Like six times earlier this football season, an Oregon player went down with a devastating injury and someone behind him in the depth chart stepped up in his place without any drop-off in productivity.
This time it was junior middle linebacker John Bacon, who suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament, and true freshman Casey Matthews filled in for the injured Bacon, registering three tackles, two for a loss, including a sack.
“You talk about a freshman, a kid who was playing in high school last year playing against an 8-0 team in a gigantic game and I didn’t see any flaws,” Oregon defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti said. “Our depth is getting thin there at linebacker but Casey’s got a little moxie to him so I think he’ll be just fine.”
Oregon coach Mike Bellotti was impressed with Matthews’ play as well but is growing more concerned as the injuries continue to pile up.
“We’re already at the razor’s edge at depth and that’s a scary deal,” Bellotti said. “Hopefully we get A.J. Tuitele back at some point. Obviously, the sooner the better.”
As a middle linebacker, it’s Matthews’ responsibility to receive the defensive play from the sideline and instruct the rest of his teammates what to do. It shouldn’t matter that he’s a freshman, Matthews said, the Ducks’ defense is going to have to follow his lead regardless and that’s what happened from the moment Bacon went down.
“Everyone came in saying ‘This is your time now,’” Matthews said. “Playing as much as I did and coming out with a big win on Game Day – it’s a great feeling.”

The highs and lows of Jaison Williams

Right from the start of the game, things seemed to be going Jaison Williams’ way.
On the Ducks’ first series, the first pass was thrown the receiver’s way for a 43-yard completion. The second play, Dennis Dixon threw to Williams again and this time he dropped it. But on the fourth play of the game, Dixon threw to Williams yet again and the two connected for a 26-yard touchdown.
Williams finished the game with five catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns, but his day was marred by missed opportunities.
“We dropped three or four passes that would have added to the score, most likely,” Bellotti said.
There were a few instances where a reception by Williams would have either scored a touchdown or converted a third-down situation into a new set of downs. Instead, Willams’ drops meant Oregon went three-and-out on a couple occasions.
After dropping a pass in the third quarter on third-and-five, Williams fell to ground and lay there face-down before Dixon came to pick him back up.
Wide receiver Garren Strong said Williams was a bit down on himself on the sidelines but several players came to talk to him and that made Williams more focused and optimistic.
Williams was absent in the next couple of Oregon possessions while freshmen Drew Davis and junior Terence Scott filled in for Williams and an injured Strong.
“We have nobody else after those guys,” offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said. “It’s the teams that can weather those storms that are going to be victorious.”
The victory, after everything, eased Williams’ mindset after the game.
“I’m on cloud nine right now,” he said. “It’s not about the mistakes you made, it’s about what you’ve done to help the team. That’s what I’m trying to focus on.”
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