Takeaways from Oregon’s Spring Game

It nearly felt like a typical fall Saturday when the Inexperienced and Yellow groups trotted out onto the sector at Autzen Stadium for Oregon’s spring sport. After weeks of rain in Eugene, followers had been greeted by the everyday aromas of a tailgate and blue skies.

The Yellow staff got here away with the win, defeating the Inexperienced staff by a rating of 31-21. Listed below are a number of the issues had been realized.

So that is what an explosive offense appears like

All all through the spring we heard about how explosive this offense was going to be and man did we get it. Bo Nix obtained proper to work on the very first play from scrimmage, launching a deep ball to Seven McGee, who shined in his new function as a large receiver, and promptly picked up 70 yards. 

McGee wasn’t the one offensive participant who shined, as Dont’e Thornton, Troy Franklin, Chase Cota and Josh Delgado all had huge performs on Saturday. In reality, McGee, Thornton and Cota all completed with extra 100 or extra yards receiving. Cota was in a groove all the sport and appeared like the actual deal in his first motion with the Geese.

Noah Whittington and Sean {Dollars} additionally flashed with some huge runs. Cease me should you’ve heard this earlier than; Oregon’s working again room appears like it should be stacked but once more.

Certain there’s some issues that must be labored out, however Kenny Dillingham appears like he is intent on following via together with his imaginative and prescient for the offense: getting the ball to the playmakers and making it thrilling once more.

Quarterbacks ship a blended, however thrilling bag 

All the quarterbacks exuded confidence of their play Saturday, significantly by driving the ball down the sector.

Nix appeared the half as essentially the most skilled quarterback within the room and carried himself with stable composure. His 230 yards on 8-15 passing and three touchdowns are an amazing basis for his time at Oregon, and he demonstrated a robust chemistry with the wideouts. 

I got here means essentially the most impressed with Jay Butterfield. The poise he performed with and command he had of the offense had been encouraging, particularly when you think about that he was bouncing back-and-forth between the inexperienced and yellow groups.

He delivered the ball into some actually tight home windows and was efficient at 16-26 for 213 and a landing. 

Ty Thompson had some stable highlights all through the day, together with an eight-yard landing to Franklin and a 30-yard deep strike to Kris Hutson. However he did miss some open receivers whether or not it was an overthrow or inserting the ball too excessive or too low. 

The potential is there, however these additionally could possibly be indicators that possibly he is not fairly the place folks thought he could be in his growth. Every of the quarterbacks had their moments, however there have been additionally a number of head-scratching interceptions. 

DJ Johnson is again the place he belongs

One of many greatest standouts on protection was Johnson, who has returned to a full-time function on the sting. 

Whether or not he was going towards Steven Jones or TJ Bass, two starters from a 12 months in the past, they’d their fingers full and Johnson showcased his uncooked energy dashing the passer and blowing up the road of scrimmage. He completed the day with seven tackles, 5 tackles for loss and 4 sacks, proof that he was residing within the backfield. 

Nonetheless, sacks are a difficult stat to trace in a spring sport as a result of quarterbacks aren’t taken to the bottom and there is a grey space round when performs are blown lifeless.

The argument might be made that he is one of the crucial athletic gamers on the this staff, and underneath the tutelage of Tosh Lupoi, he could possibly be simply what the physician ordered because the Geese search for a constant edge rusher.

Potential playmakers flash within the secondary

The secondary for 2022 is stuffed with youth, significantly on the cornerback spot. Jahlil Florence wasted no time making his presence felt on this sport, snagging a wild interception on a Butterfield go supposed for Isaah Crocker. 

Moreover, Christian Gonzalez displayed some nice physicality tackling, particularly on a sweep run by McGee. JJ Greenfield, who returned to this system in spring after spending final season on the JUCO stage, pressured two turnovers–picking off a go from Nix and forcing a fumble that was recovered by Steve Stephens. 

Dan Lanning stated after the sport that he does not know if he is been round a defensive coordinator that emphasizes turnovers as a lot as Tosh Lupoi, and it appears like his defensive philosophy is being acquired properly so far.

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