Excitement returns for fans of Oregon football this week, as the Ducks, fresh off a bye week, play host to an Arizona team that has been virtually rudderless in its last four outings facing Pac-12 competition. That, however, shouldn’t take away from the critical nature of this game for Oregon, especially considering the way in which the Ducks were thoroughly shutdown by a Wildcat squad that was enduring similar struggles this time last year prior to Oregon’s trip to Tucson.
In case you’re in need of a refresher, that game saw Oregon on the wrong side of a 44-15 final tally, and it served as a self-admitted wake-up call for Duck coaches and players alike who have spoken openly about how ill-prepared mentally they were for that moment against that opponent. The past couple days have seen team leaders, such as Jaylon Redd, recount last year’s lost weekend in Tucson and vow that they haven’t forgotten the lessons learned from that game. Though until that is actually proven out on the field this weekend, questions will linger as to whether that is truly the case.
As kickoff fast approaches, WFOD has its own set of questions it will be seeking answers to as we look ahead to Saturday’s game between the Ducks and ‘Cats.
1. Who starts at quarterback for the Wildcats?
Khalil Tate or Grant Gunnell? That is the pressing question for both teams heading into this game as it relates to which of those players will get the nod as Arizona’s starting quarterback Saturday night inside Autzen Stadium. In comparing the two, Tate certainly has experience and playmaking ability on his side, as the Wildcats’ three-year starting signal-caller has endured a roller coaster career at Arizona which saw him emerge as a darkhorse Heisman Trophy candidate in 2017 only to see his production taper off dramatically over the course of the past two seasons under head coach Kevin Sumlin.
However, as Tate’s star has faded, Gunnell’s has risen, as the true freshman has shown glimpses of future promise having completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 1,061 yards, nine touchdowns with just one interception in six appearances for the Wildcats this season. Not bad when compared to Tate’s season-long stat line which has seen the senior complete a lower percentage of his passes (62.0), for more slightly more yards (1,633) and touchdowns (12), and far more interceptions (8). Gunnell, of course, isn’t the running threat that Tate is, but he is a more natural thrower of the football and has more athleticism than his 6-foot-6, 225-pound frame would suggest. The decision as to who will start will be something to pay attention to as game day approaches, but in all likelihood, Duck fans should expect to see healthy doses of both players on Saturday.
2. How much will Juwan Johnson’s performance at USC carry over to Saturday’s game?
It’s been a season filled with peaks and valleys for Oregon’s group of pass catchers, as fall camp injuries to Brenden Schooler, Mycah Pittman, and Juwan Johnson provided opportunities for young, unproven players to step up before all three players returned to action for the Cal game in early October. Since then, however, the number of available pass catchers at Oregon’s disposal has once again contracted. Schooler elected to enter the transfer portal following the Ducks’ win at Washington, while senior tight end Jacob Breeland, the top target for Justin Herbert in the passing game, suffered a season-ending leg injury vs. Colorado that has effectively ended his playing career at Oregon.
Since Breeland’s injury, Herbert and the offense had been in search of a player who could help fill the void left by the dynamic tight end, who still leads the team in receiving yards (405) and currently ranks second in touchdown receptions (6) despite having missed the last three games. That search may have officially ended two weeks ago, however, as Johnson exploded onto the scene in a major way at USC, posting (or tying) single-game career highs in receptions (7), receiving yards (106), and touchdowns (3). His emergence gives the Ducks a weapon on the perimeter that they have seldom had within the program in recent decades, and could provide this offense with an added dimension that few opponents have a reliable counter for. The question, however, is whether this is a sign of things to come for Johnson, or simply an outlier performance that came in timely fashion. With Arizona laying claim to the Pac-12’s worst pass defense, we should get our answer to that question in relatively short order.
3. Is there any rust for the Ducks coming off a bye week?
This is always a concern whenever a team comes off a bye week, particular when that team has been playing some of its best football of the season. The Ducks find themselves in this position now having to restart their engines and re-calibrate themselves for what they hope is a strong finish to what could be a special season. On the bright side, though the sample size is small, Oregon has performed rather well coming out of bye weeks under Mario Cristobal, sporting a 2-0 record with wins over a top 10 ranked Washington team in 2018 and Cal earlier this year. The unknown element, however, concerns the way Oregon handled the bye week given their favorable position in the rankings for the College Football Playoff.
Is this a team that rested on its laurels and failed to get better during the break, or is this a team that remained motivated and focused with knowledge that their work is far from complete? Considering the way Cristobal has managed this team throughout the season, it’s hard to imagine this group was anything but the latter, but with three games on the foreseeable horizon against teams the Ducks should beat with relative ease, one can’t help but wonder whether complacency will be an issue.
Top Photo: Oregon QB Justin Herbert (pictured with ball) celebrating with teammates following a touchdown. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/USA TODAY Sports)