Oregon’s front four was supposed to be the calling card of this defense, the group that could live in opposing backfields and set the tone every week. Instead, three games into the season, the No. 20 Ducks are still waiting for that version of themselves to show up.
The numbers tell the story. Oregon sits tied for 122nd out of 138 FBS teams in tackles for loss with just 10.
Five of those have been sacks, and three came in the opener against Boise State. The penalties have also continued to pile up, another drag on a unit that came in with four returning starters and plenty of NFL buzz attached to it.
“We’ve got to get after the quarterback,” senior edge rusher Matayo Uiagalelei said this week. “And, shoot, if the DBs are doing their job back there, we’ve got to do ours, too. It takes all 11, and it’s the same thing with the run game.”
The 84-0 blowout of Portland State didn’t do much to change the picture. Oregon had only 37 defensive snaps in that game, and while the Ducks logged two sacks against a battered Vikings offensive line, the sample size was tiny. The real concern came in the first half against Boise State and then across the full game against Oklahoma State, when the much-hyped line was largely kept in check.
Now comes USC, and with it what feels like a true test for Oregon’s defensive front. The Trojans bring what could be the most physical offensive line the Ducks have faced all year, and the Ducks know the challenge goes beyond just trying to hurry Jayden Maiava.
Running back King Miller has also shown enough toughness to make life harder on any defense that loses its edge at the line of scrimmage. If Oregon can’t control the run, USC’s offense can open up in a hurry.
That’s exactly what happened to the Ducks against Oklahoma State, when the Cowboys ran for 237 yards and used that ground success to help quarterback Drew Mestemaker pick apart the defense through the air. Maiava will be looking to do the same if Oregon gives him time and space.
A’Mauri Washington, who was banged up in the Oklahoma State game, has only six total tackles this season. Bear Alexander is near the team lead with 15, and he has one sack. Aydin Breland has been one of the key interior pieces rotating in behind them, and he pointed to the way opponents have been protecting their quarterbacks.
“I’d say just police protection, having a lot of one-puller rises and just having to deal with full sliding and all that. Not really having a lot of one-on-ones in protection, but when we do get them, we’ve got to win our one-on-ones.”
That challenge doesn’t just apply to pass rushing. Breland said Oregon’s defense has to be sharper against USC’s run game, especially with the Trojans leaning on counter looks and backs that can make defenders miss if they’re late or out of position.
“Just being physical up front, playing the counter game, because they run a lot of counter,” Breland said. “Being patient when we strike our own, and being patient in our gaps, because their backs are pretty shifty.”
He also said the mood around the program has shifted since the Oklahoma State loss, and that the rough outing has pushed practice in a more serious direction.
“Everybody is coming to practice when we come in to play, and it’s not lackadaisical at practice anymore,” Breland said. “It’s not, ‘Hee, hee, ha, ha.’ Everybody’s getting straight to business and if it doesn’t look right, we’ve been making sure that it does.”
Dan Lanning said he views Oregon’s pass-rush issues less as a lack of chances and more as a matter of finishing the ones the Ducks have had. Against Oklahoma State, he said, the defense got close but didn’t close the deal.
“This game will be a great game to be able to assess that and see what it looks like,” Lanning said. “It wasn’t there in the Oklahoma State game.
And then similar, (Oklahoma State) had some good protection adjustments that they were able to do. They moved the pocket at times as well, and we were close on the quarterback but didn’t finish, right?
“We had times we had it covered, and (Mestemaker) scrambled in that game. So, I don’t think there’s room for concern yet when there’s a bunch of opportunities and we’re not taking advantage of opportunities. I think that’s where there’s concern.”
In Other News...
Marcus Mariota Just Put Oregons NFL Pipeline Back In Focus
Marcus Mariotas Week 2 start for the Washington Commanders put a familiar Oregon name back in the spotlight, and it also served as a reminder of how many Ducks are still scattered across the NFL in meaningful roles. Bo Nix continued his early run with the Denver Broncos, Jevon Holland was active on defense for the New York Giants, and the broader update around former Ducks included everything from gameday participation to injuries and practice squad status across the league.
For Oregon fans, the appeal is bigger than any single box score. It is the old pipeline story again, with the programs best pro products still showing up in starting lineups, on defensive snaps, and in the daily churn of NFL rosters. Mariotas place in that mix is especially notable, and the bigger question now is how long this latest chapter keeps the Ducks conversation centered on Sundays. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Now Has One More USC Threat To Worry About
USC is getting closer to adding another piece back into its defensive front, and that matters with Oregon coming to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday. Trojans coach Lincoln Riley said defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart is progressing in his recovery from a foot injury after missing the season so far, which gives USC another possible reinforcement as the Ducks prepare for a road test in a matchup that could be shaped by line play.
For Oregon, the timing is worth watching because Stewart has the kind of presence that can change how an opposing offense has to operate inside. His return is not here yet, but the fact that it is moving in that direction gives USC another threat to consider as both teams head into a game with plenty riding on the early-season Big Ten race. [Read more 🡒]
Dante Moore Faces A Bigger Oregon Test Than Fans Wanted
Dante Moore has given Oregon plenty to like through three games, with nine touchdown passes and no interceptions giving the Ducks a steady presence at quarterback. Even after the loss to Oklahoma State, the talk around the offense has centered less on Moores play than on the support around him, with analysts on the Ducks Confidential podcast pointing to a shaky offensive line and a running game that has not done enough to lighten the load.
Now comes a different kind of pressure point with USC on deck, and it is one of those games where Oregon will need more than efficiency from its quarterback. Moore will have to elevate his play even as the line issues remain unresolved, because the Ducks are about to find out how much margin for error they really have when the opponent can force them to operate under stress. [Read more 🡒]