Although the Ducks faced an unimpressive offense in Colorado last Saturday, Oregon defensive coordinator Don Pellum found some positive takeaways for his defense.
After hinting at a change to simplify the defense, Pellum followed through in the Colorado game by running a lot of zone coverages. There were still lapses in coverage and inconsistent pressure from the front-seven, but the Ducks limited big plays, something that had become a widespread issue in games prior. Most importantly, Pellum liked the effort level of his defense.
“Our overall intensity was better,” Pellum said after Wednesday’s practice. “As the game progressed, we continued to play hard and some of the things we saw early, we made tiny adjustments to.”
But this week’s opponent, Washington State, will provide a true benchmark for how much the Ducks’ defense has improved. Washington State and head coach Mike Leach are known for their notorious pass-heavy, air-raid offense.
Sophomore quarterback Luke Falk already has nearly 1,500 passing yards through four games, including last week’s loss at Cal, where he went 35-of-49 for 389 yards.
Go beyond the statistics: You’ll see a quarterback that has good command of the offense and a quick release on his passes. The Ducks’ pass rushers will have to bring quick pressure in order to rattle the fast-moving Falk.
“He does a really good job of getting the ball out,” defensive end DeForest Buckner said, “But when he has pressure in his face and lockdown coverage, he tends to hold on to the ball too long. It gives us an opportunity to get a couple sacks, just like last week.”
Once again, it appears that Oregon’s secondary is the key to how well the Ducks can defend. Oregon’s defensive backs have been exposed in practically every game this season. Still, opposing coaches aren’t taking them lightly.
“I think they’re good,” Leach said on Tuesday during a Pac-12 coaches conference call. “Occasionally they’ll give up the big play because they’re an aggressive unit and there’s some new faces. They’ve had those other guys for so long, I guess now they know how everybody else feels.”
Pellum also discussed on Wednesday whether he’ll coach from the sidelines or a booth for the rest of the season. Pellum was seen on the field during the Colorado game, which he said allowed him to make more adjustments in real time. On the other hand, watching from the booth has given Pellum a much better vantage point for watching the defense as a whole.
“I think I will [stay on the sideline] this week,” Pellum said. “Neither one of them are good, neither one of them are bad. It’s just trying to figure out the best one right now for us.”
Follow Will Denner on Twitter @Will_Denner