Key Matchup: Can Utah Contain Oregon State's Jermar Jefferson?
When the nation's No. 7 ranked rush defense welcomes the nation's No. 2 ranked rusher to town on Saturday night, something will have to give.
Utah will enter Saturday's contest giving up just 90.5 rushing yards per game and 3.18 yards per carry, good enough for seventh in the nation.
Despite replacing nine starters from last years player, all of whom are now in the NFL, Utah is still the same Utah as old. The Utes are physical at the point of attack and athletic enough to disengage from blocks and make plays.
Nov 7, 2020; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Oregon State Beavers running back Jermar Jefferson (6) celebrates his rushing touchdown during the second half against the Washington State Cougars at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Meanwhile, Oregon State's Jermar Jefferson has been on an absolute tear of late. He just rushed for 226 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries against No. 23 Oregon last Friday, and this is after he ran for 196 yards against Washington State.
He ranks second in the nation with 168.8 rushing yards per game, while averaging 7.42 yards per carry and eight total touchdowns in four games.
Aug 29, 2019; Provo, UT, USA; Utah Utes defensive end Mika Tafua (42) reacts to a sack on Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Zach Wilson (1) in the second quarter at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
UTAH OUTLOOK
By far the most experienced group on the defensive side of the ball comes in the trenches as Mika Tafua returns as a starter. He possesses all-Pac-12 potential and seems to be the next great Ute defensive lineman. He's taken over the Bradlee Anae role in the defense as the primary weapon in the backfield. Although he hasn't quite lived up to those high expectations, having only one sack and one tackle for loss on the season.
Senior Maxs Tupai, while not a starter for much of his career, has logged serious game time and has the experience and talent to make a difference. After losing starting seniors from last season, the inside is once again led by two seniors in Hauati Pututau and Viane Moala, two players with in-game experience.
It's interesting for the Utes as usually teams with a great rushing defense rack up tackles for loss at a high rate. Utah is the exception. On the season, the Utes are averaging 5.5 tackles for loss per game, led by junior linebackers Devin Lloyd (3.0) and Nephi Sewell (2.0).
But what the Utes do extremely well is that the linebackers play downhill and fill holes hard. While the defensive line doesn't get the stats, they do a phenomenal job of occupying offensive linemen, allowing players such as Lloyd, Sewell, Sione Fotu and Vonte Davis to make those plays.
What Oregon State has done a good job of is getting their offensive linemen to the second level, especially when using tight ends Luke Musgrave and Teagan Quitoriano. This is why it will be vital that the Utes take advantage of its power and athleticism to make plays and prevent Jefferson from ever getting started.
Nov 21, 2020; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes defensive tackle Pita Tonga (49) sacks USC Trojans quarterback Kedon Slovis (9) during the first quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
OREGON STATE OUTLOOK
Jefferson is a beast, and very likely the best running back Utah will have faced over the past 2-3 years. Oregon State will go as far as Jefferson takes it, especially with starting quarterback Tristan Gebbia out and backup Chance Nolan taking over.
Listed at 5-foot-10, 217 pounds, Jefferson is extremely powerful and just runs through arm tackles. He's also physical, enjoying and seeking out contact which makes defensive backs question coming up to meet him in the box.
Nov 27, 2020; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Oregon State Beavers running back Jermar Jefferson (6) carries the ball against the Oregon Ducks during the second half at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
But what makes Jefferson truly special though is his combination of vision/patience and his speed.
The original knock on him was that he wasn't able to run away from defensive backs, but he did just that in games against Cal and Oregon the past two weeks. He scored on touchdowns runs of 75 yards and 82 yards the past two games, both times out-sprinting cornerbacks and safeties who had the original angles on him.
He then combines that speed and power with incredible vision and patience. He has the vision to see when/where holes will develop and patience to allow them to open, before breaking through. He's become a master of the cutback, often letting opposing defenses flow with the play before disappearing behind his massive offensive line and then re-emerging behind the linebackers and onto the next level.
Nov 27, 2020; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Oregon State Beavers running back Jermar Jefferson (6) eludes Oregon Ducks defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus (97) during the first half at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Oregon State likes to run heavy/jumbo sets with two tight ends lined up on the same side, and a receiver as well. Musgrave and Quitoriano stand 6-foot-6 and 6-foot-4 respectively and excel at blocking more than pass-catching. Combine these two with a gelling offensive line that is both big and athletic, it's no wonder Jefferson has been dominant.
CONCLUSION
What makes the Beavers so special is that teams know they're going to run the ball half the time and yet, opponents been unable to stop it. But Oregon State has yet to go up a unit as talented as Utah's where it combines freakishly athletic linebackers with gap-eating monsters in the trenches.
Although Jefferson has been on a hot streak this season, Utah's scheme by head coach Kyle Whittingham and defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley is sure to cause some issues.
Nov 21, 2020; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Kedon Slovis (9) tries to run away from Utah Utes linebacker Sione Fotu (9) during the second half at Rice-Eccles Stadium. USC Trojans won 33-17. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
Oregon State finds a lot of its success in the second half as teams wear down from the constant pounding. Utah has bodies that can rotate to stay fresh so in the end as its depth has been a huge value this season.
One of these sides will have to give in the end — the question is though, which one caves and which one thrives?
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