Moorhead Holds the Key to Fixing the Oregon Offense

Joshua Whitted Editorials

The list of Oregon offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead’s accomplishments is a lengthy one. Behind his unique offensive system, he has engineered some of the most impressive turnarounds in the country over the past decade, most notably pulling the Penn State offense out of the stone age and into the 21st century. Analysts, coaches and players alike rave about Moorhead’s off-the-charts …

Oregon Unleashes New-Look Triple Option on USC

Joshua Whitted Analysis

Everybody loves an exciting, explosive spread-option offense. The Ducks had one of their own under Chip Kelly and Mark Helfrich, and many legendary offenses have thrived using this still-effective scheme. However, with defenders becoming bigger, faster and stronger, and with the importance of having a healthy starting quarterback, head coaches of spread schemes now have to determine whether it’s worth …

Arroyo Takes Notes From the Record-Setting Oklahoma Offense

Joshua Whitted Analysis

No one’s going to confuse Oregon offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo for Oklahoma wunderkind Lincoln Riley. The latter is arguably the brightest offensive mind football right now, and his offense is once again lighting up the scoreboard this season. The same can’t be said about Arroyo, whose offense has struggled at times to live up to the lofty expectations of highlight-starved …

Arroyo Adds EXPLOSIVE Wrinkle to Oregon’s RPO Package

Joshua Whitted Analysis

To say that Oregon fans were underwhelmed with offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo’s play calling in the Ducks’ week 1 loss to Auburn would be an understatement. No one shouldered more of the blame for Oregon’s abysmal second half showing — in which the Ducks failed to put up a single point after their first possession — than Arroyo. But for …

“Golden Era” vs. Now: Attacking the Edges

Jeremy Mosier Analysis

For those longing for a return to the program’s peak offensive production of the past, the finality of spring football did not offer much for an Oregon Duck team that ranked 41st in total offense, 49th in passing offense and 54th in rushing offense in 2018. This is not entirely surprising however, as head coach Mario Cristobal emphasized that the …

Golden Era vs. Now: Has Oregon’s Run Game REALLY Changed?

Jeremy Mosier Analysis

Expectations weigh heavily on the Oregon offense this year, no sense shying away from it. The meteoric rise of Oregon football in the early 2000s was fueled by innovation, executed at a blur-like tempo and presented in uniforms unlike anything ever seen. This overload of stimuli throughout the “Golden Era” of Oregon football (2009-2014) has cast a shadow over the …

The Ultimate Rubber Match: Oregon vs. Michigan State, Round Three

Joshua Whitted Editorials

When Oregon learned of its potential bowl opponents, there were several interesting candidates. Iowa, Northwestern and Wisconsin each would have been fine choices. But there’s no question that the Redbox Bowl committee struck gold when they matched the high-flying Ducks with their familiar cross-country foe, Michigan State, for their third meeting in five years. The rubber match won’t be for a spot in …

What Mario Cristobal Has Over Chip Kelly

Joshua Whitted Editorials

Mario Cristobal is not Chip Kelly. Kelly is an offensive mastermind, whose fast-paced, spread-option system took the country by storm. His innovations, matched with some of the most dynamic athletes in the game, led the Ducks to their most successful period in team history. But for all of his acclaim, Kelly couldn’t get over the hump. Although his offensive brilliance …

Dillon Mitchell is Oregon’s Knight in Shining Armor

Joshua Whitted Editorials

Oregon’s offense has undergone a facelift, and the results haven’t been flattering. The once ultra-exciting and innovative unit that produced historically great results now looks ordinary and predictable. Finding something positive in the midst of such offensive regression is challenging, but there has been one resounding bright spot: Dillon Mitchell. The former illustrious recruit from Memphis has become a bona fide …

Will the Real Oregon Please Stand Up?

Joshua Whitted Editorials

The 2018 Oregon Ducks have been like a box of chocolates: when they take the field, you never know what you’re going to get. One week, it looks like they could go toe to toe with the best teams in the country. Another, it looks like they’d get smoked by conference bottom-dweller Oregon State. Fans are growing restless with the team’s hot …

Can the Ducks Prove They’re More Than a One-Man Show?

Joshua Whitted Editorials

Welcome to the most wonderful time of the year. College football is finally back! After months of mundane Saturdays, we have a full slate of college football games to digest again. The Ducks got their much-anticipated season debut out of the way, with a 58-24 victory against Bowling Green. But there were a few issues. The box score shows that …