Oregon got conference play started on the right foot with a win at Stanford Saturday. The win makes it the first time Oregon starts 1-0 in the conference since 2014 when they beat Washington State 38-31. The win also gets some of the road demons off the program’s back.
Oregon Beats Stanford: Takeaways
This Defense is LEGIT
The defense didn’t give up a touchdown against either Nevada or Montana. That’s impressive, but those programs don’t have the players to hang with Oregon. However, Saturday’s 21-6 win marked the third straight game without allowing a touchdown for this Oregon defense. They came into the game giving up 12 points per game and that dropped to 9.75 following Saturday.
It’s been longer than most can remember since Oregon was carried by their defense. Or had a defense this good for that matter. It was the first time since 1935 that this program has gone three straight games without allowing a touchdown.
For a program that’s long been known for its offense, it’s a weird thing for fans to witness. Of course, they will face much better offenses throughout the season than Stanford. However, this defense passes the eye test and they’re well-coached under new defensive coordinator Andy Avalos.
Now we just have to see how long this streak of not giving up a touchdown can last. Also, the defense has yet to give up a first-half touchdown this season.
The Running Game Is a Real Concern
It’s no secret that Mario Cristobal wants physicality and the running game to be the identity of the Oregon program. They have one of the top offensive lines in college football. So why is this team struggling to run the football?
Part of the reason this week could be pinned on the reshuffling along the offensive line. However, that would be too easy to blame. If you include Herbert’s sack yardage from yesterday, Oregon averaged 2.0 yards per carry. If you take out sacks, they had 83 yards on 25 carries, good for 3.32 yard per carry. Either way that’s bad.
The main reason Oregon is struggling to run the ball this season is the running backs. If you watch closely, there are holes for the backs to run through. The backs are either just missing those holes or they’re not identifying what holes to hit.
Also, when the backs do hit the holes, they are being tripped up by arm tackles. Yes, not having Jake Hansen yesterday hurt. But this has been a concern all season.
Fans like to complain about Marcus Arroyo and his play-calling. Complaining about the conservative nature of the play-calling is fair. However, the passing game this season has been improved. And that’s despite three receivers who were expected to be key contributors having yet to play a down this season in Juwan Johnson, Brendan Schooler, and Mycah Pittman.
In order for this offense to find more consistency, the running backs will need to read their blocks correctly and battle through arm tackles.
Oregon Beats Stanford: Takeaways Continued
This is Not Oregon Of Old
Fans had become so used to Oregon scoring 45 points per game and using a frenetic tempo to keep defenses off balance. If that’s what you still expect as an Oregon fan, adjust your expectations. This is a new era of Oregon football.
Yes, this new brand might not be the most exciting. However, Oregon beat Stanford on the road. Oregon hadn’t beat Stanford since upsetting them in 2015. Yes, Stanford is down this season, but a road win at Stanford should be celebrated if you’re an Oregon fan.
Justin Herbert has 14 touchdown passes to zero interceptions and they have two receivers on pace for over 800 yards. And that’s without three expected top options. So while this new brand of Oregon football doesn’t produce as many explosive plays, this team is carried by its defense and taking care of the ball. Of course, the running game needs to improve. And they should be scoring more than 21 points against Stanford, but a win is a win.
The offense will now have a bye week to try and get some of those receivers back. But the most important thing for this offense to figure out during the bye week is the running game.
Jacob Breeland is a Big-Time Threat
The senior tight end was quiet in the season-opener against Auburn, only catching four passes for 26 yards. Since then, he has taken off.
He put up 112 yards against Nevada, including a 66-yard touchdown catch. Then, against Montana, he scored two touchdowns while making five catches for 49 yards.
Yesterday Breeland led the team with five catches for 78 yards while catching two more touchdowns. One of those touchdowns was right out of the Stanford playbook. Breeland went up against a defensive back on a beautiful back-shoulder throw by Justin Herbert.
If Breeland is going to keep playing like this it’s a game-changer for the offense. Last season the tight ends struggled to get involved. Interestingly enough, Breeland almost has as many catches and yards as last season, and he’s already more than doubled his touchdown output from last season (two).
Having a tight end involved in the passing game in a real capacity is a welcome sight. It also gives Justin Herbert someone to throw the ball to in the middle of the field, which is very welcome after last season when most of the passing game came on the outside to Dillon Mitchell.
Herbert and Breeland seem to have something special right now, and it’s important they keep that going because Breeland is an athletic tight end who can stretch the defense and make defenders miss after the catch.