Saturday, the Ducks are going up against the hungry Colorado Buffaloes in Boulder. The Buffs are 3-1 this year and have shown they have a very potent offense. Quarterback Sefo Liufau is returning as the leader of the experienced offense. The Buffaloes are also returning Nelson Spruce, the star receiver from last year who can take a pass to the house …
On to Boulder! Questions remain as to how the Duck defense will surprise the Buffaloes. This analysis looks at one way in which Oregon might do just that: with a well-timed blitz from the secondary. Oregon’s success in stopping opponents hinges largely on defensive back (DB) play. One play we may see this this weekend is the safety (S) blitz. The safety blitz …
It’s the start of Pac 12 play! Who is excited? I know I am! The Ducks kick off conference play against Utah Saturday in Autzen Stadium. It’s move-in weekend for the students (that includes myself), so you know the student section is going to be pumped. Last week, we found out that Vernon Adams’ broken finger was bad enough to …
In a previous analysis I discussed Oregon’s Run-Pass Combo. In this follow-up analysis, I will look at how the Ducks use the same strategy to attack defenses by focusing on a single player. With the Duck offense, any defender can be the focus of an offensive play. Tendencies, leverage and spacing are all key points that coaches ponder when calling a specific play. In the …
Can we learn from a tough loss? In the case of last Saturday’s game, absolutely – especially with an opponent as talented as Michigan State. The Oregon game plan featured a new play variation of the new Oregon Power Play featured last week: a Quarterback Power Play. It sounds odd, considering Oregon QB Vernon Adams is on the smaller side, but let’s look …
The Oregon offense continues to evolve and progress since my instructional video series was created four years ago. Those videos have been viewed more than a million times in total! They have been helpful to fans, as well as to coaches looking to install the spread offense (Oregon style). However, defenses have become better at defending the spread, and thus the Oregon coaching …
You have heard the comments in the stands; heck, you may have even said it yourself! “I hate Oregon’s bend-but-don’t-break defense. I hate how we only rush three, and we give up third-and-long way too often!” Many people say that without understanding the reasoning behind utilizing the bend-but-don’t-break defense, and how it complements the Oregon offense. Let’s take a closer look …
Think about this for a moment: the Ducks went to the National Championship with a first year defensive coordinator, first year linebacker coach, and a second year defensive line coach. Despite this youth among the coaching ranks, and despite being underreported by national media sources, the Oregon defense excels at creating turnovers, which is clearly a point of emphasis by the defensive staff. …
One of the most complex pass routes to complete is the Fade Route, especially when used in the Red Zone, and even more so inside the five-yard line. Oregon has had difficulty completing this pass in recent years (fourth down against Stanford, anyone?), and a couple of us have been pondering if the unique touch of Vernon Adams throwing to freakishly athletic Kirk …
Understanding the game of football can be a complicated process, but just being a fan and sitting down with your friends and family to cheer for your favorite college football teams on Saturday afternoon is simply fun. There are many words a football coach in Kentucky could use to describe the Oregon Ducks, but the one word that I always equate …
Football is a game of position and space, and coaches spend a great deal of time analyzing their schemes to incorporate wrinkles and techniques that will influence the opposition. In most cases, causing a slight hesitation, or a few small steps in the wrong direction, can result in a big play. Option football, which includes the zone read, is predicated on this. …
The quick passing game is a staple of the Oregon Duck offense, as its high percentage of success creates problems for opposing defenses. While the Ducks can attack a defense in many ways on any given down, they will often utilize the Stick concept in the short passing game for a much needed first down. This concept has been used by multiple college …