With first game jitters now formally out of the way, one should reasonably expect some sense of normalcy and routine to begin setting in for the Ducks after disposing of Bowling Green last Saturday. As Oregon shifts focus to Portland State, WFOD takes a closer look at the burning questions surrounding the matchup between the Ducks and Vikings.

1. Will the drops persist?

When you’re a team that walks away from your first game of the season with a 58-24 win, it’s hard to be too upset with your overall performance. Yet, despite the 34-point victory, there was no shortage of teachable moments stemming from the season opener that have likely been the focus of coaches and players in the week of practice leading up to Portland State. Chief among those areas of improvement are the glaring drops that plagued Oregon’s wide receivers against Bowling Green. Sophomores Jaylon Redd and Johnny Johnson were two of the most notable players that suffered from bouts with butterfingers last weekend, as each unofficially had two drops a piece that prevented big plays from occurring. With another cupcake opponent headed to Autzen Stadium this weekend, it serves as a prime opportunity for Redd, Johnson, and the rest of Oregon receiving corp to redeem themselves after the inconsistencies of the week before. Will they rise to the challenge?

2. Will we begin to see separation at running back?

It’s entirely possible that this question will be a recurring one throughout the season – or at least for next few weeks as the Ducks try to find definitive and reliable answers at running back. Excluding his 53-yard reception, senior Tony Brooks-James was a relative non-factor as it pertains to his impact on the ground for Oregon, as he finished with 27 yards rushing on five carries. However, in Brooks-James’ defense, he was far from the only Duck back to fall short of creating legitimate separation amongst the group. CJ Verdell, Travis Dye, and Darrian Felix each received at least seven carries a piece, and while each brings something a little different to the table, none of the three made a convincing case to be the Ducks’ lead back. Cyrus Habibi-Likio and Taj Griffin each received one carry totaling five and four yards, respectively, though unlike their competition at the position, both players did find the endzone last Saturday. Given the overall talent disparity between the Ducks and Vikings entering Saturday’s game, it feels safe to assume that carries will be distributed in a fashion similar to what was seen versus Bowling Green. The hope, however, is that one or two players seize the opportunity to entrench themselves as the primary ball carrier(s).

3. Do we see reduction of penalties continue, sharper play on offense?

An opponent such as Portland State offers so much in terms of a chance for Oregon to improve and fine tune their overall play as a team. Against Bowling Green, we saw the Ducks both take advantage and bungle their fair share of opportunities against an outmatched opponent. On the positive side, the Ducks played with greater overall discipline in all facets of the game, drawing only three penalties for 35 yards against the Falcons. Considering the Ducks were the most penalized team in the country a year ago, this is a welcomed and tremendously encouraging development for a team that was uncanny in their ability to shoot themselves in the foot. On the not so sunny side, Oregon was awfully sloppy at times, particularly on offense. The drops have been well documented already, but there were also a number of gaffs operating out of the Pistol in which Oregon’s young running backs would torpedo a play call by going the wrong way at the snap. The Vikings may serve as little more than a glorified dress rehearsal for the rest of the season, but it should be interesting to see if the players treat it as such. As conference play looms, cleaner overall execution on offense coupled with a continuation of the disciplined play would be a welcomed sight for head coach Mario Cristobal and company.