With no game on the schedule this week for the Ducks, there is no better time than now to take a moment to reflect on what we’ve seen from Mario Cristobal’s bunch through five weeks of action.
As part of our “Bye Week Brush-Up” series this week, WFOD will be taking a closer look at who and what has stood out to us thus far, as well as offer our assessments on what we might be able to expect once the Ducks return to action next week.
Our series continues Saturday, as WFOD hands out some midseason superlatives for the Oregon defense.
Most Improved Player
Gary Baker: There are a number of excellent candidates for this billing (hello Kaulana Apelu and Drayton Carlberg!), but in our opinion, the player who has made the most significant strides through five games has been defensive lineman Gary Baker. Hailing from Upland (Calif.), the 6-foot-3, 310-pound redshirt junior was lightly recruited out of high school, with his only other Power 5 offer coming from Arizona State. After taking a redshirt his first year on campus, Baker debuted in 2016, appearing in seven games including four starts. Though he didn’t earn a start in 2017, Baker was a regular member of the defensive line rotation, making an appearance in all 13 games.
Now, following a stellar offseason that has seen him carve out a role as a part-time starter, Baker has emerged as one of the most important players for the Ducks along the defensive line. Improved consistency and production have been the biggest things that have stood out with Baker thus far, as his 18 total tackles is one tackle shy of the number of career tackles he had coming into the season. Yes, depth was a major worry for the defensive line coming into the season, but Baker’s impact has significantly reduced those concerns. Oregon defensive line coach Joe Salave’a deserves a ton of credit as well for not only helping develop front line stars like Jalen Jelks, Jordon Scott, and Austin Faoliu, but for also helping elevate the play of Baker and the aforementioned Carlberg.
Top Newcomer
Jevon Holland: Unlike last year when the likes of Scott, Thomas Graham, and Nick Pickett were making their college debuts, there isn’t a wide range of candidates to choose from when it comes to deciding this year’s top defensive newcomer. However, even if there were, it’s hard to imagine anyone that would be more deserving of this award than true freshman safety Jevon Holland. Ranked as one of the most highly-touted safeties to ever commit to Oregon, Holland has certainly lived up to that label in his short time with the Ducks.
Though he has yet to push his way into the starting lineup, Holland has been as much of a difference maker as any player on the Oregon defense this season. His three interceptions not only tie fellow safety Ugo Amadi for the team lead but also tie for second nationally. In fact, Holland could easily be tied for the national lead if not for an interception that was taken away from him due to a penalty on the play in the San Jose State game. Similar to Penei Sewell on the offensive side of the ball, Holland very much appears to be a star in the making.
Most Underrated Player
Kaulana Apelu: When it comes to the ratio of plays made to attention received, Kaulana Apelu is operating at a serious deficit on the attention received side of things. A strong candidate to win WFOD’s “Most Improved Player” award, Apelu’s appointment as the team’s “Most Underrated Player” is pretty much a no-brainer. A former walk-on, Apelu has made the very most of his opportunities during his time in Eugene, whether it be on special teams, in mop-up duty, or as an emergency fill-in as a result of injury. Yet, for anyone that has seen Apelu develop over the years, it’s not totally surprising to see that he has ascended to a starting role.
Apelu received his first extensive action as a starting linebacker last season, but ultimately had his season cut short after suffering a season-ending ankle injury versus Cal. Though fully healthy by the time spring practice broke, Apelu wasn’t necessarily expected to hold down the starting MIKE linebacker job, as stiff competition from Isaac Slade-Matautia created some doubt heading into the fall. However, despite a strong push from Slade-Matautia during fall camp, Apelu remained the starter and has delivered in kind. Apelu currently ranks second on the team in both total tackles (30) and tackles for loss (4.5), and has played far bigger than his 5-foot-10, 208-pound frame.
Player Most Needed To Step Up
Deommodore Lenoir: The first five weeks of the season have more or less been five weeks to forget for cornerback Deommodore Lenoir. In his first season as a full-time starter, the former four-star recruit has struggled to hold up in pass coverage after enjoying an offseason that had many expecting him to transition seamlessly to his newly expanded role. His performance against Stanford was especially forgettable, as both he and Graham were victimized throughout the game by the Cardinal’s physically imposing pass catchers, led by wide receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside and tight end Kaden Smith.
In fairness, the matchup problems that Stanford presents are unlike just about any that exist in college football. But they’re not indefensible talents, and to this point, the Duck defense has been among the Pac-12’s worst teams as against the pass, surrendering 238.2 yards per game (ninth in the conference) and 10 touchdowns (tied for second worst in the conference). When looking at advanced metrics, Lenoir’s struggles are even more staggering. Marginal effectiveness on defense measures the difference between success rate allowed and the expected success rate of each play based on down, distance, and yard line. For defenders, the more negative the number, the better. As it pertains to Lenoir, his marginal effectiveness rating is the worst among all Oregon defenders at 45.9 percent. For comparison, Amadi – the secondary’s best overall player – has a marginal effectiveness rating of 14.9 percent (Jordon Scott has the best marginal effectiveness rating among defensive starters at -29.9). The good news is that there’s plenty of season left for Lenoir to rectify his play, though it’s something the Ducks hope happens sooner rather than later.
MVP
Jordon Scott: MAN this was a tough decision … It’s hard to argue that guys like Ugo Amadi and Justin Hollins aren’t just as deserving as Jordon Scott. In the case of Amadi, not only has he been far and away the secondary’s best player in terms of production (24 tackles, 3 interceptions, 5 pass breakups, 1.5 sacks), but he’s also been the unquestioned leader and linchpin of a unit that has endured some early bumps so far this season. Similar things can be said for Hollins, who is perhaps the defense’s most productive player overall (26 tackles – including eight for loss – 4 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 1 interception) – and the player who currently rivals Jelks as the team’s more disruptive and feared pass rusher.
However, despite all those impressive stats and individual performances, it’s impossible to ignore the ripple effect caused by Scott as result of his play in the defensive trenches. The stats really don’t do the sophomore justice (though his 18 tackles currently rank tied for sixth on the team – not bad for a nose guard), but anyone who has watched the Ducks extensively this season knows the kind of impact Scott has had on each and every game. His ability to routinely blow up the center and generate tremendous push at the point of attack is the fountainhead for everything else that occurs defensively for the Ducks. His knack for occupying blockers allows for other players to fly around and make plays on the ball. This has no doubt contributed to the defense ranking tied for third in the Pac-12 in tackles for loss, tied for second in sacks, and first in interceptions. It’s also one of the reasons the Ducks rank among the nation’s best in stuffing the run, allowing only 2.97 yards per rush. Without players like Amadi and Hollins, the Ducks would look notably different at those two positions. Without a player like Scott, the defense as a whole might look fundamentally foreign.
Bye Week Brush-Up: Reviewing the Oregon offense
Bye Week Brush-Up: Reviewing the Oregon defense
Bye Week Brush-Up: Midseason MVP and other superlatives – Offense