OREGON vs. MICHIGAN STATE EDITION
GABRIEL’S “TIGHT” CONNECTION
How has TE Terrance Ferguson established himself as a meaningful weapon in Dillon Gabriel’s offense?
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(On The Cover) Bryce Boettcher (28) celebrates a big forced turnover against the Bruins. The Oregon Ducks take on the UCLA Bruins in its first Big Ten Conference game in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA on Sept. 28, 2024. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald)
(Right) Dillon Gabriel (2) stands in the pocket looking for the open receiver. (Spencer So/Daily Emerald)
COACH LANNING'S FAMILIAR FOE
As Oregon looks ahead to its next matchup, the coaching battle between Dan Lanning and former OSU head coach Jonathan Smith, who moved to Michigan State this offseason, won’t be uncharted territory
BY JACK LAZARUS
Sports Associate Editor
Even in this wacky 2024 season filled with change across the board, the undefeated Ducks have still seen a great amount of consistency.
This past weekend, Oregon handled one of its oldest former Pac-12 rivals, as the Ducks routed the UCLA Bruins 34-13 in to mark their first victory as members of the Big Ten. This upcoming weekend, the Ducks will play their first Big Ten game in Autzen Stadium, but this contest still
includes its fair share of familiarity.
That comes in the coaching battle between Oregon’s head coach Dan Lanning and Michigan State’s head coach Jonathan Smith, who coached the Oregon State Beavers up until this year.
Smith served as the Beavers’ starting quarterback for three seasons from 1999-2001, after which he was named a graduate assistant in Corvallis. After winding his way through some of the nation’s most prestigious coaching staffs, Smith received his first head coaching position at his alma mater ahead of the 2018 season.
After reviving the middling Beavers — highlighted by a 10-win season in 2022 capped off by a comeback victory against Lanning’s Ducks — Smith and the Spartans saw their opportunity to achieve a similar transformation.
“I’ve always been very impressed with Jonathan, I just think that his teams are always playing really good football…they’re always tough teams, and they can win in a variety of ways,” Lanning said last season before the Ducks’ game against Oregon State to GoDucks.
With Smith came his tough form of football, characterized by the 31- straight rushing attempts that led to the Beavers’ comeback against the Ducks. In that game, it was running back Damien Martinez taking the charge, and in place of Martinez, the Spartans enlists the talent of Kay’ron Lynch-Adams, a transfer from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
In the first five games of the season, Lynch-Adams carried the ball 58 times for 306 yards and a touchdown in a split backfield with Nate Carter, who carried 53 times for 234 yards and a touchdown of his own.
Michigan State’s ground-game trio gets rounded out by Aidan Chiles, the starting quarterback, who has taken 33 carries for 86 yards and a team-leading three rushing
touchdowns.
“It’s certainly unique to [Smith’s teams], there’s not many people that play that same brand of football, and his teams are hard-nosed, tough kids,” Lanning said before the matchup against Oregon State in 2023.
In their only two contests as head coaches, Lanning and Smith have split the series, and the home team took the victory each time. In 2022, the Beavers comeback and 268 yards on the ground led them to a 38-34 win. However, in 2023, the Ducks held Smith’s physical offense to just 68 rushing yards, forced OSU to pass and took an easy 31-7 victory.
With this being the first contest between Oregon and MSU since 2018, the sense of similarity to previous years ends with the head coaches. This season, the Spartans have endured blowouts from both sides in their five games up until this point, most recently enduring a 38-7 thrashing from No. 3 Ohio State.
While the two coaches ended up at different ends of the Big Ten spectrum this season, one can never doubt an opponent who knows what to expect, especially one who’s been embroiled in Oregon’s most bitter rivalry.
Each carries one win against the other into Friday night’s blockbuster, and each coach saw their game plan come to fruition en route to a resounding victory. Even with the Ducks and Spartans seemingly heading in separate directions, this specific point of intrigue may prove even more intriguing come gameday.
LEFT: Dan Lanning walks a lap around the iconic Rose Bowl Stadiumbefore his first game as a BIG 10 coach. The Oregon Ducks take on the UCLA Bruins in its first Big Ten Conference game in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA on Sept. 28, 2024.
(Jonathan Suni/Emerald)
OREGON VS. MICHIGAN STATE PREVIEW
The Ducks prepare for their first Big Ten game at Autzen
BY LILY CRANE Sports Reporter
The 2024 season is full of firsts for Oregon football. On Friday, Autzen Stadium will host its inaugural Big Ten matchup.
The No. 6 ranked Ducks (4-0, 1-0 B1G) enter the weekend coming off a dominant 34-13 victory at UCLA. Michigan State (3-2, 0-1 B1G) — whom Oregon will meet for the first time since 2018 — is in the midst of a two-game losing streak.
The Ducks came out of the bye-week looking refreshed last Saturday versus the Bruins. Oregon endured a bumpy start to the season with narrow wins against Idaho and Boise State. It has responded with two convincing victories since it last played at Autzen.
The trinity of Ducks’ quarterback Dillon Gabriel, wide receiver Tez Johnson and running back Jordan James are proving to be one of the most dangerous offensive trios in the nation. Gabriel threw three touchdowns on 278 yards in the most recent game. Johnson made 11 receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns, while James ran for one score on 121 yards on the ground.
The Spartans’ offense offers a stark contrast to Oregon’s. Michigan State's 38-7 loss to No. 3 Ohio State last weekend was in part due to three turnovers. The Spartans have now turned the ball over 13 times in five games this season. Michigan State had the potential to be within striking distance of the powerhouse Buckeyes at the half last weekend. A fumble and a dropped interception changed the narrative.
“We're gonna compete with just about anybody we line up with if we clean [the turnovers] up,” head coach Jonathan Smith said to the media after last Saturday’s loss. “We're gonna be in every ball game with a chance to win it if we can clean up some of the turnover piece and get off the field on third down."
Spartans’ quarterback Aidan Chiles and the offense have struggled in second halves throughout the season. Michigan State only has six second-half points in the last two games combined.
“Those point totals, to be honest, is not where we want it to be,” Smith said. “Work the process. We got a short week here. We'll take a look at this film and look at ways we can improve but we've gotta be able to score more than that.”
The Ducks’ defense intercepted the ball twice and forced two fumbles through four games. They’ll look to continue to put pressure on the Michigan State offense.
Oregon enters the game off a defensive performance that had head coach Dan Lanning full of praise. Defensive end Jordan Burch set the tone with two solo tackles and a sack.
“I thought the defense played their best game yet,” Lanning said after the win.
The Ducks rose two spots in the Associated Press Poll
this week. A victory against Michigan State will likely keep Oregon in a favorable position in the polls and confident as it heads into a potential top-10 matchup against Ohio State next weekend.
The Ducks and the Spartans will meet for the eighth time. The home team has won every time with Oregon’s last win in Eugene being in 2014.
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Autzen Stadium on Friday.
BELOW: Spartans QB Brian Lewerke (14) gains the first down. Oregon Ducks Football takes on Michigan State University at Levi's Stadium in San Jose, CA. on Dec. 31, 2018. (Ben Green/Emerald)
PLAYER
WEEK 6 TEAM ROSTERS:
OREGON MICHIGAN STATE
OREGON OFFENSE
DILLON GABRIEL
DANTE MOORE
JORDAN JAMES
NOAH WHITTINGTON
TEZ JOHNSON
TRAESHON HOLDEN
EVAN STEWART
KENYON SADIQ
JAYDEN LIMAR
TERRANCE FERGUSON
JOSH CONERLY JR.
MARCUS HARPER II
IAPANI LALOULU
MATTHEW BEDFORD
NISHAD STROTHER
AJANI CORNELIUS
OREGON DEFENSE
PLAYER
JORDAN BURCH
JAMAREE CALDWELL
DERRICK HARMON
KEYON WARE-HUDSON
MATAYO UIAGALELEI
TEITUM TUIOTI
JESTIN JACOBS
BRYCE BOETTCHER
JEFFREY BASSA
DEVON JACKSON
NIKKO REED
TYSHEEM JOHNSON
KOBE SAVAGE
JABBAR MUHAMMAD
BRANDON JOHNSON
DONTAE MANNING
OREGON SPECIAL TEAMS
MICHIGAN STATE OFFENSE
PLAYER
JARON GLOVER
MONTORIE FOSTER JR.
AZIAH JOHNSON
BRANDON BALDWIN
LUKE NEWMAN
TANNER MILLER
KRISTIAN PHILLIPS
ASHTON LEPO
JACK VELLING
AIDAN CHILES
NATE CARTER
JAY COYNE
MICHIGAN STATE DEFENSE
D'QUAN DOUSE
KHRIS BOGLE
CAL HALADAY
JORDAN TURNER
CHARLES BRANTLEY
NIKAI MARTINEZ
ANGELO GROSE
AVEON GROSE
HARMON IS HARD TO STOP
The Michigan State transfer is set for a big day against his former team
BY BECK PARSONS Sports Reporter
Defensive lineman Derrick Harmon was one of Oregon’s biggest offseason transfer portal signings. Now playing like one of the nation’s best, he’s ready to put on a show against his former team.
Harmon transferred to Oregon as a redshirt junior after spending three years as a Michigan State Spartan. Harmon said a key part of Oregon’s recruiting process involved recruiters showing Harmon ways Oregon could improve “little minor details” of his playstyle.
“That’s what really enlightened me,” Harmon said during Oregon’s Media Day regarding his May 3 commitment to Oregon.
The transfer has been a good move. In only four games with the Ducks, Harmon’s already tied his season-best for sacks (2) and is almost halfway to his season-best mark of 40 tackles.
“I feel like I made a great decision,” Harmon said before Oregon’s Sept. 7 matchup against Boise State University. The stats support that feeling. In
his four games with the Ducks, Harmon leads all interior defensive linemen in PFF pass rush rating (91.2) and total pressures (18). No other Big Ten big man has a rating above 81 or more than 13 pressures.
Harmon’s 14 quarterback hurries rank second nationally behind only the University of Cincinnati’s Dontay Corleone. However, those numbers lead the Big Ten, as only Nebraska’s Ty Robinson (8) has more than half Harmons’ hurries.
Harmon’s ability to pressure quarterbacks stems from his ability to beat blockers. Harmon is ranked third nationally in block win rate, winning 20.5% of the blocks he engages in. Yet again, Harmon leads the Big Ten by a significant margin. Across the Big Ten’s other 17 teams, only Penn State’s Zane Durant (17.8%) has a win rate above 15 percent.
Harmon’s teammates predicted this success.
“I already know he’s gonna be disgusting,” fellow defensive line transfer Jamaree Caldwell said of Harmon during the preseason. “I watched his film before he came here. He’s gonna be disgusting in the middle.”
However, Harmon’s sack totals aren’t quite as impressive as his pressures and hurries. Harmon’s two sacks on the
University of Idaho in Oregon’s season opener.
Oregon’s pass rush had been similarly middling since a four-sack performance in the season opener. After recording only three sacks in its last two games, Oregon’s defensive line tallied another four sacks on Saturday.
That defensive turnaround could spell trouble for Michigan State. The Spartans (45.2) hold the second-worst PFF pass block rating in the Big Ten, just behind UCLA (46.3) in third. Oregon is fourth in the conference with a PFF pass rush rating of 79.2. Michigan State allowed four sacks to Ohio State’s lower-rated (79.0) pass rush in their last game, as well as two sacks the week prior to a Boston College pass rush (65.0) that ranked outside PFF’s top 100.
Harmon could be in for a particularly dominant day against his former team. The Spartans’ offensive line has lost two guards to season-ending injury, necessitating former offensive tackle Brandon Baldwin to start at left guard. Baldwin has a dismal PFF pass blocking grade of 31.6 and has allowed eleven pressures this season. Unfortunately for Baldwin, Harmon has lined up against the left guard in 96 of the 123 snaps he’s played on the interior, making Baldwin-Harmon a possible mismatch for Oregon to exfantastic junior season, Harmon is set up for further success when his old team visits his new home on
Derrick Harmon(55) pressures the quarterback into an incomplete pass. The University of Oregon Ducks Football team played the University of Idaho in a home match at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., on Aug. 31, 2024. (Spencer So/Emerald)
THE DUCKS’ DYNAMIC
How has Dillon Gabriel’s relationship with Terrance Ferguson been a key factor in Oregon’s 4-0 start?
Tight ends Patrick Herbert (88) and Terrance Ferguson (3) celebrate an exciting two point conversion. The Oregon Ducks take on the UCLA Bruins in its first Big Ten Conference game in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA on Sept. 28, 2024. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald)
DYNAMIC DUO
BY BRADY RUTH Sports Editor
Everyone needs a friend.
When a friend comes in the form of a teammate, a connection is born. It’s one such connection that exists between Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel and his tight end, Terrance Ferguson.
They have two different stories, but their paths have crossed at the perfect time for Oregon football.
On a loaded offensive roster with countless offensive weapons, a talented pass-catcher like Ferguson can add a dynamic layer for defenses that must be taken into consideration.
Oregon fans should be exceptionally glad he stuck around for another year.
Ferguson is one of the familiar faces on the 2024 Oregon roster, as he’s playing in his fourth season in Eugene. The senior tight end from Littleton, Colorado, decided to return for one final year after hearing the news that Gabriel would be joining the team.
“As soon as I decided I was coming back, I told him we were going to be best friends whether he wanted to or not,” Ferguson said at the start of the season. Under Bo Nix, Ferguson was a major target, impacting games when the Ducks needed him the most. He was arguably the most important returning piece of last year’s offense. Luckily for him, he was able to transition from one dynamic quarterback to another.
Gabriel has led the Ducks to their second-straight 4-0 start under head coach Dan Lanning. It would be hard to argue that he hasn’t been a smashing success at his third stop of his collegiate career.
Gabriel is no stranger to travel, hailing from the Aloha State. He attended Mililani High School, a place he was able to bring Ferguson
to before the start of the season. Between that trip and a getaway Gabriel coordinated for the team to Grants Pass, he established an emphasis for creating bonds with his new team.
“He took everyone,” Ferguson said of the Grants Pass trip. “It wasn’t just starters or two deep, it was everyone and he made sure he took care of everybody like that.”
Still, it seems Gabriel takes special care of Ferguson. After a scary hit to the head that knocked Ferguson out of Oregon’s win over UCLA, Gabriel got right in the face of the defender who laid the hit, defending his guy. The moment of passion and anger caught the eyes of Oregon fans and fired up the Ducks’ sideline.
“That’s really big for us,” Ferguson said at Media Day about Gabriel’s leadership and care. “The guy we’re going to war with leads the team, is connected with everyone and everyone can get behind him.”
Gabriel is one of many new faces. He’ll only be here for one season, but knows how crucial it is to make lasting connections in a short amount of time.
His bond with Ferguson was established early and has mattered often. Through the Ducks’ first four games of the season, Ferguson has hauled in 14 receptions for 177 yards — good for the 24th most yards by a tight end in FBS.
“T-Ferg really has been my best friend from the beginning,” Gabriel said at Oregon’s preseason Media Day. “That just speaks on us meshing well together.”
Ferguson seems to have made a habit of bonding with his quarterbacks. Last season, it wasn’t uncommon to see him with Nix, Nix’s wife and Tez Johnson. Obviously, Johnson was the subject of a lot of discussion about his relationship with his adopted brother, Nix. Perhaps Ferguson’s connection with Nix flew under the radar. But the stat sheet sure didn’t miss it.
With two years with Nix at the helm, Ferguson brought in 74 receptions for 805 yards. Impressive numbers. Again, he’s already at 177 yards through three full (and one injury-shortened) games in 2024 with Gabriel.
“We work hard, go eat together and wake up and do it all again,” Gabriel said.
The two really wasted no time getting going.
In the Ducks’ 24-14 win over the University of Idaho, Ferguson was one of the bright spots of a team that received considerable scrutiny. He had a career-high seven receptions for 87 yards — another personal best.
“We hit it off right off the bat,” Ferguson said.
At Media Day, both Gabriel and Ferguson spoke about not only their friendship, but the one both of their fiances share as well.
“As you meet people, finding four people that get along and have a dynamic that just matches both humor and personality [makes everything] easy,” Gabriel said.
Finding Ferguson on the field has been easy for Gabriel, too. Before the Ducks went down to Pasadena, Ferguson provided an update on their chemistry.
“I think we’ve done a good job. We built that connection early and it feels like he trusts me,” Ferguson said. “That’s just translated on the field.”
Before the hit removed him from the game, the tight end snatched an 18-yard reception from Gabriel to pick up a key first down for the Ducks’ offense.
Oregon head coach Lanning is constantly talking about the bonds he wants his team to have and the camaraderie that’s key to success at the college level. There’s very little doubt that his quarterback and tight end received his message.
“I love T-Ferg, man, he’s my brother,” Gabriel said. Call it a bromance, call it connection, call it brotherhood. Call it a dynamic duo in the Ducks’ offense.
A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE IN MY BACKYARD — MY EXPERIENCE COVERING UCLA VS. OREGON
A drive I’ve done a million times led to an experience I’ll never forget
BY JOE KRASNOWSKI Sports Reporter
Just the day before No. 8 Oregon’s routing of UCLA, as the Ducks landed in the Pasadena area, their social media posted a video with the team departing the plane captioned “first touchdown of the day.”
It was a sign that things were about to get a lot more fun for the green and yellow.
However, all while Oregon was beating down on UCLA, I was lucky enough to cover the game for the Daily Emerald, living just ten minutes away in my hometown of Pasadena.
The four-mile turned 30-minute traffic that awaited my drive to the stadium made me miss Eugene. But the sunny skies and picturesque San Gabriel Mountains made me thankful to be home.
PREGAME
To say I knew the drive to the stadium would be an understatement. Going to high school three exits down, and playing baseball just five minutes away meant I really knew this drive. As I exited on Mountain St., I remember being unbelievably nervous as if I was playing the game myself. I recall finding it funny that I would see all of my fellow Oregon sports media at this game — they only exist in my
Eugene bubble. So weird.
There was an unbelievable presence of Duck fans at this game. Call it UC-Oregon or whatever you want. The Ducks were there and were loud. “Mighty Oregon” and “Go Ducks” rang out aplenty as I walked around the UCLA tailgate, meeting up with a high school friend who attends UCLA. I then went back to my car and grabbed my bag. As I walked around the familiar track I have so many times before entering the Terry Donahue Press Box. I noticed that sitting below me were a pair of writers that I’ve read and been inspired by since I was about 11. I later met with a pair of Daily Emerald alumni, both of which have worked professionally and live here in Los Angeles — the Eugene to L.A. pipeline must be real. Shortly after, UCLA players tooktake the field for a walkthrough in baby-blue fitted suits. I’m curious as to what Oregon’s pre-game outfit budget is.
I walked down to the field as players went through the start of warmups. There I met with one of my former baseball coaches who is also the field superintendent here at the Rose Bowl. “What's the best part of the job?” I asked him. This,” he responds, looking out as the Rose Bowl sunset caps the San Gabriels. Soon after, I ran into a fellow Oregon-based journalist who advised me to “Take it in.” There’s nothing quite like the sunset at the Rose Bowl.
I particularly enjoyed being so close to the Ducks’ sideline — a caveat an away game allows for as I listen to each coach’s pre-game theatrics.
GAMETIME/POSTGAME
There’s not much to say about the game itself other than it was pretty much all Ducks. And so, Dan Lanning lingered a little longer than usual in a worn-down room inside a 100-year-old building, his lauded team having played up to its full capability.
“It was a complete game in a lot of ways,” Lanning said of the win, his team’s first against a Big Ten opponent. I found UCLA’s in-game presentation top-tier — with a bevy of performances keeping the crowd engaged and happy. A TV timeout pause for a mariachi performance was a nice touch.
The stadium atmosphere, at least on my end, was a bit strange with the press box windows closed. Although the closed windows helped keep out a cool breeze, it left me feeling a little detached from the product on the field.
Regardless, I can’t stress enough how memorable this opportunity was. Taking in a game at a 100-year-old stadium in my hometown is something I’ll cherish forever.
Update: the ride home was safe — I know that way, too.
Evan Stewart and the Oregon Ducks walk into the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium as they prepare for their first BIG 10 conference matchup. The Oregon Ducks take on the UCLA Bruins in its first Big Ten Conference game in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA on Sept. 28, 2024. (Jonathan Suni/ Emerald)
BIG TEN RECAP: WEEK 5
Scores and headlines from another incredible week of college football
BY BRADY RUTH Sports Editor
Most Oregon fans experienced quite the wait for the Ducks’ 8:00 p.m. kickoff in their win over UCLA. To kill the time, many football fans turned to the incredible slate of games that Week 5 had to offer. For those who didn’t, take some time to catch up on the Big Ten’s latest scores.
No. 13 USC fights back to take down Wisconsin 38-21
Things looked grim for the ranked Trojans (3-1, 1-1 Big Ten) as they trailed the Badgers (2-2, 0-1 Big Ten) 21-10 at the half. But, the second half highlighted USC’s grit, as Lincoln Riley’s team scored 28 unanswered points to mount the comeback. A pick-six late in the fourth quarter sealed the Badgers’ second loss of the season and earned USC its first Big Ten Conference win in program history.
No. 9 Penn State stifles No. 19 Illinois 21-7 to remain unbeaten
The latest Penn State (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) whiteout was never going to result in anything but a Nittany Lion victory. Even after Illinois (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) scored on its opening possession, Penn State responded with a touchdown of its own. After that initial drive, the Illini were held scoreless in a contest where they accumulated only 219 total yards. An interception that led directly to points finished off Penn State’s win and sent those in attendance at Happy Valley home… happy.
Minnesota’s rally not enough in 27-24 loss to No. 12 Michigan
The Golden Gophers (2-3, 0-2 Big Ten) trailed Michigan (4-1, 2-0 Big Ten) 21-3 at the half, but flipped a switch in the second half to nearly upset the Wolverines at the Big House. Despite only having 38 rushing yards and turning the ball over three times, Minnesota was able to hang with Michigan, raising concerns about the defending national champions.
Indiana starts 5-0 with 42-28 win over Maryland
Who would’ve thought the Hoosiers (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) would start the season so hot? 510 total yards of offense led to a clinic as Indiana handed Maryland (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten) another conference loss. The Hoosiers are 5-0 for the first time since 1967 while Oregon’s Week 11 opponent (the Terrapins) look like less and less of an upset threat with each week that passes.
No. 3 Ohio State dominates Michigan State in 38-7 win
The Buckeyes are legit. Any noise that the Spartans (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) may have made with their 3-0 start was quickly silenced by Ryan Day’s squad. Michigan State turned the ball over thrice in the loss, and was blanked in the second half. Oregon should now have plenty of tape on its next two opponents as it hosts both MSU and Ohio State over the next two weeks.
Nebraska uses big fourth quarter to thump Purdue 28-10
With the game scoreless at the half, many likely changed their channels to a better game. They missed a fourth-quarter surge from the Cornhuskers’ (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) offense to down Purdue (1-3, 0-1 Big Ten) in its first conference game of the season. The Boilermakers’ offense was simply not up to par, and rushed for 52 yards on 30 attempts in the loss. If Nebraska can continue to play solid ball, Matt Rhule’s quad could be seen in the rankings again before long.
Rutgers holds off Washington 21-18 for Friday night win
For the first time since joining the Big Ten, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights are 4-0. A Friday night nail-biter against the Huskies (3-2, (1-1 Big Ten) earned Rutgers its biggest win of the season. The Scarlet Knights jumped ahead in the first half and fought off a late Huskies rally. A missed field goal as time expired finished off the thrilling statement win. Washington is now 2-1 alltime against Rutgers. The inaugural Big 10 match for the Oregon Ducks sees a familiar foe in the UCLA Bruins who also left the PAC 12. The Oregon Ducks take on the UCLA Bruins in its first Big Ten Conference game in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA on Sept. 28, 2024. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald)
‘ON INNOVATION,’ PART V: DEFENSE COMES FIRST
Everyone knows about the Oregon offense. What is’s it like when the defense has to carry, though?
BY OWEN MURRAY Sports Reporter
Just over a year ago, Oregon football’s Dan Lanning was fired up.
“Rooted in substance. Not flash. Rooted in substance,” the now-third year head coach told his players in a locker room speech broadcast on national television. It didn’t go unnoticed.
Oregon didn’t just beat Colorado on Sept. 23, 2023. It annihilated any belief in a national darling. The Ducks went about their business with a fearsome efficiency and coolness that represented some of their best football of the season.
It turns out that substance is exactly why Oregon is primed to make a run at the Big Ten title.
The offense was always going to be good. It’s the defense that’s Lanning’s specialty, and it’s the defense that’s going to be this team’s greatest innovation. How long, after all, has it been since defense won Oregon games?
He’s attacking it unlike any other coach west of the Rocky Mountainsies prefers to. Yes, the big-play offense that propelled Marcus Mariota to the 2014 Heisman Trophy was fun to watch. Yes, it almost won the Ducks a national title.
No, it probably doesn’t work quite as well anymore. Chief among them, for the purposes of this column, is that defenses are far better at stopping those big plays
against all but the very best.
Stifling defense is Lanning’s M.O.
Lanning’s His story is relatively well known: before heading to the Pacific Northwest, he worked as a graduate assistant under legendary Alabama coach Nick Saban and dominant Georgia coach Kirby Smart. Oregon hired Smart’s defensive coordinator the month before his Bulldogs defense won the first of two straight national titles.
His first Oregon defense didn’t improve on the previous year’s — the Ducks allowed 27.4 points per game in 2022, 75th in FBS. It took time.
One year later, the Ducks allowed just 16.5 points per game, good for 9th in the nation. It held a USC offense with reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, then averaging 45.5 points per game, to 27. It kept them in games, time after time. The offense got back on the field, time after time, to pound opposing defenses into the ground.
It took time to develop that culture this year.
Last year, Oregon was 44th lowest in the nation in defensive possession time, at 28:58 per game. After three games in 2024, that rank dropped to 104th and 31:44. The Ducks are giving their opponents nearly three extra minutes with the ball this year. That’s not ideal.
In 2023, teams playing the Ducks converted on third down at the 39th worst rate in the nation, 36.57%. One year later, they’re converting at the 107th worst rate,
47.06% (over a 10 percent spike).
Only Purdue (124th/53.85%) and UCLA (130th/56.10%) were worse Big Ten teams through three weeks.
Against Oregon State in Week 3, the Ducks had the ball for just 8:59 in the first half — the Beavers ran 20:57 off the clock in 43 plays. They were efficient — their three real possessions (not including a one-play kneel down that ended the first half) all ended in touchdowns. In the second half, though, they took control.
On the Saturday night of Sept. 28 in Los Angeles, the Ducks continued to push. They forced the UCLA Bruins to go just one for ten on third down, including three three-and-outs and four of five drives under three minutes in the first half. At the break, the 96-yard gain from the Bruins’ pick-six touchdown outweighed the rest of the home side’s yards (54) altogether.
That doesn’t mean that it's perfect. A defense playing to prevent the big play leaked second-half rushing yards, but they closed out the game.
In order to compete at the level that they’ve preached, the defense will need to continue to improve — that much is clear. What’s less easy is what needs to change from last year — what innovation they must make. It's what has to be figured out by the time Ohio State comes to town on Oct. 12, and what is going to be the question in December.
PRO DUCKS: ROOKIE EDITION
Oregon’s NFL rookies have four weeks under their belts. How have they looked?
BY OWEN MURRAY Sports Reporter
There’s plenty of pro Ducks in the National Football League. Through four weeks of the season, we’ve got a pretty good idea of what Oregon’s rookies are going to be given in their first year. Last year’s starting quarterback, Bo Nix has the job in Denver with the Broncos while other key parts of the 2023 Oregon offense have found roles
Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos
Nix was drafted with the 12th overall pick to a team with an at-best questionable situation under center. The Broncos picked up Zach Wilson and kept career backup Jarret Stidham on the roster, but the former Duck won the starting job out of training camp. He’s faced largely stingy defenses so far — Week 1 saw him held to 138 passing yards on 26 completions and two interceptions against the Seattle Seahawks before a similar 20-35, two-pick performance
In Week 3, though, Nix began to look more comfortable. After an average completion depth of 5.15 yards through two weeks, he improved to 6.0 in a three-score win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Nix’s legs have also benefited a struggling Denver offense; he ran one in to make it a onescore game in Week 1 before opening the scoring against the Bucs with a three-yard scramble.
While the Denver offense has largely struggled, they enter Week 5 sitting at 2-2, and nursing a two-game winning streak. In an up-in-the-air AFC West division, there’s still
Troy Franklin, WR, Denver Broncos
Franklin’s situation is largely different from Nix’s. The two connected for over 1,300 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2023, when Franklin set a school record in both categories. Even with Denver wideout Jerry Jeudy off to Cleveland, though, Franklin didn’t win a starting spot out of camp, and has been made to settle for scarce opportunities. He was unrostered for the Seattle game and only got one target in Week 2 before grabbing 2 for 11 yards against Tampa Bay and 2 receptions in a 10-9 win over the Jets in Week 4.
After the wideout fell to the fourth round in the NFL draft, his path to a starting spot got more difficult. He’s got chemistry and a familiar face in Denver, though, and could have a leg up on some of his team-
Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Irving was a major counterpunch to Oregon’s air efficiency in 2023. The then-junior rushed for over 1,000 yards for a second-straight season and punched it in 11 times. Selected in the fourth round, he’s been the team’s leading rusher through four weeks for a competitive Bucs group in a toss-up NFC South division. Last year’s leading rusher, Rachaad White, has battled injury and illness, and Irving has been the one to step up.
He projected as an elusive, multi-talented back out of college. He hasn’t seen a large share of targets yet, but some of that is down to Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen’s scheme and the presence of receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin than Irving’s deficiencies. Even when White inevitably returns to the starting lineup, look for Irving to get carries as a backup. His first few games have been a success.
Evan Williams, S, Green Bay Packer s Williams was another of the fourth-round Ducks. He entered a Packers defense that ranked 10th in the league in points against in 2023, and will have the chance to learn from a group that includes star cornerback Jaire Alexander and free agency pickup Xavier McKinney. He’s been making plays early, including a game-ending interception in Green Bay’s Week 2 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
He’s not ging to have a starting role yet, but the safety has made a name for himself early on. He charted a tackle in the Packers’ Week 3 win over the Tennessee Titans, and should continue to get on the field in passing situations.
Brandon Dorlus, DE, Atlanta Falcons and Jamal Hill, LB, Houston Texans
Two other Ducks off the 2023 roster have found their way into NFL locker rooms, including defensive end Brandon Dorlus and linebacker Jamal Hill. Dorlus is listed as the third left defensive end on the Atlanta Falcons’ roster, and Hill is currently sitting on the Houston Texans’ bench. Atlanta picked up outside linebacker Matthew Judon in free agency to improve its pass rush, but Dorlus won’t always compete directly with the former Patriot. If he gets on the field this season, it’ll likely be in heavy fronts and situations that can use his impressive athleticism.
Ducks offensive lineman Penei Sewell (58) holds up his championship shirt as confetti goes off. Oregon Ducks football takes on Wisconsin for the 106th Rose Bowl Game at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2020. (Maddie Knight/ Emerald)
