per carry. But considering he ran behind arguably the best offensive line in the country, those numbers were a bit underwhelming. Things were different in 2019, …
Oregon fans and critics alike have sung the praises of Eugene’s own Justin Herbert. The cannon arm, the prototype quarterback physique, and the sneaky athleticism that led the Ducks to a Conference Championship and Rose Bowl win, all reasons for Herbert’s selection by the Los Angeles Chargers at the six spot in this year’s NFL Draft. But one virtue remains unsung. …
For most of the off-season, we have been examining what makes Coach Joe Moorhead’s offense go. For the past couple of months we’ve focused on his passing attack, and today we’ll dig even deeper into that aspect of the offense and learn a bit about Coach Moorhead’s “hitch” concept. It’s well documented that Coach Moorhead likes to stretch a …
If you’ve ever tuned in to football commentary you’ve probably heard talk about X, Y, and Z receivers. While these position names can change based on the system, there’s a history behind this labeling method. And the Oregon offense has played a part in the evolution of these positions over the past decade. Offensive Evolution The video above exemplifies …
We touched on the idea a couple times this offseason that the biggest difference between the 2019 Ducks offense and the one to come in 2020 will be by way of the passing game. It’s no secret that Coach Joe Moorhead likes to push the ball vertically downfield, as evident in his fade smash concept that we covered a couple …
From the angst-filled opener in Dallas, to the dramatic finish in Pasadena, Duck fans marveled over Andy Avalos‘ 2019 Oregon defense. No amount of glowing anticipation could match the outstanding improvement Avalos’ troops demonstrated in just one year. With only two key additions, Oregon’s defense garnered 97 tackles for loss, 41 sacks, 20 interceptions, 42 quarterback hurries and yielded only …
Something we have heard throughout the offseason is that the biggest changes Joe Moorhead will bring to the Oregon offense are in the passing game. Coach Moorhead hasn’t been shy about pushing the ball down the field at any of his previous stops, and that looks to continue with the Oregon Ducks. One concept that highlights the new offensive coordinator’s propensity …
The past two seasons the Oregon football program has primarily used zone blocking schemes to run the football, and this blocking concept usually has the offensive line moving in unison at the point of attack. These schemes take advantage of a defense by using double teams initially, then having one of the two blockers peel off to attack a linebacker …
There’s been speculation about just how much, if at all, the pistol will or should be used by the 2020 Oregon Ducks’ offense. A few have hoped that the pistol will be mothballed with the introduction of Coach Joe Moorhead as offensive coordinator. But if the few spring practices that Oregon was able to complete is any indication, Coach Mario …