Postgame Post Mortem: Takeaways from Oregon’s win over Nevada

Postgame Post Mortem: Takeaways from Oregon’s win over Nevada

Team / Saturday, September 7th, 2019

There was no hangover Saturday evening inside Autzen Stadium. For Duck fans, that came Sunday morning.

A week after being handed a soul crushing loss at the hands of the Auburn Tigers in Arlington, Texas, it’s safe to say that 16th-ranked Oregon worked out whatever lingering frustrations they may have had entering the weekend, as the Ducks cruised to an utterly dominant 77-6 victory over the Nevada Wolf Pack.

Fueled by 70 unanswered points and touchdowns from 11 different players, the Ducks tied an Autzen Stadium record for points scored en route to moving to 1-1 on the young season.

Below, WFOD offers up its prevailing thoughts and biggest takeaways from Oregon’s resounding 71-point win.

1. After a slow start, Justin Herbert was sensational

The season opener vs. Auburn didn’t provide the kind of statement on the national stage that Justin Herbert was expecting. Not that Herbert wasn’t effective and even impressive at times in last week’s loss to the Tigers – finishing 28-of-37 (75.6%) for 242 yards and one touchdown – but it wasn’t the kind of individual performance that emphatically launched a potential Heisman Trophy campaign.

Entering Saturday’s game, the big question was whether the Ducks would be able to emotionally rebound and play with motivation against an inferior opponent – at least on paper. In the first quarter against Nevada, that question hovered like threatening cloud over the Oregon offense, as Herbert, in particular, was off-target and out of rhythm, starting 4-of-9 with some glaring misfires. Then Herbert connected with Ducks tight end Jacob Breeland for a 66-yard touchdown, and seemingly, everything fell into place for the senior from Eugene from that point forward. In fact, Herbert would only throw two incompletions the rest of the way, finishing the day completing 73.1 percent of his passes for 310 yards and five touchdowns – four of which came in the first half. Herbert would ultimately give way to backup Tyler Shough in the third quarter, but a statement had been made: Herbert – and this offense when fully health – has the ability to be a buzzsaw with conference play looming. 

2. The Oregon defense looks extra salty

It’s hard to remember the last time it felt like the Ducks had a sure thing in terms of a full-on defensive unit, but it’s entirely possible that Oregon and first year defensive coordinator Andy Avalos could have something special on their hands in 2019.

Against the Wolf Pack Saturday, the Oregon defense was at its playmaking best, forcing four turnovers (two fumbles, two interceptions) which led to 28 points, including a 12-yard scoop-and-score courtesy of Ducks junior safety Brady Breeze late in the third quarter. Not only that, the Ducks limited Nevada to just 192 yards of total offense and surrendered nary a touchdown to the Wolf Pack, who scored 34 points and gained 404 yards of total offense against Purdue a week ago. In fact, only three of Nevada’s points came as a result of a sustained offensive drive, as the Ducks gave the Wolf Pack outstanding field position deep in Oregon territory after a Nevada punt bounced off the leg of Haki Woods and was recovered on the Oregon 12-yard line. The defense’s performance against Auburn was impressive enough, but against Nevada, the Ducks proved that they have the potential to be an absolutely suffocating group.

3. Heckuva home debut for Mase Funa and DJ Johnson

There was no shortage of stars on the defensive side of the ball for the Ducks, particularly for members of Oregon’s second team, who were responsible for all four of the turnovers the Ducks forced against Nevada. However, it can be argued that the individual performances of true freshman Mase Funa and sophomore DJ Johnson stood out more than anyone else in Saturday’s rousing victory.

The word on Funa has been out for awhile, as the former four-star prospect arrived this summer ready to compete despite coming off a knee injury that prevented him from playing his senior season of high school ball. Against Auburn last week, Funa flashed his enormous potential by making a critical tackle for loss in the second half. On Saturday, he built on that solid foundation by notching three tackles for loss, including two sacks, making him the team leader in both categories through two games. Not to be outdone was Johnson, who was unequivocally the most disruptive Oregon defender vs. Nevada, finishing the game with seven tackles, including three for loss (one sack), and one forced fumble. Not a bad debut in front of the Autzen faithful after failing to see the field in any capacity vs. Auburn. Expect to see even more from these two havoc-wreaking forces in the weeks (and years) to come.

4. Tyler Shough gets to show off his arm

Despite appearing in four games as a true freshman last season, backup quarterback Tyler Shough didn’t attempt his first pass as a college football player until midway through the third quarter vs. the Wolf Pack on Saturday. And while it’s important to note that the majority of Shough’s reps came against a whipped Nevada defense with the Ducks holding a commanding lead, the redshirt freshman acquitted himself well, demonstrating some of the skills that made him a highly-touted recruit coming out of high school. Shough finished the game completing 8-of-9 passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns, appearing poised and plenty capable of leading this Oregon team once Herbert moves onto the NFL.

5. More in store for Darrian Felix?

The sophomore from Fort Myers, Fla. has sure made a compelling case through two games this season. After enduring an injury plagued 2018 season, Felix found the end zone for the first time since the 2017 season when he scampered in from six yards out last week vs. Auburn. On Saturday vs. Nevada, Felix had his best performance yet as a collegian, rushing eight times for 80 yards, headlined by a breathtaking 62-yard touchdown run that stretched Oregon’s lead to 77-6 in the fourth quarter. The question now becomes whether Felix has done enough in the coaches’ eyes to command more playing time. It doesn’t figure to come easily given Oregon’s crowded backfield, but through two games, no other running back has made a stronger pitch for an increased role than Felix.

Items of note:

  • Not only did the Ducks tie an Autzen Stadium record with their 77-point outburst vs. Nevada, but the final tally also tied a modern era record
  • 11 different Oregon players scored a touchdown for the first time in modern era school history
  • Oregon surpassed 500 yards of total offense in a home opener for the 10th straight time and have scored 60-plus points in seven of their last 10 home openers.
  • The Duck defense has allowed a touchdown in just two of the last 12 quarters dating back to last season. Oregon also has an interception in nine of its last 11 games dating back to last season, including five games with multiple interceptions over that stretch.
  • Justin Herbert extended his streak to 30 straight games with a touchdown pass, the longest streak in the nation. Herbert also moved into fourth in career passing yards at Oregon with 7,622, passing Kellen Clemens (2002-05), and second in career touchdown passes with 68, passing Darron Thomas (2008-11).
  • Jacob Breeland set a career-high with 112 receiving yards and turned in the first 100-yard receiving game by an Oregon tight end since Pharaoh Brown did it against Arizona State in 2016.

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