UCLA vs. Oregon: 5 Questions With Ducks Digest's Max Torres

Coach Chip Kelly and his staff have spent the past few weeks scouting the Ducks, but they aren't the only ones getting the inside scoop on what's been going on in Eugene.

With No. 9 UCLA football's (6-0, 3-0 Pac-12) road game at No. 10 Oregon (5-1, 3-0 Pac-12) coming up on Saturday, All Bruins publisher Sam Connon got answers to the most pressing questions surrounding the highly-anticipated showdown, courtesy of Ducks Digest publisher Max Torres.

Here is what Torres had to say about Oregon's season so far, Dan Lanning and Bo Nix's arrival and the stakes of the impending top-10 matchup:

SC: Oregon's season-opening loss to Georgia seems to be pretty far behind them at this point – what has changed over the past few weeks to get the Ducks back on track?

MT: The offense has really found its groove since the season opener against Georgia. Bo Nix is playing with tons of confidence and there's finally a downfield passing attack teams have to prepare for, something that was absent in Eugene under Mario Cristobal. Combine that with a lethal rushing attack and an improving defense and the Ducks are getting closer to their potential each week.

SC: Bo Nix won a decent number of games at Auburn, but was never really known for stuffing the stat sheet – what have you seen from him that's led to the transfer QB putting up big passing numbers in 2022?

MT: First and foremost he's been taking much better care of the ball. That was really what people slighted him for after coming over from Auburn and he looks like he's turned a new page. He's distributing the ball to a number of weapons and he's made excellent use of his legs, not bailing out of the pocket too early, but rather taking advantage of what the defense gives him. He's confident and Kenny Dillingham's offense deserves credit for putting him in the right situations.

SC: Dan Lanning comes from a defensive background, but Oregon is allowing the most passing yards and second-highest completion percentage in the Pac-12 – is that because of a lack of talent, faulty schematics or something else?

MT: This is a very good question. I think Oregon's defense has been underwhelming as a whole this season but is still trending in the right direction. The poor passing statistics are in my opinion due to a pass rush that is still trying to get where it needs to be and the lack of a true No. 2 cornerback opposite Christian Gonzalez that is capable of shutting down their assignment on a more consistent basis. Maybe it has to do with how much they've rotated players in the secondary. It's tough to pin it on just one factor.

SC: How would you describe Oregon's homefield advantage and how much of an impact do you believe it will have on the outcome this weekend?

MT: Oregon's homefield is probably the best in the Pac-12 with 22 straight wins. It's incredibly loud despite being one of the smaller stadiums in the country at around 54,000. The Ducks play their best football at home and I think it will have a decent impact on the outcome of this game. There hasn't been a game at Autzen with this much draw and hype since 2014, when a top-10 Michigan State squad came to town and the Ducks were able to come away with that win.

SC: What is at stake for the Ducks on Saturday, and how much patience does the fanbase have if a spot in the Pac-12 title game starts to slip away?

MT: It might not come down to just this game, but a spot in the Pac-12 title game is certainly in the discussion on Saturday seeing that the Ducks also still have to face Washington and Utah this season. They'll probably both be ranked but they're fortunate to get those games at home. I think there's some patience from the fan base if a spot in the conference title game slips away because of the coaching transition, but the talent on the roster, resources at their disposal and play in recent seasons have made an appearance in the Pac-12 title game the expectation.

Check out some more of Torres' coverage from the other sideline over at Ducks Digest

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