What We’ve Learned About Oregon Through Non-Conference Play

After a shaky begin, first-year head coach Dan Lanning’s Geese have emerged from non-conference play with a 2-1 document, dropping solely to No. 1 ranked Georgia, and selecting up a marquee victory in week three towards No. 12 BYU.

At this early juncture within the season and the Lanning period, I wished to take a more in-depth have a look at what we have discovered about this group by three video games.

Initially, it is overwhelmingly obvious that Kenny Dillingham’s offense is as explosive as marketed.

READ MORE: What Kalani Sitake stated after dropping to Oregon

Predicated on creating favorable matchups, the Geese have proven a propensity to generate “huge performs” of over 15 yards each on the bottom and thru the air.

Week three on the offensive finish started with a 26-yard display screen cross to Kris Hutson. Three performs later Mar’Keise “Bucky” Irving broke unfastened for 36 yards on the bottom organising quarterback Bo Nix for a one-yard dive to attain.

On one other drive the Geese opted to go huge, twice loading the field to efficiently run the ball up the center on fourth downs.

“We didn’t actually care if you happen to knew what we had been going to do,” Lanning stated after the win over BYU. “You needed to cease us.”

After changing their second fourth down the Geese capitalized on the eye that they had been commanding on the line utilizing play motion to open up a 50-yard shot from Nix to Troy Franklin, organising one other Oregon landing earlier than the half.

Even within the touchdownless beatdown that Oregon acquired by the hands of Georgia there have been glimmers of offensive gentle because the Geese generated 14 first-half first downs, the identical quantity as Georgia.

Maybe if the Geese didn’t throw back-to-back interceptions they may have completed certainly one of their first half drives and saved the sport extra manageable.

LOOK: Oregon vs. BYU photograph gallery

Bo Nix hasn’t turned the ball over since week one, which is an encouraging signal that he is studying to take higher care of the ball.

Wanting on the opposite facet of the ball, Oregon’s protection entered the season with quite a lot of expectations.

Via three weeks we now know that the Lanning, Lupoi protection likes to generate strain by providing quite a lot of appears to be like. In week one the Geese compelled a number of third and longs however didn’t get off the sector, permitting Georgia to maintain drives with penalties and poor tackling.

Since then the unit seems to be coming into their very own with DJ Johnson and Brandon Dorlus main the cost up entrance.

Switch cornerback Christian Gonzalez has been a welcome addition for the Geese as his 6-foot-2 body has made him Lanning’s greatest cowl defender. In opposition to BYU, Gonzalez tallied two cross breakups, each of which coming in man protection on third down.

One of many largest remaining unknowns for the protection is discovering the best choice to play reverse Gonzalez.

Via three weeks, transformed security Trikweze Bridges has gotten the beginning at cornerback, however he is been repeatedly focused and it is clear that groups are keen to take their photographs anyplace that Gonzalez isn’t in protection.

The Geese will journey to Pullman subsequent week to start convention play towards Washington State. The three-0 Cougars could have their fingers full if Nix and the Oregon offense proceed to be environment friendly. The query might be if the Geese can get off the sector on third down. 

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