Offensive Players to Watch in Oregon vs. Fresno State

These players will be critical to the offensive output we see on Saturday.

Author:
John Rustik
Publish date:
Sep 2, 2021 3:33 PM EDT

This Saturday marks the first time in over a year Oregon will face a non-conference opponent during the regular season when they welcome the Fresno State Bulldogs. Here are five offensive players that will be influential on the final result of this matchup.

Anthony Brown: Quarterback, Oregon

Anthony Brown 2 — © Andy Nelson via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Anthony Brown is starting his first game as a Duck this weekend. As a result, everyone will be watching to see how successfully he is able to control the game as he leads the offense. In his game against Iowa State, he was able to complete 12 of 19 passes for 147 yards and added two touchdowns on the ground. He also threw for two touchdowns in the Pac-12 championship against USC and had some clutch completions.

When asked by DucksDigest what a goal for his week 1 matchup, Brown said, “Doing my job. That’s about it.”

Doing his job will be important for the Ducks offensive success. Brown can influence the game with his arm and with his legs. It will be crucial for him to avoid turnovers against the Fresno State defense. His ability to move outside the pocket will be paramount to Oregon’s success this season.

Jake Haener: Quarterback, Fresno State

Haener did leave the UConn game early because of cramps, so we'll monitor his status for this one. Assuming he's available, he's someone to watch for sure.

Haener is coming to Autzen with some momentum from last week's matchup against the UConn Huskies. In that game, he was 20 for 26 and threw for three touchdowns. Most importantly, he took care of the ball and didn't have any turnovers.

Although the Ducks' defense will surely be stronger than UConn, the momentum that Haener gained will still be important for his performance. Oregon will have to respect his arm if they want to be able to control this game.

CJ Verdell: Running Back, Oregon

CJ Verdell vs WSU — © James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

CJ Verdell returns from an injury-riddled season which included him missing the final two games last year. When he stays healthy, he can be as dangerous as any running back in the country.

In his first two seasons in which Verdell stayed healthy, he rushed for 2,238 yards and added 18 rushing touchdowns. He was able to explode for multiple runs of over 70 yards, which shows that he can take over a drive with his home run speed.

Verdell has made sure that those previous injuries won’t hamper this season. When talking about avoiding injuries, he said, “I’ve been taking the time to come in earlier… Getting my body warmed up, stretched out.”

Verdell will be playing with a fire as he tries to re-establish himself as one of the strongest backs in the conference.

Jalen Cropper: Wide Receiver, Fresno State

Jalen Cropper is a player that has the potential to make huge plays for this team. In his previous game against UConn he had three grabs for 87 yards, which was mostly from an impressive 86-yard touchdown which saw him get past five UConn defenders.

If he can channel a big moment against Oregon like he did last week, it could give the rest of the team some much-needed momentum.

Troy Franklin: Wide Receiver, Oregon

Troy Franklin Spring Catch — © Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Freshman Troy Franklin earned the starting spot against the Bulldogs at X receiver after making a name for himself in the spring and throughout fall camp. It will be exciting to see how the freshman is able to adapt to the college game, and it's clear he's earned the respect of his teammates and coaches.

Franklin has the potential to be special for not just this season, but for the next couple of years in Eugene. He's said as much himself, noting in fall camp that he wanted to change the wide receiver culture at Oregon.

This is his first chance to do just that and Saturday could give us a glimpse at the future of Oregon’s receiving core.

Ronnie Rivers: Running Back, Fresno State

Oregon’s run defense has been an area of focus all throughout the offseason after getting gashed by the likes of Breece Hall, Jermar Jefferson and Demetric Felton last year. The Oregon defense was seventh in the conference for rushing yards allowed, at 169.6 rushing yards per game. In their first game, Fresno State rushed for 156 yards and Rivers accounted for 58 yards of his own.

If Rivers can find the gaps in the Oregon defense, he could find a way to open the game up. Rivers could be the player that accentuates the problems that have plagued Oregon for years. If Rivers has a big game, they have the chance to make this a tight and intense game for the Ducks.

The two teams clash this Saturday, September 4th in Eugene at 11 am PST on the PAC-12 Network. Oregon is a 20.5 point favorite.