The Ducks’ rushing defense was a major factor in the team’s downward spiral last season by giving up 148.6 yards per game and allowing nine different running backs to gain over 100 yards on the ground.
Although it’s been a point of emphasis this offseason, in Oregon’s final scrimmage last Friday the defense allowed three separate running plays to amass 170 yards and three touchdowns. While the Ducks certainly boast a powerful running attack, one that led the Pacific-10 Conference in rushing yards per game last year with 182.2 yards per-game, so does Houston.
And that’s worrying the Oregon coaches.
Not only that, but Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said this was the first week that all 11 projected defensive starters were healthy enough to practice together as a unit this fall.
“We’re making up for lost time,” Bellotti said. “We have our work cut out for us.”
While the defensive secondary remains mostly intact, as only free safety Matt Harper missed significant practice time with an injury, the defensive line continues to be an issue. Right now, Bellotti believes that a combination of eight lineman will provide enough energy to get the job done. While he’s named the four starters, the backups should see playing time almost immediately.
“We need all eight of those defensive linemen up front and ready to go” Bellotti said. “We can accomplish what we need to do with a rotation of three or four guys.”
Part of the reason for the defensive line’s shuffling is that Oregon has lost four linemen within the past few months. Veterans Dexter Manley and Victor Filipe decided to transfer while highly-regarded recruits Myles Wade and Simi Fili were academically ineligible. The other reason is that Bellotti has players like the undersized 258-pound junior Michael Speed at defensive tackle, a role that Bellotti calls a “high energy, effort position” and believes he’ll have to utilize a rotation of linemen to keep them all fresh.
“He doesn’t possess the physical size that you would want, he knows that, we all know that, but he has as good of hands and good of technique as any defensive lineman on this team,” Bellotti said of Speed. “He’s going to have to rotate in and out of plays because if you’re going against two 300-pounders and you’re 265, you’re going to give up some things.”
“But right now, he gives us our best bet to win.”
Season-long captains reappear
For the first time since 1993, Bellotti named the player-selected game captains senior quarterback Dennis Dixon, junior center Max Unger, junior rover Patrick Chung and senior linebacker A.J. Tuitele.
“I talked to each of those young men and made sure they wanted to be captains. They did, they’re excited. I think one, an honor, and two, a great responsibility,” Bellotti said. “We had year-long captains when I first got here back in 1989 and did away with it 1994 for a variety of reasons. We’re going to give it a shot this year and see if it’ll help in some regard. We still may name game captains to recognize individual efforts.”
When asked about the coaches wanting to see more leadership qualities from Dixon last season, Bellotti said that there are multiple ways of a player establishing themselves as a leader.
“I would venture to say that if the players selected him as a captain, they feel very good about his leadership,” Bellotti said.
The revitalized spread-offense debut
When Oregon opened the season against Houston in 2005 under then-offensive coordinator Gary Crowton, the Ducks debuted the spread offense and lit up the Cougars for 38 points and 554 yards of total offense.
So what will the Ducks be debuting this year?
“I’m not sure what we’re going to debut,” Bellotti said. “I hope we debut great special teams, great defense and great offense.”
But Bellotti forgot to mention it will be the first time that new offense coordinator Chip Kelly will demonstrate his version of the offense in a game at Autzen Stadium.
“I’m excited. I can’t wait to play,” Kelly said. “I’ve been here long enough. I want to see that stadium packed. Everybody’s told me what an unbelievable experience it is.”
And while the questions of Oregon’s defense continue to linger, the offense is already running like a well-oiled machine. With only two fumbles and no interceptions in scrimmages this fall camp, Kelly believes the offense is all set for the opener.
“They’re ahead of where I expected them to be,” Kelly said. “They’ve made a big jump from the spring. It’s obvious they’ve worked pretty hard over the summer time.”
[email protected]