Earlier this week, when asked if he noticed anything that he wanted to change in his game after watching the LSU tape, LaMichael James’ response was simple.
“I just need to start doing me,” James said. “I felt like I was hesitant (against LSU), I was in between two game moves. But now I’m just going to do me.”

The same could be said for a No. 13 Oregon team that resembled anything but its usual high-octane self last Saturday. The Ducks (0-1) came off as sloppy and unsure of themselves in a 40-27 loss, and look to bounce back this weekend against Nevada (0-0) at Autzen Stadium.
The Wolf Pack certainly do not boast the talent of LSU, but Kelly stressed during the week that this would not be an easy matchup.
“Tough, physical offensive football team,” Kelly said when asked to describe Nevada. “Real strong up front. (It) really takes on Coach Ault’s personality. And defensively, very active, runs around, very active on the defensive side of the ball. And it really starts with their middle linebacker (James-Michael Johnson), who will probably be one of the top players we play.”
Kelly was also quick to point out that Nevada finished 11-1 last year, defeating Boise State in the process and ending the season ranked No. 11 in the nation. Head coach Chris Ault’s squad, in other words, was not one to be taken lightly.
Yet, the heavy lifters in an offense that averaged 519.1 yards per game in 2010 have since departed. The Wolf Pack are forced to move on without quarterback Colin Kaepernick and running back Vai Taua, who combined to account for 5,838 yards of offense last year.
It’s the beginning of a new era for Ault, but his pistol formation on offense will remain the same, and Kelly knows that he will be prepared for the Ducks.
“I think he has an answer to everybody defending him,” Kelly said. “So really for us, it just comes down to playing sound defensive football, and doing a great job on getting out the blocks and tackling them.”
One particularly potent weapon that remains in Ault’s arsenal is wide receiver Rishard Matthews. The senior was all over the field for Nevada in 2010, racking up 879 receiving yards while also serving as an explosive punt returner.
“It really makes that offense tick when you have someone out wide that can garner that much attention,” Kelly said. “So we’re going to have to know where he is at all times and he’s certainly the go-to guy at the receiver spot.”
Senior safety Eddie Pleasant knows Matthews all too well. Both hail from the same area in Southern California, and Pleasant is well aware of Matthews’ ability.
“It’s going to be fun,” Pleasant said. “He’s a great player, but we play against all kinds of great wideouts, and we just gotta go in there and be ready.”
“Being ready” is something the Ducks may have taken for granted before the 2011 season began. No longer. Oregon was uncharacteristically lackadaisical against LSU, committing 12 penalties and turning the ball over four times.
“I don’t think we were ready mentally,” James said after the LSU game. “I think we had two or three false starts in just one drive, and that really hurt us. And the fumbles, that really killed us.”
As such, it was a week that saw the Ducks go back to the drawing board with the hope that they would revert to their usual electric play against Nevada.
“You know, you want to go back out there and prove yourself again,” defensive end Dion Jordan said. “And this time, it’s going to be a real big challenge, because it’s our first home game. So it’s going to be a real big challenge to us to come in and prove to the nation and everybody in Eugene that we’re still the Ducks.”