Between the No. 7 Oregon Ducks and the Tennessee Volunteers, more than 1,200 yards of total offense were accounted for last Saturday. The Vols dominated the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks 50-0, while Oregon throttled New Mexico 72-0.
Not much can be said for either team’s week one opponents, but it’s clear both offenses are capable of putting up big numbers. When the Ducks enter Neyland Stadium Saturday afternoon, it will mark their longest road trip since beating Purdue 32-26 in overtime back on Sept. 13, 2008.
“We’re excited about it,” Oregon head coach Chip Kelly said. “You know, we’ve played in big stadiums before. This isn’t our first rodeo, so it’s not like we haven’t been on the road in a big environment.”
In addition to that Purdue contest, a handful of seniors also played at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor during the 2007 season. And the vast majority of this year’s team took the field in front of a Rose Bowl crowd of more than 90,000 in January.
Oregon senior Jordan Holmes has played in front of his fair share of daunting venues, and that experience has been key for younger players to look up to.
“I just tell them to stay focused and enjoy it,” Holmes said. “Trips like this are few and far between.”
Neyland Stadium packs in 102,000 fans on a regular basis for home games, compared to Autzen’s average attendance of 59,000. Even with visiting a much bigger venue, Kelly does not anticipate any change in performance after cranking up the heat, humidity and stereo system during practice at the Moshofsky Center this week.
“Some of the players were dying because they’re from California,” senior running back Remene Alston said. “I’m from North Carolina, so I’m used to it. It actually felt better to me.”
Alston accounted for 110 yards rushing on 21 carries last week but will be expecting a decrease in the number of touches he sees with the return of regular starter LaMichael James, who served a one-game suspension against New Mexico.
James will shoulder the majority of the carries with assistance from the Pac-10 Conference Offensive Player of the Week running back Kenjon Barner.
Barner’s record-setting five-touchdown performance last Saturday proved he could handle the load as the No. 1 back, but Kelly said earlier this week the staff has yet to decide how they’re going to split up the touches.
Tennessee features a defense that allowed just three first downs during week one, while giving up just 142 total yards. Similar to defending Pac-10 champion Oregon, the Vols offensive numbers pleaded a strong case to contend in the treacherous Southeastern Conference this fall.
Junior Tauren Poole, sophomore David Oku and true freshman Rajon Neal paced the Tennessee running game with 266 of the team’s 332 total rushing yards. Junior quarterback Matt Simms’ day (14 of 24 for 181 yards and one score) showed efficiency comparable to that of Oregon sophomore Darron Thomas (13 of 23 for 220 yards and two scores).
Kelly said he has a good feel for the type of player Simms has turned into over the past few years.
“I actually coached Matt in camp a couple times,” Kelly said. “Real good football player — comes from a great family of quarterbacks.”
Simms’ father, Phil, was a former Super Bowl MVP who finished his professional football career with more than 33,000 passing yards. Matt’s brother, Chris, passed for more than 7,000 yards during his career at the University of Texas (1999-2002).
Simms is entering his first year at the Tennessee helm after playing in two games for Louisville in 2008 and at El Camino Community College in Torrance, Calif., last season.
First-year Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley said, despite a strong showing last weekend, his squad has a whole new breed of opponent to tame this Saturday.
“They’re good and they’re deep and they’re fast,” Dooley said. “It allows them to play faster when they’re in there because they can catch their breath, and that’s really where you want to be as a program. They’re right where every program aspires to be.
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Game forecast
Forecast: 81 degrees with a 30 percent chance of afternoon showers.
At A Glance
Who: No. 7 Oregon Ducks vs. Tennessee Volunteers
What: Week 2 game
When: 4 p.m. on ESPN2
Where: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tenn.
Fresh off a 72-0 win over New Mexico, No. 7 Oregon travels to Knoxville, Tenn., to take on the Volunteers in front of 102,459 people at Neyland Stadium.
Ducks ready to face an imposing Tennessee Volunteers crowd in Knoxville
Daily Emerald
September 8, 2010
Courtesy of Wade Rackley/The Daily Beacon
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