Five Questions Ahead of Oregon vs. Eastern Washington
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It's game day in Eugene. The Oregon Ducks welcome the Eastern Washington Eagles to Autzen Stadium for their home opener and hoping to bounce back after a rough showing in Atlanta against Georgia.
Like many other schools across the country, this team still has a lot of work to do to reach their full potential under Dan Lanning. Here are five questions ahead of kickoff at 5:44 pm PT on Pac-12 Network.
1. How effective and efficient is the offense?
The Ducks ran the ball fairly effectively against a traditionally stout Georgia front to the tune of 140 yards, averaging 4.5 yards a pop. But the passing attack was hit and miss, especially when the offense struggled to finish drives and had to overcome turnovers.
This offense is loaded with weapons from top to bottom at wideout, running back and tight end. I'm hoping to see more of Dont'e Thornton and Seven McGee against a defense that should be outmatched. Also keep an eye out on the deep ball, since the Ducks need to continue stretching the field vertically to become a more explosive and threatening offense.
2. Can the Ducks get pressure on the quarterback?
Oregon didn't record a sack against the Bulldogs. Part of that was from a lack of pressure and Stetson Bennett also made it a point to get the ball out quickly.
The Ducks have the size advantage and better athletes in the front seven to create pressure and collapse the pocket, but they'll need to focus on finishing plays against an elusive quarterback in Gunner Talkington.
3. How well does the defense execute the fundamentals?
Oregon's tackling raised a huge red flag in week one. Arm tackles and poor angles were just part of what led to a scoring explosion for Georgia.
This defense is far too talented to put together another effort like what we saw last week. It's time to break down, wrap up, and play to the whistle and play like what should be one of the better defenses in the Pac-12.
4. How does Bo Nix look after a rough debut?
I liked that Nix tried to push the ball downfield last week. That was something that was a rarity from Anthony Brown last year. But turning the ball over is the easiest way to erase all the good work in a game.
We knew going into the season the turnovers were the biggest risk with Nix, but a much easier defensive matchup should allow him to settle in. The Ducks don't need him to do anything special on Saturday, just run the offense, get the ball to the playmakers, and take care of the rock.
If Nix can play a clean game, the offense should be able to put this one of of reach and get some younger players like Ty Thompson some reps for their development.
5. Can the Ducks win the perimeter?
Whether it was on offense or defense last week, the Ducks were not a threat on the perimeter. This lead to the defense getting gashed on sweeps, tosses and quick passes out to the flat.
Lanning noted this would be a priority in his press conferences this week and it'll need to be an area the Ducks sharpen on both sides of the ball. Better blocking, breaking tackles and blowing up blocks will be key for a win on Saturday.
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