“Quest for Eight” might not have a sexy ring to it, but it should be the prevailing thought inside the Oregon locker room this week as they seek their eighth win of the regular season on road in Corvallis versus Oregon State this Friday.
On paper, the Civil War matchup with the Beavers is skewed heavily in favor of the Ducks. Yet rivalry games have a tendency to summon unlikely performances from teams. Taking into account the up and down nature of Oregon’s season, and the fact there are signs of life Corvallis with regard to the football program under the direction of first-year head coach Jonathan Smith, the potential is there for this game unfold in unpredictable fashion.
Below, WFOD assesses this week’s keys to victory for the Ducks.
1. Contain Jermar Jefferson
For the seventh week in a row, the Oregon defense will face a top flight opposing running back. This week’s challenge comes in the form of Oregon State freshman Jermar Jefferson, who leads all FBS freshman running backs in rushing yards (1,316) while also ranking fifth nationally in the category. His combination of size, speed, and decisiveness as a runner is what separates him from the host of talented backs in the Pac-12, and is precisely what aims to give the Ducks fits come Friday.
To the surprise of many, Oregon’s veteran front seven has been exposed on the ground practically since the start of Pac-12 play. In their last seven games, the Ducks have allowed an average of 194.42 yards rushing to opponents. They’ve also allowed their opponents’ top back to run wild in their last four games, as Arizona’s J.J. Taylor (212 yards, 2 TDs), UCLA’s Joshua Kelley (161 yards, 1 TD), Utah’s Armand Shyne (174 yards), and Arizona State’s Eno Benjamin (149 yards) each had a turn tormenting the Ducks. While there’s more to the Beaver offense than just Jefferson, he is the engine that makes Oregon State go.
2. Respect the Beaver passing attack
Jefferson is for sure the focal point of the Oregon State offense, but it would be a mistake for Oregon to not give the Beaver passing attack its proper respect. Since returning from an ankle injury last month, Oregon State quarterback Jake Luton has been a bright spot for the Beavers on offense, completing 64.4 percent of his passes for 1,290 yards, eight touchdowns, and only two interceptions in his last five games. His impressive play has been buoyed by the steady play of an emerging receiving corp led by sophomore Isaiah Hodgins, junior Trevon Bradford, and senior Timmy Hernandez, who have each nabbed 50+ receptions this season. This unsung, yet productive unit will be facing an Oregon secondary that has been susceptible to quality passing attacks all season long, yet is one that could be turning a corner after a terrific showing versus Arizona State and stud receiver N’Keal Harry last Saturday.
3. Sustain intensity for all four quarters
This has proven to be a rather elusive goal for the Ducks this season. Excluding their games against pillow soft non-conference competition, the Ducks have been a team plagued by woeful inconsistency from game to game, and in many cases, from half to half. Following a string of slow first half performances, Oregon came out of the gate last week versus Arizona State with an aggressiveness and sense of purpose that has been seldom seen this season. However, that positive energy and build-up quickly diminished with the start of the second half, as the Ducks white-knuckled their way to victory after the offense stumbled and sputtered their way to three points over the span of the third and fourth quarter. Though the Ducks could likely get away with a similar performance versus Oregon State, it would tempting fate to endure such a limp effort in a rivalry game on the road. Sustained intensity for all four quarters, particularly on offense, would be an encouraging way to cap off the regular season and head into the bowl game with some positive momentum.